m.a.sc. thesis proposal guidelines · 2 miljana horvat, ryerson university [email protected]...

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Miljana Horvat, Ryerson University [email protected]

M.A.Sc: Developing a good research proposal Miljana Horvat, M.Arch, Ph.D. (Bldg.Eng) Associate professor, Director Graduate program in Building Science Department of Architectural Science Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada [email protected]

10/12/2014 Graduate Program in Building Science

Information Session for M.A.Sc students 1

Research proposals

•  TBC: Thursday, January 8th, 2014 from 10:00-‐12:00 and 2:00-‐5:00

•  30 minutes per student •  10 min. student’s presentaEon •  20 min feedback & discussion

•  To present research progress, receive feedback and new ideas from other professors and peers

•  To learn what other students are doing, comment and provide feedback and new ideas to them



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Elements of a good research proposal •  IntroducEon

–  broad statement, seNng the stage •  Research problem

–  idenEfying the need for this research –  also called: moEvaEon

•  Research quesEon(s) –  more specific, focused, definite –  posed as quesEons

•  that you can give an answer to at the end of your work

•  Research objecEves (alternaEvely) •  Methodology •  Expected results (opEonal) •  Timeline (schedule)



CharacterisEcs of a good research problem



1.  The problem can be stated clearly and concisely. –  keep tesEng it: write short paragraph and share it with

colleagues and non-‐experts

2.  The problem generates research quesEons. –  one or more; –  quesEons can be answered.

3.  It is grounded in theory. –  it has good theoreEcal or conceptual framework –  it can relate the specifics of what has been invesEgated to

a more general background of theory which helps interpret the results and link it to the field

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4.  It relates to one or more academic disciplines. –  it has to have a clear links to at least one academic

discipline –  it has to relate to a body of knowledge

5.  It has a base in the research literature. –  (sources in order of significance and value in a thesis):

academic journals, peer reviewed conferences, naEonal research insEtuEons, PhD theses, M.A.Sc theses, professional publicaEons.

–  weak sources: open source journals (could be hit and miss), manufacturer’s data, blogs




6.  It has potenEal significance/importance. –  to a broader community of researchers, industry, etc…

7.  It is do-‐able within the Eme frame, budget. –  remember, you have (now less then) 1 year.

8.  Sufficient data are available or can be obtained. –  self-‐explanatory.

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9.  The researcher’s methodological strengths can be applied to the problem.

–  e.g. do not a`empt to develop a new soaware, if you don’t know programming…

10. The problem is new; it is not already answered sufficiently

–  from literature review: idenEfy the knowledge gaps –  also, you can tackle the exisEng problem, but through a

different approach –  literature review will reveal all of these logical steps.

Literature review •  What did others do about this and/or similar problems? –  Literature review vs. annotated bibliography –  storytelling, –  developing an argument (or arguments) –  criEcal review (pros and cons)

•  IdenEfying knowledge gaps



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Literature review • Building your credibility

– AddiEonal role of the Lit. review

• At the end of this chapter: Summary– to remind a reader of the most important points

• In your presentaEon:– include few most important sources





Example by A.Barker, 2013

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Specific research quesEons •  Based on the knowledge gaps idenEfied in the lit. review summary

•  2-‐3 good focused research quesEons –  that can be answered through your research



Research objecEves •  AlternaEve to Research QuesEon •  Show determinaEon / intenEon

–  The objecEve of this study is to develop an improved numerical model for calculaEng XYZ using the ABC approach based on the previous findings of John Smith (2010).

–  The model will be verified through comparison to the measured field data obtained by Jones (2012)



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Methodology •  What are you planning to do about it?

–  this is also drawn from a literature review

•  Try to be as precise as possible –  but include only valid academic steps –  e.g. “downloading meteorological data” should not be included

•  This can be presented in a point form



Preliminary results or expected results •  If you have something, show it. •  It is OK if it is vague and incomplete

–  or even incorrect -‐ this can point you in the right direcEon

•  This proposal is not a Pass/Fail –  Although it is a milestone –  It is meant to give you a feedback and help you in the further steps.



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Proposed Emeline •  Present a proposed Emeline

–  Create your own milestones •  table, graph

–  Print it and keep it on the wall above your desk



Feedback •  Invite audience to give you feedback •  If you are stuck on something: say it

•  Offer help and ideas to other fellow students through comments and quesEons.



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PresentaEons •  Not too many slides

–  general rule: 1 slide – 1 minute

•  Avoid long text –  6 x 4 or 4 x 6 (lines vs. words in a line)

•  Graphs, images (picture = 1000 words)

•  Avoid “funny” clip arts



PresentaEons

•  Avoid over-‐the-‐top animaEons •  and transiEons

– it can make some people dizzy



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Useful Eps •  Include

–  Slide number –  Date –  Short Etle of your presentaEon or event

•  SPELL-‐CHECK •  Don’t mix the units •  If presenEng graphs next to each other, make sure that they are of the same scale



PosiEon •  Overview

–  tell them what will you tell them…

•  Find a creaEve way to let know audience where are you in your presentaEon



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Graduate Program in Building Science Information Session for M.A.Sc students 10/12/2014 22

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Talk •  PracEce your talk •  Time yourself •  Make eye contact with audience

–  don’t look only at the screen and turn back to the audience

•  If needed, draw a`enEon to the material on the screen

•  Use appropriate language –  “… and whatnot”



Other resources •  YSGS Thesis regulaEons

–  h`p://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/graduate/policies/documents/Thesis_MRP_DissertaEon_Guidelines_06_2014-‐2.pdf

–  for copyright informaEon and direcEons about formaNng the MRP document

•  Student wriEng centre –  h`p://www.ryerson.ca/studentlearningsupport/graduate-‐student-‐support/

index.html –  For help with wriEng, the development of other academic skill and support – 

•  YSGS student-‐supervisor discussion checklist –  h`p://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/graduate/forms/documents/

YSGS_Student_Supervisor_Checklist_SEPT2014.pdf –  Use this list as a guideline and not as a formal document. Building Science

Graduate Program does not require formal signatures on this document as of this Eme.



http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/graduate/policies/documents/Thesis_MRP_Dissertation_Guidelines_06_2014-2.pdf

http://www.ryerson.ca/studentlearningsupport/graduate-student-support/index.html

http://www.ryerson.ca/graduate/facultyandstaff/student-supervisor-checklist.html

m.a.sc. thesis proposal guidelines · 2 miljana horvat, ryerson university [email protected]...

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