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University
of Windsor, Faculty of Education
Graduate
Studies
A Recommended Protocol For Students
Pursuing The Thesis Route
| Step |
Action |
Check |
| 1 |
A student who wishes to pursue a thesis approaches a faculty member who
would be willing to supervise the student. This contact may be simple oral
communication/discussion about the thesis idea, or a written document with a
fuller rationale. If the faculty member agrees to supervise the student,
then proceed to step 2. |
Initial Contact |
| 2 |
The faculty supervisor, in consultation with the student, determines an
appropriate second committee member (normally from within the Faculty of
Education). If the selected second committee member is supportive of the
thesis topic/agenda then proceed to step 3. |
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| 3 |
Student prepares a petition
(five to seven pages) to go to the graduate committee for approval to pursue
the thesis option. Address the petition to Dr. L. L. Morton. The guidelines
are available from the Graduate Studies secretary (Gayle Tait, Ext 3803,
tattybo@uwindsor.ca ) or on-line. After Graduate Committee approval is granted then
go to step 4. |
Petition |
| 4 |
Faculty supervisor and student discuss a possible appropriate external
examiner from outside the Faculty of Education. The initial contact with the
external committee member may be made by the student or the faculty
supervisor (though usually it would be the supervisor) to see if that person
would be interested and available. |
Initial Contact with External Examiner |
| 5 |
The student begins to develop the proposal under the close direction of
the faculty supervisor only. When the proposal appears to be reasonably
coherent (typically after several meetings with the supervisor, and after
several drafts) the internal committee member is invited to
critique the draft and offer input regarding the literature review, the
writing quality, the research design, the analyses planned, and so on.. |
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| 6 |
When both internal committee members are relatively
satisfied with the proposal document a proposal meeting is scheduled where
the student presents his/her proposal to the entire committee (which now
includes the external examiner). The intent is to insure that all committee
members are in agreement on the research design, sample selection, measures
planned, literature reviewed, theories or models addressed, and planned
analyses. Suggestions may be made for substantive changes at this point as
well. |
Initial Proposal Meeting |
| 7 |
The student incorporates the feedback from the initial proposal meeting
and then implements the study, collects the
data, and conducts the analyses. The analyses should be conducted in
colloboration with the internal committee members. |
Conducting the Study |
| 8 |
The student then writes the thesis document (excluding the Discussion
section) in consultation with the supervisor. (This typically requires
several drafts under the direction of the supervisor). When the supervisor
is reasonably satisfied with the student's product the internal
committee member is invited to review the document. |
Write-Up of the Study Results |
| 9 |
Consultation between the two internal committee members is recommended
to consider the quality of the thesis to date. The objective is to ensure
that both internal committee members are supportive of the quality of the
thesis in its current state before it goes to the external examiner. |
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| 10 |
If there are reservations about the thesis in terms of emerging research
design problems, change in direction, data collection problems, analysis
problems or analysis changes, a Progress Report Meeting may be scheduled
where the student presents his/her progress to date (excluding the
Discussion Section of the draft) to the entire committee (including the
external examiner). Here the committee may offer suggestions for
redirection. |
Progress Report Meeting (if required) |
| 11 |
If there are no significant reservations at Step 10 the Supervisor may
plan to schedule the defence in consultation with the committee members and
the student. The announcement of the defence must be posted one week prior
to the actual defence date. (See Gayle Tait to arrange for the posting
and the room). |
Defence Scheduled |
| 12 |
All committee members must have the completed thesis draft at least one
week prior to the defence. One copy is also to be deposited in the main
office one week prior to the defence. |
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| 13 |
The student's supervisor would be advised to provide the student with
some direction as to what transpires during a defence, and how to best
structure their 15-20 minute presentation. |
Defence Format |
| 14 |
There are four possible outcomes at the thesis defence meeting: (1)
Accept As Is, (2) Accept with Minor/Moderate Revisions, (3) Accept With
Major Revisions, (4) Reject. (The examining committee may determine a plan
for redoing/resubmitting a rejected thesis). |
Defence Outcomes |
| 15 |
When revisions are required (which is normally the case) the committee
decides on whether (1) the entire committee will reconvene to examine the
revisions with the student, (2) the entire committee will reconvene to
examine the revisions without the student, (3) each committee member will
receive a copy of the revisions for consideration and response, or (4) the
supervisor will monitor the revisions. |
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| 16 |
The "Approval Page" is signed by all committee members and is retained
by the supervisor until all conditions have been met. |
Approval Page |
| 17 |
When the supervisor signs-off on the written document, it is then
submitted by the student to Graduate Studies (to Alison Samson, Ext 2112)
for a final review. |
Graduate Studies Review |
| 18 |
When approved by Graduate Studies the document is picked up by the
student and copies are made by the student for binding. The copies are then
returned to Graduate Studies for binding. Cost information for binding is
available from Alison Samson (Ext 2112) |
Binding |
| 19 |
Deadlines for defences, and submission of bound documents are available
each semester from the Graduate Studies secretary, Gayle Tait (Ext
3803, tattybo@uwindsor.ca ). |
Deadlines |
| 20 |
Additional Information is in the
MEd
Handbook and from the
Department of Graduate Studies. |
More Information |
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University
of Windsor, Faculty of Education
Graduate
Studies
Protocol For
Students Pursuing The PhD Dissertation
| Step |
Action |
Check |
| 1 |
The student approaches a faculty member who
would be willing to supervise the student. This may occur in the application
