Handbook for the Preparation of Master’s Projects in ...

Handbook for the

Preparation

of Master’s Projects

in Dispute Resolution

School of Public Administration

Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution

Revised February 2013


Handbook for the Preparation of Master’s Projects 1

Handbook Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................. 3

A. Steps in the Master’s Project Process ...................................................... 3

When to start your Master's Project ......................................................... 4

Example Timeline ...................................................................................... 4

Defence Schedules .................................................................................... 5

B. Project Scope ........................................................................................... 6

Choosing a Topic ....................................................................................... 6

Choosing a Client ...................................................................................... 6

Master's Projects and Co-op ..................................................................... 7

Choosing a Supervisor .............................................................................. 7

Second Reader .......................................................................................... 7

Working with your Supervisor .................................................................. 8

Preparing a Proposal ................................................................................ 8

C. University of Victoria Ethics Approval ...................................................... 9

Applying for an Approval or a Waiver ....................................................... 9

D. Content and Format of the Project Project ............................................. 10

Format .................................................................................................... 10

Schematic Guidelines .............................................................................. 11

Executive Summary ................................................................................ 11

Appendix ................................................................................................. 11

UVic Writing Resources ........................................................................... 12

E. Presentation and Defence of the Projec ................................................. 10

The Day of the Defence ........................................................................... 10

F. Contacts ................................................................................................. 14

Appendix A – Master’s Project Proposal Template...................................... 15

Appendix B – Master’s Project Title and Supervisor Form .......................... 17

Appendix C – Example Master’s Project Schematic .................................... 18

Appendix D – Supplementary Resources .................................................... 20



Master’s Project

In the past, the Master’s Project has been referred to as the 598 Project, the

Advanced Management or Policy Project, the Final Project, and the Capstone

Project. Every effort has been made to refer to the project in this Handbook

by the agreed name: Master’s Project. However, you may find that other

names are used in resources such as videos or audio recordings.

This Handbook includes links to supplementary resources including example

reports, video interviews and presentations (listed in appendix D). In the

event of any contradictions or errors included in the supplementary

resources, please (1) refer to the Handbook itself to determine the current

official policies of the Master of Arts of Dispute Resolution within the School

of Public Administration; and (2) advise the MADR Program Manager

([email protected]) of the issue.



Introduction

In the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution (MADR), a Master’s Project is the result of

a substantial analysis of a dispute resolution problem, policy, or program-related

issue for an external client, or the application or analysis of dispute resolution to a

real-life situation. The Master’s Project is prepared individually by the student in

consultation with the client and an academic supervisor and must be both practical

and academically rigorous.

The Master’s Project is defended in an oral examination before an examination

committee comprised of the academic supervisor, the client, a second reader from

the School of Public Administration, and a Chair representing the Faculty of Graduate

Studies.

The Master’s Project is different from a Master’s Thesis (DR 599) in that a thesis

does not have a client, is done for an academic supervisor in the School of Public

Administration, and must meet all of the requirements for a Master’s Thesis in the

UVic Faculty of Graduate Studies. For more information about the requirements for a

Master’s Thesis, please view the resources and links on the the Faculty of Graduate

Studies’ website. Master’s Thesis requirements are not covered in this

handbook.

This handbook provides a statement of the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution

within the School of Public Administration’s policies for completing a Master’s Project.

In addition, the handbook provides supplementary resources that students may find

helpful throughout the planning, researching, writing and defence of your project.

A. Steps in the Master’s Project Process

1. Complete all MADR core courses and at least one elective. Any remaining

electives must be completed before or during the term in which the Master’s

Project is defended.

2. Register in DR 598 in terms during which you are working on or defending your

Master’s Project.

3. Select a topic, a client and an academic supervisor.

4. Write a project proposal and secure the approval of your client and supervisor.

5. Apply for an Ethics Approval or waiver. In most cases you will need to apply for

ethics approval. Submit the Master’s Project Title and Supervisor form (Appendix

B) to the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant.

