GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Writing a masters thesis

A manual for students:
Human Geography
and
Urban and Regional Planning

2014-2015

Coordinators:
Urban and Regional Planning:
- Dr. Bas Hissink Muller (b.m.hissinkmuller@uva.nl)
Human Geography:
- until February Dr. Virginie Mamadouh (v.d.mamadouh@uva.nl)
- from February on Dr. Inge van der Welle (i.c.vanderwelle@uva.nl)
Last update: 22 October 2014

Table of Contents

1. The masters thesis ................................................................................................................................... 4

2. Choosing a topic ....................................................................................................................................... 4

2.1
2.2
3.

The Process and Formalities ................................................................................................................. 7

3.1
3.2

4.

THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL ........................................................................................................... 13

CLEARLY DEFINING A TOPIC ........................................................................................................ 16
WORKING SCHEDULE .................................................................................................................. 17

Conducting the research ..................................................................................................................... 18

6.1
6.2

7.

WHAT TO EXPECT OF YOUR SUPERVISOR ..................................................................................... 11

SUPERVISION AGREEMENT .......................................................................................................... 12

The research proposal ......................................................................................................................... 13

5.1
5.2
5.3

6.

FORMAL STEPS AND DEADLINES .................................................................................................... 7

RESEARCH ABROAD....................................................................................................................... 9

Supervision ......................................................................................................................................... 11
4.1
4.2

5.

HOW TO CHOOSE A TOPIC .............................................................................................................. 4

PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES ............................................................................ 6

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU ........................................................................................................ 18

AN OVERLOAD OF DATA: KEEP YOUR FOCUS ............................................................................... 19

Writing your thesis ............................................................................................................................. 20

7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4

LANGUAGE CHOICE ..................................................................................................................... 20

HOW TO HANDLE YOUR DATA ..................................................................................................... 20
PRACTICAL MATTERS CONCERNING THE THESIS .......................................................................... 20
FINAL ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................................... 21

Appendices

24

1. Norms and requirements for a thesis

24

2. Masters Thesis Proposal Registration Form

26

3. Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad

27

4. Guidelines for writing academic papers

30

5. Extra reading and courses about writing

31

6. Important Contacts

33

7. Assessment Form Masters Thesis Human Geography and Planning

36

NB for Urban and Regional Planning students

Please consult the Course Manual Master Thesis Project

NB for Human Geography students

Please consult the Course Manual Literature Course
Please consult the Couse Manual Master Thesis Project

1. The masters thesis

The last part of the masters programme consists of writing a thesis. For many students, this thesis is a
difficult challenge that in many cases delays graduation. This thesis manual contains tips for writing the
thesis. It also includes the formalities that students should take into account. In a course manual the
practicalities and specific requirements will be outlined with respect to the particular thesis-project. In this
chapter, the purpose of writing a masters thesis is explained as well as the process and planning of
writing a thesis.
The masters thesis is an independent research project conducted by a masters student in a thesis project
group as a proof of competence after four years of studying (3 years Ba and 1 year Ma). Its goal is to
prove that the student has acquired sufficient academic knowledge, skills and insights at the end of his/her
study. In most cases, the masters thesis is an individual project situated within a group format and guided
by a supervisor.
In a way, the masters thesis is comparable with a large paper of 60 to 80 pages (about 24,000 to 32,000
words), in which you, in a thesis group, examine a problem in line with your specialization. The aim of
the thesis is not to make striking academic discoveries instead, it is meant to show that you are capable
of conducting research independently. When choosing a topic keep in mind what you want to do after
your graduation as your thesis might become a relevant point of discussion in future job interviews.
According to the programme, you will write your masters thesis in the second semester. It is important to
start thinking about your thesis much earlier, to make sure you can complete the masters programme in
the summer of 2015.
When working on your Research Proposal in your project group (period 4) you can also be in
contact with your supervisor from time to time. Once your research proposal is approved you can begin to
carry out your research plans as soon as possible. Youll find more details about the precise time schedule
in Chapter 3 of this manual.

2. Choosing a topic
The process of writing a thesis starts with choosing a topic within a theme of one of the project groups.
This chapter describes how to select a topic and other choices that you will need to make.

2.1

How to choose a topic

The master thesis project group helps you to make a decision by providing a framework. Still, selecting a
specific topic that fits within that frame and accords with your interests and narrowing it down to a
specific research question can be a challenge. You might primarily follow your own research interests,

ambitions and plans for the future after academia. It is important though that the topic links with the
expertise and knowledge present in our department as brought forward in the Master Thesis Topic Guide.
This way your thesis will be more strongly embedded in current research and you can benefit from the
expertise of staff members.

You can also consult the website of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR)
(http://aissr.uva.nl/). Furthermore, you can find additional ideas by browsing through the catalogue of
the Pierson Rvsz Library or looking at www.dare.uva.nl, a database in which all theses completed after
1 September 2005 have been filed.

It is important that you choose a topic that is of interest to you, because you will be dealing with the topic
for several months. If you are not motivated, you face the risk of having a hard time writing and
completing your thesis.

In the beginning of the master thesis project group, you will work systematically from a global research
theme towards a well-defined and well-argued research proposal.
To inspire you, below you will find a few examples of research conducted by students in the past
academic years.

A Human Geography student specializing in cultural geography analysed the consequences of

the fall of the Berlin wall in an outskirt of Berlin. She specifically focused on employment
biographies of 50- to 55-year old citizens and conducted a series of in-depth interviews. Based
on these interviews, she tried to indicate factors that lead to successful or less successful
integration in the labour market.

An Urban and Regional Planning student specializing in housing and real estate examined the
planning process of restructuring. He examined the process through the perspectives of the
municipality, social housing associations, citizens and market parties. Focusing on The Hague as
a case study, he looked at how these different parties interact with each other.

A Human Geography student specializing in political geography examines the geopolitical

position of Serbia on the eve of the Kosovo war. His sources included articles in Dutch
newspapers and material from other media such as the internet, television and radio.

A Human Geography student specializing in development studies wrote an analysis of the

investment policies of different NGOs. She used policy documents, annual reports and
interviews to focus on the geographical spread of financial capital.

An Urban and Regional Planning student wrote about different possibilities to privatise the
social housing sector. To get an idea of how different concepts work in reality, he made a
comparison between three cases (in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands).

You can consult (recently) defended masters theses in the thesis database of the UvA.

2.2

Practical constraints and opportunities

In the starting phase of your research, you will not only have to find and define your topic, but you will
also need to think about the practical side of doing your research. Having a job or a family can be a
reason to choose a topic that allows you to do field work in a city or town close to home. In some cases,
your network of colleagues within the company you work for can help you in finding a relevant and
accessible topic for your research. Other common practical considerations pertain to language skills and
methodological skills. Make sure that your plans are compatible with skills you have or you want to
develop. It is not a good idea to plan a content analysis of Spanish languages policy documents if your
Spanish is non-existent or to apply elaborate spatial statistics if you do not want to make time to master
them.
More in general, you might want to give your thesis a strong theoretical content, prefer to stress the
methodological dimension, or choose an issue with high societal relevance with a clear stakeholder.

3.

The Process and Formalities

The Masters thesis is the largest piece of work you will have to carry in your studies. It is a big project
stretched over a semester. It is particularly important to keep in mind what your time planning is.

In the first six weeks of period 4 students start with their research proposal, parallel to Planning Research
(for planners) and Geographical Research Methods and GIS (for geographers) (Both take two thirds of the
6 weeks). After this 6 week period the thesis project becomes a full time activity. Considering that the
research proposal has to be submitted after six weeks, students have one third of the six week period to
write a proposal (that is 3 EC or 84 hours ).

