Rubric - MSc-thesis
version: 4.0 (source: thesisinternship-rubric-v4.0_20220628.xlsm)
Criterion and subcriterion
Unacceptable Insufficient
Needs
Just sufficient
Good
Very
good
Exemplary Points of
excellence
Select the type(s) of
activity relevant for
the research under
consideration
Study or experiment: Student
is not able to prepare for
and/or execute a study or
experiment based on detailed
instructions in protocol.
Data analysis: Student is
overwhelmed by data. Is not
able to use a spreadsheet
program or any other
appropriate data-basic
processing program.
Model or method
development: Student is not
able to make any
modification/addition to an
existing model/method.
Study or experiment: Student
is able to follow detailed
instructions to some extent,
but errors are made often,
invalidating (part of) the study
or experiment.
Data analysis: Student is able
to organize the data, but is not
able to perform quality checks,
transformations and/or
analyses, or student can do
simple checks but not organize
data themselves.
Model or method
development: Student
modifies an existing
model/method, but errors
occur and persist. No
validation.
Study or experiment: Student
is able to follow detailed
instructions (without critical
assessment of sources of error
and uncertainty).
Data analysis: Student is able
to organize data and perform
some simple checks; but the
way the data are used does
not always clearly contribute
to answering of the research
questions.
Model or method
development: Student is able
to make minor modifications
(say a single formula or step)
to an existing model/method.
Validation is superficial or
absent.
Study or experiment: Student
is able to judge the setup of an
existing study or experiment
and to include modifications if
needed. Takes into account
sources of error and
uncertainty appropriately
(quantitatively where
applicable).
Data analysis: Student is able
to organize the data, perform
commonly used checks and
perform some advanced
analyses on the data.
Model or method
development: Student is able
to make major modifications
to an existing model/method,
based on literature and/or
own analyses. Validation
using appropriate (statistical)
measures.
Study or experiment: Student
is able to setup or adapt a
study or experiment tailored
to answering the research
questions. Appropriate
(quantitative where
applicable) consideration of
sources of error and
uncertainty. Execution of the
study / experiment is flawless
Data analysis: Student is able
to organize the data, perform
thorough checks and perform
advanced and original analyses
on the data
Model or method
development: Student is able
to develop a model/method
from scratch, or add an
important new part to an
existing model/method.
Excellent theoretical basis for
model/method as well as use
of advanced validation
methods.
Context No context of the research
given or the context described
is nonsensical.
Context of the research is
described in broad terms.
There is no link between the
described context and the
research questions /
hypothesis.
Context of the research is
correct but limited in width
and depth (e.g. does not go
beyond the information
provided by the supervisor).
Context of the research is
defined well and to-the-point
and includes the knowledge
gap. The research questions /
hypothesis emerge directly
from the described context.
Context of the research is
defined sharply, to-the-point,
funnelling from the broader
context to the knowledge gap.
The research questions /
hypothesis emerge directly
from the described context.
Novelty and innovation of the
hypothesis
There is no researchable
research question or testable
hypothesis and the delineation
of the research is absent.
Most research questions are
unclear, or not researchable.
Hypothesis is not specific
and/or testable. Rationale of
research is not well-defined.
Delineation of the research is
weak.
Rationale of research and
research questions /
hypothesis are mostly clear,
but could have been defined
sharper at some points.
Delineation of the research is
provided.
Rationale of research is clear.
The research questions are
researchable, hypotheses are
testable. A clear delineation of
the research is provided.
Rationale of the research is
well-defined and linked to the
context. The research
questions are researchable,
clear and formulated to-the-
point. Hypothesis is specific
and testable. Research is
clearly delineated, also vis-a-
No theoretical underpinning. There is some connection
made between the research
and underlying
theories/literature, but the
description shows serious
errors.
The relevant theory/literature
is used, but the description is
minimalistic, has not been
tailored to the research at
hand, or shows occasional
errors.
Student links the research to
relevant theory/literature and
identifies knowledge gap. The
relevant theory is synthesized,
and successfully tailored to the
research at hand.
Clear, complete yet to-the-
point, and coherent linkage to
relevant theories/literature.
Student develops hypothesis
based on well-defined
knowledge gap. Description
tailored to the research at
No description of research
methods and analysis of the
information/data, or
description is unintelligible.
Methods and analysis are not
appropriate.
Description of research
methods and analysis of
information/data is
minimalist,. incomplete or
unclear. Or some of the
methods and analysis used are
not appropriate.
Description of methods and
analysis of information/data is
mostly complete, but lacks
clarity or detail at some points,
hampering exact repetition of
the work. Some minor parts of
the methods and analysis used
are not to most appropriate.
Description of methods and
analysis of information/data is
clear and complete. All
methods and analysis are
appropriate. Level of detail
allows for a close to exact
repetition of the work.
Description of methods and
analysis of information/data is
clear, complete and
efficient/to-the-point.
Methods and analysis of
information/data are all
appropriate. Level of detail
and quality of description
enables exact repetition of
Based on the description the
reader is not able to
understand what results were
achieved.
Results or their connection to
the research questions /
hypothesis are unclear. Text,
figures, graphs, tables etc.
contain several flaws.
Results are enumerated
understandably and correctly,
and are connected to the
research questions /
hypothesis. Text, figures,
graphs, tables, etc. are
appropriate and show few
flaws.
Results are presented correctly
and efficiently. Text, figures,
graphs, tables etc. are linked
to the goals of the research
questions / hypothesis in a
logical way. Text, figures,
graphs, tables, etc. are
appropriate and correct..
Results are presented
flawlessly and efficiently, with
a clear storyline connecting
the various results. Text,
figures, graphs, tables etc. are
well-chosen or original, and
efficiently guide the reader to
understand what results were
achieved in relation to the
2.3 Description and choice of methods and processing of information/data
2.2 Theoretical underpinning of goals and framework
1.7 Execution of research
2.4 Presentation of data and results
2. Research report (50%)
2.1 Context, goals and delineation of research/project
date: 28/06/2022 page 2