Admission requirements
This seminar is meant for all students who have been admitted to the Research Master Area Studies. In the first year attendance is strongly advised. In the second year attendance is compulsory
Description
During the seminar a student will present the outline of the Research Master thesis and discuss more in detail a part of it. This part (about 20 pp.) has to be distributed one week in advance among the participants in the seminar, so that the other participants in the seminar can study it and prepare questions and comments.
Course objectives
The students will learn to present the initial results of their research and to communicate this to a specialist and non-specialist academic audience. The students will learn to participate in an academic discussion on a topic related to area studies. The students will receive input to their research findings from faculty and fellow students. The students are challenged to reflect on how presentations from their fellow students in area studies who often deal with entirely different topics from their own interests might be relevant to their own thesis topic. The students will learn how to meet dead lines.
Timetable
Fall semester, Wednesdays, 15-17 hs, once every two weeks.
Spring semester, Mondays, 15-17 hs, once every two weeks.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Tutorial
Assessment method
Attendance of the meetings (compulsory in the second year); presentation of research outline and draft writing (20 pp.); preparation of the meetings by studying draft writings and active participation in the discussions. At the end of the second semester of the second year a paper is required in which the student responds to at least five presentations given during the seminar. In addition to mere reporting, in this paper the student should indicate what he or she has learnt from the presentations in relation to their own thesis or, in case nothing was taken from it, why not. The paper should be not shorter than 1500 and longer than 2500 words and should be handed in before 1 June. In case these requirements have been fulfilled the seminar brings in 10 EC.
Blackboard
Yes
Reading list
Draft writings of the participants, distributed one week in advance
Registration
Registration for this course is compulsory.
Contact information
Dr. Nico J.G. Kaptein, LIAS/SMES
Remarks
The seminar is coordinated and supervised by Dr. Nico J.G. Kaptein. In addition to him, the individual thesis supervisor of each presenter will be invited for expert comments.