Lesson Report:
Okay, here is the lesson report generated from the transcript:
**Lesson Report**
**Title: Thesis Chapters 4 & 5: Structure, Argumentation, and Planning**
This session focused on guiding students through the final stages of their thesis writing process. The instructor provided feedback on previously submitted chapters, outlined the structure and purpose of Chapters 4 (Findings) and 5 (Discussion), discussed common pitfalls in thesis writing, and introduced methods for structuring these chapters and developing arguments. The class also covered the revised schedule for the remainder of the semester, including deadlines and mock defense plans.
**Attendance**
The transcript does not explicitly state the number of students absent. It mentions “two people in person” and implies others are online, but no specific count of absences was given. One student (Hamdam) appeared to join and leave during the session.
**Topics Covered**
1. **Opening Q&A & Feedback on Chapters 2 & 3**
* **Thesis Length Clarification:** Confirmed the final thesis (Chapters 1-5) should be approximately 15,000 words (~60 pages).
* **Submission Acknowledgement:** Instructor acknowledged receipt of Chapters 2 & 3, noting a grading turnaround time of approximately two weeks with detailed feedback aimed at productive revision.
* **General Feedback:** Students generally have strong frameworks, but need to improve *specificity*, especially regarding methodology (e.g., data collection details like the number/source of news articles analyzed and justification for choices). Detail is key for strong Chapters 2 & 3.
* **Supervisor Meetings:** Students urged to meet with their supervisors early next week if they haven’t since spring break, specifically to review Chapter 2 & 3 drafts.
2. **Revised Course Schedule and Deadlines**
* **Current Date & Timeline:** Noted it was March 28th, leaving approximately one month until the final thesis submission deadline.
* **Upcoming Weeks:**
* Weeks 11, 12, 13: Focus on developing Chapters 4 & 5.
* Weeks 15 & 16 (April 18th & 25th): Mock Defenses. These sessions will simulate the pressure and questioning style of the final defense panel to help students identify and address weaknesses in their research. Questions can cover any aspect of the thesis.
* **Final Thesis Submission:** Deadline is April 30th at 5 p.m. **No extensions possible.**
* **Final Defense Committee:** Dates not yet confirmed by the department but historically occur towards the end of May (e.g., week of May 21st last year), after the May holidays and at least a week before graduation. The instructor has limited control over scheduling but will inquire.
* **State Exam:** Dates also unconfirmed but typically around the same time as thesis defenses (late May). Format involves writing an essay on an international relations prompt. The instructor was unsure if another English proficiency exam is required.
* **Graduation:** Mentioned by a student as potentially May 23rd/24th for online students.
* **Final Class Session:** Tentatively May 2nd (if it’s a working day), possibly for a celebratory wrap-up activity.
3. **Introduction to Chapters 4 (Findings) & 5 (Discussion)**
* **Session Goals:** 1) Understand the purpose of Chapters 4 & 5. 2) Develop content maps/argument trees. 3) Begin outlining Chapters 4 & 5.
* **Thesis Structure Review:** Briefly reviewed the standard structure: Ch 1 (Intro, RQs, Justification, Theory, Lit Review), Ch 2 (Data Collection), Ch 3 (Data Analysis), Ch 4 (Findings), Ch 5 (Discussion), Conclusion.
* **Role of Chapters 4 & 5:** These chapters constitute the main “essay” portion where students present arguments answering the research question, supported by the data detailed in Chapters 2 & 3. A clear link between Ch 2/3 and Ch 4/5 is crucial.
* **Chapter 4 (Findings):**
* Present data/evidence in a logical order.
* State the trends and patterns observed in the data.
* Avoid simply listing facts; structure around identified patterns.
* **Chapter 5 (Discussion):**
* Interpret the findings presented in Chapter 4.
* Explain what the data *means* in relation to the research question.
* Answer the “So what?” question – discuss the importance, implications, and impact of the findings.
4. **Common Thesis Mistakes & Primary Source Discussion**
* **Instructor Observations & Accreditation Feedback:**
* *Lack of Adherence to RQ/Overly Descriptive:* Theses sometimes fail to directly answer the stated research question, instead offering descriptive accounts (like chronological summaries) without sufficient analysis of *why* events matter or *how* they connect to the RQ.
* *Over-reliance on Secondary Sources:* Papers often leaned too heavily on summaries of existing literature or reports, lacking a backbone of primary data analysis.
* *Lack of Citations/Evidence:* Sweeping claims made without supporting evidence or citations. Every argument needs backing. Defense committees frequently ask “How do you know this?” or “Prove it.” Even summarizing scholarly consensus requires citation.
* *Disconnect Between Methodology and Analysis:* Sources/methods detailed in Ch 2/3 were often not utilized or referenced in Ch 4/5, which instead relied on different (often secondary) sources.
* *Poor Academic Writing:* Issues included very long, unstructured paragraphs, lack of clear topic sentences, and weak overall organization.
