institut d’enseignement supÉrieur de ruhengeri · final year dissertation (fyd) as part of...

Scientia et Lux

B.P. 155 Ruhengeri Rwanda T : +250 788 90 30 30 : +250 788 90 30 32 W : www.ines.ac.rw E : [email protected]

INSTITUT D’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR DE RUHENGERI

Accrédité par Arrêté Ministériel N° 005/2010/Mineduc du 16 Juin 2010 Scientia et Lux

GUIDELINES FOR DISSERTATION WRITING

Musanze, March 2017

INSTITUT D’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR DE RUHENGERI B.P. 155, Ruhengeri, Rwanda

T : +250 788 90 30 30, +250 788 90 30 32, W : www.ines.ac.rw, E : [email protected]

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Accredited by Ministerial Order N° 005/2010/Mineduc of 16 June 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................... i 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Philosophy of INES-RUHENGERI...................................................................... 1 1.2. Moto of INES-RUHENGERI .............................................................................. 1 1.3. Vision statement of INES-RUHENGERI ............................................................. 1 1.4. Mission statement of INES-RUHENGERI............................................................ 1 1.5. INES’ core qualities ........................................................................................... 1 1.6. Strategic objectives ............................................................................................ 2 1.7. Quality principles derived from the vision, mission, strategic objectives and INES

qualities ............................................................................................................ 2 1.8. Concept of applied sciences ................................................................................ 2 1.9. Final year dissertation (FYD) .............................................................................. 3 2. DISSERTATION REPORT ................................................................................ 4 2.1. APPEARANCE ................................................................................................. 4 2.1.1. Paper ............................................................................................................ 4 2.1.2. Type of machine/Software .............................................................................. 4 2.1.3. Font size and style ......................................................................................... 4 2.1.4. Line spacing .................................................................................................. 4 2.1.5. Headings ....................................................................................................... 4 2.1.6. Paragraphs .................................................................................................... 5 2.1.7. Binding ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2. FORMAT/LAYOUT.......................................................................................... 5 2.2.1. Margin .......................................................................................................... 5 2.2.2. Page numbering ............................................................................................. 5 2.2.3. Justification ................................................................................................... 6 2.2.4. Figures and tables .......................................................................................... 6 2.2.5. Symbols, units and equations .......................................................................... 7 2.2.6. Oversize material ........................................................................................... 7 2.2.7. Photographs .................................................................................................. 8 3. RESEARCH PROPOSAL .................................................................................. 8 3.1. Background of the study ..................................................................................... 8 3.2. Problem statement ............................................................................................. 8 3.3. Research objectives ............................................................................................ 9 3.4. Research questions ............................................................................................. 9 3.5. Research hypotheses .......................................................................................... 9 3.6. Choice of the study ............................................................................................ 9 3.7. Significance of the study / Interest of the study ..................................................... 9 3.8. Study delimitation .............................................................................................. 9 3.9. Methodology / Materials and methods.................................................................. 9 3.10. Concept framework model .............................................................................. 9 3.11. Organization of the study .............................................................................. 10 3.12. Schedule / calendar ...................................................................................... 10 3.13. Budget ........................................................................................................ 10 3.14. References .................................................................................................. 10 4. ARRANGEMENT AND CONTENTS............................................................... 10


T : +250 788 90 30 30, +250 788 90 30 32, W : www.ines.ac.rw, E : [email protected]

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4.1. Arrangement ................................................................................................... 10 4.2. Cover ............................................................................................................. 10 4.3. Title page ........................................................................................................ 11 4.4. Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... 11 4.5. Abstract .......................................................................................................... 11 4.6. Table of contents and Lists of figures/tables/symbols/appendices .......................... 12 4.7. Body of the Text .............................................................................................. 12 4.8. References ...................................................................................................... 14 5. REFERENCING.............................................................................................. 15 5.1. Writing a complete reference of a journal / paper / publication ............................. 15 5.2. Writing a complete reference of books ............................................................... 15 5.3. Article or chapter in an edited book ................................................................... 16 5.4. Unpublished works: ......................................................................................... 16 5.5. Online resources .............................................................................................. 16 5.6. Reprints .......................................................................................................... 16 6. SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION................................................................. 17 7. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES ........................................ 17 7.1. Plagiarism ....................................................................................................... 17 7.2. Assessment procedures ..................................................................................... 17 7.3. Assessment criteria .......................................................................................... 19 8. APPENDICES ................................................................................................ 20


T : +250 788 90 30 30, 788 90 30 32, W : www.ines.ac.rw, E : [email protected]

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Philosophy of INES-RUHENGERI

Three core complementary pillars constitute the philosophical backbone of INES endeavour: to build signs of hope, to contribute to unity and reconciliation, to contribute to sustainable development. These pillars are anchored with Christian ethical values and constructive critical thinking.

1.2. Moto of INES-RUHENGERI

Scientia et lux / Shifting from paper to people

1.3. Vision statement of INES-RUHENGERI

The vision of INES is reflected in the following statement:

“Universality in every individual; Knowing in order to better serve the world”

INES as a private Institute for Higher Education orients its academic services towards applied sciences. In the vision of INES this means that all taught sciences are applied to the population daily problems, seeking to propose and answer to them.

1.4. Mission statement of INES-RUHENGERI

According to the statutes of INES the mission is expressed as follows: “To contribute through interactive junction between civil society, private sector and public sector to the national and regional development, by providing specialized university education enhanced by research, in order to create competitive enterprises and well paid employment”.