6. Apply for ethics approval or a waiver of ethics approval. 7. Conduct research and complete your Master’s Project.

• Research, write and incorporate revisions in accordance with the timetable

included in your project proposal and approved by your supervisor. The time

table should allow sufficient time for your supervisor to provide feedback on

both early and later drafts and draft sections of the Project. Expect a

minimum of two weeks for responses from your supervisor.

• Make appropriate revisions and edits based on suggestions from your

supervisor.

• Provide a good first draft of the report to your supervisor several months prior

to examination for review and comment.



8. Consult with your supervisor to select members of your Examination Committee

(second reader and chair) and a defence date.

9. Preparing for the defence: • Three weeks prior to examination - Inform the MADR Graduate Administrative

Assistant of the proposed defence date.

• One week prior to examination - Provide the MADR Graduate Administrative

Assistant with an electronic version of your final report and Examination

Committee members with paper copies of your report.

10. On the day of your defence – arrive early and be ready to present your report and answer questions.

• Any revisions must be completed within two weeks of your defence.

Consult with the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant to ensure that

you will meet deadlines set by both the School and the Faculty of

Graduate Studies.

• Submit to the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant:

• a final printed version of your report (unbound)

• a final electronic version of your report

When to Start your Master’s Project

You will need to build the required skills and experience before starting to work on

your Master’s Project. In the first terms of the program, it is a good idea to consider

possible topics, explore the interests of potential supervisors, and review completed

reports. Once you have completed all of your core courses and have either

completed or are registered in your elective courses, you should begin to work on

your Master’s Project.

Example Timeline – MADR

Year 1 • Review completed Master’s Projects

• Consider possible topics

• By the end of Term 3, you should have completed all of your core

MPA courses.

Year 2

Term

4

• Normally, this will be your second co-op work term

• Approach potential clients and academic supervisors

Term

5

• Develop project proposal; for some students, it may be possible to

draft a project proposal by the end of Term 4.

• Submit application for ethics approval or ethics waiver

• Conduct research

Term

6

• Write draft project and submit to supervisor

• Make revisions

• Some DR students may be ready to submit final project in Term 6.

Year 3

Term

7

• Submit final project to supervisor for approval

• Defend before Examination Committee



Defence Schedules

Please consult with the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant for detailed dates

and procedures.

Students planning to graduate in Spring:

• complete defence by March 31

• submit final Master’s Project report to the MADR Graduate Administrative

Assistant by the second week of April

Students planning to graduate in Fall:

• complete examination by July 31


Assistant by the second week in August

•

Students planning to defend in Fall term and apply to graduate in Spring:

• complete examination by Nov 30


Assistant by the second week in December

When scheduling your examination, please note that it can be difficult to convene

Examination Committees in August or December. So stay in touch with your

supervisor as you work through the process, to ensure you know which time frames

are possible.

Timelines and Tuition

Most students require more than one term to complete and defend their

Master’s Project report, especially if ethics approval is required. If you do not

complete the report by the final date in the term, you will receive a grade of

"In Progress" on your academic transcript, which has no academic penalty.

If you have already paid all five compulsory full-time fee installments for your

MADR, you will be charged an additional sixth full-time fee installment.

Thereafter, you will be assessed re-registration fees. Please consult the Graduate Calendar to determine how these fees will apply to you.



B. Project Scope

Choosing a Topic

Selecting a topic is a key step to successfully completing a Master’s Project. For

example, you may conduct a conflict analysis of a problem or policy, with

recommendations on a course of action. Alternatively, you might find it profitable to

apply a dispute resolution theory to a specific situation.

The University maintains copies of completed Master’s Projects and you are

encouraged to review some of these to give you a better idea of the type of work

that could be conducted.

Access MADR, MPA, and MACD Master’s Projects online

� Full project reports (over 80 reports currently available)

� Project titles, clients, supervisors (DR projects & thesis since 2000)

If you are not able to access a desired report online, please contact the MADR

Graduate Administrative Assistant to determine whether the School holds a printed

copy in our library.

