IMS Research Regulations / Policy

IMS Research Regulations

1. INTRODUCTION…students first

The decades-long IMS (Pak-AIMS) legacy to facilitate students has been a continuous source of motivation for those students who intend to enter in the field of higher education for their brighter future. In continuation of the same, the worthy Rector, IMS, has been kind enough to further support students engaged in academic research through overcoming their problems assessed as a consequence of evaluation of their research work. Hence, in pursuance of his instructions to realize the national higher education objectives through IMS pursuit for quality assurance laid down in line with the HEC Graduate Policy 2023, following research guidelines are being set in the best interest of our students. The document provides comprehensive guidelines and policies aimed at ensuring the highest standards of academic research at IMS (Pak-AIMS) facilitating MPhil and PhD researchers and faculty alike, outlining the essential steps in research work, from selecting a research area to the final submission of a dissertation. It would further help to maintain academic integrity, ensure methodological soundness, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge relevant to national and global perspectives for meaningful and impactful research.

2. POLICY PROVISIONS FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH

Selection of Research Area
The research area of the MPhil/PhD researcher shall:

1. Correspond to the community needs at regional and local levels and comply with the priority national research agenda.
2. Reflect the basic and pure research.
3. Signify emerging areas of research that coincide preferably with sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Development of Synopsis
The research synopsis is supposed to include the following basic components:

1. Title Page: as laid down in IMS regulations, it must depict the topic statement in the form of a brief but comprehensive ‘clause’; not a ‘sentence’.
2. Table of contents: as laid down in APA 7^th edition
3. Introduction: of the topic covering one or two pages
4. Review of Related Literature: description/linkage of variables and sub-variables and related issues outlined; description of massive amount of complicated, peer-reviewed literature; brief description of relevant theories/models with outlined variable and sub-variables; developing and linking the local context; comprehensive coverage of topics; identification of gaps in literature and linking it with outcomes of the study; and theoretical/conceptual framework/model.
5. Significance of the Study: why to conduct this study; for whom it is to be conducted; what possible benefits it is going to provide etc.
6. Statement of the Problem: linking global, national and local scenarios.
7. Research Objectives: specific (not double barrel) statements starting, with action verbs, arising out of the topic and problem statements.
8. Research Questions OR Research Hypotheses (only one): following objectives, there must be at least one question for every objective whose answers should lead to the measurement of objectives.
9. Research Methodology: including brief description of research philosophy; research approach; research methodological choice; research strategy; research time horizon; target population; sampling technique; sample calculations showing representativeness; data collection (method and time horizon); ethical considerations and descriptive/inferential data analysis technique(s)
10. Research Tool/Instrument: development/adoption/adaptation of instrument(s); piloting of instrument(s) validity of instrument(s)—construct, face etc.; and reliability of instrument(s)
11. Definitions of Key Terms: operational definitions
12. Limitations/Delimitations: in line with the topic
13. Plan of Work: tentative
14. References: APA 7^th edition
15. Appendices: if any

Note: The research synopsis is a foundational document that outlines the research framework. It includes the title, literature review, research objectives, methodology, and instrument(s) to be used. Researchers must ensure the clarity, coherence, and relevance of each section, particularly the theoretical framework and research questions, to set the groundwork for the dissertation. The methodology should clearly describe the research approach, target population, sampling techniques, data collection and analysis methods.

3. MPhil/Doctoral Dissertation

Each MPhil/PhD researcher shall write a doctoral dissertation reflecting relevance, credibility, effectiveness, and legitimacy of the research. The dissertation must be an original and innovative contribution to knowledge that contributes to solving socioeconomic problems. To improve the quality of a doctoral dissertation, some regulations have been suggested in the following areas:

Quality in Reporting
The quality of presentation and reporting in dissertation shall reflect the following characteristics:
- The document is well written.
- The contents are balanced, well organized, appropriately styled; clearly structured, and well cohered; and
- The document is free from grammatical and spelling errors and flawed terminology.
- Minor shortcomings such as inaccurate use of acronyms and clumsy looking sentence structure have been addressed.
- Quantitative research proposals must include a valid statistical design for data analysis.
- Formatting shall be compatible with international standards.
Methodological Quality
To produce MPhil/PhD researchers capable of conducting research independently, ensuring the technical soundness of their MPhil/PhD dissertations is integral. The following guidelines shall be useful in making the MPhil/PhD research methodologically sound:

1. Guidelines ensuring the quality of Qualitative Research: An MPhil/PhD research dissertation, based on the Qualitative Research methods should satisfy, at least, the following questions:
  1. “Does the research, as reported, illuminate the subjective meaning, actions and contexts of those being researched?”
  2. “Is there evidence of the adaption and responsiveness of the research design to the circumstances and issues of real-life social settings met during the course of the study?”
  3. “Does the sample produce the type of knowledge necessary to understand the structures and processes within which the individuals or situations are located?”
  4. “Is the description provided detailed enough to allow the researcher or reader to interpret the meaning and context of what is being researched?’
  5. “How are the different sources of knowledge about the same issue compared and contrasted?”
  6. Are subjective perceptions and experiences treated as knowledge in their own right?”
2. Guidelines ensuring the quality of Quantitative Research:
  An MPhil/PhD dissertation with Quantitative Research methods should satisfy, at least, the following questions
  1. Reliability – are the results repeatable?
  2. Validity – does it measure what it says?
  3. Internal validity – do the research results indicate what they appear to be?
  4. External validity – can the results be generalized to other settings (ecological validity) and to other populations (population validity?
Appropriateness of the Methods to the Aims of the Study
To achieve the research objectives, the alignment of the research approach and methods is necessary. Therefore, an MPhil/PhD dissertation, at least, shall:
1. Reflect a fair proportion of latest knowledge of contemporary techniques and methods in relation to study objectives.
2. Contain detailed and easily comprehensible discussions regarding the applied methods and techniques.
3. Justify the use of methods and techniques to achieve study objectives.
4. Show evaluation of obtained results in relation with study objectives.
5. The methods and techniques used should justify the results obtained.
6. The obtained results should support the study objectives.
Relevance to the Policy and Practice
The research should have significantly answered questions related to policy and practice in that area, establishing its usefulness and usability. Accordingly, an MPhil/PhD dissertation, at least, shall:

1. Reflect judicious evaluation of study results in relation with policy related aims and goals undertaken while starting the research.
2. Discuss the practical implications of the study results in association with the developing practices in that area.
3. Establish usefulness of the study results for devising policy as stated in the beginning.
4. Discuss how the resulting policy would be useful for the organization/society.
5. The study output should be significant enough to be published or patented.
6. The assessment of the results performed by the author must not be superficial and lacking substance.

Note: It outlines the key principles for selecting a research area, including alignment with community needs, national priorities, and UN Sustainable Development Goals through originality and innovation in MPhil/PhD research contributing towards solving socioeconomic problems. Key factors for dissertation quality include clear reporting, methodological rigor, and alignment with study objectives. Both qualitative and quantitative research should be conducted with attention to reliability, validity, and ethical standards.

4. External Evaluation of PhD Dissertation

The PhD dissertation must be evaluated by:

At least two external experts who shall be:
PhD faculty member from the world top 500 universities ranked by the Times Higher Education or QS World Ranking in the year corresponding to dissertation evaluation year OR
Pakistan-based Distinguished National Professors, Meritorious Professors from any national university; or professors from top universities ranked by HEC; or professors from any Pakistani University having a minimum H-Index 30 for Sciences, 15 for Social Sciences or 8 for Art & Humanities as determined by Web of Science.

At least one external expert qualifying any one of the conditions mentioned at ‘a’ above if the PhD candidate publishes dissertation research in a peer-reviewed journal that is classified by the HEC in category W for Sciences and X or above for Social Sciences.

The following general guidelines shall, at least, be observed while selecting external evaluator:

Relevance of Expertise: in the same or related fields as in the dissertation.
No Conflict of Interest: in personal, financial, or professional stakes in a particular decision or outcome.
Objectivity: capable of making unbiased evaluations.
Diversity: in terms of geography, culture, professional backgrounds etc.
Reputation: must be good in the field, with a track record of fair and thorough evaluations.
Availability: should have the time and availability to review the dissertation.
Professionalism: capable of conducting themselves in a professional and respectful manner throughout the evaluation and defense process (if applicable).
Communication: capable of providing clear and constructive feedback on the dissertation.
Confidentiality: capable of maintaining confidentiality and protecting the intellectual property of the dissertation.
Compatibility: well-versed with the research methodology, approach, and theories used in the dissertation.

For MPhil External Evaluation, the following protocol would be observed:

Relevance and experience of the external examiner.
Objectivity: capable of making unbiased evaluations.
Availability: should have the time and availability to review the dissertation.

