School of Science
Degree programme in Industrial Engineering and Management
MASTER’S THESIS GUIDE
CONTENTS
Contents
1.
2.
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3
GOALS OF THE MASTER’S THESIS ................................................................................................. 3
2.1 Goals for the contents of the master’s thesis ......................................................................................... 3
2.2 Learning objectives and evaluation of the master’s thesis .................................................................... 4
2.3 The process of writing, advising and supervising the master’s thesis ................................................... 4
3. DEFINITION OF THE MASTER’S THESIS SCOPE........................................................................... 5
3.1 Definition of scope and choosing the thesis title................................................................................... 5
3.2 Research proposal ................................................................................................................................. 5
4. WRITING ............................................................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Appearance and format of the master’s thesis ...................................................................................... 6
4.2 Collecting source literature ................................................................................................................... 7
4.3 Written presentation .............................................................................................................................. 7
4.4 Title page .............................................................................................................................................. 7
4.5 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 7
4.6 Prologue ................................................................................................................................................ 7
4.7 Table of contents ................................................................................................................................... 7
4.8 Explanations for acronyms, symbols and terminology ......................................................................... 7
4.9 Master’s thesis structure and contents .................................................................................................. 8
4.10 List of references ................................................................................................................................ 8
4.11 Appendices.......................................................................................................................................... 8
4.12 Evaluation of the master’s thesis ........................................................................................................ 8
5. COPYRIGHTS ......................................................................................................................................15
5.1 Publicity and copyright of the master’s thesis .....................................................................................15
LITERATURE (in Finnish) ...........................................................................................................................15
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1. INTRODUCTION
This guide is primarily intended as a guideline for thesis authors, thesis supervisors
and thesis advisors at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.
If you are a student of some other degree programme and write your thesis
for your minor in Industrial Engineering and Management, please find out
about the practices and guidelines of your degree programme.
The administrative processes related to the master’s thesis (Obtaining
approval for the personal study plan, applying for a topic, obtaining approval
for the master’s thesis, graduation) have been described on the Into site
https://into.aalto.fi/display/entuo/Master%27s+thesis
2. GOALS OF THE MASTER’S THESIS
2.1 Goals for the contents of the master’s thesis
The master’s thesis is a piece of applied research. The key goal of the master’s
thesis is solving a relevant problem based on existing scientific knowledge and in
compliance with the principles of responsible conduct of research. One goal is
also generating new knowledge. The scientific nature of the master’s thesis should
not, however, be underlined too much, since new scientific knowledge is not
usually produced until the doctoral dissertation. The new knowledge produced may
take the form of, for instance, a synthesis of existing knowledge, and answer to a
unanswered question, or the development of a new model. Production of new
knowledge may also be connected to the application of knowledge. The new
knowledge may be connected with, for instance, the following types of results:
 exploring phenomena or the interdependencies or connections between
them
 developing a new idea, claim, method or model
 verification of previous theories or specifying their area of application on the
basis of new observations
 development of financial, functional, technical and structural solutions
The solutions developed in the master’s thesis must be useful to the
commissioner/organisation but the new knowledge produced is also valuable for
the academic science community. The master’s thesis author demonstrates ability
for conducting research independently, and creativity and innovation are key in
writing the thesis.
To evaluate the quality of the master’s thesis, attention should be paid at least to
the following (see also ‘Evaluation of the master’s thesis’):
 identifying a significant and important research problem;
 defining the research problem (research question) and goals;
 defining the body of knowledge by identifying the key sources;
 defining the research methods and empirical material;
 defining the research frame;
 defining the nature of the new knowledge produced and identifying of the
relevance and the contributions of the research; assessing the reliability of
the research.
 the novelty of the research and the innovativeness of its solutions.
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2.2 Learning objectives and evaluation of the master’s thesis
The master’s thesis is written to demonstrate mature thinking, and aptitude for
independent problem solving. Students must be able to define the research frame,
to answer the research questions posed in order to produce new knowledge which
is also applicable to practice. Additionally, it is important to learn to report on your
research. Writing a legible, well-organised and coherent report is one of the key
challenges of the master’s thesis project.