INES’ mission focuses on the relevancy and quality of education and the employability of graduates through collaboration with stakeholders in the whole spectrum of academic services. The mission statement refers to the above mentioned ambitions of INES and guides the Quality Management System (QMS)

1.5. INES’ core qualities

The following core qualities lie at the basis of the current performance of INES:

Quality Scientific excellence Professional consciousness Flexibility

Collaboration (among staff and with students)

Architectural concept Accessibility (geographical and financial)



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Innovation Entrepreneurship Team spirit Determination and perseverance Courage and responsibility

Receptivity to local need Relation with the Catholic Church Culture of Transparency Integration of Social Sciences and

Communication

1.6. Strategic objectives

Provide excellent, competitive and practical knowledge Educate for creation of employment Promote scientific and technological research as well as research for integrated development Participate in the opening of the employment market and productive sectors Contribute to the complementarities of science and culture Contribute to Rwanda’s social and economic development through the transfer of appropriate,

relevant skills and knowledge according to (inter)national standards.

1.7. Quality principles derived from the vision, mission, strategic objectives and INES qualities

To enhance INES capacity to grow and to achieve Degree Awarding Powers some quality principles/ strategic objectives are defined (strategic plan 2009 – 2013): INES has qualified, competent and sufficient academic and administrative staff that are

permanently employed; INES has sufficient, good quality and well equipped infrastructures; The quality of the administrative, financial and academic management of INES corresponds to

standards and norms of HEI in the region;

1.8. Concept of applied sciences

The orientation of Applied Sciences was chosen by INES after deep analysis of the situation of labor market and discovering that there was a serious problem of mismatch between University products (graduates) and labour market needs in the region. The underlying question was then on whether Higher Learning Institutions (HLIS) are teaching wrong things or if they are teaching right things in a wrong way. And the answer was found to be that HLIs teach right things but in a wrong way. It is in trying to find the right way to procure its educational services and especially after consultation with experts from countries already implementing the approach, such as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, that the new orientation of Applied Sciences was adopted. This approach was indeed, identified as the right tool to overcome the mismatch between the academia services and the labour market expectations. Before adopting the approach INES organized several workshops, seminars and consultations. This exercise involved



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academic and administrative staff, students, professionals, and representatives of professional institutions.

Being an Institute of Applied Sciences implies that INES’ academic system and community engagement activities are characterized by (1) academic programs that are not only tailored to students professional requirements but are also developed based on real community development needs, (2) a more competence-based educational methodology with a focus on integrating theories and practical done at school with professional context generic competences, (3) research activities focusing on applied research in collaboration with the world of work and (4) close ties with business and industry in contributing to regional development.

1.9. Final year dissertation (FYD)

As part of INES' curriculum, all finalist students are required to undertake a project, supervised by academic staff. The FYD is an important piece of work that requires the synthesis of the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work, i.e. the FYD will involve an in-depth study, investigation, and testing in any of the areas of specialized courses offered in a final year option group. The student is required to submit a formal report, to carry out a project demonstration and also to make an oral presentation upon the completion of research project. It is considered as the capstone of the undergraduate studies. This set of guidelines is prepared so that all INES students and staff are aware of the various FYD requirements in terms of research project schedules, dissertation report and presentation as well as criteria for assessment.

The FYD is designed to satisfy the program outcomes of INES curriculum, especially:

An ability to apply knowledge and skills acquired in real life problem solving. An ability to conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. An ability to function in a team environment. An ability to communicate effectively. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.

The FYD will instill in students the importance of teamwork, expose them to multidisciplinary considerations (e.g. economic, social, political, safety) and improve their communication skills (written and oral). The final project is the largest single piece of work that prospective employers will most likely be interested in during a job interview.



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2. DISSERTATION REPORT The dissertation report should be of a professional quality. Students are expected to present their FYD report in a manner as would be required in the profession with correct spelling, grammar, and syntax.

2.1. APPEARANCE

2.1.1. Paper

High quality 80 g A4 paper shall be used. The paper should be white in color, acid free and non-erasable kind.

2.1.2. Type of machine/Software

Students are encouraged to use a personal computer to write their FYD report. Near-letter quality impact printers or laser-jet printers may be used; however, dot-matrix printers and ink-jet printers are not acceptable. Any word processing software such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect would be suitable to write the final year project report. Students may also use Microsoft Excel, Lotus 123, ACCESS etc. for any tables, calculations or any other applications.

2.1.3. Font size and style

Only one font style may be used throughout the entire report, including the title-page, signature page, acknowledgement, bibliography and appendices. The basic text should be in “Times New Romans” of font 12 point. A 10, 11 or 12 point font size can be used for footnotes, captions, figures, tables and other print outside the basic text.

2.1.4. Line spacing

The line spacing should be set at 1.5. Single spacing may be used in the acknowledgments, tables of contents, references, appendices, list of tables/ figures, abstract, quotations set off from the text, captions of figures / tables, and footnotes.

2.1.5. Headings

Chapter headings are to be centered and written in bold capital letters. Thy have to be on one line with the word chapter. The maximum size acceptable for chapter headings is 14 point. Other sub-headings are written in bold small letters, aligned to the left margin and should be of 12 point in size, and in bold.



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2.1.6. Paragraphs

A single space has to be put between two successive paragraphs. A heading that appears as a last line on a page will not be accepted. There should be a minimum of two lines of a paragraph at the bottom of the page under the heading.

