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Guidelines for preparing an MSc-thesis at the Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing Chair group: GRS: Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing GRS: Droevendaalsesteeg 3 P.O. Box 47 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands T (+31) (0)317 474640 F (+31) (0)317 419000 Version June 2005 WU Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing

MGI-thesis guidelines

Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing of 26

Table of Contents Page Preface 3 1. Introduction 4 1.1. About this report 4 1.2. The role of the MSc thesis in higher academic education 4 1.3. What is a ‘scientific’ masterpiece? 5 1.4. GIS and Remote Sensing research fields 6 1.5. Basic requirements and necessary skills 6 1.6. Actors and responsibilities 7 2. Steps in the MGI-thesis procedure 9 2.1. Selection of topic and supervisor 9 2.2. Writing a research thesis proposal 9 2.3. GO or NOGO decision 12 2.4. Carrying out the research 12 2.5. The midterm review 12 2.6. Writing the thesis report 13 2.7. Giving a final colloquium 14 2.8. Final examination talk 15 3. Administrative issues and grading 16 3.1. MSc thesis contract 16 3.2. Registration and workplace 16 3.3. Costs associated with carrying out the MSc research 16 3.4. Printing costs 17 3.5. Thesis evaluation form 17 3.6. Grading 18 3.7. Completing the administrative requirements 18 REFERENCES 19 Appendix 1. MGI-thesis checklist of actions and responsibilities 20 Appendix 2. MGI-thesis contract 22 Appendix 3. MGI-thesis proposal template 24 Appendix 4. MGI-thesis evaluation form 25 Appendix 5. MGI-thesis report front page (example) 26



Preface

These guidelines describe the rules and procedures for the MSc thesis supervision and writing process at the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing (GRS) of Wageningen University. As will hopefully become clear in the following text: these guidelines do not intend to replace the many textbooks providing an introduction into science or the writing of research proposals. Rather they should serve the student as an orientation during her or his scientific training period at the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing to take the best out of this period for her or his further career. Arnold Bregt Michael Schaepman Willy ten Haaf



1 Introduction

1.1 About this report This report describes the regular steps and procedures for preparing a master of science (MSc) thesis within the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing. It takes its departure from the general information and terms of references for preparing an MSc thesis at Wageningen University [Study handbook 2004/2005)] This report is meant for staff and students who are involved in an MSc thesis as final part of the Master of Science curriculum ‘Geo-Information Science’ (MGI). The MGI-curriculum is one of the curricula in Wageningen University’s Environmental Science studies and is focused on the science of creating, processing and applying geographical datasets [Rip and Epema, 2004]. The steps and procedures apply in the first place to the major thesis of the MGI curriculum (36 Ects) and will, with the exception of the admission requirements, also be used for minor MGI theses.

This first chapter deals with the basic scientific and administrative framework to start with the preparation of an MSc thesis in general and the MGI-thesis in particular. In chapter 2 the different phases of preparing an MGI-thesis are described. Finally, chapter 3 touches on the necessary organizational as well as administrative procedures for the successful completion of the MGI-thesis.

1.2 The role of the MSc thesis in higher academic education

Many people see the writing of an MSc thesis as the most important part within the whole MSc program. After completing courses during the 1st year of the educational program, the MSc thesis offers the challenge to set up and to carry out a scientific research project in an almost fully, self-responsible manner. This challenge includes:

§ assuring the adequate delineation and definition of the research topic;

§ formulating the research questions; § selecting the appropriate research methodology; § collecting data in a systematic and verifiable manner; § analyzing the data critically; § presenting the results comprehensibly and reproducible; § drawing sound conclusions based on a comprehensive

discussion of the results;

A great deal of independence is expected from the student in preparing the MSc-thesis. The role of the supervisor is limited mainly to guide the learning process and less to provide specific knowledge. The grading of the MSc thesis at the end is rather a feedback on his or her scientific training progress and the quality of the research and the resulting thesis report.

Given the intensive training process it is important that the expectations of both parties involved, the student as well as the supervisor, are made clear from the beginning, finally resulting in unambiguous agreements. In order to avoid disappointments on both sides these agreements are written down in the so-called thesis contract at the very beginning of the training process (see appendix: 2).



1.3 What is a ‘scientific’ masterpiece? Most MSc candidates have gained already some experience in carrying out research in their previous study or during the first year of the MSc program. Working on their MSc thesis they are faced, usually for the first time, with the requirement that the thesis has to be ‘scientific work’. What this exactly means is discussed in the following paragraphs. Epistemology of science The question ‘what is science?’ can be answered in many different ways. As this is a very fundamental question and as so many incompatible answers have evolved over time, even an own discipline has been formed dealing only with this question, namely the epistemology/philosophy of science (or, if you want the “science about science”). Science and research Another thing that is very often confusing for students starting with their thesis is the sometimes synonymously, sometimes complementary or even contradictory use of the terms ‘science’ and ‘research’ [reference ]. In this guideline it is argued, that science and research both aim at a deeper understanding of phenomena in the real world. Research in this understanding does this through accessing and depicting the real world phenomena in a systematic, consistent and comprehensive manner. Research questions are therefore mainly formulated as “what”-, “who”-, and “how”-questions (e.g., “What’s the main cause of the increasing greenness on the Northern hemisphere? “, “Who is the main actor in this participatory planning process?“ and “How can we define suitability?” Science aims at enlightening real world phenomena through a process of theoretical reconstruction of the phenomena at stake. Scientific questions are therefore first and foremost “Why”-questions, searching for explanations for the empirical reality (e.g., “why do people enjoy recreating in forest landscapes?”). Scientific standards Independent from which understanding of science and research has been chosen, broad agreement exists on major scientific standards [reference ]. Therefore these scientific standards also have to be applied (and to be proven) by the student in his MSc-thesis:

o The thesis must be theory-based. Theories in this respect can be

understood as sets of explanation systems for observable phenomena in the real world. The student’s departure in enlightening real world phenomena has to be taken from existing theoretical literature. The student is furthermore expected to discuss and to reflect his or her findings against the existing scientific literature.

o The thesis must be verifiable. This is only possible if a clear line of argumentation through the existing scientific literature is given and the underlying assumptions are made explicit. Ideally, also the original data should be included in the work (usually as an appendix) to allow the reader to verify the drawn conclusions. However, this fact should never lead to the rejection of the call for scientific objectivity. Scientific objectivity thereby does not result out of a fictive unconditional assumption, but out of the clear exemplification and reflection of the conditions and assumptions underlying the research process.

o The thesis must be in principle reproducible. It should (at least in principle) be possible to repeat the research, thereby leading to similar results and conclusions. This is only possible if the methods for data collection and for data analysis are clearly described, and if the work process is as much as unbiased and reflective as possible.



1.4 GIS and Remote Sensing research fields Geo-information science thesis topics are narrowly related to the research program of the WUR-Centre for Geo-Information. This research program covers a wide rage of subjects. The following main themes have been selected to delineate the centre's identity:

1. Providing geo-information for rural areas; making available knowledge

and information to underpin policy decisions on natural resources. 2. Rural areas monitoring; developing GIS- and RS -based methods for

monitoring rural areas, at national as well as global scales. 3. Scenario studies; integrating GIS and RS knowledge in process models

for planning and scenario studies. 4. Visualisation and communication of geo-information; using multimedia

technology in developing and underpinning policies for the rural areas.

Most of the thesis topics will fit into one of these main themes. Besides the personal training goals of the student a thesis can be orientated on different aims related to geo-information science. To mention these aims:

• application oriented: a very common understanding of the geo-information science terms related to a field of application is needed. The thesis objectives deal with the use of an 'already-existing' demand-tailored GIS or RS application in a peculiar case-study;

• software oriented: GIS or RS software will be used to solve problems in a specific field of environmental studies. Besides software procedure skills and thoroughly understanding of the procedures, a student needs far more geo-information science knowledge than needed in the first orientation;

• system development oriented: this kind of orientation additionally demands knowledge and skills on methods of information analysis and system design. The three stages of 'demand-tailored' system development are the main object of this kind of thesis;

• theory and methodology oriented: in the previous orientations a certain problem, question or demand in one of the environmental sciences is the guiding content for the thesis. The objectives of this orientation deal with theoretical, methodological and technical experiences and elaboration of specific geo-information subjects like spatial meta-data, principles of scenario simulation, spatial data quality, 3D modelling and visualization.

1.5 Basic requirements and necessary skills With respect to the starting of the major MGI-thesis the individual student must satisfy some basic requirements in order to obtain definite admission to the MGI-thesis [Student Charter 2005, article 4.5.3, p39]. This means that students normally can start an MGI-thesis:

• after being admitted to a MSc program • after approval of the study by the MGI study advisor • after having fulfilled certain minimum requirements

1. Successful completion of the basic courses of the MGI curriculum for having sound knowledge of methods and tools for data collection as well as data analysis and sound skills in applying general GIS and Remote Sensing software: • Remote Sensing (GRS 20306) • Geo-information Tools (GRS 20806)



2. Successful completion of at least one of the major thesis preparation courses of the MGI curriculum related to the research field of the Geo-information Science domain in which you plan to do your thesis work: • Spatial Data Infrastructure (GRS 21306) • Spatial Modeling (GRS 30306) • Remote Sensing & GIS Integration (GRS 30806)

It is in the student’s own responsibility to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills timely enough before starting with an MGI-thesis. In case these skills have to be acquired during the thesis work, extra time should be planned. It is recommendable that the student delivers upon the first meeting with his or her supervisor a summary of research and presentation skills obtained so far to avoid disappointments on both sides in the course of the training period.

1.6 Actors and responsibilities

The MGI-thesis procedure involves several key actors. In general the distribution of responsibilities in this process is as follows: • Student's responsibilities: The student is responsible for the successful completion of his or her thesis project. These responsibilities include:

o to make a proper planning of the thesis within his/her study program;

o to find a thesis topic; o to set up the thesis contract; in which, amongst others,

agreements regarding the intensity and nature of supervision are specified;

o to prepare a thesis proposal, to carry out the research and to write a thesis report;

o to inform the supervisor and the study advisor of deviations from the thesis contract and delays in the thesis process;

o to submit all deliverables of the thesis project to the supervisor.

