CHAPTER 7
REGULATIONS
FOR FINAL YEAR PROJECTS/DISSERTATIONS
7.1
INTRODUCTION
As part requirement for the award of
undergraduate certificate/diploma/degree and taught postgraduate degree at the
The project/dissertation is a module
that provides the students with the opportunity to design, undertake or conduct
an independent piece of research or study related to their Programme of Studies
under the guidance of a supervisor, who is normally a member of the academic
staff (full-time or part-time). Other qualified supervisors may also be
appointed subject to approval by the Head of Department and Dean of Faculty/
Director of Centre.
A ‘Project’ is an investigative
undertaking, a structured, organised experiential learning including design
work, field work or other placement learning. A ‘Project’ leads to a
‘dissertation’ that is assessed.
The ‘Dissertation’ is a comprehensive description of
the aims, objectives of the project, a
review of the literature on the subject matter, the investigation/planning and
methodology, the results and findings, and concrete recommendations and
conclusions.
The dissertation is a major document that reflects the
skills of the student to investigate critically a topic/problem, the ability to
gather and analyse information, and to present and discuss the
results/investigation concisely and clearly.
The project/dissertation carries 3-12 credits
depending on the Programme of Studies. The number of credits is reflected in
the amount of time a student is expected to devote to the project. Typically a
project of 12 credits will require about 180 hours (1 credit = 15 hours).
The project/dissertation normally lasts two semesters
or as stated otherwise in the Programme of Studies, and may involve practical
work.
The regulations outlined in this
document apply to final year projects/dissertations of both undergraduate and
taught postgraduate Programmes.
7.2 IDENTIFICATION AND ALLOCATION OF PROJECTS/DISSERTATIONS
Depending
on Programme(s) of Studies, project/dissertation titles are proposed/identified
either by students or by academic staff/supervisors before the beginning of the
semester or a few weeks after the beginning of the semester in which the
project/dissertation should start.
The two main criteria that must
drive a project/dissertation proposal are:
(i)
Feasibility of the project/dissertation
(time, supervision, cost implication, availability of equipment, chemicals and
literature)
(ii)
Academic challenge
To administer and allocate
project/dissertation titles to students, a Project/Dissertation Coordinator,
i.e. the coordinator for the module project/dissertation, is appointed by
the Department/Centre for each Programme of Studies.
General enquiries about the
organisation of projects/dissertations should be addressed to the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator whereas specific enquiries about individual
projects/dissertations should be directed to the Project/Dissertation
supervisor.
The
Project/Dissertation Coordinator and the Head of Department should ensure that
all academic staff of the relevant Department get a fair share of
the number of projects. The number of projects/dissertations allocated to an
academic staff of any Department shall be limited to a maximum of five[1]
irrespective of whether they are individual or group projects. For
co-supervised projects, the supervision load will be considered as half for
each supervisor. Any supervision in excess of five projects/dissertations
should be approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of Faculty.
The
number of supervisors per project shall be restricted to a maximum of two.
Allocation of projects/dissertations
normally takes place before or at the beginning of the semester of final year
when the project/dissertation is to be carried out. Project allocation should
be completed not later than four weeks after the start of the
semester of the final year when the project/dissertation is to be carried out.
Once the allocation of Project
Supervisors/Project Titles has been finalised, an official letter, duly signed
by the Head of Department and copied
to the Dean, should be sent to the student/s to inform him/her/them of his/her/their
official Project Supervisor and to request that he/she/they consult/s the
University website to get acquainted with the regulations pertaining to final
year projects/dissertations.
2.1 7.2.1 Projects/dissertations proposed by students
For projects/dissertations
proposed/identified by students, the latter are required to discuss the
proposal with potential supervisors from within or outside the department. The
project/dissertation title has to be approved by the potential supervisor(s)
and the Department.
Students are required to submit a
synopsis (less than two A4 pages) of the project/dissertation, which should
include the following minimum information:
(i)
Title
(ii)
Aims and objectives
(iii)
Brief Literature Review
(iv)
Methodology - outline the procedures/ methodology/
experimental design that the student intends to use.
(v)
Expected Output
(vi)
Time Framework - a clear time schedule
of the project and writing up of the dissertation.
(vii)
Costing (if applicable)
The synopsis should be signed by the
supervisor(s) and submitted to the Project/Dissertation Coordinator.
In some Programmes of Studies, the
students will have to submit their synopsis to the Project/Dissertation
Coordinator together with a list of three preferred project/dissertation
supervisors in order of priority. The Project/Dissertation Coordinator then
allocates the supervisor(s) for each project/dissertation according to field
chosen, choice of supervisor of student and expertise of supervisor.
After approval by the Department, a
final list of projects/dissertations with the names of supervisors and students
prepared by the Project/Dissertation Coordinator is affixed on the Faculty/
Centre Notice Board(s). A copy is also sent to the Faculty/ Centre Registry.
7.2.2 Projects/dissertations proposed by academic
staff or other supervisors
The Head of Department requests all
academic staff concerned to submit a list of project/dissertation titles to the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator.
A list of project/dissertation
titles available for the Programme of Studies is then prepared by the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator with the input provided by the academic staff
and potential supervisors. A departmental meeting is held to finalise the list
of projects/dissertations and the list is then affixed on the Faculty/Centre
Notice Board(s).
Students are given the opportunity
to meet the supervisors to be informed about the various projects/dissertations
proposed. The students are thereafter requested to list 5
projects/dissertations in order of priority and to submit their choices to the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator in one-two weeks’ time.
