Practical instructions prior to halfway seminar
The purpose of the halfway seminar is to support the doctoral student by discussing and considering different alternatives and their consequences at a combined seminar. When writing both monographs and compilation theses, it is important to have a public discussion about the work while there is still time to correct and develop the theme, analyses and argumentation. The halfway seminar should have a formative function like the planning seminar; i.e. it should comprise a supportive element of the work. For this reason, the halfway seminar is iniated by the principal supervisor at a time considered appropriate by the principal supervisor after consulting the doctoral student, though no later than when one year remains until the proposed final review.
A discussant with at least the Degree of Doctor is to be appointed prior to the seminar. As the nature of theses differs, texts may vary, but it should be relatively extensive and include at least a draft of the first parts of the thesis and the start of the analysis. The discussant shall receive a complete thesis manuscript three weeks prior to the seminar. The discussant helps to highlight the contribution that the work could make to the field of knowledge by making constructive comments about how the work could be developed. At the same time, a review and discussion is held about how difficulties associated with the work should be dealt with.
The seminar is announced by the director of postgraduate studies following a proposal by the principal supervisor.The principal supervisor is the chair of the seminar and leads the halfway seminar.
Commitments of doctoral students
- Doctoral studentsmust receive approval from the supervisors before the halfway review is planned
- Documentation for the halfway seminar is to be made available for the discussant and seminar chair no later than three weeks before the seminar
- The doctoral student owns the manuscript and will decide whether those attending the seminar are to be afforded access to the full text
Commitments of the principal supervisor:
- The principal supervisorchairs and leads the seminar.
- The principal supervisor notifies the director of graduate studies: name of the PhD student, preliminary title of the thesis, time, venue, discussant and abstract
- The principal supervisor is responsible for appointing a suitable discussant
- The principal supervisor shall provide instructions to the discussant
Instructions for discussant
The purpose of the halfway seminar is to provide constructive comments that may support the continuing work of the doctoral student. The discussant chooses (possibly in consultation with the supervisor) which aspects of the text are to be included for review and discussion but one requirement is that the review must contribute to the doctoral student’s choice of strategies for the continuing work. This review will take up most of the seminar (two hours), but a certain scope should also be allowed for a general discussion.The discussant provides a summary of the review, 2 pages maximum, to the PhD student, and the supervisors.
Instructions for the seminar leader
The seminar leader opens the seminar and introduces the discussant and the doctoral student. The sequence of events may be presented to the audience.
Directly after the seminar a meeting shall be held with the supervisors, the discussant, and the PhD student. The purpose of this meeting is to go through the main comments and input. This meeting is chaired by the seminar leader.
Sequence of events during the seminar
An approximate time schedule for the seminar is as follows:
- Seminar leader´s introduction (4-5 min.)
- Discussant´s summary of the thesis (20 min.)
- Doctoral student´s comments on the discussant´s summary (0-2 min.)
- Discussant’s questions to the doctoral student and discussion (90-120 min.)
- The seminar leader closes the seminar
- Meeting with the seminar leader, discussant, supervisors, and doctoral student to conclude main input from the seminar (15-30 min.)