Thesis assessment
Thesis assessment is carried out according to faculty standards with associated assessment forms and manuals.
All bachelor’s and master’s theses must be assessed by two examiners, independently of each other. The Faculty has developed a digital form to support this process. There are three forms: One for each evaluator and one for a final mutual assessment.
Getting an account
To be able to work in the online thesis assessment system, you need an account. You can request this account by sending a request form from your university email address to the Thesis Helpdesk: scriptieform@hum.leidenuniv.nl
After the account has been created, you will receive an email with an activation link. You will then go through a number of steps until the account is ready for use. Among other things, you will be asked to enter a PIN code.
How does it work?
The current online thesis assessment comes with a manual and takes some getting used to. Please follow the steps in this manual and read the accompanying instructions to prevent a malfunction during completion. The manual includes separate instructions for the first, second and third examiners, a set of FAQ, and the content of BA, MA and ResMA assessment forms.
To prevent malfunctions, please see the figure below for the most important tips regarding uploading theses and the plagiarism scan. Please read the manual carefully.
Login
To the online thesis assessment form.
Questions or problems?
If you have any questions about the operation of the system after reading the manual, or if you are confronted with a problem or malfunction, please contact the Thesis Helpdesk immediately by email: scriptieform@hum.leidenuniv.nl. Or call: 071 527 1641.
Thesis regulations
Further information about thesis assessment can be found in the Bachelor’s Thesis Regulation and Master’s Thesis Regulations, which are included as an appendix to the Faculty’s BA and MA Course and Examination Regulations respectively.
Programme specific (knock-out) criteria
Some degree programmes have drawn up explicit so-called knock-out criteria for theses. This means that certain minimum requirements must be met before a thesis will be assessed.
The thesis:
- contains a clear academic research question.
- is situated within a relevant academic debate.
- (a) places the analysis of the regionally defined topic in a global perspective, or (b) analyses the topic from at least two different disciplinary perspectives.
- accounts for the chosen research method(s) and materials.
- is based on the evaluation of a sufficiently large body of independently collected scholarly literature and/or sources (10-20, depending on whether books and/or articles are discussed).
- contains a well-structured and consistent argument.
- is written in correct English.
- produces a scholarly argument and analysis.
- counts 10.000 words (± 10%), excluding bibliography and notes.
- adequaat gebruik van in het Japans gestelde teksten, die voor het onderwerp van het eindwerkstuk relevant zijn.
De scriptie:
- Bevat een duidelijke probleemstelling;
- Bevat onderzoek dat wordt uitgevoerd aan de hand van een methode die passend is binnen één van de wetenschappelijke disciplines binnen de gekozen afstudeerrichting;
- Bevat verwijzingen naar een substantiële hoeveelheid Russischtalige bronnen;
- Bevat onderzoek dat is ingebed in wetenschappelijke literatuur die relevant is voor ten minste één van de twee afstudeerrichtingen van Russische Studies;
- Geeft blijk van gedegen kennis en inzicht op het gebied van ten minste één van de twee afstudeerrichtingen van Russische Studies;
- Geeft blijk van de vaardigheid om kritisch te reflecteren op het eigen onderzoek, daarbij open staand voor mogelijke alternatieve argumenten;
- Geeft blijk van de vaardigheid om resultaten van het eigen onderzoek op het terrein van een van de twee afstudeerrichtingen van Russische studies schriftelijk op zorgvuldige, gestructureerde en overtuigende wijze te presenteren voor een academisch publiek (peers).
- philosophical relevance;
- convincing argumentation;
- the candidate independently arrives at considered judgements on a philosophical debate.
- Adequate approach to the subject of the thesis from at least two disciplinary angles relevant to the study of Africa.
- philosophical relevance;
- convincing argumentation;
- the candidate independently arrives at considered judgements on a philosophical debate.
The thesis:
- Contains a clear research question;
- Contains research that is situated within existing scholarly literature;
- Demonstrates the ability to operate a scientific conceptual apparatus and to employ a relevant and appropriate research method in order to answer the research question;
- Demonstrates the ability to independently define informed and persuasive viewpoints (on the basis of Russian and non-Russian sources and supplemented by one’s own findings) which contribute to a scholarly discussion about developments in the field of Russian and Eurasian Studies.
- Demonstrates the ability to critically reflect on differing opinions and hypotheses as well as on one’s own research, taking into account and weighing alternative arguments;
- Gives evidence of specialised knowledge of politics, economics, international relations, history, culture, literature and linguistics in relation to one or several of the Eurasian states.