• Study advisor's responsibilities: The MGI study advisor is responsible for monitoring the overall study progress of the individual student. These responsibilities include:

o to determine if the student meets the requirements for starting the writing of the master thesis;

o to keep an eye on the overall study progress of the student.

• Thesis coordinator’s responsibilities: The responsibilities of the MGI thesis coordinator include:

o to keep the MGI-thesis topic list up to date; o to have a first intake meeting with the student; o to find a suitable thesis supervisor; o to organize the midterm presentations of the candidates; o to organize the final colloquia and defence of the candidates.

• Thesis supervisor’s responsibilities: The thesis supervisor is responsible

for providing adequate supervision of the thesis for a student assigned to him or her. These responsibilities include:

o to provide students with general information about a thesis topic as contact person; o to provide the student with background information and start

literature; o to guide the student through the learning process; o to take part as examiner in the examination committee.



• Examiners committee responsibilities: Both chairs of the chair group and

their substitutes are responsible for the overall quality of the thesis topics and thesis results. These responsibilities include:

o to check the quality of the offered thesis topics; o to control the thesis supervision; o to approve the final thesis proposal (GO or NOGO decision); o to give feedback on the midterm presentation.

• Examining committee responsibilities: The examining committee consist

of 3 examiners, with at least one external examiner, who are responsible for the grading of the thesis.



2 Steps in the MGI-thesis preparation

2.1 Selection of topic and supervisor After the intake with the MGI-thesis coordinator the first step in working on an MGI-thesis is the selection of a topic and a supervisor. There are in principle two different ways to select a topic:

1. Topics offered by the GRS group

The topics, offered by the GRS group, are narrowly related to ongoing or planned research projects of the WUR Centre for Geo-information. Sometimes topics are offered in co-operation with other WU chair groups. An overview of available GRS thesis topics can be found on de website of the GRS group (link to GRS thesis topics). For every topic in the list, there is a contact person mentioned. In general this contact person will also be one of the supervisors. At least one staff member of the GRS group is always represented in the supervision of an MGI-thesis topic, either as first or second supervisor.

2. Topics brought in by the student himself/herself

In this case the student submits a first draft proposal to the MGI-thesis coordinator. This first draft proposal will be checked by one of the staff members of the GRS group and must contain information about the feasibility and relevance of the topic e.g.:

• the availability of the data needed BEFORE the start of the thesis;

• the quality of the data; • the validation method proposed is sound, understandable and

can be performed by the candidate; • the scientific content of the proposed work is secured.

When the check is positive and a supervisor is available, the student can start writing a research proposal.

The final decision to accept an MGI-thesis topic is in any case taken by the Examiners Committee of the GRS group. In some cases it might be helpful to combine the MSc thesis work with a practical period or internship. This holds particularly true for all MSc research, which is done outside the Netherlands. In case the MSc research is carried out abroad, adequate scientific supervision must be guaranteed in the respective country (in most cases by selecting a second supervisor from a local university) or within the respective organization. All arrangements must be settled by the student in time before the start of the thesis work, and must be agreed upon by the thesis supervisor and the study advisor.

2.2 Writing of a research thesis proposal

After the selection of a topic with a supervisor the next step in the thesis work is the preparation of a consistent and comprehensive research proposal. Students must become familiar with the theory, the context and the specificities of the theme to be able to define, in precise terms, what it is that will be studied and how it will be studied. As many researchers



have shown, the largest part of the problem of research is to correctly define the scientific questions and accorded research methodology. In other words, it is necessary to understand and incorporate existing scientific knowledge, departing from the concrete problem, to be able to advance scientific knowledge. Given its importance, this step might very well require about 20 percent of the total thesis preparation time. The structure of the proposal must follow the MGI-thesis proposal template, which is available in appendix 3.

The research proposal consists out of the following parts: § Context and background: giving the motivation for the selection

of the topic and a clear delineation of the topic, finally resulting in a concise problem statement. If done in a sound way, this implicitly and explicitly reflects the social and scientific relevance of the selected research topic.

§ Problem definition: to describe the overall problem. Describe

briefly the existing knowledge on the topic (with references). Identify knowledge gaps and select or identify your research problem.

§ Research objective(s) and research questions: stating clearly

the scientific objectives of the research. It is important that the objectives of the research (1) are strictly related to the research topic, that is, that they do not change the focus by introducing elements not already implicit in the topic, and (2) that they exhaust the topic completely, that is, they do not leave out any object or relation already posited.

The research objectives are on the one hand determined by the challenge to deepen theoretical knowledge, analytical capacities, designs and techniques, and, on the other hand, by pragmatic reasons, such as available time, actual research conditions (e.g., availability of resource persons, availability of data and software, etc.) and the capacity of the student.

