Midway assessment

Structure

The midway assessment consists of an open seminar and a closed session. The PhD academic coordinator (head of the text development seminars) is responsible for carrying out the midway assessment.

• The open seminar begins with a presentation by the candidate about the project (approx. 20 minutes). This is followed by questions and comments from the external expert and the audience.
• The closed session is attended by the candidate, the external expert, the supervisors and the PhD academic coordinator. In this meeting, the group discusses practical and specific issues. The meeting should conclude with recommendations concerning completion of the thesis. For internal candidates who qualify for a completion grant, the completion year and future career plans may also be discussed.

Before the midway assessment

No later than three weeks before the meeting, the PhD candidate must submit a “portfolio” to all participants in the closed session. The portfolio must include:

• completed key sections/draft articles that provide insight into the project
• outlines for the completion of the remaining articles/chapters/sections
• an overview of completed and remaining coursework, as well as plans for completion
• a short memo summarising other relevant activities in the period or other significant information

For employed research fellows at IAKH who qualify for a completion grant, a CV must also be submitted together with the portfolio.

Before the meeting, the external expert must prepare a brief written assessment (1–2 pages) of the candidate’s progress, the strengths and weaknesses of the project, and the measures the external expert recommends for the further work on the thesis.

Structure

The assessment is based on the following material from the candidate:

• A status report of 2–4 pages on the contents of the thesis, describing what has been completed and what remains to be done.
• One chapter or article (normally between 20 and 40 pages) that is to be included in the thesis.

On this basis, a meeting of about 90 minutes is held with the assessor, the candidate and the supervisor(s) (who will, however, largely remain in the background). The meeting may take place physically or digitally. The assessor must also have a one-to-one conversation with both the candidate and the supervisor.

The assessor must take an independent and critical view of the work and provide constructive critical feedback on the candidate’s material. This is not an oral examination or a trial defence, but a conversation about the submitted material and the further progress of the work.

After the assessment, the assessor must submit a report of 2–4 pages summarising the main points from the conversation and assessing the status of the work. This report will be sent to the supervisor(s), the candidate and the PhD academic coordinator. In addition, the assessor must submit a brief (a few lines) report following the individual conversations with the supervisor and the candidate about the supervisory relationship. This report is to be sent only to the PhD academic coordinator.

Structure

The midway assessment is organised in two parts:

• first, a public seminar of approximately two hours, followed by
• a closed meeting

The seminar is fairly informal, with participants from the department, the PhD coordinator, the supervisor, colleagues and other doctoral students, one of whom will also give feedback on the text. The closed meeting can be very short, but is intended to give the candidate, the opponent, the supervisor and the PhD coordinator an opportunity to raise questions that did not come up in the public seminar.

The seminar begins with a presentation by the PhD candidate and an overview of the project as a whole (10–15 minutes), after which the commentator is invited to spend about an hour discussing the text with the candidate. The format may be more or less dialogical, depending on what seems most useful. Questions that we will generally address include:

• theoretical framework (coherent, clear, useful, appropriate, missing, etc.)
• methodological approach (consistent, systematic, well suited to the project, etc.)
• sources
• use of secondary literature, position in the field
• arguments
• structure
• progress (what has been done, what remains)
• writing

Structure

The assessment should follow a four-step plan and last at least three hours. The time spent on each step can be adjusted as needed:

1. The candidate gives a brief account of the status of the project (10–20 minutes).
2. The external reader presents their comments (30–60 minutes).
3. An academic discussion is held, in which all participants in the assessment may contribute (60–90 minutes).
4. The meeting concludes with a review of the progress plan (approx. 30 minutes).

The assessment should take the form of extended supervision, with the external reader participating together with the candidate, the main supervisor and, if applicable, the co-supervisor. Members of the immediate academic environment may be invited to participate, but it is important to ensure that the candidate receives honest and critical feedback from the external reader, which may not always be possible in front of a large audience.

After the midway assessment has been completed, the external reader writes a report in English, or in the language used in the thesis. The report should be 2–3 pages and sent to the candidate, with a copy to the supervisor and to ILOS via the PhD adviser.

Before the midway assessment

A central element of the midway assessment is an external academic who reads the submitted text. The main supervisor and the candidate jointly decide who this should be. The co-supervisor may also be asked to suggest possible names. The main supervisor is responsible for inviting the external reader and finding a suitable time.

In consultation with the supervisor, the candidate selects some excerpts from the thesis to be assessed. This may, for example, include a draft introduction or synopsis (for an article-based thesis) and two chapters or articles. These texts, together with a table of contents and a progress plan for the thesis work, must be sent to the external reader no later than three weeks before the midway assessment.

Before the midway assessment, the external reader prepares comments on the submitted material. The texts must also be made available to the other participants in the assessment.

External readers who have a short and easy journey are, as a general rule, expected to attend the midway assessment in person, whereas those who have a long journey, and in particular those who would need to travel long distances by plane to get to Oslo, are as a general rule expected to participate digitally/via Zoom. A short and easy journey means that it is possible to travel by train or bus, or an equivalently short flight. The co-supervisor may also participate, but travel costs are not covered.

