Course manual Master s Thesis Energy Science FOR STUDENTS THAT STARTED THEIR MASTER S PROGRAMME IN OR LATER

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1 Curse manual Master s Thesis Energy Science FOR STUDENTS THAT STARTED THEIR MASTER S PROGRAMME IN OR LATER Curse Cde: GEO Credits: 30 EC Crdinatr Dr. Wilfried van Sark, w.g.j.h.m.vansark@uu.nl, phne: Lecturers and tpics Fr an verview see: SM/Prgrammestructure/Pages/ENSMpredefinedtpics.aspx. Curse materials B. Malmfrs et al., Writing and Presenting Scientific Papers. Nttingham: UP, 2004 (2 nd editin). Entrance requirements - Only pen t students that started in and later - Letter f acceptance MSc Energy Science - At least 45 EC passed within the prgramme Energy Science including Advanced Energy Analysis (GEO4-2508) and at least 3 ut f the fllwing curses: Energy in the Cntext f Sustainability (GEO4-2514), Energy Cnversin Technlgies I (GEO4-2502), Energy Cnversin Technlgies II (GEO4-2503), Energy Systems Mdelling (GEO4-2515) Recmmended prerequisites: - Cnsultancy Prject (GEO4-2519) Curse psitin and descriptin The Master s thesis is the grand finale f the Master s prgramme. Students can apply the knwledge they have acquired in the curses f the prgramme in an individual research trajectry. The thesis is the ultimate test t see if students fulfill the learning utcmes f prgramme. Students will specialise in a subject that fits with the current research themes within Energy Science. Depending n their ambitin and interests, students fcus n ne f these research themes and develp their wn research prpsal with supprt frm their supervisr. After the research prpsal has been apprved the student executes the research and reprts the result in the frm f a written thesis and an ral presentatin. The supervisr acts an intellectual guide, assessr and main cntact with the university during the thesis perid. The research can (partly) take place in an rganisatin ther than the university, including thse in ther cuntries. The main requirement is that the research is carried ut in an academic envirnment f sufficiently high quality. Please cnsult the curse crdinatr abut the suitability f the rganisatin f yur chice. 1

2 Learning bjectives The verall aims f the Master s thesis is t train students t perfrm research independently and t specialise in a particular research tpic within the area f Energy Science. The learning bjectives f the thesis are directly linked t all intended learning utcmes f the prgramme. After the curse the student is able t: Independently acquire theretical and methdlgical knwledge that is used t gain an advanced understanding f the dmain f Energy Science. Independently plan and cnduct an academic research within the dmain f Energy Science in a creative way Independently apply knwledge, research methds, and prblem-slving abilities with the aim f making bth a scientific and prfessinal cntributin t the dmain f Energy Science Demnstrate t have insight int the cmplex interactins between science, technlgy and sciety and t be able t reflect critically upn the rles f science and technlgy in rganisatins and sciety T cmmunicate the cnclusins f the research as well as the knwledge, reasns and cnsideratins underlying these cnclusins, t an audience f specialists (mandatry) and nn-specialists (ptinal). cnduct a full research cycle within a restricted amunt f time. Structure f the curse The curse cnsists f several steps that yu have t g thrugh. These are described belw. Step 1: Selecting a tpic and a supervisr The first thing yu need t d is t select a tpic with a supervisr. Tpics and supervisrs are psted n the website f Energy Science. These fit with the cntents f the Energy Science prgramme. Supervisrs that have listed a tpic n the website are required t accept yu if wish t write yur thesis n their tpic, unless they are already supervising a sufficient number f students. The supervisr will infrm yu abut this. If the supervisr has n mre places available, the tpic will be remved frm the website as sn as pssible. If yu develp yur wn tpic, r want t wrk n a tpic brught up by an institute utside Utrecht University supervisrs can refuse supervisin. The reasn fr this is that we cannt guarantee sufficient quality f supervisin n tpics that lie utside the area f expertise f supervisrs. The day yu and yu supervisr agree n supervisin will be nted as the starting date f yur thesis prject. Bth f yu will g t the IEES secretary s ffice (Unnik 9.17A) and let them knw that yu will be starting yur thesis wrk. Based n this date, a deadline fr the research prpsal and an end date will