GRADUATE
SCHOOL
OF
SOCIAL
SCIENCES
Writing a master’s thesis
A manual for students:
Human Geography
and
Urban and Regional Planning
2014-2015
Coordinators:
Urban and Regional Planning:
-
Dr. Bas Hissink Muller ([email protected])
Human Geography:
-
until February Dr. Virginie Mamadouh ([email protected])
-
from February on Dr. Inge van der Welle ([email protected])
Last update: 22 October 2014
Table of Contents
1. The master’s thesis ... 4
2. Choosing a topic ... 4
2.1 HOW TO CHOOSE A TOPIC ... 4
2.2 PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES ... 6
3. The Process and Formalities ... 7
3.1 FORMAL STEPS AND DEADLINES ... 7
3.2 RESEARCH ABROAD ... 9
4. Supervision ... 11
4.1 WHAT TO EXPECT OF YOUR SUPERVISOR ... 11
4.2 SUPERVISION AGREEMENT ... 12
5. The research proposal ... 13
5.1 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL ... 13
5.2 CLEARLY DEFINING A TOPIC ... 16
5.3 WORKING SCHEDULE ... 17
6. Conducting the research ... 18
6.1 WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU ... 18
6.2 AN OVERLOAD OF DATA: KEEP YOUR FOCUS ... 19
7. Writing your thesis ... 20
7.1 LANGUAGE CHOICE ... 20
7.2 HOW TO HANDLE YOUR DATA ... 20
7.3 PRACTICAL MATTERS CONCERNING THE THESIS ... 20
Appendices
24
1. Norms and requirements for a thesis
24
2. Master’s Thesis Proposal Registration Form
26
3. Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad
27
4. Guidelines for writing academic papers
30
5. Extra reading and courses about writing
31
6. Important Contacts
33
7. Assessment Form Master’s Thesis Human Geography and Planning
36
NB for Urban and Regional Planning students
Please consult the Course Manual Master Thesis Project
NB for Human Geography students
Please consult the Course Manual Literature Course
Please consult the Couse Manual Master Thesis Project
1. The master’s thesis
The last part of the master’s programme consists of writing a thesis. For many students, this thesis is a difficult challenge that in many cases delays graduation. This thesis manual contains tips for writing the thesis. It also includes the formalities that students should take into account. In a course manual the practicalities and specific requirements will be outlined with respect to the particular thesis-project. In this chapter, the purpose of writing a master’s thesis is explained as well as the process and planning of writing a thesis.
The master’s thesis is an independent research project conducted by a master’s student in a thesis project group as a proof of competence after four years of studying (3 years Ba and 1 year Ma). Its goal is to prove that the student has acquired sufficient academic knowledge, skills and insights at the end of his/her study. In most cases, the master’s thesis is an individual project situated within a group format and guided by a supervisor.
In a way, the master’s thesis is comparable with a large paper of 60 to 80 pages (about 24,000 to 32,000 words), in which you, in a thesis group, examine a problem in line with your specialization. The aim of the thesis is not to make striking academic discoveries – instead, it is meant to show that you are capable of conducting research independently. When choosing a topic keep in mind what you want to do after your graduation as your thesis might become a relevant point of discussion in future job interviews.
According to the programme, you will write your master’s thesis in the second semester. It is important to start thinking about your thesis much earlier, to make sure you can complete the master’s programme in the summer of 2015.
When working on your Research Proposal in your project group (period 4) you can also be in contact with your supervisor from time to time. Once your research proposal is approved you can begin to carry out your research plans as soon as possible. You’ll find more details about the precise time schedule in Chapter 3 of this manual.
2. Choosing a topic
The process of writing a thesis starts with choosing a topic within a theme of one of the project groups. This chapter describes how to select a topic and other choices that you will need to make.
ambitions and plans for the future after academia. It is important though that the topic links with the expertise and knowledge present in our department as brought forward in the Master Thesis Topic Guide. This way your thesis will be more strongly embedded in current research and you can benefit from the expertise of staff members.
You can also consult the website of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR) (http://aissr.uva.nl/). Furthermore, you can find additional ideas by browsing through the catalogue of the Pierson Révész Library or looking at www.dare.uva.nl, a database in which all theses completed after 1 September 2005 have been filed.
It is important that you choose a topic that is of interest to you, because you will be dealing with the topic for several months. If you are not motivated, you face the risk of having a hard time writing and completing your thesis.
In the beginning of the master thesis project group, you will work systematically from a global research theme towards a well-defined and well-argued research proposal.
To inspire you, below you will find a few examples of research conducted by students in the past academic years.
A Human Geography student specializing in cultural geography analysed the consequences of the fall of the Berlin wall in an outskirt of Berlin. She specifically focused on employment biographies of 50- to 55-year old citizens and conducted a series of in-depth interviews. Based on these interviews, she tried to indicate factors that lead to successful or less successful integration in the labour market.
An Urban and Regional Planning student specializing in housing and real estate examined the planning process of restructuring. He examined the process through the perspectives of the municipality, social housing associations, citizens and market parties. Focusing on The Hague as a case study, he looked at how these different parties interact with each other.
A Human Geography student specializing in political geography examines the geopolitical position of Serbia on the eve of the Kosovo war. His sources included articles in Dutch newspapers and material from other media such as the internet, television and radio.
A Human Geography student specializing in development studies wrote an analysis of the investment policies of different NGOs. She used policy documents, annual reports and interviews to focus on the geographical spread of financial capital.
An Urban and Regional Planning student wrote about different possibilities to privatise the social housing sector. To get an idea of how different concepts work in reality, he made a comparison between three cases (in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands).