Choosing a Client

The School does not maintain a list of potential clients but we can help with your

search. When seeking a potential client, review the list of completed Master’s

Projects, consult with MADR faculty members, and/or consider some of the following

alternatives:

• your employer

• your supervisor at a co-op work placement

• a non-profit agency

• a public service or community-based group

There is no one model for negotiating with a potential client. Some students receive

partial or complete funding, some undertake their project as part of a co-op work

term, and others choose to work on a pro bono basis.

It is essential that you are in close consultation with your client during all of the key

stages of your Master’s Project. This includes selecting a topic, reviewing proposals

and drafts, and participating on the Examination Committee. When approaching

potential clients, outline the commitment that they will be taking on. Try to ensure

that your client will be available for the duration of your project including your

defence.

When clients approach the School about a possible Master’s Project, a notice is sent

to students on the MADR Listserv (email distribution list). If you are not a member of

the listserv, please contact Bonnie Keleher ([email protected]) to be added to the

distribution list.



Master’s Projects and Co-op

Co-op employers can be good clients for a Master’s Project. During your second co-

op placement, you may be able to identify possible topics and explore opportunities

with your employer. Although your second co-op term is usually too early in the

program to actually begin working on your Master’s Project, you might look to

combine your project with a third co-op term or with another employment or funding

opportunity.

If you undertake your Master’s Project as part of a co-op term, you will be required

to pay co-op fees.

Choosing a Supervisor

Your academic supervisor will be your primary contact and support throughout the

Master’s Project process. Finding the best supervisor for your project will involve

some careful research.

First, your academic supervisor must be a faculty member in the School of Public

Administration. In most cases, sessional instructors will not be able to supervise your

project. Your supervisor must also be a member of the University of Victoria Faculty

of Graduate Studies.

Second, consider the research interests of your supervisor. Review the online listing

of faculty members and their research interests:

http://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/aboutUs/home/facultystaff/index.php

Next, review the list of Master’s Projects that have been supervised by faculty

members in the past, see the list of project titles, on the School’s website.

If you are uncertain about which faculty member to approach, contact the MADR

Graduate Coordinator ([email protected]). She will make recommendations based on the

nature and subject matter of your proposal, the type of client you have selected, and

the distribution of Master’s Project supervision workloads among the faculty

supervisors.

Finally, you may approach a possible supervisor via email, phone or in person.

Describe your proposed topic and objectives for your project. Give them the

opportunity to either agree to be your supervisor or to suggest another faculty

member who may be better suited to supervise your project. Faculty members

receive many requests per year and, even if they are not able to work with you, may

provide some helpful feedback at the beginning of your project.

If your Master’s Project topic requires the expertise of an additional faculty member

(e.g., questionnaire design or statistical analysis), identify your additional

Examination Committee member from the School of Public Administration faculty

members early in the process, so that faculty members can work together to provide

effective academic guidance.

Supplementary Resources:

� Information for Potential Clients



Second Reader

Depending on the topic and complexity of the Master’s Project, a student may have

co-supervisors or may wish to identify the second reader early on in the process to

assist the student with certain methods or approaches. If a student’s topic requires

the expertise of an additional faculty member (e.g., questionnaire design or

statistical analysis), the supervisor will likely make the recommendation to find a co-

supervisor or a second reader in consultation with the student.

The role of the second reader in a student’s project depends on the topic and the

professor’s personal preferences. As noted above, there are cases where the second

reader is involved in the project from an early stage to assist with certain

components of the project or to provide overall guidance. Second readers may also

be asked by the supervisor to read full drafts of your report prior to the final

approval of the report that will be examined.

There are also other projects where the second reader is chosen when the final draft

has been submitted to the supervisor, which is then given to the second reader for

review prior to the defence. Once the second reader approves the project, an exam

date is set and the role of second reader during the defence is to ask questions about

the report. It should be noted that usually the second reader is not chosen until the

student is almost ready to defend.

Should you wish to change your supervisor at any point during the Master’s Project

phase, please ensure you effectively communicate with your current and new

supervisor about this decision. Furthermore, please immediately communicate any

changes in supervision status to your Graduate Administrative Assistant.