One goal for the master’s thesis is learning to conduct research independently,
systematically and efficiently. Although the thesis is done independently,
collaboration between the author, the thesis supervisor and thesis advisor is
crucial. However, since the master’s thesis is always a product of independent
work, the thesis advisor or supervisor must not patronise the student.
2.3 The process of writing, advising and supervising the master’s thesis
Who gives you guidance in your master’s thesis?
The master’s thesis process has three principal actors: the thesis author, thesis
advisor and thesis supervisor. Typically, the thesis advisor is from the company
commissioning the thesis or a researcher or professor from the department. The
advisor is the person with whom the goals of the thesis are defined and its progress
is reviewed. The thesis supervisor is a professor. The thesis supervisor is
responsible for ensuring that the thesis meets the criteria set for a master’s thesis.
The thesis advisor is often an expert on the practical side of the thesis and can
help in its execution. The thesis supervisor, meaning the professor, is the expert
on theory and helps the student to define a suitable theory and supports the
student in the writing. The professor may also refer the student to specialists in the
topic of the thesis, for instance to a researcher who has studied the topic.
Usually, the student finds a thesis topic independently in a company or other
organisation. Master’s theses done commissioned by the school are usually
connected to more extensive research projects: a literature review done for the
school independent of any research project is not recommended as a master’s
thesis. The student may also contact the professors or researchers of the
department and inquire after corporate contacts that might be worth contacting.
The professors’ research fields are listed at http://tuta.aalto.fi/en/studies/. Once the
student has found a potential topic for the thesis, s/he should immediately discuss
it with the professor who is likely to act as the thesis supervisor.
When the future thesis supervisor also agrees that the topic is suitable for a
master’s thesis, the first stage in the thesis process is drafting a research proposal.
At this stage, communicating between the commissioning organisation and
particularly the thesis advisor there, is important. The research proposal describes
the background of the research, its goals and research questions, presents the
scope of the research and describes the approach applied as well as the research
data, methods and the plan for the thesis progress and the overall timetable. The
research proposal should also present some interim goals such as the completion
of the literature review and that of the empirical part etc. The student reviews the
research proposal with the thesis supervisor and thesis advisor, either in a joint
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session or individually. The supervising professor and the student may also go
through some literature related to the topic in the same meeting.
When both the thesis supervisor and the thesis advisor have approved the
research proposal for the master’s thesis, the actual execution of the thesis work
starts; it is worth reserving about 6 months for this stage. At the start of the
process, the student should look into any previous research on the topic. In
practice, the various stages of research partly overlap each other and the work
usually progresses iteratively, which is why it is worth updating and specifying the
original research proposal as the work progresses.
Contacts between the student and the professor supervising the thesis are usually
frequent at the start and end of the research while contacts to the thesis advisor
should be frequent throughout the writing process. The key duty of the thesis
supervisor is ensuring that the topic of the thesis is suitable and that the research
proposal provides a framework for a successful execution of the thesis. During the
master’s thesis process, the student and supervisor may go through the status of
the project at its different stages. Additionally, the student may contact the
supervising professor, as needed. The supervising professor goes through the
manuscript for the master’s thesis, and gives feedback to the student as well as
instructions on making possible changes or corrections. At this stage, it is possible
to discuss the evaluation of the thesis and the requirements set for different grades.
Usually, the commenting of the master’s thesis takes about 2-3 weeks, and the
same amount of time should be reserved for the corrections and changes
suggested. Also the thesis advisor should go through the manuscript and
comment on it.
When the student has made the corrections and changes required by the thesis
supervisor and thesis advisor, the thesis is usually resubmitted to the thesis
supervisor for examination before its binding. The student should aim at producing
a final version of the thesis for this review to avoid multiple iteration rounds. Once
the corrections have been approved by the thesis supervisor, the thesis is bound.
3. DEFINITION OF THE MASTER’S THESIS SCOPE
3.1 Definition of scope and choosing the thesis title
The goals and scope of the master’s thesis are defined to sufficient detail before
starting to work on the thesis. The title of the thesis should be brief, clear and
informative, and clearly state the topic studied. The title should focus on the key
contents of the master’s thesis. It is good practice to not mention company or brand
names or use any abbreviations or acronyms in the thesis.
