Guidelines

Thesis proposal guidelines

PARA 600 - MSc Candidates
PARA 700 - PhD Candidates

During the second term of graduate studies at the Institute, all students submit a thesis proposal in order to fulfil requirements for the appropriate course listed above. The written proposal consists of a document describing a research project that is to eventually culminate in the production of an MSc or PhD thesis. In general, the written proposal is regarded as a working document, written in order to help define the aims and methods of the research within the context of a given subject area. It is not to be regarded as a contractual agreement, but rather as a statement of purpose at the outset of a student's research work at the Institute.

The proposal itself is evaluated not only for its scientific content, but also for its clarity of style and presentation. Obviously, it must be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. The document can, for this purpose, be regarded as a sort of draft research paper, and the "Style Manual" ¹ should be used as an aid in its preparation. Preparation of the written proposal is done with advice from the student's thesis supervisor and the Thesis Advisory Committee.

Suggested format for the written proposal:

The proposal should consist of a document not exceeding 30 double-spaced type-written pages for PhD and 20 pages for MSc including tables and figures which must be collated in an Accopress binder (available from the Macdonald Bookstore). A copy should be supplied for each examiner and chairperson of the oral examination committee (note: PhD Proposals: an extra copy is required for the external examiner).

Title page:

• project title
• names of student and supervisor
• date of proposal's submission

Introduction:

• concise description of the research problem generally stated as a hypothesis
• a short review of relevant literature, demonstrating familiarity with the proposed field of study and explaining how the proposed work may contribute to that field

Project objectives:

• introduction of the approach to be undertaken to test the hypothesis
• a succinct statement of the objectives of the project.

Methods:

• a general description of experimental design and the methodology appropriate to the research, explaining the rationale for the particular methodologies chosen
• the proposed methods for analysis of data should also be included
• exhaustive detailing of routine methods should be avoided, but reference should be made to appropriate descriptions in the literature.

Summary:

• draw together the literature review, objectives and proposed methodology and, summarize the potential impact of the research.

Note: The student should show clearly the justification for his/her research objectives, approach and methodology based on the literature or work in the laboratory as yet unpublished; i.e., the examiners expect to see a clear link between the literature review, research objectives and approach, and proposed methodology.

Literature:

• all literature cited in the text of the proposal must be listed according to standard form which must include the authors, complete title of each paper, date of publication, journal or periodical title with volume and page numbers.

Appendix:

• completed copies of approval forms for any work with animals, biohazardous material, radioisotopes or studies involving human subjects or those having environmental impact which require the approval of the various University committees. Students who will be using radio isotopes must have completed the McGill radiation safety course and should append a copy of the certificate of completion
• Students planning to use animals should include proof of completion of the relevant animal handling course and the online animal ethics lecture. (see the Research Grants Office website for details on workshops)
• the present status of the research and outline a timetable for research objectives and proposed experiments for the following 6 months (MSc) and 12 months (PhD).

Note: Preliminary results should not be included in the proposal but can be placed in the appendix, However, students who are applying for transfer from MSc to PhD should have demonstrated progress in their research project.

Transfer from an MSc to a PhD Program

Regulations and Procedures:

A student having registered for a master's degree may, towards the end of the first year of graduate studies, consider requesting the opportunity to transfer to a doctoral program. This will require that the student take a qualifying exam. The following procedural steps should be taken.

Time frame for transfer:

There are 2 possible dates when a student may take the qualifying exam for transfer to a PhD, 10 months or 14 months after registering in the MSc program. The student should be guided by the supervisor as to when to take the qualifying exam. A student failing the qualifying exam at 10 months may be allowed to retake the exam at 14 months. Students who are unsuccessful at 14 months may not retake the exam.

Should a student fail the qualifying exam he/she will continue with the Master's program

1. Students who wish to transfer to a doctoral program must make a request in writing to their supervisory committee and to the Graduate Program Director.
2. The initial request will be considered by the Advisory Committee, taking into account the student's overall research and academic performance to date. The committee should also take into consideration the availability of both funding, in terms of stipend support, and funds available to support the research project to completion, as would normally occur with any prospective new student. Should they consider that the student is a good candidate for transfer to a PhD program, the student will be asked to submit a revised and updated version of the thesis proposal. The document should contain updated and revised objectives of the study, update of the literature review where necessary, and results or progress in the project. In addition the proposal should conform to the guide-lines outlined for the PhD thesis proposal. Following examination of the document by the examining committee an oral examination will be scheduled.
3. The oral examination will last 11/2 hours and will follow the same format as for the PhD thesis proposal (see guidelines for PARA 700). The student is expected to make a short presentation to the examining committee (15 min.) There is an expectation by the examining committee that preliminary results will be presented and discussed in light of their impact on future work. Students should expect to answer questions related to their area of study, demonstrating their knowledge of the literature and techniques to be used. In addition, students should be aware of any shortcomings or limitations in their projects and be prepared to offer suggestions as to alternative approaches.
4. On successful completion of the qualifying exam, the mark comprising 40% for the written document and 60% for the oral exam will be awarded. This mark will be submitted as the mark for the PhD thesis proposal (PARA 700) when the student registers as a PhD student.
   * Should the student fail the exam no mark will appear on his/her transcript and the student will continue in the Master's program.
5. The examining committee will be comprised of the supervisor and student's Advisory Committee, one member external to the Advisory Committee and will be chaired by the course coordinator. The choice of the external examiner should be approved by the Director of the Institute. The Director or appointed representative may also be present.
6. On successful completion of the qualifying exam the Advisory Committee will recommend that the student be transferred to a PhD program and the transfer will be announced at the next staff meeting.
7. The student will be requested to fill out an application form.
8. The application form, decision form and letter of recommendation from the Director will be sent to the Graduate Studies Office for final acceptance and approval of the transfer to PhD.
9. Course requirements for a student transferring into the PhD program will be the same as for newly registered PhD students; however credit will be given for those courses already taken.

Student Seminar Presentation Guidelines

A really excellent seminar presentation is intellectually stimulating and informative for the audience. There are many different styles of presentation, and of course your own background and personality may figure prominently in shaping the delivery. However, certain basic features of organization and presentation are of considerable importance in the success of any particular seminar. These are readily learned, and when effectively applied will improve your performance as a seminar speaker.

Choosing and delimiting the topic:




In the case of this seminar course, your topics are closely related to your graduate research project, and so the choice is limited. However, you must decide what to include in your presentation and, just as important, what to leave out. A serious problem with many graduate student seminars is that they attempt to cover more than can possibly be handled in the time available. A less common difficulty occurs when the topic becomes overly restricted, and the audience is submitted to a lengthy presentation of trivial results with little in the way of a broader perspective.

Theme:




Underlying the detailed information presented in a good seminar, there is always a theme which is not the same as the topic. A theme is the fundamental idea which serves to logically synthesize the information and data presented on the topic area. It also helps to organize the material. Under many circumstances, it is to your advantage to refer to the theme of your seminar during opening remarks.

Organization:




Being organized is absolutely essential for the presentation of a good seminar. In general, there are three distinct parts to a talk given before a scientific audience:

1. an introduction, which includes a description of your topic and previews what the seminar will cover
2. a description of methodologies (unless these are routine and well-known to the audience), followed by the presentation and discussion of research findings
3. a conclusion, in which you may interpret or expand upon the scientific significance of the information given earlier.

Proportionately, the introduction and conclusion parts of a seminar should take up relatively little time, while the presentation and discussion of data should occupy most of the seminar period.

Visual aids:




Slides, overheads and PowerPoint presentations should be prepared well in advance and their details should be readily visible from the back of the seminar room. Cluttered tables and/or figures, with print too small to read, only serve to distract and alienate your audience. While visual aids can be important, keep in mind that your presentation is evaluated on its overall scholarly merits and a seminar is more than just a slide show.

Try to pitch your talk to the right level:




For an Institute graduate seminar, you can assume the audience doesn't need basic life cycle information on common parasites of medical or veterinary importance, nor is it necessary to dwell upon the sort of information taught in regular courses or undergraduate texts.

Show some enthusiasm:




If you do not convey some degree of real interest in your topic, your listeners are unlikely to become involved. Speaking in a monotone, usually overcompensation for nervousness, turns off the audience. Vary your speech, and project your voice well enough to be heard in the last row.

Don't read extensively from a prepared text:
Outline notes are useful and you may wish to have a few lines of well-written prose for the opening and closing remarks, but extensive reading from detailed notes is very tedious for those listening and conveys nothing of the excitement and spontaneity which characterize good seminar presentations.

Mannerisms:




Although poise and confidence in public speaking tend to develop only over time, you can at least minimize the distracting effects of certain mannerisms. For example, in practising your talk, let others tell you if you have a "conjunction problem" - connecting everything with "and, uh ...." - or other awkward forms of speech. Use of a recorder or video can be a helpful aid for your practice session. Try to face the audience (not the projection screen) when you speak. Avoid overuse of the word "they" when referring to the research of others - "Smith's group" or "Jones at the University of X" is preferable. Don't be afraid to use "I" and "we" when speaking of your own work. In the final analysis, practice will greatly improve your presentation, especially if it is carried out before a sympathetic audience consisting of fellow students and your thesis supervisor.

Handling the question period:




Listen carefully and be sure you understand the question before attempting a response. Try to give concise answers, backed up by reference to your own work or that of other researchers. If you simply don't have a good answer, be honest and say so, then perhaps indicate how one might go about seeking the right information. Handling questions from the audience involves "thinking on your feet" and generally takes time to learn - particularly observe others whom you admire for their skill in doing this and take note of their techniques.

References:

Additional source material on seminar presentations can be found in:

Scientific Writing for Graduate Students: A Manual on the Teaching of Scientific Writing. Woodford, F. Peter (Ed.) Council of Biology Editors, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. See Chapter 13: Oral presentation of a scientific paper. (Call # T11 S39 1986).

Communicating in Science: Writing and Speaking. Booth, Vernon. Cambridge University Press. 68 p. See Chapter 3: Speaking at scientific meetings. (Call # Q223 B665 1984).

The Effective Chairperson

The Chairperson for a student seminar is selected by the course coordinator. The role of the chairperson is to ease the way for the speaker and to control the overall conduct of the seminar. Your introduction of the speaker should be short (1-2 min. maximum), informative and complementary but not effusive. Wit can have its place, provided that you don't unintentionally embarrass the one you intend to introduce.

A trivial but important point for chairpersons - before you take charge of a seminar, make certain you know how to work the lights in the room.

Control of the question period may under the best of circumstances seem unnecessary, while at other times it can appear nearly impossible. Be certain that you have some questions or comments of your own prepared in the event of dead silence after the presentation. You must be firm but not inflexible in presiding over the question period, taking into consideration the difference between valid interjections (which are okay) and repeated interruptions (which are not). Try to give everyone who wishes to participate a chance (especially students), but be aware of the time and let people know when you are preparing to end the question period by saying "There is only time for another one or two more short questions". Long-winded inquisitors (e.g. "I have a comment and three questions...") should not be permitted to dominate the question period.

¹Council of Biology Editors Style Manual, 4th edition, located in room A-101