Working with your Supervisor

As mentioned above it is critical that you consult your supervisor and your client at

all important stages in the process, as the final report must meet both the

university’s academic standards as well as the client’s needs. Do not embark on a

Master’s Project only in consultation with a client. Your supervisor has extensive

experience in defining a project and ensuring that it is manageable and valuable.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies website provides additional information for students

working with Graduate Supervisors:

http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/research/index.php

Preparing a Proposal

One of the first steps in preparing your Master’s Project is the submission of a

proposal. If you have identified your topic by the time you take DR 520, you will be

able to formulate and complete your proposal while you take that course. The

written proposal must be submitted to and discussed with your faculty supervisor as

early as possible in the process. Preparation of a strong proposal is intended to help

clarify your thinking, and weed out potential dead end topics.

Supplementary Resources, specifically directed to MPA students, but

also relevant to MADR students:

Video - Finding Master’s Project Topics, Clients and Supervisors (23 min: 37 sec)

Evert Lindquist



Your Master’s Project proposal is more than just a topic proposal. The form and

content of such proposals will differ depending on the topic. The ultimate objective of

the proposal is to determine whether or not the project, if completed as proposed,

will be accepted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, your Examination Committee

and your client. Appendix A provides a proposal template and an example of a

successful proposal.

C. University of Victoria Ethics Approval

The Human Research Ethics Board (HREB) ensures that UVic research and research

occurring in academic courses involving human participants or human biological

materials meets the ethical standards required by Canadian universities and national

regulatory bodies.

In a very few (and generally rare) situations, a waiver can be used to bypass the

need for ethics approval. In other cases (e.g., studies that strictly use publicly

accessible data) there may be no need to complete a waiver application. Review the

HREB web site and contact your academic supervisor to determine if your study falls

into this category.

Applying for an Approval or a Waiver

1. Read the General Guidelines for Completing HREB Forms and Applications at:

http://www.uvic.ca/research/conduct/

2. If your research involves human participants as defined by the HREB,

determine whether you will need to submit an Application for Ethical Review

or an Application to Request a Waiver from Full Ethical Review.

Supplementary Resources, specifically directed to MPA students: , but

also relevant to MADR students:

Video - Preparing Master’s Project Proposals (24 min: 6 sec) Evert Lindquist

Ethics Approvals

Most Master’s Projects involve contacting people and obtaining information

from them. Many Master’s Projects include surveys, interviews, focus groups,

and other data collection methods that involve people. As the person

conducting research, it is your responsibility to navigate the ethics approval

process.

Review the web site “conduct your research”

(http://www.uvic.ca/research/conduct/) to learn about ethics approval and

ethics waivers.



3. Inform your clients that you will be applying for ethics approval or for a

waiver from the HREB.

4. Complete the appropriate application form and submit the application to your

supervisor for review.

5. After your supervisor reviews the form, and you have made any necessary

revisions, your supervisor will instruct you to submit the applications to HREB.

6. The HREB will notify you, the principal investigator, of its approval. Depending on the volume of applications in process and the number of revisions

required, the review process usually takes six weeks from submission to

HREB to e-mail notification of approval from HREB.

D. Content and Format of the Project

There are four different types of readers who will be accessing your report:

• those who read only the Title when scanning an index for a relevant topic;

• those who read the Title and Executive Summary to overview the work that

you have done;

• those who read the Title, Executive Summary and the Main Project, such as

the members of the Examination Committee; and

• those who read the Title, Executive Summary, Main Project and Appendices,

such as someone who is planning to continue an investigation into a related

topic and wants to build on your data or analysis.

When organizing the structure and depth of presentation for the material in your

report, you must keep the needs of each of these readers in mind. Each type of

reader has a different level of interest or concern; and as you write, you have to

decide how much information is relevant to their interest. Remember that the report

has to satisfy both the academic and the professional administrative community.