3.2 Research proposal
Before starting to work on the thesis itself, the student and the thesis supervisor
should collaboratively draft a preliminary research proposal which may be
specified as the work progresses. The research proposal defines, for instance, the
following:
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 the background of the study, its motivation, theoretical foundation and research
problems;
 objective or goal of the thesis (main objective, interim objectives)
 the approach and methods, structure: introduction (background), previous
studies, research questions, research method, results, and conclusions.
 timetable and possible budget
4. WRITING
The thesis process and completion must be discussed with the thesis supervisor
when the research proposal is ready. Also source literature may be discussed at
this stage. As needed, discussions are held also at other stages of the writing
process.
The student should take notes of the discussions with the thesis supervisor and
thesis advisor and other experts, as well as of any articles read and other literature
references, because remembering or getting hold of them later on may prove
difficult.
When the interim objectives of the approved research proposal have been
completed, the next stage is presenting the results and their analysis to the thesis
supervisor and advisor. At this stage, the thesis is viewed as a whole in order to
not overlook any aspects of it.
4.1 Appearance and format of the master’s thesis
The master’s thesis should be a concise written presentation of a topic. It may be
a monograph of max. 100 pages with appendices. The appearance of the thesis
must be neat, organised and elegant. The thesis is printed on standard-size (A4)
sheets. The thesis is written with, e.g. the following page layout (margins): top
margin 25 mm, bottom 30 mm, left 45 mm, right 20 mm. Right alignment and use
of headers and footers are optional, and the page number format may be chosen
by the student. The left margin must be sufficiently wide to allow binding. In cases
where drawings, maps or printouts form a crucial part of the thesis, the originals or
copies must be folded into a separate folder which is the same size as the master’s
thesis.
Students may illustrate the thesis with appropriate figures and tables. Tables are
good for presenting exact values. Instructions on using figures and tables are given
in various writing manuals.
The master’s thesis is to be bound in black covers. The front cover shall have the
text DIPLOMITYÖ (master’s thesis) and the name of the author in the bottom right
side of the cover. The spine of the book shall have the name of the author and the
year of completion. The name of the author is printed starting 50 mm from the top
of the spine and the year ending 15 mm before the bottom of the spine. For
examples of the appearance, you can have a look at the master’s theses at the
library of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management. The book
bound may be bound in any bindery.
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4.2 Collecting source literature
Before starting the actual master’s thesis writing, students collect and list the
necessary source literature. In the beginning, it is worth going through the
reference material to sufficient detail to find the data and cited items quickly when
you need them. The literature review may be done by seeking information in the
sources of the library or by searching related references in Finnish and
international databases.
4.3 Written presentation
As a rule, the master’s thesis is written in Finnish, Swedish or English and on
application of the student, in another language approved by the degree programme
committee. The language of the master’s thesis is approved when applying for the
topic. As regards the Finnish national languages, students are required to prove
such proficiency in Finnish and Swedish as is required of civil servants in bilingual
public agencies and organisations as part of the higher education degree and
which is necessary for the field and for the professional development of the
student. The perfect command of one of the national languages of Finland (Finnish,
Swedish) referred to above is demonstrated through a maturity essay written either
for the Bachelor of Science (Technology) degree or another bachelor’s degree
(Degree regulations of the Aalto University School of Science, Section 15).
The written part of the master’s thesis must be clear and organised. For detailed
guidelines, you may consult various writing manuals (e.g. Kauranen et al. 2007).
4.4 Title page
https://into.aalto.fi/display/entuo/Master%27s+thesis
4.5 Abstract
The abstract is a brief and informative description of the goals, research methods,
results and conclusions of the thesis.
4.6 Prologue
The prologue presents the background of the work, the contributions of the thesis
supervisor and thesis advisor, and mentions the people, departments, financiers
etc. that have furthered the completion of the thesis and includes
acknowledgements thanking the said groups. The prologue ends with the name of
the author and month of writing (e.g. Espoo, September 2014).
4.7 Table of contents
The table of contents is done last. It is well-organised and lists all the chapters of
the thesis with subheadings and page numbers. The table of contents is prepared
as a numbered list, but lists of more than three levels are avoided. The table of
contents also presents a list of appendices and if deemed appropriate, a list of the
figures, charts and tables in the text.
4.8 Explanations for acronyms, symbols and terminology
The master’s thesis may contain signs, symbols, acronyms, and terms that require
explanation. For examples on presenting acronyms, etc. see various writing
manuals.