3.1

Formal steps and deadlines

The following formal steps should be taken into consideration

Registration

Register for the Master thesis (via SIS)

Register for a Master thesis project Human Geography:
https://uvasocialsciences.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3TV0uyN1a76oq8J

Register for a Master thesis project Urban and Regional planning:

https://uvasocialsciences.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2frgpBNWBFwTjDv

Research proposal

Submit your Research proposal to your supervisor and upload the proposal to blackboard on the
blackboard-site of the course Master Thesis Urban and Regional Planning or Master Thesis Human
Geography before Monday 16 March, 2015, 10 am.
After you received green light, submit the Masters Thesis Proposal Registration Form (see Appendix 2)
to the thesis-coordinator (Human Geography: Inge van der Welle, Urban and Regional Planning: Bas
Hissink Muller). In case of fieldwork abroad you have to additionally hand in a signed Thesis contract for
fieldwork abroad (see Section 3.4 for details and Appendix 3).

Handing in final version to supervisor and second reader

Two hard copies of your thesis should be handed in to your supervisor before the 22 June 2015, 10 am.
Two hard copies, because it will always be read by both your supervisor and second reader. You should
also hand in your thesis on the blackboard-site of the course Master Thesis Urban and Regional
Planning or Master Thesis Human Geography, in the dropbox on your Master Thesis Project groups
page, also before the 22 June 2015, 10 am. Do note that this dropbox will be closed after the deadline,
when you do not hand in your thesis here in time, the thesis is therefore considered as not handed in at all!
If you do not submit your thesis at the first opportunity, this implies you waive this option and the second
chance for submission will be your last chance. Theses that are submitted after the deadline or not handed

in are marked 0 and the candidate rests only one chance to submit their thesis (i.e. the second chance, see
below: Reparation).
When you hand in your thesis in time, the final meeting with your supervisor and the second reader and
the grading should be done within two weeks after submission (i.e. before 6 July 2015). A candidate is
only admitted to a final meeting when the supervisor and the second reader assume that the thesis can be
defended successfully. (Admittance to the defence is no guarantee that the thesis will be judged
sufficient.)
After the defence, youll also have to upload your thesis in the special general box scripties inleveren
GPIO (see below submitting digital version for plagiarism check).
Note that with every grade for the thesis the student receives a filled in Masters Thesis Assessment Form
(i.e. also if assessed as insufficient or if marked 0 when not handed in or not handed before the deadline).

Reparation

If the thesis was not deemed sufficient or not submitted (in time) before June 22, 2015, 10 am. students
have the opportunity to retake in August. If the thesis was not deemed sufficient during the first chance,
the student will get one feedback meeting with his supervisor. In case the thesis was not deemed
sufficient after the final meeting, this defence is considered to be that one feedback meeting. In case the
thesis was not deemed sufficient enough for the final meeting, that one feedback meeting takes place
instead of a defence. Please note that students are not entitled to supervision in July and August.
For the second chance the thesis should be handed in in the same way as described above for the first
chance, but now before August 17, 2015, 10 am. The final meeting will take place on or before ultimately
August 28, 2015.
Again, do note that the dropbox on blackboard, for handing in your thesis, will be closed after the
deadline as well, therefore again, when you do not hand in your thesis in time, the thesis is considered as
not handed in at all! Also this time this means it is given the grade of 0.
Students who failed to complete their thesis in June or in August have to start a new project in the second
semester of 2015-2016. They can however file a motivated request to the Exam Committee (EC) with the
support of their supervisor and the student counsellor, to be allowed to complete their on-going project, if
there are important reasons for delay beyond control of the student. In the case of an extension students
have to re-enrol at UvA for 2015-2016 to complete their thesis (and to terminate your inscription as soon
as possible thereafter, when you have passed for the thesis).

Submitting digital version of thesis after a successful thesis defence for plagiarism check

Since 2008, all Master theses must be uploaded to a special box on Blackboard for a plagiarism check in
Ephorus; do note that this is not the same box as the dropbox on your Master Thesis Project groups page,
that one is for handing in your thesis, this one is for after the defence. In addition your thesis will be
published in the Library of the Universiteit van Amsterdam: www.scriptiesonline.uba.uva.nl. You have to
submit your final thesis digitally to the programme administration after the defence. Please go through the
following steps to upload your thesis:

1. Make sure your thesis is one Word file or one PDF file. All pages of the printed thesis should
also be available in the digital version. This includes the title page and appendices. The Word or
PDF file should not be password protected. The file should not be larger than 14 Mb.
2. Go to Blackboard: http://blackboard.ic.uva.nl
3. Enroll yourself through the course catalog into the Blackboard course Scripties inleveren
GPIO, by following these instructions:
a. After logging into Blackboard, click on Browse Course Catalog (at the bottom of the
webpage)
b. Enter in the search box Scripties inleveren GPIO and click Go.
c. In the search results, the course Scripties inleveren GPIO will appear
d. Click on the Enrol-button that is displayed behind the arrows below the course ID.
e. Click submit on the next page and OK on the following page. You are now enrolled.
f.

Click in the menu on Submit Thesis.

g. Scroll to your bachelor or master, and click on the link View/Complete Assignment.
h. Click on the Browse-button, and find the file of your thesis, and enter a short remark if
needed.
i.

Click on Submit to upload your thesis.

If no problems are found, your grade will be finalized and your thesis will then be filed in the digital
thesis library of the UvA: www.dare.uva.nl .

3.2

Research abroad

Students of Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning can write a thesis based on fieldwork
abroad. You will need to think about this in a timely manner and start to take the required steps at an early
stage. Keep in mind that doing research abroad usually takes more time than doing fieldwork in the
Netherlands, and that it might cause some delay. Please note that in general you are not allowed to
conduct fieldwork in regions that have been given a negative travel advice by the Dutch Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (avoid non-essential trips). It is your own responsibility to monitor the situation and
travel advice for the region of your choice. The masters programmes themselves do not provide funding
for fieldwork abroad. In addition you do not qualify for a UvA STUNT beurs, because the fieldwork is
not obligatory.
You can inquire about funding possibilities at the GSSS international office (international-officecsw@uva.nl).

Your preliminary research proposal should be approved by your supervisor before you make any travel
arrangements. After your final research proposal has been approved by your supervisor, you may travel to
your fieldwork location. The programme director will sign a Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad with

you (see Appendix 3). The costs of fieldwork differ, depending on the country you go to and the type of
research you will be conducting. Key costs to keep in mind include:

Flight ticket

Insurance

Vaccinations

Visa

Transport costs in fieldwork country

Housing costs

Costs of living

Research assistance on location (such as interpreters)

To get a better understanding of the costs, we recommend getting in touch with someone who has already
conducted research in the country you are planning to go to (e.g. a supervisor or a fellow student).

10

4.

Supervision

During the process of writing your thesis, you will have intensive contact with your supervisor. In this
chapter, you will find information about what to expect of your supervisor (4.1) and what agreements to
make with your supervisor (4.2).

4.1

What to expect of your supervisor

It is important to keep in mind that you will have 31 hours of supervision allocated to your project,
including reading time, group meetings, the final assessment, and your thesis defence. You can expect
your supervisor to give you advice, for example about the relevant literature you need to consult, about
defining your topic or analyzing your data. His/her most important job is to guide, motivate and inspire
you. He/she will assess whether the research proposal is realistic. He/she will also make sure that you
make continuous progress. If you are not progressing, your supervisor will need to point you in the right
direction and talk to you about how to prevent further delay. You can also expect your supervisor to
detect unrealistic or incorrect parts in your research proposal, during your fieldwork, and in your analysis.

