Progression and review

The purpose of the review assessment is for the independent assessor(s) to determine in consultation with the supervisor that the PGR can demonstrate sufficient understanding of the project subject area and is making satisfactory progress for the stage of study in line with expectations of the Policy on the Progress and Review of Postgraduate Researchers, in generating a thesis that will make an original contribution and substantial addition to knowledge. As such, the assessor(s) should be satisfied that the PGR is making sufficient progress to be able to submit a doctoral quality thesis by the end of their programme period and be able to successfully defend their thesis during the final degree viva.

This may include assessment of a literature review, developed research questions, methodology and design, a research plan, demonstration of attained skills and knowledge, and any generated results that will contribute towards the thesis, and may be used to develop draft or publish papers and reports.

At the start of the progress meeting the PGR may be asked to give a short (5 - 10 minute) summary presentation of their work (such as covering the main aims and achievements). It is at the discretion of the assessor(s) whether such a presentation is required. The majority of the meeting should then be a discussion of the PGR's work with questions from the assessor(s). The meeting will typically last ~1 hour.

Although the oral examination and decision is led by the independent assessor(s). The supervisor should also be involved in any discussions after the review regarding implementing the final progression recommendations. Any other observers present are not allowed to contribute to the discussion or formal decision.

When the questions and discussions are completed, the PGR should normally be asked to leave the room temporarily to allow the review panel to discuss and agree a decision. Once the PGR has been invited back, the independent assessor would normally give verbal feedback on the recommendation of the panel but should make it clear that the decision is subject to approval by the Head of PGR. In some circumstances, it may not be possible to make a recommendation immediately. In which case, the PGR should be informed when they can expect to receive the outcome.

It is the responsibility of the independent assessor to:

• Ensure that the review meetings are conducted in an independent, robust, fair and unbiased manner.
• Provide supportive and constructive feedback to PGRs to help them develop academically.
• Agree a joint progression recommendation with the review panel (see below for possible outcomes).

Following completion of the progress review meeting, the progress review panel must make their decision recommendation. It should be a joint decision of the panel, although the independent assessor(s) should lead the decision, and the decision must not be solely made or led by the supervisor. If the main supervisor was absent from the meeting, the decision should be postponed until the supervisor is consulted.

The recommendations available are for the PGR to:

• continue on the PhD programme, OR;
• perform essential revisions to the report as specified by the review panel for resubmission and re-assessment after a defined time period, OR;
• leave the PhD programme and transfer to the degree of MPhil, OR;
• withdraw without submitting for any level of degree.

If a resubmit decision is made, the panel should specify what revisions are required and the length of time required before the revised report must be submitted. The PGR can be given up to 10 weeks to perform revisions. It is suggested that the PGR be given 5 weeks for moderate revisions and 10 weeks for substantial revisions. The PGR should be informed if a second oral viva is needed. The PGR only has one opportunity to revise a progression report. Following second review by the progress review panel, the progression decision can only be continue, transfer to MPhil or withdraw. The re-assessment must be completed before the end of the year of study.

If the assessors are unable to make a joint agreed decision, they should consult with the Head of PGR.

The independent assessor(s) in consultation with the supervisor will complete the eProg PhD Progression Decision form to record the outcome of the assessment. Part A of the form should first have been completed by the PGR (see report preparation and submission guidance below) then the assessors will complete Part B of the form. The decision form provides the PGR with useful written feedback and also justifies the recommendation decision.

The assessors are required to provide comments and feedback on the progression report, including providing evidence that the PGR will be able to write a thesis at the end of the project; to provide comments and feedback on the progression interview, including to provide evidence that the PGR was able to answer questions about their work and be able to defend their thesis at the end of the programme; and to provide comments and feedback on the future planning of the remaining project time, including provide evidence that the time plan is feasible to allow completion of the research and thesis writing with the remaining time of programme.

The recommendation decision is recorded on the form, including any details related to resubmission and specified remedial actions as appropriate. The supervisor must submit the decision form before the deadline.