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4.9 Master’s thesis structure and contents
The structure of a typical master’s thesis is:
introduction
 theoretical foundation, previous studies
 research data and methods, analysis of data and conducting research
 results
 examination of/reflection on the results
The introduction contains a brief presentation of the starting points and
motivation of the study and the research problem and scope, while defining the
research goal clearly. The brief introduction may also examine any previous
studies on the subject. The introduction does not describe the study itself or its
results, but it may clarify the concepts used in it; such a clarification may also be
presented in a separate chapter. As necessary, the introduction may be divided
by subheadings that help the reader to get an idea of the overall organisation of
the thesis.
The abstract presents the goal, key contents, results, conclusions and
recommendations concisely and clearly.
4.10 List of references
A reference must always be included if you are not stating your own interpretation
or conclusion or ‘general knowledge’. This means that references must be given,
for instance, when presenting the results or claims made by another researcher or
using a table or figure taken from someone else’s work. A direct quote is put in
quotation marks. References should be made to original sources or as close to an
original source as possible and not to a later publication that refers to the original
source. The standard SFS 5342 on referencing practices may prove helpful in
formulating references (in Finnish). The most common citing and referencing styles
are the name-author style or the Harvard style, the numeric style, and the footnote
style. For details on compiling the list of references, see writing guides or the
website of the Aalto University library (https://into.aalto.fi/display/filibrary/Etusivu).
4.11 Appendices
The appendices are numbered and placed at the end of the master’s thesis. The
contents of the appendices should be considered carefully. Appendices may
present descriptions of the methods used, detailed results, pictures of inconvenient
size, maps, questionnaires etc.
4.12 Evaluation of the master’s thesis
The master’s thesis is graded on the same scale as the other study attainments.
The thesis is evaluated by the supervising professor and evaluation may be
weighted slightly differently in different research fields. Key evaluation criteria
were presented in Item 2.1 ‘Goals for the contents of the master’s theses. The
following presents the factors influencing grading in more detail. The grade aimed
at should be agreed upon before starting the thesis process.
The degree regulations of the Aalto University School of Science (as of 1
August 2013) contains provisions on the master’s thesis. This guideline is
intended for master’s thesis writers, thesis advisors, supervisors and the approving
authority. Section 2 describes the general goals of a master’s thesis. The
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evaluation of the master’s thesis and the grading decision shall be based on the
criteria listed in section 3. Appended to this guideline, you will find a chart designed
to help the thesis supervisor evaluating the master’s thesis.
The purpose of the master’s thesis is to serve as a demonstration of the skills of
the student. The supervisor shall evaluate the complete thesis submitted for
evaluation, including the title page. As applicable, other factors, such as the
independent contribution of the student and his/her ability to stay on the agreed
schedule may be considered in the evaluation process.
The extent of the master’s thesis is 30 credits, equivalent of six months of full-time
studies. Students shall have a maximum of one year to complete their thesis.
Significantly exceeding the time agreed upon with the supervisor may lower the
grade. However, delays beyond the control of the student will be considered
extenuating circumstances.
The thesis supervisor submits a written statement on the thesis with a proposal for
a grade, i.e. an examiner’s statement to the degree programme committee. When
preparing the statement, the supervisor may also request statements from the
thesis advisor(s). In cases where the supervisor has proposed the grade of
Excellent (5), Sufficient (1)1 or Fail, the degree programme committee shall, when
possible, consult another professor of the school with expertise in the research
field when deciding on the grade. Having familiarised itself with the examiner’s
statement and any additional statements, the degree programme committee shall
decide on the approval of the thesis and on its grading.
Evaluation guidelines and appendix to evaluation of master’s thesis
(Helsinki University of Technology/Administration, Decision by rector 4
December 2008)
Characteristics of an acceptable master’s thesis
To qualify as an academic thesis, a master’s thesis should meet all the criteria
described below to an at least satisfactory extent. The grade assigned depends
on the extent to which the criteria have been met.