2.1.7. Binding

The first submission of the FYD report manuscript for evaluation and examination purposes should be in temporary binding. Hole-punching and spiral binding of the manuscript may be acceptable for temporary binding. Final submission of the final project report must be in permanent hard-cover binding. Information printed on the cover must be between 18 and 24 point size. The color of the cover paper must be white, while the letters on that cover page must be black-colored (Appendix A).

2.2. FORMAT/LAYOUT

2.2.1. Margin

When typing the original manuscripts, the following margins should be observed (also please refer to the sample in the appendices):

Left: 3.8 (This margin is wide for binding requirements) Top: 2.5 cm Right: 2.5 cm Bottom: 3.0 cm

Excepting from page numbers, all other manuscripts material must fit within these margin requirements (including tables, figures, graphs, etc.).

2.2.2. Page numbering

Every sheet of paper in the manuscript except the title page must be numbered. The title page is 'i' but not numbered. Preliminary pages (all pages before the body of the text) such as abstract, acknowledgments and table of contents are to be numbered in lower case Roman numeral (ii, iii, iv, etc). The main text pages are to be numbered in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) and all pages must be numbered.

The page number must be centered to the text, not to the page and must be placed at the bottom of the page. Since the bottom margin is 3.0 cm, the page number must appear at 1.3 cm from the bottom of the page. No dashed, periods, underlining or other marks should appear before, after or under the page number.



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2.2.3. Justification

The FYD report must be fully justified (i.e. have even left and right hand margins).

2.2.4. Figures and tables

All illustrations (photographs, drawings, graphs, etc.), not including tables, must be labelled as “Figure.” All figures must have a caption and/or legend and be numbered (e.g., Figure 2), unless there is only one figure. In this case, it should be labelled “Figure” with no numbering. Each figure should have a concise caption describing accurately what the figure depicts. Captions must be written in sentence case. All figures must be cited in text. Figures will be placed as close as possible to the first text citation. Figures must be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals; each one must be referred to in the text as, e.g., Fig. 1 Figs 1-3., in the brackets, except at the beginning of a sentence where the world Figure should be written out in full. They should be self-explanatory, i.e. understandable without reading the text. Data presented in the tables should not be repeated in the figures. The legend of the figures should be placed at their bottom.

Figure 1: The caption should be placed after the figure

All tables must have a caption and/or legend and be numbered, unless there is only one table, in which it should be labeled “Table” with no numbering. Number tables consecutively with Arabic numerals in order of mention in the text. Tables must be placed as close as possible to the first text citation. Each table must be referred to in the text as, e.g., Table 1, in the brackets, except in the beginning of a sentence when the world Table should be written out without brackets. The same data should not be given in both tables and figures. The title of a table should be placed in the top of it and should be brief but fully descriptive if the information contained.

Figures and tables should be center aligned. They must face out of the binding edge, the 3.8 cm (left) margin then being at the top of the installation. Illustration, tables, or figures requiring more than one page should have the number of caption and the “continued” at the top of each additional page. For example Table 3 (continued).



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Table 1: The caption should be placed before the table

The source of the data should not be indicated if the data are from the results of the research being carried out. If not, name(s) of author(s) and the year of publication have to be put in brackets after the table / figure caption (see reference section).

2.2.5. Symbols, units and equations

Symbols or nomenclature used shall be defined when first used in the text. Standard symbols or acronym normally accepted can be used. International system unit (SI) shall be used. Equation number should be Arabic numerals enclosed in parentheses on the right and margin. They should be cited in the text, for example, Eq. (1) or Eqs. (1)-(3). Equations start from the left. Punctuate equations with commas or periods when they are part of a sentence. For example,

2.2.6. Oversize material

The margins given in these guidelines are to be observed for all oversize, illustrative, and special material described in the following paragraphs: a) Reducing oversize to standard requirement margin: A copy that has been reduced on

photocopying machines to fit within required margin for the 8 1/2 x 11 inch page must be legible. Usually, the earliest method is to reduce material to the appropriate size, trim the page, and mount it on a separate page to fit within the required margins. This “pasted up” version serves as the original, from which the copy is made for filing.

b) Oversize material to be folded: some oversized material cannot be reduced to standard-page margin requirements, and must be submitted on a larger-than-standard page. Paper measuring 11 x 17 inches may be included in the manuscript by converting the page to manuscript size with pleat-like folds. With these pages, the left (11 inch) will have a 3.8 cm margin, the right (17 inch) will have a 3.0 cm margin, and the top and the bottom will have a 2.5 cm margin. The page number is placed 1.3 cm from the bottom edge of the page, and about 10 cm from the right side paper edge. The folds of the 17 inch wide paper must be at least 3.0 cm from



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the edges of the page to assure that the illustration is not cut when the edge of the page is trimmed in the binding process. When the oversized page is properly folded, the page number will appear in the position where it appears on the standard-size page. When submitted, the oversized page must be one continued sheet, with nothing glued or taped.

2.2.7. Photographs

Photographs may be attached in any of the following ways: a) Students may submit a page with an actual photograph, if the image size conforms to the

margin requirements. b) If the photograph is smaller than A4 size, students may paste the photograph on a standard

sheet of paper, according to the margin requirements, and photocopy it in black & white or in color, as appropriate. Pasted-up pages, however, will not be accepted. High quality and high contrast photocopies must be made of any photographic material.

c) Students may also use high resolution scanners to scan photographs and reprint them as required through suitable computer software. In this option, the size of the photographs, margins, color and contrast etc. may be adjusted according to the requirements.