Format

The report should be in the following format:

• Use the most recent addition of the American Psychological Association (APA)

Style Manual.

• Length: 30 to 50 pages plus Appendices

• Executive Summary should precede the Table of Contents

• Transitions are critical: every section should have one or two introductory

paragraphs outlining purpose and organization and one or two concluding

Supplementary Resources specifically directed to MPA students:

Video specifically directed to MPA students:

• Ethics: UVic Policies and Procedures (10 min: 21 sec) Jim McDavid



paragraphs explaining what was accomplished and providing a link to the next

section. Long sub-sections in the report should have introductory and

concluding paragraphs as well.

• If parts of report contain a great deal of detail, consider placing this detail in

an annex and covering the key points and findings in the main part of the

report.

• Write succinctly – space will be at a premium!

Schematic Guidelines

While the structure of the report will vary according to the needs of the individual

project, a report should include the following elements:

• The first section identifies the objectives and the background of the problem,

usually a description of the context;

• The second section outlines the methodology and analysis undertaken;

• The third section describes the findings; and

• The final section explains the recommendations in full detail.

Please refer to Appendix C – Example Master’s Project Schematic for a sample report

structure.

Executive Summary

The typical length of this section is three to five pages. The Executive Summary must

be appropriate for a reader who is unfamiliar with the subject and should include at

least the following headings:

• Objectives

• Methodology

• Results (or Findings)

• Recommendations

Appendix

The appendix is essentially the catch-all for details that are too intricate for most

readers but may be of interest for some. It contains technical details such as a copy

of the relevant Act or Bylaw, calculation procedures, tables of data, maps, etc.

Members of the Examination Committee would not expect to have to read this

material in order to follow the argument in the Main Project, but they would like to

have access to it when questions are raised. The length of the appendices varies

greatly; sometimes, the appendices occupy a separate volume.

Protecting Yourself from Plagiarism

In order to avoid issues of plagiarism, you will submit your final Master’s

Project to turnitin.com. This tool is designed to compare works for originality.

You are encouraged to use turnitin.com throughout the writing process to help

avoid issues of plagiarism when the final report is submitted to your supervisor.

Information on the use of turnitin at the University of Victoria can be found

here: http://turnitinhelp.uvic.ca/faq/faq.php.



E. Presentation and Defence of the Project

After receiving final approval from your client and your supervisor, you are ready for

the defence. A final version of the report will be distributed to the Examination

Committee, which includes your supervisor, a second faculty member from the

School of Public Administration, a representative of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

who will chair the defence, and the client.

Selection of Examination Committee

Once you, your academic supervisor, and client have agreed that your Master’s

Project is ready to defend, you should consult with your supervisor to select

members of your Examination Committee (second reader and chair) and a defence

date. Normally, the academic supervisor will assist you in finding members for the

Examination Committee so please contact your supervisor to confirm the selection

process.

In preparation for the defence your supervisor will work with you to:

• Select members of the Examination Committee

• Arrange a date and time for the defence

• Advise the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant of the examination

arrangements a minimum of three weeks prior to the desired defence date.

Please note that supervisors will not be able to book a room for the defence

until they have approved the final Master’s Project. Once the MADR Graduate

Administrative Assistant is notified of the upcoming defence, you will receive

an email outlining steps to be taken to prepare, including:

• Delivery of the Master’s Project report to the MADR Graduate Administrative

Assistant (two weeks prior to the defence)

• Distribution of the report to members of the Examination Committee (two

weeks prior to the defence)

Supplementary Resources:

UVic Writing Resources

• Scholarly Communications Librarian: Inba Kehoe ([email protected])

• The Writing Centre (TWC)- services currently available on campus only

• UVic Library Citation and Bibliography Tutorials (RefWorks, EndNote

and Wordcat.org)

• UVic Library "Citation Help" and online library workshops

Videos specifically directed to MPA students:

• Literature Reviews (26 min: 10 sec) Catherine Althaus-Kaefer

• Methodology (11 min: 42 sec) Catherine Althaus-Kaefer

• Tips for a Better Master’s Project (8 min: 47 sec) David Good



Your defence of the report requires careful preparation. You must have a clear idea

of what you have done and why. Furthermore, you must be able to communicate this

information to the listener in an effective manner.

