guide to final year project

Guide to Final Year Project

School of Sustainable Agriculture Universiti Malaysia Sabah

ii

Published by:

Universiti Malaysia Sabah Locked Bag 2073

88999 Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia Tel.: 088-320000

http://www.ums.edu.my

© Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 2009

Committee Members of Guide to Dissertation Writing School of Sustainable Agriculture

Prof. Dr. Ridzwan Abdul Rahman (Dean)

Assoc. Prof. Datin Dr. Mariam Abd. Latip (Dean of Centre for Postgraduate Studies)

Dr. Suzan Benedick

(Deputy Dean of Academic and Student Affairs cum SSA Editor) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Markus Atong

(Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation)

Dr. Mohamadu Boyie Jalloh (Head of Crop Production Programme cum SSA Editor)

Mr. Lum Mok Sam

(Head of Horticulture and Landscaping Programme cum SSA Editor) Dr. Abdul Rahim bin Awang

(Final Year Project Coordinator 1)

Ms. Chee Fong Tyng (Final Year Project Coordinator 2 cum Committee Secretariat)

iii

PREFACE

Final Year Project is a course in which a student is required to undertake a mini

research project. In the process of conducting this mini project, the student is

required to write a report on the project. It is partial fulfilment of the

requirements for award of the Degree of Bachelor of Agriculture Science with

honours.

This Guide is to provide students, supervisors and project coordinators a

clear picture of the implementation and evaluation of the final year project.

Prof. Dr. Ridzwan Abdul Rahman (K.M.N. & A.S.D.K)

Dean

School of Sustainable Agriculture

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and good day

The Final Year Project committee would like to take this opportunity to thank

Prof. Dr. Ridzwan Abdul Rahman, the Dean of the School of Sustainable

Agriculture (SSA) and Assoc. Prof. Datin Dr. Mariam Abd. Latip, the Dean of the

Centre for Postgraduate Studies for their guidance in the preparation of this

guide.

The Committee would also like to thank Ms. Mandy Maid, Head of

Programme for Forest Plantation and Agroforestry Programme, School of

International Tropical Forestry; Ms. Lam Nyee Fan, Head of Programme for

Conservation Biology Programme, School of Science and Technology (SST) and

Lecturer at the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Dr. Pushpalatha

Palaniappan and Dr. Annita Young Seok Kian, Lecturers at the Borneo Marine

Research Institute, Mrs Noraini Abdullah, Lecturer and Library representative of

SST; and Ms. Ho Ai Ling, Lecturer at the School of Food Science and Nutrition,

for their willingness to share their experience and information relating to the

procedures in handling final year projects at their respective schools/institutes.

Our thanks also to Prof. Dr. Marcus Japony, Lecturer at the SST for his

kind advice; UMS Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) committee for the MQA

documents; and Mr. Jamiun Michael, Librarian in Gift, Exchange and Archive

Section of the UMS library for providing information on the use of the words

“latihan ilmiah”, as well as, the colour of the dissertation cover.

Last but not least, we would also like to convey our deepest appreciation

and thanks to all staff of the SSA and SST who directly or indirectly helped in the

preparation of this guide.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv

INTRODUCTION 1

COURSE OBJECTIVES 1

DURATION OF THE FINAL YEAR PROJECT 2

PREREQUISITES 2

MODUS OPERANDI 2

Selection of Project Title and Supervisor 2

Preparation of the Proposal 3

Presentation of the Proposal 4

Conducting the Research Project 4

Preparation and Submission of Research Project 1 Report 4

Research Project 2 - Preparation and Submission of the Dissertation 5

The Oral Examination (Viva voce) 6

Compilation and Binding of the Final Dissertation 6

Contents of Dissertation 6

MARKING SYSTEM 8

BUDGET FOR FINAL YEAR PROJECT 9

INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR STUDENTS 9

RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS, SUPERVISORS, COORDINATORS, AND THE SCHOOL 10

Students 10

Supervisors 10

Coordinators 11

School 11

Appendices 12

1

INTRODUCTION

Final Year Project (Projek Tahun Akhir) is a course in which each student of the

School of Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) is required to conduct a mini (short-term)

research project under the guidance of a supervisor. It starts with the selection

of a project title and a Lecturer(s) as supervisor(s). This is followed by the

presentation of a research proposal. Each student is then required to present

the project report after completion of the research project.