3. RESEARCH PROPOSAL The research proposal gives a background, an overview of the overall topic (the problem statement), the objectives of the research, questions and hypotheses of the research, the delimitation. The methodology has to be written in detail. The motivation (the choice and interest of the research) for undertaking the research as well as the organization (structure) of the report should be included. Its content should be general enough to guide the reader gracefully into the subject materials. It ends with the schedule (calendar) and the budget. The research proposal is written in future tense. The research proposal content becomes the general introduction in the final document and it has to be written in past tense. The research proposal may include the following titles:

3.1. Background of the study

The background of the study gives specifics of the problem and not the history of the case. It gives citations and builds a case for the study. Let there be authoritative sources/citations.

3.2. Problem statement

It should be a paragraph and should clearly show what the problem is? What the research seeks to solve. Give authoritative sources/citation what has been done and what is missing.



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3.3. Research objectives

They include general and specific objectives. The general objective is a statement giving the main purpose/goal of the study. It should clearly outline the variables and the relationship should be clear. The specific objectives are specific statements giving the targets or intentions of the study and they are normally given in bullets (i) (ii) (iii) or (a) (b) (c). They should be SMART. The variables must be clear and the relationship should be clear. They should be within the scope. There should be no objective as to make recommendations – it’s assumed to exist.

3.4. Research questions

The research questions are based on the specific objectives. An introductory statement should be there. The framing of questions should not attract a yes/no answers.

3.5. Research hypotheses

This is a tentative answer to the research specific objective which will be verified during the course of study. This answer might be accepted or refuted according to the findings of the research.

3.6. Choice of the study

This is the reason why the researcher has decided to undertake research and of course the reason why a specific topic was chosen.

3.7. Significance of the study / Interest of the study

The significance of the study should explain who benefits from the study and how they will benefit from the study. Personnel, scientific, academic, socio-economic interest, etc., can be stated. This section must be in future tense.

3.8. Study delimitation

This shows the extent to which the results of the study can be generalized. This part shows the research delimitation in terms of time, space, domain, etc.

3.9. Methodology / Materials and methods

This is a brief presentation of the techniques and approaches to be resorted to while carrying out the research.

3.10. Concept framework model

The concept framework model can be added if necessary. It is the figure which summarizes the

research. Dependant, independent, and intermediate variables have to be specified.



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3.11. Organization of the study

The organization / subdivision of the study should include structure of the study chapter by chapter.

3.12. Schedule / calendar

This is a plan on how the research will be carried out from topic formulation up to final dissertation submission. It includes the timetable showing different activities to be done and the timeframe within which the activities will be accomplished.

3.13. Budget

This shows the budget in terms of money (cash) that will be used to accomplish the research.

3.14. References

The research proposal ends with a list of references consulted (see reference section).

4. ARRANGEMENT AND CONTENTS

4.1. Arrangement

The contents should be arranged in the following order: a) COVER b) TITLE PAGE c) DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY (to be signed by the student) d) APPROVAL (to be signed by the supervisor) e) DEDICATION f) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS g) ABSTRACT h) TABLE OF CONTENTS i) LIST OF FIGURES j) LIST OF TABLES k) LIST OF SYMBOLS/ABBRAVIATIONS/TRANSLATIONS, etc. l) LIST OF APPENDICES m) BODY OF THE TEXT n) REFERENCES o) APPENDICES

4.2. Cover

The information printed on the cover page should include the following information exactly in the given order and presented following INES house style presentation (Please see Appendix A):



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INES RUHENGERI appears in full capital letters at the top of the page The LOGO of INES in the right margin FACULTY OF ……should follow the name of the department NAME OF DEPARTMENT should appear in the next line The TITLE of the final year project report. It should be short and include meaningful

keywords descriptive of the subject and the content A REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR A DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF…….. (B…..) IN NAME OF DEPARTMENT should appear in the next line.

The NAME of the student used on the cover, must be the same under which the student is registered at INES. Registration Number of the student should appear following the name of the student.

The NAME of the supervisor should be put after this The PLACE, MONTH and YEAR of submission should appear on the next line.

The title of the FYD report will be in 18 point and the other texts will be in 14 point font size. The top and bottom margin for the cover page must be 6 cm. All information printed on the cover must be justified centred.

If the FYD report exceeds 6 cm in thickness, then the binding should be done in two different volumes. In this case the volume number should be printed in Arabic numbers under the title of the FYD report, for example, Vol. 1 or Vol. 2.

4.3. Title page

The information printed on the title page should be the same as the ones on the cover page without the house style presentation (see Appendix B).

4.4. Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements should be with 1.5 as interline space, under the heading ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. This section may include appreciation of all those who assisted the author in the preparation of his/her final year dissertation, particularly the supervisor(s). The supervisor comes first, followed by other academicians and then relatives last. It should not exceed 300 words. Please see Appendix E.

4.5. Abstract

The heading of ABSTRACT appears centred and in full capital letters beneath the top margin (See Appendix D). The abstract consists of:

a brief description of the problem



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a brief description of the methods or procedures used a condensed summary of the findings of the study as well as the major conclusions and

recommendations The length of the abstract should not exceed 500 words and should be on only one page.

