1. Rules, Practicalities, Process
Thesis Seminar 2018
Rules, Practicalities, Process

2. ”According to the Government Decree on University Degrees (794/2004), all master of Arts degree candidates must complete a thesis to receive their degree”

3. Aims of the master’s thesis
Demonstrate command of the field of the master’s programme and ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the programme independently;
Demonstrate ability for research-oriented work on an artistic, theoretical or applied research topic and demonstrate ability to use data and source material for research purposes;
Demonstrate good communication skills for work in the field of study

4. What is Thesis ? A piece of theoretical, artistic or applied research
A work of art
Or a combination of these
May also include a production component – a design, a work of art, an exhibition, or project
Always a book = written component – 25 – 70 pages (approx – characters)
30 credits

5. Before Thesis Get aquainted with the existing thesis
University’s library
Thesis Seminar –

6. Before Thesis Get aquainted with the thesis guidelines
+ master programmes
choose your programme
Graduation
Master’s Thesis Guide

7. Thesis begins
The thesis process begins with choosing a topic and defining the scope or research questions of the thesis

8. Thesis Plan Topic / title of the thesis Your name and programme
Thesis supervisor and thesis advisor(s)
Extent of thesis
Goals set for the research of the thesis
Description of the artistic component (artistic work)
Definiton of the thesis scope
Methodological choices
Language
Timetable
Financial plan

9. Approving the topic
After the plan is complete, the thesis topic needs to be approved by the supervisor
If you don’t know your supervisor, contact the head of your MA programme
Approving the topic also involves setting a period of validity of the thesis plan – that is one year
The supervisor notifies the thesis evaluation group of the approved topics and of the thesis advisors appointed

10. Thesis Supervisor and Thesis Advisor
Supervisor should be a member of faculty – professor or lecturer appointed by the director of the degree programme Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the thesis topic is related to the programme and feasible to be covered within the scope of the MA thesis. Supervisor and advisor may be the same person. Every thesis must have a supervisor and advisor.
Advisor supports students in different stages of the thesis process. A thesis may have one or two thesis advisors, who may be either faculty memebers or external advisors. At least one of the advisors should have excellent knowledge of the field of the thesis. Supervisor and advisor may be the same person. Every thesis must have a supervisor and advisor.

11. Thesis Supervisor and Thesis Advisor
Student has the responsibility to consult the thesis advisor during the process
Max. 10 hours of face-to-face advice
Agree about the advising arrangements and timetables
One year ”contract”
Approves the topic and the thesis plan
Appoints a thesis advisor or advisors
Agrees about the period of validity of the thesis project – typically one year
Agrees about the language of the thesis
Agrees about the issues such as confidentiality, conflict with the advisor etc.
Checks the content of the maturity exam (abstract)
Gives the permission to submit the thesis for evaluation

12. Thesis as teamwork Possible Needs to be agreed by the supervisor
The student must be able to demonstrate his or her contribution to the work

13. Thesis on commission Possible Evaluated against academic criteria
No confidental information
Written contract about the topic, timetable, advising responsibilities (see the university contract templates)

14. Language of the thesis Finnish, Swedish or English
Student is responsible for ensuring the correctness of the language; the language may affect the evaluation
Aalto University Language Centre offers courses and writing clinics for thesis writers

15. Language of the thesis Finnish students:
Opinnäytteen kieli on myös tutkintotodistuksen kieli
Jos tekee opinnäytteen Suomeksi niin saa tutkintotodistuksen Suomeksi. Jos tekee opinnäytteen Englanniksi niin saa tutkintotodistuksen Englanniksi ja Suomeksi

16. Responsbile conduct of research and good artistic practice
Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity and Handling Violations there of
Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity

17. Turnitin https://wiki.aalto.fi/display/turnitin/Turnitin+for+Students
1. Submitting work to Turnitin
How to submit to Turnitin and view the originality report in MyCourses workspace of a course or a thesis (mycourses.aalto.fi)
For independent originality check of files there is a workspace calledIndependent Turnitin Originality Check in MyCourses.
2. Handling your originality report
How is the originality report interpreted?
What happens if plagiarism is suspected?
3. Viewing your feedback and grading
How do I get feedback in GradeMark?
4. What is expected of you when using Turnitin
How to aim at skilful writing and avoid plagiarism
Your rights and responsibilities

18. Layout of the thesis The title page of the thesis must include:
The student name
Thesis title
Type of the thesis
Extent of thesis
Name of the programme
School
University
Year of thesis publication

19. Abstract (maturity exam)
The thesis includes an abstract describing the contents of the work
Written in the present tense
No subheadings
No abbreviations
Max. one A4
In two languages – Finnish or Swedish and English – foreigners write only in English
Substitutes the old maturity exam
Both the content and language are checked

20. When thesis is complete
First get your advisors approval
Secondly get your supervisors approval
Three (3) binded copies = books
Also the electronic version
Two examiners are nominated to the thesis
In general the supervisor acts as one evaluator

21. Public thesis examination session
Presentation to the supervisors and audience
Examiners present their statements
The students has right to respond to the remarks and questions of the examiner
Examiners submit their written statements and present their grade proposal to the thesis evaluation group
The examination statements are public
Min. 4 thesis examination sessions per year

22. Thesis evaluation Grading 1 – 5
Note: thesis evaluation criteria as appendix 1 of the Master’s Thesis Guide of Aalto ARTS
A thesis may be failed if it does not meet the requirements set for the thesis or if the student has violated against the university code of academic integrity while working on it (e.g. plagiarism)

23. Thesis evaluation criteria
ARTS has set evaluation criteria for the MA thesis. The final grade is given for the thesis as a whole using those evaluation criteria which are relevant for the thesis. Emphasis may be put on those criteria that are relevant for that particular thesis: if the student defines his or he work as theorethical or applied research, the criterion Quality of the artistic component may be ignored. In such cases, weight is put on the criterion Discussion of the topic, conclusions and interpretation. The oral presentation given in the examination session and the skill in answering the questions posed by the examiner may raise the grade of the thesis.

24. Thesis evaluation criteria
CHOISE OF TOPIC AND OF THE ARTISTIC AND/OR SCIENTIFIC GOALS FOR THESIS
COMMAND OF TOPIC AND USE OF SOURCES
DISCUSSION OF THE TOPIC, CONCLUSIONS AND INTERPRETATION
QUALITY OF THE ARTISTIC COMPONENT
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT
QUALITY OF THESIS LANGUAGE AND PRESENTATION, AND THE EXAMINATION SESSION
KNOWLEDGE AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
OVERALL IMPRESSION

25. Graduation days https://into.aalto.fi/display/encoim/Graduation
Deadline to hand-in Thesis presentations Graduation day
the thesis
24. September –
26. October
7. March – mid-June publiikki/ceremony
29. April –

26. Appeals
Students dissatisfied with the grade of their thesis may appeal against the decision in writing
Instructions in the Master’s Thesis Guide of Aalto ARTS

27. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR THESIS !