Cmprehensive Exam Guidelines Department f Chemical and Bimlecular Engineering, Ohi University Purpse In the Cmprehensive Exam, the student prepares an ral and a written research prpsal. The Cmprehensive Exam tests and develps the Ph.D. student s ability t plan an independent research prject. The ability t familiarize neself with a new area f inquiry, identify a key knwledge gap, frmulate a research bjective, and plan research t meet the bjective is essential t Ph.D.-level wrk and beynd. An M.S. degree may be earned fr successful independent executin f a research prject in which the research bjective and plan were largely defined by the advisr. The Ph.D. student must g beynd independent executin, t independently define research bjectives and strategies. This dcument describing the Cmprehensive Exam supplements (and des NOT replace) the guidelines in sectin II.E.7 f the Requirements and Prcedures fr Graduate Degrees in Chemical Engineering at Ohi University, revised September 2007. Prcedure Early in the quarter in which the exam is required, the student will request a tpic fr the cmprehensive exam frm the department graduate chair. The graduate chair will assign a member f the graduate cmmittee t be the Exam Supervisr. The Exam Supervisr will meet with the student s research advisr t define a tpic fr the cmprehensive exam. The assigned tpic shuld be in an area related t the student s research, but nt directly related t the student s dissertatin tpic. (See belw.) When the graduate cmmittee has apprved the tpic, it will be presented t the student. The student will have tw weeks t becme familiar with the tpic, identify a specific research bjective, and prepare an ral research prpsal related t the assigned tpic. The graduate chair will schedule the ral presentatin, reserving a cnference rm, a laptp cmputer and a prjectr fr at least 1 hur n that day. The student and the majrity f the graduate cmmittee must be present. The student shuld check all equipment and be prepared t begin n time. The student shuld prepare a 20-25 minute presentatin f the research prpsal. (As a rule f thumb, that means 20-25 slides.) With questins and discussin, the cmplete presentatin shuld take 40 50 minutes. The department graduate cmmittee will evaluate the ral research prpsal and cnvey its decisin and cmments t the student by the end f the next wrkday. If the ral presentatin is satisfactry, a mre detailed written research prpsal will be due tw weeks later. The department graduate cmmittee will evaluate the written research prpsal, endeavring t cnvey its decisin t the student within ne week. If bth ral and written prpsals are satisfactry, the student will have passed. If either the ral r the written prpsal is unsatisfactry, the student will have failed. Each student has tw chances t pass the exam. The secnd attempt will cnsist f a new tpic, and will begin with tw weeks t prepare an ral prpsal.
Tpic Selectin The tpic selected shuld be in bradly the same field as the student s research, but nt directly related t the dissertatin tpic r a simple derivatin theref. The student is expected t knw and apply terminlgy and fundamental principles cmmn t the cre chemical engineering curriculum, and t stretch beynd his/her dissertatin research. The student shuld nt be expected t learn a large amunt f specialized terminlgy r new subject matter specifically fr the cmprehensive exam. The cmprehensive exam shuld draw frm specialized knwledge already familiar t the student. Fr example, a student whse dissertatin subject is the chemistry f nitrgen xides n fly ash particles shuld nt receive a cmprehensive tpic such as the chemistry f nitrgen xides n st particles, r the chemistry f zne n fly ash particles, r sme similar simple derivative f the dissertatin research. A tpic in hetergeneus catalysis wuld be a reasnable chice fr this student, because it wuld take advantage f his/her experience in kinetics and mass transfer at the slid-fluid interface, and use fundamental chemical engineering principles. Tpics invlving crrsin, batteries, r fuel cells might als invlve kinetics and mass transfer at an interface, but these tpics require specialized knwledge f electrchemistry that wuld present a majr barrier t this student and wuld prbably be inapprpriate. Similarly, living cells taking up and transfrming chemicals frm their culture medium invlves kinetics and mass transfer at an interface, but the student culd nt write a credible prpsal withut knwing the vcabulary and fundamentals f cell bilgy. Selectin f the cmprehensive exam tpic is a critical task that requires an investment f time and effrt frm Exam Supervisr and frm the student s research advisr. Bth individuals shuld keep in mind the purpse f the cmprehensive exam (see abve) and the interest f the department in maintaining a high quality graduate prgram. The department graduate chair will endeavr t rtate the Exam Supervisr task amng members f the graduate cmmittee. Hwever, recgnizing the ptential fr cnflict with the student s advisr, untenured faculty will nt be appinted Exam Supervisr. Preparing the Prpsal The student shuld spend a few days reviewing the literature t becme familiar with the tpic, identify a key questin r knwledge gap, and then define a specific research bjective and prepare a research prpsal. The prpsal shuld describe a research prject that culd be cmpleted in 1 2 years.
