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Research papers and theses

Guide for master's thesis

1. Introduction

A master's thesis must show that the student is able to work in a scholarly manner and is acquainted with the principal works published on the subject of the thesis. As much as possible, it should be an original contribution.

A master's thesis generally consists of approximately 100 pages. In the sciences, the text may be shorter. The period of study may vary considerably depending on the discipline and the individual, but generally speaking, it is expected that master's programs will be completed in two years.

How the thesis is written must comply with the methodological rules in effect in the academic unit in which the program is being undertaken. If the thesis is in the form of articles, it must comply with the relevant directives. It is important for the quality of the document to permit its reproduction.

This guide provides basic information on the preparation of a master's thesis. It applies to all graduate study programs at the University of Ottawa.

This guide is intended for the following people, namely:

  • students
  • thesis supervisors
  • thesis co-supervisors
  • chairs of academic units
  • officers responsible for graduate studies in academic units
  • academic advisors
  • interim advisors
  • deans of faculties
  • the Thesis Sector at the FGPS
  • examiners

Content of the guide
 
This guide is intended as a resource only. Those involved in thesis preparation at the University are responsible for ensuring they have met all academic unit, FGPS and University regulations and requirements.

 

This guide is intended for all members of the university community, regardless of their discipline. As a result, readers may occasionally find points that do not apply to them. They are free to take whatever information may apply to their own situation.

Procedures may vary depending on the academic unit and discipline, with the number or order of the steps varying and the lists being incomplete in some disciplines. Check with your thesis supervisor and academic unit.

2. Responsibilities of the student

2.1. Find a supervisor

Before the end of the second session of registration
  • Find a thesis supervisor and, if necessary, a thesis co-supervisor. Use the Nomination of Thesis Supervisor form. [More info]
  • Prepare a thesis proposal in collaboration with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor before submitting your thesis topic. [More info]
  • Find a thesis topic in collaboration with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor.
  • Submit your thesis topic to your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor for approval. Use the Nomination of Thesis Supervisor form.
  • Discuss expectations and the terms for collaboration with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor. Discuss the requirements for a thesis. [More info]
  • As needed, obtain other approvals such as ethics approvals. [More info]
  • Develop a work plan and give your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor a copy. [More info]

2.2. Write your first progress report

Before the end of the second year of registration
  • Meet with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor and submit drafts of your work. [More info]
  • Write regular self-evaluation reports and submit them to your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor for evaluation.
  • Write a first progress report and complete the progress report form. Send both of these documents to your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor for completion. [More info]

2.3. Determine a thesis submission date

One year before the estimated thesis submission date
  • Determine jointly with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor your official thesis submission date. There are submission deadlines every session. See the University Calendar for further information. [More info]

2.4. Find names of examiners

Nine months before the thesis submission date
  • Start writing your thesis in its final document form. [More info]
  • In collaboration with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor, find names of internal examiners for the defence. All internal examiners must be members of the FGPS.
When in disagreement with the examiners nominated, the student must send a letter to the faculty explaining the reasons. [More info]
 

2.5. Complete the thesis in the final document form

Five months before the thesis submission date
  • Complete the preparation of your thesis for submission in final document form. [More info]
  • Submit your thesis to your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor and thesis committee, as needed, for approval.
  • Finish making the changes required by your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor and thesis committee.
  • Ask your academic unit when your thesis seminar must be completed, as needed. [More info]
  • Apply for a travel grant, as needed.

2.6. Send the statement of thesis supervisor form

One month before the thesis submission date
  • Send your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor the Statement of Thesis Supervisor form if they are unable to obtain it online. [More info]
  • Ensure that your academic unit has sent the Nomination of Thesis Examiners form to the FGPS. If not, ensure the chair of the academic unit has sent a letter explaining the delay in sending the list. The letter must also mention the date at which the list of examiners will be provided. Otherwise, the list will be returned to the academic unit, which will have to obtain the missing information or provide a new list of examiners. This will delay the defence.

2.7. Submitting the thesis

  • Submit as many unbound copies of your thesis to your academic unit as there are examiners. Attach the completed Statement of Thesis Supervisor form to the copies of your thesis. [More info]
At least six to eight weeks must be allowed between the submission of the thesis and the defence.
 

2.8. After submitting the thesis

  • In collaboration with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor, prepare your oral presentation (15 minutes or less).
  • Get prepared by attending other thesis defences.
  • Contact the academic unit to ensure the audiovisual equipment needed for the presentation will be available on the date of the defence.
  • Complete the Registration for Degree form and submit it to the Thesis Sector at the FGPS. [More info]

2.9. After receiving the evaluation reports

  • Along with your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor, read the evaluation reports. [More info]
If corrections must be made to the thesis, the student must:
  • Re-register in the program for one semester.
  • Submit as many unbound copies of the corrected thesis to the academic unit as there are examiners. The deadline for submitting a revised thesis is one session, unless an extension is obtained from the FGPS. The Statement of Thesis Supervisor form must be attached.

2.10. As soon as the date of the defence is set

  • Ask your thesis supervisor or the academic unit's graduate studies assistant to reserve the audiovisual equipment required for the defence.
  • Visit the room where the defence will take place.
  • Confirm all the reservations needed for the defence, i.e. room, equipment, deliveries, other.

