S.L. 327.695 Art. 52

(1) Each member of the Board of Examiners, except for the Chair, shall assess the thesis and practice (as applicable) and submit a detailed preliminary individual report before the student is admitted to the oral examination. The Examiners shall require:

(a) evidence that the thesis represents a significant contribution to knowledge in a particular field of study;

(b) evidence of originality by the discovery of new facts, and/or the development of new theories and/ or methods, and/or by the exercise of independent critical judgement;

(c) evidence of the ability of the student to relate the subject matter of the thesis to the existing body of knowledge;

(d) evidence of the ability of the student to apply research methods appropriate to the subject;

(e) a satisfactory level of literary presentation;

(f) evidence that the work is of peer-reviewed publishable quality; and

(g) compliance with the provisions of these regulations.

(2) The Chair, acting as a convenor, shall read the thesis but is not expected to examine it or to submit an individual report.

(3) If the Board of Examiners discovers what, in its opinion, appears to be a case of plagiarism or other academic prima facie misdemeanours in the submitted work, it shall:

(a) stop the process of examination forthwith and report the alleged breach of the regulations to the University Assessment Disciplinary Board; in the case of plagiarism, the plagiarism detection software report together with supporting documentation which purports to prove the alleged plagiarism shall be provided to the University Assessment Disciplinary Board; and

(b) resume assessment of the thesis and practice (as applicable) if the decision of the University Assessment Disciplinary Board allows it and subject to any disciplinary penalties as may be imposed.