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Royal University of Bhutan
CNR Undergraduate Dissertation Guideline
Dr. Phub Dorji, Dr. DB Gurung and Dr. Phanchung
May 2013
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 2
2.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES .................................................................................................. 2
3.0 ROLES OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED ......................................................................... 2
3.1 THE DISSERTATION CO-ORDINATOR ................................................................................ 2
3.2 THE SUPERVISOR ............................................................................................................... 2
3.3 THE ROLES OF THE STUDENT ............................................................................................ 3
4.0 STAGES AND DELIVERABLES OF THE FINAL YEAR DISSERTATION ............. 4
4.1 STAGE 1 - SELECTING OR IDENTIFYING TOPIC .................................................................. 4
4.2 STAGE 2 - RESEARCHING THE TOPIC ................................................................................. 5
4.3 STAGE 3 – STRUCTURE OF PROJECT PROPOSAL ............................................................... 5
5.0 STRUCTURE AND FORMAT OF THE FINAL YEAR PROJECT ............................. 7
5.1 FORMAT (BOTH THE PROPOSAL & FINAL PROJECT REPORT) ........................................... 7
5.2 STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................................ 7
7.0 REFERENCING GUIDE .................................................................................................... 9
7.0 SUBMISSION ..................................................................................................................... 11
7.1 MEETING DEADLINES ....................................................................................................... 11
7.2 DISSERTATION REPORT .................................................................................................... 11
8.0 ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................... 11
8.1 PART 1: DISSERTATION PROPOSAL ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES (15) .............................. 11
8.2 PART 2: PROCESS EVALUATION GUIDELINES (15) ......................................................... 11
8.3 PART 3: FINAL ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES ...................................................................... 12
PLAGIARISM: ........................................................................................................................ 13
FORM – 1 .................................................................................................................................. 14
FORM – 2 .................................................................................................................................. 15
FORM – 3 .................................................................................................................................. 16
FORM – 4 .................................................................................................................................. 17
FORM - 5 .................................................................................................................................. 18
FORM - 6 .................................................................................................................................. 19
FORM – 7 .................................................................................................................................. 20
COVER PAGE GUIDE ........................................................................................................... 21
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
The undergraduate dissertation is by far the most important single piece capstone project in the
undergraduate programmes. It provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their capacity
to work independently and produce reports of scientific standards, to plan and organise a large
project over a long period, and to put into practice some of the knowledge and skills learnt
during the course. Whatever the level of academic achievement by far, students should show
their individuality and inspiration in this project. It should be the most satisfying piece of work
in their degree programme. The project is equivalent to 5 modules with 60 credits. Considering
the amount of credits allocated to the dissertation, student‟s inability to meet deadlines or non-
submission of expected result in time may have consequence of not passing the semester.
This document presents a set of guidelines for both the staff and students who are involved
in the final year project. It sets out the basic rules and the “Dos and Don‟ts” of the process, as
well as gives general advice on how to undertake dissertation. It is very important that both the
staff and students understand their own (and each other‟s) individual roles in the project,
therefore the role of the students, Supervisor, and the Dissertation Co-ordinator are also clearly
outlined.
2.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of the project, a student will demonstrate:
An understanding of research methodologies and research skills appropriate to general
research areas of natural and social science,
Ability to retrieve, identify, select, and organise information,
Knowledge of and a critical review of current literature relevant to the field of research,
The relationship between their research and the general body of existing knowledge in the
subject areas and the ability to critically evaluate and discuss this relationship,
The ability to record and report research process through data interpretation, analytical and
problem-solving skills.
3.0 ROLES OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED
3.1 The Dissertation Co-ordinator
Dean of Academic Affairs (DAA) will be the Dissertation Coordinator. The role of the co-
ordinator is to oversee the overall management and administration associated with the
dissertation. Any query or problem related to the administration and management of the
dissertation project may be referred to the DAA.
3.2 The Supervisor
The Supervisor is a member of the staff to whom a student is allocated and who is responsible
for guiding the student through various stages of the dissertation. The role of the supervisor is
to direct, advise and assess the student through each stage of the dissertation. The supervisor
should meet the student regularly at agreed time that suits both the supervisor and student. It is
important to remember that the supervisor is not there to do the work for the student but to
guide and assess the work of student until completion. The supervisor also gives technical
assistance to the student as required. The supervisor should encourage initiative in the students
so that the students learn to take responsibility for their work and do not become overly
dependent on the supervisor.