There will be frequent meetings between you and your supervisor, depending on how much time you
spend on your thesis (approximately one appointment every two or three weeks when you are working on
your thesis full time). This corresponds to approximately 10 meetings (including group meetings).
Discuss with your supervisor in advance how you will plan these encounters (see 4.2.). Some prefer
shorter and frequenter meetings, other sparser but longer ones. During a meeting, you and your supervisor
will talk about a specific stage of your research project or a specific chapter. Always take the initiative
yourself and ask questions if things are not clear. Keep yourself and your supervisor motivated, not only
by talking about problems, but also about interesting outcomes. Usually the supervisor will review your
chapters separately as you write them. It is wise to plan time to hand in a draft version of your thesis at
the end of the process. Your supervisor can detect mistakes, inconsistencies, or incoherent parts in your
thesis and you can improve the final version before you submit it to the supervisor and the second reader
for the final assessment.
Make sure your supervisor is able to prepare for the meetings by handing in your written work on time.
Indicate which parts are new or revised, so that your supervisor does not need to read your work all over
again. This prevents inefficiency and ensures that you talk about relevant matters during your meeting.
Accordingly, you should also prepare yourself for the meetings, for instance by making a list of things
you want to discuss. The work that you hand in for these meetings does not need to be perfect, but do
make sure that the spelling, style, and grammar are correct.

If you are unsatisfied with the way the process is going or the supervision you get, it is important to talk
to your supervisor about it. If you do not manage to solve the problems with your supervisor, contact the
master thesis project coordinator, the programme director or the student counsellor. Serious complaints
should be dealt with through the university complaints procedure and the Exam Committee

11

(Examencommissie, or EC). You can also contact the student members of the Programme Committee
(Opleidingsommissie, or OC).

4.2

Supervision agreement

It is important to openly discuss with your supervisor your expectations about the thesis supervision.
Would you rather have supervision concerning the process or the content of your thesis? How often will
(s)he read your preliminary chapters and what kind of comments will (s)he give you? When do you hand
in these preliminary chapters? Do you always need to make an appointment or can you stop by
unannounced? Can you e-mail or phone him/her if you are stuck? Remember to ask for his/her schedule,
especially if (s)he is planning to travel during the time you will be working on your thesis.

To prevent disappointment, talk about your ambitions with your supervisor during your first bilateral
meeting. It is important that you stay in contact with your supervisor as you are writing your thesis. After
each appointment, set a date and time for the next appointment. Take into account that for each hour you
meet with your supervisor, he/she will need time to read your work and think about it. This is an
important consideration as your supervisor has been allocated 31 hours for your thesis supervision, of
which up to 5 hours may be required for the final assessment and meeting. Thus, you should consider that
you have enough time for approximately 6-7 individual meetings with your supervisor during the whole
process. During your fieldwork, you will meet less frequently with your supervisor; during the writing
process you will meet more frequently. Nowadays communication during fieldwork is usually
uninterrupted thanks to email and skype.

12

5.

The research proposal

After you have chosen a topic, the next step is to write the research proposal. This chapter describes how
to create such a research proposal (5.1), how to clearly define your topic (5.2) and why it is so important
to make a proper timetable to plan your reading, research and writing work (5.3).

5.1

The research proposal

After the preliminary phase consisting of the literature course for human geographers and the kick-off and
theory meeting for planners, the thesis-project really starts with writing a research proposal. The research
proposal is very important for the further progress of your research. Elaborating it forces you to think
thoroughly about your topic. In your research proposal you will determine which problem you will
investigate, under whose supervision, which research questions are relevant, which methods you will use,
and what you want to accomplish or add to the current debate on the topic you have chosen. Try to
establish at that stage if you have access to relevant sources and if your plan is feasible.

As you write your research proposal, your topic will become more clearly defined. Writing a good
research proposal takes time; it requires a great deal of revising and rethinking to make sure that you have
made the appropriate choices. Your research proposal is also needed in order to receive research permits,
when applicable.

What does a research proposal look like?

In your research proposal, you will specify the problem definition and related research questions, the
theoretical and analytical framework, the purpose of data collection and how you plan to accomplish it.
You will need to think about getting useful and reliable information, your schedule, and possibly funding.
(The exact requirements will be formulated in the course manual.) The following elements should be a
part of your research proposal:

Introduction
In the introduction, you write what your thesis is about and what gave rise to your interest in this subject.
What is the academic and societal relevance of your topic and why? You can present an outline of the
thesis and indicate the content of each chapter.

Theoretical framework
In the theoretical framework, you describe the theoretical background of your topic and review relevant
academic frameworks. You define the key concepts and provide an overview of the most important
literature on the subject. The framework will logically evolve into a problem statement. Do not describe
all kinds of different theories and literatures just for the sake of reviewing the literature the theoretical
framework should have a clear function in your argumentation.

13

In a later stage of your thesis writing, you will revisit and extend this framework. Still, it is important to
start writing it in this earlier stage to stay abreast of what is going on in the field of your topic and have a
sense of which matters are important. It will help and guide you when you need to make important
decisions. Try to elaborate your theoretical framework as far as possible during the thesis preparation
stage.

Research questions
The research question or problem statement should capture the whole research in one question. It should
evolve in a logical way from the framework. In formulating your research question, you will usually start
with a vague idea, making it more concrete as you read further about your topic and relevant research. It
is thus expected that your research question will continue to change as you gain more knowledge about
your topic and your case. You may also want to formulate separate sub-questions that need to be
answered first in different chapters, in order to address the core research question in the concluding
chapter.

Research design and methods

The research design is arguably the most important part of your research proposal. It explains how you
want to answer your research questions. It features a statement on what kind of research you conduct,
methods you employ to collect empirical data and to analyse them. In the thesis you demonstrate the
methodological skills you have learned during your studies. Do not hesitate to consult the books and
notes you have taken in previous courses in your bachelors programme and in this masters programme.
This includes evidently Planning Methodologies and Planning Research (for planners) and Geographical
Research Methods and GIS and Human Geography: Theory and Social Implications (for geographers)
but

also

methodological

insights

from

the

academic

literature

under

scrutiny

in

your

specialisation/thematic courses.

Types of research
Research can take many forms. It is therefore important to wisely choose the type of research that you
will conduct. Three types of research conducted by urban and regional planners and human geographers
are described below.
1) Descriptive research. For this type of research, you try to map out a certain phenomenon and
look at it from all angles. Research questions fitting to this type of research are typically what
or how questions.
2) Testing research. With this type of research, you test one or more hypotheses that you derived
from the literature with new empirical data.
3) Explorative research. This type of research lies halfway between describing and testing research.
You want to know what is going on and you go beyond description. Your goal is to formulate or
develop a hypothesis. In many cases, you will have ideas about possible explanations for the
phenomenon at hand. Research questions are typically why questions.

14

Methods and data collection

To answer your research questions, you will need to collect data. There are many ways to do that,
depending on your topic and type of research. You can analyze existing data, make and analyze GIS
maps, analyze written sources (newspaper articles, websites, reports, annual reports, speeches, policy
documents, plans, etc.), conduct surveys or in-depth interviews, or use your observations. Think of the
different methods that you came across during your methodology classes or browse through a
methodology book for inspiration. Based on your methodological skills and practical constraints (time,
access etc) you need to choose the right balance between quantitative and qualitative methods to answer
your research question.