A successful cmprehensive exam slutin has the fllwing characteristics, mst f which are cmmn t any successful research prpsal. It states a specific research bjective. It explains the significance f the prpsed research. It references and summarizes nly literature directly related t the prpsed research and its significance. It describes the methds and equipment t be used. It shws what variables will be tested, a reasnable range f values t be examined, and justificatin fr the chices. A test matrix may r may nt be apprpriate. It includes methds fr quantifying uncertainties. It explains hw the results will be evaluated and hw yu will determine whether the bjective has been met. It includes a schedule fr cmpletin f the prject. It includes a rugh budget ( 25 %) fr the prject. The prject descriptin is nt mre than 15 pages lng, 12 pint fnt, duble-spaced, with numbered pages. The statement f the research bjective is the mst critical part f the prpsal. In the examples belw, the unacceptable bjectives are t vague. They d nt clearly identify the independent and dependent variables t be investigated. There is n way t tell when the bjective has been met and the prject is finished. Unacceptable: The bjective f this research is... T study catalytic cnverters. T study hw particle size affects catalytic cnverters. T test metal-supprted catalytic cnverters. T mdel the peratin f a catalytic cnverter. Acceptable: The bjective f this research is... T determine the relatinship, if any, between active particle size and susceptibility f a metal-supprted catalytic cnverter t pisning by sulfur in the fuel. T determine whether the chice f reactive element in the metal supprt affects the susceptibility f active metal particles in the catalytic cnverter t sintering. T mdel the changes in gas flw patterns and heat transfer in a cmmercial metalsupprted catalytic cnverter as the aluminum xide film grws n the metal surface during peratin. It is ften apprpriate t state the bjective as a hypthesis. We hypthesize that the susceptibility f a metal-supprted catalytic cnverter t pisning by sulfur in the fuel is directly related t the surface area f the active particles, and, therefre, t the square f the average particle diameter.
The prpsal must cnvey the significance f the research. Hw des this wrk differ frm what has gne befre? Hw will fulfilling the research bjective benefit specialists in the field? Hw will it benefit humankind? What is the next step when this prject is finished? The research strategy, experimental plan, and plan fr evaluating results shuld shw a cmmand f the fundamentals f experimental design and statistics. Even when the prject fcuses n mdeling rather than experimentatin, uncertainties are imprtant. Cnsider the third f the acceptable example bjectives. It wuld be imprtant t quantify the sensitivity f the final mdel t changes in the thermal prperties f the metal, the thermal prperties f the gas, the flw rate f the gas, and the rughness f xide the film. The Ohi University Office f Research and Spnsred Prgrams (OUORSP) has budget aid examples nline. (Students shuld nt cntact OUORSP staff directly fr assistance in preparing a cmprehensive exam slutin.) Students shuld use an example fr the Natinal Science Fundatin r the Natinal Institutes f Health t prepare the budget. The cmmittee will be satisfied with the right rder-f-magnitude in each categry (persnnel, travel, materials and supplies, equipment, indirect csts, etc.). The prject descriptin prtin f the written prpsal is nt mre than 15 pages lng, 12 pint fnt, duble-spaced, with numbered pages. The 15 page limit des nt include the cver page, abstract, budget, r list f references. The 15 page limit DOES include figures, tables, and appendices. Acceptable Resurces fr Students t Use in Preparing Cmprehensive Exam Slutins The student may cnsult the university writing center r the Ohi Prgram fr Intensive English fr assistance with language and grammar. N ther students, staff, r faculty shuld review the student s prpsal befre it is evaluated by the graduate cmmittee. The student is encuraged t cnsult a style guide r technical writing guide. The student may read prpsals written by ther students, staff, r faculty. The student may use any literature r ther resurce in the public dmain, including the peer-reviewed (preferred) and ppular literature and web-based resurces. Citatins shuld cntain sufficient infrmatin t allw the reader t find the riginal surce material. The student is encuraged t cnsult the checksheet at the end f this dcument t review his/her wn wrk prir t submitting it. The student may draw n many resurces, but must prduce an riginal research prpsal. Plagiarism will nt be tlerated. A student with any questin abut whether his/her wrk might cnstitute plagiarism shuld bring the surce material and the prpsal in prgress t the Exam Supervisr fr an pinin. Internatinal students in particular are cautined that standards fr plagiarism enfrced in their hme cuntries may be different frm the prevalent standard in engineering and science research in the U.S. The graduate cmmittee may review cmprehensive exam slutins fr plagiarism at any time. If the graduate cmmittee rules that the slutin includes plagiarized material, the student will autmatically fail the cmprehensive exam, even if a pass decisin was previusly rendered.
