Managing the process Toward graduation

Yijia Jing

Mar 13, 2007

Chinese Politics and Diplomacy Program

A checklist for graduating students

1. Will your fulfill all the requirements for graduation?

2. Are you sure about the procedures toward graduation and make yourself ahead of all the deadlines?

3. Will you do an acceptable thesis?

4. Miscellaneous concerns

1. Graduation requirements?

1. Accomplishment of all required courses and credits (31)

2. No failed course (Retaking the course is acceptable)

3. Pass the thesis defense

4. Do all required procedures for graduation

5. Finish all above requirements in up to 5 years.

2. Graduation procedures and deadlines

1. Identify your advisor and submit the Advisorship Agreement Form within the first month of the third semester.

2. Finish your thesis proposal and submit the Thesis Approval Form to the program before the end of the third semester.

3. Submit your application for graduation and the final draft of your thesis

Deadline: 15 May

2. Graduation procedures and deadlines

4. Thesis evaluation (Deadline: 28 May)

Your thesis will be reviewed by two scholars.

If two of them veto it, you have to defer your defense for at least one semester.

Related issues: You have to graduate within 5 years. For every deferred semester, you will pay 70% of the regular tuition. Try to avoid that.

If one of them vetoes it, you can redo it and apply for another chance of thesis evaluation. Two new reviewers will be appointed. If one of them still vetoes it, you have to defer your defense for at least one semester.

2. Graduation procedures and deadlines

5. Defense (Deadline: June 15)

Three scholars will form the defense committee. Advisor can not stay in the committee.

The applicant should provide enough copies of theses to the program for the purpose of defense.

Rule of defense: 10-15 minutes thesis presentation, PPT required. 20-25 minutes question and answer.

2. Graduation procedures and deadlines

Results of defense 1. Approval of graduation (if 2/3 or above members approve) 2. Accomplishment of MA study without a diploma 3. Another defense after revision within one year

6. Post-defense procedures 1. Submit a final version of your paper (5 printed papers and one

electronic file in PDF format) 2. Some other requirements 3. Before July 10, you will get the diploma, and participate in the

graduation ceremony.

3. An acceptable thesis

1. Formats

Cover pages Title page (In English and in Chinese) Abstract (In English and in Chinese) Persons you want to contribute this thesis to (optional) Acknowledgements (optional) Table of contents List of tables List of figures

3. An acceptable thesis

Paper structure (major components)

Introduction: problems, research question, and the practical or theoretical importance.

Literature/practice review: Review the development of the issue in question and/or the relevant theoretical research and discussion on it. In this process, try to make sure you capture the available relevant academic efforts that has been done.

Your substantive analysis of the issue in question: try to apply your theoretical perspective, propose the evidence (data), and use your theory to analyze the data.

Conclusions: generalize your findings and make discussions on what may be further done to advance the research in the future. It is also very legitimate to disclose the weakness of this paper.

Reference

3. An acceptable thesis

Normative writing style Use of footnotes Quotation and citation Reference: be careful of your use of internet Fonts, number, italics, paragraph, margins, page no. No header No boxes (embed your case in your text) Careful proofreading, minimize typos and grammatical errors. … Make it a serious and plain product.

Any kind of plagiarism will lead to serious university punishment. Plagiarism is easily identified. Don’t count on FLUKE.

3. An acceptable thesis

2. Substantive criteria

1. Academic importance of the research

2. Practical importance

3. Author’s systematic knowledge of the discipline

4. Correct use of research methodology

5. Innovativeness in exploring or applying theories

3. An acceptable thesis

3. Special concerns Make your paper question-oriented

Make your analysis theory-oriented

Make your paper manageable

Make your paper relevant to the nature of Chinese Politics and Diplomacy

4. Miscellaneous concerns

Make good plans: make sure the every step toward the finish of your thesis and graduation process

Actively involve your advisor Every professor likes diligent and clever students Make him/her confident of your eagerness and commitment in doing a good

paper Be responsive, accessible, and communicative Make your advisor informed of the every important procedure in your

graduation, and ask for directions and suggestions Thesis can be continuously revised until the final moment of submission

after the defense.

Maintain your health

Styles in defense: formal dress, brief and relevant answers…

Family visit