At the start of the project, the supervisor should assist the student in working out a time-
table for various stages of the dissertation and this should be regularly updated as the project
goes on. The supervisor should guide the student through each stage of the dissertation and
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should advise the student on any difficulties s/he may experience. The supervisor should also
regularly update the students on their performance. If a supervisor is worried about the
performance of a student, this should be communicated to the dissertation co-ordinator so that
corrective action can be taken. Supervisors are expected to be courteous and considerate to
their students. If a supervisor has to cancel a meeting, this should be communicated to the
student in advance.
3.3 The Roles of the Student
The dissertation gives the student the opportunity to apply the skills they have acquired during
the course works to produce a substantial project. The ultimate responsibility for the
completion of the project works lies with the student and the project should be the work of the
student. In consultation with the supervisor, students are expected to develop initiatives in
completing their dissertations and should not depend on the supervisor to actively sort out all
of their problems. This means that the dissertation should contain the ideas of the student under
the guidance of the supervisor. Project meetings should consist of an exchange of views by
student and supervisor and should not just involve the supervisor telling the student what to do
and how to do it. Students are expected to behave with maturity in respect to their supervisors
and dissertation projects. This means that students should be courteous to their supervisors,
accept direction, complete works as required and be punctual for meetings. Supervisors should
be notified in advance if a meeting has to be cancelled. If a student has any query or problem
with his/her project that cannot be resolved by the supervisor, the student can communicate this
to the dissertation co-ordinator.
It is the responsibility of the students to contact their respective supervisors to set up
meetings and discuss their progress. The supervisor has other responsibilities and may not be in
a position to meet the students at any time and therefore the students are expected to plan the
meetings in advance.
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4.0 STAGES AND DELIVERABLES OF THE FINAL YEAR DISSERTATION
4.1 Stage 1 - Selecting or identifying topic
Students are expected to identify research areas and topics that are of interest to them, which
help them to develop skills or learn new ones, have significant value to them or their
organisation, and will help them develop their career in a particular direction. Ideas for
dissertation can come from a student‟s particular interest in any given area, from outside the
work undertaken by the student, or from his or her own organisation. Alternatively, there will
also be some research projects put forward by certain members of the Department. Students
interested in pursuing one of these projects should contact the concerned staff member.
Students with difficulty in identifying a topic should communicate this to the project
coordinator or Programme Leaders who can assist them in choosing appropriate areas.
At this stage, students must prepare a pre-proposal of the research topic that includes a
summary of the objective or research questions to be investigated, importance of the research,
methods to be used to achieve the research objective, resources required, and what is expected
from the research. The pre-proposal should be between 300 to 400 words. The pre-proposal
will be screened and approved by the CRC members. Once the pre-proposal is approved,
student may not be allowed to make major changes in the research topic.
4.1.1 Feasibility
Students must test the feasibility of their topics. To do this, they need to consider the following
aspects:
(i) Availability and access to data and information: mere availability of data should not be
the prime factor in selecting a topic. However, it is essential to ensure that sufficient data
exists and students are able to have access to it. In addition, make sure that the data can
be collected within various constrains to enable them complete the project on time.
(ii) Literature: Students project should be based upon a specific area of established literature.
They should be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the literature and how it
relates to their research questions.
(iii) Time availability: Students should be careful not to attempt too large a task in the time
available. To help determine this, their project plan should include estimates for each of
the activities for the whole project and the necessary deadlines required in completing the
project in the allocated time. If the problem looks unmanageable in a given time, try to
break it down into smaller parts, or limit its scope. Project supervisor should be of key
assistance in this aspect of planning the project.
(iv) Personal skills and interests: Students should choose topics within their capabilities and
their interest including, perhaps their career ambition. They should carefully assess their
interest and abilities to see whether they match the proposed project. However, project
may be used to learn new skills or to broaden their knowledge. They would need to make
sufficient allowance in their plan for the extra time involved.
(v) Need for the research: There should be an identified need for the study that is recognised
by both student, staff, or by the relevant organisation. Although the result may not have
immediate application, it is important that students or anyone involved feels that the
study is worthwhile. The process of compiling a project can be lengthy and exciting so
the knowledge that the work will make a practical contribution can help sustain
motivation.