The Day of your Defence

On the day of your defence, please arrive at least 30 minutes prior with electronic

copies of your presentation. Contact the MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant to

have the meeting room unlocked. You will need to load your presentation onto the

School’s computer and prepare the digital projector, set up seating, and any other

details you would prefer.

The Chair of the Examination Committee will introduce the defence to make sure that

the goals of the examination are clearly understood. Then you will be asked to

present a brief overview of the report. The Executive Summary should be your guide,

but do not simply read it! Err on the side of brevity in these opening remarks. Ten to

fifteen minutes is usually adequate, and longer is definitely not better. A typical

presentation will cover the rationale for the report, the methods used, the key

findings and conclusions, and a summary of the recommendations. You may use

PowerPoint to present the summary of your Master’s Project.

Following your initial presentation, members of the Examination Committee (your

client, second reader, supervisor, and Chair, in that order) will individually ask you

questions. Use natural candour when answering questions. The members of the

panel are well aware of the difficulties and the potential for applying analysis to real

situations. The total time for the process is about 1.5 to 2 hours.

You will then be asked to leave the room while the Examination Committee decides

whether the Master’s Project report:

• should be accepted as presented;

• requires minor revisions;

• requires major revisions; or

• requires a completely new analysis and examination.

Unless the Master’s Project is considered confidential by your client, the examination

is open to the public including your friends, colleagues, and other students who

might want to attend.

Any revisions you are asked to complete will be made under the supervision of the

academic supervisor and possibly other members of the panel. Fewer than five

percent of defences result in a request for a completely new analysis and

examination. When this problem does arise, it is usually the result of inadequate

communication between the student and the client or academic supervisor, or both,

during the conduct of the project.

Defending from a Distance

If you are not able to attend your defence in person, it is possible to conduct

your defence via teleconference. Please contact the MADR Graduate

Administrative Assistant after you and your supervisor have confirmed your

defence date to make the necessary arrangements.



Once the revisions are made and approved by your academic supervisor, you should

submit to the Graduate Administrative Assistant a final electronic version of your

report.

F. Contacts

There are many resources available to assist students preparing their Master’s

Project. If, after reviewing this handbook, you have questions about the

requirements of the report or the completion of your MADR program, please refer to

the following contacts:

MADR Graduate Administrative Assistant, Bonnie Keleher ([email protected])

• For administrative requirements such as deadlines and fees

• For information on convocation requirements

• For access to Master’s Project reports not currently available online

Graduate Coordinator, Tara Ney ([email protected])

• For assistance finding a supervisor

• For other questions about Master’s Project procedures

• For other questions concerning the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution

Graduate Adviser, Jim McDavid ([email protected])

• For assistance finding a supervisor

• For other questions about Master’s Project procedures



Appendix A – Master’s Project Proposal Template

Master’s Project Proposal MA in Dispute Resolution, School of Public Administration

Date: [Date]

Prepared By: [student name], MADR Graduate Student

Supervisor: [Supervisor Name and rank (e.g. Assistant Professor)

Program, School of Public Administration, University of Victoria]

Client: [Name of individual, their title]

[Name of organization]

Second Reader: [Optional at proposal stage; indicate second SPA faculty

member if known.]

Title: [Descriptive Title of Master’s Project – 10 words maximum to

capture the essence of the task]

A. Project Objectives:

Briefly describe the purpose of your project; exactly what will your project achieve?

The objectives should be stated in terms of answering specific questions or

examining a specific policy or solving a specific dispute. Your objective should not be

to explore a broadly stated subject area - you will get lost in such topics.

B. Rationale

Briefly explain why this project is important. Why does the client need this project?

Why is the question important? Who will use the answer to the question? This is the

place to indicate who would be an appropriate outside client agency for the study.