Subsequently, the research objective(s) should be translated into research questions, that is, stating the questions, which need to be answered in order to fulfill the research objective(s). In this respect, the research questions are a further operationalisation of the research topic.

• Methodology: In this part of the proposal it should be explained how the concepts, which are important to be looked at in answering the research questions, will be assessed. Methodology in general is then nothing else but the science about methods and instruments for the assessment of the real world, or more technically, the generation of data. The function of the methodology part within the research proposal (and later in the thesis report) is to specify reliability, validity and principle reproducibility. The methodology part therefore completes the student’s ‘business card’ as regards scientific standards. Setting up a sound methodological framework requires arguing about the following points: § Identify the character of the thesis work: is it an

explorative, or comparative, or interpretative, or analytical, or historical study? Is a case study approach chosen to exemplify a certain real world phenomena or does the thesis work aim at being representative for them? It is obvious that



with the selection of the topic and the formulation of the problem statement the student already implicitly provided answers to many of these questions. However, only in making them explicit, the student allows for the discussion of his work, as the student’s assumptions and logical framework can be empathized.

§ Design the data collection: this step requires arguing about

and providing an answer to the following questions: (1) What is seen as data and from which sources of information (e.g., pictures, texts, individuals, groups) will be they be derived? Data can take on the quality of primary data (that is, generated by the researcher) as well as that of secondary data (new analysis of data generated by earlier research). (2) What are the criteria for determining and delineating the sources of information (e.g. who will be interviewed? Why those policy documents and not the others? How many people will receive a questionnaire? Why selecting this case study and not another?) The answers to these questions are partially dependent on whether qualitative or quantitative research methods are chosen (see next question). (3) What methods and instruments are employed to derive the data from the sources of information? The selection of adequate methods is dependent from on the sources of information, which are seen as relevant to find answers to the posed research questions. Here the student has to argue why a certain method (e.g., observations, interviews, content analysis) is most appropriate for the research topic at stake. As no single method is really suitable to fully capture the complexity of real world phenomena, very often a combination of different methods (e.g., observation plus questionnaire plus group discussions) is applied to assess the same phenomena in order not to miss important information and to fulfill the requirements of validity and reliability. (4) It should be pointed out that methods and instruments are necessary for the data collection (that is, to come from theory to data) as well as for data analysis (that is, to come from data to theory).

• Working plan and time schedule: The research proposal finally

should be completed by a comprehensive working plan, indicating the necessary steps in carrying out the research, as well as their logical order. The different steps in writing the MSc thesis should be distributed in a feasible manner over the available time period (in most cases 6 months equaling 36 Ects).

• Feasibility: Part of the proposal is a description of potential

problems and risks (software, data, etc.).

• References: A list of references used to compile the work. References are usually pointers in the available scientific literature. Textbooks, newspapers, articles, URL’s, MSc thesis and other ‘grey’ literature should be avoided where possible. Emphasis shall be put on the peer-reviewed literature in known journals.



2.3 GO- or NOGO-decision The final research proposal forms the basis for a ‘GO-/NOGO’-decision to continue with the thesis-research. This step is intended to warrant the students the necessary quality of their work. Finalization of the research proposal therefore forms a decisive step in the process of successfully completing an MSc thesis with the GRS group. The student will discuss his/her draft proposal(s) with the supervisor(s). When the supervisor(s) has/have accepted the proposal a copy will be sent to the MGI-thesis coordinator for a formal ‘GO- or NOGO’-decision by the MGI Examiners Committee. This GO/NOGO’-decision with comments will be sent to the supervisor and the supervisor will discuss it with the student.

• In case of a ‘GO’-decision the student can start with carrying out the research.

• In case of a ‘NOGO’-decision the student will be offered the opportunity to hand in a new version of the research proposal or to start with a new MGI-thesis topic within the GRS group.

After a ‘GO’-decision the MSc thesis contract has to be filled in and signed as soon as possible to arrange all administrative issues with the Management Office (see chapter 3).

2.4 Carrying out the research When carrying out the research special attention should be given to organizational, ethical and safety aspects. Possible economical, social and technical constrains (e.g. rain seasons, harvesting time, holidays of respondents) should be taken into account as much as possible in advance of the research work. If unforeseeable circumstances do occur, the research plan should be adapted after consultation with the supervisor. The student has to respect social, cultural and interpersonal norms and standards. This holds particularly true for privacy aspects of organizations and persons. In any case, it should be avoided that the identity of persons is discernible out of the final text, if not agreed otherwise between the respondents and the researcher. These agreements have to be laid down before information collection. It is recommended to clearly document all research activities, findings and sources, including also seemingly small details. Analytical skills should be accompanied by organizational accuracy. Experience shows that this can save a lot of time when finally preparing the thesis report. Also in the phase of carrying out the research it is recommended to keep close contact with the supervisor.

2.5 The midterm review

Somewhere halfway of carrying out the research you have to present your first results of your research in a so-called midterm presentation. You will give a presentation of 10 minutes followed by 5-10 minutes discussion and feedback to other MGI students and staff members. The presentation will be in English (even if the MSc thesis itself will be written in Dutch) to ensure that all students will be able to participate in the discussion. Every year a number of dates for the midterm review are defined. These dates are available on the website of the GRS group (link to website / thesis).