* **Primary Source Challenges Q&A:**
* Acknowledged it’s too late for new interview-based research requiring IRB approval. Advised students to consider alternative primary sources (textual analysis of speeches, official reports, media articles if analyzed thematically, etc.) or have a Plan B.
* Discussed specific student challenges (Hapasa, Masih) finding primary sources for Afghanistan-related topics post-withdrawal. Instructor acknowledged the difficulty but stressed the late stage and advised urgent consultation with supervisors. Using comments from social media as *inspiration* is fine, but not as primary evidence itself without systematic analysis (like coding scraped posts, which is a large, late task). Difficulty finding sources is understandable but needs to be addressed via supervisor discussion.
5. **Structuring Findings & Discussion (Chapters 4 & 5)**
* **Three Main Structures:** Introduced organizational patterns for Ch 4/5:
* **Thematic:** Best for “how” or “to what extent” RQs, or when data analysis involved coding themes. Organizes findings/discussion around key themes.
* *Example RQ:* How does Russia utilize soft power instruments in Armenia?
* *Potential Themes:* Role of language promotion, educational exchanges, media influence. Focus is on *how* these instruments function to achieve soft power, not just describing their existence.
* *Findings vs. Discussion Clarification:* Findings state patterns (e.g., X programs exist, Y% funding increase, Z% language fluency via polls); Discussion interprets the *meaning* and *impact* of these patterns (e.g., *how* language fluency aids media influence, *why* exchange programs build prestige).
* **Comparative:** Best when the RQ explicitly compares two or more cases. Organizes by points of comparison across the cases.
* *Example RQ:* How do Russia and China’s public diplomacy strategies differ in focus in Kyrgyzstan?
* *Potential Comparison Points:* Focus on education, media engagement, cultural programs.
* **Chronological:** Best for tracing change/development within a single case over time. Must remain *analytical*, grouping events into meaningful eras or phases, not just a timeline.
* *Example RQ:* How did media freedom in Country X change from 2010-2020?
* *Potential Eras:* Period of relative openness (characterized by X, Y events), Period of increased restriction (characterized by Z event, new laws).
* **Choosing a Structure:** Students should choose *one* primary structure to maintain clarity and organization, though elements (like themes) might appear across structures.
6. **Activity: Argument Tree Introduction**
* **Purpose:** To help students visualize and structure their argumentation by breaking down their main hypothesis into primary supporting arguments and further sub-arguments (argumentative hierarchy).
* **Structure:** Hypothesis (trunk) -> Primary Arguments (major branches, representing chapter sections/subsections) -> Sub-arguments (smaller branches, representing paragraphs/clusters of paragraphs).
* **Activity Step 1:** Students asked to write their current Research Question and Hypothesis in a shared Google Doc (link provided via Telegram/email). Instructor emphasized the need for updated versions.
* **Live Feedback:** Instructor reviewed examples from the doc:
* *Akhtan:* Good alignment between RQ (How media contributes to securitization) and Hypothesis (Media frames protests as threats to stability/identity). Hypothesis clearly indicates primary arguments/structure.
* *Tuba:* Identified a disconnect. RQ asks *how* funding/policy affect accessibility, while Hypothesis proposes a *solution* (improving funding/policy *will lead* to better outcomes). Advised Tuba to revise either the RQ or Hypothesis to align, depending on the focus of her collected data (problem analysis vs. solution proposal).
7. **Session Break:** Announced a 10-minute break before continuing with the Argument Tree workshop.
**Actionable Items**
* **High Priority:**
* **Students:** Meet with supervisors ASAP (target: early next week) to review Chapter 2 & 3 drafts and discuss primary source strategies if needed (esp. Masih, Hapasa).
* **Students:** Review Research Question and Hypothesis for alignment. Revise if necessary (esp. Tuba). Ensure hypothesis directly answers the RQ.
* **Students:** Add updated RQ and Hypothesis to the shared Google Doc.
* **Instructor:** Follow up with Prof. Atsunger regarding final defense scheduling confirmation.
* **Instructor:** Begin grading Chapter 2 & 3 submissions (expected completion in ~2 weeks).
* **Medium Priority:**
* **Instructor:** Share personal thesis example as requested, clarifying its methodological differences (lack of specific methods chapter due to department type).
* **Instructor:** Check official university calendar/communications regarding May 2nd status (class day or holiday).
* **Low Priority:**
* **Students:** Begin thinking about the most appropriate structure (Thematic, Comparative, Chronological) for their Chapters 4 & 5 based on their RQ and data.
* **Students:** Start working on the Argument Tree activity introduced before the break (breaking down hypothesis into arguments).
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
No specific homework assignment was given during this lesson; the professor focused on discussing the upcoming schedule, common thesis mistakes, the structure of chapters 4 and 5, and led in-class activities related to outlining these chapters, stating “you’ve submitted your last major assignment for this course Which was chapters two and three”. While recommending students meet with their supervisors, this was framed as ongoing thesis support rather than a distinct assignment for this class session.