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Master of Technology

Faculty of Technology
CEPT University
Ahmedabad

THESIS GUIDELINES
September, 2017
THESIS GUIDELINES 2

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3
2. The Thesis ........................................................................................................................... 3
2.1. The Thesis Proposal...................................................................................................... 4
2.2. The Thesis Documentation ........................................................................................... 5
3. Thesis Guidance .................................................................................................................. 5
4. Evaluation ........................................................................................................................... 6
5. Format for Thesis Document .............................................................................................. 6
6. Plagiarism ........................................................................................................................... 6
7. Submission Schedule and Requirements ............................................................................ 7
APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................
Frequently Asked Questions .......................................................................................... 8
Suggested readings for research methodology .............................................................. 9
Students Proposal Form .............................................................................................. 10
Guide Proposal Form ................................................................................................... 12
Work Progress Form (continous working document) .................................................. 13

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 3

1. Introduction
The award of the degree of Master of Technology (M.Tech) at the Faculty of Technology
requires the completion of a thesis after the 3rd semester. Students can undertake either a
research-based thesis or a project-based thesis. Within this document the research thesis or
the project thesis undertaking will referred to as the thesis.

The aims of the thesis are to:


Provide an opportunity to study a particular topic in depth through research or as an
applied project;
Experiment with the theories studied and thoughts formed during the course of the
program;
Strengthen the ability of critical inquiry and independent investigation;
Enable collaboration with practitioners where appropriate;
Show the ability to plan and manage a project within the timelines specified;

After completion of the thesis students should be able to:


Define, outline and convey a scholarly thorough research undertaking or a
professional quality project undertaking;
Understand the relationship between a theory and practice;
Demonstrate critical and comprehensive knowledge of the area of specialization;
2. The Thesis
Research Thesis
A research-based thesis focuses on answering a set of research questions. It proposes a
hypothesis and works towards proving or disproving that hypothesis. It involves extensive
literature research that consists of research papers or other relevant literature. Its basis is
scientific rigor, use of experiments, data collection, analysis and critical thinking.

Project Thesis
A project thesis identifies a problem and focuses on developing a solution to the problem.
The literature research can be review of case studies and other relevant literature. Its basis is
project rigor and creativity, developing iterations and alternatives, using performance-based
testing and decision-making to converge towards a solution to the problem.

In order to complete the thesis requirements, the student must fulfil the following as per the
thesis schedule provided.
1. Submit a proposal, students proposal form, guides proposal form
2. Complete interim review milestones
3. Submit a thesis document along with abstract (4 pages - in form of research paper)
4. Undertake a viva voce examination
5. Submit the supporting documents:
a. Thesis Submission form
b. Thesis Front page template

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 4

2.1. The Thesis Proposal


The student must have a Thesis Proposal ready for evaluation in the first week of the fourth
Semester. The thesis proposal is a working document that forms the roadmap for the thesis
and should be updated as needed. The purpose of the proposal is to:
Convey the objectives of the thesis project
Convey that the student has adequate knowledge of previous work in the topic area
Propose the approach and methodology of the study, and establish the resources
available to the student for the thesis project, including access to experts,
professionals, equipment, and field study sites.
Convey the feasibility of completing the thesis within the stipulated time in terms of
the scope of the study, availability of data and information, relevant literature and
documentation
Convey the expected outcome and benefits of the work
Convince the thesis supervisor or committee that the thesis project asks a question or
identifies a problem that is important for the area of Building Energy Performance.

In order to prepare the proposal, a student must do the following:


1. Identify a thesis topic
2. Find a thesis guide
3. Formulate a hypothesis and a research question or a project purpose statement
4. Understand the background of the study and its place in the larger context
5. Develop or adapt appropriate methodology
6. Summarize the status of #1-5 in a proposal document and slides

The thesis proposal must have the following sections:


1. A title page with a title (not to exceed 25 words), name of student, student code, name
of proposed guide (co-guide), and date.
2. An introduction to the topic, description of the background, the need for the study.
3. Hypothesis and research question (research) or purpose statement (project)
4. Preliminary literature review
5. Methodology
6. Description of access to resources
7. Thesis schedule / timetable
8. Pilot study and preliminary results, when available
9. Expected outcome
10. List of references

The proposal must be accompanied by the requisite forms for submission as per the thesis
schedule provided.

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 5

The Thesis Documentation


Research Thesis Document Outline Project Thesis Document Outline
Abstract Summary
Acknowledgements Acknowledgements
Table of contents Table of contents
Introduction and background Introduction and background
Literature review Literature review and case studies
Research methodology Project methodology
Analysis Project documentation (can include sub
Observations chapters on documentation of solutions,
Conclusion implementation, iterations, alternatives,
Future research analysis, testing and validation)
References Conclusion
Appendices Future work
References
Appendices

Additional sections may be included as required. Structure of chapters for documentation of


a project thesis should be decided in consultation with the guide. Consult the Program
Coordinator for guidance on page number or word limit for the thesis document, and for
materials to be prepared for the Viva Voce.