This course deals with the theoretical and practical aspects of the

scientific approach in carrying out a research project. It covers literature review,

project proposal preparation and presentation, and writing of a scientific report.

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, guided learning,

seminars and self- study.

The Final Year Project is compulsory partial fulfilment of the requirements

for the Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree with honours [B.Agri.Sc. (Hons.)

or SmSn Pertanian (Kep.)]. The student’s performance in completing the project

will be evaluated and graded for inclusion in the student’s Cumulative Grade

Point Average (CGPA) or Purata Nilai Gred Kumulatif (PNGK).

The purpose of this “Guide to Final Year Project” is to provide information

to students, supervisors and coordinators about the procedures related to

implementation and administration of the Final Year Project. It is also to

facilitate achievement of the objectives of the course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Final Year Project are:

Students would be able to:

1) demonstrate proficiency in searching for and reviewing scientific literature;

2) plan and carry out a research project effectively;

3) prepare a scientifically sound research/project proposal/dissertation; and

4) communicate scientific information effectively and clearly

2

Besides achieving these objectives, it is also hoped that the students will

be able to better understand theories, to think and analyze critically, and develop

an attitude and aptitude of independence.

DURATION OF THE FINAL YEAR PROJECT

The duration of a Final Year Project is one year starting with the selection of a

topic and supervisor till the submission of a draft of the dissertation. It is split

into two courses, namely Research Project 1 (Course Code RC/RH/RL 40102) and

Research Project 2 (Course Code RC/RH/RL 40204), totalling six (6) credit hours.

The tentative schedule of activities is shown in Appendix A1, and the

details of each activity are shown in Appendix A2.

PREREQUISITES

This Final Year Project is open only to students who have completed the third

year level of School and Programme courses (equivalent to a minimum of 97

credit hours).

A student who wants to register for this course must also have

successfully completed two/three of the following courses:

1) RT30202 (Scientific Writing and Communication); and RT20003

(Biometry) for Sessions 2009/2010 and 2010/2011.

2) RT30202 (Scientific Writing and Communication); RT20402 (Biometry);

and RT30302 (Experimental Design and Analysis) beginning Session

2012/2013 and onwards.

MODUS OPERANDI

Selection of Project Title and Supervisor

Ideally, the selection of a title and supervisor(s) should be done one semester

before the student intends to register for Research Project 1. This is to allow the

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students ample time to choose a title and prepare the proposal, especially during

the semester break.

Students are encouraged to propose their own titles based on their

interest and they may also select a title from lists (if any) provided by Lecturers.

When proposing titles, time and available facilities are factors that must be taken

into consideration to ensure that adequate data can be obtained and the project

completed on time. The title proposed must also be within the limits of

supervisor’s competence and expertise. A student or supervisor is allowed to

change the title after registering for Research Project 1. A good project title is

usually short but adequately and clearly reflects what the research is all about.

A student can be supervised by one or two supervisors (one main

supervisor and another as a co-supervisor). If a student selects a supervisor who

is not in the Academia, an Academic will have to be appointed as the main

supervisor.

Students are expected to submit their project titles and names of their

supervisor(s) to the Final Year Project Coordinators before they register for

Research Project 1.

The number of students to be supervised by a lecturer will be based on

equal distribution.

Preparation of the Proposal

Once a project title has been agreed upon, the student and the supervisor(s) will

discuss the methodology suitable for conducting the Project. The project can

take any of these forms:

1) Laboratory based

2) Field based

3) Theoretical

4) Analytical based on secondary data

5) Questionnaire based; and

6) Extension activities based

4

The proposal has to be written in the prescribed format outlined in

Appendix B. It should comprise the project title, introduction, objective(s) and

hypotheses of the study, literature review, materials and methods, references,

appendices (if applicable), and schedule of implementation (Gantt chart). The

student should get guidance for the supervisor(s) during preparation of the

proposal.

Presentation of the Proposal

The Coordinators will set a date and venue for each student to present his/her

proposal before the end of the fourth week of Semester 1. The students are

encouraged to use the latest audio-visual technologies to present their proposals.

The proposal has to be presented in English and all lecturers are invited to act as

examiners. Each student’s presentation will last for 10 minutes. There will be an

additional 5 minutes for a question and answer session, comments and

clarifications.

Conducting the Research Project

Once the proposal is approved, the student can commence work on the project.