Operationalization
The concepts that you use in your problem statement should be translated into concrete variables and
indicators. By doing this, you get an idea of what exactly you mean by a certain concept and what you
want to find out. To do this, you must first clearly define the concept. You then transform it into a
researchable variable. This step will unavoidably mean that you will have to make choices about what to
include and exclude from your research. Provide a clear argumentation in your research proposal about
the choices you have made.

Units of analysis
You will also need to make a choice about the units of analysis. Will you investigate (a category of)
individuals or households, companies, institutions or areas? Also think about how to select your
respondents or your cases. Will you select them through a random sample within a certain database, the
snowball method, or on theoretical grounds? Discuss analytical, practical and ethical limitations and
problems related to the choices you make.

Structure and analytical framework

In your research proposal, you can include a (preliminary) table of contents of your thesis. This will
remind you of the fact that you will need to write a structured story based on your data. The sequence and
organisation of your chapters will depend on the type of research that you have chosen. In many cases, it
will be dependent on your research questions.

An example of a conventional structure

- Introduction
- Theoretical framework
- Problem statement, analytical framework and methods
- Data analysis (several chapters depending on your subquestions)
- Conclusions and recommendations
- Bibliography
- Appendices (such as maps, survey questions, list of interviewees or sites of observations, and letters)

15

Having a table of content from the start makes the work more manageable, as you can conceive of each
chapter as an academic paper (something you are experienced at doing).

Timetable
In your timetable, you will indicate when you will carry out the tasks and when you will write each of the
chapters. How much time will you spend on each part of your research? If you are doing fieldwork
abroad, you might need more time than usual, depending on the length of stay and the complexity of the
situation in the fieldwork location.

5.2

Clearly defining a topic

Do not choose a topic that is too broad. Remember that you have one semester to complete your thesis.
Many students find it hard to clearly define their topic and to exclude certain aspects from their research.
They find themselves spending a great deal of time on gathering and reading literature, which can lead to
a problem statement that is hard to investigate. Do not take too much time for gathering background
information; it is more important to make choices early and move forward.

If you have a vague or broad problem statement, clearly defining the concepts can help. You can also
make a conceptual scheme to give you a clear idea about which relationships you want to investigate.
Remember that you will need to collect the data on your own. A survey of hundreds of people will only
be possible if you can hand out surveys on paper, via the internet or in groups (classes or companies). If
you use in-depth interviews, conducting 20 interviews is usual.

Tame your ambitions

In writing the masters thesis, students usually ask a lot of themselves. They want to get a high grade,
make an original contribution to the academic literature, solve a societal problem, or, more down to earth,
produce a report they can be proud of and they can show during future job interviews. These are of course
good motivations, but it can lead to frustrations. We therefore recommend you to tame your ambitions
and to focus on writing a clear analysis of a less ambitious research. The scope of your masters thesis can
be modest, it is your first step as a researcher.

Motivation/Justification
You should always explain and justify the choices you make during the process of transforming your
topic into a definitive problem statement. Why did you choose to investigate aspect A, but not B or C?
Why did you do fieldwork in area A when you could have gone to area B? Your argumentation can be
based on your theoretical and analytical framework, your problem statements or practical matters.

To elaborate upon your theoretical framework, problem statement and research questions and to provide
argumentation, you can use the following questions:
-

What is the research problem? What is the societal problem?

Why is it a problem?

16

For whom is it a problem? For which persons or institutions is it a problem? Is the problem
definition the same for everyone?

What do you want to accomplish? Who can make use of your results and how?

What is the societal and academic relevance of your project?

What knowledge about possible causes of this problem is already available? And why has the
problem not yet been solved?

Can your problem be analytically reduced to a series of smaller problems?

What steps do you need to follow to answer your research question?

5.3

Working schedule

It is important for you and your supervisor to make a schedule. The first phase is to write your research
proposal and review the literature for your theoretical framework. The second phase is data collection and
analysis. The third phase is writing up your results. Include as many details as you can in your working
schedule.

Be realistic about your timeline; do not make it too tight but set yourself a number of deadlines. Usually a
thesis will take more time than planned. Keep in mind that you will need time to revise your work. You
will also be dependent on others, which can make it harder to work according to your schedule. If you
have experienced a number of delays, make an agreement with your supervisor about which part of your
thesis to give priority to, or determine if it is possible for you to complete your thesis later than planned.

If you are not sure about the amount of time that you need for certain phases, ask your supervisor or
another expert. Keep in mind that even if you have thought of everything, there will always be
unexpected obstacles, for example computers that break down, library books that are in use by others,
difficulties to reach interviewees or respondents or to obtain documents, or personal problems.

17

6.

Conducting the research

This chapter is about collecting data, what is expected of you and how to deal with an overload of
information .

6.1

What is expected of you

Conducting research is about collecting data independently, locating the right sources, formulating
adequate research questions, etc. An important part of this phase is to show that you are able to make
sound choices concerning your research. To be focused, you should start writing tentative conclusions
already in this stage.
If you choose to conduct interviews or surveys, make sure that you are well prepared otherwise you are
unlikely to get the necessary information from your respondents. Reading about interview techniques and
fieldwork is recommended. Look back at the textbooks and notes you used in methodological classes.
Consult general methodological introductions for social science and/or geography, for example

Bryman, A. 2008/2012: Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Clifford, N.J. and Valentine, G., editors 2003: Key methods in geography. London: Sage.

Ragin, C.C. 1987: The comparative method: moving beyond qualitative and quantitative strategies
London: University of California Press.

Yin, R.K. 2002: Case study research: Design and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

It is important to think your plans through. Do not hesitate too long between different options but make
decisions and complete your project. Some insights will only come to you when you are carrying out your
plans. It is wise to analyse and interpret your material as soon as possible. This enables you to change
direction if needed, to add or delete a subproject during the process in reaction to unexpected difficulties
or outcomes. Your research proposal should be a guiding principle in these decisions, but it might be
necessary to take more drastic steps and amend your research proposal, in consultation with your
supervisor and with her or his agreement.

Always keep track of who you have spoken with and when. Bear in mind that processing and analyzing
your surveys and interviews and observations takes a lot of time. One hour of interviewing will take you
at least three hours of transcribing and analysis. Before the coding can begin, think of how you want to
use the data. This takes time, but not doing so is penny-wise but pound-foolish as it might take you much
more time at a later stage of the process.
In addition to data collection, you might think of appropriate figures to use in your thesis for instance,
photos, illustrations, charts or graphs that help to support your statements or conclusions. Maps are
particularly welcome in a geography or a planning thesis.

18

When conducting your research, you should behave according to ethical principles. The VSNU
(Association

of

Dutch

Universities)

has

behavioural

code

(see

http://www.vsnu.nl/files/documenten/Domeinen/Onderzoek/Code_wetenschapsbeoefening_2004_(2012).
pdf; only in Dutch). The most important points to keep in mind are carefulness, accuracy, verifiability,
impartiality and independence. Behave responsibly when dealing with respondents and data. Behave
according to the rules of informed consent, avoiding risks to respondents and protecting their privacy.
Respondents should be informed about the goal of the research and should be able to freely decide
whether or not to cooperate. Extra care is needed when dealing with vulnerable groups, such as
minorities. If you cannot guarantee anonymity (for example, when dealing with key informants),
respondents have to agree explicitly with the use of their quotations in your thesis.
When conducting research, bear in mind that it is a learning process and that you can make mistakes. Try
to be creative in solving problems and make sure you have enough data to write your thesis. Ask your
supervisor for advice when needed.

