- •Master's thesis methodical guide Regulations on procedures for preparation, presentation and defense of master’s thesis
- •Contents
- •1 General Issues
- •2 Master’s Thesis Writing and Defense
- •2.1 Selection of Master’s Thesis Topic
- •2.2 Approval of Thesis Topic and Supervisor
- •2.3 Responsibilities of Master Student and Thesis Supervisor
- •2.4 Individual Plan of Master Student Work
- •2.5 Certification and Interim Evaluation of Master’s Thesis
- •2.6 Final evaluation of Master’s Thesis by Supervisor
- •2.8 Reviewing of Master’s Thesis
- •2.9 Submission of Master’s Thesis by Head of Department
- •2.10 Preparation to Master’s Thesis Defense
- •2.11 Defense of Master’s Thesis
- •3 Reference Guide for Content and Formatting Thesis
- •3.1 General Formatting Rules
- •3.2 Abstract
- •3.3 Contents
- •3.4 Symbols and abbreviations
- •3.5 Introduction
- •3.6 Body text
- •3.7 Visual Content in Text
- •Figure 2.1 — State expenses on education in eu, million euro
- •3.8 Summary
- •3.9 Bibliography
- •3.10 Appendices
- •Appendix a Nomination of Thesis Title and Supervisor form
- •Theoretical foundations of strategic trade policy
- •The commercial disputes in the world information market
- •Dispute Settlement Process
- •Appendix g Formatting Requirements to Thesis
- •Appendix j Abstract sample
- •Abstract
- •Appendix к Table of Contents sample
- •Table of contents
- •Appendix l Symbols and Abbreviations sample symbols and abbreviations
- •Appendix м Specimen of Tables and Figures Formatting
- •Figure м — Share of tourism in total governmental expenditures in developing countries during 2000-2009
- •Appendix n References sample
- •Appendix p Bibliography sample bibliography
- •Appendix q Certificate of Adoption of Master’s Thesis Findings form
3.8 Summary
The summary is an overall conclusion of the thesis in 3 to5 pages. This section should summarize the nature and intention of the student's work, and include a brief restatement of conclusions presented in the body of the text.
The heading SUMMARY is centered in bold upper-case 14-point font. In double space the conclusion are presented in a short but valid and comprehensive manner. All conclusions are to be made and numerated consecutively by sections. Example — The analyses of investment climate of Belarus showed:
1) ….
2) ….
3) ….. etc.
The last point must consist of identified problems and practical recommendations to solve them.
3.9 Bibliography
A master’s thesis is written in academic language and the student shall refer to materials, results of different sources and authors in the prescribed manner. All sources for quotations and paraphrases must be documented. Student should use the standard citation styles (appendix N).
The bibliography or reference section should appear in one location at the end of the thesis before any appendices and should include all cited references.
Use of other materials without referring to the author or literature will result in the dissertation being returned at any stage of examination – this is plagiarism.
The term plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full or clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. Published or unpublished work might include art, graphics, computer programs, raw data, web sites, music and any other type of creative expression. The most obvious form of plagiarism is copying word-for-word without enclosing the copied work in quotation marks and without citing the original source in the text. Some advices to avoid plagiarism:
Use own words and ideas. Practice is essential to learning. Each time you choose your words, order your thoughts, and convey your ideas, you can improve your writing.
Give credit for copied, adapted, or paraphrased material. If you repeat another's exact words, you must use quotation marks and cite the source. If you adapt a chart or paraphrase a sentence, you must still cite the source. Paraphrase means that you restate the author's ideas, meaning, and information in your own words.
Avoid using others' work with minor cosmetic changes. Examples: using “less” for “fewer”, reversing the order of a sentence, changing terms in a computer code, or altering a spreadsheet layout. If the work is essentially the same, you must give credit.
There are no freebies. Always cite words, information, and ideas you use if they are new to you (learned in your research). No matter where you find it - even in an encyclopedia or on the Internet - you must cite it.
Beware of common knowledge. You don't have to cite “common knowledge”, but the fact must be commonly known.
Bibliography of cited sources is listed in alphabetic order. The reference on source is put after the use of citation or quote in square brackets. Example — [11, p. 23], [2, p. 21, table 3].
The following information is usually included in citations of electronic sources: the author's name (if known) or screen name/alias; the full title of the document cited as a journal article; the title of the complete work (if applicable); version or file numbers (if applicable or known); the date of the document's publication or last revision (if applicable or known); the full http address (URL); the date you visited the web site.
Example —
Suranovic, S.M. Measuring Protectionism: Average Tariff Rates around the World // Suranovic, S.M. International Trade Theory and Policy [Electronic source] / S.M. Suranovic. — 2007. — Chapter 20-1. — Mode of access: http://internationalecon.com/Trade/T-toc.php. — Date of access: 14.05.2011.
References made after tables, figures and formulas can be formatted in different manners.
Example —
1 Note — Source: [7, p. 8, figure 1].
2 Note — Source: [10, p. 45, table 8].
3 Note — Source: personally designed.
4 Note — Source: personally designed basing on [9, p. 30].
5 Note — Source: designed by author.
Usually bibliography consist of not less than 70 sources with majority of then issued in 2-3 last years including monographs, books, scientific articles, official reports, methodological recommendations, regulatory acts as well as publications of student on the matter of thesis etc. (appendix P).