Written and oral reports

To offer possibilities for learning to plan a project and identifying with the purpose of the experiment, students will be expected to write a research proposal for their chosen or assigned project within three months of starting work, i.e. in the time frame from April till June of the first year of their doctoral studies. Within this time they are also obliged to arrange their thesis committee and organize a meeting to discuss the project proposal.

In April one year later a progress report in the format of a doctoral thesis will be submitted which will contain a critical discussion of results and of problems encountered. The two reports, i.e research proposal and first year report, will form the basis for meetings with the thesis committee. Additionally, an oral progress report, in which the project and its progress, as well as any other matters of relevance, will be discussed. Similarly, a second year report will be submitted after another year.

The oral reports will be presented to other members of the program, usually on the occasion of a graduate student symposium. The oral representations are also attended by the members of the thesis committee and will be followed by a critical assessment and suggestions for improvements, if necessary.

Each thesis committee meeting has to be protocoled on a thesis committee meeting form (Further information > Forms) which has to be submitted to the IGSDHD office.

 

Project proposal

  • write it within 3 months of starting work on their thesis project
  • discuss it with the supervisor and let her/him sign the copy submitted to the IGSDHD office 
  • deliver it to the thesis committee members at least two weeks in advance of the meeting to let them read it before the thesis committee meeting
  • deliver the signed copy to the IGSDHD office after the thesis committee meeting
  • keep the following format: 1500-2000 words with the following parts
  1. an introduction explaining the current state of knowledge in the field, including all up-to-date literature
  2. the aim of the thesis, pointing out open questions that will be addressed during the thesis and their relevance to the field
  3. the planned experimental programme, explaining which methods and techniques will be used to tackle the problem and why
  4. approximate time plan and mile stones

Progress reports

  • write it in the second year and again in the third year, always approximately in April
  • discuss it with the supervisor and let her/him sign the copy submitted to the IGSDHD office 
  • deliver it to the thesis committee members at least two weeks in advance of the meeting to let them read it before the thesis committee meeting
  • deliver the signed copy to the IGSDHD office after the thesis committee meeting
  • the format of the report should assume the format of your thesis. However if enough results have been obtained and on recommendation of the direct supervisor, it can alternatively be written in the form of a publication including an extended discussion and outlook part describing future plans
  • keep the following format: 3000 words (about 10 pages) which describes:  
  1. background
  2. progress made
  3. problems encountered with discussion of the reasons
  4. future goals
  5. experimental plan
  6. time plan
  7. publication strategy

How to write a scientific report - guidelines

Opens external link in new window Scientific reports

 Scientific paper