6.2

An overload of data: keep your focus

When you are doing your research, you will probably collect lots of interesting data and develop
interesting insights. Usually this is more than you will need for your research. Be careful with this: you
will be tempted to include extra information in your thesis, to add new research questions, but this might
have negative effects on your structure and delay the process.

During data collection, keep in mind why you are doing something and ask yourself if and how you can
use the data. Use your structure and problem statement as a guideline. Try to separate useful information
from unnecessary information. Work according to your working schedule and do not continually collect
more data. A thesis is never finished, but the time you have is limited. Collecting data is a not a goal in
and of itself, but a means to answer your research question.

19

7.

Writing your thesis

In this chapter, information is provided about the actual process of writing. In which language do you
want to write your thesis? How do you handle the material? What difficulties will you encounter and how
can you solve problems? How does the assessment work (7.4)?

7.1

Language choice

You can write your thesis in English or in Dutch. (Note that in some cases supervisors are not able to read
Dutch well enough and written pieces must be in English.) Take the time to make your decision about this
choice, as your fluency in the two languages might highly differ. Think also of practical issues (is your
supervisor fluent in the language you want to use?). Consider your topic. It might be fit to write in Dutch
about an empirical case in The Netherlands or in Suriname, much less if you report about fieldwork in
Nicaragua or India. It also depends on your ambition for later. If you want to have an international career,
it would be a pity not to use the opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills in English, but if you want
to work in a Dutch municipality it might be a better idea to demonstrate your writing skills in Dutch.

7.2

How to handle your data

Writing up the analysis is not easy for everyone. Take enough time to write your thesis and keep in mind
that you will probably have to revise your work several times. Writing your thesis does not only start after
you have collected your data as mentioned earlier, you should have already written your theoretical
chapters and research proposal.

Make sure to organize your material so that you can easily find information and prevent false statements
in your thesis. If you want to use quotations in your thesis, choose appropriate examples. Make sure
quotations support your argumentation. Indicate sources of the quote (but keep it anonymous): A 56-year
old woman from village A, etc. Always write down your source this will make it easier to look it up
later and ensures that you have a complete reference list. If you are using many bibliographic sources, you
might

consider

using

the

computer

program

EndNote

(www.surfspot.nl)

(http://uba.uva.nl/en/services/writing-and-publishing/refworks/refworks-faq.html)

to

or

RefWorks

document

your

bibliography. These databases make it easier to keep track of the books and articles you consult, to cite
from your sources properly and to generate lists of references.

Make sure you use the software available to you (e.g. SPSS, ArcGIS, ATLAS-ti) when relevant for your
data analysis.

7.3

Practical matters concerning the thesis

The exact content of your thesis and its structure depend on your research project. There is not a single
proper way to do it but you should use chapters, paragraphs and sub-paragraphs to structure your
argument. Take as a starting point that the readers of your thesis will be students of your own field and
interested academics. This means that you are expected to write an academic text, and to position your

20

work in the existing academic literature on your topic. You are also expected to write critically about
published research.

A good method for creating a logical and coherent structure is to start with your table of contents and
briefly summarize the purpose of each of the chapters and sections. Chapters often correspond to sub
questions. Keep into focus how each section will connect to the others.

Length
The length of the thesis should be about 60-80 pages. With an average of 400 words per page, this means
a thesis should be approximately 24,000 to 32,000 words (excluding references and appendices). Longer
theses are not necessarily better! You can write a longer thesis, but you will have to be able to justify this.
Discuss this with your supervisor in advance.
Writing problems: writers block and language deficiencies
Writing a thesis can be a painful process. When you have writing difficulties, you should seek help. Talk
to your supervisor about it, consult the many books and websites available about writing a paper or a
thesis, and enrol in a writing course. If you are really stuck during the thesis writing process, you can also
go to the master thesis project coordinator, the student counsellor, or the programme director (see
Appendix 6). Talk to your fellow students as well; they might be having similar problems and discussing
these with each other can be helpful.
In Appendix 5 you will find an overview of sources about academic (thesis) writing in English and Dutch.

7.4

Final assessment

When your thesis is finished, your supervisor and a second reader (generally another lecturer at the GPIO)
will assess it. Sometimes, a colleague from another discipline or an expert from outside the university can
be chartered as second reader, it depends on your research; do note that the master thesis project
coordinator distributes the second readers over the project groups or theses, and if you therefore have own
ideas about a suitable second reader, especially if he/she comes from outside GPIO, you should
communicate this to the coordinator as soon as possible. When you hand in your thesis for during the first
or second chance, the second reader will always read your thesis. Take into account that your readers
need time to read your thesis.
The final assessment will take place after a discussion (defence) of your thesis with your supervisor and
the second reader. This defence will take about an hour. The lecturers will ask questions about your thesis
and ask you to defend your choices. You will probably receive more critical comments than compliments.
You do not need to prepare much for the defence, because you are now an expert on the topic and you
will easily be able to convince the assessors of your expertise. Still try to be reflective and to think about
possible critical comments beforehand, so that you will be prepared for that discussion. Dont forget to
bring your own copy to the defence!

21

After this final meeting, you will receive an assessment form with comments and your grade (see
Appendix 7). The form is for the programme administration, a copy is for your own administration.

You have to submit your final thesis digitally to the programme administration after the defence (see 3.1
formal steps and registration). It will be checked for plagiarism in Ephorus. If no problems are found,
your grade will be finalized and your thesis will then be filed in the digital thesis library of the UvA:
www.dare.uva.nl.

22

Appendices
1. Norms and requirements for a thesis

24

2. Masters Thesis Proposal Registration Form

26

3. Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad

27

4. Guidelines for writing academic papers

30

5. Extra reading and courses about writing

31

6. Important Contacts

33

7. Assessment Form Masters Thesis Human Geography and Planning

36

NB: The appendices will be available as separate forms on Blackboard.

23

Appendix 1
Norms and requirements for the masters thesis
1.

24 ECTS (672 hours) is assigned to the masters thesis, including a 3 ECT (84 hours) research
proposal.

2.

Students have to be enrolled in the course Master Thesis Project

3.

Students have a right to 31 hours of supervision (including groups sessions, reading time, assessment
and the final thesis defence). Supervision will generally consist of a meeting once every two or three
weeks while you are working full time on your thesis. Ask whether and when your supervisor will be
out of office for a long period of time (fieldwork, sabbatical and other stays abroad) during your
project, so that you can take that into consideration in your time schedule. If you dont find a
workable arrangement for that period contact the thesis coordinator.

4.

Students should submit their Research proposal to their supervisor and upload the proposal to
blackboard before 16 March, 2015, 10 am.

5.

After the student received green light on the basis of his/her Research Proposal, he/she should
submit the Masters Thesis Proposal Registration Form (see Appendix 2) to the thesis-coordinator
(Human Geography: Inge van der Welle, Urban and Regional Planning: Bas Hissink Muller). In case
of fieldwork abroad the student has to additionally hand in a signed Thesis contract for fieldwork
abroad (see Section 3.4 for details and Appendix 3).

6.

If a supervisor is ill for a long time, the student will be assigned to a new supervisor. Inform the
master thesis project coordinator as soon as possible when such a problem has emerged.

7.