Cmprehensive Exam Assessment Guidelines A successful cmprehensive exam slutin has the fllwing characteristics, mst f which are cmmn t any successful research prpsal. It states a specific research bjective. Objective is specific, nt vague. Objective clearly identifies the independent and dependent variables (factrs and respnses). Objective reflects a higher mtivatin than simple data cllectin. It explains the significance f the prpsed research. It is clear hw this wrk differs frm what has gne befre. It is clear hw meeting the bjective will benefit specialists in the field and/r humankind. It references and summarizes nly literature directly related t the prpsed research and its significance. Discussin f prir wrk is rganized t shw relatinship t the prpsed wrk. Discussin f prir wrk shws relevant limitatins r weaknesses as well as strengths. It describes the methds and equipment t be used. Descriptins are understandable t engineers wh are nt experts in the particular techniques. Descriptins fcus n the type, precisin, and accuracy f the infrmatin btained. It shws what variables will be tested, a reasnable range f values t be examined, and justificatin fr the chices. A test matrix may r may nt be apprpriate. Independent variables (factrs) are clearly identified. Dependent variables (respnses) are clearly identified. The reasns fr investigating each f the factrs and respnses are clearly described. It is clear why r hw each f the factrs is expected t influence the respnses. It is clear that the factrs and respnses selected are sufficient t meet the bjective. It is clear that the factrs and respnses selected are reasnable fr the resurces allcated. The range f values t be tested fr each factr is stated. The reasn fr selecting each range f values is clearly described. Limits dependent n cmmn industrial practice, equipment r instrument limitatins, safety cnsideratins, etc. are stated. It is clear that the range investigated is sufficient t meet the bjective. It is clear that the range investigated is reasnable given the time and resurces allcated. It includes methds fr quantifying uncertainties. Measurements r assumptins likely t make the largest cntributin t the uncertainty are identified. Specific methds r techniques fr quantifying uncertainties are identified. A brad statement such as replicate measurements will be made t check accuracy is nt sufficient. It is clear that the data t be cllected r the tests t be run r the mdel t be develped is cnsistent with the prpsed methds r techniques fr quantifying uncertainty. It explains hw the results will be evaluated and hw t determine whether the bjective has been met. Specific methds, techniques, r prcedures fr evaluating results are stated. The data t be cllected r the tests t be run r the mdel t be develped are cnsistent with the prpsed methds r techniques fr evaluating results. The methds r techniques fr evaluating results are clearly related t the bjective. The methds r techniques fr evaluating results cmpletely address the bjective. It includes a schedule fr cmpletin f the prject. The schedule is cnsistent with the amunt f wrk t be dne, the time required t cmplete each task, and a typical 40-hur wrkweek. It includes a rugh budget ( 25 %) fr the prject. The budget reasnably estimates persnnel csts. The budget reasnably estimates travel csts. The budget reasnably estimates materials and supplies csts. The budget reasnably estimates equipment csts. The budget reasnably estimates indirect csts. The prject descriptin, including figures and tables and appendices, (excluding cver page, budget, and reference list) des nt exceed 15 pages.