UCL - Seminars accompanying the dissertation

[BIRE2210]

[30h] 3 credits

This course is taught in the 1st & 2d semester.

Teacher(s): Charles Bielders, Patrick Bogaert, Joseph Dufey(coord.), Caroline Vincke

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The dissertation is an introduction to research. It is a personal work which, under guidance of a promoter, develops the capacity to master experimental approaches, the interpretation of results in light of current knowledge and the prospect of further work. In addition to this methodology, the student must be able to communicate clearly and orally the results of his work and keep a critical mind regarding the adequacy between the approaches that were used and the initial goals.

Main themes

In order to make them more visible, these communication activities and these critical analysis exercises are evaluated through seminars focusing on the educational aspects of scientific communication.

Content and teaching methods

The person responsible for this course in each research unit takes the initiative to call together all the students whose main promoter is part of the unit in question, the (co-) promoters of dissertations as well as the senior researchers, the students and Ph.D. students of the same unit. These meetings may fit in with regular seminars of the research unit. A first meeting is held during the 1st semester in order to present in the form of a seminar of about fifteen minutes, the objectives of the dissertation, the state of knowledge, the work program and the expected difficulties. A second meeting, during the second semester, aims to present in the form of a seminar of about fifteen minutes, the objectives, a summary of research findings and their discussion as well as the difficulties encountered. Students of the same unit are encouraged to prepare together their presentations, possibly with the help of a senior researcher. Students whose main promotor is not part of a unit of the Faculty have the responsibility to organize themselves seminars, either in one of the units of the Faculty, or in the unit where they perform their search. In the latter case, the promoter must confirm in writing to the coordinator of the course that the student has made two presentations. The coordinator of courses in each department will ensure that all students conduct their seminars.
These meetings are followed by a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the oral presentation, the progress of work, the schedule of the research and the critical thinking of the student. The schedule of meetings and the choice of language are defined according to the rules of each unit. It is advisable to keep some flexibility depending on the theme of the dissertation and its organization (eg, dissertation in partnership with a foreign institution or internship dissertation).
Students also participate in meetings organized by other students from the same unit and, where possible, the public defence of dissertations by students of the previous promotion in September, thesis defences, preparations of people from the same unit for the FRIA scholarship.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation
The culmination of seminars given during the year is the oral presentation made during the public defense of dissertation. The rating for this course by the jury will be based on the oral presentation. This evaluation will take into account 2 points, with equivalent weight: 1. Clarity of the presentation (quality of the transparencies, modulation of voice, allocation of time between the different parts of the presentation, capacity to maintain attention, etc.). 2. Scientific rigor of the presentation (terminology, contents of the transparencies, synthesis capacity, etc.)..

Support
The coordinators will check with the teachers responsible for this course in each unit (or with the promoters if the student completes his dissertation outside the Faculty) before the June exam session that all students have actually presented two seminars. Any student who does not meet the requirements of this course may be assigned a score of 0 / 20, whatever the quality of the oral presentation during the public defence of the dissertation.

Miscellaneous
This applies to all students, including those whose promoter is not a teacher of the Faculty and those enrolled in the CPME training program.