4.6. Table of contents and Lists of figures/tables/symbols/appendices

A table of contents (TOC) shows readers the starting page number of each major section and subsection in the report (Appendix F). The topics to be covered in the report must be carefully selected and organized. The flow of the topics to be presented is very important in order to guide a relatively novice reader in understanding the whole report. To an experienced reader, the TOC gives a quicker way of finding the interested information. With the similar purpose as the TOC, the lists of figures/tables/symbols/Appendices is to enable readers to find the illustrations, diagrams, charts, tables, symbol, and appendix explanation in the report (Appendices G, H, and I).

4.7. Body of the Text

The MAIN BODY TEXT should normally be divided into chapters such as (Appendix J):

General introduction Literature review or review of literature Research methodology / Materials and Methods Results Discussion (Note: Results may be combined with discussion) Conclusion and recommendations

The many body part for computer science department will be…..

a) General introduction

The general introduction is necessary to give a background, an overview of the overall topic (the problem statement), the objectives of the research, hypotheses of the research, the delimitation. One paragraph summarizing the methodology is necessary here. The motivation (the choice and interest of the research) to the initialization of the project as well as the organization (structure) of the report should be included. Its content should be general enough to guide the reader gracefully into the subject materials. The content of the general introduction is same as the contents of research proposal, excluding the schedule (calendar) and budget. The research objectives, questions, and hypotheses have to be provided in the research proposal. However, depending on the supervisor, the research questions and hypotheses may not be necessary in the final document.



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b) Literature Review / Review of literature

This section is to discuss the theoretical aspects leading to the implementation of the project. Typically, this involves the historical background of the theories published in the research literature related to the topic and the questions or ambiguities arose in these theoretical works. Concepts definitions, theoretical framework / related theories, and related studies are thus necessary for the present section. Citations for the sources of information should be given in the standard bibliographic format (see reference section) that point to the list of references. Only the literature review relevant to the topic has to be written as its most important role is to be used for discussion.

c) Research methodology / Materials and methods

The section has to be written in the third person and past tense (future tense for research proposals). Materials and methods should not be separated and must be written in paragraphs, not be written in point form. Repetitive use of long sentences should be avoided. Subheading often makes this section easier to read and understand. For methodology not involving lab work, presentation of areas of the study, research design, source of data collection, techniques of data collection, study population, sampling technique and sample size, and data processing and analysis have to be highlighted. Last subtitle of this section has to be statistical analysis. The project may be in one of the following nature: Experimental research, design synthesis of hardware/software, development and application of theory. Depending on the nature of the project, the approach can be described in one or more sections. For experimental research, explanations shall be given with regard to the equipment used to conduct the experiment, the function of each apparatus, how the configuration works to perform a particular measurement, sources of errors and how to minimize them, materials and ways to produce the sample. For design synthesis of hardware/software, detailed descriptions on the techniques used shall be given. For development and application of theory to solve a particular problem, the techniques used shall be explained in detail. Mathematical derivations that are too lengthy shall be given in appendices. Experiments conducted to verify the theory shall also be documented.

d) Results

This section should, by means of text, tables and / or figures, give all the results obtained. The same data or information given in a table must not be repeated in a figure and vice versa. Repetition of information that is made obvious in figures/tables should be avoided in the text. Please take under consideration that result section should not consists of an interpretation of the results, which is reserved for discussion. Raw data which may take up a few pages, and most probably won’t interest any reader, could be placed in the appendices.



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e) Discussion

The interpretation of the data gathered can be discussed in this section. The discussion should be focused on the interpretation of the results avoiding a repetition of the results section. Interpret the findings in view of the hypotheses made, results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic. Sample calculations may be included to show the correlation between the theory and the measurement results. If there is any discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results, an analysis or discussion should follow to explain the possible sources of error. Within the discussion, brief speculation on the implications of the reported findings may be included if appropriate. The presentation of data and the discussion may also be combined into one chapter.

f) Conclusion and recommendations

A conclusion is not abstract. It gives a brief overall finding of the study and its significance based on the formulated objectives. One short paragraph is sufficient. Additional discussion shall not be added. The potential applications of the results and recommendations for future work may be included.

4.8. References

The American Psychological Association (APA) referencing system is to be followed. References should be cited in the text by the last name(s) of the author(s) and year of publication with a comma between them: For example (Knott, 1987) or (Cochran & Cox, 1957). If the citation is the subject of the sentence, only the date should be given in parentheses: According to Knott (1987)… For citation of references with 3 or more authors, only the first author’s name followed by et al. (italicized) should be used: (Güneş et al., 2002). If there is more than one reference in the same year for the same author, please add the letters a, b etc. to the year: (Jones et al., 2004a, 2004b). If same idea was reported by various authors, references should be listed in the text first chronologically, and then alphabetically, and separated by semicolons: (Knott, 1987; Güneş et al., 2002; Jones et al., 2004a, 2004b).

Bibliography should be listed at the end of the document in alphabetical order without numbering. The second line of an entry must be hanging at -0.25 from the original margin. All authors should be included in reference lists. Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). The document should be checked carefully to ensure that the spelling of the authors’ names and the years are exactly the same in the text as given in the reference list. The list of references is not classified or categorized according to the type of material e.g. books, journals, newspapers or magazines. References must be written in the manner explained in the following paragraphs.



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5. REFERENCING In writing references at the end of the document, the last name of the author is required to be written in full as printed in the title page of the reference material, or the page where information on copyright is printed. The other names are to be shortened to the initial alphabets only after the family name, for example Ronald Brown => Brown, R. John Fitzgerald Kennedy => Kennedy, J. F.

