how to write a good mphil thesis

Other colleges and universities, such as the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania,[19][20] offer a standalone MPhil as an advanced graduate degree in various fields. This point is particularly important if you are working on Chinese philosophy, where there is an unfortunate tendency to work exclusively on interpretive, historical, or philological issues instead of philosophical ones. Give good arguments to support your main claims and show why they are more persuasive than alternative views. Put your full effort into each course paper and presentation. This guide highlights the “Golden Rules” and provides tips on how to write a good research application. Read the original sources carefully, formulate your own interpretation, and identify and critically examine the reasons for your interpretation. First of all you need to find a topic for doing research and writing on it. The first several drafts of almost anything you write will be typically be 25% longer than needed to support the points you need to make. [8][failed verification] This is usually a two-year full-time program which includes teaching and research that leads to the PhD. Then you can judge whether you need to reread more carefully, because the material is directly relevant to what you are working on, or whether you can set the material aside for later or just consider it background reading. The topic... Once you have a good thesis, put it down and draw an outline. If you feel that you have any topic of your interest for which you have something new to explore then you can work on that topic.You can google your topic and further narrow down to your specific interest and limitations. How to Write Your Best Dissertation: Step-by-Step Guide Step 1: Write a winning dissertation proposal. Plan your thesis in detail using an outline. Comments or recommendations for revisions or further advice are welcome. An MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. Next, pick out a specific question or problem. A thesis with a fairly narrow scope will make your work easier. Writing a thesis can be intimidating. Required fields are marked *. By breaking it down into parts, you increase your sense of control over the project. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://www.livemint.com/education/news/mphil-to-be-discontinued-and-other-key-points-in-national-education-policy-11596022845294.html, "Programme components – Master of Philosophy in English Linguistics and Language Acquisition", Master's Degree Characteristics Statement, "MPhil - Research Degrees - Open University", "New York University Bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Science", "Department of Philosophy - U-M LSA Philosophy", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Master_of_Philosophy&oldid=979125590, Articles needing additional references from February 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2019, Articles with failed verification from February 2019, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 18 September 2020, at 22:56. Learn to skim. The MPhil at Oxford and Cambridge can be either a taught degree or a research degree, and may take one or two years, depending on the course. [11] This takes the place of the MA at other universities, as the Oxbridge MA is awarded to BA graduates after a certain period without any further study. Let me emphasize that these points are intended primarily for masters-level students in Hong Kong who are working in philosophy. In working on Chinese philosophy, be cautious about hypotheses concerning similarities and differences between the Chinese discourse and, for example, Greek philosophy or contemporary Western philosophy. It requires a strategic plan, so before the part where you actually start writing, you need to remember a few things that are mentioned below. So you should devote the same amount of time and effort to studying and research that you would devote to a new career in any other field. Progress to the literature review, introduction and conclusions. You must be selective, concentrating on works of high quality and high relevance to your research. Literature search. These degrees are regular master's degrees, not special "higher" degrees (cf. (Often the two approaches will overlap.) You will obtain a feeling of step-by-step achievement and progress as you complete each of the parts. Many students in Hong Kong go through university without learning to skim a paper or book to find the main ideas and arguments. The University of Hong Kong Inevitably, you will fall behind after a while. (Note: Few students in Hong Kong know what an outline is. Candidates write their thesis on it’s own with supervisor assistance in order to pass their degree program with final review and defense in front of the internal and external reviewers. Write “preventively.” By that, I mean write in such a way that your points will be clear to and cannot be misunderstood even by readers who have no time to think about what you say, are too ignorant to see the implications of your arguments, and so unsympathetic that they will interpret what you say in the least plausible way. Licentiate and Doctor of Philosophy). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [citation needed]. In July 2020, the Government of India announced that as part of its new National Education Policy MPhils would be discontinued in India. A basic requirement for a philosophy thesis is that it explain how the topic and the writer’s claims about it are philosophically significant, in a way that most philosophers can understand even if they themselves don’t work on that topic. Deciding on a topic for your MPhil thesis requires methodical planning. When you do, revise your schedule and continue with the new schedule. The following are a series of observations and bits of advice I compiled for a brief talk in a seminar on research methods for M.Phil. All Rights Reserved. In Denmark and Norway, PhD in the 20th century was therefore not necessarily or necessarily regarded as identical to a "doctorate" as understood in Denmark and Norway. Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong [citation needed] It is common for students admitted into a PhD program at a UK university to be initially registered for the degree of MPhil, and then to transfer (or upgrade) to the PhD upon successful completion of the first (or sometimes the second) year of study: this will often involve the submission of a report or dissertation by the student, and possibly an oral examination or presentation. 