· Definition of research scope and goals
The research scope has been defined
The goals of the thesis are evident
The research questions and hypotheses contained in the scope of research and
goals are evident from the thesis
· Command of the topic
The student demonstrates command of the topic and understanding of the scope
of research
The student demonstrates understanding of the relevant theoretical framework
Translator’s note: The written expressions for the grading scale have changed since the TKK guide cited
below. At TKK, the grade of 1 was explained as Satisfactory, while now the written expression, if used at
all, is Sufficient.
1
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The student demonstrates skills in making use of literature and other sources of
information
·Methods, conclusions:
The student demonstrates ability to choose justified methods for reaching the
goals
The student demonstrates ability to apply the chosen methods
The thesis contains references to scientific publications
The thesis presents well-founded conclusions drawn from the results
The results answer the research questions presented
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
The thesis is relevant to the set goal
The thesis is a well-organised logical whole
The thesis makes an original contribution to the existing body of knowledge, i.e. it
is produced by the student.
· Presentation and language
The overall appearance of the thesis is appropriate
The thesis contains no such structural, grammatical or spelling errors that
complicate reading
The thesis is written in coherent, formal style The thesis is a well-organised,
coherent whole
The given guidelines have been followed
Criteria by grade
The descriptions below outline the extent to which the thesis must meet the set
basic criteria in order to be assigned the grade in question. An individual thesis
may contain characteristics of many different grade descriptions; it is the overall
quality that determines the final grade.
Excellent (5): An exceptionally meritorious thesis demonstrating very good skills
in creating or applying technical or scientific knowledge. The thesis is impeccable
in all respects, which is apparent primarily from the following:
·Definition of the research scope and goals:
The goals have been presented clearly, and the research scope is clearly
defined, which indicates deep understanding of the topic. The goals are set
high but are attainable.
· Command of the topic:
The sources used have been selected not only appropriately but critically; the
number of relevant works cited is sufficient, consisting primarily of high-quality
scientific publications (journals or other peer-reviewed forums). The results
have been evaluated in the light of the cited works, as well as in that of prior
research and theories on the topic. In addition, the student demonstrates deep
understanding of the research topic.
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· Methods and conclusions:
The student demonstrates command of the relevant research methods, uses
appropriate and justified methods, reports the research process and the
methods accurately and precisely and justifies the choices made. The
reliability and transferability of the results have been thoroughly evaluated, and
the thesis may be based on exceptionally extensive empirical data. In addition,
the line of reasoning behind the conclusions is particularly clear, accurate and
critical and proves that the student has gained a deep understanding of the
topic. The research results provide thorough answers to the posed research
question.
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
The results meet the standards of international conference publications, even
though it is not necessary that the thesis contribute to new scientific
knowledge. The results are of interest to academia or industry or otherwise
relevant to professionals in the field. The student has produced a meritorious
thesis independently while the contributions of the thesis instructor2 and
supervisor have been minor.
·Presentation and language:
The appearance, presentation and language of the thesis are impeccable.
Very good (4): A meritorious thesis which meets all the basic requirements of a
good thesis. In addition, the thesis has extraordinary merits identified in the
examiner’s report3 in areas such as the following:
· Definition of the research scope and goals:
The goals and scope have been successfully and clearly defined in an
appropriate manner.
· Command of the topic:
The thesis combines the cited works and empirical data consistently and
clearly. The cited works consist primarily of high-quality scientific publications
(journals, other peer-reviewed forums), which are sufficiently numerous and
appropriately chosen. The student demonstrates good command of the
research topic.
· Methods and conclusions:
Appropriate methods have been used in a well-founded manner. The research
process has been described at least on a general level, while the
transferability of the results has been evaluated to some extent. The empirical
data has been presented well and its relevance to the results is clear. The
empirical data is sufficiently extensive to justify the conclusions drawn, and the
line of reasoning behind the conclusions is easily followed.
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
Translator’s note: The terminology has changed since the TKK guideline cited here. At Aalto, the title
thesis instructor has been replaced by thesis advisor.
3
Translator’s note: The terminology has changed since the TKK guideline. The examiner’s report is now
examiner’s statement.
2
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The results are of theoretical interest or have practical relevance, and they
answer the research questions.
Presentation and language:
The thesis is a consistent written presentation of the topic and, for instance,
the referencing is correct and consistent. The thesis is a coherent and
balanced whole.
Good (3): A well-structured and independently written master’s thesis. The thesis
has all the necessary elements, but no particular merits. The examiner’s report
identifies definite needs for improvement. A good thesis, which meets the basic
requirements in at least the following respects:
· Definition of the research scope and goals:
The goals have been somewhat clearly defined in a primarily appropriate
manner. The thesis proposal is clear.
· Command of the topic:
The student demonstrates good command of the relevant literature and
background material, and has applied them appropriately, but the connection
between the background material and the empirical data is not necessarily
made sufficiently explicit.
· Methods and conclusions:
The methods and the experiments are adequate and justified. The methods
have been chosen in accordance with the prevailing practice; they have been
used correctly and reported. However, a critical evaluation of the methodology
is not a requirement for this grade. The conclusions have been drawn
appropriately from the material.
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
The thesis produces reliable results using the chosen methods in a suitable
manner. It also answers the posed research question or reaches the goal set
for it. Contribution to new knowledge is identifiable, and the topic is at least of
some interest to academia or industry. The thesis has mostly progressed
according to the original thesis proposal.
·Presentation and language:
The thesis structure has no major weaknesses; it is well-organised and serves
its purpose. The thesis uses appropriate language, and satisfactory attention
has been paid to the overall appearance of the thesis.
Very satisfactory (2) An acceptable thesis with significant shortcomings in areas
such as discussing the topic, the results, scheduling, structure, language or
overall appearance of the thesis. The grade may also be lowered if the student
has required a disproportionate amount of supervisor or instructor support. The
thesis has shortcomings in the following:
· Definition of the research scope and goals:
The scope is narrow and vaguely defined, and the thesis may not answer the
defined questions. Both the goals and the thesis proposal are vaguely defined.
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· Command of the topic:
The references are few or of poor scientific quality. There are notable
shortcomings in the referencing. Source evaluation is lacking and the
bibliography contains errors.
· Methods and conclusions:
The empirical data is scarce or there are shortcomings in its collection or
analysis. Critical analysis is scarce or non-existent. Although methodological
choices have been made, methods are used inconsistently. The conclusions
drawn are few and may even contain factual errors.
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
The goals and results of the thesis contradict each other, and the student has
evidently had difficulties in comprehending the goal or scope of the research
or in defining the research questions. The thesis may also depend excessively
on the cited works, i.e. the results are not based on independent research but
rather on the references. The topic has little significance for the field of
research or industry in question or no contribution to new knowledge can be
clearly identified in the thesis.
·Presentation and language:
The thesis is not a coherent, well-organised whole, and its various parts may
be out of balance or it ‘meanders’. It contains inconsistencies, unexplained
conclusions or even factual errors.
Satisfactory (1): A poor thesis with significant shortcomings in meeting the basic
requirements; however the thesis does meet the minimum requirements in terms
of discussing the topic and the reporting practices. Completing the thesis has
required a great deal of either instructor or supervisor support. In spite of being
advised to do so, the student has failed to correct the shortcomings. Serious
shortcomings include:
· Definition of the research scope and goals:
The goals are unclear and it is evident that the student has not fully
understood the purpose of the master’s thesis.
· Command of the topic: The references are too few, they are of poor
scientific quality or ill-suited for the thesis. There are significant shortcomings
in the command and referencing of the literature and prior research on the
topic, and the bibliography contains errors.
· Methods and conclusions:
The choices of methodology and material are inappropriate or poor. The
chosen method has been applied erroneously. The empirical data is scarce or
ill-suited for the purposes of the thesis. The conclusions are few and poorly
founded.
· Contribution to knowledge and thesis structure
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The student does not demonstrate ability to conduct independent research.
The thesis is excessively dependent on the references or does not explain the
results. The topic is irrelevant for the field of research or industry in question
and no contribution to new knowledge can be identified. The time taken to
complete the thesis was disproportionate to the difficulty of the topic.
·Presentation and language:
There are significant shortcomings in the structure and presentation of the
thesis; it is difficult to read and the line of reasoning is difficult to follow.
The thesis shall not be passed if it has a lot of significant shortcomings and thus
fails to meet the minimum requirements for an approved master's thesis.
Aspects to consider in the evaluation
The purpose of the tool below (4 December 2008 /Helsinki University of
Technology, Central Administration) is to facilitate the grading process. The
middle column describes some typical characteristics of a good thesis, while the
left and right columns list characteristics lowering or improving it respectively.