Those who encounter problems in their project proposals would have to first

make amendments before starting the field, laboratory or other study. The

students will be monitored by their respective supervisor(s) during the conduct of

the project. Students are advised to concurrently engage in writing the

dissertation while the project is ongoing.

Preparation and Submission of Research Project 1 Report

The written Research Project 1 report should consist of three chapters, namely,

Chapter 1 (Introduction); Chapter 2 (Literature Review); and Chapter 3

(Materials and Methods). If a student is able to obtain the research project

results early, the student can also include the results in the Research Project 1

report.

Each student is required to submit two (2) ring-bound draft copies to the

coordinators. The draft is to be written in Malay. It can be written in English

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only upon approval by the Dean of SSA (Appendix C). Any request for the report

to be written in English will only be considered if the student has a good

command of English and/or the supervisor is not fluent in Malay. The format for

writing the report should adhere strictly to the guidelines provided in the “Guide

to Dissertation Writing” published by SSA.

Research Project 1 reports will be equally distributed among the lecturers

for evaluation.

After successful completion of Research Project 1, each student is

expected to have learnt aspects of problem identification, problem solving, time

management, communication skills, seeking and using information and resource

management skills, besides having made strides towards achieving the objectives

of the Final year Project.

Research Project 2 - Preparation and Submission of the Dissertation

Research Project 2 is a continuation of Research Project 1. Each student is

required to complete the proposed research including the writing of the research

report, otherwise called the dissertation.

As a first step, a draft dissertation has to be completed and submitted for

examination. This draft must also be written in Malay unless the student obtains

approval from the Dean of SSA for it to be written in English (Appendix C). Any

request for the report to be written in English can only be considered if the

student has a good command of English and/or the supervisor is not fluent in

Malay. The writing format should adhere strictly to the “Guide to Dissertation

Writing” published by SSA.

Each student must submit two (2) ring-bound copies of the draft

dissertation on or before the deadline announced by the coordinators. The

submission date will allow ample time for the examiners to give comments and

suggestions for improvement of the draft. The examiners will be the

supervisor(s) and a member of the Academia. The coordinators will ensure that

Research Projects 1 and 2 of any particular student are examined by the same

examiners, unless when a change is unavoidable.

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Subsequently, the student would have to attend an oral examination (viva

voce) on a date set by the coordinators.

The Oral Examination (Viva voce)

Viva voce is an oral examination of a student on their Final Year Project. Each

student is allocated 10 minutes to present (oral) an overview and findings of

their Final Year Project. Five to ten minutes is allocated for question and answer

session. A student will automatically get a fail grade (E) if it is found that the

research results and findings presented are not those of the student or is the

result of manipulated data, involves plagiarism, or any similar academic

dishonesty.

Compilation and Binding of the Final Dissertation

After a student has corrected/amended the draft taking into account all

comments and suggestions by examiners, each student must submit at least

three complete final copies of the dissertation to SSA for hardcover binding, one

each for the School, the University Library and Supervisor(s). If a student has a

co-supervisor, an extra copy is required. The colour of the dissertation cover is

dark green. The copy for SSA will be kept in the SSA Resource Room.

Students are also required to submit the soft copies of dissertation in

Compact disk to Final Year Project Coordinators.

Contents of Dissertation

A complete dissertation should have the following contents:

1) Title Page

A good project title should contain a minimum number of words but would still

reflect the content and emphasis of the project.

2) Acknowledgements

The students are encouraged to acknowledge individuals who have contributed

to making their Final Year Project a success.

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3) Abstracts

An abstract is a page/paragraph that summarises the entire dissertation. It

contains the problem statement; objectives of the study; materials and methods

used; major findings; and conclusion. Students are required to prepare both

English and Malay versions of the abstract. The abstract which is written in the

same language as that of the dissertation will appear first.

4) Table of Contents

5) List of Tables, Figures, Symbols & Abbreviations

6) Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter includes a brief background, problem statement,

purpose/justification/need/rationale/importance of the study and objective(s) of

the study. The number of pages should not exceed five (5).

7) Chapter 2: Literature Review

This is a brief review of literature and previous studies similar or related to the

study. References must include the most recent ones. Total number of pages

can range between 15 and 25.

8) Chapter 3: Materials and Methods

This chapter shows details of the materials and techniques used to achieve the

objective(s) of the project. The experimental design, calculation methods and

analysis need to be clearly stated, especially if there is modification to an existing

known procedure.