2.2
Practical constraints and opportunities
In the starting phase of your research, you will not only have to find and define your topic, but you will also need to think about the practical side of doing your research. Having a job or a family can be a reason to choose a topic that allows you to do field work in a city or town close to home. In some cases, your network of colleagues within the company you work for can help you in finding a relevant and accessible topic for your research. Other common practical considerations pertain to language skills and methodological skills. Make sure that your plans are compatible with skills you have or you want to develop. It is not a good idea to plan a content analysis of Spanish languages policy documents if your Spanish is non-existent or to apply elaborate spatial statistics if you do not want to make time to master them.
More in general, you might want to give your thesis a strong theoretical content, prefer to stress the methodological dimension, or choose an issue with high societal relevance with a clear stakeholder.
3.
The Process and Formalities
The Master’s thesis is the largest piece of work you will have to carry in your studies. It is a big project stretched over a semester. It is particularly important to keep in mind what your time planning is.
In the first six weeks of period 4 students start with their research proposal, parallel to Planning Research (for planners) and Geographical Research Methods and GIS (for geographers) (Both take two thirds of the 6 weeks). After this 6 week period the thesis project becomes a full time activity. Considering that the research proposal has to be submitted after six weeks, students have one third of the six week period to write a proposal (that is 3 EC or 84 hours ).
3.1
Formal steps and deadlines
The following formal steps should be taken into consideration
Registration
Register for the Master thesis (via SIS)
Register for a Master thesis project Human Geography:
https://uvasocialsciences.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3TV0uyN1a76oq8J Register for a Master thesis project Urban and Regional planning:
https://uvasocialsciences.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2frgpBNWBFwTjDv
Research proposal
Submit your Research proposal to your supervisor and upload the proposal to blackboard on the blackboard-site of the course ‘Master Thesis Urban and Regional Planning’ or ‘Master Thesis Human Geography before Monday 16 March, 2015, 10 am.
After you received ‘green light’, submit the Master’s Thesis Proposal Registration Form (see Appendix 2) to the thesis-coordinator (Human Geography: Inge van der Welle, Urban and Regional Planning: Bas Hissink Muller). In case of fieldwork abroad you have to additionally hand in a signed Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad (see Section 3.4 for details and Appendix 3).
Handing in final version to supervisor and second reader
Two hard copies of your thesis should be handed in to your supervisor before the 22 June 2015, 10 am. Two hard copies, because it will always be read by both your supervisor and second reader. You should also hand in your thesis on the blackboard-site of the course ‘Master Thesis Urban and Regional Planning’ or ‘Master Thesis Human Geography, in the dropbox on your Master Thesis Project group’s page, also before the 22June 2015, 10 am. Do note that this dropbox will be closed after the deadline, when you do not hand in your thesis here in time, the thesis is therefore considered as not handed in at all! If you do not submit your thesis at the first opportunity, this implies you waive this option and the second chance for submission will be your last chance. Theses that are submitted after the deadline or not handed
in are marked 0 and the candidate rests only one chance to submit their thesis (i.e. the second chance, see below: Reparation).
When you hand in your thesis in time, the final meeting with your supervisor and the second reader and the grading should be done within two weeks after submission (i.e. before 6 July 2015). A candidate is only admitted to a final meeting when the supervisor and the second reader assume that the thesis can be defended successfully. (Admittance to the defence is no guarantee that the thesis will be judged
sufficient.)
After the defence, you’ll also have to upload your thesis in the special general box ‘scripties inleveren GPIO’ (see below ‘submitting digital version for plagiarism check’).
Note that with every grade for the thesis the student receives a filled in Master’s Thesis Assessment Form (i.e. also if assessed as insufficient or if marked 0 when not handed in or not handed before the deadline).
Reparation
If the thesis was not deemed sufficient or not submitted (in time) before June 22, 2015, 10 am. students have the opportunity to retake in August. If the thesis was not deemed sufficient during the first chance, the student will get one feedback meeting with his supervisor. In case the thesis was not deemed sufficient after the final meeting, this defence is considered to be that one feedback meeting. In case the thesis was not deemed sufficient enough for the final meeting, that one feedback meeting takes place instead of a defence. Please note that students are not entitled to supervision in July and August. For the second chance the thesis should be handed in in the same way as described above for the first chance, but now before August 17, 2015, 10 am. The final meeting will take place on or before ultimately August 28, 2015.
Again, do note that the dropbox on blackboard, for handing in your thesis, will be closed after the deadline as well, therefore again, when you do not hand in your thesis in time, the thesis is considered as not handed in at all! Also this time this means it is given the grade of 0.
Students who failed to complete their thesis in June or in August have to start a new project in the second semester of 2015-2016. They can however file a motivated request to the Exam Committee (EC) with the support of their supervisor and the student counsellor, to be allowed to complete their on-going project, if there are important reasons for delay beyond control of the student. In the case of an extension students have to re-enrol at UvA for 2015-2016 to complete their thesis (and to terminate your inscription as soon as possible thereafter, when you have passed for the thesis).
1. Make sure your thesis is one Word file or one PDF file. All pages of the printed thesis should also be available in the digital version. This includes the title page and appendices. The Word or PDF file should not be password protected. The file should not be larger than 14 Mb.
2. Go to Blackboard: http://blackboard.ic.uva.nl
3. Enroll yourself through the course catalog into the Blackboard course ‘Scripties inleveren GPIO’, by following these instructions:
a. After logging into Blackboard, click on Browse Course Catalog (at the bottom of the webpage)
b. Enter in the search box ‘Scripties inleveren GPIO’ and click Go. c. In the search results, the course ‘Scripties inleveren GPIO’ will appear
d. Click on the Enrol-button that is displayed behind the arrows below the course ID. e. Click submit on the next page and OK on the following page. You are now enrolled. f. Click in the menu on Submit Thesis.
g. Scroll to your bachelor or master, and click on the link View/Complete Assignment. h. Click on the Browse-button, and find the file of your thesis, and enter a short remark if
needed.
i. Click on Submit to upload your thesis.
If no problems are found, your grade will be finalized and your thesis will then be filed in the digital thesis library of the UvA: www.dare.uva.nl .
3.2
Research abroad
Students of Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning can write a thesis based on fieldwork abroad. You will need to think about this in a timely manner and start to take the required steps at an early stage. Keep in mind that doing research abroad usually takes more time than doing fieldwork in the Netherlands, and that it might cause some delay. Please note that in general you are not allowed to conduct fieldwork in regions that have been given a negative travel advice by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (‘avoid non-essential trips). It is your own responsibility to monitor the situation and travel advice for the region of your choice. The master’s programmes themselves do not provide funding for fieldwork abroad. In addition you do not qualify for a UvA STUNT beurs, because the fieldwork is not obligatory.
You can inquire about funding possibilities at the GSSS international office ([email protected]).
Your preliminary research proposal should be approved by your supervisor before you make any travel arrangements. After your final research proposal has been approved by your supervisor, you may travel to your fieldwork location. The programme director will sign a Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad with
you (see Appendix 3). The costs of fieldwork differ, depending on the country you go to and the type of research you will be conducting. Key costs to keep in mind include:
- Flight ticket - Insurance - Vaccinations
- Visa
- Transport costs in fieldwork country - Housing costs
- Costs of living
- Research assistance on location (such as interpreters)
To get a better understanding of the costs, we recommend getting in touch with someone who has already conducted research in the country you are planning to go to (e.g. a supervisor or a fellow student).
4.
Supervision
During the process of writing your thesis, you will have intensive contact with your supervisor. In this chapter, you will find information about what to expect of your supervisor (4.1) and what agreements to make with your supervisor (4.2).
4.1
What to expect of your supervisor
It is important to keep in mind that you will have 31 hours of supervision allocated to your project, including reading time, group meetings, the final assessment, and your thesis defence. You can expect your supervisor to give you advice, for example about the relevant literature you need to consult, about defining your topic or analyzing your data. His/her most important job is to guide, motivate and inspire you. He/she will assess whether the research proposal is realistic. He/she will also make sure that you make continuous progress. If you are not progressing, your supervisor will need to point you in the right direction and talk to you about how to prevent further delay. You can also expect your supervisor to detect unrealistic or incorrect parts in your research proposal, during your fieldwork, and in your analysis.
There will be frequent meetings between you and your supervisor, depending on how much time you spend on your thesis (approximately one appointment every two or three weeks when you are working on your thesis full time). This corresponds to approximately 10 meetings (including group meetings). Discuss with your supervisor in advance how you will plan these encounters (see 4.2.). Some prefer shorter and frequenter meetings, other sparser but longer ones. During a meeting, you and your supervisor will talk about a specific stage of your research project or a specific chapter. Always take the initiative yourself and ask questions if things are not clear. Keep yourself and your supervisor motivated, not only by talking about problems, but also about interesting outcomes. Usually the supervisor will review your chapters separately as you write them. It is wise to plan time to hand in a draft version of your thesis at the end of the process. Your supervisor can detect mistakes, inconsistencies, or incoherent parts in your thesis and you can improve the final version before you submit it to the supervisor and the second reader for the final assessment.
Make sure your supervisor is able to prepare for the meetings by handing in your written work on time. Indicate which parts are new or revised, so that your supervisor does not need to read your work all over again. This prevents inefficiency and ensures that you talk about relevant matters during your meeting. Accordingly, you should also prepare yourself for the meetings, for instance by making a list of things you want to discuss. The work that you hand in for these meetings does not need to be perfect, but do make sure that the spelling, style, and grammar are correct.
If you are unsatisfied with the way the process is going or the supervision you get, it is important to talk to your supervisor about it. If you do not manage to solve the problems with your supervisor, contact the master thesis project coordinator, the programme director or the student counsellor. Serious complaints should be dealt with through the university complaints procedure and the Exam Committee
(Examencommissie, or EC). You can also contact the student members of the Programme Committee (Opleidingsommissie, or OC).
4.2
Supervision agreement
It is important to openly discuss with your supervisor your expectations about the thesis supervision. Would you rather have supervision concerning the process or the content of your thesis? How often will (s)he read your preliminary chapters and what kind of comments will (s)he give you? When do you hand in these preliminary chapters? Do you always need to make an appointment or can you stop by unannounced? Can you e-mail or phone him/her if you are stuck? Remember to ask for his/her schedule, especially if (s)he is planning to travel during the time you will be working on your thesis.
To prevent disappointment, talk about your ambitions with your supervisor during your first bilateral meeting. It is important that you stay in contact with your supervisor as you are writing your thesis. After each appointment, set a date and time for the next appointment. Take into account that for each hour you meet with your supervisor, he/she will need time to read your work and think about it. This is an important consideration as your supervisor has been allocated 31 hours for your thesis supervision, of which up to 5 hours may be required for the final assessment and meeting. Thus, you should consider that you have enough time for approximately 6-7 individual meetings with your supervisor during the whole process. During your fieldwork, you will meet less frequently with your supervisor; during the writing process you will meet more frequently. Nowadays communication during fieldwork is usually uninterrupted thanks to email and skype.
5.
The research proposal
After you have chosen a topic, the next step is to write the research proposal. This chapter describes how to create such a research proposal (5.1), how to clearly define your topic (5.2) and why it is so important to make a proper timetable to plan your reading, research and writing work (5.3).
5.1
The research proposal
After the preliminary phase consisting of the literature course for human geographers and the kick-off and theory meeting for planners, the thesis-project really starts with writing a research proposal. The research proposal is very important for the further progress of your research. Elaborating it forces you to think thoroughly about your topic. In your research proposal you will determine which problem you will investigate, under whose supervision, which research questions are relevant, which methods you will use, and what you want to accomplish or add to the current debate on the topic you have chosen. Try to establish at that stage if you have access to relevant sources and if your plan is feasible.
