Guidelines for PhD theses in the Study of professions
On the basis of these guidelines, and in collaboration with their supervisors, candidates may decide how to structure their thesis and whether to write a monograph or an article-based thesis.
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Guidelines: Article-based thesis
If you are writing an article-based thesis, you must read these guidelines.
Number of Articles, Co-authorship, and Publication
- The thesis must consist of at least three articles (including chapters in anthologies).
- If one or more of the articles are co-authored, it may be necessary to include additional articles to clearly demonstrate the candidate’s independent contribution and substantial effort. The co-authorship declaration(s) must clearly state the extent of the candidate’s independent work.
- The PhD candidate must be the sole author of at least one of the articles. This requirement may be waived if well justified.
- At least one of the articles should normally be accepted for publication at the time of submission. This requirement may also be waived if well justified.
The Extended Summary
- The PhD candidate must be the sole author of the extended summary (“kappe”).
- The extended summary introduces and synthesizes the research questions, results, and conclusions presented in the articles, thereby demonstrating the coherence of the thesis.
The extended summary should normally include:
- Introduction
- Review of Previous Research
- Theoretical Framework
- Methodology
- Brief Summaries of Each Article
- Discussion
Introduction: Presents and justifies the research questions. It should also list the titles of the articles included in the thesis.
Review of Previous Research: Places the thesis within the relevant research field.
Theoretical Framework: Explains the chosen theoretical approach(es). This section may elaborate on theories presented in individual articles. It is important to operationalize and specify how theory and key concepts are used throughout the thesis.
Methodology: Should be a central part of the extended summary, as journal articles often allow limited space for methodological discussion. This section should describe the data collection process, discuss the quality of the data, and explain the data analysis process.
Brief Summaries: One to two pages per article, highlighting the overall thread of the thesis. This section should also indicate the publication status of each article.
Discussion and Conclusion: Explicitly addresses the research questions. Discusses the theoretical implications of the findings and how they contribute to existing research. Recommendations for future research are also useful.
The reference list for the extended summary comes after the conclusion. Appendices should be placed at the end of the thesis, after the full-text articles. Interview guides and questionnaires should be included in the appendices.
The extended summary should normally be 40–80 pages in length.
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Guidelines: Monographs
A monograph-based thesis is assessed according to the same criteria as an article-based thesis. This means that the minimum standards for scientific quality are identical. The candidate has relative freedom in how to structure the monograph. Regardless of the structure, the monograph should include the following components:
Abstract and table of contents
The thesis must include two abstracts: one in Norwegian and one in English. These should be followed by a table of contents.
Introduction, aims and research questions
The introduction presents the purpose of the study and the research questions. This chapter should provide the necessary background for the reader.
Review of previous research
The thesis should include a review of previous research, presenting the current state of knowledge in the field. The candidate must position their own work in relation to existing research.
Analytical framework
The theoretical framework should be introduced where relevant, with an operationalization and specification of how theory and key concepts are used throughout the thesis.
Methodology
The methodological approach and ethical considerations of the research process should be described where relevant. The thesis should include critical reflection on the study’s validity, reliability, and limitations.
Main Body – “Findings”
The main body presents the empirical material of the thesis. This may vary depending on the academic field.
Discussion and conclusion
This section should explicitly address and discuss the overarching research questions or hypotheses. It should also discuss the theoretical implications of the findings and how they contribute to existing research. Recommendations for future research are also useful.
Reference list
The reference list must follow the standards used in the relevant academic field.
Appendices
Any appendices should be placed at the end of the thesis. These may include research instruments such as interview guides, observation guides, and questionnaires, if used. Any research ethics approvals should also be included (e.g., SIKT approval, information letters to participants, etc.).