2.11. The day of the defence

  • Arrive early at the room where the defence will take place. The room is reserved 30 minutes before the start of the defence.
  • Get familiar with the room and the equipment.
  • Ask who will be responsible for approving any revisions, if necessary.
  • Put the furniture back in its original location once the defence is over.
  • Ensure you have the FGPS documents you will be given by the academic unit. [More info]

2.12. After the defence

  • Make the corrections requested by the examiners.
  • Supply your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor with a corrected version. [More info]
  • Send a copy of the Approval of the Final Version of the Thesis form to your thesis supervisor and co-supervisor.
  • As needed, send a copy of the Approval of the Final Version of the Thesis form to the jury members who wish to approve the final copy.
  • Ensure you have completed the Registration for Degree form. Complete and submit this form if you have not already done so. [More info]
  • Complete all the library forms. [More info]
    • FORMbibliopermissionreproduirethese.doc
    FORMbiblioarchives.doc
    FORMbiblioarchivesCOTUTELLE.doc
    FORMbiblioLibrary Certificate.doc
  • Submit your thesis electronically through uO Research within one month, unless advised otherwise by the FGPS. If you need more than one month or if the revisions are too extensive, you will have to re-register for the following session. At the same time, submit all the other required forms to the FGPS. [More info]
    • The electronic submission process is easy and provides many benefits:
    • increased visibility and free access to the full text of your thesis through Google, uO Research and ET harvesters
    • increased citations to your work and greater impact of your research
    • longevity and safe storage of your work
    • creation of a permanent URL identifier. The uO Research web site can be found at www.ruor.uottawa.ca
  • Pay all debts owed to the University.

2.13. Other responsibilities

  • planning work systematically and setting deadlines for completing the various stages of the research project
  • obtaining appropriate information about the structure and sequence of the program and meeting deadlines
  • being well prepared for meetings with the thesis supervisor (i.e. having all necessary material on hand, namely a summary of the work accomplished to date, a list of specific questions to be discussed, etc.), submitting an outline for the meeting one or two days ahead of time, and submitting a summary of the meeting within two days
  • submitting all the raw data collected to the thesis supervisor for evaluation
  • submitting sections of the thesis to the supervisor at regular intervals and ensuring that the quality of the language conforms to that of a standard published text
  • carrying out a self-evaluation of progress at regular intervals and having it verified by the thesis supervisor.

3. Responsibilities of the thesis supervisor and co-supervisor

3.1. Find a thesis topic

At the end of the second session of registration
  • Find a thesis topic in collaboration with the student.
  • Discuss expectation and the terms for collaboration with the student. Discuss the requirements for a thesis. [More info]
  • Prepare a thesis proposal in collaboration with the student. [More info]
  • Check the thesis proposal and submit it to the faculty.
  • Approve and sign the Nomination of Thesis Supervisor form. Send it to the academic unit.
  • Form the thesis committee, as needed. [More info]
  • Evaluate the student's thesis plan. [More info]

3.2. Complete the first progress report

Before the end of the second year of registration
  • Provide comments based on the drafts submitted by the student. [More info]
  • Evaluate the student's self-evaluation reports.
  • Complete and sign the first progress report. [More info]
  • Send the first progress report to the chair of the academic unit.

3.3. Determine a thesis submission date

One year before the estimated thesis submission date
  • Determine jointly with the student the official thesis submission date. There are submission deadlines every session. See the University Calendar for further information. [More info]

3.4. Finding names for examiners

Nine months before the thesis submission date
  • In collaboration with the student, find names of examiners for the defence.
When in disagreement with the nomination of examiners, the student must send a letter explaining the reasons. [More info]
 

3.5. Thesis examination and last comments before initial submission

Five months before the thesis submission date
  • Examine the student's thesis and submit your comments soon enough for the student to be able to make the necessary corrections.

3.6. Confirm the names of the examiners

Two months before the thesis submission date
  • Contact the chair of the academic unit or the dean of the faculty to supply the names of the examiners selected. The Nomination of Thesis Examiners form must be used.

3.7. One month before the thesis submission date

  • Ensure that all the requested changes to the thesis have been made.
  • Complete and sign the Statement of Thesis Supervisor form certifying that you have read the thesis and consider that it merits submission to the examiners. [More info]
  • Give the student the Statement of Thesis Supervisor form.

3.8. Approval of the thesis

After submitting the thesis
  • In collaboration with the student, prepare the oral presentation for the defence.

3.9. After receiving the evaluation reports

  • With the student, read the evaluation reports. [More info]
  • Help the student prepare for the defence.

3.10. The day of the defence

  • The thesis supervisor and co-supervisor may attend the defence and support the candidate during the deliberations. [More info]

3.11. After the defence

  • Ensure that the corrections have been made based on the revisions requested by the jury during the defence. [More info]
  • Complete and sign the statement form supplied by the chair.

