MASTER S THESIS COMMUNICATION STUDIES NEW MEDIA AND SOCIETY IN EUROPE. Guidelines ACADEMIC YEAR

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1 MASTER S THESIS COMMUNICATION STUDIES NEW MEDIA AND SOCIETY IN EUROPE Guidelines ACADEMIC YEAR Read the educational and exam regulations of the ES faculty! (cfr -- Regulations ) Coordinator International Master s Thesis: Prof. Dr. Luciano Morganti Programme Chair (Ad Int.): Prof. Dr. Luciano Morganti The Secretary of the faculty Decanaat is in: C2.03 (Building C, 2 nd floor) The Secretary of the department Vakgroepsecretariaat is in: Pleinlaan 9, 4 th Floor (Christel Vaeremans)

2 1. THE THESIS AS PART OF THE MASTER S PROGRA MME In the Master of Communication Studies New Media and Society in Europe, the MASTER S THESIS covers 18 ECTS of the whole programme. This means about one third is dedicated to the preparation and completion of the master s thesis. This thesis is therefore an important part of the MA. We urge you to start early and work on the thesis on a regular basis. Plagiarism Plagiarism is taken very seriously (cf. article 118 irregularites of the OER 1 of ES). You must therefore submit your master s thesis online on the anti plagiarism server of the Faculty. Printed proof of this submission should be handed in when submitting the paper versions of the master thesis to the department secretariat. All raw research material (notes of the literature study, data, drafts, etc) should be kept until after the proclamation. Upon the request of a member of the jury it must be submitted to the faculty secretariat. This material must be organised in a clear and systematic way. 2. LEARNING GOALS Your master thesis proves that you are able to complete a scientific research project independently, using the format of an individually written, original scientific text. You are expected to use the various research skills and competences that you have learned during your master s training. You must apply them to a well-defined problem, relevant to the field of media and communication studies. Your thesis demonstrates that you can perform all steps of the scientific process, and that you can conduct empirical research that results in sound conclusions, which are innovative and contribute to the field of communication studies and to the knowledge of stakeholders, policy makers and society in general. In particular you are expected to: Translate a scientific and/or a social problem into a feasible research question, both on a theoretical and empirical level, and to develop this into an appropriate and attainable research strategy. 1 OER stands for Onderwijs en Examenreglement. Translated this means Education and Exam Regulations. 1

3 Critically collect, contextualise, synthesise and process scientific sources and literature related to the research theme in an independent and systematic way. In the process you move beyond the level of compilation and description, and become capable of developing an analytical framework based on existing literature. Independently conduct original research at the level of a novice researcher. You should be able to do this without much help from your supervisors. You should be able to write an original research plan and use the appropriate methods, departing from a theoretical framework and central research problem. Plan, conduct and report on your scientific research in a grounded, coherent, structured, clear and accurate way, with all necessary attention to the use of language, the bibliographic reference system, the lay-out, editing, attachments, and deadlines. We recommend that students use the APA reference system. Formulate clear conclusions answering the central research problem. Demonstrate a scientifically based critical and constructive attitude towards societal (ethical, political, social, cultural) issues related to media and communication. The process of writing a master s thesis is all about learning to work independently. The supervisor supports this process, but students are expected to show initiative and formulate ideas and plans by themselves throughout all phases of the research process. 3. ADMISSION CRITERIA Only students holding an academic Bachelor s diploma in Communication Studies from a Flemish University or students who have been accepted by the Selection Board of the Master of Communication Studies New Media and Society in Europe may register for module Master Thesis in Communication Studies. It is not possible to register for the Master Thesis in Communication Studies module under a credit contract or examinations-only contract. 2