Two hard copies of the final version of the thesis should be handed in for the supervisor and the
second reader, which both always read the thesis during this first chance, and the student should hand
in his or her thesis on the blackboard-site of the course Master Thesis Project, in the dropbox on their
Master Thesis Project groups page.
Theses that are submitted after the deadline or not handed in are marked 0 and the candidate rests
only one chance to submit their thesis.
The thesis should be between 24,000 and 32,000 words. Directly after the final assessment, the thesis
should also be uploaded in the special general box scripties inleveren GPIO on the blackboard-site
of the course Master Thesis Project and submitted to the programme administration (Onderwijsbalie)
in digital form. The thesis will then be filed in the universitys digital database.

8.

With every grade for the thesis at the first opportunity the student receives a filled in Masters Thesis
Assessment Form (i.e. also if assessed as insufficient or if marked 0 when not handed in or not
handed before the deadline). The student always gets more elaborate feedback as well, either during
the defence or a meeting with only his or her supervisor if it was not deemed sufficient enough for
this final meeting.

9.

If the thesis is assessed with an insufficient mark at the first opportunity (end of June), the student
will have the possibility to revise and resubmit it within a given time frame (before 17 August 2015,
9hr). If the student misses the first opportunity for submission, it implies waiving this option. As a

24

result the second chance for submission is the last chance. Students are not entitled to supervision in
July and August.
10. If you have complaints about your supervision that you could not resolve with your supervisor, you
can contact the master thesis project coordinator, the programme manager, and the programme
director (see Appendix 7 for contact information). You can also contact members of the Programme
Committee or OC (see Appendix 6 for contact information). Formal objections and complaints can
be lodged with the Examination Committee or EC (see Appendix 6 for contact information) until at
least 14 days after the final assessment. Complaints concerning the assessment of the thesis will be
dealt with in accordance with your departments Rules and regulations for taking exams.
Complaints should be made as soon as possible. The Examination Committee will search for a
solution in consultation with those responsible for the assessment. If you are not satisfied with the
settlement, you can lodge an appeal with the Examination Appeals Board within four weeks after
being notified of the decision. See the chapter Complaints, objections and appeals of the Student
Charter (online at the UvA website) for the procedure.
Formal rules for the two masters programmes are based on the Onderwijs- en Examenregeling (OER)
of the programmes, that you can find in the course catalogue, and- or the Departments most recent
rules and regulations for exams.

25

Appendix 2
Masters Thesis Proposal Registration Form

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

THESIS PROPOSAL FORM
Masters Programme in Urban and Regional Planning / Human Geography (delete as appropriate)
Student name:
Student number:
Address: .
... ..
Email: .
Preliminary Title of Thesis:

Three key words describing your thesis (to be used for future reference):
1.

2.

3.

Supervisor:
(name, email and department)

__________________
Signature (first supervisor))

______________________
Date
This form should be handed in to the master thesis project coordinator as soon as your research
proposal is approved.

26

Appendix 3
Thesis contract for fieldwork abroad

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

THESIS PROPOSAL FORM / THESIS AGREEMENT
Masters Programme in Urban and Regional Planning / Human Geography (delete as appropriate)
Student name:
Student number:
Address: .
... ..
Email: .
Preliminary Title of Thesis:

Three key words describing your thesis (to be used for future reference):
1.

2.

3.

Supervisor:
(name, email and department)

Planned date of thesis submission:

Signatures: approval of attached thesis proposal (please note that another signature is required on
the last page of the agreement):

__________________
Signature (first supervisor)

_________________
Signature (thesis coordinator)

______________________
Date
This form should be handed in at the Graduate School of Social Sciences with the thesis proposal
and the signed thesis agreement attached before you leave for your fieldwork.
Please turn over

27

Universiteit van Amsterdam

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

THESIS AGREEMENT
1. The fieldwork for this research project will take place
from (date) ...
until (date)
in ..(place/country)
2. Please attach a time-schedule agreed upon by the student and supervisor. After the deadline, the student is no
longer entitled to submit his/her thesis unless the examination committee allows an extension. In order to qualify for
such an extension, the student is required to file a written request to the examination committee.
3. The student must take out an appropriate policy to cover health care and repatriation costs for the duration of the
fieldwork.
Name of insurance company: .
Policy number..
4. The student declares that he/she is in good health and has taken all necessary precautions (including relevant
vaccinations) to safeguard his/her health in the field.
5. Local supervision (if applicable) will be provided by:
Name:....
Position: ...
Contact details: .....
..(email/fax)
6. The local supervisor has been contacted by the Programme Director and has formally agreed to be the students
local supervisor.
[ ] yes
[ ] no
[ ] not applicable

28

7. When special circumstances require the student to return from the field at an earlier date, the programme in
principle allows the thesis to be written based on secondary sources. An expansion of the theoretical component
might be required in this case. The student will need to submit a revised thesis proposal within four weeks after an
unexpected return. If needed, the examination committee can extend this period upon request. The revised proposal
will require the approval of the supervisor and Programme Director.
8. Has the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised against travel to the country/region where the fieldwork takes
place?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
If yes: please consult the thesis coordinator.
9. During the entire fieldwork period, the student must be enrolled at the Universiteit van Amsterdam in order to
participate in the Masters Programme.
10. The student is entitled to a maximum of eight meetings with his/her supervisor. The date of the thesis
submission, thesis defence and planned graduation needs to be carefully coordinated with the supervisor to ensure
his/her availability.

Signatures for agreement on/approval of the thesis agreement:

_______________
Signature (supervisor)

______________________
Signature (student)

________________
Signature (thesis coordinator)

__________________
Date

Thesis coordinator: Please do not sign this agreement before the supervisor has signed it. Please make sure that you
have read the proposal before signing. By signing this form you indicate your approval of the thesis topic, and the
foreign fieldwork and the conditions stated in this agreement. In case of negative travel advice, do not sign without
explicit support of the supervisor and not before an additional liability form has been signed.
Thesis Supervisor: Please read the proposal and the agreement with care before signing. Make sure you agree with
the content, the time schedule and the conditions stated in the thesis agreement.
Student: Please hand in this form with your thesis proposal to the thesis coordinator. Make sure that all required
signatures are on the form and agreement before submittal.

29

Appendix 4
Guidelines for writing academic papers
Guidelines for writing an academic paper
In English:
http://gsss.socsci.uva.nl/english/downloads/Manual_for_writing_a_paper.pdf