Based on students’ choices, the
projects/dissertations are allocated by the Project/Dissertation Coordinator.
After approval by the Department/ Centre, a final list of
projects/dissertations with the names of supervisors and students prepared by
the Project/Dissertation Coordinator is affixed on the Faculty/ Centre Notice
Board(s). A copy is also sent to the Faculty/ Centre Registry. Note that a
student may not be automatically allocated his/her preferred
project/dissertation as the latter may be over-subscribed.
If there are difficulties in
allocating projects/dissertations, a departmental meeting is called to thrash
out the matter. In the ultimate event that the allocation of the
project/dissertation is deadlocked, then only the students’ CPA shall be taken
as a last resort to allocate a particular project/dissertation to the
appropriate student.
2.3 7.2.3 Projects/dissertations proposed by students
and academic staff or other supervisors
In some Programmes of Studies,
projects/dissertations may either be proposed by students or by academic staff
or other supervisors. The same procedures as outlined in 7.2.1 and 7.2.2
should be followed.
Students
should be encouraged as far as possible to come up with their own project
proposals.
3. 7.3 UNDERTAKING THE
PROJECT/DISSERTATION
Students are normally expected to
start working on the project/dissertation after the allocation. However,
projects/dissertations requiring experimental work to be carried out within or
outside the UoM premises would need the prior approval of the supervisor(s).
Students should fill in the Project
Progress Log (Annex 1-Contract) and submit same to the Module/Project
Co-ordinators on allocation of Projects by the 2nd week of semester
1 at latest. Both the student and the supervisor should retain a copy of the
document.
Students should also fill in the
Project Progress Log (Annex 2 – Log book) and keep it up to date. Both the
student and the supervisor should retain a copy of the document. A copy of the
duly filled and signed Project Progress Log should be submitted concurrently
with the dissertation.
3.1 7.3.1 Responsibilities of the supervisor
Each project/dissertation will be
supervised by a member of staff, either full-time or part-time. Some
projects/dissertations, due to their inherent nature (e.g. multidisciplinary)
may be supervised by a maximum of two supervisors.
A supervisor should normally not be
appointed for the project/dissertation of a student who is directly related to
him/her to ensure impartiality. The onus to declare any such relation with a
final year student rests with the supervisor. In case there is divergence, the
Dean/Director will be called to arbitrate.
The supervisor(s) shall monitor,
support and direct the student’s work and progress soon after the allocation of
project/dissertation titles.
The responsibilities of the
supervisor include:
(i)
Proposing/supervising
projects/dissertations in their own subject area;
(ii)
Briefing the students and apprising them
of the regulations pertaining to the final year projects/dissertations;
(iii)
Setting a framework for regular
scheduled progress meeting between supervisor(s) and student;
(iv)
Giving frequent feedback/comments on
progress achieved by the student;
(v)
Giving guidance about relevant
literature on the topic under study and appropriate literature sources;
(vi) Providing
advice on issues of plagiarism, in line with the University Regulations;
(vii)
Assisting in the identification of a
research methodology, planning and execution of the research project (if
applicable);
(viii)
Giving guidance on the approach for
appropriate analysis of data obtained, interpretation and presentation of
results (if applicable);
(ix)
Giving guidance about the formulation of
an appropriate hypothesis-driven research project and focusing on the
objectives of the research (if applicable);
(x)
Assisting in the preparation of a
viable/feasible research proposal (synopsis), inclusive of a time schedule and
a project costing before embarking on the study (if applicable);
(xi)
Providing guidance on issues of
laboratory safety (if applicable);
(xii)
Giving guidance on the writing of the
different chapters of the dissertation and communicating the standard expected;
(xiii)
Advising on the preparation of the oral
presentation and/or poster (if applicable).
7.3.2 Responsibilities
of the student
Throughout the whole
project/dissertation work, the student shall seek advice, comments and guidance
from his/her supervisor(s) on the nature of the project/dissertation work and
standard expected. Students are advised to keep a notebook for the purpose of
the meeting with supervisor(s) while the supervisor(s) may wish to keep a brief
record of each meeting held.
The
responsibilities of the student include:
(i)
Reading the UoM Regulations for Final
Year projects/dissertations and any project/dissertation Guidelines prepared by
the Department/Faculty/Centre;
(ii)
(iii)
Arranging with his/her supervisor(s)
mutually agreed convenient times to discuss progress achieved (in the event
that meetings are not possible, e-mails or other forms of communication may be
used);
(iv)
Bringing to the urgent attention of the
supervisor(s) any problems (academic and personal) associated with progress;
(v)
Responding to the supervisor’s suggestions
and/or criticisms on his/her work and progress;
(vi)
Following all laboratory safety
guidelines (if applicable);
(vii) Discussing the layout of the final
dissertation with the supervisor(s) prior to the writing-up stage;
(viii)
Writing the dissertation on his/her own and planning the writing-up so
as to give the supervisor(s) adequate time to read the preliminary draft copies
and to provide guided and motivated feedback well ahead of the submission date;
(ix)
Adhering to the time schedule specified
in the project/dissertation proposal (synopsis) as agreed with the
supervisor(s);
(x)
Working diligently and becoming an
independent learner;
(xi)
Keeping all raw data/questionnaires/survey
forms.
If the student is unable to contact
his/her supervisor, s/he should contact the Project/Dissertation Coordinator
for assistance.
The onus is on the student/s to
contact the Project Supervisor regularly for discussion and guidance. Failure
to do so shall lead to the dissertation being unreceivable by the Faculty.
