400-080-6358 www.zhan.com Tom: He means that you've got to make the reader interested by putting your most important ideas right at the start so that the reader will want to know more. Jim: Or pass on if it isn't relevant to them.
Ruth: I suppose that's right. He said something similar to me. He said a good abstract would indicate the quality of the dissertation to follow. Oh, no, it was Professor Martin (Q23) who told me that. Jim: But you can't just put the results there. Dr Klemper told me quite specifically that I have to indicate how I carried out my experiments. (Q24) What the technique was.
Tom: That's true but he also said you shouldn't write all your findings in the abstract. If you did that, no one would bother to finish it. (Q25) It'd be pointless continuing if you knew all the information at the beginning.
Ruth: And I also remember someone telling us an abstract should be direct, to the point and not overlong. (Q26) I think it was Dr Wary. He said most people want to read a brief summary as they are more concerned about the actual dissertation. Hold on, that was Professor Smith's advice.
You now have some time to read questions 27 to 30 (pause for 20 seconds). Now listen carefully and answer questions 27 to 30.
Ruth: Well I think I'll put my main results first in my abstract. I can begin it something like, \attention. (Q27) Jim: You'll disregard Professor Smith's notes.
Ruth: Yes, I think so. I don't think the method he suggests is really appropriate for my dissertation. You know, this discussion has been very useful. I have a much clearer picture now of how to write my dissertation. I can get this abstract finished this week and give it in to my supervisor next week. If she's happy with it I'll get it handed in by next month. No, wait. I only have the finishing touches so I'll get it handed in earlier, by Easter. (Q28) Jim: That's great. I wish mine was nearly so close to completion. It'll be next year before I even finish my first set of experiments.
Tom: Me too. I've had to wait such a long time for the equipment and laboratory to become free.
Jim: It depends on how long it will take me to write up the theoretical part of the dissertation. It could be this year or next.
Tom: My theory part is done and if the experiment results fit in with the theory it should be quite a quick write up. If they don't, then I've got a lot of thinking to do and I've no idea when I'll finish. (Q29) Jim: Same with me. But enough of our worries. What are you going to do when you've finished? Take a holiday?
Ruth: Well, I thought I would visit Scotland before I go home and maybe take a tour of Europe.
Tom: Good idea. You could always go on a trip after your exam and before
400-080-6358 www.zhan.com graduation.
Ruth: No, after the exam I have to go straight home. I'm due to take up my new position in July. (Q30) Jim: But that means you'll miss your graduation, what a shame! Can't you make it?
Ruth: It's a pity but I don't think that's possible. The flights are expensive and I couldn't afford the time just after starting work.
Tom: Maybe you could find the time to come to our graduation next year - if we finish our dissertations!
That is the end of Section 3. You will have half a minute to check your answers (pause for 30 seconds).
Section 4
You will hear a lecturer describing the formalities and procedures which students need to complete before submitting their dissertations.
First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40 (pause for 40 seconds).
Now listen carefully to the talk and answer questions 31 to 40.
Lecturer:
Okay, I've got you all together so I can go through the various things you need to do before you can hand in your dissertations.
Right. The first thing you need to do is get a certificate which says you need to do is get a certificate which says you have paid your fees to the university or you've paid your university accommodation. It is to make sure you don't owe the university any money. Once you've settled all outstanding bills the university Finance Section will issue you with this form, Mrs Pearson deals with them.
You probably don't know where her office is so I'll tell you. It's in the main university administration building. You go in through big double doors into a reception area.
On your right is the Administrative section, (Q31) some of you may have been there for committee meetings and so on. Opposite that is a door with the Cash Office written on it. Actually that's moved and it's really the Student Loans office. (Q32) Sooner or later we'll get round to changing that sign. In front of you is a door with the Finance Section (Q33) on it. There are four offices in this part.
Directly opposite is where the Cash Office (Q34) now is. You have to go there to claim any money the University owes you. Sometimes Mrs Pearson works in the room on the right of the Cash Office but her real office is the last office at the other end of the
400-080-6358 www.zhan.com corridor. (Q35) It's very light and airy - she's lucky to have two windows.
Okay. Once you've got your certificate, you can hand in your dissertation. The main body of your dissertation has to be double spaced and on one side of the paper only. Appendices are single spaced, (Q36) and that includes the tables of contents at the beginning, and so is the abstract.
The abstract is a summary of the dissertation and you must put a copy of this at the front of your dissertation. You need to put your name, the title of the dissertation, the name of this university and the date at the top and it mustn't be more than three hundred words long. (Q37)
You have to print everything in black ink. That includes the diagrams if you have any. You can't use colours because our regulations say the dissertation has to be
photocopiable in black and white. But are there any geographers here? Okay, well there are some special rules for you which allow you to submit maps (Q38) in colour. But this is the only exception.
For all of you there is a series of declarations which you need to type up, date and sign. These go on a single sheet of paper and go after the abstract (Q39) at the front of your dissertation. These are declarations that the research is yours and not someone else's, and you haven't already submitted it for another degree.
The dissertations must have hard covers. The regulations don't specify the colour of the binding or the lettering but it is customary to bind dissertations in black. (Q40)
We need two copies of your dissertation for our library and we'll need the certificate from Mrs Pearson. Once we get all those things, we can send off your dissertation for examination.
That is the end of Section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers (pause for 30 seconds).
That is the end of the Listening Test.
400-080-6358 www.zhan.com
400-080-6358 www.zhan.com