Guidelines for assessors for DPhil candidates in Management Studies at Saïd Business School
Guidance Notes for Confirmation Assessors
1. Purpose and criteria of Confirmation of Status
For Confirmation of Status, assessors are required to consider:
Whether or not there are weaknesses in theory, research design, data collection and analysis that will significantly compromise the quality of the research, and if the research will make a significant contribution to knowledge as required. You should also be concerned with whether the thesis can be completed in a reasonable period.
1.1 Assessors will normally make a judgement on the basis of the following evidence:
1.1.1 Two draft chapters, together totalling no more than 25000 words which includes material particularly central to the thesis; and
1.1.2 A substantial thesis outline and list of contents indicating where the submitted material is located in the thesis, a draft abstract and a glossary of key terms
1.1.3 Details of progress made should be given together with a timetable for completion
1.1.4 For students following the three paper route:
a) An introduction chapter
b) A literature review chapter
c) Two draft papers – at least one of which must be single-authored
d) A statement of intent and timing
e) In addition to the above materials, supervisors may be asked to provide a full reference on the current position of a student’s work and to comment on the viability of the timetable of submission
2. Conducting the viva exam:
2.1 Milestone work is generally submitted directly to the assessors by email in advance of the viva date. Work should be received early on in the term of assessment to ensure adequate time to complete the process.
2.2 Milestone vivas take place in a similar way to that of a final post thesis-submission viva in that they take the form of a face to face interview. There is no fixed time limit. As an assessor you should question the student about the submitted work and their plans going forward
3. Assessing the student’s work and writing a report
3.1 Following the viva, the assessors must submit a joint written report, making a clear recommendation to the DPhil Committee and providing reasons for that recommendation.
3.2 The report is usually between one and two pages long and should always include the date of the exam, the name of the student, the names of both assessors and the recommendation of the assessors( a template is available)
3.3 Within the report assessors should provide a thorough evaluation of the student’s written work. Together with a summary of issues raised at the viva, you should address the following key points:
3.3.1 The student’s capacity to complete and defend their thesis to DPhil standard within 6 months to one year
3.3.2 Whether the student has provided a clear timetable for completion (within three or at most four years from admission) and whether it is viable
3.3.3 The overall design of the thesis and clarity of their goals
3.3.4 Whether they are approaching their research in a lucid and scholarly manner, whether it will likely to withstand peer review, and potentially make an original contribution to the field of study
4. Outcome of assessment and timeline for report
4.1 Assessors are asked to advise the DPhil Programme Administrator of their conclusions as soon as possible after milestone vivas; at that time, depending on the outcome, they should provide either a draft or final report
4.2 Assessors should endeavour to submit their report to the DPhil administrator within two weeks of the milestone viva.
4.3 Assessors should be aware that in order for the student to achieve a milestone within the term that they are assessed, the final report must be raised, submitted to Committee, approved and signed by the Director /Chair before the end of that term. Adequate time should be allowed for this when planning the timetable for Confirmation of Status
5. Recommendations
Within their report, assessors are invited to make one of the following recommendations, which will ultimately be considered and approved by the DPhil Committee:
5.1 PASS: that the candidate’s DPhil status should be should be confirmed. In these circumstances assessors can submit their final report straight away
Assessors may judge that the candidate is not (yet) ready to Confirm, in which case they may propose:
5.2 Informal REVISION of application: that the student should undertake clarifying tasks in order to achieve the milestone. Whilst undertaking these minor revisions, the Confirmation process is considered to be ongoing
5.2.1 In this situation, assessors are required to give the student detailed feedback, identifying the problems with the student’s work and proposing how those problems should be addressed
5.2.2 To this end, assessors are required to draft an interim confirmation report. Assessors can revise once they have approved the student’s additional/remedial work and submit as their final report. Within the report, they should outline the requirements for additional work and include any other advice or guidance
5.2.3 It is intended that this should be made available to the student and their supervisor as soon after the viva as is practical
5.2.4 Once the DPhil Committee or Chair have approved the assessors’ request for additional or clarifying work, the DPhil Programme Administrator will forward the report to the student and their supervisor
5.2.5 Assessors should propose a deadline for submission of the revised work within the report. The programme administrator will confirm those details with the student and request and record changes to those arrangements if necessary
5.2.6 Students would normally be expected to carry out this work within the term of the assessment so assessors should make this recommendation with this expectation in mind. To allow for this outcome, assessors are asked to schedule milestone vivas as early in the term as is practical. In exceptional circumstances, if it is in the interests of the student, and with the approval of the DPhil Committee/Chair some extra time for carrying out clarifying tasks may be agreed
5.2.7 During such a period, the student is considered to be within the milestone process provided:
a) They are still within the time allowed as a DPhil student (under the conditions of their admission to the programme) and/or
b) The work that the student is required to complete is not so extensive that it will affect their progress and their ability to complete and submit their thesis in line with expected standards.
5.3 Referral, FAIL, which provides the student the opportunity to make a formal second attempt:
5.3.1 If assessors judge that more extensive work is necessary, they can recommend that the student formally reapply after undertaking further work
5.3.2 In such a case, the student is required to resubmit at a later date
5.3.3 To this end, assessors are required to submit a final confirmation report. This should identify the weaknesses with the existing work and make constructive suggestions on what improvements should be made. This is a formal report that is shared with the Social Sciences Division and saved to the student’s central record
5.3.4 A referral requires the student to repeat the application for confirmation of status in its entirety, including the application for appointment of assessors. A referral should normally involve the same assessors and take place within one term of the approval of the assessors’ report from the first attempt. If the first attempt is made in the final term permitted, a one-term extension is automatically granted to allow the second attempt. This extension does not affect the total amount of time permitted for registration on the DPhil
University regulations provide that a candidate whose first application for Transfer or Confirmation of DPhil Status is not approved is permitted to make one further application
6. Following a formal second attempt at Confirmation of Status
Where a student has been referred and has made a second attempt at Confirmation, one of the following recommendations may be made. They should be supported by final assessors’ reports:
6.1 Successful Confirmation: that the candidate’s status should be confirmed.
6.2 Transfer to MLitt: that the candidate should transfer to a lower level of research degree, such as the Master of Letters (M.Litt.)
6.3 Reject the application: that the student should not be allowed to Confirm, where the assessors are not satisfied that the candidate should be allowed to confirm Status
Note that no application for transfer to M.Litt. shall be granted unless the Committee is satisfied that the candidate is capable of carrying out advanced research, and that the subject of the thesis and the manner of its treatment proposed by the candidate are acceptable; and that the Saïd Business School has adequate facilities to enable the research to be undertaken.
7. Availability of the report to the applicant
7.1 Once the final report is submitted, the DPhil Committee will take a decision on the assessors’ recommendations. The outcome will be confirmed and the report will be made available to the applicant
7.2 To conclude the process, our Divisional graduate studies assistant writes to the student formally confirming the outcome, outlining University policy for next steps, confirming the student’s ongoing timeline and next milestone deadline (finishing up and submission of thesis)
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