(vi) Risk involved: it is important to remember that BSc dissertation is a programme
requirement and it must be successfully completed. So, students need to assess the risk
that it will not be finished in the expected time scale or prove impossible to complete.
Students must be certain that they will be able to finish the project in order to satisfy the
programme requirement.
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Students have to submit a pre-proposal (synopsis) of their project at the beginning of the Year
4 semester 1. This will be reviewed and approved by the College Research Committee (CRC)
based broadly on:
Technical quality, relevance of the project,
Logistic and financial considerations,
(Relevant to the Majoring of the programme if offered so).
4.2 Stage 2 - Researching the topic
It does not matter whether one defines the task as a problem to be solved, an issue to be
investigated or hypothesis to be tested. What matters is that students establish clearly what they
are attempting and that they write it down in such a way that the problem or issue can be
clearly addressed or the hypothesis substantiated or refuted. This will result in a clear research
question.
In this stage the students are expected to research the topic in order to fully understand the
domain of the project and appropriate solutions. Depending on the dissertation topic and in
consultation with the supervisor, students must decide on the form the research will take.
4.3 Stage 3 – Structure of Project proposal
Subsequent to approval by the CRC, the student will develop a detailed project proposal over
the Year 4 Semester 1 and submit to the dissertation coordinator towards the end of the
semester on the scheduled dissertation deadline. This must be submitted in an appropriate form
(Form - 6) and assessed by the respective supervisor.
The following notes provide students with the structure of the project proposal. It is
advisable to discuss the development of student‟s proposal with their supervisor. The proposal
should be word processed, and approximately 2,500-5,000 words in length, excluding
references. As a guide, students are advised that a good project proposal will attempt to address
the following:
I. Dissertation title
Student‟s proposal needs to have a project title. At this stage, it is a working title and can be
changed at a later date if a more appropriate wording is found.
II. What is the dissertation about?
This should give a clear indication of the project aims.
III. What are the research questions?
The research questions should be explicit. A research question may lead to a statement of three
or four specific objectives, which are to be achieved in order to answer the research questions.
These should be investigative in nature and therefore problem-based. It must be noted that
project needs analyses rather than mere description.
IV. Why is the project important?
The rationale for the project should include statement as to why the project should be
undertaken. This may include developmental activities, government policies, and businesses,
academic, and personal reasons.
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V. What is the academic literature basis of the project?
Students need to choose topics for which there is sufficient literature available. In the proposal
students should show how their first reading of the literature has helped them to define their
research question.
VI. How will student answer the research question?
This section must detail the way in which the aims and objectives of the investigation are to be
achieved. Remember that this means; not only a description of the methods to be used, but also
to include a logic discussion of the methods proposed.
VII. Project plan
The proposal should indicate the process path to be used. This should detail the way in which
the project is to be achieved, and should, if possible, identify phases or stages, timescales and
an overall project planning.
VIII. References
References of all citations in the proposal should be provided. It should be obvious to readers
from where the students have sourced the referenced material cited in the text. References must
be presented in a consistent manner, following a recognised convention proposed in this
guideline.
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5.0 STRUCTURE AND FORMAT OF THE FINAL YEAR PROJECT
Students are expected to respect the following guidelines for the contents of their final year
project.
5.1 Format (both the proposal and final project report)
Both the proposal and final project report should be written in A4 size paper; only one side of
the paper should be printed. Project should be word processed, Times New Roman with font
size 12, 1.5 spacing, and page number centered at the bottom of the page. A key should be
provided for abbreviations used. For an uncommon abbreviation, the term shall be given in full
at the first instance followed by the abbreviation in brackets. Final project report should be
approximately 10,000 words in length, excluding references.
All statistical symbols should be typeset in italics (e.g., t test, trial n, SEM, p < .05).
Parenthesis in statistics should be in these form; t(75) = 3.91; F(4, 231) = 43.63. Write
„percent‟ when numerals do not proceed or use „%‟ following a number (e.g., eighty six
percent or 24%). Units following the numerals are with space, e.g., 22 cm, 4 kg etc. Use
“double quotation” marks to give emphasis and use parenthesis & brackets when necessary
(the Blood Sugar [BS]). For simple cases slash/virgule can be as in 4.05 mg/kg and 4.5 nmol.
hr-1
. mg-1
for compound cases. Numbers below 10 are worded, however, there are exceptions.