9) Chapter 4: Results

Results obtained are presented and illustrated in this chapter using tables,

graphs, etc.

10) Chapter 5: Discussion

This chapter discusses the results in relation to the topic, objective(s) or problem

statement and what is already known about the study.

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11) Chapter 6: Conclusion

This chapter contains a summary of the study, conclusion and recommendations

for further study based on the findings of the study.

12) References

All references cited are listed in this section using the specified format.

13) Appendices (if applicable)

In this section, students can include for example; raw data, calculations, figures,

questionnaires, statistical software and other relevant information that are not

appropriate to be placed in the main text of the dissertation.

A book published by SSA titled “Guide to Dissertation writing” which is

adapted from Gaya UMS, Gaya penulisan SST and Guide to Thesis Preparation,

School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia will be made available to

each student at a nominal fee. The first edition of the book, printed in English,

provides detailed information about all aspects related to the preparation of the

dissertation.

MARKING SYSTEM

Marks for Research Project 1 and Research Project 2 are divided into various

parts, namely oral presentation or viva voce (comprising 25 percent); evaluation

by supervisor(s) (15 percent); and dissertation draft (60 percent) (Table 1). The

details of each segment are listed in Appendix D. Each lecturer will receive an

equal number of draft copies for examination. Any student who totally avoids

meeting his/her supervisor will be get an “X”. The Grading System is based on

that stated in the UMS Prospectus. Any student who gets an “X” or “E” for

Research Projects 1 or 2, will have to repeat the course.

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Table 1: Marks distribution for the Final Year Project

No. Item Percentage (%) Evaluation by

Research Project 1

1 Evaluation by supervisor(s) 15 Supervisor(s)

2 Presentation 25 Supervisor(s) and

examiner

3 Research Project 1 (Chapters 1, 2, 3)

60 Supervisor(s) and examiner

TOTAL 100

Research Project 2

3 Research Project 2 (final dissertation draft)

60 Supervisor(s) and examiner

4 Viva voce (oral examination) 25 Supervisor(s) and

examiner

5 Evaluation by supervisor(s) 15 Supervisor(s)

TOTAL 100

BUDGET FOR FINAL YEAR PROJECT

The Final Year Project will be partially supported by the School. This financial

assistance is for purchase of chemicals and other minor expenses to enable

students to carry out and complete their projects successfully. Students are

required to fill in a form listing the chemicals and other inexpensive consumable

items (e.g seeds) needed for the project. The preparation of this list will be in

consultation with and approval of the supervisor. The supervisor will then submit

the form to the Final Year Project Coordinators.

INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR STUDENTS

All students are covered under the Takaful Insurance Coverage Scheme of

Takaful Malaysia Sdn Bhd. In case of an emergency or accident during their

period of study, students are advised to go to the nearest hospital or any UMS

Panel Clinic. Students are also advised to report any emergency or accident to

supervisor(s), coordinators and/or the UMS Counsellor, who can be contacted at

the Department of Student Affairs and Alumni of UMS (telephone number: 088-

320000 ext. 4212).

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS, SUPERVISORS, COORDINATORS, AND THE SCHOOL

Students 1) Propose/select title and supervisor(s), meet and discuss with

supervisor(s) and start writing the proposal.

2) Each student should have a log book to keep records of

discussions/results/data/etc.

3) Get relevant materials for literature review from library or any other

source.

4) Present proposal on the date set by coordinators.

5) Should not start the project or data collection before officially registering

for Research Project 1.

6) Conduct and complete the Project as scheduled.

7) Follow all laboratory and field procedures (use of laboratory and field

equipment, laboratory and field safety regulations and practises).

8) Submit drafts from time to time to supervisor(s) for comments and

suggestions.

9) Submit final dissertation drafts to coordinators.

10) Attend oral examination on the date set by coordinators. Each student is

advised to bring a copy of the final draft during the oral examination.

11) Make corrections based on the suggestions and comments by

supervisor(s) and examiners after the oral examination.

12) Submit at least three (3) copies of dark green hardcover bound

dissertations to SSA General Office.

13) Fill in the application form to visit or use other departments, agencies and

libraries.

14) Complete an application form for permission to write the dissertation in

English.

Supervisors

1) Propose research project title.

2) Provide critical and objective review, feedback and guidance to students.

