CRITIQUING A THESIS

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CRITIQUING A THESIS
By Mike Metcalfe

• BY CANDIDATE
• BY SUPERVISOR
• BY ASSOCIATE-SUPERVISOR AS MOCK-EXAMINER
• BY EXAMINERS

CRITIQUE OR RE-VIEW To See Again, Differently
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Three Views

• The Breuer and Reichertz 8
• The Churchman 5
• Argumentative Inquiry

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The Breuer and Reichertzs 8

• Stand Up In Court
• Discovery, innovative
• Researchers track record
• Critical, sceptical
• Ethical
• Practical relevance or social action
• Politics Of Representation (Fads, trends)
• Evaluation (Cost effective, Time)

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C. West Churchmans 5

• Social Inquiry Is A Study Of
• Purposeful Human Activity
• Does Your Thesis Provide
• An Explanation Why (theory)
• A Logical Argument
• Empirics Where Possible
• Counter Alternative Explanations Why
• Give All Stakeholders A Voice

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ARGUMENTATIVE INQUIRY

• What was your thesis, argument, conclusion,
  knowledge claim?
• Was it empirically falsifiable?
• Is it sufficiently novel or surprising?
• What was argued against?
• Was the supporting evidence sufficient (see
  Churchman) ?
• Implications so what - if your argument is
  accepted?

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Argumentative Inquiry

• For more details see
• http//business2.unisa.edu.au/cobar/researchgroups
  /irg/irg.htm

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In Summation?

• Is It Sceptical And Critical?
• Would It Stand Up In Court?

Candidate
Thesis