Guideline for Reviews

GUIDELINES FOR EXTERNAL REVIEWERS

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Your report should consists of TWO PARTS.

PART 1. An overall evaluation of the thesis, in particular commenting
on originality, interest of the results and technical quality.  It
should include your RECOMMENDATION on whether the candidate should be
awarded the degree

  * YES (except perhaps for minor amendments such as spelling,
  incomplete referencing,...)

  * YES subject to the amendments indicated by the reviewer being made

  * NO (a decision on whether the candidate may re-submit is taken locally)

and (if your recommendation is positive) an EVALUATION of the thesis

  * EXCELLENT, i.e. one of the best theses (say in the top 10%) you have read

  * GOOD, i.e. good and solid work, definitely above average

  * SUFFICIENT, i.e. adequate for awarding the degree.


PART 2 (OPTIONAL). Specific points (like corrections, questions,
suggestions for improvements), which will be passed to the candidate.

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The candidate must defend the thesis and answer to any of your
objections in front of a committee, which will decide whether to award
the degree.

The corrections you suggest shall be taken into account in the final
version of the thesis, which will be published as an internal report.

I would like to thank you again for accepting to serve as external
reviewer, indeed your evaluation represents the most stringent
independent check of the thesis before the degree is awarded.

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The following questions are INDICATIVE of the issues which might be
addressed in your report.

CONTENTS.

- Does the candidate demonstrate the ability to conceptualise or
  identify clearly the research problem?

- Does the candidate demonstrate the ability to present the results of
  the research in a succinct and cogent form, with suitable
  illustration where appropriate?

- Is the thesis a distinct contribution to knowledge by original
  investigation or by review or by criticism or by design?

- Are the contents sufficiently substantial and broad-ranging to allow
  coverage of the field?

- Does the thesis contain material suitable for publication?

KNOWLEDGE.

- Does the candidate exhibit sufficient knowledge of the research
  topic and familiarity with the discipline(s) it embraces?

- Does the candidate demonstrate a capacity for clear thinking?

- Does the candidate show mastery of analysis and/or synthesis and/or
  evaluation appropriate to the research topic?

PRESENTATION.

- Does the work represent a well-planned approach to the
  subject-matter?

- Is the thesis structured appropriately?

- Does the candidate appropriately orient the reader to the ground to
  be covered and the arguments made?

- Is the presentation of the thesis, in the matters of grammar,
  spelling, punctuation and general appearance, adequate?

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