Department of Political Science Education Equips Assessment and Thesis Supervisors

The Department of Political Science Education has organised a supervision and assessment workshop for supervisors of the Department at the School of Creative Arts Conference Room, Central Campus, Winneba.

The workshop was meant to equip supervisors in producing quality students who can make outstanding research advancements to facilitate progress and support stuck thesis writing.

Addressing the session, the Head, Department of Political Science Education, Dr. Akwasi Amoako-Gyampah reminded participants about the need to effectively supervise their students to deliver high-quality research outputs. 

Dr. Akwasi Amoako-Gyampah during his address

“The successful completion of a research thesis is just as much a function of intelligence in the training of students as the ability of the supervisor. Thus, producing a high-quality thesis require smart, educated, and well-trained students as well as effective supervision,” he emphasised. 

There were scholarly presentations by two UEW pioneer tutors, Prof. Kwame Boafo-Arthur and Prof. R. H. Kofi Darkwah. Prof. Boafo-Arthur spoke on the “Roles, Challenges and Tools in Post-graduate Supervision, and Legal and Ethical Issues in Post-graduate Supervision” while Prof. Darkwah talked on “Identifying and Solving Problems in Post-graduate Supervision and Assessing Post-graduate dissertation – which criteria determine a good dissertation?”. 

Prof. Boafo-Arthur stressed, in his presentation, the role of the supervisors, pointing out that supervision is a relationship requiring trust and respect towards the successful completion of the research thesis.                                                                                        Prof. Boafo-Arthur

“Students have the right to expect regular, high-quality advice, support, and direction in their quest for academic excellence. The fundamental role of the graduate supervisor, therefore, is to ensure that the supervisee succeeds in completing his/her thesis research.” 

Prof. Darkwah prompted participants to the fact that research is not an event but an activity; a rigorous process of going through problem identification, data collection over a period, and analysing the data to resolve the research problem.

Prof. R. H. Kofi Darkwah

“Research is not an event. It is an activity, a process of collecting data over a period, and a process of working on the data directed towards an effort aimed at a solution to the problem identified. Therefore, it has to be carefully planned”, he averred.

He identified two key areas of research which he described as the sine qua non; the course work or theoretical foundation and the practical work or the dissertation. He explained that the practical work is always predicated on some theoretical foundations, therefore, making it sine qua non.   

Participants asked questions for further clarification and also made significant contributions to the issues raised at the workshop.