How does this project fit into dispute resolution? Or, how does this project

contribute to the field of dispute resolution? Frame this discussion in terms of

dispute resolution theory and applicable literature.

C. Background

Describe any institutional, legislative, or other background that a reader who may

not know the subject area well would need to understand your project.

D. Methodology:

Briefly explain what you will do to achieve your intended results. Do this by including

a brief description of the general research approach and detailing what kind of

research strategy will best answer the question posed in the statement of objectives.

If appropriate, include a list of research tasks. What specific research tasks must be

completed to meet the objectives of the analysis? List the tasks in the order in which

they should be accomplished. Are there special problems that may be encountered in

completing any of the tasks? If so, what alternatives exist?



E. Data Sources

Briefly explain what data and/or information sources you will use; how you will you

collect or obtain documents or data; and discuss any permission needed.

F. Results

Briefly describe what you will produce for the client. Deliverables usually include a

report, sometimes also presentations, web pages, etc. Explain briefly the form and

content of the items to be delivered.

G. Ethical Review

Explain briefly what ethical review your project will require.

H. Project Timeline:

Briefly describe your intended/estimated timeframe, identifying the major stages of

your project and when you expect each to be completed. Use a table like the

following. Remember that the more specific you are, the more clear you, your client,

and your supervisor will be of what needs to be done.

Date Tasks/Activities

[insert more rows as needed]

[Final stage: Oral defence, final copies of Master’s Project to

department]

A. Appendices, as needed:

• Organization chart

• Logic model: organization and program components

• Interview questions (don’t forget ethical review)

• Requirements for meetings, resources, etc.

• References



Appendix B – Master’s Project Title and Supervisor Form

Master’s Project Title and Supervisor Form

To be completed by the student and submitted to the MADR Graduate Administrative

Assistant once a client and a supervisor have been selected. The student should keep

a copy of this form.

NOTE: This form does NOT register you in DR 598 at the University of Victoria. You

must ensure that you are registered in DR 598 during the academic terms that you

are working on your project and in the term in which your oral defence is scheduled.

Your defence must be completed prior to submitting your application to convocate

from the MADR program. The deadlines for this application are Dec. 1 for Spring

(June) Convocation or July 1 for Fall (November) Convocation.

Student Name:

Supervisor (Name, Title):

Client (Name, Title):

Master’s Project Title (proposed):

Starting Date:



Appendix C Example Schematic for Master’s Project

Executive

Summary

The Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the motivation and purpose

of the report. It outlines the general approach taken, principle findings,

options and recommendation, and next steps. It should be no longer than

two pages with sparing use of headings. Do not attempt to replicate the

entire report.

Table of Contents

Introduction The introduction consists of four to five paragraphs. It starts with a

stimulating reason for why readers should read the report (think of broader

issues), then explains why the client engaged you to do the report, what the

key deliverables were, and the organization of the report. The introduction

may generally point to broad findings and options, but details are best left

to the remaining sections.

Background This section should provide background on the organization and the problem

that is to be addressed. It often taps into the background section

developed as part of the project proposal, but can be extended as required.

This should not be confused with a literature review, particularly if it is a key

deliverable.

Literature

Review

The literature review may or may not be considered an important

deliverable by the client, but it is essential for you to undertake. You must

develop an appreciation of the issues, approaches, methodologies, best

practices, and frameworks used to address the problem in question. And

you must tie this project clearly into the field of dispute resolution.

Conceptual

Framework

The conceptual framework summarizes, guides, and integrates the work in

the project. This is typically an iterative process and, when completed,

should knit together the entire report. Elements of the framework can be

surmised from the literature, but should be adapted for the specific

attributes of the problem. This framework can be presented in the form of a

diagram and supplemented by a written explanation.

Methodology The methodology section explains the approach and rationale for the

various “deliverables” encompassed by the project. It should indicate the

choices that were made, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the

approach. This section should not discuss the findings. If the literature

and/or best practices review is a deliverable, then that deliverable should be

noted here and inserted in Findings.

The methodology section may appear earlier if the client seeks detailed

background and literature reviews as distinct deliverables.