4 Important rules: The Education and Exam Regulations of the VUB: OER , Chapter V describe the general guidelines regarding the master s thesis. The additional faculty regulation: Chapter V: additional guidelines faculty ES (e.g. submission deadlines) In the International Master s, the thesis must be written in English. However with the written agreement of the thesis supervisor and written permission of the master s thesis coordinator, the master s thesis may also be written in Dutch, French or German. This should also be indicated on the form Proposal Subject Master s thesis No language errors are tolerated; these are judged particularly harshly in discussion of the evaluation. We strongly recommend that non-native students have their thesis proof read. 4. CHOICE OF SUBJECT The subject of the master s thesis must be related to the field of Communication Studies. Students determine the subject in consultation with their individual thesis supervisor(s). (see also section 6). 5. THESIS SUPERVISOR: CHOICE AND SUPPORT The thesis supervisor must be a senior academic staff member ( ZAP ), a postdoc assistant or researcher, assistant professor or another member of the academic staff who holds a doctorate and is connected to the VUB faculty of ES. The supervisor decides if he or she is willing to be your supervisor and if he or she has the necessary subject knowledge. All supervisors provide a list of master thesis subjects within their area of expertise. An overview of the supervisors and their subjects is provided to the students during the Speed Date Session at the beginning of the academic year (29-30 th September). A list of staff members can be found in the SCOMPAS directory on the SCOM website. The supervisor will provide the student with guidance throughout all phases of the research and supervise the reporting of its findings. He/she will provide support with respect to the substantive aspects of the thesis, such as the research question, the methodology and the logic and structure of the arguments made in the report. 3

5 The supervisor guides you through all phases of the research process (in conformance with OER, article 120 and 122), offering support on the research question, the methodology, the empirical work and on formulating sound argumentation in your report. Your supervisor can refer you to an assistant or a researcher who has more specific knowledge of the subject or of a particular methodology. A co-supervisor can also be assigned, but a written case for this should be submitted (cfr. faculty additions OER , article 120 3). As part of the Advanced Methods for Communication Studies course, three specialised method tracks are organised: policy research (Prof. Dr. Karen Donders), business modelling research (Prof. Dr. Valèrie-Anne Bleyen) and user research (Prof. Dr. Wendy Van den Broeck). Each student is expected to select the specific specialised method track that is relevant to the master s thesis subject. In these group sessions, students will focus on the methods they will apply in their own empirical research for the master s thesis. The practical organisation of supervision depends on your supervisor s personal preference. Some will opt for group meetings, whilst others will prefer individual meetings. 6. TIMETABLE FOR SUBMISSION OF MASTER S THESIS A. DETERMINATION OF SUBJECT AND PROMOTER(SUPERVISOR) A document titled Guidelines to the selection of Topics and Supervisors has been distributed upon students arrival at VUB. Students are requested to read this document carefully and to identify potential topics and supervisors for their Masters Thesis. This document is downloadable from Pointcarré Masters Thesis in Communication Studies pages. Students are expected to get in touch with their potential supervisor as soon as possible and discuss their interests and ideas so to find an agreement about thesis supervision as soon as possible. Finding a supervisor is the responsibility of the Masters student. Past experience shows that the most successful students are those that start with their thesis very early in the academic year. Precise deadlines are published on the Masters Thesis in Communication Studies pages on Pointcarré. It is strongly recommended that students have a topic and a supervisor by the end of October the latest. B. SUBMISSION OF FINAL TITLE OF THE MA STER S THESIS The title of your thesis must be officially submitted to the Faculty Secretariat by Monday 1 st of December The form can be downloaded from the ES home page ( The specific subject and focus of the master s thesis must be clear from the final title (together with any subtitle). General titles along the lines of The Information Society or Fashion are too vague and must be made 4