7.3.3
Others
Any problem encountered by the
student during the project/dissertation should be discussed with the
supervisor(s). If the matter cannot be resolved, it should be reported to the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator, Head of Department and eventually to Dean of
Faculty/Director of Centre.
7.4
DISSERTATION
The work carried out during the
project/dissertation module should be submitted in the form of a dissertation
written by the student. The dissertation should be typed and may include
relevant diagrams, figures, photographs, illustrations, tables and appendices.
7.4.1 Structure
The
dissertation should consist of preliminaries, main text and
references/appendices.
7.4.1.1 Preliminaries
The
preliminaries should abide by the following order, wherever applicable:
Ř Title Page
The title page of the dissertation
shall give the following information in the order listed:
(i)
Full title of the
project/dissertation as approved by the Department/Faculty/Centre;
(ii)
The full name of
the author;
(iii) The qualification for which the dissertation is
submitted;
(iv) The name of the institution to which the dissertation
is submitted;
(v)
The Department
and/or Faculty/Centre in which the project/dissertation is to be submitted; and
(vi) The month and year of submission.
Ř Table of Contents
The Table of Contents shall list
in sequence with page numbers all chapters, sections/headings,
sub-sections/headings and other sub-divisions of the dissertation, appendices,
etc.
Ř List of Tables, Figures, Plates/Schemes
Separate
lists of each, in the above order, giving number and page reference.
Ř Acknowledgements
All persons (e.g. supervisor,
technician, friends, relatives) and organisation/authorities who/which have
helped in the realisation of the project/dissertation shall be acknowledged.
Ř Project/Dissertation Declaration Form
The form should be duly filled
and it should be included just after the acknowledgement in the Dissertation.
Ř Abstract
The abstract constitutes an up to
one-page executive summary, which provides a brief outline of the objectives,
scope of the project/dissertation, the methodology used, the main findings and
results achieved and any conclusions and recommendations made.
Ř List of Abbreviations
This
section should list in alphabetical order all abbreviations used in the
dissertation.
7.4.1.2
Main
Text
The
main text of the dissertation should start with an introduction followed by
chapters, subdivided into sections and sub-sections.
Depending
on Programmes of Studies, appropriate chapters may include amongst others:
Literature Review, Materials and Methods (or Methodology), Results, Discussion,
Data Analysis, Conclusions and Recommendations.
Any table, figure, plate, scheme or illustration
included in the dissertation should be clearly labeled. The caption should be
placed at the top of tables but below figures/plates/schemes/illustrations.
7.4.1.3
References/Appendices
The
list of references and appendices should follow the main text.
The appendices shall consist of any
base material, which would break the flow of the dissertation due to its length
or partial irrelevance. Some examples are:
Ř Specifications and data sheets of equipment from
suppliers
Ř Correspondence from suppliers and company
Ř Raw data
Ř Survey sheets
Ř Charts and data tables from books
Ř Lengthy mathematical derivations
Ř Copies of drawings of equipment
All
appendices should be listed in sequence, i.e. Appendix 1, 2, 3, etc.
7.4.2
Physical
format and layout
7.4.2.1 Cover and binding
(i) Undergraduate
The
dissertations shall be spiral-bound with a protective plastic front cover and a
stiff card back-cover.
(ii) Postgraduate
The
first submission of the dissertations shall be in spiral-bound form with a
protective plastic front cover and a stiff card back-cover.
After
the Board of Examiners, the dissertation shall be submitted hard-bound, in book
form in a fixed binding. The boards shall have sufficient rigidity to support
the weight of the work when standing upon the shelf. The cover shall be black
and full bound.
The
spine of the dissertation shall bear in at least 24 pt (8 mm) type the
qualification and the student’s surname and initials and the year of
presentation in gold lettering, starting 40 mm from the base. This information
shall be printed along the spine in such a way as to be readable when the
dissertation is lying flat with back cover uppermost. If the dissertation
consists of more than one volume, the spine shall bear the number of each
volume.
The
front cover shall bear in at least 24 pt (8 mm) type the full title of the
dissertation as approved by the Department/Faculty/Centre.
7.4.2.2 Paper and typographical
detail
The
dissertation must be typed, justified and printed on one side of the paper only
using:
(i)
1˝ line spacing,
and
(ii)
characters not
less than 10 pt, font type ‘Times New Roman’ or ‘Arial’.
Good quality A4 white paper should be used for the
printing and for xerographic copies.
The left margin used for binding shall not be less
than 40 mm while all other margins shall not be less than 20 mm.
7.4.2.3
Pagination
Pages shall be numbered
consecutively throughout the dissertation, starting with the title page,
including appendices.
Roman numerals (i, ii, iii..) shall
be used for the front pages (Preliminaries) and Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, …) as
from the ‘Introduction’ section onwards.
Page numbers shall be located
centrally at the bottom of the page, approximately 10 mm above the edge.
If
there is more than one volume, each volume shall have its own pagination.
4.3 7.4.3 Referencing
Each student should adhere to the system of
referencing as per “The University of Mauritius Referencing Guide” when writing
up the dissertation. The Referencing Guide will normally be based on the
Harvard System. However, the AMS and IEEE are also acceptable.
Students and staff are advised to refer to ‘The
University of Mauritius Referencing Guide’ available on the UoM website and at
the Faculty/Centre Registry.
