To:
All Postgraduate Research Students in Life Sciences
From: Prof George Kemenes, Director of Doctoral Studies for Life Sciences.
Re:
MPhil and PhD Research Student Progress Assessment 2014
DEADLINE TO COMPLETE ALL STUDENT FORMS/REPORTS is Monday, 2nd June
2014
Requirements 1st and 2nd Year (and Year 3 PT)
Subject Group committees chaired by Subject group research degree convenors will
assess the progress of their graduate students in July. Assessment is based on written
reports from you the student, your supervisor and co-supervisors and / or independent
assessors (if appointed by your dept). There will also be a short interview conducted by
the co-supervisor and / or independent assessor.
The documentation from this process provides the basis for the annual recommendations
that the Subject Group Research Degree Convenors have to make to the Director of
Doctoral Studies concerning your re-registration as a PhD/MPhil student for the
forthcoming academic year. Provided you are making satisfactory progress the Director
will then approve your progression to the next academic year. This approval is necessary
before you are able to re-register in September 2014.
All 1st and 2nd year students* (and 3rd Year part time) are asked to submit their Project
Reports, together with their Form A
1 copy each to
 Supervisor (one copy to each if joint supervision)
 Co-supervisor/Assessor
 Dr Deeptima Massey (Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator) Chemistry Office
(Arundel 305)
First year students should also complete and submit their Research Proposal Form,
which should be first signed by their supervisor.
You should discuss with your supervisors whether they would prefer printed or electronic
copies of your reports, however the file copies of reports submitted to Deeptima should be
printed and the project report loose bound (ie heat binded) or held together with staples or
treasury tags – NO big hefty or fancy folders please as we have no space to store
these.
*NOTE First year students who started in January 2014 or May 2014 should
complete Form A only, their full written annual report will be due on 1st October
2014.
PROJECT REPORT REQUIREMENTS for students in year 1
First year students should submit a written account of their project emphasizing the
background to the project and giving a concise review of the relevant literature.
Descriptions of methods should be brief and results summarized in Tables and Figures, as
appropriate.
Director of Doctoral Studies
Prof George Kemenes g.kemenes@sussex.ac.uk
Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator
Dr Deeptima Massey Email d.massey@sussex.ac.uk
The report should conform loosely to the style of a scientific paper (if appropriate) and
contain a short summary or abstract on the second page.
It should end with a short (50-100 words) forward work plan for the next academic year in
which specific objectives are identified.
The identification of these objectives should involve discussion with your supervisor(s).
The report should be approximately 8-20* A4 pages in length and in 1.5 spacing
PROEJCT REPORT REQUIREMENTS for students in year 2 (and year 3 PT)
Each student should submit a written report following on from where the first year report
left off.
Any introduction can be much briefer.
The emphasis should be on new work and results achieved this academic year.
Try to address progress towards any objectives identified in the forward plan of the year 1
report.
Feel free to explain any changes of direction or emphasis that have taken place.
Again the report should contain a short summary or abstract on the second page and
conform loosely to the style of a scientific paper (if appropriate).
It should end with a short (50-100 words) forward work plan for the next academic year in
which specific objectives are identified. The identification of these objectives should again
involve discussion with your supervisor(s).
The report should be approximately 8 - 20* A4 size pages in in length and in 1.5 spacing)
Guidelines on Length
*If you have not obtained many results in your first year the report need not be greater
than 8 A4 sides in 1.5 spacing, however if you have plenty of results / material you are
encouraged to produce a longer report, up to a maximum of 20 A4 sides, particularly in the
case of second year reports.
In some Subject Groups local arrangements are also made for First Year students to
present a poster of their work and Second Year students, a talk, at a graduate symposium
in September. Further details of these requirements will follow later this summer from you
Subject group research degree convenor.
MPhil Students who are considering applying to transfer to PhD
Although there is no set time for this transfer to take place the Annual Review process is a
good time to do this especially if you want the transfer to be approved ready for the start of
the new academic year.
In addition to producing your annual report you will also need to have a transfer viva.
Please be sure to discuss this with your supervisor and be sure to obtain an MPhil to PhD
transfer form from Dr Deeptima Massey – your annual report can then form the written
report required for the transfer. Please return Mphil to PhD transfer forms separately from
the annual review forms to D.Massey
PhD Students in Year 3 (plus Part time students in Years 4 & 5) who are not
submitting their thesis by 30 September 2014
Complete Student section of the 3+ report form and give report to Supervisor so they can
complete their section.
Email or send a printed copy to Deeptima Massey
(d.massey@sussex.ac.uk)
If you are about to start writing up and wish to move to continuation status (in consultation
with your main supervisor) then complete the continuation form attached to the email
Director of Doctoral Studies
Prof George Kemenes g.kemenes@sussex.ac.uk
Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator
Dr Deeptima Massey Email d.massey@sussex.ac.uk
4th Year PhD (and 3rd Year MPhil) Students who are due to submit by 30 September
2014 please ensure that you keep in regular contact with your supervisor and make sure
you let supervisor and Dr Deeptima Massey (d.massey@sussex.ac.uk ) know if you
encounter any problems that may mean you are at risk of not submitting on time. Please
do not leave this until the last minute!
Please note that the Director of Doctoral Studies may not sign off the re-registration
of students whose progression information is incomplete and this will have an
impact on re-registration and funding.
It is therefore essential that all reports are submitted on time and that you make
sure you meet with your supervisor and co-supervisor so they can review your
reports and assess your progress. It is your responsibility to ensure that these
meetings take place in good time so that your supervisor and co-supervisor can
submit their reports by the required deadlines.
Director of Doctoral Studies
Prof George Kemenes g.kemenes@sussex.ac.uk
Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator
Dr Deeptima Massey Email d.massey@sussex.ac.uk