Here you will find the examiner guidelines and useful information for assessment of the master thesis in Human Geography.
HGO4090 - master's thesis - 60 credits
You can find information about the course on the course page: HGO4090 – Master's thesis 60 credits - University of Oslo (uio.no)
Type of examination: Master thesis and oral examination
The master thesis constitutes independent academic research and the core of the master's degree programme in Human Geography. The master’s thesis prepares students for developing and carrying out an independent academic research project. Students gain experience in the use of research methods and in linking theory to empirical evidence. Students develop their theses under the guidance of an academic staff member.
High academic quality in terms of formulation of the research question, argumentation and presentation of the material is required of all master’s theses in human geography. The independent research should be conducted with an expected input that corresponds to the credits that the Master’s thesis are allocated. The assessment of the individual thesis must take into consideration the required workload involved in the production of the thesis.
About the 60-credits Master Thesis in Human Geography
The fulfillment of HGO4090 implies the delivery of a master thesis for evaluation and an adjusting oral examination on the thesis and its topic.
The 60-credits master thesis reflects research carried out over the period of two semesters. Students are encouraged to start working on the thesis in the second semester, allocating time corresponding to a 10-credits course workload. The workload increases to 20-credits the third semester, and full-time workload (30-credits) in the fourth (final) semester of the programme.
Criteria for evaluating a 60-credits master thesis in Human Geography
The evaluation of a master thesis is based on an overall assessment of the thesis as academic work. The following criteria should be considered in evaluating a 60-credits master thesis in human geography:
Aim of the thesis – Problem statement
- The aim of the research should be clearly formulated. The thesis should have clear and limited research questions.
- The student should address the scientific relevance of the study (theoretically, methodologically and/or empirically), as well as its relevance for the discipline and/or society.
- Does the thesis have a clear aim/research question(s) and focus?
Theory and previous research, literature review
- The thesis should include a review of the relevant research field, providing a critical assessment of previous research on the chosen theme/topic.
- The thesis should be informed by a selected theoretical framework/point of departure, concepts and model of analysis. These should be presented in a coherent and argumentative way, explicitly indicating how they contribute to address the research questions.
- Does the thesis demonstrate a satisfactory overview of the research field?
- Is there a critical discussion of the literature presented?
Methods and the reliability and validity of the data
- The thesis should include a detailed presentation of the method(s) used, explicitly stating the reasons for the choice of methodology.
- The student should explicitly address the strengths and weaknesses of the methods chosen.
- The thesis should provide an exact account of how the data may be influenced by problems during data collection.
- A discussion of ethical issues of the data gathering process should be provided.
- Detailed explanation of how the data are treated/analyzed.
- If the thesis does not include primary data collection, there should be a critical review of information sources.
- Does the thesis demonstrate a satisfactory use of methods?
- Is there a critical discussion of the methods used?
Analysis
- The analysis should be done in a systematic, logical, sophisticated and independent manner.
- There should be a clear “red thread”, i.e. link, between research questions, theory, method and the use of the data.
- The interpretation of the empirical material presented in the thesis should be informed by and based on t a critical assessment of the chosen theoretical framework.
- The findings should refer to the data collected.
- The research questions should be answered explicitly and fully.
- Is the argument made well formulated and anchored in the presented material
- Is the analysis well done? Does the thesis demonstrate appropriate, independent and critical analysis?
Conclusions
- The conclusions of the study should be formulated in a clear and concise manner, highlighting the main findings of the research as well as the contribution to the discipline.
- The findings should be discussed in a wider theoretical and empirical perspective. Suggestions of policy implication of the findings and future research may be given
- Does the thesis answer its own research questions?
- Does the thesis contribute to the research front?
Structure and form
- Does the thesis have a well organized and logical structure?
- Is there any unnecessary content in the thesis outside of the “red thread”?
- Does the thesis apply the theoretical framework presented? Is the use of concepts consistent?
- Does the thesis comply with established scientific norms and formal rules regarding referencing in academic writing?
- Does the thesis comply with the formal requirements established by the master’s programme in Human Geography?
Formal requirements for the 60-credits master thesis
The following requirements apply for 60-credits master theses:
- Course work equivalent to 60-credits must be completed before delivering the thesis for evaluation.
- The length of a 60-credit master’s thesis is maximum 40 000 words +/- 25% including everything (cover page, summary, table of contents, preface, reference list, annexes, figures, acronyms, etc.).
- The thesis will include a summary of 1-2 pages, to appear after the cover page.
