Unit 3
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH WORK IN
UKRAINE
Task 1. Read and learn the words and word
combinations.
applicant - претендент, кандидат, абітурієнт
supervisor
– керівник
take exams (in) - складати іспити
entrance exams
- вступні іспити
field of study (research)
- галузь дослідження
credit – залік
select – вибирати
approve – схвалювати
requirement – вимога
submit - подавати, представляти
publish – друкувати
publications – публікації
abstract - тези, реферат
review (v) – рецензувати
review (n) - рецензія, відгук
reviewer - рецензент, опонент
defence – захист
Task 2. Make
up sentences with the words given in task 1.
Task 3. Read the
text and discuss it. Write a synopsis of the text in five sentences.
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH WORK IN
The names of higher academic degrees in
Applicants for doctoral studies have to write a
paper (about 20 pages long) on the problems which they
intend to research. The paper is reviewed by the applicant's
supervisor and then the applicant takes entrance exams. If admitted, the applicant becomes
an aspirant (postgraduate).
A full-time postgraduate course lasts three years, and a correspondence
course four years. In the first year the postgraduate takes two examinations for the 'candidate's minimum': in
philosophy and a foreign language. Before the exam in foreign language
the postgraduate translates a book from that language into Ukrainian -
usually related to his/her field of study. In the second or third year they
take an examination in their field of research (also a part of the 'candidate's
minimum').
The
theme of the research is usually selected by the supervisor and then approved
by the department and the faculty council. Original research is an absolute
requirement. Theses are written in Ukrainian. The
average length is 150 pages; the maximum is 200 pages.
Before submitting the thesis the candidate has to publish a number of
articles and several abstracts of his/her conference papers. Publication of the thesis is not required, but a long
abstract (avtoreferat) (20 pages long) is published
and sent to the country's major academic libraries and to prominent specialists
in the field.
The finished thesis is submitted by the
supervisor for review by two or three professors, after which it is discussed
at a meeting of the department. The text is either accepted or amendments and
improvements are suggested. When the final
version is submitted, a special scientific council appoints two
independent reviewers (no reviewer may be a member of the supervisor's
department. If the reviews are positive a public defense takes place. The
degree is awarded by the scientific council, but the diploma is issued by the
Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and Sports. Completion rates are high:
80-90 % of aspirants defend their dissertations.
Postgraduates are paid monthly grants by the state. Graduates are
usually university lecturers. Holders of a Candidate's (PhD) degree can
earn two or even three times as much as other lecturers.
Task 4. Answer
the questions using the active vocabulary: What do we call:
a)
a person who studies at the
postgraduate courses:
b)
exams which postgraduates must
pass;
c)
a person (a professor) who helps
a postgraduate in his research;
d)
a written research work which a postgraduate must
submit to the scientific council;
e)
a person who reviews the thesis;
f)
the procedure when postgraduates submit their thesises to the scientific council.
Task 5. Read the following
statements from the text and comment them:
1.
The names of higher degrees in
2. A correspondence
postgraduate course lasts 4 years. Why does it last longer than a full-time
course? When and how do correspondence postgraduate students study?
3.
A postgraduate takes exams of the candidate's minimum
(qualifying exams). Why must postgraduate pass such exams? How important are
they for research work? Which of these exams is (are) unnecessary, to your
mind?
4.
Original research is an absolute requirement. How
original must your research be? If you write a dissertation where do you
express the originality, newness of your work'.'
5.
A public defence is usually
quite an ordeal. What are the difficulties of public defence?
What must a postgraduate prepare for this procedure? Ask your friends or
colleagues about their experience of this kind.
Task
6. Read the text again and answer the questions:
1.
What is the equivalent of the PhD degree in
2.
What must applicants for postgraduate studies write?
3.
What entrance exams must applicants take'?
4.
How long docs a full-time postgraduate course last?
5.
What exams for the candidate's minimum must postgraduate
pass?
6.
What does a postgraduate have to prepare to pass an
exam in foreign language?
7. What other subjects
do postgraduates study'? Do they get grants?
8.
Who is the theme of the research selected by?
9.
What is the average length of the thesis?
10.How many publications must a
candidate have?
11. What must a
postgraduate submit to the scientific council?
12.Who reviews the thesis?
13.Where is the long abstract
sent to?
14. Who awards the
degree of Candidate of Science?
Task
7. Translate the sentences:
1. Кандидати (вступники) до аспірантури повинні
написати реферат (20 сторінок). 2. Вони складають
вступні іспити. 3. Навчання в аспірантурі триває 3 роки. 4. На другому курсі
аспіранти складають іспити з кандидатського
мінімуму з іноземної мови та філософії. 5. Тема дисертації
обирається (пропонується) науковим керівником. 6. Оригінальне
дослідження є
обов'язковою вимогою. 7. Аспірант повинен мати кілька публікацій - статті та
тези конференцій. 8. Автореферат повинен бути надрукований і розісланий
опонентам, провідним спеціалістам у цій галузі та в основні наукові бібліотеки
України та СНД. 9. Вчена рада університету призначає
двох опонентів. 10. Якщо відгуки позитивні, відбувається захист
дисертації. 11. Аспіранти отримують щомісячні державні стипендії.
Task 8. Agree to the statements of your friend. Use
the following expressions of agreement:
You are right; You are
quite (absolutely) right; It is quite true that ...; What you say is
correct...; I agree entirely with you.; N is definitely right when saying that
... .
Example: - Mike is a post-graduate student
at the statistics department of
-
You are quite right. He is a post-graduate
student
1. You work under Dr. Marchuk, don't you?
2. You have graduated from
3. You take part in the research carried on
in your department. Am I right?
4. You have published several research papers
in journals, haven’t you?
5. You collaborate with your colleagues. Is
it true?
6. You have obtained valuable information,
haven’t you?
Task 9. Disagree to the statements of your friend.
Use the following expressions of polite disagreement:
I'm afraid you are wrong (mistaken); As a general
rule you are quite right, but in this case I think.; What you say seems to be
general opinion, but.; I agree with you to a certain extent, but.; A large part
of what you say is true, but.; I disagree with your assessment. Example: -This research student has already passed all his candidate
examinations, hasn't he?
-
I'm afraid you are mistaken. He has only
passed his exam in philosophy.
1
His
friend has finished the experimental part of his dissertation, hasn't he?
2
Your
colleagues do not assist you in your research. Am I right?
3
The
article doesn't contain any valuable information, does it?
4
He has
taken part in many international scientific conferences, hasn't he?
5
My
coworker is rather an experimentator than a
theoretical, isn't he?
6
He
didn't use any new method in his research. Do you agree with me?
Task 10. Agree or disagree to the following
statements
Example: - I know
(that) University trains post-graduate students.
-
Yes, you are right. Besides, our University
does research.
-
No, I see you are misinformed. Our University
does not train postgraduate students. It trains only undergraduates.
1
I found
that almost all collaborators of your department combine activities in research
with experimental work.
2
I
believe you base your experiments on theoretical considerations.
3
A
doctoral thesis (dissertation) is a serious effort and it must mark a
considerable advance in a given sphere of knowledge.
4
This
branch of knowledge has been rapidly developing in the last two decades.
5
Doctoral
candidates are not supposed to pass their examination in a foreign language.
6
I always
discuss the obtained data with my research adviser.
Task
11. Answer the following questions
Example: - I work in close contact with my
research adviser. And what about you.
-
I work in close contact with my research
adviser too.
1 I work in close contact with the
collaborators of our department. And what about you?
2 My friend works in close contact with the
scientists of the
3
Our
University works in close contact with
4 My scientific adviser works in close contact
with the scientists of
Task 12. Speak on the
following problems and discuss them with your colleagues:
1.
The theme of your research. Who selected it? Why is it
interesting for you? How important is it for your field of science (industry)?
2.
Entrance exams. What exams for the postgraduate
courses did you pass? How did you pass them? What did you have to prepare?
3.
Postgraduate courses. Advantages and disadvantages of
studying at such courses.
Lexical revision. Commonly
misused words.
Translate the sentences.
Choose the correct usage with the help of a dictionary if necessary.
1. Our youngest child was born /borne last
month. John, has born / borne the burden by himself for long
enough.
2. Mickey borrowed the
soldering iron from /off Allen.
3. I can borrow /lend/ loan you some money. Can I borrow
/lend / loan your car? I took a borrow /lend/loan from the bank.
4. I prefer a bicycle with a foot brake/break. Because
he didn't brake/ break in time, Paul crashed into the tree. If
you are not careful, you will brake /break that dish.
5. Some fortunate people can/may arrange
their time to include work and pleasure. You can/may hunt deer
only during certain seasons.