If a resubmit decision was chosen, a second eProg PhD Progression Decision form is generated.

The decision is considered and authorised by the Head of PGR who might want to discuss the decision further with the assessors if progression is not straightforward. The authorised decision and comments are available to the PGR to view on the eProg page. The decision by the department is final. The PGR can appeal the decision under the Academic Appeals Procedure Regulation.

The PGR and supervisor must meet to discuss the progression process and complete the eProg First year research progression advice form by the end of Month 8 (for full-time) of the first year of study. This meeting is an opportunity to evaluate progress to date and for the supervisor to explain the progression process and writing of the progress report, if not discussed already. The PGR and supervisor must use the eProg form to record whether it is agreed that the PGR should prepare and submit a report with the aim of progression into Year 2 of the PhD. Once completed, the form must be submitted by the supervisor.

The Year 1 progress report must be uploaded by the PGR using the eProg Submit Year 1 progress report form, and then submitted by the supervisor by the end of Month 9 (for full-time) of the first year of study.

The PGR must also now complete Part A of the eProg First Year PhD Progression Decision form to describe the research project title, the date of submission of the report, and list any key achievements to date (e.g. papers published, conferences attended, training events attended, etc). The supervisor must not yet submit this form.

The Year 1 progress review decision following the viva examination must be completed by the review panel assessors (see details above) using the eProg First Year PhD Progression Decision form to record the decision by the end of Month 10 (for full-time) of the first year of study. Once completed, the form must be submitted by the supervisor.

If revision of the Year 1 progress report is required, the second review must be completed by end of Month 12 (for full-time) of the first year of study.

Aims of the Year 1 progress report

The aims of the progress report (in Year 1 and in later years) is to demonstrate that the PGR is performing research to a high standard to ultimately achieve a PhD degree, to demonstrate the attainment of the skills and knowledge required, and to demonstrate that appropriate plans have been made to acquire the necessary training and generate the outcomes needed within the time available.

As such, the progress report must provide sufficient evidence of (1) the selection and justification of an important research problem; (2) a literature review and analysis of gaps in existing knowledge; (3) progress in research design, training and execution; (4) a well-designed plan for the completion of the PhD. The progress reports should be useful as a foundation for writing the final PhD thesis.

Various key skills should be evident from the progress report. These might include:

• An ability to review literature
  • Good quality academic writing and the use of English language
  • Project design, data analysis, interpretation and demonstration of an understanding of the context of the work
  • Use of appropriate facilities
  • Research management and personal skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Project-specific research skills

A more detailed description of these skills and how they could be demonstrated in the report is given in the Report preparation and writing advice guide below.

The report should be written by the PGR after discussing its contents with the supervisor(s). Before submission of the final version of the report it is expected that the supervisor(s) will provide feedback to the PGR on a draft version of the report but should not extensively correct the report such that it should demonstrate the PGR's own work. A literature review may already have been completed earlier in the first year but should be included as part of the progress report.

The format of the report will vary between departments. Therefore, the department-specific guidance below (see individual department links) should be followed.

The Year 2 progress review process is equivalent to the Year 1 process. The timeline for submission of the report and completion of the progress review is consistent with the previous year's process (as detailed in the eProg progression timeline). The PGR uploads a Year 2 progress report using the eProg Submit Year 2 progress report form, and then submitted by the supervisor by the end of Month 21 (for full-time) of the second year of study. The Year 2 progress review decision following the viva examination must be completed by the review panel assessors using the eProg Second Year PhD Progression Decision form to record the decision by the end of Month 22 (for full-time) of the second year of study. Once completed, the form must be submitted by the supervisor.

If revision of the Year 2 progress report was required, the resubmission and completion of re-examination must be completed by end of Month 24 (for full-time) of the second year of study.

