3 Thesis process
This page contains the following headings:
- Topic proposal
- Projecting a thesis in Wihi = Project plan
- Thesis planning (3 credits for MSc and 7 credits for MSc) – Stage 1 in Wihi
- Implementation of the thesis (AMK 6 credits and YAMK 10 credits) – Stage 2 in Wihi
- Reporting and evaluation of the thesis (4 credits AMK) and Reporting of the thesis (10 credits YAMK) – Stage 3 in Wihi
- Evaluation of the thesis
The thesis is the first comprehensive (15 credits) learning assignment for a Bachelor’s student, in which they demonstrate the ability to produce a thesis that develops them, their work community, or the field. Students demonstrate their critical research thinking and ability to work in a goal-oriented, independent way. In addition, the student demonstrates the ability to communicate orally and in writing the results of development work, or research and their potential for different stakeholders. A bachelor’s thesis takes approximately one semester to complete.
At the master’s level, the thesis is the first long-term (30 credits), demanding, research-based development or a research project. The student needs to reconcile the demands of studies, work, and family life. In their thesis, students demonstrate their ability to apply research findings and selected methods to identify and solve problems of working life. The student demonstrates that they are capable of independent and demanding expert work. The thesis process takes about 1-1 ½ years to complete.
Students need guidance, support and encouragement during this demanding learning process.
The thesis process is divided into phases, which can be linked to clear objectives, tasks, and timetables that give structure to the process (thesis projection in Wihi).
Thesis process
Generally the thesis is carried out as an assignment commissioned by a company or as a research project. Students can get the thesis topic with their own active inquiries or through the Jamk personnel’s networks. The scope of the thesis will be defined so that it is suitable for a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis. The student writes the topic idea into a thesis topic proposal in Wihi. The Bachelor’s thesis can be done individually, in pairs, or in a group. If the thesis is done in pairs or as a part of a group, there must be clear sub-topics for each student, which can be verified if necessary. At Master’s level , the theses are mainly done individually.
Selection and delimitation of the thesis topic
Students need guidance to help them structure their topic ideas. You can, for example, have pop-up topic brainstorming workshops with the following contents:
- Thesis topic brainstorming and selection
- Defining the scope – defining the research problem
- Student writes the thesis topic proposal to Wihi.
In Wihi, the coordinator appoints the thesis advisor.
Criteria for a good thesis topic
- topicality
- interest
- societal relevance of the topic
- the perspective of the field
- novelty and innovativeness
- the researchability or development potential of the topic
- the resources and ethical considerations
- the student’s own interest
Progression of the topic-proposal phase in Wihi
- The student submits a topic proposal to Wihi.
- Wihi coordinator (e.g. degree coordinator) approves the topic and assigns a thesis advisor.
If the topic proposal can’t be accepted, the coordinator sends a Wihi message and suggests improvement. - The student gets an email from Wihi of the approval of the topic. The advisor will receive an email of the assigned thesis.
- The advisor contacts the student in Wihi and agrees on starting the project.
- If the student can’t build a topic proposal, they can contact the program coordinator, tutor teacher, or study counselor.
Instructions for the student
When the thesis advisor is assigned, the advisor agrees on the initial meeting with the student.
In the meeting the advisor and student agree on guidance practices (see chapter 1.3. Key issues of thesis guidance)
Student creates a project schedule for the thesis process in Wihi. This means setting deadlines for the thesis phases (1/3 Thesis plan, 2/3 Thesis Implementation and 3/3 Thesis ready). The advisor will help in scheduling when needed. The advisor accepts the phase (Project Plan) in Wihi.
Bacgelor’s thesis takes about 405 working hours. This means that you need to work on your thesis on average 25 hours every week, to make it ready in 16 weeks, which is about 4 months.
Master’s thesis takes about 810 working hours to complete. If you work on it 20 hours per week, it will take you about a year to finish (including some holiday weeks).
During the process, the student and advisor use Wihi system to communicate so that the process can be verified later on.
Also, the client can be included in the Wihi to comment on the thesis.
The student should check their text originality in Turnitin already during the thesis process. There is a separate Moodle course “Turnitin tarkastus – Turnitin check” . The student can upload their text to the Turnitin check as many times as needed, check the text similarities and then rewrite if needed.
Instructions for students
In this phase 1/3 Thesis Planning, the student draws up a thesis plan.
There are several tasks involved in this stage, see the student’s instructions. The structure of the thesis plan (research plan) is also described there.
This phase takes about 3-5 weeks for a Bachelor’s student and maybe 5-7 weeks for a Master’s student.
Don’t let the student work on the plan for too long so that the thesis can progress.
You can approve this phase once you have approved the student’s thesis plan with its attachments (data management plan, literature collection task) and once the student has presented orally their plan (in a small group, seminar, or individual meeting). When you approve this phase in Wihi, Wihi will transfer 3 credits (AMK) or 7 credits (YAMK) to the student’s transcript in Peppi.
