Bachelor’s Thesis Regulations
Article 1 – Scope
1.- These regulations are applicable to all students who started writing their Bachelor’s
thesis to complete a Bachelor’s programme of Dutch Law, Tax Law, International and
European Law, Law and Management, or Public Administration after 31 August 2004.
2.- The date on which the Bachelor’s assignment course starts will be considered the
starting date.
Article 2 – Aims
With the Bachelor’s thesis, which concludes the Bachelor’s programme, the student must
show, on the basis of a topic suggested by the instructor, that he possesses sufficient
knowledge of and insight into the material of the relevant subject and the connection with
the various, relevant main subjects. The student must show, in his Bachelor’s thesis, that
he is able:
- on the basis of a multidisciplinary theme, to see the connection between the
various main subjects;
- to set up a study to answer a research question;
- to collect, order, and analyse the data relevant for this study;
- to support the answer given with arguments;
- to write a thesis independently – as to form and execution.
Article 3 – Design and study load of the Bachelor’s assignment courses
1.- The Bachelor’s thesis is written in the framework of the Bachelor’s assignment course.
2.- The Bachelor’s assignment course of the Dutch Law programme consists of three
parts: knowledge acquisition (3 ects), research for the Bachelor’s thesis (2 ects), and the
written presentation of the research results (3 ects).
3.- The Fiscal Moot Court is the Bachelor’s Assignment course of the Tax Law
programme (7 ects). The Fiscal Moot Court consists of the Moot Court programme and a
Bachelor’s thesis based on one of the procedural documents.
4.- The Bachelor’s assignment course of the International and European Law programme
(6 ects) has three variants:
- participation in a study trip (organised by the European and International Public Law
Department) to European/international institutions;
- participation in a Summer or Winter course;
- a placement.
Each of these variants must be concluded by a Bachelor’s thesis written in English.
5.- The Bachelor’s assignment course of the Law and Management programme (8 ects)
is multidisciplinary and thematic in design. The student writes an individual thesis on an
academic theme from different perspectives.
6.- The Bachelor’s assignment course of the Public Administration programme (12 ects)
consists of knowledge acquisition, research for the Bachelor’s thesis, and the written and
oral presentation of the research results.
Article 4 – Supervision
In conducting research for his thesis, the student is supervised by the instructor of the
Bachelor’s assignment course. Supervision covers two or three meetings and includes
instructions for the development of and feedback on the research skills. Knowledge is
acquired largely through independent study.
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Article 5 – Supervision problems
If problems arise during the supervision process which cannot be resolved in consultation
with the instructor teaching the Bachelor’s assignment course, the student can apply to
the thesis ombudsman (scriptievertrouwenspersoon) and request resolution of the
problem.
Article 6 – Size of the thesis
1.- In principle, the size of the thesis is approximately 6,000 words (± 15 pages A4) of text
(excluding footnotes, the bibliography, and any appendices).
2.- The size of a Bachelor’s thesis of the Public Administration programme is
approximately 10,000 words (± 25 pages A4) of text (excluding footnotes, the
bibliography, and any appendices).
3.- The thesis may take different forms, for example, an article in a journal, an
explanatory memorandum to a Bill, procedural advice. Each form may have different size
requirements, although they are always related to the standard 6,000 words (10,000 in
the case of a Public Administration Bachelor’s thesis) and the study load as referred to in
Article 3.
Article 7 – Academic fraud
1.- The instructor teaching the Bachelor’s assignment course decides whether and when
any plagiarism or fraud is reported to the Examining Board.
2.- The definitions of plagiarism and fraud as set out in Article 7 paragraph 5 of the Rules
and Regulations of the Examining Board are applicable.1
Article 8 – Citation and references
In principle, quoting and stating sources and making a bibliography are based on the
method set out in Leidraad voor juridische auteurs2 and on the APA style for Public
Administration Bachelor’s theses.3
Article 9 – Assessment
1.- The marks given for form and for content each constitute half of the final mark.
2.- The mark for form is determined by the following three categories, which can be
assessed as insufficient, sufficient, good, or very good:
- language/style (formulation, grammar, spelling, punctuation, stylistic conventions
relating to the type of text);
- structure (ordering, structure, inner consistency at text, section, and paragraph
levels, and the logical structure of the argument);
- format (text lay-out, footnotes, bibliography).
1
Pursuant to Article 7 paragraph 5 of the Rules and Regulations, acts constituting plagiarism
include the following.