Aims of the Year 2 Progress Report

The aim of the Year 2 report is to demonstrate and evidence continuing progress towards successfully completing a PhD thesis within the time available. It must detail the work performed and achievements made during Year 2, and outline the timetable for the remaining programme period, including the key goals for the next year and the route to submission of the thesis. It is also important that the PGR has considered and addressed any comments and criticisms from the Year 1 progress review. However, the PGR should also be aware that a different Independent Assessor may be responsible for the examination of this report.

The format of the report will vary between departments. Therefore, the department- specific guidance below (see individual department links) should be followed.

For PhD students registered on a 3.5 year or 4 year programme, there is a requirement to complete a Year 3 progress review, as defined in the eProg progression timeline. The time point of Year 3 report submission and completion of progress review remains the same as in Year 1 and 2. The progress report must be submitted by the end of Month 33 (for full-time) of the third year of study and the progress decision form must be completed by the end of Month 34 (for full-time) of the third year of study.

The procedure of this review and the format of the expected report will vary between departments. Therefore, the department-specific guidance below (see individual department links) should be followed.

1. The literature review

Objective:

A PhD is awarded for a piece of research that has made an original contribution to academic knowledge. The PGR needs to carry out a literature review in order to establish the current state of knowledge in the field of their research and ensure that their work provides originality.

The progress report should include the following:

• A statement of the problem that the research is trying to solve and the potential academic originality that will make the work worthy of a PhD.
• A critical discussion of the relevant academic literature, the existing state of knowledge and how this relates to your own research. This should provide references to any key papers or sources.
• In order to establish the current state of knowledge, the PGR must identify the relevant sources, both printed and electronic, to be considered. The report should list the major sources considered so that the examiners can identify potential omissions.

2. Academic writing and the use of plain english

Objective:

The styles and conventions used in academic literature are different to those used in everyday literature. The PGR needs to understand these differences and demonstrate use of the style of writing and language that is appropriate for their academic discipline. Good quality academic writing effectively communicates the work without confusing the reader, e.g. without archaic terminology or sentence structures that are hard to parse, and conforms to the plain English style. Writing the report should be used as practice for writing the final PhD thesis.

The structure and contents of the report should demonstrate a knowledge of academic writing within the plain English style, such as:

• The report should be correctly structured.
• All the sections, figures, tables, etc. should be correctly laid out and numbered.
• References should be quoted using the conventions that are appropriate for the academic discipline.

The report should demonstrate a knowledge of plain English that is appropriate to the discipline, such as in:

• The use of grammar;
• The correct use of abbreviations and capitalisation;
• The correct use of active, passive and tenses, etc;
• The use of appropriate technical terminology.

3. Project planning and resource allocation

Objective:

PGRs need to plan their research so that they will be able to submit a thesis within the programme timescale. The report at the end of the first year should include sufficient information to show how this can be achieved. The PGR must reach agreement with the supervisor that the plan is realistic.

The report should include the following:

A plan showing:

• The progress of the research to date;
• The planned date for thesis submission;
• The main activities involved in the remaining research;The duration and sequence of these activities;
• Key dates that can be used to monitor progress;
• The timing of the use of any resources that are shared with other people.

In many cases it may be useful to present a plan which graphically maps out the tasks and milestones e.g. with a Gantt chart.

Information about the resources that the PGR will need during their research. This should describe the resources, the arrangements that have been made for their availability and how any problems regarding availability will be overcome. This should include resources such as:

• Computer facilities;
• Laboratory equipment;
• Materials;
• Assistance from departmental staff;
• Resources provided by any collaborating organisation.

A risk analysis of problems that might prevent thesis submission by the planned date. This should include details of any actions to minimise the effects of these problems.

4. Use of research facilities

Objective:

Most projects will require the use of specialist experimental and computational facilities. The PGR needs to demonstrate that they have identified the facilities that are most appropriate for their project and are becoming proficient in their use.

The report should give details of:

• The standard or specialist computer programs and facilities being used for the project, e.g. code for data analysis, Matlab, Python, fast processors, neural networks, large data sets, etc.;
• Any specialist research facilities that will be used during the project, e.g. FSE core facilities, specialist university facilities (such as within research centres or institutes), external national or international research facilities.