30

Appendix 5
Extra reading and courses about writing
A. Literature
Becker, H.S., 2007: Writing for Social Scientists. How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. Second
edition . Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Brungs, E., 2005: Zinvol zoeken, stijlvol schrijven: Handleiding voor het schrijven van wetenschappelijke teksten in
de sociale wetenschappen. Leuven: Acco.
Bui, Y.N., 2009: How to write a master's thesis. Los Angeles: Sage.
Burrough-Boenisch, J., 2004: Righting English that's gone Dutch, Second Edition, Voorburg: Kemper Conseil.
Clifford, N. J. and Valentine, G. (eds), 2010: Key Methods in Geography. Second edition. London: Sage.
Eco, U., 2010: Hoe schrijf ik een scriptie. 13de druk. Amsterdam: Bakker. [1977: Come si fa una tesi di laurea.
Milano : Fabbri-Bompiani Sonzogno, Etas. Vertaald uit het Italiaans door Yond Boeke en Patty Krone].
Eemeren, F.H. van, & Snoeck Henkemans, A.F., 2011: Argumentatie: inleiding in het identificeren van
meningsverschillen en het analyseren, beoordelen en houden van betogen. Vierde herziene druk. Groningen:
Wolters-Noordhoff.
Elbow, P., 1998: Writing with power. Techniques for mastering the writing process. Second edition. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Hannay, M. & J. L. Mackenzie, 2009: Effective writing in English, A source book. Bussum: Coutinho.
Harvey, G., 1998: Writing with sources: A guide for students..Indianapolis: Hackett.
Heerink, M., 2010: Praktische schrijfgids, Amsterdam: Pearson Education.
Horst, Peter J. van den, 1999: Stlwzer: praktische handleiding voor leesbaar schrven, tweede druk. Den Haag
/Antwerpen: SDU / Standaard.
Koenen, L. & Smits, R. ,2000: Basishandleiding Nederlands, Utrecht: Bijleveld.
Kneale, P. E., 2003: Study skills for geography students, A practical guide. Second edition. London: Arnold.
Lamers, H.A.J.M., 1993: Hoe schrf ik een wetenschappelke tekst? : een handleiding om scripties,
onderzoeksverslagen, dissertaties en literatuurrapporten te schrven Zesde druk Bussum: Coutinho.
Mirande, M.J.A. & Wardenaar, E., 1997: Scriptieproblemen. derde druk. Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff.
Murray, R. ,2006: How to write a thesis. Second edition Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Oosterbaan, W. 2009: Een leesbare scriptie : gids voor het schrven van scripties, essays en papers . Tiende druk.
Amsterdam/Rotterdam: Prometheus/NRC Handelsblad.
Renkema, J. ,2005: Schrijfwijzer Compact, Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers.
Renkema, J. ,2005: Schrijfwijzer, Vierde aangepaste druk. Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers.
Schultz, John, 1982: Writing from start to finish. Upper Montclaire NJ: Boynton/Cook Pub.

31

B. Online Sources
Online in Dutch
Language store (Taalwinkel) of the Uva and the HvA , contains tips, tricks and videos:
http://www.taalwinkel.nl/
Thesis tips
http://www.scriptietips.nl/
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen:
http://www.worldwidewriting.com/ (ook Nederlandstalig)
http://www.leren.nl/rubriek/talen/schrijven/ (met links)

Online in English
Thinking straight (van Webdesigner Lee J Ballard) With an overview of wrongly stated arguments (fallacies):
http://www.thinkingstraight.net/fallacies.htm

Online course and quizzes over the Internet

Online tutorial: Internet for Social Sciences, Business and Law (SOGIG) : Geographer RDN Virtual Training:
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/geographer
You can check sources for other disciplines like: Development, European Studies, Sociologist, Anthropologist,
Town and Country Planner, Womens Studies, enz. The splash page for all tutorials is at
www.vtstutorials.co.uk
Texas Information Literacy Tutorial (TITT) University of Texas: http://library.msmc.edu/tilt/
Also available in Dutch on the University Library website: http://uba.uva.nl/diensten/cursussen-enworkshops/cursussen-en-workshops.html

C. Courses and Information

Courses geared towards thesis writing are frequently announced and may be advertised around the university
buildings. Please note that some of these courses will require a fee.
http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/training-and-workshops/training-and-workshops.html
The Student Career Centre (SCC) provides additional support to students. They can answer questions about making
study choices, planning your career and entering the labour market. Apart from individual support, the SCC
organizes special workshops and job application training. The SCC also has a large database of information
about the labour market and can provide information about international job openings and acquiring an
internship. http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/career/career.html

32

Appendix 6
Important Contacts
THESISCOORDINATOR
Dr. Virginie Mamadouh (Human Geography until 1 Feb.)
Tel: 020-525-4129
E-mail: v.d.mamadouh@uva.nl
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.11
Dr. Inge van der Welle (Human Geography from 1 Feb.)
E-mail: i.c.vanderwelle@uva.nl
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.02
Dr. Bas Hissink Muller (Urban and Regional Planning)
Tel: 020-525-1448
E-mail: b.m.hissinkmuller@uva.nl
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.02
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
Dr. Jochem de Vries
Tel: 020-525-6052 (b.g.g 020-525-4063)
E-mail: j.devries1@uva.nl
Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, room: C4.13
STUDENT ADVISOR
Jeroen van Pelt MSc
Tel 020-525-4093
e-mail: studieadviseur-GPIO@uva.nl
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
Jeroen van Pelt MSc
Tel 020-525-4093
e-mail: studieadviseur-GPIO@uva.nl
EXAMINATION COMMITTEE Masters Programmes Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning
Secretary: Dr. Marco Bontje
Tel: 020-525-5240 (b.g.g 020-525-4063)
Email: m.a.bontje @uva.nl
UVA STUDENTS - CAREERS CENTER:
Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday till Friday 9-10 am.
Telephone: 020-525 8080
E-mail: studentcareercentre@uva.nl
For support in making choices concerning your study, career planning and
workshops.
33

STUDENT SERVICE DESK:

Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Tel: 020-525 8080
Website: http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/student-services/student-servicedesk/student-service-desk.html
STUDENT DEANS:
Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk
Binnengasthuisstraat 91012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday till Friday 9 10 am.,
telephone: 020-525 8080
STUDENT PSYCHOLOGISTS:
Appointments and information: 9 - 10 am. ,
Telephone: 020-525 8080
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
E-mail: studpsy-sts@uva.nl
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS:
Appointments can be made via Trainingcentrum Studenten Services
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Tel: 020-525 2595 (information)
E-mail: training-sts@uva.nl
Internet: http://student.uva.nl/en/az/content/training-and-workshops/training-andworkshops.html
INTERNATIONAL (INFORMATION ON STUDYING AND INTERNSHIPS ABROAD):
Appointments can be made via Student Service Desk
Binnengasthuisstraat 9, 1012 ZA Amsterdam
Consulting hours by telephone: Tuesday through Thursday 9 am.-5 pm.
tel: 020-525 8080
Office hours: Tuesday through Thursday 10 am. 5 pm.
E-mail: internationaal-sts@uva.nl
Information on scholarships: international-office-csw@uva.nl

34

CONFIDANT:

Ms. R.M.L. Franses

Diamantbeurs/Psy
Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam
tel: 020-525-6884
e-mail: R.M.L.Franses@uva.nl

GG&GD (MEDICAL CARE ABROAD AND VACCINATIONS)

Nieuwe Achtergracht 100
Tel: 020 555-5101 / 020-555-5911

35

Appendix 7
Human Geography and Urban and Regional Planning Masters Thesis
Assessment Form
Students name:

Student ID number:

Study programme/Specialisation:

Date:

Thesis title:

Mark:

This form was completed by:

Supervisors name:

Second assessors name:

Signature:

Signature:

(Scale 1=insufficient; 2=modest; 3= sufficient; 4=quite good; 5=extremely good)

1
2
3
4
1. Content and theory
A. Has the research question been clearly defined, sufficiently delimited and worked out
systematically?
B. Has the student applied scientific insights adequately and correctly?

1
2
3
4
5
2. Data, methods and techniques
A. Has the student applied relevant and adequate empirical data (statistical data, interviews,
survey data, policy documents, GIS data etc.)?
B. Are the analytical methods used suited to the purpose, and have they been applied correctly?
C. Is there sufficient substantiation for the choice of data and analytical methods used?

1
2
3
4
5
3. Argumentation
A. Does the line of argumentation follow logical, justifiable and verifiable steps?
B. Do the conclusions address the problem and do they tie in with the theory?
C. If applicable: has the student formulated relevant and substantiated recommendations for
policy and/or further research?