References should be formatted as follows (please note the punctuation and the capitalization):

5.1. Writing a complete reference of a journal / paper / publication

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume number (issue number), page numbers. Examples:

Ogrydziak, D. M. (1993). Yeast extracellular proteases. Critical Review of Biotechnology, 13 (2), 41-55. Rindermann, H., & Ceci, S. J. (2009). Educational policy and country outcomes in international cognitive competence studies. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4 (6), 551-568. Uzyol, K. S., Akbulut, B., Denizci, A. A., & Kazan, D. (2014). Land laws in African countries. Scientific Journal of Land, 46 (1), 327-338. If volume/issue or page numbers are not available, doi number has to be given. Example Niyonzima, F. N., & More, S. S. (2014). Purification and characterization of detergent compatible alkaline protease from Aspergillus terreus gr. 3 Biotech. DOI: 10.1007/s13205-014-0200-6.

5.2. Writing a complete reference of books

Author, A. A. (year). Title of book (Edition, not required for the first edition). Location: Publisher. Pages (where the information comes from). In case there is more than one place of publication, only the first one should be written.

Examples: Grubb, M., & Neuhoff, K. (2006). Emissions trading and competitiveness: Allocations, incentives and industrial competitiveness under the EU emissions trading scheme. London: Earthscan. pp 230-300. Jespersen, N. D., Brady, J. E., & Hyslop, A. (2012). The molecular nature of matter (6th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley. pp 201-203.



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Howitt, D., & Cramer, D. (2008). Introduction to research methods in psychology (2nd ed.). Harlow: FT Prentice Hall. pp 145.

5.3. Article or chapter in an edited book

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of chapter or entry. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book. Location: Publisher. Pages.

Example:

Treasure, D. C., Lemyre, P. N., Kuczka, K. K., & Standage, M. (2007). Motivation in elite sport: A self-determination perspective. In Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. (Eds.), Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in exercise and sport. Champaign: Human Kinetics. pp153-166.

5.4. Unpublished works:

a) Doctoral theses and Master's dissertations (unpublished) Swinton, M. A. (1984). Family stress in phenylketonuria (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Auckland, New Zealand.

b) Unpublished manuscripts

Author, A. A. (1999). Title of manuscript. Unpublished manuscript [or "Manuscript submitted for publication", or "Manuscript in preparation"].

Example:

Geisel, T. S. All sorts of sports. Unpublished manuscript.

5.5. Online resources

Example:

Hendry, L. (2011). Visual pattern perception - shapes, spatial frequency and gestalt laws [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://usqstudydesk.usq.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=457749

5.6. Reprints

Buckley, C. B. (1965). An anecdotal history of old times in Singapore. Reprint. Musanze: INES Ruhengeri Press. Note: Further information on referencing can be obtained from “http://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/apa-referencing-guide”



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6. SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION The dissertation has to be submitted in hardbound format. Two copies of the same would need to be submitted for evaluation. The Researcher would additionally need to give one copy to the supervisor and retain one for their use. It may be useful to thus make 4 copies of the dissertation. The dissertation will have to be submitted in the format enclosed. The researcher should ensure that the printing is of standard quality. The researcher would need to ensure that the dissertation is free of grammatical and typographical errors. After evaluations, two copies will be printed and submit one to the library and another in the department. In addition, students must also submit with the final copies of the dissertation, an electronic copy on a CD ROM. Slides, video and audio-cassette recordings may also be submitted but they must be clear and sharp. All items to be submitted must be appropriately labeled and must bear the name of the author, title of the dissertation report, name of the degree and the year. The inclusion of any of the above items must be indicated in the final dissertation report, and under the section where lists of all tables, illustrations etc. are given.

7. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

7.1. Plagiarism

Plagiarism check processes must be followed by all students submitting their project/dissertations. As requested by the Ministry of Education, dissertation supervisors will give advice, comments and suggestions by email trough review (comments and track changes). One time printing will only be done after plagiarism check at the time of dissertation submission. To check the plagiarism, the software will be used and available to the Head of Department. The software gives the details and procedures about the plagiarism check and follow the instructions provided. The report output will be in percentage of plagiarism. To be accepted for submission, it must be free of plagiarism. The entire document report can be viewed in the document viewer, which provides all the details of matches from the text which has been put for the plagiarism check. Head of Department prints out the plagiarism report produced in the document viewer and submit it to the Dean along with other documents for approval.

7.2. Assessment procedures

Several different approaches for dissertation assessment are possible. In summary, the dissertation assessment process comprises of four different forms or methods of evaluation, these are research proposal, written dissertation, performance of the student during the research progress (the criteria for assessing the performance of the student may include categories like enthusiasm and self-motivation, time management, communication, record keeping and so on)



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and an oral presentation. Usually, written dissertation assessment and oral presentation constitute the main pattern of the assessment process. The different procedures followed in dissertation assessment process are depicted in the following figure:

As it can be seen in the figure above, there are three assessment steps:

- The first one is the assessment done by the supervisor during research activities and report writing;

- The second is the assessment done by appointed evaluators at the submission of the report;

- The third assessment is done during the report presentation by the jury

Supervision Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2

Written Dissertation Submission

Plagiarism checking Soft copy of dissertation

Assessment

Individual marking of the oral presentation

Individual marking of the written dissertation by the members of the Jury

Yes Presentation

Set another Jury

Final mark

Agreement of the Jury

No



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The different criteria to be followed in assessment at different steps are presented in the following sections.

