Guidelines mid-way review

Purpose

The mid-way review is compulsory for all doctoral students intending to obtain a doctoral degree. It functions as a quality review and is intended to provide support for the doctoral student during the second half of the doctoral programme. The mid-way review is not an examination.

Time

The mid-way review should be held after half of the doctoral programme has been completed, that is, after approximately two years of full-time studies, or earlier if two papers have been accepted for publication in a refereed journal.

The review is planned by the principal supervisor in consultation with the doctoral student, the assistant supervisor(s) and the specialisation coordinator. The principal supervisor should be present at the seminar, and normally also the assistant supervisor(s).

The mid-way review shall be held Monday to Friday during the periods: 1 September to 22 December, and 7 January to Friday one week before Midsummer. Please note that no processing of proposal or decisions about mid-way review takes place during weeks 26-31 and during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Venue and date

Once you have agreed on a preferred date and time for the mid-way review, the supervisor or the doctoral student shall inform the study and research administration thereof, so that we can check whether the requested date and time is available. According to ”Guidelines on venues and refreshments in connection with doctoral programme activities” (ORU 1.2.1-01334/2017), this will be in Örebro University’s own facilities.

Course requirements

A passing grade on the compulsory course “General scientific methods in medical science, 15 credits”/“Basic scientific methodology, 7.5 credits” (applies to doctoral students completing their studies in accordance with the previous general syllabus) is required.

Journals/publishers

Doctoral students and supervisors should be wary of dishonest journals/publishers. Journals should be indexed in Web of Science.

Mid-way summary

The summarising introductory chapter for the mid-way review should follow the instructions for the mid-way summary compiled by the school and should be written using the university’s thesis template. The background should be limited, and the text is to have a clear forward-looking focus. The mid-way summary should be written in English.

Experts

To review the thesis work, a minimum of two subject specialists are to be appointed, of which at least one must be from another higher education institution and at least one must have the qualifications required for appointment as a docent. These experts should be researchers who have obtained their PhDs and possess adequate subject knowledge.

Experts from the mid-way review may later on be involved in the public defence, however, not in the role as external reviewer.

If an external expert should be prevented from attending the seminar, a new date should be arranged. If an internal expert should be prevented from attending the seminar, the seminar can still proceed and a new expert should then, if possible, be appointed. The principal supervisor should inform the research study administrator of such changes.

Conflict of interest

For the experts to be able to offer feedback without the limitations arising from any conflicts of interest, they should not be linked to the doctoral project and act independently of the doctoral student and supervisors.

Chair of seminar

The principal supervisor nominates a senior researcher as the chair for the seminar in the proposal for the mid-way review. The doctoral student’s supervisor may not be appointed chair.

Proposal and decision

No later than 6 weeks prior to the planned date for the mid-way review, the principal supervisor shall submit the proposal for the mid-way review to the study and research administration. Please note that no processing of proposal or decisions about mid-way review takes place during weeks 26-31 and during the Christmas and New Year holidays. If the mid-way review is planned at the beginning of September, the proposal must be received by week 23 at the latest. If the mid-way review is planned in the end of January or at the beginning of February, the proposal must be received by week 49 at the latest.

The chair of the seminar and the experts must have accepted their appointments before the proposal is submitted.

The following supporting documents are to be attached to the proposal (with filenames reflecting their content):

• mid-way summary
• papers and manuscript
• a list of other scientific publications part of the thesis project, that is, conference abstracts etc.
• a status report on the development of the doctoral student’s learning in relation to the intended learning outcomes for the doctoral degree (according to template)
• copies of ethical permission(s) and application(s) (excl. appendices to the applications). If the ethical vetting application is written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, the document must be translated by an authorised translator.
• a transcript of records from Ladok (printed by the doctoral student in the student portal Studenttjänster)
• a statement from the principal supervisor relating to the doctoral student’s completed and planned courses. The statement should be based on the course requirements laid down in the general syllabus
• a copy of the current individual study plan (ISP)
• an account of the reasons for any deviations from the guidelines

The research study research administrator will forward the proposal and supporting documents to the specialisation coordinator for approval and will notify the doctoral student, principal supervisor and director of studies once the decision has been made.

Preparations

The research study administrator will send the invitation and supporting documents, to the experts, with a copy to the specialisation coordinator and the principal supervisor no later than 4 weeks before the planned seminar date. The mid-way summary and papers/manuscripts shall be made available to those attending the seminar in such a way that representatives of each specialisation may see fit.

The seminar

The doctoral student presents their completed and planned research work, which is then followed by a discussion, primarily with the subject specialists and thereafter with the audience. 

The completed as well as the planned thesis work are to be reviewed in relation to the intended learning outcomes for the award of the degree. The focus is to be on future research studies. The experts are to consider the planned activities set out in the individual study plan. Applications for and decisions on ethics approval are to be reviewed by the experts (excluding appendices to the application).

After the seminar, the experts meet with the doctoral student and the principal supervisor/assistant supervisor(s) separately. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss their respective views of their cooperation, working conditions and communication.

The duration of the seminar will be approximately 2 hours.

Language

The doctoral student’s presentation should be conducted in English. The following discussion may be in Swedish.

Documentation/assessment

The subject specialists provide verbal and written assessment. The written assessment should be made on the form “Assessment at the mid-way review in medical science”. The chair of the seminar is responsible for making sure that the assessment form is completed and submitted to the research study administrator.

Finance

The experts receive reimbursement for travel and any accommodation costs for one night. The subject specialisation is responsible for meeting these costs. The university’s travel policy prescribes that travellers are required to opt for the most appropriate and cost-effective mode of travel with respect to cost, time and the environment.

According to “Guidelines on venues and refreshments in connection with doctoral programme activities” (ORU 1.2.1-01334/2017) the school will not meet any reimbursement costs for meals or refreshments.

Advertising

The seminar shall be advertised in the school’s calendar, and in such other channels that representatives of the specialisation may see fit. The research study administrator is responsible for the advertising.