Assessment of MSc and PhD students

E J WoodSchool of Biochemistry & MicrobiologyUniversity of LeedsLeeds, LS2 9JT, UK

e.j.wood@leeds.ac.uk

What is the aim of postgraduate education?

• To produce competent, self-reliant individuals capable of doing useful research.“The holder of the PhD should have the knowledge, skills, perspectives and understanding to be capable of self-directed scientific work of a quality satisfactory to others in the field.”

IUBMB

What happens in postgraduate education?

• Students do research over 2–4 years on a topic agreed with the supervisor and the Faculty.

• In addition they attend taught courses (which are examined).

• The progress of the research is assessed at various points.

• At the end the student writes a thesis which is assessed.

• There is also an oral examination.

What is the topic of research and how is the

topic chosen?

• The process starts with a proposal.• This is a statement of a possible

research area. . . • . . . linked to a statement describing

a hypothesis.

What is a proposal?

A proposal is when someone proposes some to carry out an investigation or some research.

The proposal might say “It is my hypothesis that drug XYZ can cure cancer.”

What is a proposal?A proposal is when someone proposes

some to carry out an investigation or some research.

The proposal might say “It is my hypothesis that drug XYZ can cure cancer.”

The proposal would then state what the investigator proposes to do to try to verify this hypothesis = AIMS

What is a hypothesis?A hypothesis is a possible explanation

for something you observe. It may or may not be the correct explanation.

What is a hypothesis?A hypothesis is a possible explanation

for something you observe. It may or may not be the correct explanation.

A hypothesis must be testable by means of predictions and investigations.

[“Investigations” means further observations or experiments to obtain more data.]

What is a thesis? A thesis is an account of someone’s

research.It is like a book or a paper in a learned

journal.

What is a thesis? A thesis is an account of someone’s

research.It is like a book or a paper in a learned

journal.It would have sections such as:1. Review of the literature2. Methods used3. Results obtained4. Discussion and conclusions

What is a thesis? When we have carried out the

investigation, we write the results and our interpretation of them – this is called a thesis.

A thesis is usually required by the University for the award of a degree such as PhD.

It will be read by some experts who will decide whether it is ‘satisfactory’ before the degree is awarded.

What is a thesis? When we have carried out the

investigation, we write the results and our interpretation of them – this is called a thesis.

A thesis is usually required by the University for the award of a degree such as PhD.

There may also be the requirement to some of the research results must be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

What is a dissertation? A dissertation is a long piece of

writing: may also called a thesis.

It is written by a candidate for a university degree such as an MSc or a PhD.

What is a dissertation? A dissertation is a long piece of

writing: it may also called a thesis.

It may be the results of some research work or it may be a long review of the literature with some comments and interpretations.

What happens in a thesis examination?

Experts read the thesis, and there may also be an oral examination (often called a “viva”).

What are they looking for?

In assessing a MSc or a PhD what are we looking for?

Experts read the thesis, and there may also be an oral examination (often called a “viva” or “defence”).

What are they looking for?Has the student acquired the skills and

abilities required for certification as a competent, self-reliant scientist?

How can this be assessed?

What happens in a thesis examination?

Experts read the thesis, and there may also be an oral examination (often called a “viva”).

What are they looking for?

What happens in a thesis examination?

Experts read the thesis, and there may also be an oral examination (often called a “viva” or a “defence”).

What are they looking for?• Is the thesis of a satisfactory

quality?• Is it the candidate’s own work?• Can the candidate be critical of

data?

What happens in a thesis examination?

Experts read the thesis, and there may also be an oral examination (often called a “viva”).

What are they looking for?• Is the thesis of a satisfactory quality?• Is it the candidate’s own work?• Can the candidate be critical of data?• Is it original research?• Is the work publishable in a journal?• Did the candidate seem to know about

the work and the background to it in the oral examination?

However . . .

• The process of producing a PhD or MSc graduate is continuous.

• At various times in the course the student needs to be interviewed.

• At various times the student should be asked to write something – a review of the current literature or an account of the research so far

And . . .

It is important that at some point —usually at the end of the first year — for the student to write a report on progress and have an interview with the Thesis Supervisory Committee.

On the basis of this a decision should be made about whether the student is allowed to continue — or not!

However . . . It is not satisfactory that a student

gets to the end of his postgraduate study and then when the thesis is examined it is said to FAIL!

However . . . It is not satisfactory that a student

gets to the end of his postgraduate study and then when the thesis is examined it is said to FAIL!

The process of producing a PhD graduate should be a continuous process with frequent meetings and discussions about the work.

It is also a process of training the person.