What Does An External Examiner Look For?

1. The aim of the PhD process is that the student should learn the craft of doing research (including knowledge, skills and values) to fully professional standards. The external examiner looks at the thesis for a demonstration that this has been achieved by comparing it with current standards in the award of the degree and in published research work in the field.

2. Knowledge - evidence that all the necessary components of a good PhD are in place:
- background theory (shaped to the topic)
- focal theory (the research question and the answer proposed, i.e. "the thesis")
- data theory (justifying the validity of the data)
- contribution (evaluated for strengths and limitations)

3. Skills - evidence that professional research skills have been demonstrated:
- logical thinking skills
- creative thinking skills
- writing skills
- data collection skills
- data analysis skills
- data presentation skills

4. Values - evidence that the appropriate research value system has been displayed:
- ethical treatment of research subjects, clients, etc in the design of the study.
- rejection of plagiarism
- rejection of data falsification

© Derek S. Pugh
reference: Estelle M. Phillips and Derek S. Pugh, "How to Get a PhD" (5th edn), Open University Press, 2010.

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