One such example is the numbers in a series, e.g., “There were 10 girls and 3 boys in the
class”. Also, in measurement, e.g., “We added 2 ml of water in the tube”. Zero before decimal
fraction is not used in cases where any value expected is not above 1, e.g., p > .05, but is used
in cases like 0.45 cm or 2(4, N = 30) = 0.5. Use symbol for degree, e.g., 30 ºC. Use Table 2 or
Figure 4 to cite tables and figures inside the text but for caption use bold, e.g., Figure 4. Height
of…etc. Use spaces between equation like a + b = c rather than as in a+b=c. Also use space as
in 2 cm x 4 cm instead of 2cmX4cm. Commas in numerals are used when number exceeds
three digits, e.g., 30,000 people; however, there are exceptions, for instance, in the year 1989.
Indent paragraphs by 0.3” Tab and there should not be any spaces between paragraphs. For
headings like CHAPTER ONE (justified centre, upper case, bold, 14 font size), Title of the
Chapter (justified centre, lower case, bold, in different line). For headings within a Chapter
use numbered Headings (bold, font size 12), and italicize numbered Sub-headings.
Scientific names follow the ICBN rules. For instances, Dalbergia sissoo (when species is
confirmed), Dalbergia sp. (when species is not confirmed, note that the sp. is not italicized),
Dalbergia spp. (when refereeing to more than one unconfirmed Dalbergia species), and
Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. for reporting Authority.
5.2 Structure
The following guidelines on the structure of the final year project report should be followed
strictly.
I. Title page. This should contain the title, author‟s name, stage and date (cf. Cover page).
II. Declaration: Students must declare that his project is original and have not been submitted
before for any other degree, and that all the sources of information and assistance received
during the course of the study are duly acknowledged. This particular section should be dated
and signed (See plagiarism declaration form).
III. Acknowledgement: Students should acknowledge any form of assistance received from
others during the project.
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IV. Abstract: This is an executive summary section and provides brief account of objectives,
material and methods, results, discussion, and conclusion, so that the reader need not refer to
the article except for details. It should not have citations to literature, illustrations and tables.
Students should limit this section to 300 words and should be contained in a single page.
V. Table of Contents: This should contain headings and page numbers. All headings in the
paper should be numbered and defined levels. Lists of Figures and Tables should also be
provided.
VI. Introduction: This section should explain the problem/phenomenon under study and set it
into a specific context. This section must clearly define the overall aims of the project and the
specific objectives that will need to be achieved in order to meet the stated aims. Students
should also define the value of the study, i.e., how it would help them or add to the general
body of knowledge.
VII. Literature Review: This section briefly examines the history of thought which explains
the current situation and the theory of the topics the students are working on, i.e., animal
sciences, agriculture, environment, natural resources, marketing, economics etc., and which
shows that there have been other inquiries into the general area and what their conclusions are.
VIII. Materials and Methods: This section of the project should outline the different sources
of information required to meet the project‟s objectives. Students should discuss both
secondary and primary sources of information and outline the method of research activity
undertaken. Primary data can be a new type of analysis of existing information, but the
preferred format is the study of information which students gather themselves, through
interviews, experiments, work experience or survey research techniques. Secondary data is
information already published and available in the public domain. Students must also explain
what method they used to gather this information and why they chose it. In short, this section
should be written in such a way so as to make readers able to repeat the work.
IX. Results and Discussion: Research and discussion should be combined to avoid repetition.
The results should be supported by brief but adequate tables or graphics or pictorial materials
wherever necessary. Original information that has been gathered from specified sources must
be discussed thoroughly and critically analysed so that students understand its implication and
importance. Students must support, challenge or deny the current theory presented. Grade will
be significantly improved in the event that students are able to explain why their data differs
(or is the same as) the theory.
X. Conclusion: This section should also include recommendations, which may or may not be
bulleted. Each statement in this section should be clear, concise, and without elaborative and
repetitive discussion. Students must summarize their significant findings, identify further
research needs, and describe the constraints, economics, and other factors associated with using
the results in scientific or commercial applications.
XI. References: This consists of a list of all the books, articles, manuals, etc. referred in the
project and in the report. It should be arranged in alphabetical order and fully referenced so that
readers could find the sources of information with ease. Referencing should be citation based,
i.e., only those works cited in the text are referenced and should follow the Referencing Guide
provided in the subsequent section.