7.4.4 Submission
7.4.4.1 Undergraduate programmes
Four copies of the dissertation
(three spiral-bound copies and one copy on disk) should be submitted to the
Faculty/Centre Registry not later than the last working day of March of the
academic year. For programmes which start during an odd semester, the
Faculty/Centre will readjust the deadline accordingly. The hard copies of the undergraduate dissertations must be bound as per section 7.4.2.1
and the electronic copy must be retrievable (i.e. in, or convertible to, MS
Word). The label on the disk must state the name of the student, his/her
student ID, the title of the project/dissertation and the month and year of
submission.
After assessment, one
spiral-bound copy of the undergraduate dissertation will be kept by the
Faculty/Centre and the second spiral bound copy given to the supervisor(s).
Storage and disposal of the dissertations will be as per university regulations
for examination scripts.
7.4.4.2 Postgraduate
programmes
Four copies of the dissertation
(three spiral-bound copies and one copy on disk) should be submitted to the
Faculty/Centre Registry not later than the last working day of May of the
academic year (for programmes where there is only project/dissertation in the
last semester) or last working day of August (for programmes where there are
taught modules in the last semester) unless specified otherwise in the
Programme of Studies. For programmes which start during an odd semester, the
Faculty/Centre will readjust the deadline accordingly. The electronic copy must
be retrievable (i.e. in, or convertible to, MS Word). The label on the disk
must state the name of the student, his/her student ID, the title of the
project/dissertation and the month and year of submission.
After the Board of Examiners, the
student should submit two final hard copies bound as per section 4.2.1 and one copy
on disk to the Faculty/Centre Registry. Any typographical errors and slight
amendment(s) proposed should be corrected by the student to the satisfaction of
the supervisor(s) before submitting the final copies. Note that the marks
allocated will be based on the original project/dissertation submitted by the
student.
One hard copy will be submitted
to the supervisor(s) and the other hard copy will be sent to the University
Library where it will be filed, indexed and made available for reference by
both academic staff and students. Only projects/dissertations having grade B or
above would be sent to the library. For projects/dissertations not sent to the
library, the second hard copy will be stored and disposed by the Faculty/Centre
as per university regulations for examination scripts. In a few cases, access
to a project/dissertation may be restricted, for example, where confidential
data are involved.
7.4.4.3 Project/dissertation
submission form
All students must fill and sign
the relevant section of the ‘Project/Dissertation Submission Form’ at
the time of submission of the two hard copies and one soft copy of the
dissertation to the Faculty/Centre Registry. The student will receive an
acknowledgement of receipt from the Faculty/Centre Registry. The latter will
then forward the form to the supervisor(s) for their comments on the
supervision.
The approval of the supervisor(s)
should be sought before submission of the dissertation by a student. In cases
where a student has submitted his/her dissertation without approval from the
supervisor(s), the latter will indicate it in the section to be completed by
the supervisor(s) in the Project/Dissertation Submission Form.
7.4.4.4 Project
Progress Log (Log Book)
A copy of the duly filled
and signed Project Progress Log (Log Book) should be submitted concurrently
with the Dissertation.
7.4.4.5 Extension
of project submission
Only under exceptional
circumstances (e.g. medical reason or major equipment breakdown) will
extensions be granted. Extension request much be submitted in writing to the
Dean of Faculty/Centre Director through the Head of Department, Programme
Coordinator and Project/Dissertation Coordinator outlining the reasons for the
delay. The extension should be approved by the Faculty/Cluster Board. Such
extension should normally not exceed one (1) month.
7.4.5 Length
of dissertation
Length of dissertation is
normally indicated. The number of words in the final year project/dissertation
shall be between 6,000-8,000 for an undergraduate Certificate/Diploma Programme,
8,000-12,000 for an undergraduate degree Programme and 10,000-14,000 for a
taught postgraduate degree Programme.
The number of words applies only
to the main body of the dissertation. Thus, table of contents, list of figures,
tables and schemes, declaration form, acknowledgements, List of References and
appendices should not be included in the word count. The word count includes
the footnotes and references mentioned in the main body of the dissertation
only.
7.4.5.1 Penalties
for exceeding the word limit or being below the required number of words
Writing to a specific word length encourages the
development of certain skills such as the ability to present arguments and
ideas concisely, and the ability to construct a coherent structure and
argument.
The word length is a binding regulation and
consequently all students must record the length of their dissertation in the ‘Project/Dissertation Submission Form’.
A student will be penalised for submitting a dissertation which is above or
below the required number of words. Penalties to be applied are as follows:
|
Words over
or below |
Penalty |
|
< 200 |
1 mark off original mark |
|
201-500 |
2 marks off original mark |
|
501-1000 |
4 marks off original mark |
|
1001-2000 |
6 marks off original mark |
|
2000-3000 |
10 marks off original mark |
|
> 3000 |
30 marks off original mark |
Projects/Dissertations without a
word count will incur an automatic 10% penalty. Similarly, there will be a 10%
deduction if students have falsified their word count. (10% = 10 marks off
original mark).
7.4.6 Group projects
In some Programmes of Studies,
projects/dissertations are carried out in groups due to large cohorts, the
nature of the subject or to encourage teamwork.
A maximum of three (3) students per group is
allowed. The supervisor(s) should ensure that each student in the group is
given individual work apart from the common group work.
At the end of the
project/dissertation, there are two possibilities as follows:
(i) Where there are small cohorts
(≤50), the students submit individual dissertations and are
assessed separately;
(ii) Where there are large cohorts (>50),
they submit one (1) group dissertation and are assessed as a group in
which case the student obtain the same marks for the project.