be set. Yu als have t make decisins n mdes f instructin. If yu want t undertake an internship, ne f the places t find an internship is n the website Step 2: Writing a research prpsal: The next step is t write a research prpsal. The primary aim f the research prpsal is t guide yu thrugh the rest f the research. Hwever, by writing a gd research prpsal yu als cnvince thers that yu are able t cnduct high-quality research that is riginal, relevant and feasible, using apprpriate theries and methds. Finally, yu demnstrate that yu can write the research prpsal clearly and attractively. Fllw the instructins given by yur supervisr carefully and make extensive use f the feedback yu receive. Yu are expected t finalise yur prpsal after the first 4 weeks f yur research prject. The prpsal cnsists f a maximum f wrds, and the structure f the first chapters fllws clsely the utline f a scientific reprt. In each prpsal the fllwing pints need t be addressed: Fill in the research prpsal frm Add a title page with yur name, a title, yur cntact details and the name f yur supervisr 2

3 Intrductin Scietal backgrund r prblem Scientific backgrund and previus studies. What is the underlying scientific prblem and what are the mst imprtant cntributins in this area? Identificatin f the gap in literature: what hasn t been dne yet? This is nt necessarily exhaustive. A mre in-depth literature survey can be part f the research wrk. Based n this, the research aim/questin and ptinal sub-questins and research framewrk. Shrt elabratin n the research questins. If required, clarify yur questins and yu can briefly state hw yu apprach the prblem theretically and methdically. Scientific relevance, explain hw this study cntributes t filling the gap in literature and what yu add theretically r methdlgically t the field f Energy Science. If required, a brief utline f the prpsal Methdlgies Explain what methdlgies yu use Explain hw yu use the methdlgy, d yu build thery, r d yu test thery? Why is this methdlgy apprpriate? Give definitins f yur cncepts The type f data yu will cllect (survey, interviews, patent analysis, etc) The data surces yu use, if already knw Hw will this answer yur research questin? Planning and agreements First f all, include the starting date f yur thesis which yu agreed upn with yur supervisr. Start planning frm this date nwards (see next pint). Give a planning in time fr all activities f the research. A 30 EC thesis will take 21.5 weeks f full-time wrk. The number f full-time wrking weeks can be spread ver a lnger perid, e.g. if yu are taking a curse r have a jb alngside yur thesis, if yu are planning hlidays during the thesis wrk r ther reasns which means yu have t wrk part-time n the thesis. Yu have t make this very clear in yur timeplan. It is nt pssible t change the amunt f EC up r dwn. Take deadlines int accunt (see planning, deadlines and extensins) Include the cnsumptin f the available hurs fr supervisin (including reading hurs f yur supervisr(s)). I.e. 32 hurs fr a 30 EC thesis. The mst imprtant agreements yu made abut yur wrking relatinship and supervisin mdes. These are imprtant fr grading the prcess and in case the Bard f Examiners needs t intervene in the prcess. References Use a reference manager (Mendeley) t generate a cnsistent list f references. Refer t (peer-reviewed) articles and ther Use the reference guidelines described in Hw t write a scientific article. After yur supervisr has apprved the prpsal, yu can send it t the Bard f Examiners thrugh the secretariat f Energy Science (Unnik 9.17A). Yur supervisr will suggest a secnd reader t the Bard f Examiners. The Bard f Examiners will send the research prpsal t the secnd reader (see examinatin and requirements). Within fifteen wrking days after the submissin f yur prpsal, yu will be ntified whether r nt yur prpsal has been apprved, either by r by snail mail. Step 3 : Registering in OSIRIS When yu hand in yur research prpsal, yu als need t register yurself in OSIRIS fr the curse. Yur thesis prpsal will nt be apprved if yu have nt registered fr the curse. 3