The report should demonstrate that the PGR has identified the most appropriate facilities and has acquired/in process of acquiring access and sufficient competence to be able to use them for the project.

5. Research management and personal skills

Objective:

Many of the challenges and pressures that PGRs have to deal with are different to those that they will have encountered as undergraduates. In order to conduct their research effectively, they need to understand the nature of these ,challenges and acquire the skills needed to manage them successfully.

The required skills include:

• Managing the student-supervisor relationship.
• Dealing with isolation, maintaining motivation and managing personal change.
• Managing meetings to understand the communication process and the techniques that can be used to improve your communication with other people.
• An understanding of teamwork and leadership.
• An understanding of stress management and the techniques that can be used to deal with stress.

Before writing the report, the PGR should discuss with their supervisor whether any further training in management skills is required. The plan for such further training should be described in the report.

• Please explore the section Courses and Resources to By Theme on the Researcher development site.

6. Presentation Skills

Objective:

A PhD project should make an original contribution to academic knowledge through the dissemination of the research results. As part of this dissemination process, the PGR may have to present their results to an audience, such as a progress report to a peer group within the department, or presenting a paper at a conference. The PGR needs to acquire the appropriate presentation skills for doing this. They will have to defend their research during oral examinations. Presentations to audiences, such as peer groups, can help prepare for this.

The report could give details of any presentations that have been given, or that are planned.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 40 pages in length including text, figures, tables and references.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format
• Format in Word or Latex.

The report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters. The report should demonstrate that the student has done a substantial amount of work that can lead to a publications within the next 6 months. However, since many projects in chemical engineering are supported by industry, there is no requirement to have a publication but the quality should be normally at the standard for publication.

The student must submit a report after 9 months.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

PGRs normally provide a 20-minute presentation during the examination, followed by the oral examination. The internal examiners are currently chosen by the supervisor, but it is usually someone with enough experience in the topic.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Year 2

The second-year report is normally a short report describing the progress of the work, and is normally supplemented by the draft of the first publication. The report also requires a clear work plan with deliverables.

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication. On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

Year 3

The Year 3 examination is a light touch discussion between examiners and the PGRs to prepare the candidate for the oral examination.

The Year 3 progress report is a shorter (maximum 10 page) summary of the work completed to date, details of drafts or pre-prints of any publications arising from the work, and most importantly a timeline for thesis writing and completion to describe how the programme of study is to be successfully concluded within the remaining time available. A thesis completion plan should be presented and discussed.

In Year 3, the progression review can be varied and can be conducted by the supervisors and an Independent assessor or in some cases there may not be an examination. PGRs should discuss the Year 3 review with their supervisor to determine the requirement.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 40 pages in length including text, figures, tables and references.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

The report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

The PGR will give 10-15 minutes oral presentation to the panel, then there will be a question-and-answer session. After the meeting, the independent assessor will evaluate the progress and make decisions, by consulting supervisor(s). If corrections are required, the PGR will have a maximum of 8 weeks for addressing the corrections. According to the instructions of the Independent Assessor, you will then have to resubmit your report and may or may not require another review meeting.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The format and length of the report will be equivalent to the Year 1 report (see above).

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication. On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

The progress review meeting will take place with an independent assessor, main supervisor and co-supervisor. The PGR will give 10-15 minutes oral presentation to the panel, then there will be a question-and-answer session. After the meeting, the Independent Assessor will evaluate the progress and make decisions, by consulting supervisor(s). If corrections are required, the PGR will have a maximum of 8 weeks for addressing the corrections. According to the instructions of the independent assessor, you will then have to resubmit your report and may or may not require another review meeting.

Year 3

If you will be continuing your research into your 4th year PGRs must submit their report by the end of month 33. The progress review meeting will include an independent assessor, main supervisor (and co-supervisor).