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7.0 REFERENCING GUIDE Generally, this section should consist of author‟s surname or second name, initials, year of publication, the title of article, the title of the book (in italic), paper or periodical (in italic), volume number, and issue in bracket, colon, and page number.
All references should be carefully cross-checked; it is the author‟s responsibility to ensure that references are correct. Only reference cited in the text should be listed in the Reference section. (To avoid mismatch between citations and references, students are encouraged to use the EndNote or appropriate software.) 1. Referencing Journal article This should consist of author‟s surname or second name, initials, year of publication, the title of article, the title of journal or periodical (in italic), volume number, issue in bracket followed by a colon, and page number. For example:
Kainth, G.S. & Mehra, P.L. (1988). Seasonality pattern of market arrival and prices of potato in
Punjab. Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 2 (1): 113-120.
2. Referencing entire book This consists of author‟s surname, initials, year of publication, the title of book (in italic), place of publication, and name of publisher. For example: Rogers, E.M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations. New York: The Free Press.
3. Referencing article/chapter with author(s) from edited books This should consist of author‟s surname or second name, initials, year of publication, the title of article, title of the book (in italic), edition, page number, editors in bracket, place of publication, and name of the publisher. For example:
Cheng, K.J. & Costerton, J.W. (1980). Adherent rumen bacteria. Their role in digestion of
plant material, urea, and epithelial cells. In Digestive Physiology and Metabolism in
Ruminants, eds. Y. Ruckebusch & P. Thivend, 1st edn., pp.227-250. Lanchaser: MTP Press
Ltd.
4. Citation in the text
In the text, references should be cited in chronological order with author‟s name and year of publication in parenthesis as shown in examples below:
When only one author
o The study conducted by NRTI revealed that there are more than 13 lines of indigenous chickens in Bhutan (Nidup, 2005).
o Nidup (2005) revealed that there are more than 13 lines of indigenous chickens in Bhutan.
Two authors o The poultry development programme initiated in Bhutan since 1961 has not made any
tangible impact (Nidup and Dorji, 2005). o Nidup and Dorji (2005) argued that Bhutan has not made any tangible impact in the
areas of poultry development even after four decades. More than two authors
o The poultry development programme initiated in Bhutan since 1961 has not made any tangible impact (Nidup et al., 2005).
o Nidup et al. (2005) stated that poultry development programme in Bhutan started in 1961.
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
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Where there are two or more papers by the same author in one year: distinguishing letter (a, b, c…) should be added to the year. For example: o The mitochondrial DNA sequences suggest that Bhutanese chickens are genetically
diverse (Nidup et al., 2005a; 2005b). o Nidup et al. (2005a; 2005b) showed that Bhutanese chickens are genetically diverse.
5. Referencing Internet. Author/Publisher, year, title, web address, and full date. For
example: o Nidup, K. (1990). Nature‟s Inspiration. <http://www.kuenselonline.com>. Accessed 1
June 1991. OR o Kuensel. (1990). Nature‟s Inspiration. <http://www.kuenselonline.com>. Accessed 1
June 1991. (in absence of the author) o FAO. (2004). Animal genetic resources. <http://www.fao.org>. Accessed 20 May 2004.
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7.0 SUBMISSION
7.1 Meeting deadlines
Students should meet the deadlines set by the dissertation coordinator in the beginning of the
Semester. “Extension” or additional time for completion of either the proposal or the project
will only be granted in exceptional circumstances by project coordinator in consultation with
the concerned project supervisor.
If duration of “extension” is more than a month, students will not be eligible to graduate
with their original cohort. The case will be forwarded by the Programme Board of the
Examiners to the next schedule meeting of the College Academic Committee, for
consideration.
7.2 Dissertation report
Students should make at least two copies (for internal and external examiners) of the project
and submit to the dissertation coordinator. The final hard bound copy and a Journal article
(2,500 to 4,000 words) should be submitted after incorporating necessary changes and
correction along with electronic copies (refer to schedule). Students should at all times ensure
that the electronic and paper copies of the project submitted are the same file. (Note that the
certificates of the concerned student will not be given for any job left unfinished or non-
submission of any paper in hard bound and soft copies.)
8.0 ASSESSMENT
8.1 Part 1: Dissertation Proposal Assessment Guidelines (15)
The proposal will be graded out of 15 according to the marking criteria in Form – 2. In the
event, students score less than 5, they are required to review and resubmit the proposal within a
week and the grade can be adjusted.