6 more specific. In the event of failure to comply with the deadline and/or the other requirements cited in Article 120 of the central and supplementary faculty examinations rules, the student will be sanctioned under the provisions of Article of the central examinations rules. NB: If a student decides to hand in his/her thesis in a subsequent year, the title must be officially resubmitted, even if subject and title remain unchanged. Any student wishing to change the subject of the master s thesis, or his/her thesis supervisor, must apply in writing to the Dean, indicating the reasons for this change (also see the examinations rules, Art. 121 and 121 1) Students must contact their supervisor first before changing subject. C. SUBMISSION OF AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY Students must submit an annotated bibliography to the supervisor by Tuesday 16 th December together with a short research plan (2-3 pages) with a draft Table of Content and methodology; this bibliography must cite (and discuss) at least 10 pieces of scientific research of relevance to the research being undertaken. Students must provide a critical overview of what each piece of research deals with and why it is relevant to their research subject. The draft Table of Content and Methodology needs to be discussed as thoroughly as possible with the supervisor before submission. Should no group meetings be arranged by the supervisors themselves, students should contact their respective thesis supervisor(s) to arrange a meeting to discuss the bibliography and the draft Table of Content and Methodology. D. SUBMISSION OF A RESEARCH PLAN To ensure that the research has actually started, is well defined and correctly planned, students must submit a detailed research plan in January as part of the Advanced Methods exam of the course. Students are expected to submit the research plan via Pointcarré before Monday 5 th of January and to prepare a Powerpoint presentation on the research plan for presentation as part of the Advanced Methods course oral exam. The research plan must put the research into context and set out and justify the choices made. The research plan should contain references to relevant literature, documents and other sources. More specifically, students must provide details of the following aspects of the research process: of 5

7 The subject, the main issues and research questions ( what you want to research) and an explanation of the issues; The premise, the arguments and the social and scientific relevance of the research ( why do you want to research this issue? Why is the research relevant?); The theoretical perspective: how will you approach this research from a theoretical point of view (paradigms, theories, current thinking, approaches); The methodology and an explanation of the rationale for using a certain methodology rather than another ( how will you go about the research from a methodological point of view? What are the specific research method(s) you will apply and why?); The structural framework for the research (preliminary table of contents); The planning schedule for the research; A provisional, annotated, literature list. This practical assignment (research plan + oral presentation during the exam) will count for 50% of the final mark of the Advanced Methods for Communication Studies course. The professors responsible for the Advanced Method course (general track + specialised tracks) will evaluate and grade this assignment as part of the exam. After submitting the research plan, students can contact their respective thesis supervisors to arrange a meeting to discuss their research plan in more detail. E. SUBMISSION OF THE FINAL MASTER S THESIS (ALSO SEE ART. 123 OF THE EDUCATION AND EXAM REGULATION) The master s thesis may be submitted only by the student to the Secretariat of the Department (Pleinlaan 9, 4 th floor) and this must be done by at the latest date and time stated on the faculty website. The number of hard copies to be submitted is three (four if there is a co-promoter). Upon submission of these you will be given a receipt. Deadlines: June 1 st 2015 at the latest (first session) August 17 th 2015 at the latest (second session) 6

8 The Secretariat of the Department is closed for Summer Holidays from Monday July 27 till Friday August 8, Early submission before 15 December 2015 (new registration, first examination period of the first session, see Art. 123 and Art. 132 of the examinations rules and supplementary faculty examinations rules). For international students it is important that they are aware of the fact that an early submission implies registration for the new academic year, which will result in new fees and a new submission of the form thesis topic and promotor. 7. CONTENT AND FORM OF THE MASTER S THESIS: NUMBER OF W ORDS, PARTS AND FORMAT The master s thesis is an individual piece of work. Students expound on a scientific and socially relevant issue, which they have researched by undertaking a study of the literature and by carrying out their own empirical research. A master s thesis provides evidence of insight into the specialist field concerned and demonstrates that a student is capable of placing an issue within a theoretical framework based on critical analysis and, using a sound methodology, of planning and developing sound empirical research. For the Communication Studies Programme, the master s thesis must meet the following criteria: 1. The research must contain both a literature study and individual empirical research. A straightforward inventory and/or description are not sufficient. The thesis may only be based solely on literature dealing with scientific theory when issues examined in the thesis are entirely theoretical and then only with the supervisor s approval. 2. The research must be individual and original; plagiarism in any form is strictly forbidden. The department would like to remind students of the rules of scientific ethics and representations. For more information on how to avoid plagiarism have a look at this page by Indiana University ( 3. A master s thesis may also build on the fundamentals laid down in a bachelor s thesis, but it must substantially enhance what has been done in the bachelor s thesis. Again explicit approval of the supervisor is required. 7