PGRs can present a publications/draft manuscript or produce a traditional report. A short overview of first- and second-year progress and progress made in 3rd year. An important part of 3rd year report is the plan for completion of your research. The PGR will give 10-15 mins oral presentation to the panel, then there will be a question-and-answer session.

The PGR will give 10-15 minutes oral presentation to the panel, then there will be a question-and-answer session. After the meeting, the independent assessor will evaluate the progress and make decisions, by consulting supervisor(s). If corrections are required, the PGR will have a maximum of 8 weeks for addressing the corrections. According to the instructions of the Independent Assessor, you will then have to resubmit your report and may or may not require another review meeting.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 1500 words in length, excluding references. If the report exceeds this length, it may be returned and/or the examination panel can refuse to conduct the review.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Clear title, author name, and ORCID
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The PGR will review their research to date with a review panel comprising the supervisory team.

The format and length of the report will be within the word limit of 1500 words.

An oral examination is held after submission of the report, where the PGR presents their work to the review panel, capturing their research progress and plans for the remainder of the PhD. The PGR completes a short presentation 15-20 minutes, followed by Q&A with the review panel, and is then asked to leave while the review panel coordinate feedback and agree a progression outcome.

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication. On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format

Year 3

The Year 3 progress report is a shorter (maximum 10 page) summary of the work completed to date, details of drafts or pre-prints of any publications arising from the work, and most importantly a timeline for thesis writing and completion to describe how the programme of study is to be successfully concluded within the remaining time available. A thesis completion plan should be presented and discussed.

The Year 3 progression review will be conducted by the supervisors to perform the progress review and normally do not require independent assessor involvement.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 40 pages in length including text, figures, tables and references. The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The format and length of the report will be equivalent to the Year 1 report (see above).

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication. On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

Year 3

The Year 3 progress report is a shorter (maximum 10 page) summary of the work completed to date, details of drafts or pre-prints of any publications arising from the work, and most importantly a timeline for thesis writing and completion to describe how the programme of study is to be successfully concluded within the remaining time available. A thesis completion plan should be presented and discussed.

The supervisors will conduct the Year 3 progression review to perform the progress review and normally do not require independent assessor involvement.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 40-60 pages in length including text, figures, tables and references.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format

In addition, the report should contain a title page and appropriate acknowledgments. The report should be organised into separate chapters.

The review meeting will usually consist of:

• A 5-15 minute overview or presentation by the PGR of their work (this should cover the main objectives, methodologies investigated & achievements)
• A 1-2 hour discussion and questions with the internal assessor

If the independent assessor decides that more work is required before the PGR can pass and progress to Year 2,the assessor will provide a list of areas for improvement and a deadline for resubmission. According to the instructions of the Independent Assessor, the PGR will then have to resubmit their report and may or may not require another review meeting.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

PGRs should submit either (i) a report of approximately 40-80 pages, summarising the work conducted in your 2nd year, or (ii) a journal manuscript accompanied by a shorter supplemental report to summarise your progress since Year 1, together with a work plan to complete remaining research within your programme.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis (this can be organised in multiple chapters or manuscripts)
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format

Advice for Year 2 Students: Make sure you have addressed all criticisms from your Year progression review meeting, re-read comments from the 1st year; Use the Progression Decision form to make sure you have addressed all the issues that were identified by the previous Independent Assessor.

Year 3

The Year 3 review does not have to follow the same format as in earlier years. Your supervisor(s) will advise on the most appropriate format and the role of the Independent Assessor. Depending on your individual progress and time remaining on your programme you should submit:

• a work plan for completion of research and writing up, together with either:
  • a collection of published works supplemented by chapters providing an introduction and summary, or
  • a summary of work completed to date, which may be in the form of a report combined with a draft thesis outline.

This is an opportunity to finalise plans for remaining research, receive feedback on your thesis structure, discuss whether a journal format thesis is appropriate, and agree on timescales for further feedback with your supervisor(s).

