As member of a Manuscript Committee, you have to register your assessment of the manuscript in Hora Finita. In exceptional cases (the manuscript belongs to the best 5 to 10% in the relevant field) you are able to indicate on the assessment form in Hora Finita whether you are of the opinion, that the ‘cum laude’ distinction can be awarded.
In Hora Finita, the chair of a Manuscript Committee is seen as a formal member of the Manuscript Committee. Like other members of the Manuscript Committee, the chair must provide an individual assessment of the manuscript.
Step 1: check your e-mail and click on the link
As member of the Manuscript Committee, you have received an e-mail, inviting you to assess the manuscript.
Click on the link in the e-mail: "Download and review the Manuscript"
Step 2: log in with Surfconext (for internal RU-/UMC-employees), or with a unique e-mail code (for external members via HF-account)
You find more information about the Hora Finita log in process in the following manuals:
Note: as internal RU / Radboudumc employee - in the role of member of the manuscript committee -, you can only log in via Surfconext if you are PhD (co-)supervisor of at least one PhD candidate in Hora Finita. If you do not have this PhD (co)supervisor role, you can only log in with the unique e-mail code.
Step 3: download the manuscript
After you have logged in as member of the Manuscript Committee, you can see some additional information about the PhD track. You can also download the manuscript on this page.
Step 4: register your assessment of the manuscript
NOTE: the session time is 2 hours. If the assessment form is unchanged for two hours, your assessment will be lost. Save your assessment in time (on the bottom of the page) to avoid this . The session time is reset to two hours again as soon as you start editing a new field.
In accordance with the doctoral regulations of Radboud University Nijmegen, you, as a member of the Manuscript Committee, must assess the manuscript on the basis of ten criteria. These criteria are stated on the assessment form in Hora Finita. You must provide an assessment of the manuscript for each criterion.
The following criteria are requested for assessment:
- The problem definition is clear and well-defined.
- The manuscript demonstrates that the PhD candidate has familiarised themselves and has worked with the principles and methodologies of international scientific practice and theory formation, methods and studies of the relevant discipline.
- The structure, analysis, and incorporation of the material are correct.
- The methodology was adequately chosen and implemented.
- The results have been achieved in a transparent manner and the research data management (RDM) is adequate in accordance with the standard applicable in the relevant discipline.
- The manuscript contributes to new insights and/or perspectives in the relevant discipline.
- It involves a critical confrontation between the conclusions drawn and existing insights or perspectives.
- There is a clear relationship between the problem definition, the theoretical framework, the methodology, the result, the conclusion, and the discussion.
- The manuscript has an orderly structure.
- The manuscript has a clear style that fits in the academic discipline.
Step 5: register your overall assessment
After you have assessed the manuscript for each criterion, you must register your overall assessment in Hora Finita. Giving an overall assessment means that you either approve or reject the manuscript in its entirety. Giving a motivation is mandatory.
If you have any suggestions or errata that you would like to report to the PhD candidate or the PhD supervisor(s), you can state these on the assessment form.
In exceptional cases (the manuscript belongs to the best 5 to 10% in the relevant field), you can indicate on the assessment form in Hora Finita, whether you are of the opinion, that the ‘cum laude’ distinction can be awarded.
In case the majority of the members of the Manuscript Committee is of the opinion that manuscript is of exceptional scientific quality, the predicate ‘cum laude’ can be awarded.
Please note: a definitive award of this predicate takes place after the defence.
Step 6: send your assessment to the chair of the Manuscript Committee
By clicking on the button “Submit assessment to chair” your assessment form will be saved in Hora Finita. Even if you are the chair yourself, you should send your assessment by clicking on this button.
During your assessment, it is possible to save your assessment form in Hora Finita and to send your definitive assessment at a later time. You can save your assessment form with the button “Save and finish later” (at the bottom of the screen). At that moment, you will receive an e-mail with a link, which leads you back to your saved assessment form in Hora Finita.
After you have sent your assessment form, you will see the message below on your screen:
