Mette Gøtterup-Tang, Study Coach
Vibeke Ankersborg, Master’s Thesis Counsellor
Joshua Kragh Bruhn, Librarian
Today’s agenda
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Welcome and purpose with today’s seminar
Rules and links
Literature search
Topic choice incl. exercise
Break
How to choose a case organisation
Working with a partner
Choosing and using the supervisor
CBS resources for thesis students
Questions and summing up
E-campus.dk Study and learning  Master´s thesis  Master´s thesis seminars
Master´s thesis Seminars and workshops, spring/summer 2014
Rules and links
Rules and links
uk.sar.cbs.dk
- Programme Regulations (Find your study programme under graduate programmes on uk.sar.cbs.dk)
-
-
Exam language
Hours of supervision
Confidentiality agreements (sar.cbs.dk > bachelor & graduate programmes > exam and marking)
-
Rules for entering into agreements on confidentiality and rights in connection with cooperation between students,
businesses and Copenhagen Business School on theses
Checklist for cooperative agreements between students and businesses
Agreement on Confidentiality
Declaration of confidentiality
kursuskatalog.cbs.dk (Choose the english version)
- Learning objestives and content
(Search for ’thesis’ og ’kandidatafhandling’ on your study on kursuskatalog.cbs.dk )
Rules and links
e-campus.dk
- Other study specific info about master’s thesis
(e-campus.dk > study> study home pages > master > choos your own study programme and find master’s thesis
in the menu)
Formalities, page layout, standard page definition, summary, etc.
Learning objestives and content
Supervision - format and hours
-
Recording meetings (e-campus.dk > study > rules and guides)
-
Regulations on the recording of lectures
Appendix to regulations on the recording of lectures ect.
-
Master’s thesis contract (e-campus.dk > study > forms)
-
Master’s thesis contract
Renewed master's thesis contract
Guideline for master’s thesis
Electronic Handing In of the Master's Thesis
Library: Literature search
Topic choice
Topic Choice
3 definitions
Topic: A topic is a sub-area, a research field or similar within your
subject, which you can describe at an overall level in a few words.
Topic delimitation: The content of the contract. [The topic] with the
purpose for, in the light of…., for the perspective of…, seen from
theory X and Y, ect.
Research question: The specific formulation of the sub-field to be
investigated.
Topic Choice
Students attitude towards topic choice
• Group 1 consists of students who have decided on the topic long
before the thesis semester.
• Group 2 consists of students who actually have chosen the topic,
but don’t see it this way, because we rarely define ’topic’ and use
it synonymously with research question.
• Group 3 consists of students who find it hard to choose among a
few possible topics.
• Group 4 consists of students who cannot think of any ideas for
possible topics at all.
Topic Choice
Criteria for choosing the topic
• Rules and traditions
• The academic profile
• Interests
• The most interesting topic is the right one
• Ownership
• Be inspired, but keep control
• Complexity
• Does not mean at large topic
Topic Choice
Criteria for choosing the topic
• Originality
• Something we haven’t seen before, but not Ph.d. research
• Something new
• Also for yourself
• f
• Avoid fashion and outside pressure
Topic Choice
Classic pitfalls:
•
•
•
•
•
Not to regard choice of topic as a piece of work
To just think about the topics
To read to much about each topic
To let oneself be ruled – and not just guided – by others
To put to much emphasis on what (the topic) and to little
emphasis on how (the reseach approach)
Topic Choice
From writing the thesis, you will learn:
• The specific topic – becomes quickly outdated
• The topic field – can be generalized
• A fully-fledged academic
– to be used in the rest of your working life
The strategic right choice does not exist!
Topic Choice
If you can’t think of a topic:
1. Think about the past 4½ years of studying – including bachelor and electives. Think about a
course, a book, a project. Which parts was fun, interesting, exiting?
2. Write down in a few words, what it was.
3. Why was it fun, interesting, exiting?
4. Think a bit creative: Are there any connection to your present programme?
When you get home: Read newspapers, read articles for what the research didn’t show, work with
the tools from the workshop on topic choice.
If you are thinking about a few possible topics:
Write pro and con lists for each topic. It can be practical issues, learning objectives, career
objectives.
When you get home: Work on the lists from time to time in the coming days. Include also the rest of
the tools from the workshop on topic choice Then make your decision.
If you have chosen your topic:
Think about your topic with respect to each criterion for the good topic. Have you chosen the right
topic?
When you get home: If yes, work with the research question model presented on Friday’s seminar.
If no, how should you adjust your topic?
Break
To use or not to use a case-organisation
Case organisation
To choose or not to choose a case organisation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not all empirical studies are case studies
Discuss the use of cases with your supervisor early in the process
It can be difficult to find a case
Other people have a say in your project
Someone besides you benefit from your results
It helps you to keep the deadlines
It gives you a larger network
It gives you knowledge about a specific line of business or type of
organisation
Case organisation
How to find a case organisation
Good advice from Finn Kjærulff, Career Center:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Start look for a case early on
Make up your own project
Write a precise outline and a timetable
Use your own network
Ask your supervisor for possible cases
Research possible organisations
Case organisation
How to find a case organisation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Look for the small and unknown
Read the business pages in the newspapers – also the local ones
Look at the local government websites
Read job ads
Select more than one organization
Find the right person in the organization, don’t start at the HR
department
Case organisation
How to find a case organisation
• You got 30 seconds to sell yourself - show interest for the
company, their products & services, the specific department
• Be polite and to the point
• Avoid attachment in the first e-mail, but do remember a project
description
• Take a no for an answer
Case organisation
To work with a case organisation
- get it right
• Unambiguous agreements – get them in writing
• Be a professional – be your polite self
• Balance your mutual expectations
o checklist – link on e-campus
o Avoid acting like a consultant
• Have an ongoing dialogue – nothing remains the same
Case organisation
To work with a case organisation
- get it right
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pay attention to the mood in the organization
Take good care of your respondents
Keep a critical eye and an analytical distance
Write 2 reports – one for CBS and one for the company
Use the CBS standard contract only
Analyse possible risks
Case organisation
To work with a case organisation – possible risks
•
•
•
•
•
Unclear agreements and communication
A bad mood in the organization: Layoffs/changes/merger
Your contact person lacks time or interest
Contact on a irregular basis
The company wishes to decide/pulls you into a to practical
direction
• A to sensitive topic
Case organisation
To work with your own place of work
Be aware of:
• How can your research affect your employment?
• Are your boss okay with you sticking your nose into other people's
business?
• Your colleagues see you as a colleague, not as a researcher from
outside
• Are there sensitive topics you shouldn’t know about as an employee?
• Beware of ’going native’
Advantages of using your own company:
• Easy access to people/documents/data
• Better knowledge of the situation of the company
• Better possibilities of using the companys facilities
Working with a partner
Working with a partner
Working alone og with a partner
- Pro’s and con’s by writing alone or with a partner
- Why make an agreement?
- What to think about and agree upon?
Working with a partner
Pro’s and Con’s
by writing alone or with a thesis partner
ALONE
Can decide yourself
Individuel reflection
Work whenever you like
Feeling alone
WITH A PARTNER
Need to agree
Discussion & sparring
Have to co-ordinate work
Have a partner
Etc. etc.
Etc. etc.
-
What suit you the best?
How do you compensate for possible disadvantages?
Working with a partner
Why make an agreement with yourself / your thesis partner?
To ensure individual/joint reflection regarding expectations and direction for
the Master Thesis
Have a possibility to think through different scenarios, before things become
critical AND find a solution on ”what to do” in these situations
Make critical situations easier by finding the solutions before potential crises,
and knowing what to do
Do not take long time, but give you conscious clarification (on paper)
Working with a partner
What to think about and agree upon?
Time frame
• Deadline?
• How many hours pr. week?
•Week days / Weekend?
• Whar is realistic?
• Do you need to make a plan?
( 7 month > every month > every week?)
Agreement with supervisor
• What is most important for me/us in our
working relationship with supervisor?
• Look in the Maaster’s thesis contract for
inspiration
Talk about frustrations
• Who to talk to if I/we are frustrated?
• Why is it OK to be frustrated?
• Should I/we have eg. A monthly meeting
to reflect on own practice, drive, frustations
And co-operation?
Ambitions
• In regard to empirical methods
• In regards to theory
• In regards to grade level
Working methods
• How do I normaly work?
•What is the best for me?
(How would we likwe to work together?)
• Try something new – I you are doing
somethis that does not work!
Professional sparring
Do you think there is a need to talk to other
people than you/us and the supervisor?
• If I we have a need for academic
sparring, who do I/we contact then?
(agreement on) Choice of topic
• Theoretical area
•Specific topic
• Topic in relation to theory
• What is important to me/us in redard to
the topic?
Lacking disciplin/Motivation
• What do I do if I/we do not meet what
I/we agreed on?
• If I/we feel lack of disciplin or motivation,
where do I/we get help? Who to taltkto?
Loyalty to own decisions /
Loyalty is interrelaet
• Are you loyal to your own decisions (and
in relation to your partner)?
• Monthly, weekly… evaluations meeting
give you a posibility to reflect and if
necessary react in relation to your work (or
your work with a partner
• Do you meet the dealines?
Joint ownership
• How do you share the tasks between
you, and ensure jouin ownership on all
sections/chapters in the thesis?
• How do you in the proces ensure joint
ownership?
Academic compromises
• How would we like to compromise in the
proces?
• What do we do, if we do not agree?
Use a mediator if you reach a deadlock
• If you end up reaching a deadlock, who
do you thik could be a mediator?
Using and choosing a supervisor
Supervisor
How to find a supervisor
• In some of the programmes the programme secretariat has a list
of supervisors who are attached to the study programme and
approved in advance.
• In general: The choice of supervisor is unrestricted within CBS –
but check your programme rules and regulations
• Look for supervisors on
http://www.cbs.dk/en/research/departments-and-centres
• The supervisor must be employed at CBS
• You should contact the coordinator if you have difficulties finding
a supervisor yourself.
Supervisor
The first contact to supervisor
What do you want to write about, why is it interesting and how do you
propose to research it?
- Write at a tentative level
- ApplyTemplate for an outline for Master's Thesis
In general: The more you tell your supervisor, the less the supervisor
needs to read your mind
Don’t shop supervisors!
Supervisor
Using your supervisor
The latest research: (Hanne Leth Andersen (2007) + Nexø Jensen (2010)).
To coach
To control
To insist
To criticize
To be kind
To recognize good work
To motivate
To be determined
To be authoritarian
Supervisor
Using your supervisor
The role of the supervisor
could be:
A discussion partner
An inspirator
A critique
An expert on your topic
A consultant on the process
An aid at deadlocks
The role of the supervisor could
not be:
To control
A librarian
An employer
To be responsible for the thesis
A de facto assessor before submission
Supervisor
Using your supervisor
The supervision could for example be used for discussions on:
• Theory
• Methodology
• Your analysis
• Your ongoing work
• Small parts of the manuscript
• The process
GOOD GUIDANCE WILL CONFUSE YOU!
Supervisor
First meeting with your supervisor
Talk about the project, but
talk also about the supervision itself:
• Your weak sides and superviser’s strong sides
• The supervisor is not expected to know everything relevant to
your thesis
• Your independent work vs. good advice from the supervisor
• Agenda, drafts, questions before each meeting according to the
supervision plan.
Supervisor
Using your supervisor
GUIDANCE PLAN – your road to gain more from supervision
Master’s thesis contract incl. the guidance plan
Remember to read the Guidelines!
CBS’ resources for thesis students
CBS’ resources for thesis students
www.e-campus.dk > study and learning > masters’s thesis
-
Master's thesis seminars
All master’s thesis students can join the sminars (CBS Student Guidance Service)
-
Articles, papers and tools
You can find e.g. a template for project description, a model for developing the research question, link to Survival
Kit for Master's Thesis Students and more that can help you get through the proces of working on a thesis
-
Workstations for master's thesis students
Read how you can book your own work station on Kilen, Porcelænshaven or Dalgas Have
-
Thesis topics from CBS faculty and companies
You can find suggestions for you choice of topic. The people behind the suggestions can usually help you get
access to data
-
Important links to rules
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Study homepages
Programme regulations
Master's thesis contract and supervision plan
Guide to master's thesis contract and renewed master's thesis contract
Confidentiality contract (for case organisations)
Checklist for coorperation with case organisations
The library's ressources for thesis students
Submitting the thesis on cd-rom
CBS’ resources for thesis students
www.e-campus.dk > study and learing >
Counselling sessions for master students
-
Master's Thesis Counselor (giudes on topic choice, methodology, philosophy of science, academic
writing and other issues relating to the thesis process).
-
Master’s thesis coaching (The work process, e.g. time management, project management, work/lifebalance, partner problems, using the supervisor, lack of motivation etc.)
-
Other Counselling sessions for master students
-
-
Existential questions
Back from abroad
Under presure
Personal Problems
…and others…
Guidance counselling (Rules, exemptions etc.)
CBS’ resources for thesis students
Other resources
-
Your study thesis seminar
(Fin more info on your own study homepage om e-campus or Learn )
-
Student Hub
(Questions regarding rules, contract, list of supervisors etc.)
-
Workstations for master's thesis students
-
Library
(You can book a work station (an receive the
code for the doors) at the Student Hub at Solbjerg Plads. Info about rules, locker permission etc. you find on
e-campus > study and learning > Master’s thesis)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(e-campus.dk > Library > When writing your thesis)
Find thesis on StudentTheses.CBS.dk
Keep track of your literature with RefWorks
Borrow books from other libraries
Book a Librarian to help you
Make correct citations and avoid plagiarism www.en.stopplagiat.nu
Monitor articles and stay updated
Survey tool SurveyXact
E-campus.dk Study and learning  Master´s thesis  Master´s thesis seminars
Master´s thesis Seminars and workshops, spring/summer 2014
Questions?