3) Hold regular discussions with each student to monitor the progress.

4) Evaluate the students regarding their initiative, efforts and commitment

to the project.

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5) Monitor student’s log book.

6) Inform coordinators if a student never shows up for any discussion in a

month.

7) Submit project material requirements for each student to the School’s

Science Officer before registration of Research Project 1.

8) Write to the Dean of SSA to apply for a non-academician to be a co-

supervisor and send a copy to the coordinators.

9) Obtain letters of requests from the school to relevant persons, schools,

departments or agencies for the use of land, green house, laboratory,

expertise, etc.

10) To apply for a plot for Final Year Project.

Coordinators

1) Brief students and supervisors at the initial stage about the Final Year

Project.

2) Coordinate student presentations.

3) Compile marks at the end of each semester.

4) Update the Final Year Project Modus Operandi and Writing Guidelines

whenever necessary.

5) Keep database on all Final Year Project activities.

6) Record and distribute drafts to all examiners.

School

1) Administer and facilitate the smooth implementation of the courses.

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Appendices

Appendix A1: Tentative schedule of Final Year Project (RC/RH/RL 40102 Research Project 1 and RC/RH/RL 40204 Research Project 2)

year 3 4

semester 2 1 2

week 07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

No. Activities

1 Selection of title and supervisor(s) x x

2 Proposal preparation and writing x x x x x x x x x

3 Correction of proposal x x x x x x x x

4 Preparation for proposal presentation (Powerpoint Format)

x x x

Checked by supervisor and corrected by

students x x x

5 Proposal presentation x

6 Field/Lab work x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

7 Data collection x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

8 Data analysis x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

9 Writing of chapters 1, 2, 3 x x x x x x x x x x

10 Submission of Chapters 1, 2, 3 /

Progress to supervisor x

11 Writing of dissertation draft x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

12 Submission of dissertation drafts x

13 Viva (oral examination) x

14 Correction x

15 Approval by supervisor, co-supervisor(s)

& examiner x

16

Submission of dissertion to SSA for

binding (Each student must submit at

least 3 copies to the school)

x

Appendix A2: List of actions and milestones in Final Year Project

No. Activities Action by

Milestones Supervisors Students Coordinators

1 Selection of title and supervisor(s)

1. Identify title and discuss with students

2. Prepare size of land needed, equipment to replace or add,

chemicals needed, etc. then

hand in to coordinators

1. Prepare title or select title

from lecturer's list 2. Discuss with potential

supervisor(s)

1. Ensure all students identify titles and

select supervisor(s) 2. Get the lists from supervisors, compile

and hand over to farm manager

By end of week 9, Semester 2,

Year 3, all students have

identified their final year project titles and lecturers

have students to supervise

2 Proposal preparation and writing

Supervisors will monitor

students under them

Students will meet and discuss

with supervisor(s)

3 Correction of proposal

4

Preparation for proposal

presentation (Powerpoint Format)

Checked by supervisor and

corrected by students

5 Proposal presentation Prepare schedule for the presentation

By end of week 2, semester 1,

yr 4, students are ready with

their proposal presentations

6 Field/Lab work

7 Data collection

8 Data analysis

9 Writing of chapters 1, 2, 3

10 Submission of Chapters 1, 2,

3 to supervisor

1. Remind students and lecturers about the submission date

2. Collect the drafts and distribute among

lecturers for marking

By end of semester 1 of yr 4, students already started their

projects and write-up of

chapters 1-3

11 Writing of dissertation draft

12 Submission of Dissertation

drafts

1. Remind students and lectures about

the submission date

2. Collect the drafts and distribute among

lecturers for marking

By mid semester 2 of yr 4,

students have finished their

experiments and polished their

dissertations

13 Viva voce (oral examination) Students ready with their

presentations

14 Correction

15 Approval by supervisor, co-supervisor(s) & examiner

16

Submission of dissertations to

SSA for binding (Each student

must submit at least 3 copies to

SSA General Office)

Each student will submit the

final dissertation to SSA General Office

Ensure students have submitted final

drafts for binding

Students completed final

project

Appendix B: Proposal Guidelines

Introduction Should be concise and may include a brief explanation of the field of study, the importance of such research, contribution to scientific information / socio-economic importance, historical account, etc. Justification Explain the reasons behind the study with some scientific evidence or support. Try to answer the When, Where, What, Why and How (4W+1H). Objectives Identify research questions to develop your objectives. Hypotheses Write down the hypotheses based on objective(s) – what you expect from the study/results. Literature Review Provide very detailed research on a variety of topics related to the study in the context of results / findings of previous studies, methodology and procedures, species researched (material used as study object), site description, etc. Methodology Describe materials, equipments and methods used in field and/or laboratory procedures. For example, sampling procedures, development of questionnaires, collection of sample in the field, processing of sample in the field and the laboratory, experimental designs, type of data collected, analysis used, and parameters of the study. Schedule Provide a realistic Gantt chart or milestone chart to map out the expected progress. References A list of references cited in the proposal.