2.6 Writing the thesis report The research activities should finally result in a comprehensive, consistent and concise thesis report. The thesis report in average has a size around 50-60 pages. It should be written according to scientific standards and using the possibilities of modern text software in the layout. In general the following part structures the thesis report: § Cover pages: A standard cover page can be downloaded from the

internet (link to website / thesis / downloadable files). For an example cover page see appendix 5.

§ Outline / Table of content: Providing the overview on the chapter

structure with the respective page numbers. The outline should also include the summary as well as the possible list of annexes.

§ Overview of tables and figures: The outline is followed by an overview

of the tables and figures in the text, including the respective page numbers.

§ Summary: Providing a short, but comprehensive summary of all

chapters. The length should not exceed one A4 page.

§ Introduction: This part includes the problem statement, the scientific objectives as well as the research questions. In general the first part of a research proposal can serve as a first paragraph of the Introduction chapter. The introduction can be completed by a characterization of the type of work and a short outline of the red line and the structure of the subsequent chapters.

§ Methods: This part reports on the used information sources, as well as

the applied methods and instruments for data collection and data analysis. In contrast to the research proposal, where this section is presenting the ambitions/plan, in the final thesis report, however, the situation as it has actually worked (e.g., also problems which occurred) should be presented. If the research has been a case study, circumstances as well as the case should be described here.

§ Results: In this section the results should be presented in the most

objective and comprehensive manner. Mixing results presentation with subjective interpretation and discussion should in any case be avoided. The challenge is to structure the results chapter in such a way, that the research questions are best addressed. Where appropriate the findings should be illustrated or summarized with tables and figures. ‘Appropriateness’ means that they provide an added value compared to ordinary text. In any case tables and figures must thereby be drawn in such a way, that they can stand on their own independent from the surrounding text. Do not forget to include measurements and an explanation of abbreviations. Color figures should be avoided, using gray scales or textures instead. References to tables and figures should be made in the text (e.g., see table 1; cf. figure 2). Note that table captions are given above the table, whereas figure captions are placed below the figure.

§ Discussion: The discussion section links the own findings, as presented

in the result section, with those of others. The challenge here is to argue for and against the findings and the related theoretical concepts. Literature references are therefore again a requisite in this section. Furthermore the findings should be discussed in the background of the



scientific objective and the research question, as well as in the light of the chosen theoretical framework. It might therefore be helpful to structure the discussion section accordingly. Last but not least, it should also not be forgotten to discuss the extent in which the findings might have been influenced by the chosen methods (e.g. possible shortcomings, special circumstances).

§ Conclusions: This section brings together the most important

consequences in the student’s perspective of his or her research. These conclusions normally touch on three aspects:

a. the scientific objective and the research questions (results); b. hints for future research on this topic (methods); c. practical application of the results (consequences in management and policy).

§ Bibliography: In this section a list of all referred literature should be given, as sorted in alphabetical order with the last name of the author. The bibliography section (like the theoretical framework) again can be seen as a sort of “business card” of the researcher. Information given in the bibliography should be complete and accurate. The style for the different types of publications (articles in journals, books, chapters in books etc.) must be consistent. Some researchers prefer to mention information sources, such as policy documents and internet sources separately. If reference is made to information on the internet, the complete web-address should be given, as well as the date on which the information has been accessed the latest.

§ Appendices: The appendices should include information, which can be

missed in the direct text body, however relevant for the understanding of the complete research or of important steps of it. This could mean for example the inclusion of the original data, the list of interviewed persons, background information on the study area, the questionnaire, further detailed statistical analysis, etc. Note that also the annex pages should be numbered consistently with the general text.

The presented structure of the different parts at the same time also reflects the standard chapter structure of a scientific report, with the ‘Introduction’-section forming chapter 1, the ‘Theoretical framework’ forming chapter 2, and so on. However, different types of research (e.g. historical research, developing methods) might require a slightly different chapter structure.

2.7 Giving a final colloquium As soon as the student and the supervisor have agreed on the final thesis version the student is required to present the major findings of his or her research in a final colloquium to a broader audience (such as other students, researchers from within and outside WUR, friends, families and other interested persons). The presentations will be announced publicly by the GRS group, the student is responsible for possible indivi dual invitations. Length of the presentation is 15 minutes with additionally 10 minutes for discussion. The presentation is given in English (even if the MSc thesis has been written in Dutch) to ensure that all students will be able to participate in the discussion. The presentation should follow the standards for oral presentations, such as clearly addressing the audience with a comprehensive, consistent and logical structure. It is highly recommended to support the presentation by visual tools, such as Power Point.



Every year a number of dates for colloquia are defined in combination with the final examination talk, related to official graduation dates of Wageningen University. The exact dates will be available on the website of the GRS group (link to website / thesis) and will be announced with sufficient advance notice.