3. Thesis Guidance
The student is encouraged to discuss his/her thesis topic with the internal faculty members
while formulating the proposal. He/she should consult the Area Chair (when applicable) and
the Program Coordinator for selection of the Guide. It is, however, the students
responsibility to select the Guide.

Any internal faculty member, with the matching research interest, may be approached by the
student with a request to guide the thesis.

An external expert may be selected as a Guide or Co-guide, provided he or she has extensive
professional or research experience in the topic area. All external or internal guides shall be
approved by the Program Coordinator and the Area Chair (when applicable) to guide the
thesis, and recommended to the Dean for final approval. For approval, a detailed curriculum
vitae of the proposed Guide and/or Co-guide must be submitted by the student as per the
thesis schedule provided. On approval, a Guide approval letter will be issued by FT.

The Guide and/or Co-guide are responsible for the following:

Advise the student whether the task seems to be practical;


Help the student identify any risks that may be involved, for instance issues in
attempting to gain access to data;
Support the student in customizing the proposal to the time and other resource
constraints;
Help the student at the beginning in finding functional and pertinent perusing material
and fitting scholarly framework inside which to place the theme;

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 6

Advise on the decisions related to selecting suitable methodological approaches;


Monitor progress and provide guidance required to complete a satisfactory thesis;
Be available for interim reviews and the final viva-voce;
Grade the thesis document and the viva-voce.

The student is responsible for maintaining regular contact with the Guide, and keep him/her
informed about the reviews, feedback and general progress of the thesis. The thesis project is
the students prerogative and obligation and he/she must drive it at all times. The student
must ensure that the research meets the ethical standards applicable for the methodology
used. He/she must write the thesis in good English using appropriate formatting styles. It is
not the responsibility of the Guide to check for typological, grammatical and formatting
errors. The student must present his/her work at all the scheduled reviews and abide by all the
other deadlines and submission requirements.

It is mandatory for each student to submit the Work Progress forms as per the thesis schedule
provided.

4. Evaluation
The thesis proposal will be evaluated in the beginning of the fourth semester. Progress during
the fourth semester will be evaluated based on interim reviews. Timely submission of the
requisite forms will also be counted towards the grading.

The primary criterion for evaluation of the thesis is the fulfilment of the thesis aims and
outcomes as outlined in Section 1 of this document.

The thesis evaluation will be done by a combination of Guide, Co-guide, the Internal
Examiner and an External Examiner, and the weightage per stage is as follows:

Detail Weightage
Thesis Proposal 10%
Interim Reviews 40%
Thesis Documents 30%
Thesis Viva 20%

5. Format for Thesis Document


Follow all APA (American Psychological Association) Sixth Edition Guidelines.

6. Plagiarism
Any attempt to pass off someone elses work as ones own will be dealt with strictly. It will
be considered an offense and will incur severe penalties, ranging from re-submission of the
plagiarized sections to registering for another semester and re-doing the entire thesis, based
on the extent of plagiarism.

All M.Tech theses must comply with the plagiarism policy at CEPT University.

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 7

7. Submission Schedule and Requirements


Monsoon Semester
Sr. No. Deliverables Submission Requirements Date
1 Potential thesis topics None 22nd Sep
and thesis schedule
provided by FT
2 Draft thesis proposal MS Word document containing a 3rd Nov
submitted by the draft of the proposal with all the
student sections as per the Thesis
Guidelines document.
3 Approval of guide and FT Dean will issue a Guide 10th Nov
topic by FT Dean Approval Letter upon approval of
the proposed Guide. If the
proposed name is not approved, the
student will be required to identify
another individual and get approval
from the Program Coordinator or
Area Chair within a week.

Spring Semester
No. Deliverables Submission Dates Grading
Requirements Weightage
1 Review 1: Finalized Thesis MS Word document finalized 6th January 10%
Proposal from Student proposal with all the sections as
per the Thesis Guidelines
document
2 Review 2: Outline and mock-up MS Word document, and 3rd Feb. 10%
of PowerPoint Presentation
Thesis document, final literature
review (as thesis chapter), and
25% methodology complete.
3 Review 3: Thesis interim MS Word document, and 24th Feb 15%
review, 50% methodology PowerPoint Presentation
complete
4 Review 4: Thesis interim MS Word document, and 31st March 15%
review, 100% methodology PowerPoint Presentation
complete
5 Final thesis document Thesis document with Guide's 20th April 30%
submission for approval signature/approval
6 FT to send Thesis to Internal Within a
Examiner week of
submission
7 FT receives Thesis from Internal Within 2
Examiner weeks of
Sending
8 Student addresses Examiner's Within 2
comments weeks after
receiving the
document
9 FT to send Thesis to External Immediately
Examiner after student
resubmits

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 8

10 FT receives Thesis from Within 2


External Examiner weeks of
resubmissio
n
11 Viva Voce Within a 20%
week or as
per
convenience
of External
Examiner

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 9

APPENDIX

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I cant decide on my thesis topic. Will a faculty member give me a topic?