ASPECTS TO
CONSIDER
IN THE
EVALUATION
Characteristics lowering the
grade
Characteristics of a good
thesis
Definition of
research scope
and goals
- Narrow or poorly defined
research scope
- Poorly defined goals
- Vague research questions
- Clearly defined goals
- Carefully planned thesis
Command of
the topic
- Poor command of the
research topic and its
theoretical framework
- Few or irrelevant references
- Good command of the
research topic and its
theoretical framework
- Student has found the
relevant reference materials
on the topic
Methods
and
conclusions
- Weak and vague reasons
given for the methodological
choices
- Shortcomings in the
application of methods
- Few or poorly justified
conclusions
- Poor referencing
- Source evaluation notably
lacking
- Research questions
answered using justified
methods
- Conclusions drawn
appropriately from the
material
- Cited works evaluated
critically
14
+
Characteristics improving
the grade
- Precisely defined and
justified research scope
- Demonstration of mature
thinking in the definition of
goals and research
questions
- Broad-based knowledge
of the background material
and the research topic
- References throw light
on the topic from a variety
of perspectives
- Methodological choices
thoroughly justified
- Excellent command of
methods
- Results evaluated
critically
- Results examined from a
variety of perspectives
- Theories applied very
skilfully
- Use of appropriate
references of high
scientific quality while
paying attention to source
evaluation
Contribution to
knowledge and
thesis
structure:
- Results not in line with the
goals
Presentation
and language
Other
- Results in line with the
goals
- An original contribution to
the existing body of
knowledge
- Thesis produces new
results
- Results of interest to
academia or industry or
otherwise relevant to
professionals in the field
- Student demonstrates
solid skills in working
independently
- Language needs revision
- The thesis structure is
unclear and the language
does not facilitate the
understanding of the content
(style, vocabulary, sentence
structures, spelling).
- The overall appearance
needs improvement.
- The language is
appropriate.
- The text is easily
understood and the
structure is sufficiently
clear.
- Overall appearance is
appropriate.
- Written in fluent, formal
style.
- The language facilitates
the understanding of the
contents, arguments are
consistent throughout the
thesis.
- Figures and tables are
illustrative.
- Impeccable and coherent
overall appearance
Time used to complete the
thesis disproportionate to the
difficulty of the topic
Thesis mostly progressed
according to the thesis
proposal
- Minor independent input
- Structural inconsistencies
The grade and the name of the thesis supervisor are noted in the degree certificate.
Under the degree regulations, a master’s thesis submitted for examination must
be evaluated within one month of each submission (Degree regulations of the Aalto
University School of Science, Section 12).
5. COPYRIGHTS
5.1 Publicity and copyright of the master’s thesis
The master’s thesis is a public document which shall be available at the library of
the degree programme and in the Aaltodoc publication archive of Aalto University.
Issues related to the copyright of the master’s thesis are resolved in accordance
with the general copyright legislation, and inventions made during the master’s
thesis process are solved in accordance with valid patent legislation.
LITERATURE (in Finnish)
Kauranen, Ilkka, Mustakallio, Mikko & Palmgren, Virpi (2007) Tutkimusraportin
kirjoittamisen opas opinnäytetyön tekijöille. 2nd revised edition. Helsinki University
of Technology, Espoo. ISBN:978-952-60-3663-2 (electronic)
Tirronen, Kerttu, Teknisen kirjoituksen laatiminen, 4th edition, Helsinki: Suomen
Teknillinen Seura STS r.y. - Teknisten Tieteiden Akatemia, 1987, 89 s. ISBN 9519110-36-4
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Tirronen, Kerttu (1987) Teknisen kirjoituksen laatiminen, 4th edition, Helsinki:
Suomen Teknillinen Seura STS ry. – Teknisten Tieteiden Akatemia. ISBN 9519110-36-4
Laakso, Timo, Miten kirjoitan diplomityön (book) (pdf)
https://into.aalto.fi/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1508974
Standardi SFS 5342 Kirjallisuusviitteiden laatiminen.
Website of the Degree Programme in Industrial Engineering and
Management:
https://into.aalto.fi/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1971323
21 November 2014
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