3.12. Other responsibilities


Responsibilities of thesis supervisors:
  • assisting students in choosing and determining a research topic
  • helping students with the interpretation of raw data and findings
  • being available for discussions with students, notifying them of any lengthy absences (longer than four weeks) and ensuring that appropriate support mechanisms are available during absences (for instance, telephone, fax or email)
  • giving timely responses to written material (research papers, chapters of theses, etc.) submitted by students (within two weeks, unless alternative arrangements have been made)
  • assisting and counselling students in seeking financial support, as well as writing quality letters of recommendation for their own students and for other students
  • helping students with their career development
  • evaluating theses promptly and submitting reports on time.

4. Responsibilities of the academic unit

4.1. Designate an interim advisor

Upon admission to a program of study involving a research project
  • Designate an interim advisor for each student. Interim advisors must guide students in selecting courses and advise them of the research fields of professors in the academic unit. [More info]

4.2. Nomination of thesis supervisor

At the end of the second session of registration
  • Approve and sign the Nomination of Thesis Supervisor form.
  • Send the Nomination of Thesis Supervisor form to the Thesis Sector of the FGPS.
  • Check the student's thesis proposal.

4.3. Approving the progress report

Before the end of the second year of registration
  • Approve and sign the progress report. [More info]
  • Send the first progress report to the Registration Office of the FGPS.

4.4. Nomination of Thesis Examiners

One month before the thesis submission date
  • Ensure that all examiners are ready to evaluate the thesis.
  • Ensure that the examiners are members of the FGPS. If this is not the case, send a letter to the FGPS requesting an exception. Attach a copy of the Nomination of Thesis Examiners form.
  • Sign the Nomination of Thesis Examiners form.
  • Send the Nomination of Thesis Examiners form as well as all documents required by the FGPS at least one month before the expected thesis submission date. If this form is lacking, ensure that the chair of the academic unit has sent a letter explaining the delay in sending the list. The letter must also mention the date when the list of examiners will be provided. This may delay the defence.

4.5. Submitting the thesis

  • Send a copy of the thesis to all the examiners along with the documents they will have to complete. These required documents are indicated by the FGPS. The academic unit must also send a copy of the Statement of Thesis Supervisor form to the Thesis Sector of the FGPS.
  • Contact the examiners a few days after sending the thesis to ensure the documents have been received and to determine the examiners' availability for the defence.
  • Determine the date of the defence based on the participants' availability.

4.6. Confirmation of receipt by the examiners

Ten days after sending the thesis to the examiners
  • The examiners for a master's thesis submit their report and the Thesis Evaluation Report form to the chair of the academic unit or delegate. [More info]

4.7. After receiving the evaluation reports

  • Send all the examiners' comments to the student and the thesis supervisor and co-supervisor on an anonymous basis.
  • If all the reports are positive, confirm the defence and send a copy of the reports to the Thesis Sector of the FGPS.
    • If there is a single negative response, the FGPS will decide whether to hold the defence or to request revisions. The FGPS will send a letter advising the student of the decision.
    • Of one or more reports are negative, send the file to the Thesis Sector of the FGPS and do not confirm the defence.
  • Send a file containing the evaluation reports along with any other relevant documents to the chair of the jury one week before the date of the defence.
  • Reserve the room where the defence will take place.
  • Advise all members and the student of the date of the defence.

4.8. The day of the defence

  • Send a copy of the Report of the Jury to the FGPS.

4.9. Other responsibilities

  • establish, specify and promote concrete objectives
  • provide a well-structured program of study and research appropriate for the degree sought
  • ensure that all students are advised in writing of the sequence and structure of the program and of the expectations of the academic unit and the University in terms of progress towards completion
  • acquaint new students with the research interests of professors authorized to supervise theses, and help them identify the professor suitable to supervise their research
  • establish appropriate criteria for the evaluation of students, particularly for directed studies, comprehensive examinations, seminars and theses, and ensure that the criteria are known to and understood by students
  • assess students' progress systematically and in all cases at least once per year
  • implement appropriate policies for the financial support of students
  • create for students a milieu which fosters career development
  • monitor the performance of thesis supervisors in terms of the quality of supervision, as evidenced by the time to degree, the attrition rate of students under their supervision, their availability, their ability to determine research topics of appropriate scope, etc.

5. Responsibilities of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

5.1. Registering the thesis topic and supervisor

At the end of the second session of registration
  • Register the thesis topic and the supervisor and co-supervisor in the SIS.
  • Confirm the registration of the thesis topic.
  • Confirm the nomination of the thesis supervisor.

5.2. After receiving the first progress report

  • Assess the first progress report and take any necessary action.
  • Ensure that the registration conditions are met.

5.3. After the chair of the academic unit issues the list of examiners

  • Ensure the internal examiners are members of the FGPS.
  • Ensure that all the required documents are provided with the Nomination of Thesis Examiners form.
  • Check whether an exception has been requested and attach it to the form.
  • Approve the list of internal examiners.

5.4. Verification of the list of examiners submitted by the department

When the student submits the final version of the thesis
  • Ensure that all the documents are provided and that the student's file is complete.
  • Prepare the student's file in case the thesis is recommended for a prize, for submission to the FGPS Selection Committee.
  • If the student fails to respect the timelines, close the file