4 Step 4: Cnducting the research and writing a thesis While yu are waiting fr the apprval f yur research prpsal, yu shuld cntinue with cnducting the research, as the 15 wrking days will cunt twards the deadline f yur thesis. Hwever, yu are nt allwed t g abrad r start an internship befre apprval f the research prpsal has been received. The exact cntent f this step depends n hw yu and yur supervisr have agreed n supervisin. It is therefre imprtant that yu have regular cntact with yur supervisr and that yu fllw up n agreements. Make yur wn reprt f each meeting. Frm yu supervisr yu may expect that he r she als fllws up n agreements. Hwever, the initiative fr cntact is always with the student. If unexpected delays r ther prblems cme up, discuss these with yur supervisr. If required yu can ask the Bard f Examiners fr an extensin giving apprpriate reasns fr the delay (such as issues with data cllectin, illness). The extensin can be 6 weeks maximum. Energy Science students are expected t write their thesis n-site at the department f Innvatin, Envirnmental and Energy Sciences, r at anther hst institute. During this step yu are als expected t write yur thesis. Always ecnmise yur wrds and get rid f sectins that are redundant. Basically, anything that des nt cntribute t answering the research questin is redundant. Further, almst all repetitins are redundant (there is fr example n need t repeat the research questin thrughut the paper). Be transparent in the structure f yur writing and yur arguments, use cnsistent terminlgy and be cnsistent in the rder that yu mentin things (fr example variables) thrughut the thesis. Finally, yu have t write t the pint and be very precise. Given that the intrductin, thery, and methds are already discussed abve the fllwing elements are required fr the remainder f the thesis: Add a summary t the thesis, limit this t 400 wrds. Preface in which yu can explain the cntext f yur wrk (this part is nt bligatry). The structure f the intrductin, methdlgy chapters f yur thesis is very similar t that f yur research prpsal. Often yu can adapt and extend these parts f yur prpsal t yur current wrk and include the cmments that were given by the secnd reader (if any). Mst wrk will prbably be a further specificatin f the methds sectin. Finally, d nt frget t change future tense t past tense r present tense! Results Discussin Present the actual results yu get. Start with general pints (verall mdel perfrmances, general descriptive results r verall impressins). Then becme mre specific (fr example link t hyptheses). Use tables r figures t present results if required and discuss the tables. In case f qualitative research, illustrative qutes can help explain the cntext and bring text alive. Link the results back t the methdlgy sectin. Give alternative explanatins in case f unexpected findings. What are the limitatins f the research? Yu can use the cncepts f reliability and validity t help yu here. Yu can als perfrm a sensitivity study, if relevant. Be critical, but cnvince the reader that yur research still has an added value. Theretical implicatins. Hw did yu extend current theretical insights and add t the literature? This shuld link back t yur cntributin in the intrductin. Yu can give avenues fr further research here. Managerial r plicy implicatins. What advice fllws frm yur research? Make sure that these recmmendatins fllw frm yur results and that they are in line 4

5 with yur research questin. Dn t be t speculative and try t avid nrmative terms like must r shuld. Cnclusins Give yur research questin and a very shrt summary f what yu have dne (the nly time repetitin is allwed). Give the answer t the research questin. D nt simply repeat yur results! Acknwledgements References See abve Yu can include a shrt wrd f thanks t thse wh made this research pssible. Please remember that this is part f a prfessinal publicatin. It is nt apprpriate t thank all yur friends fr the great student life yu had during the past five years, r t persnally thank peple fr the cffee they drank with yu. Step 5: Cmpletin and presentatin When yu reach the pint f finishing yur research and reprt, yu can plan the final presentatin. Fr this yu need the (verbal) permissin f yur supervisr. Yur supervisr can nly give his/her cnsent t carry ut yur presentatin when he/she has agreed with the draft reprt written. After yu receive permissin, yu can register fr a presentatin at the secretariat (Unnik 9.17A). Upn registratin, it will be checked whether yu have attended a sufficient number f presentatins (see examinatin and requirements). The presentatin shuld be given at the earliest pprtunity after the deadline set at the start f the thesis prject (see letter Bard f Examiners). Yu may als present yur thesis befre the deadline, but always nly with yur supervisr s permissin and after yu have attended at least 10 presentatins yurself. Hand in yur final reprt 10 wrking days befre yur final presentatin at the latest, ne cpy t yur supervisr, plus ne hard cpy fr yur 2 nd reader. This is t give yur 2 nd reader enugh time t assess yur reprt (see examinatin and