Ex. 5. Match the classes of assessment for the ma dissertation given in the box to their criteria60.

uncompensated fail, distinction, compensated fail ,merit, plagiarism

……………. (отлично)	70% and above	Work that shows a high level of conceptual sophistication, intelligence and originality. A convincing argument, based on original research and well supported by the evidence. Demonstrates critical engagement with primary sources and independent thought in relation to the historiography. Intelligently structured, incisively argued, lucidly written. Accurate citation of sources and presentation of bibliographical apparatus
……………. (хорошо)	60-69%	Work that demonstrates intelligence and careful thought; well-written with a cogent argument, based on original research and well supported by the evidence, backed up by good understanding of the historiography, as well as critical use of primary sources. Accurate citation of sources and presentation of bibliographical apparatus.
…………… (удовлетворительно)	50-59%	Work that shows diligence and competence; clearly written with a structured argument, based on original research and adequate knowledge of the evidence, backed up by familiarity with the historiography. Satisfactory citation of sources and presentation of bibliographical apparatus.
……………… (неудовлетворительно с правом повторного представления диссертации к защите)	40-49%	Work that shows a limited understanding of the topic. Any attempt to produce an independent argument may be incomplete or flawed. Work in this category may display a basic knowledge of primary sources, and limited or overly derivative understanding of secondary literature. Referencing (including quotations, footnotes and bibliography) is presented with minimal reference to departmental criteria.
……………… (неудовлетворительно с правом повторного представления диссертации к защите)	0-39%	Work shows a scant understanding of the topic and presents a less than competent response. The work displays erroneous knowledge of the primary evidence and/or lacks an adequate knowledge base, and either fails to present an argument or presents one that is incoherent and/or irrelevant to the question. Makes little or no use of secondary or theoretical literature or uses it inappropriately and derivatively; is heavily reliant on material derived from classes without evidence of independent assimilation or understanding of it. Referencing (including quotations, footnotes and bibliography) is poorly presented according to departmental criteria.
……………… (плагиат)		Result in the failure of the dissertation regardless of any merit it may have.

Ex. 6. Substitute the Russian words with their English equivalents from the box. See the exercise above.

Well, good, independent, irrelevant to the question, scant, basic, incoherent, satisfactory, clearly, convincing, lucidly, overly derivative, accurate, cogent, adequate, limited, erroneous, structured

1. убедительная, непоследовательная, несоответствующая [обсуждаемому] вопросу, самостоятельная, хорошо выстроенная, неоспоримая (аргументация) argument

2. недостаточное/ограниченное, слишком несамостоятельное/неоригинальное, ограниченное, хорошее (понимание) understanding

3. основное, адекватное, ошибочное (знание) knowledge

4. удовлетворительное, тщательное (цитирование) citation

5. хорошо, ясно, четко (написанная работа) written work

Ex. 6. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct word.

The Final Examination (Oral Defense)

When the advisor believes the thesis is ready for preliminary approval, the student will distribute it to the thesis committee 1)……………….. (responsible, liable, chargeable) for overseeing the progress of the candidate's thesis. The advisor will designate the time and place of the oral defense and notify all members of the thesis committee. The oral defense should be 2)……………… (scheduled, appointed, prescribed) to allow a minimum of ten days for all members of the thesis committee to 3)……………….. (thumb, review, browse) the thesis. The final oral defense will be open to the university 4)…………….. (assemblage, fellowship, community). The student should provide copies of the abstract of the thesis to the Departmental Office so that it will be 5)………………….. (accessible, available, obtainable) to interested members of the Graduate Faculty prior to the oral defense to familiarize with the methodology and findings. The student will open the oral defense with a 6)……………………… (short, brief, little) presentation of his or her findings, after which the members of the thesis committee will 7)…………………. (ask, quiz, question) the candidate in an order determined by the advisor. Questions 8)………………… (concerning, related, dealing) with the substance, meaning and usefulness of the research in the thesis are of greatest 9)………………. (benefit, privilege, priority). When, in the judgment of the advisor, members of the thesis committee have had an 10)………………….. (adequate, reasonable, satisfactory) opportunity to question the student, the advisor may open the examination to non-committee members of the graduate faculty, then, as the advisor deems appropriate, to others present. Parliamentary procedure will be followed to 11)………………. (determine, qualify, identify) the success or failure of the student, with the advisor serving as 12)…………………… (facilitator, president, chair).

The student should be 13)…………………… (rated, evaluated, judged) upon both: the overall quality and significance of his or her thesis, and the oral defense of his or her findings. The student passes the oral defense and becomes a “candidate” for the degree if he or she passes with no more than one dissenting 14)………………. (poll, vote, voce). The advisor and members of the thesis committee will 15)…………………….. (ratify, sign, autograph) the Report of Thesis Final Examination form, and each registers his or her vote of “pass” or “fail.” ⁶¹

Ex. 7. Are you afraid of being questioned during your oral defense? Read some advice of those who have already defended⁶². Discuss it with your partner and decide which of these items of advice are useful and which are not.

Ex. 8. Play out the same material in a form of a dialogue. Student A is defending his MA thesis in a day, and student B has already gone through it.

A: I am defending my MA thesis in a day and I need a good piece of advice from someone who has already gone through it, especially on Q&A session. I am rather nervous about it.

B: I defended two months ago. If your committee is like mine, they will try to ask you questions………………………..

A: What can I do if they ask me something I don’t know?

B: Yeah, it might be a problem. The biggest thing for me was how unprepared I felt for questions that I didn’t know the answers to. The best lesson I’ve learned from my master’s defense ………

A: Is it a good idea to say openly “I don’t know”?

B: The best advice I can give…………………….

A: Is there anything else you can suggest?

B: Don’t panic and don’t worry too much about it! It’s the only chance…………………

A: Thanks and wish me a good luck!

B: I’m sure you’ll pass! Don’t forget to bring a camera and take some pictures. It’ll be nice in 20 years to look back at them.

SKILLS

Prepare a short presentation of five to seven minutes about your dissertation. The plan and the dissertation abstract⁶³ below may come in handy.

• theme of your dissertation

• reasons for such a research (its importance/ relevance to the field, applicability)

• scope and objective of your research

• methodology

• problems you are going to cover

• general structure of your dissertation

• what you have already done

• when you are planning to present your dissertation

UNIT 12.

Employment Problems

STARTING UP

Ex. 1. Look at these sayings. What do they mean? Which of the ideas do you agree with?

• Fools make researches and wise men exploit them.

H.G. Wells (1866 – 1946), English author

• You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.

Tom Brokaw (b.1940), American journalist

• I'm not impressed by someone's degree... I'm impressed by them making movies.

Richard King, American Director

Ex. 2. Discuss the questions.

1. What are the advantages of a university degree? Is it easier to find a good job if you have a Master’s or a Ph.D. degree?

2. Is the number of research and teacher’s jobs sufficient for all M.A. graduates?

3. Why do so many young people enter graduate programs (M.A. and Ph.D.) if the job market can’t absorb the every newly trained? Should they be provided with the job outcome data before entering a M.A. program?

Ex. 3. Discuss the problem⁶⁴ with your partner. Compare your ideas with the rest of the class. Be statesmanlike.

Investing more in research and development is a good growth strategy for any country. It can be good for Russia too as, since the breakup of the Soviet Union, it has been loosing its competitive position in the world. On the other hand, there is a certain imbalance on the job market as the country produces more graduates that the market can absorb. Why is this, and what can we do about it?