9 a. PARTS OF THE MASTER S THESIS The master s thesis must have a minimum of 20,000 and a maximum of 25,000 words, not including bibliography and appendices. Penalties are imposed for any failure to comply. The distinctive parts of every master s thesis are: 1. Title page (specific guidelines supra) 2. Acknowledgement (optional) 3. Table of contents 4. List of tables, figures, appendices, pictures, Abstract (specific guidelines: cf. article 124 OER ES; mention number of words of master s thesis) 6. Introduction 7. Problem definition and research questions grounded in literature (literature review) 8. Methodological research design 9. Results 10. Conclusion 11. Bibliography 12. Appendixes: all research instruments and raw data are provided on CD-ROM Points of attention: - A master s thesis is an official publication kept in the library. No language or typing errors! - Pay attention to layout. Use a clear readable font type and a conventional font size. Do not use spacing that is too narrow or bold fonts. - Include page numbers to any text you submit to your supervisor. - Include numbers, titles (and sources) to any table, picture or figure you use. The master s thesis must be accompanied by: A brief outline or abstract in English for inclusion in the standard lists of theses published in Belgian specialist journals: author, title, university, thesis supervisor, year, indication of the subject in five to ten lines, equating to words; A number of keywords in English; 8

10 b. PARTS: TITLE PAGE The following must appear on the title page: - The logo of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel; - The student s name in the top right hand corner (First and last names); - Vrije Universiteit Brussel; - Faculteit Economische en Sociale Wetenschappen & Solvay Business School - Study area Communication Studies; - Name of thesis supervisor (First and last names); - Title; - Thesis submitted to obtain the grade of Master of Communication Studies New Media and Society in Europe; - Academic year in the bottom right hand corner ( ) 8. ASSESSMENT: EXAM JURY AND CRITERIA See article 125 of the OER. The thesis exam jury is appointed by the Department of Communication Studies and is composed of the Supervisor and Commission members who are part of the VUB s academic personnel (one Commission member may be external). The Commission members individually and independently read and assess the master thesis and write an individual assessment of it. Assessments are discussed at a meeting of all Commission members, and the final mark is the outcome of the oral discussion. The final mark is communicated Ad Valvas. There is no oral presentation and assessment of the master s thesis at the Department of Communication Studies. However, each student is entitled to request an oral defence. Commission members of the exam jury may request an oral presentation and defence, should there be any doubt or uncertainty about the thesis. The procedure is described in the Education and Exam Regulations of the Faculty under article

11 The final mark of the master s thesis is based on the written version of the thesis. The exam jury takes into account the criteria set out in the following paragraphs: a) ASSESSMENT CRITERIA THE P R EMISE, T HE I SS U ES AND THE M ET HODO LO GY - Was the scientific and social relevance of the subject matter clearly demonstrated? - Were the issues and the research questions clearly formulated, placed into context and reasoned? - Were the theoretical framework and applied methodology sufficiently explained and justified? SUBST ANTIV E AS P ECTS 1. Literature study - Does the literature study provide a clear overview of the existing literature and scientific debate? - Does the way in which the literature is compiled result in a specific conceptual framework? - Does the bibliography contain sufficient relevant publications? - Is use made, wherever possible, of the original literature/research? 2. Empirical study - Is the selected methodology suitable for the specific research questions? - Is the research process explained in detail and is it sufficiently clear? - Has the research been performed with appropriate academic rigour? - Does the research contain a thorough analysis and interpretation that goes beyond a straightforward description and that is strongly driven by the research questions? - Are the illustrations, tables, citations, diagrams, etc., relevant; in other words, do they support the argument? - 10

12 3. Critical analysis - Does the master s thesis contain the necessary critical analysis and self-reflection (both as regards the work of others and the student s own work)? STRUCT URE AN D FORM 1. Structure - Is the master s thesis clearly structured? - Are the arguments logically constructed and clearly demonstrated? 2. Bibliography and references - Is the bibliography in the correct format and is it consistently applied? - Are the references correct? 3. Language - Is the language clear, factual and scientific? - Is the use of language grammatically correct? - (We strongly recommend non-native students to have their thesis proof read.) 4. Layout and formal aspects - Is the master s thesis formatted in the required layout? - Are the illustrations (photos, drawings, tables, citations, diagrams, etc.) of good quality? - Do the illustrations have appropriate captions? - Is the list of illustrations in the correct format? - Are the appendices easy to digest and well explained? CONCLUSION - Are the initial research questions appropriately answered? - Do the student s own research findings tie in with the theoretical framework developed and with existing scientific knowledge (in other words, have gaps been filled, theoretical understanding refined, etc.)? 11