2.8 Final examination talk The aim of the final examination talk is to reflect on the ‘scientific training’ process, which the student has undergone in preparing the MSc thesis as well as place the MSc thesis in the larger contexts within Geo-information Science. The exam committee consists of 3 examiners. The GRS group aims at having one independent 3rd examiner, who can also be an external one. The date for the final examination should be arranged at least four weeks in advance. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the supervisor with 5 copies of the final MSc thesis report no later than one week in advance of the final examination talk. Overall length of the examination talk is about 45 minutes, with about half an hour of questions and discussions, followed by feedback and the announcement of the final grade based on the aspects on the thesis evaluation form: 1) scientific quality, 2) innovative character, 3) exchange of results and 4) working process (see appendix 4). The scientific evaluation of the thesis work shall receive more weight than the other evaluation criteria. After short consultation between the examiners the final grade will be announced to the student. The 1st examiner will take care for communication of the grade to the Management Office. It should be noted, however, that the final grade would be awarded only after successfully finalizing all administrative matters and the proper passing of the colloquium and the final thesis exam.



3 Administrative issues and grading

3.1 MSc-thesis contract No MSc-thesis work without a contract: the MSc-thesis officially starts only after the student together with the supervisor have filled in an MSc-thesis contract (see appendix 2). A copy of the thesis contract can be downloaded from the website of the GRS group (link to website GRS / thesis / thesis contract). In the contract all aspects with relation to the MSc-work are laid down, such as course requirements, time period (inclusive possible pauses or practical periods), planned research steps, workplace, specific software, intensity and arrangements as regards supervision. The idea of the contract is to provide clarity in advance of the training process, in order to avoid later disappointments on both sides, the student’s as well as the supervisor’s one. After signing the MGI-thesis contract by the student, the supervisor and the examiner, the student has to hand in the original to the Management Office of the GRS group. The student has to make a copy for him- or herself, the supervisor and the thesis coordinator.

3.2 Registration and workplace After the MGI-thesis contract has been signed the student can go to the Management Office of the GIRS group:

• to hand in the original study contract, which means that the student is registered as a MGI-thesis student;

• to arrange the printing costs (in advance) • to ask for a workplace (computer) for a specific period according to

the study contract; • to ask for specific software according to the study contract; • to ask for an entrance card for the Alterra buildings (only in case the

student is not a MGI-student);

The student has to visit the Management Office of the GRS group (room C303) to register for the midterm review somewhere halfway during the thesis procedure. Registering has to be done 4 weeks in advance of the scheduled midterm review dates. When the student has finished a draft version of the final thesis report he or she has to visit the Management Office of the GRS group again to register for the colloquium and defense 4 weeks in advance of the scheduled colloquium dates.

3.3 Costs associated with carrying out the MSc-research All MSc-research should be planned in such a way, that no project finances or external funding has to be acquired. In any case it should be tried to rely on existing administrative and logistic support as much as possible. All costs made without the a priori agreement of the supervisor have to be paid by the student her- or himself.



3.4 Printing costs The student has to hand in 5 copies of the final thesis report to the supervisor (3 copies for the examiners, 1 copy for the GRS group archive and 1 copy for the library (only when the mark is 7 or higher). The GIRS group provides 25 Euro for all printing costs concerning the MGI-thesis. The money will be paid in advance (via the student card) by the Management Office of the GRS group, only after the student has handed in a signed thesis contract. If the student will stop with the thesis before the final exam, he or she has to pay back the 25 Euro to the Management Office.

3.5 Thesis evaluation form Feedback on the student’s performance during the ‘training’ process of preparing the MSc-thesis will be provided through the thesis evaluation form. This thesis evaluation consists of four groups of criteria for judging on the quality of the MGI-thesis work (see appendix 4), namely: § Scientific quality focusing on a sound scientific problem definition,

research question, method, analysis and results, which are theory based, verifiable and reproducible. This group of criteria will receive more weight than the other groups of evaluation criteria.

§ Innovative character focusing on a) how ‘new’ is the research and 2) the

creative approach.

§ Exchange of results focusing on the quality of the final report and applications, the presentation of the results in the colloquium and the discussion in the final examination talk.

§ Working process focusing on: a) work progress within the given time

frame of (usually) 26 weeks; b) degree of independence, with which the research has been carried out as well student’s ability to integrate comments; c) specific difficulties (e.g., thesis report in an other than the mother language) and unforeseeable problems (e.g. illness).

The thesis evaluation form can be downloaded from the website of the GRS group (link to website / thesis / downloadable files). The examiners have to fill in the thesis evaluation form after having received and read the final version of the MSc thesis (at least two weeks in advance of the date for the final talk). One evaluation form will be completed after the colloquium of the student, the final examination talk with the student and the discussion between the examiners as motivation for the final grading.



3.6 Grading The grading will be based on the standard grading scale at Wageningen University ranging from 0 to 10, with a grade lower than 6 meaning that the MSc degree will not be awarded. The final grade will be announced immediately after the final examination talk. Grade Definition 10 Excellent Outstanding performance in all respects without any errors.