ILOS covers a fee of NOK 5,000 for the external reader. If the co-supervisor is also invited, ILOS covers a fee of NOK 1,000. The PhD adviser and administrative consultant will handle the practical arrangements related to travel, accommodation and fees.

Structure

The candidate gives a brief account of the status of the project (maximum 15 minutes). The main focus of the assessment is the drafts (chapters/articles) for the thesis that the candidate has produced by the time of the assessment. Both content and structure should be commented on. It is also relevant to assess outlines and synopses of parts of the text that have not yet been written. Where appropriate, datasets may also be assessed.

An external reader, an expert with strong competence in the candidate’s field, presents their assessment (maximum 90 minutes). This part should be organised as an academic discussion between the candidate, the reader and the supervisor, in which specific aspects of the submitted drafts are commented on. The positive aspects of the texts should be highlighted, while the external reader should also identify areas for improvement and suggest how these improvements can be made.

The candidate and supervisor are present together with the external reader. Others may be invited.

Finally, in consultation with the supervisor and external reader, the candidate shall draw up a concrete progress plan for the remainder of the project period.

Before the midway assessment

The material to be assessed must be submitted to the external reader no later than three weeks before the assessment.

Structure

The candidate begins by presenting their work (approx. 15–20 minutes). The candidate presents the thesis work so far, covering the following points:

• Description of the research project, research questions and choice of methods.
• Description of the theoretical training/educational component.
• Description of what has been achieved in the project so far.
• Presentation of an updated progress plan for the research project with dated milestones, as well as an assessment of which points in the plan may be most time-critical.
• A justification of how it is likely that the work will be completed as (now) planned, on time.

The work is then discussed by two opponents (the opponent and the PhD coordinator). The commentators’ time is estimated at around 20 minutes per opponent, or somewhat longer if one of the opponents is asked to provide specific feedback on selected parts of the thesis.

The total duration of the seminar is estimated at one hour, or 1.5 hours if the candidate wishes to receive specific feedback on selected parts of the thesis (chapters, synopsis, etc.).

The seminar is chaired by the PhD coordinator at the department or their deputy. The candidate’s supervisor(s), and at minimum the main supervisor (from IMK), are expected to attend the seminar. Beyond this, the seminar is open to anyone interested.

Before the midway assessment

When the midpoint of the fellowship period approaches (normally about 16 months after starting), the candidate and supervisor(s) must identify a suitable opponent (primarily a member of staff at IMK, secondarily at UiO), and preferably check directly with the prospective opponent whether they are able to take on the role (e.g. in light of their workload and hours allocation). If there is any doubt, the PhD coordinator must be involved. It is advisable to start this process well in advance.

The proposal is then sent to IMK’s PhD coordinator together with a short description of the project/topic. The coordinator finds a time that works for all involved (candidate, supervisor, opponent and PhD coordinator) and informs everyone about the date and the next steps.

Two to three weeks before the seminar, the candidate sends the presentation material to the PhD coordinator at IMK, with a copy to the opponents. The material should include an overview of the entire thesis work so far, including the central research questions, theoretical framework and methodology. It must also include a plan for the remaining work. The total document should not exceed 8–10 pages including references.

The candidate may also request specific feedback on selected parts of the thesis (chapters, etc.) or selected issues (in addition to the page limit mentioned above). This must be discussed and agreed during the preparation phase. In such cases, the material should be submitted at least three weeks in advance.

Structure

The midway assessment is organised in three parts:

• A public seminar chaired by the PhD coordinator. The seminar is fairly informal, with participants from the department, the PhD coordinator, the supervisor, colleagues, other doctoral students, and an external expert. This seminar is based on the opposition from the external expert and is intended as a discussion of the submitted chapters/articles. The candidate opens the seminar with a 15–20 minute presentation of the project. The commentator is then invited to spend about an hour discussing the text with the candidate. The format may be more or less dialogical, depending on what seems most useful.
• A closed meeting with the candidate, the external expert and the main supervisor. The closed meeting may be very brief, but is intended to give the candidate, the opponent, the supervisor and the PhD coordinator an opportunity to raise issues that did not come up in the public seminar. In this meeting, the group discusses practical and specific problems. The meeting should result in recommendations concerning completion of the thesis.

The external expert must prepare a brief written assessment of the candidate’s progress, the strengths and weaknesses of the project, and the measures the external expert recommends for the further work on the thesis.

Before the midway assessment

At least four months before the midway assessment, the supervisor should contact the PhD coordinator with a proposal for a suitable external expert. The PhD coordinator will invite the external expert and agree on a date for the assessment.

The assessment is usually a hybrid event, with external participants joining digitally only, and local colleagues participating in person.

In consultation with the supervisor, the candidate selects some excerpts from the thesis to be assessed. This may, for example, include a draft introduction or synopsis (for an article-based thesis) and one to two chapters or articles.

The texts, together with a table of contents and a progress plan for the thesis work, must be sent by the candidate by e-mail to the external assessor, the supervisor(s) and the PhD coordinator no later than three weeks before the midway assessment. A summary text and photo must also be sent to the research adviser no later than three weeks before the assessment.