Grading Guidelines for a Master Thesis at the Department of Political Science

Research question

• Is the research question clearly and precisely formulated?
• Is the research question academically challenging or is it straightforward?
• Has the student demonstrated independence and originality in selecting the research question?
• Has the student demonstrated the ability to specify the topic appropriately within the given framework?

Integration with the academic literature

• Has the student demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of research in the field and shown the capacity to integrate the research question within it?

Research design

• Has the student chosen an appropriate research design that is convincingly justified within the scope of the thesis?
• Are the chosen method(s) suitable and are the methodological choices convincingly justified within the scope of the thesis?
• Is there a clear and precise analytical perspective guiding the analysis?

Implementation and findings

• Has the student demonstrated independence and originality in executing the analysis?
• What effort has the student put into collecting and/or organizing the material used in the analysis?
• Has the student demonstrated the ability to structure and conduct the analysis in a clear, systematic, and efficient manner, with relevant and rigorous reasoning?
• Has the student made sure to provide evidence or justification for the statements made?
• Are the results of the analysis robust? Are there established findings or conclusions that the research community can trust?

Language and references

• Has the student demonstrated the ability to write clearly, address the research question, and argue logically?
• Are references for citations and other sources used accurately?
• Is there a complete and consistently formatted bibliography?

A

Excellent

An excellent thesis with original analysis, where the research question is very well grounded in the field's literature. The thesis also stands out for its clear use of methodology and presentation of the material.

B

Very good

A very good analysis with a clear research question that is well grounded in the field's literature. The thesis also demonstrates proficiency in its use of methodology and presentation of the material.

C

Good

A good thesis overall, featuring a clear research question and a well-conducted analysis grounded in the field's literature. Additionally, the thesis demonstrates competence in both its methodology and presentation of the material.

D

Satisfactory

The thesis is generally good, with adequate analysis; however, it also demonstrates weaknesses in formulating the research question, research design, conducting the analysis, methodological skills, or presentation

E

Sufficient

A thesis where the analysis meets the minimum requirements for academic presentation and discussion, but which exhibits substantial deficiencies in formulating the research question, research design, conducting the analysis, methodological skills, or presentation.

F

Fail

The thesis fails to meet the minimum requirements for scientific presentation and discussion, showing significant deficiencies in formulating the research question, research design, conducting the analysis, methodological skills, citation usage, presentation, or meeting the minimum standards of research ethics.