Thesis in Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology: A Roadbook 2020/2021
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Thesis in Clinical and
Experimental Neuropsychology:
A Roadbook
Thesis Coordinator
Jorge Almeida, PhD
2020/2021
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THESIS OBJECTIVES 3
DURATION 4
SUPERVISION 4
STUDENTS ERRO! MARCADOR NÃO DEFINIDO.
ASSESSMENT 5
THESIS FORMATTING ERRO! MARCADOR NÃO DEFINIDO.
CRITERIA FOR THESIS ASSESSMENT 6
THESIS INFORMATION FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021 73
Thesis Objectives
During their 2nd year of training, IMCEN’s students are required to complete their research proposals and write
a Master’s Thesis in line with the goals of IMCEN and in direct supervision of one (or more) IMCEN Faculty.
The Thesis serves the purpose of laying out the research work in a format akeen to how science is typically
reported.
Thus, the Thesis should cover the theoretical arena of the area of research. This should include the state-of-
the-art of the general field of study and a strong literature review of the more specific topic being studied, a
clear definition of the problem to be investigated and of the hypothesis to be tested, and how these are
motivated by previous research. The Thesis should then address the methodologies used, and clearly explain
and describe the data analysis pipelines used. Ethical issues should be clearly stated. The description of the
results should include proper statistics and data reporting. Finally, the Thesis should include a clear discussion
on how the results resolve the scientific problem described in the introduction, and whether the results are in
line (or not) with the hypothesis tested. Importantly, the discussion/conclusion should very clearly integrate
the results and hypotheses within the literature and prior results (whether disproving or or providing evidence
for extant theories) – an effort should be made for understanding the impact of the results in the extant
literature. Moreover, the Thesis should follow the formatting requests of the University at which it is being
defended.
Overall, in the process of writing the Thesis and executing their research work, students are expected to have
aquired competencies at the instrumental, conceptual, interpersonal and instititional levels:
a) Instrumental (e.g., managing different techniques and procedures to do research, assess, and
intervene; command of the ethical assessment necessary for research; command of statistical
analysis).
b) Conceptual (e.g., command of current theoretical proposals and research outcomes associated with
different neuropsychological research and clinical domains; command of the processing of motivating
a research question; use of critical thinking and academic writing).
c) Interpersonal (e.g., demonstrate appropritate interpersonal skills with patients, families/care-takers,
research participants; colleagues, and supervisors).
d) Institutional (e.g., show an understanding of the aims and intitutional practices of academia, the ability
to behave ethically and in accordance with the institutional standards and pratices).4
Duration
The Thesis should be prepared between the months of September and July requiring 30 ECTS of student’s
work – a total of 840 hours. Students should devote their time to preparing and writing the Thesis in direct
contact with their supervisors.
Supervision
Students will be supervised by on (or more) IMCEN faculty member. Students should have regular meetings
with the supervisor in order to schedule their research activities and prepare their research work and Thesis.
The Supervisor is responsible for:
a) Help preparing, along with the Student, a feasible research plan.
b) Provide the student with the means to carry out the research activities.
c) Close monitoring of the progress of the research work and Thesis, and providing conditions for
progressive autonomy.
d) Along with the Student, prepare a writing plan, and supervise this plan.
Students
The completion of the Thesis work requires students to be IMCEN 2nd year students which have completed the
required credits. In the course of IMCEN’s Master Thesis and research work, students are required to:
a) Behave according to research ethical principles.
b) Comply with the host institution’s rules and internal regulations.
c) Carry out the work plans and schedules previously established with the Supervisor.
d) Maintain confidentiality regarding all the information accessed during the research work.
e) Assure adequate maintenance of all the host’s equipment and materials.
f) Maintain a professional interaction with patients, research participants, families, colleagues and
supervisors.
g) Follow all ethical, conceptual and formatting requirements of Thesis writing.5
Assessment
The final classification (scale 0-20) is attributed by the Thesis assessment panel. The Thesis
assessment panel is constituted by the Supervisor, and two other PhD researchers. One of this should
be external to IMCEN. Panel members are designated by IMCEN’s scientific and coordinating board.
The final classification will take into account the following elements: Overall assessment of the Thesis
(70% of the final grade) and assessment of the Thesis defense (30% of the grade) both provided by
the assessment panel.
Thesis formatting
At the designated date, students should deliver their Thesis with following requirements:
a) Format – electronic format.
b) Length – Limited to 30 (pages, spaced 1.5).
c) Language – English.
d) Style - APA style.
e) Structure Guidelines: Title page and Cover page (following specific requirements for each
University); Summary; Acknowledgements (brief); Introduction (including research problem
and hypothesis); Methods; Results; Discussion and Conclusion; References (following APA
format); and annexes.
f) Formatting guidelines:
a. University of Coimbra: https://www.uc.pt/identidadevisual/templates_documentos
b. University of Minho:
https://alunos.uminho.pt/PT/estudantes/Paginas/InfoUteisFormatacao.aspx
c. University of Lisbon: https://www.psicologia.ulisboa.pt/wp-
content/uploads/2017/04/Regulamento-MIP-25nov2013-3-2.pdf6
Criteria for Thesis Assessment
Insufficient Fair Good Very Good Excellent
18
Introduction Insufficient or
unclear introduction
Fair introduction to
the field, but lacking a
Good introduction to
the field, with both a
Very good introduction
to the field, with a
Very good introduction
to the field, with a
25% to the thesis main clear motivation for broad scope and an solid a broad scope very complete broad
Describes the state-of-the-art, scientific problem the scientific problem understanding of review and an scope review and an
both in a broad view and then and hypothesis, and and hypothesis. specific field. The understanding of outstanding
focusing on the specific scientific very superficial problem and specific field. The understanding of
field; describes clearly the research introduction to the hypothesis are well problem and specific field. The
problem; describes clearly the state-of-the-art. No stated with minimal hypothesis are well problem and
hypothesis and how they fit with connection between motivation from the stated with and seem hypothesis are clearly
the state-of-the-art and how they the state-of-the-art state-of-the-art. well motivated by the with are very well
resolve the problem. and the problem and state-of-the-art. motivated by the
hypothesis. state-of-the-art, and
are extremely timely.
Methodology Poor understanding
of the methods used;
General understanding
of the methods that
Good understanding
of the methods used.
Very good
understanding
An excellent
understanding of
20% no description of the were used. Very Correct use of methods used, and of methods used, and of
Describes the methods and ethical procedures general description of statistics and the statistical the statistical
statistical pipelines used, the required; clear lack the statistics used and understanding of decisions made. decisions made –
ethical procedures in place, and of statistical pipelines employed. alternative statistical Correct use of going beyond the
discusses methodological pitfalls knowledge and Mentions Ethics pipelines. Clear statistics and state-of-the-art. Clear
and ways to solve them inappropriate committees. description of the understanding of description of the
statistical pipelines. ethical procedures in alternative statistical ethical procedures in
place. pipelines. Clear place
description of the
ethical procedures in
place.
Data analysis and Data is not
sufficiently
Data is only minimally
described, and
Data is appropriately
reported, and
Data is very well
reported with the use
Data extremely well
reported, with
Results described, and statistics are not statistics used are of appropriate outstanding
statistics are not correctly reported. reported throughout. visualization visualization
20% reported. techniques. Statistics techniques –
Reports, in a transparent manner, are fully described and extremely clear.
all data and statistics following explained. Statistics are reported
APA format. Shows adequate use appropriately.
and command of the statistical
methods.
Discussion/Conclusion Inadequate or no
conclusions are
Very limited discussion
of the results in light
Discussion of the
results in light of the
Results are thoroughly
discussed in light of
Results are very well
discussed in light of
25% presented, data of the hypothesis, hypothesis, scientific the hypothesis and the hypothesis and
Connects the results with the presentation is just a scientific problem and problem and extant scientific problem, and scientific problem, and
scientific problem and hypothesis pre-description of extant literature. literature is adequate are set in the context are set in the context
proposed, summarizes the data; the data, inadequate Crude description of but relatively general. of the extant of the extant
demonstrates how the results or no connection to the results. No study Results are well literature. Limitation literature. Pertinent
advance the field, and how they the problem or limitations presented. described and there is and future directions limitations and future
respond to the scientific problem; hypothesis and to an effort to related are discussed. An directions are
connects the results with extant extant literature is them to the extant effort to advance the discussed. Clear
literature; discusses limitations made. No discussion literature. Very extant literature is discussion of how the
and potential future research of study limitations. general study made. work advances the
efforts. limitations are extant literature is
presented. made.
Formatting No formatting is
done and the text is
Basic formatting is
presented but not all
All formatting
requirements are met
All formatting
requirements are met
All formatting
requirements are met
10% not properly criteria are followed. and the text seems and the text seems and the text is very
Follows all the formatting organized. The Thesis lacks organized. Lacks organized. Ideas are well organized. Ideas
requirements of the specific organization. conceptual flow. APA coherent and are coherent and
University. formatting is conceptual flow is conceptual flow is
sometime lacking. logical. APA logical. All text is very
formatting is clear and the chain
thoroughly used. arguments
compelling. APA
formatting is
thoroughly used.7
Thesis Information for Academic Year 2020/2021
Calendar
Research work and Thesis writing should take place between October 6th – June 26th (unless
otherwise established with the supervisor)
Thesis Deadline
June 26th
Thesis Defense
2021: July, 1st – 31th (Normal season)
2021: September, 1st – 30th (Special season)
2022: January, 3rd – February, 28th
Thesis and Supervision 2020/2021
Intern Thesis title Academic Supervisor
Adriana Martins The impact of Óscar Gonçalves;
inhibitory control Sergi Bermudez
training on the
regulation of the
appetitive and
defensive systems
Alexandre Santos The effects of musical Ana Pinheiro
training on emotional
recognition
Ana Carolina Self-Report Symptoms Mário R. Simões
Artiaga Inventory (SRSI):
Validation studies
Catarina Senra Action recognition of Olivia LaPenta;
point-light displays Adriana Sampaio
presented with
semantically
(in)congruent auditory
stimuli: Behavioral and
electrophysiological
correlates8
Filipa Gonçalves Learning from errors in María Maraver; Ana
memory Raposo
Jade Zina Manders The impact of Óscar Gonçalves;
inhibitory control Sergi Bermudez
training on the
emotional regulation of
stroke patients with
alexithymia symptoms
Joana Antunes Different early affect Adriana Sampaio; Ana
touch experiences: A Mesquita
neurophysiological study
Joana Sayal “Retinotopic “mapping in Zohar Tal; Jorge
the auditory cortex of Almeida
congenital deaf subjects
Lucas Naumann Processing of cognitive Ana Pinheiro
and emotional conflict in
voice hearers
Margarida Longitudinal study of Ana Raposo
Marques memory for the euro
2016 final
Ricardo Francisco Neurocognitive sequelae Ana Pinheiro; Tatiana
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