PART 9: FACULTY RESEARCH PAPER REGULATIONS - Sociology

Article 1. Objectives

§1 A research Paper is the capstone of the Bachelor's degree programme, in which the student independently further develops and integrates the knowledge and skills built up in the various course units. The importance attached to the Research Paper is reflected in the high number of credits (more credits than a regular course).

§2 The research paper comprises an elaborated research proposal on a sociological topic. It includes a clear position on how the conceived research relates to the literature and a reflection on the innovative nature of the work. In addition, the research is developed in a creative manner.

§3 In contrast to the papers for some other course units, a research paper is an individual work. However, this does not exclude that several students may work on different aspects of the same broad subject, or that they may discuss their progress in group meetings. This is done in close consultation with the supervisor.

Article 2. Method

2.1. Guidance

§1 Each student is guided by a supervisor (a member of the professorial staff or a post-doctoral researcher / post-doctoral assistant). The supervisor is a member of the department of Sociology. Assistants and scientific staff with the necessary experience and expertise and/or staff from other departments may also be involved in the supervision under the final responsibility of the supervisor. A co-supervisor from outside the study programme is possible. Co-supervisors do not grade the paper or assignments, but pass on their comments to the supervisor who may (if they deem the comments insightful) take them into account when grading the paper and assignments.

§2 The supervisor decides how the supervision will be carried out. Usually it consists of an exploratory meeting in which theme and problem are chosen and then a number of meetings in which the progress of the research paper is further discussed. This can be done individually or in groups.

2.2. Choice of a research theme and supervisor

§3 The topic proposals are also published by the supervisors via the application "Research Paper" which can be found on the information site (Ufora). Students can obtain information from the supervisors about the proposed topics; students may also formulate a proposal themselves and submit it for approval to a supervisor.

§4 In order to be able to guarantee the quality of a research paper, the research theme is, of course, situated in the field / research domain of the supervisor. In addition, the aim is to ensure a balanced distribution of students among the various potential supervisors.

§5 Each student communicates the chosen proposal via the online application “Plato”, as well as the name of the supervisor. The proposed supervisor gives explicit approval for this. This means that the student has to receive the approval of the supervisor first before submitting the proposal via Plato.
Submission date 1th session: check the FSA website: https://www.ugent.be/ps/en/education/administration/data.htm This also applies to research themes with supervisors of outside the faculty.

§6 Anyone who does not meet this deadline, will be excluded from participation in the first exam session for the Research Paper. To participate in the second exam session you also have to register in Plato

2.3. Approval of research theme and supervisor

§7 The supervisor's approval (requested to submit the research theme) via Plato counts as approval of the proposal.

2.4. Submitting the Research Paper

§8 The research paper has to be submitted electronically (upload on Plato). In the second session, the paper should be submitted according to the same modalities. It is important that students submit the research paper, simply uploaden it does not suffice. Unsubmitted OPs are inadmissible.

§9 If a research paper is not issued before the specified date, the student concerned is not admissible for the deliberation, except in the case of force majeure. The supervisor, in consultation with the chairman of the examination board, decides if the reason for force majeure is valid.

2.5. Oral defense

§10 A research paper comprises a written report. Students do not have to prepare a presentation or orally defend their paper.

2.6. The evaluation procedure

§11 Every research paper is evaluated by a supervisor.

2.7. Feedback

§12 Each student is entitled to feedback on his/her paper. After the proclamation of the first and/or second examination period, feedback will be provided on Plato.

Article 3. The format of the paper

3.1 General form requirements

§1 A research paper consists of a research question, including a state of the art, research objectives and questions, research design and timing.

3.2 Structure

a) Front pieces
- Title page (a standard title page is used. A template is made available on Ufora
- Abstract (min. 200 words, max. 300 words, Dutch)
- Word Count

-Rationale and positioning in relation to the state-of-the-art

The scientific relevance is elaborated by identifying gaps/contradictions in the scientific literature with regard to a topic, and indicating the unique scientific knowledge that the final research will/can provide. The project has to be positioned in relation to national and international scientific research.

-Research objectives and questions

The research objectives are explained, and the specific research questions are presented. A brief justification and theoretical reflection is added for each objective/research question. The way in which the proposed research questions are deemed innovative is indicated in each case.