Year 1

The purpose of the report is to principally provide written evidence of an ability to work and develop understanding at doctoral standards, so that we may be confident that there is high probability of completion of the PhD programme.  In addition, the report may contribute to evidence of ability to work safely in the appropriate laboratory environment and of engagement with the culture of post-graduate research.

As a guide, the report should normally be not less than 30-35 pages (~15,000 words) in length and not exceed 40-50 pages, including text, figures, tables and references.  The report should be concise and incisive, and content may be guided by the supervisory team.  The report should be the work of the student and supervisors should not copy-edit the report or provide extensive feedback before the oral examination.  Although the research for the report should be accumulated over the year, it should be written over a period of typically no more than a couple of weeks.

The report should be structured in a thesis style (line spacing x1.5 or x2.0) and should include: 

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Methodology/theory and materials,  including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis;  typically the scientific level of material to be included in this section should be at or beyond graduate level. 
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The format and length of the report may be substantially less than the Year 1 report (see above), or can be in the style of a Research Paper, with a short plan of research for the next year – this should be discussed with your supervisor during your second year.  It should not be presented in poster format.

It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should principally present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication.  On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

Year 3

For students registered on a 3.5 or 4yr PhD programme, 3rd year progression will principally be a review of a thesis plan which should be submitted using the Doctoral Academy thesis plan template: Download the thesis plan as a word document.  The template focusses on the progress of the research contributing to the thesis and a timeline for completion, and is not intended to contain significant scientific detail;  it may be appropriate to discuss a more detailed outline of the proposed contents of the thesis with the supervisory team in conjunction with the assessment of progress.

The Year 3 progression review will be conducted the Department Head of PGR (or deputy) to perform the progress review and normally do not require supervisor involvement.

This is an opportunity to finalise plans for remaining research, receive feedback on your thesis structure, discuss whether a journal format thesis is appropriate, and agree on timescales for further feedback or actions to address any issues arising.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 40 pages in length including text, figures, tables and references.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and should include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The format and length of the report will be equivalent to the Year 1 report (see above).

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication. On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

The report should include:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims/objectives/hypotheses, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes, and justification of the work
• Brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature
• Summary details of methods, results and discussion of current research, perhaps organised into sections that might relate to the final results chapters of the PhD thesis
• Proposed work plan and timeline of work for the remainder of the project, including a writing up schedule
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

Year 3

The Year 3 progress report is a shorter (maximum 10 page) summary of the work completed to date, details of drafts or pre-prints of any publications arising from the work, and most importantly a timeline for thesis writing and completion to describe how the programme of study is to be successfully concluded within the remaining time available. A thesis completion plan should be presented and discussed.

The Year 3 progression review will be conducted by the supervisors to perform the progress review and normally do not require independent assessor involvement.

First Year Transfer Report

If PGRs wish to progress beyond their first year into a PhD, they will need to submit a satisfactory First Year Transfer Report, attend a First Year Interview with an independent assessor and their supervisory team and complete the relevant e-prog forms. The student must submit a report after 9 months.  As a guide, the report should be no more than 10,000 words in length including text, figures, tables and references.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to discuss their aims and objectives and the research questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the PhD programme and the underlying rationale for why they are doing it.

PGRs will normally provide a 10-15 minute presentation during the oral examination, followed by viva-style questions. The internal examiners are currently chosen by the supervisor, but it is usually someone with enough experience in the topic.

The First Year Transfer Report should include the following sections and information:

• Abstract, contents and introduction. These sections should outline the background of the project, identify the question posed, and set out the aims and objectives of the research. The research problem should be clear and the novel contributions that the research intends to make.
• Literature review. This section should outline previous work pertaining to the research topic, including an evaluation of validity, and identify gaps in knowledge.
• Methods and Materials. This section should cover in detail the research / experimental procedures that have been / will be established and developed, including validation procedures, sampling (if appropriate), together with an explanation of the data handling and analysis procedures that have been/ will be followed. For Fashion Business PhDs this should also include the research epistemology, ontology and research approach.
• Results, Discussion and Conclusions. Acquired data should be presented in an appropriate format (where data collection has been carried out – the scope of which will be made clear by the supervisors).
• Discussion should address initially the comparability of the acquired data with that already available in the literature. The discussion should return to the initial aims set for the work to assess the extent of achievement. Details of the novel aspects of the work and how it will make an original contribution to knowledge should also be included here.
• The final pages should be devoted to an outline of the major areas of work which remains to be done, a realistic appraisal of the manner in which these can be achieved and the approaches that will be employed. This could be in the form of a Gantt chart.
• Methodology details or large quantities of data, which would swamp or imbalance the report if included, can be incorporated in Appendices and summarised in the Methods and Results sections.
• References must be cited in the text in a consistent format and listed in the Reference section in a consistent and recognised style.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

The e-prog First Year PhD Progression Decision Forms will be used to assess the report. The report should show:

• Evidence of an ability to plan and implement a project intended to lead to a PhD thesis
• Evidence of specific research skills required in the area concerned and in research management and related skills
• Evidence of an adequate ability to use the facilities / research methods required to progress in the research area
• Adequate critical discussion of the relevant literature and evidence of ability in literature searching
• Evidence of methods of research normally gained by a student in one year's work
• PGRs will be expected to show a good knowledge of the literature and methods of research, and to be able to explain in what respects their proposed work will lead to new understanding.

The e-Prog First Year PhD Progression Decision Forms will be used to assess the report, with one of the following outcomes: Progress to next year of the PhD; Progress following revision; Submit for MPhil; Exit without award.

Second Year Transfer Report

For PhD registered students, a meeting with the supervisory team and nominated independent assessor will also be required at the end of the second year of study. Students will also be asked to provide a Second Year Report. The report should be approximately 2000 - 5000 words in length.

The Year 2 progress report does not need to replicate all of the content of the Year 1 report. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. It should also include a summary of the key background literature, particularly detailing significant updates to the literature. The bulk of the report should present and discuss the original research conducted during Year 2. This could be presented in standard thesis format, in separate chapters if appropriate, or in the form of drafts of manuscripts being prepared for publication.  On the advice of the supervisory team, a Journal Format report may be considered appropriate for the Year 2 report.

This Second Year Report should comprise:

• A title page
• An introduction covering the background, aims/objectives/hypotheses, relevance of the work being undertaken and justification of the work, and a brief recap of Year 1 outcomes
• A brief literature summary, including updates to the literature review through identification of new or newly relevant critical literature and a discussion about the research gap
• A summary of the materials and methods used and their rationale
• A summary of results organised into sections that might relate to the final result chapters of the thesis
• Details of the progress made in year two and information on the novelty of the research
• Details of any presentations or seminars delivered and any papers published
• Future work, and whether the project is on target to be finished within the following year. A timetable for work to be carried out in the final year including a writing up schedule in the form of a Gantt chart
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

The purpose of this report is:

• To confirm satisfactory performance and achievement of the intermediate targets of the previous year
• To set reasonable goals for the following year.

A meeting will be set up with the PGR, supervisory team and the independent assessor to discuss the report. PGRs will normally provide a 10-15 minute presentation during the oral examination, followed by viva-style questions. The internal examiners are currently chosen by the supervisor, but it is usually someone with enough experience in the topic.

The e-Prog Second Year PhD Progression Decision Forms will be used to assess the report, with one of the following outcomes: Progress to next year of the PhD; Progress following revision; Submit for MPhil; Exit without award.

Third Year Transfer Report

For PhD students registered on a 3.5 or 4 year programme, a supervisory team meeting will also be required at the end of the third year of study. Students will also be asked to provide a Third Year Report. The Year 3 progress report is a shorter summary of the work completed to date and a chance to get more independent feedback. The report should be similar to that outlined for End of Year 2 but should be 2000 words maximum.

The purpose of this report is:

• To confirm satisfactory performance and achievement of the intermediate targets of the previous year
• To set reasonable goals for the following year.