Appendix C: Application form for writing Dissertation in English

Student’s name :

Student’s No. :

Research Project Title :

Reason(s) for

Writing in

English

:

Student’s Signature :

and date

Approval of

Supervisor* :

Approved

Not approved

Supervisor’s additional

Comments (if any)

:

Supervisor’s

Signature & Date

:

Supervisor’s Stamp :

Approval of the Dean * :

Approved

Not approved

Dean’s Comments :

Dean’s Signature,

Date & stamp

:

* please tick one ** Please attach the MUET or equivalent result.

(After getting the Dean’s signature, submit a copy to the Final Year Project Coordinators)

Appendix D: Evaluation forms

Evaluation Form 1 (Proposal Presentation)

(This contributes 25% to Research Project 1)

Student’s Name :

Student’s No. :

Title :

Details Maximum Marks

(%)

Evaluation marks

(%)

i) Presentation style and multimedia application (Clear, smooth, confident, appearance)

5

ii) Content (comprehensive, facts precision, preparation, continuity)

15

iii) Answering questions (clarity and precision) 5

TOTAL

25

Comments :

Supervisor* co-supervisor* Examiner* * Please tick one

Signature :

Name :

Date :

Evaluation Form 2 (Research Project 1: Chapters 1, 2 and 3)


Student’s name :

Student’s No. :

Title :

Details Maximum Marks (%)

Evaluation marks (%)

A. Writing Format (15%)

i) Writing format : Spelling, language (grammar) and

smoothness

5

ii) Text arrangement : Well organised, easy to understand, clear and has continuity

5

iii) Illustration :sufficient, clear and relevant 5

B. Contents (85%)

i) Introduction (clarity, nature and scope of the problem investigated, justification, objectives, hypotheses)

15

ii) Literature Review (Clear, sufficient and proper) 30

iii) Methodology (Clear, sufficient, proper, relevant and rational)

30

iv) References (adequate, relevant, most current, complete

list, and follow suggested format)

10

TOTAL

100

Comments :


Signature :

Name :

Date :

Evaluation Form 3 (Supervisor)


Student’s name :

Student’s No. :

Title :

This evaluation form will only be distributed to the supervisor and/or co-supervisor of the

student. The evaluation is based on student initiative and compliance to the project. If the student never discusses the project with the supervisor, the supervisor and/or coordinators can fail the student. The average mark will be awarded if the student has more than one (1) supervisor.



Initiative

i) Initiative to meet supervisor / co-supervisor (no. of times)

5

ii) Active involvement in project matters discussion/consultation with supervisor / co-supervisor)

5

Compliance with comments and suggestions

iv) Compliance with comments and suggestions

in report

5

TOTAL 15

Comments :

Supervisor’s / co-

supervisor’s Signature :

Supervisor’s / co-

supervisor’sName :

Date :

Evaluation Form 4 (Research Project 2: Dissertation writing)


Student’s name :

Student’s No. :

Title :



A. Writing Format (15%)

i) Writing format : Spelling, language (grammar) and smoothness 5

ii) Text arrangement : Well organised, easy to understand, clarity and continuity

5

iii) Illustration : sufficient, clear and relevant 5

B. Contents (85%)

i) Abstracts (give compact, precise, true and clear picture of the study)

10

ii) Introduction, Literature Review and Methodology 5

iii) Results (sufficient, quality, validity, description, presentation) 25

iv) Analysis and Discussion (correct/suitable, relevant, rational and sufficient)

30

v) Conclusion and Suggestions (summarised, precise and sufficient) 10

vi) References (complete list, relevant and follow suggested format) 5

TOTAL 100

Comments :


Signature :

Name :

Date :

Evaluation Form 5 (Viva Voce)


