Written and Oral Components

Masters Thesis/ Project: Details of W= ritten and Oral Components<= /span>

Written Component

The written component is your primary means of presenting your work to others once you have completed your degree. It must contain the required el= ements and be prepared according to the formatting specifications. The written component must be appr= oved by your advisor before you submit it to the committee, and must be accepted= by the committee (which may require some further revision).=

Oral Component

The oral component = consists of a public oral presentation of your work (in the Graduate Seminar) and an oral defense of your work before your committee. The seminar is a formal presentation of the results. Your presentation should be clear and concise,= and include an introduction to the topic as well as the presentation of your fi= nal results. 25 minutes will be scheduled for the talk, and 5 minutes allowed f= or follow-up questions from the audience.&nbs= p; The oral defense consists of your responding to questions asked by m= embers of your committee. Questions may cover details of your work, examples or applications of the concepts and topics in your work, or related mathematic= al topics. It is typically your method of approach to the question that is important, rather than recall of specific facts. After 30 – 60 minute= s, you leave, and your committee deliberates on your written work, your presentation, and your oral defense. You should plan to wait approximately = 30 minutes to learn the results (pass or fail and/or what further work may be required).

Criteria for evaluation of the Masters Thesis/ Project[1]:

1. Mastery

Depth of understanding must be demonstrated. The student who has mastered his/ her topic understands its nature and importance in a global sense. She= / he is able to give an overview of the topic which identifies both the central results and, in general terms, the methods by which they are obtained. His/= her grasp of the meaning of definitions and theorems is further evidenced by the effective use of examples. Evaluation of the student's mastery of his/ her topic will take into account the level of difficulty of the topic and the background of the student as well as the level of understanding that is demonstrated. Specifically, the degree to which the material is different f= rom that covered in his/ her course work will be considered.

2. Written paper

The written paper is evaluated using the following criteria. The written compoment must follow the format described in W= riting Mechanics.

Knowledge - insight, accuracy, completeness, conciseness
Originality - independence from major source in developing topic
Organization - logical flow with introduction, overview, examples, transitions, and conclusion
Vocabulary - correct use of mathematical terminology and symbols, sufficient use of non-technical language
Mechanics - adherence to manuscript conventions, correct spelling and sentence structure, careful editing and proofreading

3. Oral presentation

The criteria listed above, under knowledge, originality, organization, a= nd vocabulary, also apply here. The presenter must use board space and visual = aids effectively, and give an accessible presentation. She/ he is expected to be poised and purposeful, work at a suitable pace, and not rely excessively on written notes. She/ he must have a sense of his/ her audience and provide a sufficient introduction.

4. Responses to questions

The responses to questions are expected to be thoughtful and, whenever possible, relevant and complete. The difficulty of the question is a factor= in determining the completeness of the response. If a student cannot answer a question, his/ her ability to reformulate the question or to work with the questioner towards a solution may be evaluated.

5. Work with the advisor (evaluated only by the advisor)

The most important factor in evaluating the student's work with the advi= sor is the degree of independence. The independent student works through routine details and organizes the material on his/ her own. She/ he meets regularly with his/ her advisor, and is prepared for appointments, with specific questions in mind. She/ he is able to discuss the topic with the advisor and does not need to be led through the material.