The proposal should, in particular, provide clarity on:
Aims: the student should be able to clearly express the overall objectives of the project.
Research question: this may need refining as the research progresses, but a research question
should be developed as a starting point.
Research context and literature review: the student should be aware of the major researchers /
theories / ideas / management practices in the area that (s)he is exploring.
Research process: the student should be able to coherently and logically explain how (s)he will
answer the research questions.
8.2 Part 2: Process Evaluation Guidelines (15)
Student‟s progress will be continuously assessed based on their initiatives, inquisitiveness,
originality, and ability to explore and work independently. This will be graded out of 15 by the
supervisor based on the criteria given in Form – 3. For the purpose of regular monitoring,
approval has to be obtained at each stage of writing the proposal and the report on the form
provided in Form – 7.
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8.3 Part 3: Final Assessment Guidelines
This will be assessed both by internal and external supervisor, and will be graded out of 45.
The average of both the examiner will be the final marks in this part. The grading criteria
(Form – 4) are focused on two main areas:
1. Content
2. Structure and presentation
8.3.1 RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION CONTENT (out of 45):
Allocation of the marks assessed in this part will be in the following distribution form:
o Overall quality of the research and the dissertation
o Choice and application of methodology
o Content and analysis
o Written language and clarity
o Demonstration of knowledge in the research areas
o Demonstration of specialized knowledge
o Conclusion and ability to make critical suggestions and proposals
o References
8.3.2 Thesis Defense (out of 10):
Student will also prepare and make a presentation of 20 minutes and defend their thesis before
a panel of Evaluators. Students will be judged on the following criteria (Form – 5)
o Ability to coherently, eloquently, and explicitly defend one‟s work
o Overall presentation + Charts, graphs and figures
o Potential and thrust for publishing his work in national, regional or international
journals
8.3.3 Journal Article from Dissertation (out of 15)
Students will prepare at least one journal article from the dissertation project. Students can
publish more than one article from the dissertation along with their respective Supervisors.
Journal article will be assessed with the following criteria (Form - 6).
o Ability to comprehend issues / problems / opportunities
o Demonstrate appropriateness of the study approach
o Analytical skills and sound discussion of results
o Future directions / recommendations
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PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is a severe form of academic dishonesty where one presents the work of another as
if it were one‟s own without acknowledging the use of that work. Plagiarism will not be
tolerated and if any student is found or judged to have plagiarized or indulged in any academic
dishonesty, a mark of zero may be given for the dissertation. The following are examples of
plagiarism:
verbatim copying of other‟s work without acknowledgement or paraphrasing of other‟s
work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation without
acknowledgement
ideas or intellectual data in any form presented as one‟s own without acknowledging the
source(s)
making significant use of unattributed digital images such as graphs, tables, photographs,
etc. taken from test books, articles, films, plays, handouts, internet, or any other source,
whether published or unpublished
submission of a piece of work which has previously been assessed for a different award or
module or at a different institution as if it were new work
use of any material without prior permission of copyright from appropriate authority or
owner of the materials used
Students are required to submit an undertaking stating that he/she has not committed any academic
dishonesty or resorted to plagiarism in writing the dissertation in the Plagiarism Declaration Form
provided (Form – 1).
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Form – 1
Royal University of Bhutan
PLAGIARISM DECLARATION FORM
This form must be completed, signed and appended to your dissertation
I declare that this is an original work and I have not committed, to my
knowledge, any academic dishonesty or resorted to plagiarism in writing the
dissertation. All the sources of information and assistance received during the
course of the study are duly acknowledged.
Student‟s Signature: ________________ Date:_________________
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
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Form – 2
Royal University of Bhutan
Research Proposal Evaluation Form
(15 marks)
Project Topic: _______________________________________________ ___________
Project Author: __________________________________________________ _______
Semester: _______ Department _________________ Batch: _______ Year: _________
S. No. Components Criteria Max. Marks Marks Obtained
1 Introduction Definition of the
problem/research question, issues
and objectives of project topic
4
2 Literature
review
Relevance and link to project
topic, logical, critical appraisal
3
3 Methodology Appropriateness of method used,
design, selection of sites, sample
size, investigation technique
4
4 Timetable /
Resources
Outline time scale and resources
required / monitor through work
schedule
3
5 Overall
presentation
Readability, clarity,
completeness, logical structure
1
TOTAL 15
Name of the Project Supervisor: --------------------------------- Signature: -------------
Date: ---------------------------------
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
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Form – 3
Royal University of Bhutan
Thesis Process Evaluation Form
(15 marks)
Project Topic: __________________________________________________________
Project Author: _________________________________________________________
Semester: _______ Department _________________ Batch: _______ Year: ______
S. No. Criteria Max. Marks Marks Obtained
1 Ability to stick to the deadlines and
schedules
3
2 Consultation with the supervisor at
different stages
4
3 Initiative, inquisitiveness,
originality, and ability to explore
and work independently.