7.3. Assessment criteria

Assessment during supervision During supervision, the research project progress will be assessed by the supervisor(s). Supervisor(s) must be able to ascertain that the written report of the student is worthy of examination both in terms of its content and its technical presentation before the report is submitted for assessment and grading. The report must be completed and submitted prior to the oral presentation. The evaluation of the candidate during the research progress should be based on the following criteria: enthusiasm and self-motivation, time management, record keeping, developing new ideas, reporting and writing skills. The evaluation form is presented in the appendix L.

Written reports

The assessment criteria for a written dissertation embrace four areas of the work which are differently weighted as follows:

General introduction and literature review 10% of the total marks Methodology 10% of the total marks Results, discussion and conclusions 20% of the total marks Grammar and communication of ideas (flow of ideas) 5% of the total marks Overall presentation of the document 5% of the total marks

For detailed grading, please see the marking sheet on appendices

Oral presentation

The oral presentation should be conducted using multimedia tools (e.g. PowerPoint). 15 min are allocated for each oral presentation followed by up to 30 min of comments, questions & answers. The oral presentation session will be open to the public. The oral presentation is graded as follows:

Physical presentation 5% Elocution 5% Background material used Time management Capacity of answering the questions

5% 5% 25%

Relevant of the initial presentation made 5%



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After oral presentation, student has to improve the document as suggested by the panel and get signatures from assessor, president and supervisor before final submission.

8. APPENDICES In the report, this section contains lengthy materials which are not suitable to be put inside the main text, for example raw data, equipment and computer programs.



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APPENDIX A: COVER PAGE OF REPORT



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APPENDIX B: TITLE PAGE OF FINAL YEAR DISSERTATION REPORT



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APPENDIX C: DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

DECALARATION OF ORININALITY

I do hereby declare that the work presented in this dissertation is my own contribution to be the

best of my knowledge. The same work has never been submitted to any other University or

Institution. I, therefore declare that this work is my own for the partial fulfilment of the award of

a Bachelor’s degree with honours/Master’s degree in ……………………... at INES-Ruhengeri.

The candidate name: ………………………………

Signature: …………………………………………

Date of submission: ………………………………



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APPENDIX D : APPROVAL

APPROVAL This is to certify that this dissertation work entitled “……………………………………..” is an

original study conducted by (names of the student) ………………………………. under my

supervision and guidance.

The supervisor’s name: ………………………………

Signature: ……………………………………………

Date: ………………… ………………………………



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APPENDIX E : Acknowledgments

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

« Give acknowledgment to any advisory or financial assistance received in the course of your work.”



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APPENDIX E : ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

“A short summary of the project ephasising the novelty of the approach adopted, the actual work

performed and the important results abtaned in preferably on paragraph and not more than 500

words”



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APPENDIX G: Table of contents



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APPENDIX H: LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: ……………………………….…………. Figure 2: ……………………………………….….



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APPENDIX I: LIST OF TABLES



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APPENDIX J: LIST OF SYMBOLS

Only important symbols need to be included in this list. Do not include abbreviations which appear once in the document



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APPENDIX I: LIST OF APPENDICES



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APPENDIX J: MAIN TEXT IN THE PROJECT REPORT



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APPENDIX K: DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT CRITERIA/MARKING SHEET Names of the student: ………………………………………….... Academic year:: …………………………………………….………..… Title of the dissertation: ……………………………………..……..….. …………………………………………………………………….……. Marker’s name: …………………………………………………………

Total Marks:

Date: Signature:

The assessment criteria for the Dissertation embraces four areas of the work which are differently weighted as follows:

General introduction and literature review...……………………10% of the total marks Methodology……………………………………… ……………..10% of the total marks Results, discussion and conclusions ……………………………..20% of the total marks Grammar and communication of ideas (flow of ideas) …………..5% of the total marks Overall presentation of the document …………………….............5% of the total marks

Task definition and methodology 10% :

• Subject valid and relevant; • Clear statement of the research problem/question, and associated objectives, with a comprehensive

and persuasive rationale; • Appropriate selection of, and justification for, the methodology adopted, indicating a full

understanding of its values and limitations.

(70%+ First Class) (mark between: 7 and 10)

• Subject valid and relevant; • Clear statement of the research problem/question, and associated objectives, with an appropriate

rationale; • Appropriate selection of, and justification for, the methodology adopted, indicating a sound

understanding of its values and limitations.

(60-69% Upper Second) (mark between: 6 and 6.5)

• Subject valid and relevant; • Statement of the research problem/question reasonably clear, but some shortcomings in clarity of

purpose and associated objectives; • Rationale included, but somewhat lacking in clarity and relevance: • Appropriate selection of, and some justification for, the methodology adopted, with evidence of an

understanding of its value and limitations.

(50-59% Lower Second) (mark between: 5 and 5.5)

• Subject has some validity and relevance; • Unclear statement of the research problem/question, and associated objectives; • Rationale present but of marginal relevance; • Poor selection of, and justification for, the methodology adopted, with no clear evidence of an

understanding of its value and limitations.

• Subject is largely invalid with little or no relevance; • No identifiable statement of the research problem/question and associated objectives; • No rationale, or one which is inappropriate/irrelevant; • No clear application of any distinct and appropriate methodology, with no evidence of any real

understanding of the methodological foundations of the work.