-Methodology

In this section, the methodological choices are made explicit and explained, and it becomes clear how the methodological choices relate to the scientific literature (are the methods within a certain tradition simply followed or challenged?).

-Work plan

In this section, the work is divided into work packages that are clearly linked to the research objectives. A time window is also assigned to the work packages. Students can also discuss any risks, contingencies, and ways to cope with them.

-References

Data management plan and ethics form (obligatory).
Possible other attachments

3.3 Source reference

§3 The APA system has to be used for source reference (see APA manual on Ufora). If mainly legal sources are used, legislation and case law, the source references and methods of citation and abbreviation applicable in law have to be applied.

3.4 Size and font

§4 The length of the paper has to be between 4,500 and 6,000 words (not including abstracts, references, tables, footnotes and possible attachments). The number of words (word count) is stated on the title page.

! These minima and maxima may not be exceeded under any circumstances. If this is the case, the research paper will be declared inadmissible.

Article 4. Assessment criteria and grading

§1 The assessment criteria are laid out in the Research Paper Assessment Form (see appendix). For the evaluation of the '"Education research paper", a separate rubric for the assessment of the educational (research) competences is to be completed.

§2 The supervisor also has to assess the student's development (meeting deadlines, goal orientation, commitment, logical thinking, etc.) during the academic year . This evaluation on the student's individual trajectory is to be included by supervisor in the overall evaluation of the finished research paper.

Article 5. Scientific transparency, language, plagiarism, Ethics and Data Management Plan and data availability

5.1. Scientific transparency

§1 In scientific work all assertions always have to be properly and clearly substantiated. The writer has to enable the reader to follow the argumentation well and to estimate the scientific value and scope of each statement.

This means that the writer has to make clear how he / she came constructed the ideas (own experience, own data collection (how was the data collected ? where ?; when ? etc.). With each use of the ideas or empirical findings of others, the writer has to refer to the source (s) used in an adequate manner. He / she also has to make a clear distinction between one's own summary / interpretation and the literal citation of a source.

5.2. Language of course Research paper

§3 A research paper is written in Dutch. Upon simple request and with the supervisor's approval, the research paper can also be written in English or French. When a research paper is written in English or French, a summary in Dutch is required. The Dutch summary can be written in the form of an abstract, unless other arrangements are made with the supervisor.

5.3. Plagiarism

§4 With regard to irregularities with regard to a research paper / Master's dissertation, or with regard to other forms of (written) reporting, the Faculty has drawn up Faculty Plagiarism Regulations (see Part 10 of the FEEC).

5.4 Ethics/Data Management Plan

§5 A Research Paper has to include a properly completed data management plan and ethics form. The completed form is to be attached as the final document of the research paper (together with the references and other attachments). If an informed consent form is required, it should also be included.
The DMP should be completed according to all relevant research dimensions (e.g. research design, data collection, analysis, etc.) that are explicitly discussed in the research paper, even if the research paper does not contain or discuss (self-collected) data. The form is to be completed in the same language in which the research paper is written.

5.5 Data availability

§6 The supervisor of the research paper has to be granted read access to all data generated or processed by the student in the context of his/her research at all times until the end of the academic year in which the research paper is submitted. This applies to all stages of the entire process. Examples of such data are the following (non-exhaustive list):

-raw data such as interview recordings, survey data andfield observation authenticity evidence

-(semi)processed data such as transcripts

-analyses such as Nvivo and SPSS ouput.

Upon request of the supervisor, students have to the files available. Depending on the nature of the files, this can be done by email (as an attachment), via a link to secure files on a site (such as Sharepoint) or by providing access to an application (for example, sharing a Qualtrics project).

When data is shared, the principals of confidentiality have to be adhered to (third parties do not have access). Granting this "read access" to the supervisor does not imply an automatic transfer of rights to this data.

Article 6. Additional requirement for those who failed the research paper and have to resubmit it at a later time

Students who did not pass the research paper and who resubmit at a later date, have to add a separate document, in which they (a) provide an overview of the changes made, and in which they (b) indicate how they have taken the reports and the comments on the earlier version into account.