1
2
3
4
4. Presentation
A. Does the thesis have a logical structure?
B. Are empirical elements correctly illustrated using tables, figures, maps and quotes?
C. Have all information sources been properly cited?
D. Is the writing lucid, grammatically correct and free of spelling errors?
E. Has the student taken care in the presentation and layout?

36

1
2
3
4
5
5. Process
A. Did the student show a high degree of independence from the supervisor in setting up and
carrying out the research?
B. Did the student approach the thesis process with a reflective mindset?
C. Is the student capable of defending his or her work?

6. Weak/strong points

Pursuant to Section 7.61 of the WHW, students may lodge an appeal against
this decision by an Examinations Board or examiner within 30 days after the
day on which the decision was sent with the Examination Appeals Board, Spui
21, 1012 WX Amsterdam.

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Explanation of assessment forms

Minimum requirements
Theses that have not been written in conformance with the Rules and Regulations for
papers (correct grammar, reference to sources, etc.) will not be accepted. See
http://gsss.socsci.uva.nl/english/downloads/Manual_for_writing_a_paper.pdf.
The scores in the assessment form are not equally weighted. Category 1 (Content and
Theory) and Category 2 (Use of Methods and Techniques) will be weighted more
heavily and a score of 1 or 2 will lead to an unsatisfactory grade. The weight assigned to
each category will differ depending on the type of thesis.
Distinction between masters and bachelors theses
The masters thesis is usually of a higher level than the bachelor thesis. Research
questions are more complex and more abstract. The masters thesis is always embedded
in international literature, whereas the bachelors thesis is not necessarily so. Students
are expected to use more advanced research methods and techniques than in their
bachelor thesis. Students are also expected to work more independently. The
supervision scheme is adapted to this expectation.
Additional Information
The grading for each category is on a scale from 1 5, where 1 is considered
unsatisfactory and 5 excellent. The criteria that each sub-category will be tested against
can be found in the following section.

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Question 1: With respect to contents / theory

A. Is the problem statement clearly defined and well formulated?
B. Have scientific insights been sufficiently and correctly used?
A1. No clear (theoretical or empirical) problem statement, ambiguous problem
statement, and the research sub-questions do not contribute to answering the
research question.
A3. Clear (theoretical or empirical) problem statement, unambiguous problem
statement, and the research sub-questions help to answer the research question
and give structure to the research and reporting. The problem statement fits
within existing research and is for a large part formulated by the teacher or
another source.
A5. In addition to meeting the criteria for A3, the student also showed originality
and creativity in formulating the problem statement, for instance by combining
different scientific insights or connecting different fields. The problem statement
illustrates a new approach to existing research questions in the programme
group. Research is focused on answering the sub-questions (no unnecessary
information).
B1. Academic references to international literature are missing or limited to
literature provided by the supervisor. Theory is used insufficiently in the
argumentation about the problem statement or to define central concepts.
B3. Academic references to international literature are present and the student has
independently located sources relevant to the subject. Theories, concepts and
other insights from literature have been used in the argumentation about the
problem statement or to define central concepts.
B5. In addition to meeting the criteria for B3, the student has shown originality and
creativity in applying particular literature, for instance by combining in a novel
way different types of scientific insights (e.g. empirical and theoretical insights).
Differing insights are well synthesized and translated into concepts that give a
clear direction to the research.
Question 2: Use of Methods and Techniques
A. Did the student use relevant and empirical data (Statistical data, interviews,
surveys, policy documents, GIS data etc.)?
B. Do the methods fit the subject and have they been correctly applied?
C. Did the student give an argumentation for the choices that he/she made
concerning analysis?
A1. The data does not fit to the problem statement.
A3. The data fits to the problem statement.
A5. The data is exceptionally good. For instance, the student may have created
exceptionally good surveys, found creative ways of collecting data from a
difficult target group, worked with complex databases or created advanced GIS
data.

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B1. The method of analysis does not fit the data and/or the problem statement.
B3. The method of analysis fits the data and/or the problem statement.
B5. The method of analysis fits exceptionally well the data and/or the problem
statement. For instance, the student may have used advanced methods or
independently devised a method or creative approach.
C1. The choice of data and the method of analysis is not justified or supported with
the wrong argumentation.
C3. There is adequate argumentation of choices.
C5. The student shows exceptional in-depth knowledge of the data and the applied
method of analysis.

Question 3: Argumentation
A. Are the steps in the story logical, sound and verifiable?
B. Did the conclusions fit the problem and are they connected to the theory?
C. If applicable: does the student make relevant and well-argued recommendations
for policy and/or research?
A1. The argumentation does not correspond to the data results or the literature. The
argumentation is missing or contains wrong arguments.
A3. The argumentation is correct, but is not coherent.
A5. The argumentation is logically structured and is a sound interpretation and
reflection of the data.
B1. The conclusions do not/hardly refer to the problem statement or conclusions are
missing.
B3. The conclusions refer to the problem statement, but are poorly linked to the theory.
B5. The student makes logical conclusions in reference to the problem statement and
gives theoretical argumentation.
C1. The thesis does not contain recommendations for policy or future research.
C3. The student provides recommendations, but does not give argumentation.
C5. The student gives logical recommendations for policy or future research with good
argumentation.
Question 4: Presentation
A. Is the thesis logically structured?
B. Did the student illustrate the empirical data using tables, figures, maps and
citations?
C. Did the student refer to the literature correctly?
D. Did the student use clear formulations, correct grammar and spelling?
E. Does the thesis look carefully edited?
A1. The thesis is not logically structured, there is no distinction between main aspects
and less important issues, the report is too short or too long-winded.
A3. The thesis has more or less a logical structure, but there is a mixed use of main
aspects and less important issues.
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A5. The thesis is logically structured, main aspects and less important issues are
distinguished and the length is appropriate.
B1. The figures were not made by the student but come from the internet or from books.
B3. The figures were made by the student but were not carefully edited: SPSS figures
are copied without any editing; important facts such as the number of units are missing,
etc.
B5. The student has provided correct figures using his own empirical data.
C1. References are missing or incorrect.
C3. References are sometimes inadequate.
C5. All sources have been carefully and correctly referenced.
D1. The thesis contains many mistakes in spelling or grammar and is written with poor
Dutch or English respectively.
D3. The thesis contains some mistakes in spelling.
D5. It is a pleasure to read the thesis; no mistakes in spelling or grammar are found and
it is well and clearly written.
E1. No effort has been put into the layout of the thesis. Figures are not readable or not
carefully copied and pasted.
E3. The thesis is sufficiently edited, but not publishable; for example, it contains
unnecessary sections.
E5. The thesis is carefully and exceptionally edited. A great deal of effort has been put
into the layout of the pages, etc.
Question 5: Process
A. Has the student shown that he/she worked independently while making the
research design and while conducting research?
B. Was the student self-reflexive during the process of writing the thesis?
C. Can the student defend his/her work?
A1. The student was passive and used only literature, methods and data provided by the
supervisor.
A3. The student carried out what was proposed by the supervisor.
A5. The student worked independently and incorporated literature, information,
structure and data without the teachers help.
B1. The student did not ask questions about the progress of writing the thesis and was
unable to incorporate critical comments adequately in his/her work.
B3. The student asked some questions about the progress of writing the thesis and
incorporated critical comments adequately in his/her work.
B5. The student asked many questions about the progress and content of the thesis.
He/she and worked out critical comments him/herself and incorporated this adequately
in his/her work.
C1. The student is not able to defend his/her own work.
C3. The student is able to sufficiently defend his/her own work.
C5. The student is able to defend his/her own work excellently.
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