The highest proficiency in ability and application. The thesis is of PhD quality and has the potential of at least one publishable article.

9 Very good Outstanding, exceptional and extraordinary performance with just some minor errors. Slightly less than the highest proficiency in ability and application. The thesis may result in a publishable article.

8 Good Generally sound work with a limited number of minor errors. Outstanding proficiency of research competencies and clear above-average mastery of subject matter. No major weaknesses.

7 Satisfactory Thesis fair, acceptable and adequate. Acceptable mastery of research skills, but with some significant shortcomings. Satisfactory ability and achievement of a high but second order. All clusters sufficiently covered.

6 Sufficient Performance meets the minimum criteria but below average. Limited mastery of subject matter; minimal fulfillment of the criteria.

5 Fail Some more work required before the credit can be awarded; poor but with pass potential.

<5 Fail Considerable further work is required; unacceptable. The grading will take into account all elements and steps in the preparation of the MSc-thesis, including the two oral presentations as well as the final examination talk. However, main emphasis will be given to the final thesis report and in particular how the candidate was able to tackle the scientific question(s). Dependent on the thesis report and the overall impression during the working process, the oral presentations, and the answers during the final examinations the examiners will give a final grade and explain this grade to the student.

3.7 Completing the administrative requirements The final grade of the thesis will be sent to the Central Student Administration (CSA) only after: § passing the exam; § handing in 5 copies of your final thesis report to your supervisor § handing in a CD-ROM to your supervisor containing:

o a Word version of your thesis report; o a PDF version of your thesis report; o all your data en analysis results (structured); o the presentation of the colloquium (ppt);

§ handing in the Alterra entrance card to the Management Office (if the thesis is the last part or the only part of the MGI curriculum;

§ cleaning up the computer and workplace properly.



REFERENCES Rip, F., Epema, G.F. 2004: Competences of the Wageningen University, MSc Alumnus of Geo-Information Science.

Wageningen University, 2004: Student Charter 2004/2005. Wageningen University, 2004: Study handbook 2004/2005.



Appendix 1: MGI-thesis checklist of actions and responsibilities

Action

Who

1. Intake - general information about MGI-thesis procedure - check for basic requirements and study progress

Thesis coordinator, student Thesis coordinator, student

2. Choosing a thesis topic a. of the available MGI-thesis topic list - prepare a research proposal - approval of research proposal

Student, thesis c oordinator Student, supervisor Supervisor

b. coming up with an ‘own’ thesis topic - writing a 1st draft proposal - review 1st draft proposal - prepare a research proposal - approval of research proposal

Student, thesis coordinator Student, thesis coordinator Examiners committee Student, supervisor Supervisor

3. GO-/NOGO-decision - delivering research proposal to thesis coordinator - approval of research proposal – GO/NOGO decision - feedback to supevisor - feedback to student

Student Examiners Committee Examiners Committee, supervisor Supervisor, student

4. Thesis contract - filling in MSc-thesis contract - signing the contract - providing copies of contract to supervisor and thesis coordinator - delivering completed contract to Management Office GRS

Student, supervisor student, supervisor, examiner Student Student

5. Registering at the Management Office GRS - registering student as MGI-thesis student - providing an entrance card if necessary - providing a workplace (computer) at Alterra West building - MGI-thesis printing costs (€ 25,--)

Management Office, student Management Office, student Management Office, student Management Office, student

6. Thesis work - carrying out the thesis

Student, supervisor

7. Midterm presentation - arranging date(s) for midterm presentation - registering for a midterm presentation - giving a midterm presentation - review midterm presentation - feedback to supervisor(s) - feedback to student

Management Office, thesis c oordinator Student, Management Office Student, MGI students and staff Examiners Committee Examiners Committee, supervisor Supervisor, student

8. Preparing final colloquium and thesis defense - approval of draft version thesis report - arranging date(s) for colloquia and defense - registering for colloquium and thesis defense - asking for MGI-thesis report number - providing 5 copies of final thesis report - delivering a copy of the final report to the examiners at least 1 week before the exam date

Supervisor, student Management Office, thesis coordinator Student, Management Office Student, Management Office Student Student

9. Final colloquium, thesis defense and grading - giving a final colloquium - final examination talk, defence - filling in the thesis evaluation form - filling in the evaluation questionnaire - grading and feedback to the candidate - delivering signed copy thesis evaluation form to GRS Management Office - delivering form with final grade to GRS Management Office - delivering final grade to CSA

Student, Examining committee, MGI students and staff Examining committee, student Examining committee Student Examining committee, student First examiner First examiner Management Office

10. Final administrative requirements - delivering 2 copies of the final thesis report to the Management Office (GRS archive and WUR library) - delivering a CD-ROM containing the final report (Word and PDF), all the data and the colloquium presentation (ppt) to the

Student, Management Office Student, supervisor



supervisor - cleaning up computer and workplace - delivering the Alterra entrance card to the Management Office - delivering final grade to CSA

Student Student, Management Office Management Office



Appendix 2: MGI-thesis contract

WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY THESIS CONTRACT (MGI)