Student’s Name :

Student’s No. :

Title :

Details Maximum Marks

(%)

Evaluation marks

(%)

i) Presentation style and multimedia application (Clear, smooth, confident, appearance)

5

ii) Content (comprehension of the study, facts precision, preparation, continuity)

10

iii) Answering questions (clarity and precision) 10

TOTAL 25

Comments:


Signature :

Name :

Date :

Evaluation Form 6 (Supervisor)


Student’s name :

Student’s No. :

Title :

This evaluation form will only be distributed to the supervisor and/or co-supervisor of the

student. The evaluation is based on student initiative and compliance to the project. If the student never discusses the project with the supervisor, the supervisor and/or coordinators can fail the student. The average mark will be awarded if the student has more than one (1) supervisor.



Initiative

i) Initiative to meet supervisor / co-supervisor (no. of times)

5

ii) Active involvement in project matters discussion/consultation with supervisor / co-supervisor)

5

Compliance to comments and suggestions

iv) Compliance to comments and suggestions in report

5

TOTAL 15

Comment :

Supervisor’s / co- supervisor’s Signature :

Supervisor’s / co- supervisor’s Name :

Date :

Appendix E: Negotiating expectations

Most common problems between supervisor(s) and students are usually due to

miscommunication. One way to overcome these problems is for them to fill in a

similar set of questionnaires (Table E1 and E2) (Phelps et al., 2007) to identify

the differences in expectations. These will help supervisors and students to

understand each others’ expectations better.

Phepls, R., Fisher, K. and Ellis, A. 2007. Organizing and managing your research.

A practical guide for postgraduates. London: Sage Publications

Table E1: Supervisor’s questionnaire for negotiating expectations with Students

My current supervision style and practice is to

Priority

(1=low; 5=high)

Be well informed about grants & scholarships my students can apply for

Help my students with topic selection

Inform students about where they can go for help with resources and expertise

Inform students about school expectations of student

performance and progress

Monitor and provide feedback on student work to ensure adequate progress

Treat all students fairly and equitably in terms of time and effort put into supervising students

Give students new ideas for their research

Help students to identify their key goals

Provide a lot of detailed supervision

Maintain regular contact/meetings on a pre-arranged schedule

Keep records of all meetings and indicate action taken or advice

given

Require written work on a pre-arranged schedule

Be available and easy to approach on any problem

Give students strong encouragement in their research

Answer students' specific questions

Have general expertise in supervising research

Be an expert in the student's area of research

Share my knowledge with the student

Support students with technical issues and problems

Be interested in the student's research project

Listen to and respect the student's existing knowledge and skills

Introduce the student to scholarly networks

Encourage the student to explore issues by themselves

Make available regular discussion groups combining my students and other's students

Suggest ways the student can make the most effective use of time

Give the student support and guidance in preparation of their written thesis

Comment on the content and drafts of the thesis

Offer detailed editing of the final thesis draft

Help the student to develop academic writing skills

Assist the student to publish their research

Help the student with personal and employment issues

Table E2: Student’s questionnaire for negotiating expectations with supervisors

I would prefer my supervisor to:

Priority (1=low;5=high)

Be well informed about grants & scholarships I can apply for

Help me with selecting my topic

Inform me about where I can go for help with resources and expertise

Keep me informed about what the school expects of me in terms of

my performance & progress

Monitor and provide feedback on my work to ensure adequate progress

Treat me fairly and equitably in terms of time and effort in supervision

Give me new ideas for research

Help me to identify my key goals

Provide a lot of detailed supervision

Maintain regular contact/meetings on a pre-arranged schedule

Keep records of all meetings and indicate action taken or advice

given

Require written work on a pre-arranged schedule

Be available and easy to approach on any problem

Give me strong encouragement in my research

Answer my specific questions

Have general expertise in supervising research

Be an expert in my area of research

Share their knowledge with me

Support me on technical issues and problems

Be interested in my research project

Listen to and respect my existing knowledge and skills

Introduce me to scholarly networks

Encourage me to explore issues myself

Make available regular discussion groups for both myself and other students

Suggest ways I can make the most effective use of my time

Give me support and guidance in the preparation of my written thesis

Comment on the content and drafts of my thesis

Offer detailed editing of my final thesis draft

Help me to develop my academic writing skills

Assist me to publish my research

Help me with my personal and employment issues

guide to final year project

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