Research Guidelines for BMS Fourth Year
Dear Fourth Year Students,
This is a preliminary guideline for your ongoing research project [MEDS 450]. It follows the general notice for research proposal given to you earlier. So, you are suggested to refer to the notice for general options and requirements about the proposal.
Literally, you may have the impression that MEDS 450 should go like MEDS 440 [Independent Project] completed last semester, where some of you had worked on mini productions. Well, that was a 2-credit course intended to allow you to define the area of your interest and ability. Above all, you had also been advised to identify the subject area(s) that would direct your study concentration on a particular media form.
MEDS 450 is an intensive research project demanding your efforts worth of 6 credits. It is meant to help substantiate your research capabilities as required in a four-year Undergraduate program. You will complete it under constant guidance of a supervisor who will work along with you to ensure your competence in research and academic writing to the standard of qualifying you for the Bachelor’s degree.
Keep in mind: you can produce programs elsewhere, as a freelancer, out of interest whenever you choose to do it. You have this opportunity in your internship also. But formal academic research and writing are rare opportunities, and have long-term positive impact on your career. Moreover, MEDS 450 builds research foundation for your graduate and post-graduate studies. The structure of the Media Studies program, therefore, makes research mandatory.
Supervision (by one of the following):
- A faculty from the Department of Languages and Mass Communication assigned on the basis of subject relevance;
- A regular visiting faculty appointed by the Department in consideration of expertise in relevant subject areas, research credentials, and nature of affiliation with the Media Studies program;
- An expert other than a visiting faculty appointed (in specific cases only) by the Department in consideration of subject specialization, research credentials, and eligibility of faculty status in Kathmandu University system.
Evaluation
When you complete the work (a thesis/report in standard format and content) and your supervisor agrees to let you go to the final examination, you will submit 3 copies of your research report to the Department in loose (spiral) binding. One external examiner will be appointed to study your work. Then you will be called to defend your work in the presence of the external examiner, the supervisor, Head and faculties of the Department and your classmates. You will present your report to this audience before the examiners put questions to you. They are likely to suggest corrections, which you shall do immediately. The external examiner will endorse your work, when finalized, after checking the corrections. Then, you will submit three hard-bound copies to the Department. One copy will go to the Examination Section, one to the Library and one will remain in the Department.
The final grading will be based on the standards of your report, presentation and defense.
Documentation system: APA, double-spaced in 12pt. Times New Roman
You will be provided a handbook of APA style, and of overall formatting. The Department may conduct a workshop on documentation if the supervisors propose to give a joint orientation.
Download and keep the APA GUIDELINES.
Minimum length: 60 pages (Body- text and references), apart from the front and back matters as shown in the table below.
Organization of Final Report [for general overview]
| Front | Cover: golden printTitle pageCertificate page
Dedication (optional) Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Illustrations |
|
| Body | Chapter I: Introduction (background, research design and chapter highlights)Chapter II: Review of LiteratureChapter III: Discussion on the theory/paradigm (for those who are applying Theories)
Chapter IV: Overview/description of findings Chapter V: Analysis Chapter VI: Conclusion References |
Minimum 60 pages |
| Back | Appendix |
Note: The number of chapters may vary depending on the subject, and the discretion of the supervisors.