- The master thesis must be page numbered, and include a table of contents and list of references.
- Font size 12 points, line spacing 1 1/2.
- Projects involving the use of personal information must be registered at Norsk senter for Forskningsdata (NSD), se https://nsd.no/personvernombud/meld_prosjekt/meldeskjema
About the cover page of the thesis
The cover page must include the following information:
- Full title of the thesis
- Full name of the student
- Semester (Spring/Autumn), year of delivery
- Study programme, department, faculty, university
- Word count (total)
About the length of the thesis
- Theses that exceed the word limit will be rejected, and a new submission deadline will apply.
- If there is a need to deviate from the maximum word limit, the student must, together with his/her supervisor, apply to the head of studies three weeks before the submission deadline. The application must be academically justified.
- Theses with extensive quantitative and/or GIS material tend to be shorter in length. This will be taken into consideration and will not detract from the evaluation of the thesis. It is the quality of the content, not the number of words that is evaluated.
HGO4080 - master's thesis - 30 credits
You can find information about the course on the course page: HGO4080 – Master's thesis 30 credits - University of Oslo (uio.no)
Type of examination: Master thesis and oral examination
The master thesis constitutes independent academic research and the core of the master's degree programme in Human Geography. The master’s thesis prepares students for developing and carrying out an independent academic research project. Students gain experience in the use of research methods and in linking theory to empirical evidence. Students develop their theses under the guidance of an academic staff member.
High academic quality in terms of formulation of the research question, argumentation and presentation of the material is required of all master’s theses in human geography. The independent research should be conducted with an expected input that corresponds to the credits that the Master’s thesis are allocated. Delimitation of the study in order to complete it within the time frame is part of the challenge. The assessment of the individual thesis must take into consideration the required workload involved in the production of the thesis.
About the 30-credits Master Thesis in Human Geography
The fulfillment of HGO4080 implies the delivery of a master thesis for evaluation and an adjusting oral examination on the thesis and its topic.
A master thesis of 30 credits is an option for students who wish to carry out independent academic research of a lesser scope compared to a 60 credit master’s thesis. The 30-credits master thesis reflects research carried out over a period of one semester. Students are encouraged to start planning for their thesis topic/project in advance, but are expected to engage on full-time workload (30-credits) in the fourth (final) semester of the programme.
Lesser scope refers to how comprehensive the academic work required for the individual research project is. Independent research of a minor scope involves:
- More limited research questions and/or narrowly defined research topic.
- More focused and selective review of relevant literature and analytical framework.
- More reliance on secondary sources.
- More limited fieldwork and/or primary data collection.
All 30-credits master theses should include both analytical and empirical elements. The balance between these elements reflects the type of study the student chooses to undertake. Accordingly,
- Basically empirical studies should be informed by conceptual clarification.
- Basically theoretical studies should include empirical examples.
- A mixed- type of study will include both conceptual clarification and empirical examples.
Criteria for evaluating a 30-credits master thesis in Human Geography
The evaluation of a master thesis is based on an overall assessment of the thesis as academic work. The following criteria should be considered in evaluating a 30-credits master thesis in human geography:
Aim of the thesis – Problem statement
- The aim of the research should be clearly formulated. The thesis should have clear and limited research questions.
- The student should address the scientific relevance of the study (theoretically, methodologically or empirically), as well as its relevance for the discipline and/or society.
- Does the thesis have a clear aim/research question(s) and focus?
Theory and previous research, literature review
- The thesis should include a focused and selective review of the relevant research field, providing a critical assessment of the chosen material.
- The thesis should be informed by a focused theoretical framework, concepts and model of analysis. These should be presented in a coherent and argumentative way, explicitly indicating how they contribute to address the research questions
- Does the thesis demonstrate a satisfactory overview of the research field?
- Is there a critical discussion of the literature presented?
Methods and the reliability and validity of the data
- The thesis should include a detailed presentation of the method(s) used, explicitly stating the reasons for the choice of methodology, including strengths and weaknesses.
- If primary data is collected, the thesis should provide an account of how it may be influenced by problems during data collection, as well as a discussion of ethical issues.
- If the thesis does not include primary data collection, there should be a critical review of information sources.
- Detailed explanation of how the data are treated/analysed.
- Does the thesis demonstrate a satisfactory and reflective use of methods?
Analysis
- The analysis should be done in a systematic, logical, sophisticated and independent manner.
- There should be a clear “red thread”, i.e. link, between research questions, theory, method and the use of the data.