As you write your research proposal, your topic will become more clearly defined. Writing a good research proposal takes time; it requires a great deal of revising and rethinking to make sure that you have made the appropriate choices. Your research proposal is also needed in order to receive research permits, when applicable.
What does a research proposal look like?
In your research proposal, you will specify the problem definition and related research questions, the theoretical and analytical framework, the purpose of data collection and how you plan to accomplish it. You will need to think about getting useful and reliable information, your schedule, and possibly funding. (The exact requirements will be formulated in the course manual.) The following elements should be a part of your research proposal:
Introduction
In the introduction, you write what your thesis is about and what gave rise to your interest in this subject. What is the academic and societal relevance of your topic and why? You can present an outline of the thesis and indicate the content of each chapter.
Theoretical framework
In the theoretical framework, you describe the theoretical background of your topic and review relevant academic frameworks. You define the key concepts and provide an overview of the most important literature on the subject. The framework will logically evolve into a problem statement. Do not describe all kinds of different theories and literatures just for the sake of reviewing the literature – the theoretical framework should have a clear function in your argumentation.
In a later stage of your thesis writing, you will revisit and extend this framework. Still, it is important to start writing it in this earlier stage to stay abreast of what is going on in the field of your topic and have a sense of which matters are important. It will help and guide you when you need to make important decisions. Try to elaborate your theoretical framework as far as possible during the thesis preparation stage.
Research questions
The research question or problem statement should capture the whole research in one question. It should evolve in a logical way from the framework. In formulating your research question, you will usually start with a vague idea, making it more concrete as you read further about your topic and relevant research. It is thus expected that your research question will continue to change as you gain more knowledge about your topic and your case. You may also want to formulate separate sub-questions that need to be answered first in different chapters, in order to address the core research question in the concluding chapter.
Research design and methods
The research design is arguably the most important part of your research proposal. It explains how you want to answer your research questions. It features a statement on what kind of research you conduct, methods you employ to collect empirical data and to analyse them. In the thesis you demonstrate the methodological skills you have learned during your studies. Do not hesitate to consult the books and notes you have taken in previous courses in your bachelor’s programme and in this master’s programme. This includes evidently Planning Methodologies and Planning Research (for planners) and Geographical Research Methods and GIS and Human Geography: Theory and Social Implications (for geographers) but also methodological insights from the academic literature under scrutiny in your specialisation/thematic courses.
Types of research
Research can take many forms. It is therefore important to wisely choose the type of research that you will conduct. Three types of research conducted by urban and regional planners and human geographers are described below.
1) Descriptive research. For this type of research, you try to map out a certain phenomenon and look at it from all angles.Research questions fitting to this type of research are typically ‘what’ or ‘how’ questions.
Methods and data collection
To answer your research questions, you will need to collect data. There are many ways to do that, depending on your topic and type of research. You can analyze existing data, make and analyze GIS maps, analyze written sources (newspaper articles, websites, reports, annual reports, speeches, policy documents, plans, etc.), conduct surveys or in-depth interviews, or use your observations. Think of the different methods that you came across during your methodology classes or browse through a methodology book for inspiration. Based on your methodological skills and practical constraints (time, access etc) you need to choose the right balance between quantitative and qualitative methods to answer your research question.
Operationalization
The concepts that you use in your problem statement should be translated into concrete variables and indicators. By doing this, you get an idea of what exactly you mean by a certain concept and what you want to find out. To do this, you must first clearly define the concept. You then transform it into a researchable variable. This step will unavoidably mean that you will have to make choices about what to include and exclude from your research. Provide a clear argumentation in your research proposal about the choices you have made.
Units of analysis
You will also need to make a choice about the units of analysis. Will you investigate (a category of) individuals or households, companies, institutions or areas? Also think about how to select your respondents or your cases. Will you select them through a random sample within a certain database, the snowball method, or on theoretical grounds? Discuss analytical, practical and ethical limitations and problems related to the choices you make.
Structure and analytical framework
In your research proposal, you can include a (preliminary) table of contents of your thesis. This will remind you of the fact that you will need to write a structured story based on your data. The sequence and organisation of your chapters will depend on the type of research that you have chosen. In many cases, it will be dependent on your research questions.
An example of a conventional structure - Introduction
- Theoretical framework
- Problem statement, analytical framework and methods
- Data analysis (several chapters depending on your subquestions) - Conclusions and recommendations
- Bibliography
Having a table of content from the start makes the work more manageable, as you can conceive of each chapter as an academic paper (something you are experienced at doing).
Timetable
In your timetable, you will indicate when you will carry out the tasks and when you will write each of the chapters. How much time will you spend on each part of your research? If you are doing fieldwork abroad, you might need more time than usual, depending on the length of stay and the complexity of the situation in the fieldwork location.
5.2
Clearly defining a topic
Do not choose a topic that is too broad. Remember that you have one semester to complete your thesis. Many students find it hard to clearly define their topic and to exclude certain aspects from their research. They find themselves spending a great deal of time on gathering and reading literature, which can lead to a problem statement that is hard to investigate. Do not take too much time for gathering background information; it is more important to make choices early and move forward.
If you have a vague or broad problem statement, clearly defining the concepts can help. You can also make a conceptual scheme to give you a clear idea about which relationships you want to investigate. Remember that you will need to collect the data on your own. A survey of hundreds of people will only be possible if you can hand out surveys on paper, via the internet or in groups (classes or companies). If you use in-depth interviews, conducting 20 interviews is usual.
Tame your ambitions
In writing the master’s thesis, students usually ask a lot of themselves. They want to get a high grade, make an original contribution to the academic literature, solve a societal problem, or, more down to earth, produce a report they can be proud of and they can show during future job interviews. These are of course good motivations, but it can lead to frustrations. We therefore recommend you to tame your ambitions and to focus on writing a clear analysis of a less ambitious research. The scope of your master’s thesis can be modest, it is your first step as a researcher.