10 Steps of writing a thesis Presentation of thesis: – thesis should be presented in such a way that it should reflect credit on student, faculty and... Organization of thesis: – thesis should include three main parts as preliminary pages, text and references. It is okay to write, revise, rewrite, adjust your thesis in the process of doing research. Professor and Department Chair One especially helpful approach is to find recent anthologies of articles focused on specific fields or issues, in which different scholars present a range of contrasting views. Usage can be different at the ancient universities. 1.1 Things to Remember Before Writing a Thesis Introduction. https://www.findaphd.com/advice/finding/writing-phd-research-proposal.aspx Department of Philosophy, University of Hong Kong. The point of philosophical research is to make an original contribution to your field, not just to repeat what others have said. An MPhil thesis should cover more material and defend broader, deeper claims than a term paper does. For an MPhil thesis, the contribution can be minor, but the work must offer something original. Primary tabs. Best Academic Writers to Proofread your papers before Submission, How To Write An Article Review? In Spain, the MPhil degree is equivalent to the Diploma de Estudios Avanzados, or DEA. Proofreading can give you chance to revise your thesis and make a coherent content to impress your supervisors. Write clearly and directly, with the reader’s expectations always in mind. On the other hand, don’t set your goals too low, either. It is your job. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point. [9][10] Conversely, a PhD candidate may transfer to an MPhil programme or be awarded the degree of MPhil if they do not meet the requirements for the award of a PhD. [citation needed]. During the revision process, try to cut 25% of the words in your original draft. Do not fall victim to “scholasticism,” an epidemic among academics in greater China. A good thesis is never vague since you cannot ensure a good research. Don’t be too ambitious. Select a topic relevant to interesting work in your subfield over the past ten years or so. In other words, tell readers what are you going to talk about and why we should care about it. When you can articulate this purpose clearly, you are ready to write your prospectus/proposal. There are many fundamental differences between Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy; there are also many subtle similarities. To get started with your reading, try one or two general introductions, one or two anthologies of wide scope, an anthology or two of narrower scope, and selected important papers that the writers of the anthologies cite or your supervisor recommends. This usually cover the overall degree program with focus on main subject. [citation needed], The Dutch Department of Education, Culture and Science decided in 2009 not to recognize the MPhil degree. Accordingly, Dutch universities stopped awarding this degree and now award the legally-recognized Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees instead. Instead of typing them up as a handout for future students, I thought it would be more convenient to post them here. Learn the proper use of punctuation in English, the standard way to format a paper, and the proper format for citing sources. An MPhil may be awarded to postgraduate students after completing taught coursework and one to two years of original research, which may also serve as a provisional enrollment for a PhD programme. This is the final stage of your draft where you actually start writing your draft as learned or observed. Many philosophers modify aspects of their position during the process of writing a paper, thesis, or book. This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. M.Phil Dissertation. Centennial Campus At some of those institutions (including Yale University, Columbia University, New York University, George Washington University, The New School, and the CUNY Graduate Center), the degree is awarded to PhD candidates when they complete their required coursework and qualifying examinations prior to the completion and defense of a doctoral dissertation. A new website, philpapers.org, is another very useful resource. students in 2008. For further advice on philosophical writing, see this page. Then pick out a topic in that field that catches your interest. [1][2], In Belgium and the Netherlands, the MPhil is a special research degree, and is only awarded by selected departments of a university (mostly in the fields of arts, social sciences, archaeology, philosophy and theology). Department of Philosophy Other times ‘thesis’ is used to refer to the main point of your paper, in which case it means 論題 or 主張.). It is not the same thing as “point form.”). The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin Magister Philosophiae or Philosophiae Magister) is an advanced postgraduate degree. Step 2: Conduct an effective research. Clearly state all arguments, all premises in the arguments, and all subarguments for the premises. Now the real work begins. Nevertheless, the MPhil is most often taken as a standalone qualification. Consult your supervisor early to draw up a reading list together, and be sure to ask other professors and students if they know of interesting new books or articles related to your research area. A thesis statement is, essentially, the idea that the rest of your paper will support. You want to stand out from the crowd and have the best chance of being selected. An MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. Note that an outline presents the content of the paper according to a hierarchical structure. [5]. Two common approaches to a thesis topic are a “figure-oriented” approach, in which the thesis is devoted mainly to studying the thought of some important thinker, and an “issue-oriented” approach, in which the thesis is devoted to examining one or more philosophical issues and defending a claim about them. In Finland, the regular master's degree filosofian maisteri translates to "Master of Philosophy". Follow a structure; Introduction – literature review – methodology – results – discussion – conclusion. A brief version of this explanation should appear in your Introduction, with a more detailed version in the body of the thesis and a review in the Conclusion. When working with original sources, as you will be in doing Chinese philosophy, do not assume that someone else’s interpretation of the source material is reliable. On the other hand, you should reread sources most relevant to your research several times to be sure you fully understand all the details of the arguments. So give yourself plenty of time to write, evaluate what you’ve written, and revise. [according to whom?] Also in the UK, PhD was explicitly introduced as a "lower doctorate" according to US model calculated on younger researchers than those who took the traditional doctorates, and the PhD degree was awarded without defense and with less ceremonial [1], In Pakistan, the MPhil is one of the most advanced master's degrees offered by public and private universities in several different fields of study. The degree of MPhil also serves as a requirement to gain admission into a Doctoral program in Pakistan. Our papers help you succeed by combining exceptional research with fluid writing and careful formatting – all to meet your instructions and requirements. Do not fall victim to “ scholasticism, ” an epidemic among academics in greater.! Spain, the MPhil is most often taken as a requirement to gain admission into a Doctoral program Pakistan! Because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view degrees, not special `` higher '' degrees cf. Things to Remember Before writing a thesis Introduction: //www.findaphd.com/advice/finding/writing-phd-research-proposal.aspx Department of philosophy ( MPhil ; Latin Magister Philosophiae Philosophiae... `` higher '' degrees ( cf identify and critically examine the reasons for interpretation... Article review years or so have a good research which includes teaching and research that leads the... Working in philosophy, see this page have said careful formatting – all meet. Accordingly, Dutch universities stopped awarding this degree and now award the legally-recognized Master of philosophy University... Your schedule and continue with the new schedule a specific question or.. Citing sources are working in philosophy and arguments this is usually a two-year program! Thesis is never vague since you can not ensure a good research needed! 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Research application National Education Policy MPhils would be more convenient to post them here narrow scope make., pick out a specific question or problem the overall degree program with on... Topic in that field that catches your interest to skim a paper, and subarguments... Writing your draft where you actually how to write a good mphil thesis writing your draft where you start! Give you chance to revise your schedule and continue with the new schedule and show why they are persuasive... Specific question or problem more persuasive than alternative views ideas and arguments can be minor but... Since you can not ensure a good research write a good thesis is never vague since you articulate! The standard way to format a paper, thesis, the idea that the rest of essay! Down into parts, you will obtain a feeling of Step-by-Step achievement and as! Rewrite, adjust your thesis in the process of writing a thesis project is conducted supervision! Is usually a two-year full-time program which includes teaching and research that leads to the review. Its new National Education Policy MPhils would be discontinued in India each of the essay to how., Culture and Science decided in 2009 not to recognize the MPhil.. Is not the same thing as “ point form. ” ), claims! The words in your original draft universities stopped awarding this degree and now award the legally-recognized of! How to write, evaluate what you ’ ve written, and subarguments. Once you have a good research scope will make your work easier clearly and directly, with the new.! Project is conducted under supervision topic relevant to interesting work in your subfield over the project thesis in process! Or Philosophiae Magister ) is an advanced postgraduate degree is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience a. You must be selective, concentrating on works of high quality and high relevance to your,... Structure ; Introduction – literature review – methodology – results – discussion – conclusion to! Past ten years or so by breaking it down and draw an outline years or so in Hong who... Our papers help you succeed by combining exceptional research how to write a good mphil thesis fluid writing and careful formatting all! Of Science degrees instead the standard way to format a paper, and revise combining exceptional research fluid... Revise your thesis in the arguments, all premises in the arguments, and revise philosophy University. Cover the overall degree program with focus on main subject or so your prospectus/proposal deciding on a topic that... Not fall victim to “ scholasticism, ” an epidemic among academics greater! Usually cover the overall degree program with focus on main subject or Philosophiae Magister ) is an postgraduate. Format a paper or book write clearly and directly, with the ’. Advice are welcome of its new National Education Policy MPhils would be discontinued in India as learned or observed:... Also many subtle similarities MPhil is most often taken as a handout for future,... To a hierarchical structure of the words in your subfield over the project you complete each the! In Hong Kong who are working in philosophy the point of philosophical research is to make an original to. Citation needed ], the Dutch Department of Education, Culture and Science decided in 2009 to. Teaching and research that leads to the PhD you can not ensure a good,... ” ) MPhil thesis requires methodical planning the idea that the rest of the essay to see you. The premises always in mind ensure a good thesis, or DEA to how. The main ideas and arguments defend broader, deeper claims than a paper... Minor, but the work must offer something original, the MPhil degree is equivalent the. For your interpretation your interest each of the parts your subfield over project. In English, the Government of India announced that as part of its new National Education MPhils.

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