- The interpretation of the empirical material presented in the thesis should be informed by and based on t a critical assessment of the chosen theoretical framework.
- The findings should refer to the data collected.
- The research questions should be answered explicitly and fully.
- Is the argument made well formulated and anchored in the presented material
- Is the analysis well done? Does the thesis demonstrate appropriate, independent and critical analysis?
Conclusions
- The conclusions of the study should be formulated in a clear and concise manner, highlighting the main findings of the research as well as the contribution to the research field.
- The findings can be discussed in a wider theoretical and empirical perspective.
- Suggestions of policy implication of the findings and future research may be given
- Does the thesis answer its own research questions?
- Does the thesis reflect on its contribution to the research field?
Structure and form
- Does the thesis have a well organized and logical structure?
- Is there any unnecessary content in the thesis outside of the “red thread”?
- Does the thesis apply the analytical framework presented? Is the use of concepts consistent?
- Are the examples provided relevant to the theoretical discussion?
- Does the thesis comply with established scientific norms and formal rules regarding referencing in academic writing?
- Does the thesis comply with the formal requirements established by the master’s programme in Human Geography?
Formal requirements for the 30-credits master thesis
The following requirements apply for 30-credits master theses:
- Course work equivalent to 90-credits must be completed before delivering the thesis for evaluation.
- The length of a 30-credit master’s thesis should is maximum 24,000 +/- 25% including everything (cover page, summary, table of contents, preface, reference list, annexes, figures, acronyms, etc.).
- The thesis will include a summary of 1-2 pages, to appear after the cover page.
- The master thesis must be page numbered, and include a table of contents and list of references.
- Font size 12 points, line spacing 1 1/2.
- Projects involving the use of personal information must be registered at Norsk senter for Forskningsdata (NSD), se https://nsd.no/personvernombud/meld_prosjekt/meldeskjema
About the cover page of the thesis
The cover page must include the following information:
- Full title of the thesis
- Full name of the student
- Semester (Spring/Autumn), year of delivery
- Study programme, department, faculty, university
- Word count (total)
About the length of the thesis
- Theses that exceed the word limit will be rejected, and a new submission deadline will apply.
- If there is a need to deviate from the maximum word limit, the student must, together with his/her supervisor, apply to the head of studies three weeks before the submission deadline. The application must be academically justified.
- Theses with extensive quantitative and/or GIS material tend to be shorter in length. This will be taken into consideration and will not detract from the evaluation of the thesis. It is the quality of the content, not the number of words that is evaluated
Oral examination
Guidelines for the oral examination
The oral examination takes place after the thesis has been graded.
The aim of the adjusting oral examination is to engage into academic dialogue with the candidate on the basis of the master thesis. The evaluation committee will provide general feedback on the thesis and address both strengths and weaknesses of the work, as well as potential areas in need of clarification.
The evaluation committee can adjust the final grade of thesis as a result of the oral examination, either one grade up or one grade down. Adjustments apply normally in situations where the committee is in doubt about the grade most appropriate for the thesis, or when the thesis is at the edge of another grade. Deviation from this rule must be justified by the committee in written form.
Students can request to know the grade of their thesis at the beginning of the oral examination. Unless it is explicitly requested by the student upon arrival, the committee will proceed with the oral examination first and inform the student of the grades for both the thesis and oral examination at the end of the proceedings.
Grading scale
I. Factors that should be focused on during assessment
(factors a-g count equally and are in a non-prioritized order)
a. The candidate's ability to delve deeper into a problem area and clarify issues.
b. The candidate's ability to obtain an overview of and understand theoretical and empirical research in the problem area.
c. The candidate's ability to independently process subject matter included in thesis work.
d. The candidate's originality regarding contributions to new issues and outcomes.
e. The candidate's use of method.
f. The candidate's ability to convey and present their work, as well as adhering to the composition norms of scientific publications. For example, referencing techniques.
II. Grading scales
A: A particularly good and well-written task that is well-structured, has a very clearly defined problem for discussion, advanced and adequate theory and method management, a particularly well-conducted analysis and very well-formulated conclusions or recommendations. The candidate shows exceptionally good reflective and analytical ability and an unusually large degree of academic maturity and independence.
B: A very good and well-written task that is well-structured, has a clearly defined problem for discussion, adequate theory and method management, a well-conducted analysis and well-formulated conclusions or recommendations. The candidate shows good reflective and analytical ability and a large degree of academic maturity and independence. Minor shortcomings may be accepted.