- Passages from the work of another are copied almost verbatim without a correct
reference or without quotation marks and/or
- passages from the work of another are paraphrased without an indication that the
opinion or idea of another is concerned and without a correct reference or without
quotation marks and/or
- the elaborated ideas or discoveries of another are presented as the student’s own
ideas or discoveries.
Acts constituting fraud in executing research include the following.
- The data used in the study were distorted, made up, or represented in an
irresponsibly selective way.
- Points of view, interpretations, and conclusions of others were intentionally twisted.
2
Deventer: Kluwer, latest impression. Also available online: click ‘Leidraad voor juridische
auteurs (Guide for Legal Authors)’ at
<http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/intranet/publish/citingsources/styles/>.
3
This style was developed by the American Psychological Association. For more information,
click ‘APA’ at <http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/intranet/publish/citingsources/styles/>. The use
of OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for Citation Of Legal Authorities) is also recommended.
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3.- The following guidelines apply for determining the mark for form:
5 or less will be given if one or more categories are assessed as ‘insufficient’;
6 will be given if all categories are ‘sufficient’;
7 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘good’;
8 if all categories are assessed as ‘good’ or if a ‘sufficient’ is compensated by a
‘very good’;
9 if two categories are assessed as ‘very good’ and the third category as ‘good’;
10 if all categories are assessed as ‘very good’.
4.- The mark for content is determined by the following four categories, which can be
assessed as insufficient, sufficient, good, or very good:
- research question/statement of the problem (relevance of the research question,
information on the issue, placement in theoretical framework, research aim,
multidisciplinary character of the research question);
- research (the material collected is relevant, up-to-date, comprehensive, and
original);
- use of research material (accurate description, analysis, evaluation of the
material);
- argumentation (quality of the arguments and of the conclusion(s)).
5.- The following guidelines apply for determining the mark for content:
5 or less will be given if one or more categories are assessed as ‘insufficient’;
6 will be given if all categories are ‘sufficient’;
7 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘good’;
8 if all categories are assessed as ‘good’ or if a ‘sufficient’ is compensated by a
‘very good’;
9 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘very good’ and the other ones as
‘good’;
10 if all categories are assessed as ‘very good’.
6.- In determining the final mark, equal weight is attached to form and content. Both
marks must be sufficient.
Article 10 – Revision
If one or both parts – form and/or content – is/are insufficient, the student will be given
the assessment form, so that it is clear what aspects must be improved. After he has
received the assessment form, the student will have one working week to rewrite and
submit his thesis. If one of the parts is still assessed as insufficient, the student will have
to write a different thesis at the next opportunity.
Article 11 – Appeal
The final thesis mark can be appealed to Tilburg University’s Examination Appeals Board
within four weeks.
Adopted by the Examining Board of Tilburg Law School’s study programmes on 9 June
2004.
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Assessment Framework for the Bachelor’s thesis
Form
Use of language/style
Structure
Format
formulation
grammar
spelling
punctuation
stylistic conventions relating to type
of text
ordering, structure, inner consistency
at text, section, and paragraph levels
logical structure of the argument
text lay-out
footnotes
bibliography
-
I – S – G – VG
I – S – G – VG
I – S – G – VG
Guidelines:
5 or less will be given if one or more categories are assessed as ‘insufficient’;
6 will be given if all categories are ‘sufficient’;
7 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘good’;
8 if all categories are assessed as ‘good’ or if a ‘sufficient’ is compensated by a
‘very good’;
9 if two categories are assessed as ‘very good’ and the third category as ‘good’;
10 if all categories are assessed as ‘very good’.
Content
Research question/
Statement of the
problem
Research
Use of research
material
Argumentation
-
-
relevance of the legal question /
public administration problem
information on the issue
placement in theoretical framework
research aim
multidisciplinarity
collected material is relevant from a
legal / public administration point of
view, up-to-date, comprehensive
and original
description
analysis
evaluation
quality of arguments
quality of conclusion
I – S – G – VG
I – S – G – VG
I – S – G – VG
I – S – G – VG
Guidelines:
5 or less will be given if one or more categories are assessed as ‘insufficient’;
6 will be given if all categories are ‘sufficient’;
7 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘good’;
8 if all categories are assessed as ‘good’ or if a ‘sufficient’ is compensated by a
‘very good’;
9 if at least two categories are assessed as ‘very good’ and the other ones as
‘good’;
10 if all categories are assessed as ‘very good’.
Final mark
Guidelines:
- Form and content each count for 50% of the final mark.
- Both marks must be sufficient.
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