(40-49% Third Class) (mark between: 4 and 5) or (35-39% Unclassified) (mark between: 3.5 and 3.5) (Below 35%) (mark between: 0 and 3)

Marker’s Additional Comments Mark Proposed



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Literature Review and Conceptual Framework (20%):

• Evidence of a comprehensive knowledge and full critical review of the literature relevant to the study;

• Development of a coherent and fully justified conceptual framework to underpin the research undertaken.

(70%) (mark between: 14 and 20)

• Evidence of a sound knowledge and critical review of the literature relevant to the study; • Development of a clear, appropriate and justified conceptual framework to base the

research upon.

(60-69%) (mark between: 12 and 13.5)

• Evidence of a satisfactory knowledge and limited critical review of the relevant literature, but with obvious gaps and omissions;

• Development of an appropriate conceptual framework, but which is not clearly stated and/or complete and justified.

(50-59%) (mark between: 10 and 11..5)

• Evidence of only a limited knowledge of the literature, with little or no critical comment; • Some evidence of an attempt to develop a conceptual framework, but which is

characterised by confused thinking, gaps and omissions, and not justified.

(40-49%) (mark between: 8 and 9.5) or (35-39%) (mark between: 7 and 7.5)

• No convincing evidence of an understanding of the literature, with a very limited selection of relevant sources and no critical comment;

• No development of an appropriate conceptual framework for the research.

(Below 35%) (mark between: 0 and 6.5)

Marker’s Additional Comments

Mark Proposed

Data Collection, Analysis, Findings and Conclusions. (30%):

• Entirely appropriate selection and implementation of data collection methods which is fully justified and recognises the limitations of the methods adopted;

• Clear and extensive evidence of a high level of analysis using appropriate techniques; • Clear presentation of fully justified findings and logical conclusions, based upon the research

evidence, which demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the research results.

(70%) (mark between: 21 and 30)

• Appropriate selection and implementation of data collection methods which is justified and provides evidence of a recognition of the main limitations of the methods adopted;

• Clear evidence of a high level of analysis using appropriate techniques; • Clear presentation of justified findings and logical conclusions, predominantly based on

research evidence, which contain evidence of the ability to critically evaluate the research results.

(60-69%) (mark between: 18 and 20.5)

• Mainly appropriate selection and implementation of data collection methods with evidence of justification and some recognition of the limitations of the methods adopted;

• Evidence of a satisfactory level of analysis using appropriate techniques; • Clear presentation of findings and conclusions, related to the research evidence, with

reasonable evidence of appropriate justification for, critical comment on, and logical development in these areas.

(50-59%) (mark between: 15 and 17.5)

• Generally an inappropriate selection and implementation of data collection methods, with little evidence of an appreciation of the limitations of the methods adopted;

• Evidence of appropriate analysis, but which is limited and/or logically inconsistent; • Presentation of findings and conclusions which are not entirely based on the research evidence,

and which may be unsupported by either the evidence or logical reasoning, or both; • Little or no evidence of the ability to critically evaluate the work undertaken.

(40-49%) (mark between: 12 and 14.5) or (35-39%) (mark between: 10.5 and 11.5)



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• An inappropriate selection and implementation (or absence) of data collection methods, with

no evidence of an appreciation of the use of such methods; • Little or no evidence of appropriate analysis and/or extensive logical inconsistency; • Presentation of some findings and conclusions, but which are either inaccurate, incomplete,

and/or illogical.

(Below 35%) (mark between: 0 and 10)


Presentation and Communication of Ideas. (10%):

• Conforms to all the required specifications and has an excellent layout in terms of structure and logical argument;

• Clear and correct use of English characterised by a very lucid style of expression, with no imprecise and/or incorrect statements;

• Appropriate and innovative use of presentation methods.

(70%+ First Class) (mark between: 7 and 10)

• Conforms to all the required specifications and has a very good layout in terms of structure and logical argument;

• Clear and correct use of English/ French (in case of French) characterised by a clear style of expression, with few imprecise and/or incorrect statements;

• Appropriate use of presentation methods.

(60-69% Upper Second) (mark between: 6 and 6.5)

• Conforms to all major specifications and has generally good layout in terms of structure and logical argument;

• Reasonably clear and correct use of English /French (in case of French) characterised by generally clear expression, with relatively few imprecise and/or incorrect statements;

• Mainly appropriate us of presentation methods.

(50-59% Lower Second) (mark between: 5 and 5.5)

• Does not conform to a significant number of the required specifications, but has a generally acceptable layout in terms of structure and logical argument, though the latter may not be a good as desired;

• Generally correct use of English/ French (in case of French), but with aspects of unclear expression and a number of imprecise and/or incorrect statements;

• Presentation adequate, but with clear deficiencies.

(40-49% Third Class) (mark between: 4 and 5) or (35-39% Unclassified) (mark between: 3.5 and 3.5)

• Does not conform to the required specifications and has generally unacceptable layout in terms of structure and logical argument;

• Generally poor use of English/French (in case of French) characterised by numerous errors, unclear, incorrect and/or illogical statements;

• Presentation inadequate, with numerous deficiencies.

(Below 35% Fail) (mark between: 0 and 3)




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APPENDIX L: DISSERTATION SUBMISSION FORM



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APPENDIX M: DISSERTATION CORRECTION FORM



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APPENDIX N: WITHDRAWAL OF ACADEMIC DOCUMENTS FORM

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