13 - Are students able to reflect on the value of their contribution to the scientific field. Do they see the limits and shortcomings of their work. OV ER ALL - Is the master s thesis a meaningful contribution to the academic research field? - Is the contribution sufficiently original? 9. PLAGIARISM AND HOW T O AVOID IT Plagiarism is punishable by law. If plagiarism is detected in your work, penalties will be imposed. The dean of the ES Faculty stresses that all forms of plagiarism will be penalised (see also article 118). Definition of plagiarism in the Van Dale dictionary Groot Woordenboek van de Nederlandse Taal, Utrecht-Antwerp 2005 (14th ed.), p. 2695: 1. the appropriation of the documents, lines of thinking, reasoning of others and passing them off as one s own work, syn. Literary theft; - (by extension) applying to theft of all kinds of other intangible and industrial property; 2. the appropriation of part of a document, etc., of another. Example 1: In DEUZE (Mark). What is Journalism. Amsterdam, Het Spinhuis, 2004, p. 27, we read: New forms of working, genres and editorial formats in journalism have emerged, driven by multiculturalism and digitisation (in particular the role of the Internet); practical examples of this are the pressure, with respect to editorials and news selection, to add colour and the translation to online or multimedia environments of traditional news values and standards. In a publication from 2006, we read: New ways of working, genres and editorial formats in journalism have emerged, driven by multiculturalism and digitisation (in particular the role of the Internet); practical examples of this 12

14 are the pressure, with respect to editorials and news selection, to add colour and the translation to online or multimedia environments of traditional news values and standards. >> This is a serious form of plagiarism, since an earlier publication has been copied without any indication of the source. Example 2: In a publication from 2007, we read: New ways of working, genres and editorial formats in journalism have emerged, driven by multiculturalism and digitisation (in particular the role of the Internet); practical examples of this are the pressure, with respect to editorials and news selection, to add colour and the translation to online or multimedia environments of traditional news values and standards (Deuze, 2004: 27). >> Although the author refers to the publication by Deuze, he is still plagiarising since the impression given that the turns of phrase are those of the author rather than those of Deuze. Example 3: In a publication from 2008, we read: Ways of working, genres and editorial formats in journalism have fundamentally changed, driven by multiculturalism and digitisation. This is illustrated by the fact that editorials and news selection are required to add more colour. In addition, traditional news values and standards are being translated increasingly to a multimedia environment. >> This is also a form of plagiarism, since key words and expressions are appropriated word for word from the original source without this being indicated. How can plagiarism be avoided? There are two good ways of referring to the ideas of another without committing plagiarism: Paraphrasing and citing literally. Paraphrasing You paraphrase an author (i.e. you set out the content in your own words) and indicate immediately after your text the reference, using the reference system chosen. If you want to 13

15 incorporate parts of sentences from the original text, you must put them between quotation marks ( i.e. text ). Examples: The influence of digitalisation processes and the increasing multiculturalism in the professional field of journalism must not be underestimated. Journalistic practices based on tradition and routine are making way for new journalistic formats where news items often add more colour (Deuze, 2004, p. 27) and online and multimedia tools are involved. Citing literally If you cite an author literally, you must put the citation in italics and between quotation marks and refer to it correctly according to the APA reference system. Examples: Deuze (2004, p. 27) points to the changing trend within the world of journalism: New forms of working, genres and editorial formats in journalism have emerged, driven by multiculturalism and digitisation (in particular the role of the Internet); practical examples of this are the pressure, with respect to editorials and news selection, to add colour and the translation to online or multimedia environments of traditional news values and standards. BE CAREFUL! These rules apply even when you are referring to a publication in another language. A literal translation of a passage in a text in another language without the correct reference is therefore also a form of plagiarism! Additional examples of plagiarism and how this can be avoided can be found on the website of Indiana University Bloomington ( or on the website plagiarism.org 14