The Oral Examination and the Project
Political Science 5397
Applied Research Project
Patricia M. Shields
Before the Oral Examination
1. One week before the oral exam, approved draft of the ARP must go to each committee member and to the second reader. Some second readers want material earlier. Dr. Shields will let you know if this is the case.
2. Check to see whether they want a hard copy or electronic copy.
3. The second reader should let you know if there are any problems. You should begin working on changes they suggest.
4. The second reader will let me know their assessment (approved, needs more work) over the week.
5. Make sure that the MPA Administrative Assistant
has the title of your ARP. The title must appear on the Oral Examination form
that goes to the
Getting Ready for the Oral Examination
1. Establish rapport with the committee members. You may do this through e-mail or in person. Ask them, "How should I prepare for the oral exam?"
2. Remind them of the date and time of the oral.
3. Tell them a little about the project.
4. Some students have handouts they prepare for the
oral examination.
At the Oral Examination
1. If the oral exam is at the Political Science Department, come a few minutes and wait at the Political Science Office. Check in with the MPA Administrative Assistant. She knows which room the oral exam will be in.
2. If the oral exam is at another location, information will be provided through the list serv.
3. Dress professionally.
4. Bring your ARP draft. You can refer to it during the oral.
5. Be
prepared to summarize the ARP during the first 10-15 minutes of the oral exam.
After the Oral Examination
1. Get
two hard bound and approved copies to the Political Science Department by the
second to the last day of finals. Most students use Jenn’s Copy & Binding,
2. Send an HTML file of the Abstract to Dr. Shields or her assistant. Title the file LastnameAbst.doc. Be sure and include your name and ARP title on the abstract.
3. Register for the MPA Alumni list serve, send a message to: MPAGRAD-L-Request@groups.txstate.edu
Put "subscribe" in the subject field or in the body of the text.
4. To unsubscribe to the ARP-L send a message to ARP-L- send a message to ARP-L-Request@groups.txstate.edu put "unsubscribe" in the subject field on the body of the text.
5. To unsubscribe to the MPA-L send a message to
ARP-L- send a message to ARP-L-Request@groups.txstate.edu
put "unsubscribe" in the subject field on the body of the text.
6. Send
on electronic copy of the ARP (one file only) and a separate copy of the
Abstract (one file only) to Dodie. It should be in MSWord form.
Title the file LastnameARP.doc and Lastnameabs.doc