Motivation/Justification
You should always explain and justify the choices you make during the process of transforming your topic into a definitive problem statement. Why did you choose to investigate aspect A, but not B or C? Why did you do fieldwork in area A when you could have gone to area B? Your argumentation can be
- For whom is it a problem? For which persons or institutions is it a problem? Is the problem definition the same for everyone?
- What do you want to accomplish? Who can make use of your results and how? - What is the societal and academic relevance of your project?
- What knowledge about possible causes of this problem is already available? And why has the problem not yet been solved?
- Can your problem be analytically reduced to a series of smaller problems? - What steps do you need to follow to answer your research question?
5.3
Working schedule
It is important for you and your supervisor to make a schedule. The first phase is to write your research proposal and review the literature for your theoretical framework. The second phase is data collection and analysis. The third phase is writing up your results. Include as many details as you can in your working schedule.
Be realistic about your timeline; do not make it too tight but set yourself a number of deadlines. Usually a thesis will take more time than planned. Keep in mind that you will need time to revise your work. You will also be dependent on others, which can make it harder to work according to your schedule. If you have experienced a number of delays, make an agreement with your supervisor about which part of your thesis to give priority to, or determine if it is possible for you to complete your thesis later than planned.
If you are not sure about the amount of time that you need for certain phases, ask your supervisor or another expert. Keep in mind that even if you have thought of everything, there will always be unexpected obstacles, for example computers that break down, library books that are in use by others, difficulties to reach interviewees or respondents or to obtain documents, or personal problems.
6.
Conducting the research
This chapter is about collecting data, what is expected of you and how to deal with an overload of information .
6.1
What is expected of you
Conducting research is about collecting data independently, locating the right sources, formulating adequate research questions, etc. An important part of this phase is to show that you are able to make sound choices concerning your research. To be focused, you should start writing tentative conclusions already in this stage.
If you choose to conduct interviews or surveys, make sure that you are well prepared – otherwise you are unlikely to get the necessary information from your respondents. Reading about interview techniques and fieldwork is recommended. Look back at the textbooks and notes you used in methodological classes. Consult general methodological introductions for social science and/or geography, for example
Bryman, A. 2008/2012: Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Clifford, N.J. and Valentine, G., editors 2003: Key methods in geography. London: Sage.
Ragin, C.C. 1987: The comparative method: moving beyond qualitative and quantitative strategies London: University of California Press.
Yin, R.K. 2002: Case study research: Design and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
It is important to think your plans through. Do not hesitate too long between different options but make decisions and complete your project. Some insights will only come to you when you are carrying out your plans. It is wise to analyse and interpret your material as soon as possible. This enables you to change direction if needed, to add or delete a subproject during the process in reaction to unexpected difficulties or outcomes. Your research proposal should be a guiding principle in these decisions, but it might be necessary to take more drastic steps and amend your research proposal, in consultation with your supervisor and with her or his agreement.
Always keep track of who you have spoken with and when. Bear in mind that processing and analyzing your surveys and interviews and observations takes a lot of time. One hour of interviewing will take you at least three hours of transcribing and analysis. Before the coding can begin, think of how you want to use the data. This takes time, but not doing so is penny-wise but pound-foolish as it might take you much more time at a later stage of the process.
When conducting your research, you should behave according to ethical principles. The VSNU (Association of Dutch Universities) has a behavioural code (see
http://www.vsnu.nl/files/documenten/Domeinen/Onderzoek/Code_wetenschapsbeoefening_2004_(2012). pdf; only in Dutch). The most important points to keep in mind are carefulness, accuracy, verifiability, impartiality and independence. Behave responsibly when dealing with respondents and data. Behave according to the rules of ‘informed consent’, avoiding risks to respondents and protecting their privacy. Respondents should be informed about the goal of the research and should be able to freely decide whether or not to cooperate. Extra care is needed when dealing with vulnerable groups, such as minorities. If you cannot guarantee anonymity (for example, when dealing with key informants), respondents have to agree explicitly with the use of their quotations in your thesis.
When conducting research, bear in mind that it is a learning process and that you can make mistakes. Try to be creative in solving problems and make sure you have enough data to write your thesis. Ask your supervisor for advice when needed.
6.2
An overload of data: keep your focus
When you are doing your research, you will probably collect lots of interesting data and develop interesting insights. Usually this is more than you will need for your research. Be careful with this: you will be tempted to include extra information in your thesis, to add new research questions, but this might have negative effects on your structure and delay the process.
During data collection, keep in mind why you are doing something and ask yourself if and how you can use the data. Use your structure and problem statement as a guideline. Try to separate useful information from unnecessary information. Work according to your working schedule and do not continually collect more data. A thesis is never finished, but the time you have is limited. Collecting data is a not a goal in and of itself, but a means to answer your research question.
7.
Writing your thesis
In this chapter, information is provided about the actual process of writing. In which language do you want to write your thesis? How do you handle the material? What difficulties will you encounter and how can you solve problems? How does the assessment work (7.4)?
7.1
Language choice
You can write your thesis in English or in Dutch. (Note that in some cases supervisors are not able to read Dutch well enough and written pieces must be in English.) Take the time to make your decision about this choice, as your fluency in the two languages might highly differ. Think also of practical issues (is your supervisor fluent in the language you want to use?). Consider your topic. It might be fit to write in Dutch about an empirical case in The Netherlands or in Suriname, much less if you report about fieldwork in Nicaragua or India. It also depends on your ambition for later. If you want to have an international career, it would be a pity not to use the opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills in English, but if you want to work in a Dutch municipality it might be a better idea to demonstrate your writing skills in Dutch.
7.2
How to handle your data
Writing up the analysis is not easy for everyone. Take enough time to write your thesis and keep in mind that you will probably have to revise your work several times. Writing your thesis does not only start after you have collected your data – as mentioned earlier, you should have already written your theoretical chapters and research proposal.