Students who submit one (1) group
dissertation as at (ii) above, should fill in the ‘Group Project/Dissertation Submission Form’ in which their
individual contributions are indicated.
If the ‘Group
Project/Dissertation Submission Form’ reflects an unequal contribution from the
students to the project, the supervisor jointly with the second
assessor/examiner will assess the students through presentations or viva-voce
to ascertain their respective contribution and amend their marks accordingly.
Group Projects/Dissertations will
be assessed using the same criteria as for individual projects/dissertations as
per section 7.5.
Irrespective of the above, the
department and the student may decide on the submission of individual or group
dissertations even if the work has been carried out in group, if they deem same
to be more appropriate.
In cases where there are
disagreement and divergence in opinion between members of the group during the
project/dissertation work, the matter should be referred immediately to the
supervisor(s), Project/Dissertation Coordinator, Head of Department or
Dean/Director of Faculty/Centre for any appropriate action so that no student
is penalised.
7.4.7 Late
submission
All dissertations in the final
version should be submitted to the Faculty/Centre Registry by due dates. Late submission will entail a weekly penalty
of 10 marks, up to a maximum period of two (2) weeks, on the dissertation mark
obtained unless decided otherwise by the Faculty/Centre. After the period of
two (2) weeks, the dissertation will be deemed to be unreceivable and will be
allotted a mark of zero.
An example of how the penalty
system works is set out below and explains what mark a student whose
dissertation is worth 60% would receive if s/he handed it late (x = no of days
after due date).
Time of submission Penalty Mark (%)
On or before due date none 60
1 ≤ x ≤ 7 10
marks 50
7 < x ≤ 14 20
marks 40
x
>14 max 0
The penalty system will not apply
to students who have been granted an extension (unless they then failed to meet
the extended deadline). It is only aimed at those students who hand their
dissertations in late with no valid excuse.
7.4.8 Plagiarism
It is important that the students
adhere to the standard conventions for the referencing of other people’s work.
In particular, the dissertation should clearly mention any work that is not the
work of the student, whenever such work is presented.
A project/dissertation must be
the student’s own work and must not contain any plagiarised material. Use of
plagiarised material will be treated as a disciplinary offence under breach of
examination regulations (c.f. Section on Plagiarism in ‘Information to
Students’ Handbook).
7.5 ASSESSMENT
After submission of the
dissertation, the latter will be assessed by the student’s supervisor(s) and
one other examiner chosen by the Department/Centre, in collaboration with the
Project/Dissertation Coordinator.
In the event that the supervisor
is a part-time staff, then the second examiner/assessor should be an academic
staff of the University. Both the supervisor and the second examiner/assessor
cannot be from outside the University.
The assessment of the final year
project/dissertation is based mainly on the written dissertation but may also
be based on viva-voce and/or poster presentation by the student. Each
project/dissertation will be subject to double blind marking, i.e. each
assessor will submit his/her marks independently.
The External Examiner will only moderate
the final year project/dissertation (c.f. Section 5.4). Soft copies of final
year projects/dissertations to be moderated, can be sent to external examiners
who wish to have them prior to their visit to the University. It is advised
that for security reasons, conversion to PDF be carried out by the student.
The student’s supervisor(s) will
mark the project/dissertation out of 100 marks and the second examiner/assessor
will also mark the project/dissertation out of 100 marks. The mark awarded will
be inclusive of any viva-voce, and poster presentation by the student,
if applicable.
Depending on Programmes of
Studies, the weighting of the marks of the student’s supervisor(s) and the
assessor may vary from 40-60%.
For example:
Programme of Studies A (Weighting
supervisor/second assessor: 50/50)
Mark given by student’s
supervisor(s): 68
Mark given by second assessor: 60
Mark obtained by student:
(68x0.5) + (60x0.5) = 64
Programme of Studies B (Weighting
supervisor/second assessor: 60/40)
Mark given by student’s
supervisor(s): 68
Mark given by second assessor: 60
Mark obtained by student:
(68x0.6) + (60x0.4) = 65 (rounded to nearest whole number)
Programme of Studies C (Weighting
supervisor/second assessor: 40/60)
Mark given by student’s
supervisor(s): 68
Mark given by second assessor: 60
Mark obtained by student:
(68x0.4) + (60x0.6) = 63 (rounded to nearest whole number)
7.5.1
Marking
scheme
The examiners’ assessment of the
project/dissertation work will be based on a variety of features. These include
amongst others: understanding; the standard of presentation and grammar; the
adequacy of the literature survey and data research (as appropriate to the
particular project/dissertation); the correct usage of referencing system; the
extent to which the stated aims of the project/dissertation have been
satisfied, taking account of the overall difficulty of the material that has
been tackled; ability to use graphic packages, spreadsheets and statistics;
ability to explain findings; interpretation of data and results; integration
with literature; originality; practical ability; the ability to manage time and
make progress without excessively detailed guidance from the supervisor; and
the capacity that has been shown for independent work.
Each Programme of Studies may
have its own dissertation/project assessment form with its marking scheme. Some
examples of marking schemes are illustrated.