requirements). If preferred by yur supervisr and/r 2 nd reader, yu may als hand in a pdf versin instead f a hard cpy. Please be aware f the pssibility that yur 2 nd reader might still reject yur reprt: yur supervisr s permissin fr delivering yur final presentatin des nt imply that yu have passed this cmpnent! The assessment frm f the reprt can be fund n the Energy Science website. Read it carefully and use it t pre-assess yur wn wrk! The presentatin takes a maximum f 20 minutes. Yu are als expected t take questins during 20 minutes afterwards. The presentatin shuld rughly fllw the structure f the research reprt: shrt utline f the prblem prblem definitin and research questin analytical and theretical framewrk research methd main results cnclusins and discussin Avid t treat everything yu did in the research prject, but rather fcus n the highlights. Yur supervisr is expected t be present at the presentatin (see examinatin and requirements) and can ask questins (apart frm the audience). Be prepared fr questins frm audience members wh are less familiar with yur wrk. After yur final reprt has been apprved by bth yur supervisr(s) and the 2 nd reader, submit a digital cpy (pdf) f yur definitive final reprt t the secretariat (Unnik 9.17A), sign the Statement f Originality 5

6 and cmplete and hand in the evaluatin frm Master s thesis. Finally, d nt frget t uplad yur thesis (pdf) t the theses database Igitur: This is an bligatry part f yur examinatin. Planning, deadlines and extensins The Master s thesis is 30 EC, which crrespnds t 860 hurs r 21.5 weeks. During yur thesis perid there are fur fixed deadlines that yu have t meet (assuming full-time wrk; yu need t adjust this if yu are wrking part-time): After 4 weeks: submit the research prpsal Between 4 and 21.5 weeks, regular discussins f individual draft chapters, every 3-4 weeks After 21.5 weeks: submit the written thesis After 21.5 weeks + 10 wrking days: at the first pprtunity present yur thesis. (Or earlier with yur supervisr s permissin.) Submissin means that the secretariat (Unnik 9.17A) has received a cpy f the prduct. If yu have gd reasns fr an extensin f the deadline, yu need t file a request with the Bard f Examiners (examencmmissie.ge@uu.nl). Yur supervisr needs t apprve the extensin and t send his/her apprval t the Bard f Examiners. Gd reasns can be that yu were cnfrnted with circumstances beynd yur cntrl. Asking fr an extensin is always the respnsibility f the student. The maximum length f an extensin is 6 weeks. The amunt f EC cannt be changed. If n final thesis has been handed in by the deadline (+ extensin if applicable), the student has t hand in the thesis as it stands at that mment (i.e. n the day f the deadline) and it will be graded fr prduct (i.e. thesis itself) and prcess. If the student has already delivered the presentatin, this will als be graded. If the student has nt yet delivered the presentatin, this will be left ut f the grading equatin. If the thesis is handed in after the deadline, yur supervisr can decide that yu have nt fulfilled the effrt requirements and therefre grade yur thesis with NVD (Niet Vldaan; nt fulfilled). In effect, that means yu have t start a new prject with a new supervisr. Examinatin and requirements During the thesis prcess there are a number f deliverables that yu have t submit in rder t pass the curse. All deliverables are judged by yur supervisr and an independent secnd reader. The secnd reader is a staff member f Utrecht University and has a PhD. Grades are given within 10 wrking days. If the supervisr and secnd reader cannt cme t an agreement n an assessment, the Bard f Examiners will decide. Decisins made by the Bard f Examiners usually take up t 15 wrking days. The first prduct is the research prpsal, which can be graded as apprved, apprved if cnditins are fulfilled r rejected. While waiting fr the Bard s assessment f yur prpsal, please cntinue wrking n the thesis. It is nt allwed t g abrad r start an internship befre the prpsal has been apprved. If the prpsal is apprved, the student can cntinue with the research, but the Bard might give yu sme additinal advice. If the prpsal is judged apprved if cnditins are fulfilled, then there is a list f cncerns that needs t be addressed. Students have fur weeks t address these issues and t hand in an adjusted prpsal. Yur deadline fr the final thesis will nt be adjusted if yu have t rewrite the prpsal. If a prpsal is rejected, the student will have t start the curse ver with a different supervisr and a different tpic. If the student fails t submit a prpsal befre the deadline r if after tw mnths n prpsal has been apprved, the prpsal will autmatically be rejected, unless there are gd reasns fr the delay (t be judged by the Bard f Examiners). 6