1 GENERAL INFORMATION Student : Study programme: MGI Spec.: - Name of course : Thesis Geo-information Science & Remote Sensing 1st Supervisor : 2nd Supervisor :

Department : Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing Regist. no. : Study adviser: Ing. W.Th. ten Haaf Course code : GRS 80436 36 credits Examiner : - 2nd Evaluator: -

2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND PLANNING SCHEME FOR THE THESIS (see also section 3) Subject : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planned starting date : . . . - . . . - . . . . . . . Planned completion date : . . . - . . . - . . . . . . . Intensity : . . . hours / week

Special circumstances concerning planning: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This thesis is a group project yes | no a thesis in project form yes | no part of a larger project within the group/department yes | no combined with another thesis or an internship yes | no If the thesis is combined with another thesis or an internship: the other thesis subject is : [code] . . . . . - . . . . [name] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . credits

STATUS OF THE THESIS CONTRACT - The thesis contract formalises the agreements made between the student and the department. In this sense, it is a

further supplementation and elaboration of the rights and obligations that the parties already have based on the Higher Education and Research Act, the Education and Exam Regulations and the student statute.

FILL IN AND SIGN THE CONTRACT - Before any thesis activities begin, this form must be filled in for all thesis courses by the student and the representative

of the department. - The student and the department representative must each sign two completed forms. Each will receive an original, and a

signed hardcopy will also be handed to the study adviser . - After adding to and/or changing the contract, the student will be given a new copy. PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS - If there are problems or complaints having to do with supervision or evaluation, the student can contact: - the Department Administrator (Dagelijks bestuur) or the Education Coordinator; - a Student Counsellor; - his / her Study Coordinator; - the Examination Appeal Committee; - the Confidential Counsellor. - If necessary, the legal office can help you choose the plaintiff and submit the complaint. PLEASE USE THE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN FILLING IN THIS FORM !!!



WU - THESIS CONTRACT (continued) 3 MAGNITUDE OF ACTIVITIES, PLANNED AND ACTUAL Nature of the activities Planned Actual Initial after completion weeks credits weeks credits student supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PREREQUISITE SUBJECTS (those which must still be completed) Code Name Credits Planned completion . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . before starting | completing thesis . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . before starting | completing thesis . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . before starting | completing thesis 5 AGREEMENTS REGARDING REPORTING [language and length of report, colloquium requirement etc.] 6 AGREEMENTS REGARDING SUPERVISION [availability of supervisor(s), intensity of supervision, times, educational apparatus] % GRS : % other : 7 AGREEMENTS REGARDING FACILITIES [workplace, availability of apparatus + materials, greenhouse space, building access, printing costs] 8 AGREEMENTS REGARDING SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES [circumstances beyond one's control, physical impairments etc,] 9 EVALUATION PROCEDURE [incl. unconditional requirements for a positive evaluation, evaluation form/norm in case of a combined thesis or a group project] 10 SIGNING THE AGREEMENT Wageningen, . . . - . . . - . . . . . [date]

Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Examiner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .



Appendix 3: Template MGI-thesis proposal

0. Title and author 1. Context and background

Short introduction describing the overall setting of the research. • minimum of 5 references in this section • page indication: 0.5

2. Problem definition

Describing the overall problem, including literature review on the subject. • minimum of 10 references in this section • page indication: 1

3. Research objectives and research questions

Crisp formulation of a general objective and detailed research objectives (maximum = 4). Make the objectives as concrete as possible. What are you going to do? • page indication: 0.5

4. Methodology

For each defined research objective in step 3 you must describe the research steps to realise the formulated objectives, also in a scheme. How are you going to do it? • page indication: 2

5. Time schedule

A sequence of actions in time defined according to step 4. • page indication: 0.5

6. Feasibility

Description of potential problems and risks and required materials, computer programs, data etc.. • page indication: 0.5

7. References

List of references used in the proposal according to standard. • minimum of 15 references



Appendix 4: MGI-thesis evaluation form

Student

Registration number WUR

Course number WUR GRS 804 . . Number of credits

Thesis number GIRS group GIRS-2005 - . . Thesis title 1st supervisor 2nd supervisor 1. Scientific quality 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 use of terms literature reference conceptual level logical level implementation level (skills) 2. Innovative character 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 new findings innovative design creative approach 3. Exchange of results 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 final report & applications colloquium discussion 4. Working process 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 independence study progress specific difficulties / problems Overall grade Summarizing the given arguments

the thesis is graded with Examiners 1 2 3 Wageningen,

Date: (signature 1st examiner)



Appendix 5: Example MGI-thesis report front page

Centre for Geo-Information Thesis Report GIRS-2005-x

FIRE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT USING REMOTE SENSING DATA AND GIS TECHNIQUE (A Case study using Radar and NOAA~AVHRR Data in East Kalimantan)

Ruandha Agung Sugardiman

Mar

ch 2

004

guidelines for preparing an msc-thesiswebdocs.dow.wur.nl/internet/grs/education/thesis... ·...

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