EXAMPLES OF
MARKING SCHEMES
Marking Scheme A Marking Scheme B
|
Criteria |
Marks |
|
Criteria
|
Marks |
|
Definition of the Problem |
/10 |
|
Definition of Theme/Topic |
/10 |
|
Literature Review |
/20 |
|
Presentation and Lay-out |
/10 |
|
Methodology |
/10 |
|
Language, Style |
/20 |
|
Analysis of Findings |
/30 |
|
Research
Methodology/Originality |
/20 |
|
Recommendations and
Conclusion |
/20 |
|
Analysis of Theme/Data |
/30 |
|
Presentation and
Originality |
/10 |
|
Conclusion |
/10 |
|
Total |
/100 |
|
Total
|
/100 |
Marking Scheme C
|
Mark (x%) |
Criteria |
|
≥ 80 |
Clear evidence
of original thinking, demonstration of ability to logically develop a
synthesis of findings, including theoretical ideas and incorporating evidence
for statements made. Outstanding grasp, and critical/analytical evaluation of
relevant literature. Very good ability to collate results. Insightful
analysis leading to valid conclusions and recommendations. Expression, style
of presentation and grammar of high standard. Potentially publishable as a
journal paper with minor revision. |
|
70 ≤ x
< 80 |
Evidence of
original thinking, synthesis of ideas and themes from several sources. Very
good ability to make critical use of relevant literature. Substantive
analysis of data and expertly presented in clear diagrams and/or tables. Well
argued and written. Valid conclusions. Expression, style of presentation and
grammar of high standard. |
|
60 ≤ x
< 70 |
Evidence of
clear thinking. Good critical and analytical ability but lacking the
creativity, rigour, substance, fluency and critical quality of a first class
project. Good ability to make critical use of relevant literature. Good
analysis of data. Relevant
conclusions. Expression, style of presentation and grammar of moderate
standard. |
|
50 ≤ x
< 60 |
Evidence of
some critical and analytical ability. Satisfactory use and understanding of
relevant literature. Satisfactory analysis of data and conclusions.
Expression, style of presentation and grammar of moderate standard. |
|
40 ≤ x
< 50 |
Almost lacking
in critical analysis and original thinking. Basic understanding of relevant
literature. Superficial analysis of data and conclusions. Expression, style of
presentation and grammar often poor (e.g. unstructured paragraphs,
spelling/typing errors, low quality illustration, repetitive). |
|
30 ≤ x
< 40 |
Poor critical
ability. Rudimentary understanding of relevant literature. Insufficient
quality and quantity of data either due to deficient research plan or lack of
effort. Poor evaluation of results. Lacking in conclusions. Expression, style
of presentation and grammar often poor. |
|
x < 30 |
Very little or
no evidence that student has identified issues relevant to project/dissertation.
Lack of coherence. |
Marking Scheme D
Marking Scheme E
|
Criteria |
Marks |
|
Criteria
|
Marks |
Relevance and Objectives
Relevant and well defined objectives? Are they
achievable? Innovativeness? |
/5 |
|
Abstract
Is the abstract a concise
summary of the dissertation? |
/5 |
Framework/References
Library
and Internet sources well used? |
/10 |
|
Topic
Definition Does the dissertation offer a clear exposition of
its aims and objectives? Does the dissertation offer an insight of the
importance, applicability, relevance, etc. of the topic? |
/5 |
Method
Adequate method used and the choice motivated |
/10 |
|
Written/Style
Layout Does the dissertation address issues like grammar,
style of writing, clarity of exposition, overall presentation (e.g. graphs,
figures, equations, symbols, pagination, appendix, etc.) properly? |
/7.5 |
Data Collection
Are surveys/interviews or other data collection
method well done? Are alternative(s) discussed? |
/20 |
|
Use
of Diagrams Are the diagrams and figures informative? Quality
of the diagrams? |
/10 |
Analysis
Is the analysis based on sound principles? Are
statistical methods (if used) appropriately used? |
/15 |
|
Experimental Does the dissertation make out clearly the use of
methods and procedures of required standard to present, analyse and solve the
problem defined? |
/20 |
|
Validation
and Discussion Has the validity of the results been discussed? Is
the discussion logical and persuasive? |
/15 |
|
Analysis
and Discussion Does the dissertation include proper statistical
techniques and software? Is there any evidence of critical use of the
relevant literature? Have the results/findings been well argued and written?
Is there evidence of originality, independent/ critical thought and
reflective ability? |
/30 |
|
Conclusions
and Recommendations Are conclusions and recommendations logical and
useful? |
/15 |
|
Conclusion Does the dissertation include a constructive
conclusion with well-balanced arguments? Is there evidence of any realistic
recommendation? Does the conclusion offer any insights as to any limitations
of methods used and as to future directions? |
/7.5 |
Presentation
Overall quality of presentation; language,
figures, tables, and ability to answer questions/queries (viva-voce). |
/10 |
|
Bibliography Does the dissertation contain an adequate literature
review? Correct usage of referencing system? |
/7.5 |
Total
|
/100 |
|
Presentation Quality of poster presentation and ability to
answer questions/queries (viva-voce). |
/7.5 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
/100 |
5.2 7.5.2 Viva-voce and
oral presentation
Wherever a viva-voce is prescribed in a Programme of Studies and/or in the marking
scheme, it normally assesses presentational skills and includes questions
designed to:
(i)
ascertain that the dissertation embodies the student’s own work;
(ii)
give the student an opportunity to defend the direction, structure and
conclusions of the dissertation;
(iii)
acquire further clarification on any particular issues in the
dissertation;
(iv)
test the student’s acquaintance with the general literature pertaining to
the subject.
This does not preclude the possibility
of a student in any Programme of Studies being subjected to a viva-voce by
her/his supervisor(s)/assessor/External Examiner.
The viva-voce should be
conducted only in the presence of examiner(s) (supervisor(s), second
examiner/assessor or External Examiner).