Make sure to organize your material so that you can easily find information and prevent false statements in your thesis. If you want to use quotations in your thesis, choose appropriate examples. Make sure quotations support your argumentation. Indicate sources of the quote (but keep it anonymous): “A 56-year old woman from village A,” etc. Always write down your source – this will make it easier to look it up later and ensures that you have a complete reference list. If you are using many bibliographic sources, you might consider using the computer program EndNote (www.surfspot.nl) or RefWorks (http://uba.uva.nl/en/services/writing-and-publishing/refworks/refworks-faq.html) to document your bibliography. These databases make it easier to keep track of the books and articles you consult, to cite from your sources properly and to generate lists of references.
Make sure you use the software available to you (e.g. SPSS, ArcGIS, ATLAS-ti) when relevant for your data analysis.
work in the existing academic literature on your topic. You are also expected to write critically about published research.
A good method for creating a logical and coherent structure is to start with your table of contents and briefly summarize the purpose of each of the chapters and sections. Chapters often correspond to sub questions. Keep into focus how each section will connect to the others.
Length
The length of the thesis should be about 60-80 pages. With an average of 400 words per page, this means a thesis should be approximately 24,000 to 32,000 words (excluding references and appendices). Longer theses are not necessarily better! You can write a longer thesis, but you will have to be able to justify this. Discuss this with your supervisor in advance.
Writing problems: writer’s block and language deficiencies
Writing a thesis can be a painful process. When you have writing difficulties, you should seek help. Talk to your supervisor about it, consult the many books and websites available about writing a paper or a thesis, and enrol in a writing course. If you are really stuck during the thesis writing process, you can also go to the master thesis project coordinator, the student counsellor, or the programme director (see Appendix 6). Talk to your fellow students as well; they might be having similar problems and discussing these with each other can be helpful.
In Appendix 5 you will find an overview of sources about academic (thesis) writing in English and Dutch.
7.4
Final assessment
When your thesis is finished, your supervisor and a second reader (generally another lecturer at the GPIO) will assess it. Sometimes, a colleague from another discipline or an expert from outside the university can be chartered as second reader, it depends on your research; do note that the master thesis project coordinator distributes the second readers over the project groups or theses, and if you therefore have own ideas about a suitable second reader, especially if he/she comes from outside GPIO, you should communicate this to the coordinator as soon as possible. When you hand in your thesis for during the first or second chance, the second reader will always read your thesis. Take into account that your readers need time to read your thesis.
The final assessment will take place after a discussion (‘defence’) of your thesis with your supervisor and the second reader. This defence will take about an hour. The lecturers will ask questions about your thesis and ask you to defend your choices. You will probably receive more critical comments than compliments. You do not need to prepare much for the defence, because you are now an expert on the topic and you will easily be able to convince the assessors of your expertise. Still try to be reflective and to think about possible critical comments beforehand, so that you will be prepared for that discussion. Don’t forget to bring your own copy to the defence!
After this final meeting, you will receive an assessment form with comments and your grade (see Appendix 7). The form is for the programme administration, a copy is for your own administration.
You have to submit your final thesis digitally to the programme administration after the defence (see 3.1 formal steps and registration). It will be checked for plagiarism in Ephorus. If no problems are found, your grade will be finalized and your thesis will then be filed in the digital thesis library of the UvA: www.dare.uva.nl.
Appendices
1. Norms and requirements for a thesis 24
2. Master’s Thesis Proposal Registration Form 26
3. Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad 27
4. Guidelines for writing academic papers 30
5. Extra reading and courses about writing 31
6. Important Contacts 33
7. Assessment Form Master’s Thesis Human Geography and Planning 36
Appendix 1
Norms and requirements for the master’s thesis
1. 24 ECTS (672 hours) is assigned to the master’s thesis, including a 3 ECT (84 hours) research proposal.
2. Students have to be enrolled in the course Master Thesis Project
3. Students have a right to 31 hours of supervision (including groups sessions, reading time, assessment and the final thesis defence). Supervision will generally consist of a meeting once every two or three weeks while you are working full time on your thesis. Ask whether and when your supervisor will be out of office for a long period of time (fieldwork, sabbatical and other stays abroad) during your project, so that you can take that into consideration in your time schedule. If you don’t find a workable arrangement for that period contact the thesis coordinator.
4. Students should submit their Research proposal to their supervisor and upload the proposal to blackboard before 16 March, 2015, 10 am.
5. After the student received ‘green light’ on the basis of his/her Research Proposal, he/she should submit the Master’s Thesis Proposal Registration Form (see Appendix 2) to the thesis-coordinator (Human Geography: Inge van der Welle, Urban and Regional Planning: Bas Hissink Muller). In case of fieldwork abroad the student has to additionally hand in a signed Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad (see Section 3.4 for details and Appendix 3).
6. If a supervisor is ill for a long time, the student will be assigned to a new supervisor. Inform the master thesis project coordinator as soon as possible when such a problem has emerged.
7. Two hard copies of the final version of the thesis should be handed in for the supervisor and the second reader, which both always read the thesis during this first chance, and the student should hand in his or her thesis on the blackboard-site of the course Master Thesis Project, in the dropbox on their Master Thesis Project group’s page.
Theses that are submitted after the deadline or not handed in are marked 0 and the candidate rests only one chance to submit their thesis.
The thesis should be between 24,000 and 32,000 words. Directly after the final assessment, the thesis should also be uploaded in the special general box ‘scripties inleveren GPIO’ on the blackboard-site of the course Master Thesis Project and submitted to the programme administration (Onderwijsbalie) in digital form. The thesis will then be filed in the university’s digital database.
8. With every grade for the thesis at the first opportunity the student receives a filled in Master’s Thesis Assessment Form (i.e. also if assessed as insufficient or if marked 0 when not handed in or not
result the second chance for submission is the last chance. Students are not entitled to supervision in July and August.
