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Thesis/project writing
Choosing a Thesis/Project Topic
At the beginning of the second term of enrollment, full-time students are recommended to start thinking about their research interests and discuss with departmental members/ academic advisers/MS coordinators possible thesis/project topics. Usually students select their thesis advisers based on matched research interests (refer to the section on the advisory process above). It is recommended that students start working on their research proposal by the end of their second regular term.
After consulting with the thesis/project adviser, a student is expected to lead the research process, come up with a research question, and prepare a proposal that clearly states the problem addressed and the proposed new study contributions. It would be helpful to review the research papers (thesis and projects) that were completed by previous students in FHS and which are posted on AUB’s Jafet Library website. Click here to access the webpage.
Criteria to assist students in identifying a thesis/project topic:
- Student’s interest based on past personal or work experiences
- Student’s ability to demonstrate the importance, significance and relevance of a topic
- Novelty of the research topic: does the study add new and important knowledge? Is it reasonable and convincing to professionals in the field of the topic?
- Alignment of the proposed topic with the learning outcomes of the program
- Availability of secondary data to allow for the investigation of the proposed thesis topic or ability to collect primary data within reasonable time
Types of Data
A thesis is a scholarly production that could be based on the following:
A. Primary Data is the data that is collected from original sources using different methodologies. Data collection can be qualitative, quantitative or mixed Study designs can be categorized as observational studies and experimental studies. Observational studies include case control, cross-sectional and cohort studies, whereas experimental studies include randomized controlled trials (RCT), quasi-experiment design, field trial, laboratory work, etc. (National Institute of Health, 2018.)
B. Secondary Data* involves the use of data that has been collected for the purpose of an initial study in order to investigate several research questions, which is distinct from that of the original work; this may be a new research question or an alternative perspective on the original question (Johnston MP, 2014.) A thesis could also be a systematic review that is a review of carefully designed healthcare studies, which provides a high level of evidence on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. These reviews are based on the quality of the available clinical trials and the measured health outcomes.
Meta-analysis can be conducted by pooling numerical data from multiple studies in order to assess the evidence for any benefits or harms from a particular treatment. In this way, systematic reviews are able to summarize the existing clinical research on a topic (Cochrane Consumer Network.)
C. Other Methodologies agreed on by the committee
*Although it is not mandatory, it is recommended that MS Epidemiology students use secondary data for their thesis work
Thesis/Project proposal template
GSC provides guidance for the MS thesis proposal or project proposals for review. The GSC guidance provide important notes that the student needs to consider while writing the proposal. Please refer to the ‘resource hub for thesis writers’ for a list of useful resources and information related to thesis/project.
N.B: The GSC requires that the student present the proposal in front of the GSC committee. The student answers questions raised by the committee and then leaves the meeting. The GSC members evaluate the student’s proposal and an email is sent a few days later to the student and the adviser informing them about the approval or disapproval of the committee on the proposal. In the email, there are details on what recommendations, changes and/or edits need to be made to the proposal.
IRB issues
Any research project by students or faculty involving human subjects requires review and approval by the Institutional Review Board at AUB. According to the IRB principles and procedures, researchers are responsible to protect the rights and welfare of the subjects participating in the research project. IRB has defined the terms “research” and “human subjects” in order to clarify the difference between research activities that require IRB approval and other activities that are classified as “non-research” activities and therefore don’t require IRB approval or “non-human subject research” and therefore are exempted from IRB approval. “Research” has been defined as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, which is designed (in whole or in part) to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge”. “Human subject” is defined as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) identifiable private information”.
Students, principal investigators and co-investigators, in addition to any individual who plan to participate in any research project including those who will be consenting participants, are required to complete research ethical training course to which AUB has subscribed. This course is a web-based course offered and administered by the Collaborative Institutions Training Initiatives (CITI) Program and is a requirement by the IRB.
Please refer to the section on: “Certification on Research Ethical Training” in the IRB manual for detailed information about the certificate.
Any amendment or modification to approved protocols need to be submitted to the IRB for approval prior to initiating the modification and continuing the research project.
In addition, students should be aware that projects, which have been subject to an expedited or full board review, are provided one-year approval after which a renewal of approval needs to be granted by the IRB. In addition, annual reporting is required by the IRB until the research project is closed.
IRB recommends that Master’s students start planning their thesis as early as possible and plan for the time of completion of their thesis in line with their plan for the time of their graduation in order to prevent delays. Students who are collaborating with institutions outside AUB are recommended to stay in close contact with the MS coordinator and update him/her about their progress. In case any problem emerges, the MS coordinator and the thesis adviser need to discuss the best ways to overcome the issue.
Expectation of the final output (Thesis and Project)
The main criterion for evaluating a Master’s thesis is that it demonstrates a potential for publication. For further details, please refer to the University Thesis Manual.
There are no restrictions concerning the particular material or method chosen for the thesis/project except in meeting current standards in the discipline of epidemiology or environmental health sciences. Extensive literature review on the thesis topic, while important, needs to be restricted in the write-up of the thesis. Students need to follow the formatting requirements in the Thesis Manual.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is the practice of passing-off someone else’s work as your own, or using someone else’s work without any acknowledgement. Whilst it is an accepted part of academic study to research the ideas of others to develop your own understanding and arguments, it is essential to acknowledge your sources in presenting work for assessment.
More information can be found on the following link.
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy:
Education is demanding and time management is essential. Do not hesitate to use the resources around you but do not cut corners. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please review the Student Code of Conduct and familiarize yourself with definitions and penalties. If you are in doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, ask your instructor because it is your responsibility to know. The American University of Beirut has a strict anti-cheating and anti-plagiarism policy. Students will be penalized for cheating and plagiarism, as they are not tolerated. Penalties include failing marks on the assignment in question, suspension or expulsion from university and a permanent mention of the disciplinary action in the student’s records.
Self-plagiarism or the use of one’s own previous work in another context without citing that it was used previously is also unacceptable.
Getting assistance/help on assignments including essays is also unacceptable and unethical under AUB’s Student Code of Conduct.