7 The secnd is the written thesis, which makes up 70% f the curse grade. The thesis needs t be handed in befre the deadline set by the Bard f Examiners. If there is a delay beynd the final end-date, the Bard f Examiners can decide t give an extensin when there are gd reasns. It is always the student s respnsibility t request an extensin well in advance f the deadline. If n extensins are pssible the student needs t hand in his thesis n the day f the deadline fr grading. Yur thesis will be checked fr plagiarism, using advanced anti-plagiarism sftware. Thirdly, the student will give an ral presentatin abut the research at the earliest pprtunity. The grade is given by tw staff members wh are present during the presentatin ne f which shuld be the thesis supervisr. If the supervisr is unable t attend the presentatin, he/she is respnsible fr finding a suitable replacement. The presentatin cunts as 10% f the final grade. Finally, the student receives a grade fr the prcess, which is 20% f the final grade. This grade is given by yur supervisr wh may decide t include pinins f ther supervisrs wh were invlved in yur prject, such as internship supervisrs. Hwever, this is at the discretin f yur supervisr. Bth the supervisr and 2 nd reader sign the assessment frm, which means bth take respnsibility fr all the grades given and cmments supplied. Nte that the Bard f Examiners will nly cnsider requests frm students that are registered fr the curse in OSIRIS. This means that yu cannt receive any extensin, grade r a judgment n yur research prpsal, if yu are nt registered. Students need t fllw-up n agreements made with the supervisr r ther external parties. Further, the student is expected t perate in a prfessinal manner twards the supervisr and external parties. If the student fails t fllw-up n agreements, behaves unprfessinally t ften r if the wrking relatinship becmes unwrkable, the supervisr can ask the Bard f Examiners t end the prject. Ending the prject means that the student will have t start the curse ver with a different supervisr and a different tpic. If the student feels that the supervisr des nt fllw-up n agreements r behaves unprfessinally t ften and that this cannt be imprved, the student may ask the Bard f Examiners t cntinue the prject with a different supervisr. If this request is hnured a new supervisr is appinted by the Bard f Examiners. The student can use the data that was already cllected fr the thesis t finish the prject. If the supervisr is unable t cntinue supervisin fr reasns that are nt related t the student and his/her behaviur (fr example, medical reasns), the student can cntinue the prject, but the Bard f Examiners appints a new supervisr. The student can use the data that was already cllected fr the thesis t finish the prject. During yur Master s studies, yu have t attend ten presentatins f yur fellw students preferably befre yu start wrking n yur wn thesis. D nt frget t sign the attendance list n these ccassins. A student cannt register fr his/her wn thesis presentatin unless he r she has attended at least ten presentatins f ther students. T pass the curse the weighted average f the grades fr the thesis, prcess and presentatin has t be sufficient (>5,50). If the weighted average is unsatisfactry, but within reparatin limits 7

8 (4,00<=grade<=5,49), the student may re-write the thesis and/r (re)d the presentatin within 4 weeks. After satisfactry reparatin, the grade fr the curse is a 6,00. If the weighted average is belw 4,00 r the reparatin is nt satisfactry, the Bard f Examiners ends the prject. In that case, the student will have t start the curse ver with a different supervisr and a different tpic. If a student drps ut during the curse, the prgramme leader and the Study Advisr will be ntified by the thesis supervisr. T make sure that students in this situatin are well taken care f, the Study Advisr will invite the student fr a meeting. T graduate, dn t frget t hand in all necessary infrmatin fr yur graduatin in time. Yu will be ntified by the student infrmatin desk (Studiepunt) when yu have nearly cmpleted yur prgramme. On their website yu can find imprtant infrmatin n the dates and deadlines yu ll have t respect. Curse feedback grup Nt applicable Curse evaluatin After cmpleting the curse, please fill ut the Master s thesis evaluatin frm which the department s secretariat (Unnik 9.17A) will prvide yu with. 8