process or in the first year of the program. It is a normal Windsor policy
to have the dissertation committee formed early in the student's program,
often as early as the first semester. The contact with a potential
supervisor may be simple oral
communication/discussion about the topic, or a written document with a
fuller rationale. If the faculty member agrees to supervise the student,
then proceed to step 2. |
Initial Contact |
| 2 |
The faculty supervisor, in consultation with the student,
suggests: (1) an
appropriate second committee member (from within the Faculty of
Education), (2) an appropriate third committee member (from one of the other
three participating universities, (3) and an appropriate fourth committee
member (from another department within the home university, University of
Windsor). If the committee members are supportive of the
thesis topic/agenda then proceed to step 3. |
Note. At this time only the University of Windsor requires
this fourth committee member from the home university. |
| 3 |
Student prepares a dissertation proposal which is a
component of their portfolio (See the
PhD
Handbook). The proposal is prepared under the close supervision of the
supervisor. The proposal is to be defended separately from the portfolio and
subsequent to the
portfolio defence. If the portfolio is complete and the proposal is
ready for presentation go to step 4. |
Proposal |
| 4 |
Faculty supervisor in consultation with the Program
Director discuss a possible appropriate external
examiner from one of the three other participating universities. The initial contact with the
external proposal examiner is made by the Program Director to see if that person
would be interested and available. |
Initial Contact with External Examiner (for Proposal only) |
| 5 |
The supervisor may schedule a pre-proposal meeting which
would not include an external examiner, but would include the external
committee members. |
Pre-Proposal Meeting |
| 6 |
When internal and
external committee members are satisfied with the defence of the proposal document
the student is given approval to pursue the data collection. (The intent is
(1) to ensure that the student is undertaking a project the meets the
requirements of a dissertation and (2) to insure that all committee members
are in agreement on the research design, sample selection, measures planned,
literature reviewed, theories or models addressed, and planned analyses.
(Suggestions may be made for substantive changes at this point.) |
Initial Proposal Meeting (Defence) |
| 7 |
When the proposal has been successfully defended the student
may proceed to gain Ethics Committee Approval for the proposed study. A link
to guidelines and forms may be found on the
Graduate Main Page. |
Ethics Approval |
| 7 |
The student incorporates the feedback from the initial proposal meeting
and then implements the study, collects the
data, and conducts the analyses. The analyses should be conducted in
collaboration with the internal committee members. |
Conducting the Study |
| 8 |
The student then drafts the dissertation document (excluding the Discussion
section) in consultation with the supervisor. (This typically requires
several drafts under the direction of the supervisor). When the supervisor
is reasonably satisfied with the student's product the internal
committee members may be asked to review the document. |
Write-Up of the Study Results |
| 9 |
Consultation between the internal committee members is
recommended to consider the quality of the draft to date. The objective is to ensure
that internal committee members are supportive of the quality of the
dissertation in its current state before it goes to the final defence. |
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| 10 |
To ensure there are no reservations about the dissertation
draft in terms of emerging research
design problems, change in direction, data collection problems, data
analysis problems or analysis changes, a Progress Report Meeting is scheduled.
The student presents his/her progress to date with a particular focus on the
Results section (the
Discussion section of the draft is not included) to the entire committee (excluding
the external examiner involved in the portfolio defence). Here the committee may offer suggestions for
redirection. |
Progress Report Meeting |
| 11 |
The student then writes the final draft, including the
discussion section. The supervisor monitors the process. The student may
interact with the other committee members for advice and direction. |
Final Draft |
| 12 |
If there are no significant reservations at Step 11 the Supervisor
informs the Joint-Program Director and the Dean of Graduate Studies. A list
of possible external examiners is submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies
and a defence date is scheduled. |
Defence Scheduled |
| 13 |
All committee members, and the external examiner selected by
the Dean of Graduate Studies, must have the completed draft at least one
month prior to the defence. One copy is also to be deposited in the main
office one week prior to the defence. |
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| 14 |
The student's supervisor will provide the student with
some direction as to what transpires during a defence, and how to best
structure their 15-20 minute presentation. |
Defence Format |
| 15 |
When revisions are required (which is normally the case) the committee
decides on whether (1) the entire committee will reconvene to examine the
revisions with the student, (2) the entire committee will reconvene to
examine the revisions without the student, (3) each committee member will
receive a copy of the revisions for consideration and response, or (4) the
supervisor will monitor the revisions. |
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| 16 |
The "Approval Page" is signed by all committee members and is retained
by the supervisor until all conditions have been met. |
Approval Page |
| 17 |
When the supervisor signs-off on the written document, it is then
submitted by the student to Graduate Studies (to Alison Samson, Ext 2112)
for a final review. |
Graduate Studies Review |
| 18 |
When approved by Graduate Studies the document is picked up by the
student and copies are made by the student for binding. The copies are then
returned to Graduate Studies for binding. Cost information for binding is
available from Alison Samson (Ext 2112) |
Binding |
| 19 |
Deadlines for defences, and submission of bound documents are available
each semester from the Graduate Studies secretary, Gayle Tait (Ext
3803, tattybo@uwindsor.ca ). |
Deadlines |
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20 |
Additional information is available in the
Joint-PhD Handbook and from the
Department of Graduate Studies. |
More Information |
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