GRS Seminar

Thesis Examination

Graduate Research School Seminar Series 2017

Seminar outline

• Nomination of examinersConflict of interest

• Formatting the thesisFront page requirements

• SubmissionInternational students on managed suspensionDomestic students who have withdrawnRequests for submission without supervisor approval

• ExaminationExaminer concerns with thesis

• ClassificationAdverse examination outcomesResponses to Board Graduate Research School

• Revisions

• Submission of final versionEmbargo requests

Thesis examination staff

Fung, Mr Gavin ManagerThesis Examination

6488 3535 gavin.fung@uwa.edu.au

Chenhall, Ms Daranee Administrative OfficerThesis Examination

6488 4280 daranee.chenhall@uwa.edu.au

Examination Process managed by Thesis Examination Officers in GRS

Thesis Examination pgexam‐grso@uwa.edu.au

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/

Nomination of examiners

• Prior to submitting the nomination of examiners form ‐ school representative will contact examiners to • secure their agreement to examine the thesis (extended abstract) • check examiners OK to examine electronic copy thesis

• Supervisors should complete nomination form at least 3 weeks prior to intended submission date • include copy of thesis abstract• 3 examiners for PhD (and reserve) – at least 2 external to WA• 2 examiners for Masters (and reserve) – at least 1 external to WA

• Final approval of examiners by Dean of GRS

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/examination/submission

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/examiner-independence

Examination of UWA theses is wholly external. Examiners are independent and without bias.

Conflict of interest guidelines aim to protect against potential negative perceptions - not a presumption that an individual will behave inappropriately.

Potential for actual or perceived conflict of interest must be declared in the nomination form – any known relationships

prior or current personal, professional or legalbetween examiner & student, supervisor(s), other examiners or UWA

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/814807/Examples_-_conflict_of_interest_and_examiner_independence.pdf

Other nomination issues

• Finding an appropriate examiner in small fields

• Balancing the examination teamsubject expertiseexperience as an examiner/supervisorfamiliarity with the Australian system

• Managing co‐tutelle examination arrangements

Thesis format

• Very few GRS specifications

• Flexibility in rules to allow for disciplinary differences

• Front page templates available to download• Logo, declarations, authorship declarations• RTP scholarship holders acknowledgement of receipt of scholarship 

(including tuition fee only scholarships)• Co‐authors consent to inclusion of co‐authored work in thesis and 

endorse the student’s claims to contributionParticular care should be taken when student is not the lead author OR co‐authored paper is included in two theses

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/style

Thesis submission

• 4 Step Process – outlined onlinehttp://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/examination/submission

• Completed Thesis Submission Form• 1 electronic copy (PDF of full thesis on USB) and 1 temporarily bound copy

http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/style/temporary-binding

• Enrolment status changes to discontinued & scholarships cease[International students advised to check VISA expiry date]

• Provided forms complete & accurate – sent for examination • Thesis cannot be accepted for examination if there are outstanding 

ethics approvals and/or ACE unit has not been passed (if required).

• Official email sent stating thesis has been sent for examination

Thesis submission

• International students who run out of scholarship & making progress are often placed on a managed suspension (domestic equivalent of extension)• Able to manage all thesis examination processes externally• Degree can be conferred in absentia

• Students can request thesis examination without supervisor certification

• Allowable under PhD Rule 45.4 – exceptional circumstances

• GRS strongly counsels against requesting submission without supervisor support

• Managed by GRS on case‐by‐case basis

Tracking examiner reports

Thesis examination

• Requested examination time is 6 weeks• Average time of examination is 4‐5 months

• Examiners will provideWritten report (1‐2 pages)Scores against 6 criteria (1= exceptional, 6=flawed)Recommendation for classificationwww.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/staff/forms#thesisexam

• Board of the Graduate Research School (BGRS) will consider all examiner reports and classify the thesis

• Official email of examination outcome• Revision reports• How to apply for graduation

Criteria for award of PhD

• The thesis as a whole is substantial and original contribution to knowledge of the subject with which it deals

• The student shows familiarity with, and understanding of, the relevant literature

• The thesis provides a sufficiently comprehensive study of the topic

• The techniques adopted are appropriate to the subject matter and are properly applied

• The results are suitably set out and accompanied by adequate exposition

• The quality of the English and general presentation are of a standard for publication

Recommendation for classification

• PASSED no requirement for corrections or amendments

• PASSED SUBJECT TO MINOR REVISION

• PASSED SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIVE AMENDMENTS

• RE‐SUBMIT for examination after revision (PhD rules 65‐66)http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/rules?code=00810,00860,00870,01820,01830,01840,01850

• AWARD MASTERS

• FAIL

Examiner concerns

• Disjointed “There is a strong impression that this chapter was bolted on rather than being an integral part of the thesis.” 

• Incomplete“There is clearly a good quality of research but that the standard of the thesis is lowered by the lack of depth and thought put into the introduction and discussion”.

• Repetitive“The thesis is spoilt by some poor quality and repetitious writing. More care should have been taken to ensure that the overlapping material was presented in a more interesting and varied manner.” 

Mullins & Kiley. 2002. 'It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher Education. 27(4)https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228816715_'It's_a_PhD_not_a_Nobel_Prize'_How_experienced_examiners_assess_research_theses

Addressing possible concerns

• Adding linking text to improve the coherence of the thesis

• Ensuring material included in thesis is justified – no ‘padding’

• Strengthening the background, rationale for study, justification of methods

• Ensuring discussion chapter provides synthesis of results and clear indication of collective significance of work

• Ensuring adequate data is shown (possibly in an appendix)

• Reducing redundancy by restructuring

Adverse examination outcomes

• If there are adverse recommendations for classification and/or other issues arising in examiner reports

Case will be discussed at meeting of BGRS

Prior to meeting BGRS will request response from school prepared by GRC/HOS in conjunction with supervisors

• detailed consideration of all examiner reports• required revisions• explanation of why requests for revisions may be unreasonable• additional research work required• student capacity to make revisions

BGRS will classify thesis on basis of all available information, including thesis and examiner nomination information

Thesis Corrections

• Time allowed for corrections‐ 4 months normally‐ 12 months for resubmit

• Writing a report of thesis revisions http://wwwpostgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/examinations/revisions

Submission thesis - final version

• 5 step process www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/thesis/style/permanent‐binding

1. Certification of Final Version of Thesis form2. Electronic copy (PDF) on USB or CD for publication in the UWA Research 

Repository ‐ personal hard copies prepared by UniPrint3. Printed & signed copy of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement 

100 word abstract ‐ completed in studentConnect

• Students can request embargo on thesis publication (up to 2 years)• Application for Restricted Access

http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/22623/Application‐for‐Restricted‐Access.pdf

• Students can discuss copyright issues with UWA library copyright officer Chloe Czerwiec http://www.web.uwa.edu.au/person/chloe.czerwiec

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/contact