C: A relatively well-written task that is satisfactory in most areas: largely well-structured and defined, a reasonably adequate theory and method management, a satisfactory analysis and formulated conclusions or recommendations that are acceptable. The candidate shows a certain amount of reflective and/or analytical ability and a certain degree of academic maturity and independence. A number of shortcomings may be accepted. Alternatively, a task with a more original discussion problem and/or a higher theoretical and methodical level of ambition, but where the implementation shows weaknesses of a theoretical and/or methodical nature.
D: A task that has some academic qualities, but also has significant shortcomings or weaknesses in one or more of the following areas: outline, formulation, defining the discussion problem, theory and method management, analysis, formulation of conclusions or recommendations. The candidate shows a certain amount weakness regarding reflective and/or analytical ability and has a relatively low degree of academic maturity and independence.
E: A task that has a few academic qualities, but also has significant shortcomings or weaknesses in most of the following areas: outline, formulation, defining the discussion problem, theory and method management, analysis and/or formulation of conclusions or recommendations. The candidate shows clear weaknesses regarding reflective and/or analytical ability and has a low degree of academic maturity and independence.
F: The task is characterized by such serious flaws and shortcomings of a theoretical, methodical and presentational nature that it cannot be approved. III Plagiarism/copying Plagiarism/copying is considered cheating. In cases where this is suspected, the grade is not disclosed to the candidate and the case is processed in accordance with the advisory guidelines regarding the handling of cheating/attempted cheating at the institution concerned.
III Plagiarism/copying
Plagiarism/copying is considered cheating. In cases where this is suspected, the grade is not disclosed to the candidate and the case is processed in accordance with the advisory guidelines regarding the handling of cheating/attempted cheating at the institution concerned.
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Routines for handling suspicion of cheating and/or academic immaturity
The University of Oslo (UiO) takes seriously cases of academic dishonesty. Therefore, we ask graders to be observant while grading and to make use of plagiarism reports (please see “Resources” on the following page). If you suspect a candidate of cheating you should contact the exam administrator. The administrator will pursue the case in cooperation with others in the department and the Faculty of Social Sciences. You will be asked for a written clarification as to why a case for academic dishonesty should be pursued against the candidate (usually a one-page report that specifies inadequate citations, the use of quotes without source references, etc.)
What is considered cheating?
The following are examples of cheating on unsupervised exams. The exam paper:
- has not been completed by the actual candidate
- has been completed with the help of someone else without any notification of this
- has previously been submitted as an exam paper for another course at UiO or for a course offered at another national or international educational institution.
- makes use of the work of others (for example, academic literature, articles or websites) without specifying the source
- makes use of the candidate’s own previous work without specifying it as a source
- makes use of, or partially rephrases, paragraphs or sentences from the work of others without indication of this through the use of quotation marks and proper citation
- does not contain a complete reference list that specifies all sources used.
It is important to note that your responsibility as a grader is to raise the suspicion of cheating when appropriate, and that it is the University’s central appeals committee which adjudicates cases of suspected academic dishonesty. The penalty for cheating is the nullification of the examination and possible expulsion from the university for up to two semesters. The exam paper shall be graded as normal and the grade will remain undisclosed until the central appeals committee has reached a decision.
What is considered academic immaturity?
An exam paper that lacks originality in relation to a specific source does not necessarily lead to a case of academic dishonesty/cheating. Candidates who demonstrate a lack of originality but are not pursued for academic dishonesty should always receive a penalty in grading or possibly a failing grade. The student’s specific situation is considered when it comes to evaluating academic immaturity. How far along the student is in their studies is, for example, of particular importance. The exam administrator can assist in such an evaluation.
A student who receives a lower grade as a result of academic immaturity should receive an explanation of the grade from the grader(s), regardless of whether or not an explanation was requested.
If you are in doubt regarding whether something should be considered cheating or academic immaturity please contact the course coordinator.
Resources:
Instruction in the use of plagiarism control in Inspera: Plagiatkontroll - For ansatte - Universitetet i Oslo (uio.no) (in Norwegian only)
Instruction in the use of Ouriginal plagiarism control: Veiledning for bruk av Ouriginal plagiatkontrollverktøy ved UiO - For ansatte - Universitetet i Oslo (in Norwegian only)
Routines for handling suspicion of cheating and attempted cheating at UiO: Routines for handling cases of cheating - University of Oslo (uio.no)
Routines for handling suspicion cheating at the Faculty of Social Sciences: Behandling av mistanke om fusk ved SV-fakultetet - For ansatte - Universitetet i Oslo (uio.no) (in Norwegian only)