10. If you have complaints about your supervision that you could not resolve with your supervisor, you can contact the master thesis project coordinator, the programme manager, and the programme director (see Appendix 7 for contact information). You can also contact members of the Programme Committee or OC (see Appendix 6 for contact information). Formal objections and complaints can be lodged with the Examination Committee or EC (see Appendix 6 for contact information) until at least 14 days after the final assessment. Complaints concerning the assessment of the thesis will be dealt with in accordance with your department’s ‘Rules and regulations for taking exams’. Complaints should be made as soon as possible. The Examination Committee will search for a solution in consultation with those responsible for the assessment. If you are not satisfied with the settlement, you can lodge an appeal with the Examination Appeals Board within four weeks after being notified of the decision. See the chapter ‘Complaints, objections and appeals’ of the Student Charter (online at the UvA website) for the procedure.
Formal rules for the two master’s programmes are based on the ‘Onderwijs- en Examenregeling’ (OER) of the programmes, that you can find in the course catalogue, and- or the Department’s most recent “rules and regulations for exams”.
Appendix 2
Master’s Thesis Proposal Registration Form
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
THESIS PROPOSAL FORM
Master’s Programme in Urban and Regional Planning / Human Geography (delete as appropriate) Student name: ………
Student number: ……… Address: ………. ………... ……….. Email: ………. Preliminary Title of Thesis:
Three key words describing your thesis (to be used for future reference):
1. 2. 3.
Supervisor:
(name, email and department)
__________________ Signature (first supervisor))
______________________ Date
This form should be handed in to the master thesis project coordinator as soon as your research proposal is approved.
Appendix 3
Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
THESIS PROPOSAL FORM / THESIS AGREEMENT
Master’s Programme in Urban and Regional Planning / Human Geography (delete as appropriate)
Student name: ……… Student number: ……… Address: ………. ………... ……….. Email: ………. Preliminary Title of Thesis:
Three key words describing your thesis (to be used for future reference):
1. 2. 3.
Supervisor:
(name, email and department)
Planned date of thesis submission:
Signatures: approval of attached thesis proposal (please note that another signature is required on the last page of the agreement):
__________________ _________________
Signature (first supervisor) Signature (thesis coordinator)
______________________ Date
This form should be handed in at the Graduate School of Social Sciences with the thesis proposal and the signed thesis agreement attached before you leave for your fieldwork.
Universiteit van Amsterdam
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES THESIS AGREEMENT
1. The fieldwork for this research project will take place
from (date) ……….………..……
until (date)……… in ……….……….(place/country)
2. Please attach a time-schedule agreed upon by the student and supervisor. After the deadline, the student is no longer entitled to submit his/her thesis unless the examination committee allows an extension. In order to qualify for such an extension, the student is required to file a written request to the examination committee.
3. The student must take out an appropriate policy to cover health care and repatriation costs for the duration of the fieldwork.
Name of insurance company: ………. Policy number………..………
4. The student declares that he/she is in good health and has taken all necessary precautions (including relevant vaccinations) to safeguard his/her health in the field.
5. Local supervision (if applicable) will be provided by:
Name:………..………..……… Position: ………..……….……… Contact details: ………...……….. ………..………(email/fax)
6. The local supervisor has been contacted by the Programme Director and has formally agreed to be the student’s local supervisor.
[ ] yes [ ] no
7. When special circumstances require the student to return from the field at an earlier date, the programme in principle allows the thesis to be written based on secondary sources. An expansion of the theoretical component might be required in this case. The student will need to submit a revised thesis proposal within four weeks after an unexpected return. If needed, the examination committee can extend this period upon request. The revised proposal will require the approval of the supervisor and Programme Director.
8. Has the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised against travel to the country/region where the fieldwork takes place?
[ ] yes [ ] no
If yes: please consult the thesis coordinator.
9. During the entire fieldwork period, the student must be enrolled at the Universiteit van Amsterdam in order to participate in the Master’s Programme.
10. The student is entitled to a maximum of eight meetings with his/her supervisor. The date of the thesis
submission, thesis defence and planned graduation needs to be carefully coordinated with the supervisor to ensure his/her availability.
Signatures for agreement on/approval of the thesis agreement:
_______________ ________________
Signature (supervisor) Signature (thesis coordinator)
______________________ __________________
Signature (student) Date
Thesis coordinator: Please do not sign this agreement before the supervisor has signed it. Please make sure that you have read the proposal before signing. By signing this form you indicate your approval of the thesis topic, and the foreign fieldwork and the conditions stated in this agreement. In case of negative travel advice, do not sign without explicit support of the supervisor and not before an additional liability form has been signed.
Thesis Supervisor: Please read the proposal and the agreement with care before signing. Make sure you agree with the content, the time schedule and the conditions stated in the thesis agreement.
Student: Please hand in this form with your thesis proposal to the thesis coordinator. Make sure that all required signatures are on the form and agreement before submittal.
Appendix 4
Guidelines for writing academic papers
Guidelines for writing an academic paper In English:
Appendix 5
Extra reading and courses about writing
A. Literature
Becker, H.S., 2007: Writing for Social Scientists. How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. Second edition . Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Brungs, E., 2005: Zinvol zoeken, stijlvol schrijven: Handleiding voor het schrijven van wetenschappelijke teksten in de sociale wetenschappen. Leuven: Acco.
Bui, Y.N., 2009: How to write a master's thesis. Los Angeles: Sage.
Burrough-Boenisch, J., 2004: Righting English that's gone Dutch, Second Edition, Voorburg: Kemper Conseil. Clifford, N. J. and Valentine, G. (eds), 2010: Key Methods in Geography. Second edition. London: Sage.
Eco, U., 2010: Hoe schrijf ik een scriptie. 13de druk. Amsterdam: Bakker. [1977: Come si fa una tesi di laurea.