5
4 Knowledge related to the topic 3
TOTAL 15
Name of the Project Supervisor: --------------------------------- Signature: -------------
Date: ---------------------------------
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
17
Form – 4
Royal University of Bhutan
Thesis Evaluation Form
(45 marks)
Project Topic: __________________________________________________________
Project Author: _________________________________________________________
Semester: _______ Department _____________ Batch: _______ Year: ___________
S.
No.
Criteria Key aspects to consider Max. Marks Marks
Obtained
1 Introduction Definition of the problem/research
question, issues and objectives of
project topic
10
2 Contents Relevant to topic / Practically
applied (own involvement) / Clear
language / Logical sequence
20
3 Analytical
ability
Introduction / Description of the
situation Identification of the
problem / Definition of
objectives/solutions/
Conclusions/follow up
(implementation)
15
TOTAL 45
Name of the External/Internal Examiner: -------------------------------- Signature: -----------
Date: ---------------------------------
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
18
Form - 5
Royal University of Bhutan
Thesis Presentation Evaluation Form
(10 marks)
Project Topic: __________________________________________________________
Project Author: _________________________________________________________
Semester: _______ Department ______________ Batch: _______ Year: _________
S. No. Criteria Max. Marks Marks Obtained
1 Relevance of content to topic,
Structure and logical sequence
4
2 Overall presentation - Visuals
(drawings, maps, graphs, photos,
etc.)
3
3 Ability to coherently, eloquently,
and explicitly defend his work
3
Total 10
Date ……………………………. Signature: ………………………….
Place: --------------------------------- Name of the Examiner: -----------------------
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
19
Form - 6
Royal University of Bhutan
Article Evaluation Form
(15 marks)
Project Topic: __________________________________________________________
Project Author: _________________________________________________________
Semester: _______ Department ______________ Batch: _______ Year: _________
S. No. Criteria Max. Marks Marks Obtained
1 Abstract well written 2
2 Problems clearly stated 2
3 Objectives are achievable 2
4 Appropriate research design / methodologies 3
5 Interpretation of results and discussion 3
6 Conclusion/recommendation based on findings 2
7 Correct citation & referencing 1
Total 15
Standard of article (tick any one):
1. High quality, suitable for International journal
2. Good quality, suitable for National level journal
3. Acceptable for CNR online journal
Date ……………………………. Signature: ………………………….
Place: --------------------------------- Name of the Examiner: -----------------------
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
20
Form – 7
Royal University of Bhutan
Project Work Monitoring Form
(This format is introduced as modified from the past to monitor the activities undertaken by the project author.
The concerned Project Supervisor will fix the appropriate datelines for various tasks performed in consultation
with the author)
Project Author:……………………. Programme:……………… Batch:……………………
Project Supervisor:…………………………………………………………………………….....
Project Topic:…………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………………...
Research Ethics: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by DRIL
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Dissertation Work Plan: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by Supervisor
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Project Proposal: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by Coordinator (DAA)
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Submission of 1st Draft: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by Supervisor
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Submission of 2nd
Draft: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by Coordinator (DAA)
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Dissertation Report: …………………………..... ………………………….........
Submitted by author Approved by DAA
Date:……………………… Date:…………………………
…………………………..... ……………………………….
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA
Undergraduate Dissertation Guidelines, CNR, RUB
21
Cover Page Guide
Royal University of Bhutan
FULL PROJECT TITLE (Upper case- Ariel-20)
In partial fulfilment of the requirements of the B.Sc Agriculture/Animal Science/Forestry programme (Ariel-16)
Author’s Name (Ariel-18)
Date (Ariel-14)
Royal University of Bhutan
College of Natural Resources
LOBESA