Thesis Examination

A candidate for the degree of PhD should demonstrate:

evidence of an original investigation or testing of ideas and a significant original contribution to knowledge;
a high degree of independence of thought and approach;
a thorough understanding of the appropriate techniques in the field;
critical appraisal of published works and experimental results;
appreciation of the relationship of the special theme to the wider field of knowledge;
capacity to present well written work.

Much dispute regarding assessment of the postgraduate thesis centres around the following factors:

There is wide variation in reports which indicate the variability of focus, interpretation and assumptions
The process is shrouded in privacy
Lack of scrutiny about examiners assumptions
There is no induction into the process of examination
There is considerable academic standing at risk for all parties
Likely influences on an examiner's judgements
- the view of their role as examiner
- assumptions about what constitutes a thesis
- their assumptions about the purpose of a thesis
- their prior experiences
- other examination processes
- the quality of other thesis
- their own examination experience
- their esteem about their own capacity to examine
- defensiveness about their standing in the field
- contextual pressures
- the reader friendliness of the text
- surface qualities of the text
- format, use of conventions, size
- knowledge of the candidate, the supervisor, the institution