MASTER THESIS IN THE FORM OF A MONOGRAPHY

1. Definition
A dissertation in the form of a monography is a dissertation whose main point is to provide a critical
synthesis of the state of knowledge on a topic and may be complemented by original research.

2. Method
Such a dissertation must use all the relevant literature dealing with the topic it addresses. It must then report it
in a synthetic and meaningful way, so as to address its research question.

3. Content
- An introduction to define the research question to be addressed, put it in perspective, and introduce the outline
of the dissertation;
- Two to three sections (if you end up with more than three, turn some of them into subsections of a larger
section);
- A conclusion;
- A list of bibliographic references;
- An appendix (optional).

4. Assessment criteria common to all types of dissertations

- Capacity to remain critical, and intellectual honesty;
- Formal correctness and grammar.

5. Assessment criteria specific to monographies

- Relevance of the reported literature to address the research question;
- Understanding of the reported literature;
- Relevance and correctness of the method used for original work, if any;
- Clarity and originality of the dissertation’s argumentation;
- Consistence of the dissertation’s outline;
- Conclusiveness.

6. Main pitfall
To believe that longer monographs are necessarily better, and drag out your arguments.

This note complements but does not replace the “Réglement mémoire - RulesMaster Thesis” that can be found on MonULB,
which describes in more detail the formal requirements of the faculty, and gives practical pieces of advice on how to carry out
your research work.

Claudia Toma – October 2019