It is the students responsibility to select a thesis topic and prepare the proposal on
time. Start thinking about your topic during the third semester and have
discussions with your Program Coordinator, faculty, and external experts to
develop your topic. CEPT faculty will often have ongoing research and projects
that you can contribute towards with your thesis work. Even if a faculty provides
you with a topic and and focus for your thesis work, it is your responsibility to
select the topic and complete all the requirements for the thesis.
2. I cant find a guide. Will my program coordinator find my guide?
It is the students responsibility to select a thesis guide at the time of the thesis
proposal. Start thinking about your topic and your guide concurrently. If you have
selected a topic or area for your thesis and cannot find a guide, the Program
Coordinator or Area Chair may provide suggestions for potential guides. It is
however, your responsibility to get the suggested person on board to be your
guide.
3. Can I have an external guide who is not a faculty at CEPT University?
A guide may be any CEPT faculty (full-time or visiting) or an external person. In
case of an external person as the first guide, it is recommended, though not
compulsory, to have a CEPT faculty (full-time or visiting) as a second guide.
4. Can I have more than one guide for my thesis?
A student may choose one Guide and one co-guide.
5. Do I have to finish my thesis in one semester?
It is not possible to extend your thesis work beyond one semester. However, under
exception circumstances, students can extend the thesis work for one more
semester. Please consult your Program Coordinator for further guidance.

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 10

Suggested readings for research methodology


1. Betz, F. (2010). Managing science: methodology and organization of research.
Springer.
2. Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed).
University of Chicago Press.
3. Brewerton, P., & Millward, L. (2001). Organizational research methods: a guide for
students and researchers. Sage.
4. Creswell, J. W. (2001). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (2nd ed). Sage
5. Dawson, C. (2009). Introduction to research methods: a practical guide for anyone
undertaking a research project (4th ed). How To Books.
6. Dunne, M., Pryor, J., & Yates, P (2005). Becoming a researcher: a research companion
for the social sciences. Open University Press.
7. Lancaster, G. (2005). Research methods in management: a concise introduction to
research in management and business consultancy. Elsevier (Butterworth-Heinemann).
8. Tharenou, P., Donohue, R., Cooper, B., & Corporation, E. (2007). Management
research methods. Cambridge University Press.
9. Walliman, N. (2006). Social research methods. Sage.
10. Yang, K. & Miller, G. (2007). Handbook of research methods in public administration.
CRC Press.
11. Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: design and methods (3rd ed). Sage.
Some online sources

12. http://www.paulgerhardt.com/homework/RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY_EXPLAIN
ED_FOR_EVERDAY_PEOPLE.pdf
13. http://www.scribd.com/doc/6827685/TYPES-OF-RESEARCH-METHODS
14. http://www.siks.nl/RM%20M%20nov%202006/RMintroHans%20Weigand.PDF
15. http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/statmethods.html

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 11

Students Proposal Form

Master of Technology, Faculty of Technology, CEPT University

Student Name: Code No.:

Date:

Proposed Thesis Title:

Accompanying documents:
Thesis Proposal document
Guides Proposal Form

I confirm that I have cleared all backlog and I am eligible to submit the thesis proposal and
undertake the thesis.
I confirm that I have read the thesis guidelines for research and will comply with them.
I understand that it is my responsibility to ensure that adequate contact is maintained with
my Guide and/or Co-guide.

Signature: .

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 12

Guide Proposal Form

Master of Technology, Faculty of Technology, CEPT University

Student Name: Code No.:

Date:

Provisional Thesis Title:

Thesis Schedule (week-wise targets):

Name of the Guide:

Contact Number:
Address:

Attachment: a brief bio-data of the Guide


Comments (on the proposal):

I, _____________________________________________ approve the thesis topic and the proposal as


submitted by _____________________________________ and will take the responsibility of guiding
him/her for the thesis leading to the degree of Master of Technology.

Signature: ..
Date:

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
THESIS GUIDELINES 13

Work Progress Form (continuous working document)

M.Tech Thesis Work Progress Form


Program: ________________________________________________
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University
Name of student: Name of Guide:
Code:

Date of Students sign


Key points discussed Guides sign
meeting

Master of Technology
Faculty of Technology, CEPT University

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