Findings Depending on methodology and deliverables there may be more than one

findings sections, or the section may have several sub-sections. This

section should dispassionately present the findings with as little

interpretation as possible; the latter occurs in the next section.

Discussion This section should discuss the implications of the findings of each

deliverable and juxtapose them with the findings from other deliverables.

This section may be organized according to the key themes animating the

conceptual framework, or the deliverables, but there needs to be a roll-up

across the findings. This section needs to identify key issues and criteria to

be addressed by the options.



Options /

Recommendations

Reports should set out three viable options; students should presume that a

client may take up any of them up, and therefore the options, should be

well-worked out even if you have a preferred option. Criteria for comparing

the options, including implementation issues and sequencing should be

explicitly set out in this or the previous section, and possibly in the

conceptual framework.

If there are no options, go directly into the recommendations.

Appendices Include whatever appendices are necessary.

Prepared by Professor Evert Lindquist on January 9, 2006, and adapted by Dr. Lyn Davis in

December 2010. This schematic is a guide: every Master’s Project report is unique, so you need to

discuss, negotiate, and adjust with your academic supervisor and your client. This schematic does

not represent an official policy or template of the School of Public Administration.



Appendix D – Supplementary Resources

This Handbook includes links to supplementary resources including example reports,

video interviews and presentations (listed in appendix D). In the event of any

contradictions or errors included in the supplementary resources, please (1) refer to

the Handbook itself to determine the current official policies of the Master of Arts in

Dispute Resolution in the School of Public Administration; and (2) advise the MADR

Program Manager ([email protected]) of the issue.

Information for Potential Clients

http://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/assets/docs/programs/graduate/maInDi

sputeResolution/mastersProject/DR%20598%20client%20letter.pdf

Videos:

o Finding Master’s Project Topics, Clients and Supervisors (23 min: 37 sec)

Evert Lindquist

http://tinyurl.com/38b4nkw

o Preparing Master’s Project Proposals (24 min: 6 sec) Evert Lindquist

http://tinyurl.com/23rwwcp

o Ethics: UVic Policies and Procedures (10 min: 21 sec) Jim McDavid

http://tinyurl.com/33wg5ph

o Literature Reviews (26 min: 10 sec) Catherine Althaus-Kaefer

http://tinyurl.com/257ovdj

o Methodology (11 min: 42 sec) Catherine Althaus-Kaefer

http://tinyurl.com/2g8r24a

o Tips for a Better Master’s Project (8 min: 47 sec) David Good

http://tinyurl.com/2ub62hy

Award Winning MPA Master’s Projects

o Award Example 1

http://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/assets/docs/programs/graduate/mpaOnc

ampus/mastersProject/awardWinning1.pdf

� Award Example 2

http://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/assets/docs/programs/graduate/mpaOnc

ampus/mastersProject/awardWinning2.pdf

Access MPA, MADR, and MACD Master’s Projects online

� Full project reports

http://dspace.library.uvic.ca:8080/handle/1828/1012

� DR Project Library

http://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/assets/docs/programs/graduate/maInDi

sputeResolution/mastersProject/MADR%20Masters%20Project%20and%20Th

esis%20list.pdf



UVic Writing Resources

• Scholarly Communications Librarian: Inba Kehoe

[email protected]

• The Writing Centre (TWC)- services currently available on campus only

http://www.ltc.uvic.ca/servicesprograms/twc.php

• UVic Library

o Citation and Bibliography Tutorials (RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)

http://library.uvic.ca/site/lib/instruction/moreetutorials.html

o Citation Help

http://library.uvic.ca/site/lib/instruction/cite/index.html

o Online library workshops

https://eventsmanager.uvic.ca/cgi-

bin/WebObjects/eventsPages.woa/wa/CalenderPage?target=Everyone

&dept=15

Resources to help you through the Master’s Project

Do you have suggestions for additional resources? Please let us know. Contact

the MADR Program Manager with your ideas ([email protected]).

Handbook for the Preparation of Master’s Projects in ...

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