Oral presentation(s) by students
may also be carried out during the project/dissertation work to ascertain the
students’ progress. However, the oral presentation(s) will not be assessed.
7.5.3 Poster presentation
In some Programmes of Studies, the
student is requested to prepare a poster pertaining to his/her
project/dissertation as part requirement of the final year project/dissertation
module.
Posters provide information through
the use of visuals in a well-coordinated and organised combination of text and
illustration. Students are given a date by which to submit the poster and they
are requested to be present next to their poster on the day of the presentation
to answer the questions that the assessors (supervisor(s), second assessor and/or
External Examiner) may have.
A
good poster should:
Ř be
simple and informative;
Ř be easy
to read and understand with relevant legends;
Ř be
visually appealing and attractive to encourage people to read it;
Ř contain
text and illustrative matter harmoniously combined to produce an effective
presentation;
Ř be
prepared with the audience in mind.
A
typical poster should include:
Ř a brief introduction stating the problem;
Ř the objectives of the study;
Ř an outline of the methodology used;
Ř presentation of the results and discussion;
Ř conclusions and recommendations;
Ř major references, if necessary.
The poster size (e.g. one
Item
|
Font
Size
|
|
Title of Poster |
70 |
|
Subtitle |
30 |
|
Text |
24 |
|
Title of Tables and Illustrations |
18 |
7.5.4 Moderation by External Examiners
Each External Examiner should be given a copy of the UoM
regulations for final year projects/dissertations and any guideline/regulation
prepared by the Department/Faculty/ Centre.
The mark of the student’s
project/dissertation will be the weighted average of the marks awarded by the
supervisor(s) and the second assessor/examiner. This mark may change after
moderation by the External Examiner.
Where the marks of the
supervisor(s) and second assessor for project/dissertation differ by more than
10 marks, the Project/Dissertation Coordinator will consult the examiners so as
to arrive at an agreed mark. Conflicting cases, if any, will be submitted to
the External Examiner(s) for moderation.
All the projects/dissertations
are made available to the External Examiner(s) for moderation. They are also
provided with the marks awarded by the supervisor(s) and second assessor and
the weighted average mark.
Depending on Programmes of Studies and the number of
projects/dissertations, External Examiner(s) may either go through all the
projects/dissertations or a sample of projects. If a sample of projects/dissertations
is to be chosen, the External Examiner(s) may wish to examine some of the
following:
Ř at least one project/dissertation from each academic
staff;
Ř at least one project/dissertation from each class;
Ř 1st class students;
Ř borderline students.
External Examiner(s) should
normally moderate all failed projects/dissertations and all
projects/dissertations where the marks of the supervisor(s) and second assessor
for project/dissertation differ by more than 10 marks.
Depending on Programmes of Studies,
External Examiner(s) may also be called upon to attend poster presentations by
the students, where questions may be asked.
If viva-voce examination
will be carried out by the External Examiner(s), a random sample of students,
established by the Department/Centre in consultation with the External
Examiner(s) will be called for. Students concerned will be informed
accordingly. The viva-voce examination (normal duration of 10-30
minutes) is carried out by the External Examiner(s). Depending on the latter,
other staff (e.g. project supervisor, second assessor, Head of Department) may
be present.
The final moderated mark is used
for the computation of the student’s CPA or academic standing. The University
expects disagreements between the internal and External Examiner(s) to be
resolved through discussion. In the event of serious divergence of opinion
between the Examiners, the recommendation of the External Examiner(s) shall be
final, subject to approval by Senate (c.f. Document on External Examining of Undergraduate
and Postgraduate Taught Degree Programmes).
7.6 SUBMISSION/Re-SUBMISSION
OF THE PROJECT/dissertation
A student who has failed her/his
dissertation/project must either submit a new or an amended one as decided by
the Board of Examiners, Faculty/Cluster Board and Senate.
7.6.1
Undergraduate
(i) For a failed project/dissertation with
possibility of amendments, the re-submission should be effected at latest three
(3) months following Senate’s approval of results.
(ii) For a failed project/dissertation with
recommendation for a new submission (new title), submission should be effected
by last working day of March of following academic year. For programmes which
start during an odd semester, the Faculty/Centre will re-adjust the deadline
accordingly.
7.6.2
Postgraduate
The re-submission/submission date
for an amended/new project/dissertation will be the last working date of August
of the following year at latest. For programmes which start during an odd
semester, the Faculty/Centre will re-adjust the deadline accordingly.
7.7 REVIEW OF PROJECTS/DISSERTATIONS
Requests
for review of projects/dissertations from final year diploma, undergraduate and
postgraduate students should be lodged within one (1) week of receipt of the
transcript of examination results by filling in the ‘Students Review Form’
(SRF), available at the Examinations Office, and submitting same to the said
Office. A fee of Rs 1100 is payable. The whole amount will be refunded to the
student if the latter’s grade is improved following the review of his/her
project/dissertation.
The Examinations Office will
inform the student of the outcome of
his/her request for review within 4 weeks from the receipt of the application
for review and take any action, if necessary, with respect to refund of the fee
to the student.