Milano : Fabbri-Bompiani Sonzogno, Etas. Vertaald uit het Italiaans door Yond Boeke en Patty Krone]. Eemeren, F.H. van, & Snoeck Henkemans, A.F., 2011: Argumentatie: inleiding in het identificeren van
meningsverschillen en het analyseren, beoordelen en houden van betogen. Vierde herziene druk. Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff.
Elbow, P., 1998: Writing with power. Techniques for mastering the writing process. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hannay, M. & J. L. Mackenzie, 2009: Effective writing in English, A source book. Bussum: Coutinho. Harvey, G., 1998: Writing with sources: A guide for students..Indianapolis: Hackett.
Heerink, M., 2010: Praktische schrijfgids, Amsterdam: Pearson Education.
Horst, Peter J. van den, 1999: Stijlwijzer: praktische handleiding voor leesbaar schrijven, tweede druk. Den Haag /Antwerpen: SDU / Standaard.
Koenen, L. & Smits, R. ,2000: Basishandleiding Nederlands, Utrecht: Bijleveld.
Kneale, P. E., 2003: Study skills for geography students, A practical guide. Second edition. London: Arnold.
Lamers, H.A.J.M., 1993: Hoe schrijf ik een wetenschappelijke tekst? : een handleiding om scripties, onderzoeksverslagen, dissertaties en literatuurrapporten te schrijven Zesde druk Bussum: Coutinho.
Mirande, M.J.A. & Wardenaar, E., 1997: Scriptieproblemen. derde druk. Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff. Murray, R. ,2006: How to write a thesis. Second edition Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Oosterbaan, W. 2009: Een leesbare scriptie : gids voor het schrijven van scripties, essays en papers . Tiende druk. Amsterdam/Rotterdam: Prometheus/NRC Handelsblad.
Renkema, J. ,2005: Schrijfwijzer Compact, Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers.
Renkema, J. ,2005: Schrijfwijzer, Vierde aangepaste druk. Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers. Schultz, John, 1982: Writing from start to finish. Upper Montclaire NJ: Boynton/Cook Pub.
B. Online Sources
Online in Dutch
Language store (Taalwinkel) of the Uva and the HvA , contains tips, tricks and video’s:
http://www.taalwinkel.nl/ Thesis tips
http://www.scriptietips.nl/ Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen:
http://www.worldwidewriting.com/ (ook Nederlandstalig)
http://www.leren.nl/rubriek/talen/schrijven/ (met links)
Online in English
Thinking straight (van Webdesigner Lee J Ballard) With an overview of wrongly stated arguments (fallacies):
http://www.thinkingstraight.net/fallacies.htm
Online course and quizzes over the Internet
Online tutorial: Internet for Social Sciences, Business and Law (SOGIG) : Geographer RDN Virtual Training:
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/geographer
You can check sources for other disciplines like: Development, European Studies, Sociologist, Anthropologist, Town and Country Planner, Women’s Studies, enz. The splash page for all tutorials is at
www.vtstutorials.co.uk
Texas Information Literacy Tutorial (TITT) University of Texas: http://library.msmc.edu/tilt/ Also available in Dutch on the University Library website:
http://uba.uva.nl/diensten/cursussen-en-workshops/cursussen-en-workshops.html
C. Courses and Information
Courses geared towards thesis writing are frequently announced and may be advertised around the university buildings. Please note that some of these courses will require a fee.
http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/training-and-workshops/training-and-workshops.html
The Student Career Centre (SCC) provides additional support to students. They can answer questions about making study choices, planning your career and entering the labour market. Apart from individual support, the SCC organizes special workshops and job application training. The SCC also has a large database of information about the labour market and can provide information about international job openings and acquiring an internship. http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/career/career.html
Appendix 6
Important Contacts
THESISCOORDINATOR
Dr. Virginie Mamadouh (Human Geography until 1 Feb.) Tel: 020-525-4129
E-mail: [email protected] Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.11 Dr. Inge van der Welle (Human Geography from 1 Feb.)
E-mail: [email protected] Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.02 Dr. Bas Hissink Muller (Urban and Regional Planning)
Tel: 020-525-1448
E-mail: [email protected] Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.02 PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
Dr. Jochem de Vries
Tel: 020-525-6052 (b.g.g 020-525-4063)
E-mail: [email protected]
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.13 STUDENT ADVISOR
Jeroen van Pelt MSc Tel 020-525-4093
e-mail: [email protected] PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
Jeroen van Pelt MSc Tel 020-525-4093
e-mail: [email protected]
EXAMINATION COMMITTEE Master’s Programmes Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning Secretary: Dr. Marco Bontje
Tel: 020-525-5240 (b.g.g 020-525-4063)
Email: m.a.bontje @uva.nl UVA STUDENTS - CAREERS CENTER:
Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday till Friday 9-10 am. Telephone: 020-525 8080
STUDENT SERVICE DESK: Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam Tel: 020-525 8080 Website: http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/student-services/student-service-desk/student-service-desk.html STUDENT DEANS:
Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk Binnengasthuisstraat 91012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday till Friday 9 – 10 am., telephone: 020-525 8080
STUDENT PSYCHOLOGISTS:
Appointments and information: 9 - 10 am. , Telephone: 020-525 8080
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam E-mail: [email protected]
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS:
Appointments can be made via Trainingcentrum Studenten Services Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Tel: 020-525 2595 (information) E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/training-and-workshops/training-and-workshops.html
INTERNATIONAL (INFORMATION ON STUDYING AND INTERNSHIPS ABROAD): Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday through Thursday 9 am.-5 pm. tel: 020-525 8080
Office hours: Tuesday through Thursday 10 am. – 5 pm. E-mail: [email protected]
CONFIDANT: Ms. R.M.L. Franses Diamantbeurs/Psy
Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam tel: 020-525-6884
e-mail: [email protected] GG&GD (MEDICAL CARE ABROAD AND VACCINATIONS)
Nieuwe Achtergracht 100 Tel: 020 555-5101 / 020-555-5911