The report should contain a summary of the work completed to date including the research problem that it intends to solve and the novel contributions it will make, details of drafts or pre-prints of any publications arising from the work, and most importantly a timeline for thesis writing and completion to describe how the programme of study is to be successfully concluded within the remaining time available.

A meeting will be set up with the PGR, supervisory team and the independent assessor to discuss the report. PGRs will normally provide a 10-15 minute presentation during the oral examination, followed by viva-style questions. A thesis completion plan should be presented and discussed.  The internal examiners are currently chosen by the supervisor, but it is usually someone with enough experience in the topic.

The e-Prog Third Year PhD Progression Decision Forms will be used to assess the report.

Year 1

The exact content and length of your report should be agreed with your supervisor. In the first year, it might typically be between 25 and 50 pages, and contain:

• an expository account of the material you have studied and results obtained so far
• a literature survey or account of open problems in the area and the methods that might be used to solve them
• an outline of the aim and objectives; and work planned for the remaining years of the PhD.

Often the continuation report forms the basis of one or more introductory chapters of your thesis.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

In the second year the report will usually focus on the results of your research, alongside plans for work to be done in the third year. It should provide a reminder of the project research question and main aims of the study, but also explain if the project aims have changed, and if so, why they have changed. The report may be of a similar format to the first year, or consist of only a brief summary of progress and future plans, appended to existing written work such as paper drafts, thesis chapters, etc. This appended work should not exceed 100 pages (but in most cases would be considerably shorter).

Year 3

The progress report in the third year would often be a draft of your thesis, with a clear timetable for submission by the end of the PhD programme.

The Year 3 progression review will be conducted by the supervisors and an independent assessor.

Year 1

As a guide, the report should be no more than 20 pages, including text, figures, tables and references.

The report should be structured in a thesis style and might include:

• Abstract
• Introduction, including aims and objectives, and hypotheses (if appropriate)
• Background literature review, including an outline of previous work on the research topic, identified gaps in knowledge, and justification of the work
• Materials and methods, including a description and details of experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or computational methodologies being designed, conducted or in progress for the research, including data handling and analysis
• Results, including a description, presentation and interpretation of results and outcomes (if any to date), presented in an appropriate format
• Discussion and critical conclusions of any results to date, including a comparison of the work with existing knowledge in the literature and awareness of how it will make an original contribution to knowledge
• Proposed work plan and rationale for the remainder of the project, which could also include a proposed thesis structure and a timeline of work (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• References/Bibliography in a consistent and appropriate format.

In addition, the report should contain a title page and acknowledgements, where appropriate. If appropriate, the report could be sub-divided into separate chapters.

As a guide, it is recommended that PGRs make themselves aware of the Presentation of Theses Policy and consider formatting the progress report in line with the standard research degree thesis format.

Depending on the project and discipline area, it is possible that little, if any, original research may have been carried out or completed by Month 9. Instead, much of the PGR’s time to date may have been spent on training, understanding the research area and the background literature in the field, and project designing/planning. Thus, expectations of progress will vary on a case-by-case basis.

However, the PGR must be familiar with the state of the art in their research field and be able to describe and discuss the research programme that they are in the process of conducting in the context of leading research elsewhere in the world. They must be able to describe and discuss their aims and objectives and the scientific questions being addressed, and why they are important. The PGR must be able to describe and discuss what they plan to do during the remainder of the research programme and the underlying rationale for why you are doing it.

Year 2

The progression report can be submitted in the form of a poster or a paper draft; in addition, a short (~1 page) description of the performed work during the last year and a short (~1 page) description of the plan for the coming year.

For second-year progression interviews, an academic from outside the research area/group of the student should be chosen as the second examiner besides the supervisor.

Year 3

The progression interview will usually be done with only the supervisor; the progression report should contain a brief description (~1 page) of the work performed over the last year and a brief (~1 page) plan of work still to be done before end of PhD. In addition, the report should contain a thesis outline to be discussed with the supervisor in the progression interview.