PROJECT/DISSERTATION DECLARATION FORM
|
Name: |
|
|
Student ID: |
|
|
Programme of Studies: |
|
|
Module Code/Name: |
|
|
Title of Project/Dissertation: |
|
|
Name of Supervisor(s): |
|
|
Declaration: In
accordance with the appropriate regulations, I hereby submit the above dissertation
for examination and I declare that: (i)
I
have read and understood the sections on Plagiarism and Fabrication and
Falsification of Results found in the University’s “General Information
to Students” Handbook (20…./20….) and certify that the dissertation embodies
the results of my own work. (ii)
I have adhered to
the ‘Harvard system of referencing’ or a system acceptable as per “The
University of Mauritius Referencing Guide” for referencing, quotations and
citations in my dissertation. Each contribution to, and quotation in my
dissertation from the work of other people has been attributed, and has been
cited and referenced. (iii)
I have not allowed
and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it
off as his or her own work. (iv)
I am aware that I
may have to forfeit the certificate/diploma/degree in the event that
plagiarism has been detected after the award. (v)
Notwithstanding the
supervision provided to me by the University of Mauritius, I warrant that any
alleged act(s) of plagiarism during my stay as registered student of the
University of Mauritius is entirely my own responsibility and the University
of Mauritius and/or its employees shall under no circumstances whatsoever be
under any liability of any kind in respect of the aforesaid act(s) of
plagiarism. |
|
|
Signature: |
Date: |
PROJECT/DISSERTATION SUBMISSION FORM
This
form must be completed and handed to the Faculty/Centre Registry at the time of
submission of the two spiral-bound copies and one soft copy of the
dissertation.
A. To be Completed by the Student
|
Name: |
|
|
Student ID: |
|
|
Programme of Studies: |
|
|
Module Code/Name: |
|
|
Title of Project/Dissertation: |
|
|
Word Count: |
|
|
Signature: |
Date: |
B:
To be Completed by the Supervisor(s)
|
Name(s): |
|
|
Comment(s) on the Supervision |
|
|
Signature: |
Date: |
C:
For Office Use Only
|
This is to
certify that Mr/Ms/Mrs…………………………………..has submitted………..spiral-bound copies
and ………soft copy of dissertation on………………………………at the Faculty/Centre
Registry. ………………………………….
……………………………………. Officer’s Name Officer’s Signature |
GROUP PROJECT/DISSERTATION SUBMISSION FORM
This
form must be completed and handed to the Faculty/Centre Registry at the time of
submission of the two spiral-bound copies and one soft copy of the
dissertation.
A. To be Completed by the Students
|
Name |
Student ID |
Programme of
Studies |
Module Code/Name |
||
|
1. |
|
|
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||
|
2. |
|
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||
|
3. |
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||
|
Title of Project/Dissertation: |
|||||
|
Word Count: |
|||||
|
Mark each group members’ contribution and
effort towards the group work out of 100 points. (50 points = equal
contribution; 0 – 40 points = less than equal contribution ; 60 – 100 points
= above equal contribution) |
|||||
|
Name of Group Member |
Points |
||||
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||||
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||||
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||||
|
Signatures: 1.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
2……………………………………………………………………………………………..
3…………………………………………………………………………………………….. |
Date:
………………………………………………….. .…………………………….................... …………………………………………………….. |
||||
B: To be Completed by the Supervisor(s)
|
Name(s): |
|
|
Comment(s) on the Supervision |
|
|
Signature: |
Date: |
C: For Office Use Only
|
This is to certify that
students……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………have
submitted………..spiral-bound copies and ………soft copy of dissertation
on……………………………………………………………………at the Faculty/Centre Registry. ………………………………….
……………………………………. Officer’s Name Officer’s
Signature |
ANNEX 1
UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS
|
ANNEX 1 |
FACULTY ………………………..
PROJECT PROGRESS LOG
Department
……………........................................................................……………
Academic
Year …………….......................................................................……………
Students
are hereby informed that they should submit this document (around 200 words) to
their respective Module/Project Co-ordinators by the 2nd week of
Semester I at latest.
Student's Name: ……………...................................…...................................…………….
Student ID:
…………………........................................................................…………….
Title of dissertation: ………….......................................................................…………….
Aims and Objectives:. ……………………………………………………………………. .………………...............…………………......................................................……………
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
Proposed Methodology
(tentative): ………………………………………...……………..
..........…………………......................................................………………………………..
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
Comments,
if any ………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
………………...............…………………......................................................…………….
Student's
Signature: ………………… Supervisor's
Name......….......……………...
Date: …………………….. Supervisor’s Signature: ..............………….
Date: ………………………………………
N.B.: Both the supervisor and the student should
retain a copy of this Project Progress Log.
ANNEX 2
|
ANNEX 2 |
UNIVERSITY
OF MAURITIUS
Faculty of
………………………
PROJECT PROGRESS LOG
Student
Name :
Student ID :
Department :
Programme :
Title of Dissertation :
Supervisor :
Project Coordinator :
·
Your Project Progress Log serves as a record of your transferable
skills and participation and attainment as a student for dissertation purposes.
·
Its purpose is to help you to plan your own dissertation and to record
the outcomes.
·
As well as gaining valuable skills, you will find that the information
accumulated in this Log will prove helpful during the write up of the
dissertation.
·
The document belongs to you and it is your responsibility to keep it up
to date.
·
It is your responsibility to ensure your supervisor is aware of the
dissertation activities you have undertaken.
You should sign the appropriate
statement below when you submit your Project Progress Log:
I
confirm that the information I have given in this Log is a true and accurate
record:
Signed: …………………………………………………… Date: …………………
Faculty of ………………………
RECORD OF STRATEGIC MEETINGS WITH
SUPERVISOR
|
Meetings |
Date |
Topics/Themes Discussed |
Comments (If any) |
Supervisor’s Initials |
Student’s Initials |
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GANTT CHART
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Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
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Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
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May 2009