- It is good practice to ask for an oral presentation first and give the student oral feedback on it.
The student can improve their written plan based on the oral feedback, which they then return for assessment. - Give constructive feedback on the plan, which will help the student to improve the actual thesis.
- Thesis contracts (thesis contract and confidentiality agreement, if any) can be signed electronically on Jamk Sign.
The supervisor creates and initiates the signature cycle. See the Jamk Sign instructions for the thesis advisor page. - Remind the student to enroll in the Thesis Writing or Research Writing course.
Student instructions
At this phase, the student will do the practical part of their work.
- Depending on the work, this stage may take 6-8 weeks (AMK) or 10-12 weeks (YAMK).
- Ask the student to return the knowledge base for comments.
- Remind the student to participate at a “methodology seminar”, to present the practical implementation in a small group.
- Ask the student to return the work once the analysis is drafted, so that you can guide the student further. Analysis is often difficult!
- You can also ask to see the empirical data, especially if the work has no sponsor. This can dispel any doubts about AI-generated data.
- Some students “disappear” at this stage. Keep in close contact via Wihi, even if it’s just to ask how it’s going and if you can be of help.
- Let the student know in advance that once there is a first complete draft of the thesis, with all parts of the thesis somewhat in place, the thesis will be pre-checked (preliminary examination).
- Ask the student to estimate when they could return their work for a pre-check. Give a time estimate to the 2nd examiner, if known, and if they will do the pre-examination.
- You can approve the stage at about the time when the knowledge base and methodological part of the work are ready, the data have been collected and the analysis phase has started.
- Wihi will mark the credits in Peppi (6 credits AMK or 10 credits YAMK).
Student instructions
At this phase, the student finalises the work.
- Appoint a 2nd reader at the latest (in line with your program’s practice).
- Do or have done a pre-check (preliminary examination). Discuss feedback with the pre-examiner and communicate feedback to the student.
- Give permission for the maturity test and instruct the student how to do it. Explain that the maturity test can be done after the student has returned the work for assessment.
- Bachelor’s maturity test must be written under supervision and in the EXAM studio. If the student is abroad for a longer period (e.g. study exchange, work abroad), supervise the maturity exam in Zoom or in Teams. Follow the instructions for a remote exam.
- At the Master’s level, if the student has a prior maturity test done in Finnish, the maturity test needs not to be supervised.
- Bachelor’s Maturity test is checked by the language centre teacher and the thesis supervisor. Mark the passed maturity test in the thesis assessment form in Wihi.
- Ask the student to do an oral presentation of the thesis in a seminar/small group/for the client.
- Tell the student how much time is allowed for the presentation and that it is an assessed performance. Discuss the assessment criteria.
- Remind the student to allow the client to read the work (at least 20 days before submission for assessment) and ask the student to get the client’s feedback.
- Agree with the student on a final return date. Note that your work as a supervisor will continue after this date (you may not want to work during holidays).
- The student will return the completed thesis to the Plagiarism Check in Wihi.
Check the Turnitin report. NOTE: Only the public parts of the thesis goes into Turnitin, not the confidential parts. See student instructions for confidential portions. - The student returns the self-assessment and the client’s feedback to Wihi.
- Let the student know approximately when the assessment will be completed.
Remind the student that after receiving permission, they must publish the work in Theseus and copy-paste the thesis link to Wihi.
This step becomes approved when you submit the evaluation statement in Wihi.
The student will receive credits in Peppi, but not yet a grade. The grade goes into Peppi only at the Archiving phase.
Student instructions
After the assessment, instruct the student to publish the work in Theseus (theseus.fi).
- he student publishes their thesis to the Theseus database for public or restricted collection.
- For theses with confidential parts, only the public parts will be published.
- Emphasize that the student does the publishing care-ful-ly so that they can copy the link provided by Theseus and paste it to Wihi.
The link will then not be sent to the email or anywhere. Instructions are in the student instructions. - Once the link is in Wihi, “Accept the link” in Wihi (in Theses to be registered -tab). Accept the link even if it appears to be broken, as the thesis will not become public in real-time.
- Finish the thesis project in Wihi: Archive the thesis and other documents.
Only at this point will the student receive a grade in Peppi. The title of the thesis (in Finnish and English) is also transferred to Peppi.
The student’s appeal period starts with the archiving (when the grade goes to Peppi).
If the student is not satisfied with the evaluation, they may lodge an appeal within 14 days.
The appeal is sent to the thesis advisor (who has made the assessment). If, in some cases, the assessment was done by the Thesis committee, then also the appeal must be sent to the Thesis committee. (See Degree Regulations, Request for rectification of assessment).