5. Plagiarism, Similarity Test and Open Defense

Under no circumstances shall a dissertation based on plagiarized research be acceptable. It is the primary responsibility of both PhD researchers and their supervisors to prevent plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism, it is important to follow the provisions outlined in this document i.e., Governing Research Supervision and Research Ethics.
For Plagiarism COPE guidelines must be followed.
If a PhD dissertation is found to be plagiarized, it will be handled in accordance with the Anti-Plagiarism Policy issued by the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, as updated from time to time.
To avoid confusion, a threshold of 10% similarity is considered acceptable, in line with the HEC’s Anti-Plagiarism Policy, ensuring consistency across all students. Any instances of AI-generated text used in the dissertation must be clearly noted, with a zero percent similarity allowed for any AI-generated content, to maintain transparency and academic integrity
An open defense of the dissertation is required after positive evaluation of the dissertation by committee members. In general, the following minimum principles and guidelines shall be ensured:

1. Public Announcement: On the university website and other forms of communication, so that anyone interested can participate.
2. Public Access: Within or outside the university such as community/town halls or important public venues.
3. Neutral Chair: To ensure that defense was conducted fairly and in accordance with the rules and regulations.
4. Review Committee: To evaluate the dissertation and defense.
5. Presentation: of the dissertation by the PhD researcher
6. Question and Answer Session: To provide a basis for defense evaluation.
7. Objective Evaluation: based on the quality of the research and the researcher’s ability to defend.
8. Final Decision: expressed in the following terms:
  1. Pass or
  2. Pass with minor amendments or
  3. Deferred for resubmission and re-defense or.
  4. Fail (in exceptional circumstances and for the reasons to be recorded by the defense committee)

Note: The document underscores the critical importance of preventing plagiarism and ensuring academic integrity and the final defense is supposed to be publicly accessible, fair, and objective, providing a platform for the researcher to demonstrate their work quality and significance.

6. Research Publication

For award of PhD degree, a PhD researcher shall be required to publish research articles meeting the following criteria:

At least:
1. One research article in W category journal or two research articles in X category journals, for Science disciplines
One research article in X category journal or two research articles in Y category journals, for Social Science disciplines
The PhD researcher shall be the first author of these publications.
The research article shall be relevant to the PhD research work of the PhD researcher.
The article shall be published after approval of the research synopsis.
The article shall be published in a relevant research journal.

Note: A requirement for the award of a PhD degree is the publication of research articles in recognized journals. PhD students must publish at least one article in a high-impact journal related to their research work. This encourages academic dissemination and positions the research within the broader academic community

THE SUPERVISOR’S ROLE

Schedule meetings at least twice a week and keep record/minutes of each
Maintain researcher folder/portfolio in line with meeting schedule and submission time lines
Return the submitted job with correction(s)/suggestion(s) latest by the next meeting and keep record of such returns
Inform PhD Coordinator/HoD for noncompliance by the student with documentary evidence
Ensure incorporation of IMS guidelines/policy provisions while getting the research documented
Help/guide/arrange for professional proofreading
Ensure on-time submission of thesis to the external examiners

Note: Supervisors play a crucial role in guiding students through the research process. They are responsible for ensuring that students adhere to research timelines, maintain proper documentation, and integrate IMS guidelines. Supervisors also help students in terms of proofreading, revisions, and preparing their dissertation for submission and defense.

FORMAT OF MPHIL/PHD THESIS

1. Preliminary Pages (specimen given in IMS regulations)

Title Page
Approval Sheet
Dedication (if any)
Acknowledgements: The researcher is supposed to acknowledge the support/guidance extended towards him/her by anyone especially by the supervisor, department teachers, chairperson etc. for making the research process understandable and leading towards the solution of problems.
Abstract (200-300 words)
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations

Note: The title of all preliminary pages should be printed in upper case, 14 font size bold, and centralized

2. Chapters of MPhil/Doctoral Thesis

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER IV

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3. References

4. Appendices

5. Grammar Format

6. General Guidelines

Paper Size: A4 size/22am x 28cm/8½” x 11” (except for drawings and maps)
Paper Weight: 80/90 gms (computer paper)
Margins

Left: 3.81 cm (1½”)

Top: 2.54 cm (1”)

Right: 2.54 cm (1”)

Bottom: 2.0 cm (0.75”)

Typeface/composing and style
- Text type 12 Time New Roman (TNR).
- Indent five spaces from left side of page for all new paragraphs.
- Line spacing should be double in normal text throughout the thesis, except in tables and figures. In tables and figures, line spacing should be either 1.5 or single as per advice of the supervisor.
- Each part/chapter should start from a new page.
- While typing numbers in the text, type numbers in words (one, two ….nine) or preceded by a zero (01, 02 …09) for numbers below 10.
- Keep uniformity or consistency for writing each part of the thesis in respect of font and style of headings, sub-headings, text; English style; tables; figures/flow charts/graphs; writing references; line spacing, etc.
- No correction in ink shall be acceptable on any page of thesis.
Binding
1. The color of binding is as follows:
  PhD: Light Maroon or Metallic Grey with Gold printing.
  MPhil: Black
2. The spine of thesis should show name of the author in the middle, and year of approval at the bottom across the width.
1. Page Numbering
- Preliminary pages should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals, (i, ii, iii …) at the top right corner of the pages.
- The main body of the text of thesis i.e. from the first page of chapter I to references be given in Arabic numerals i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc. to be indicated at the top right corner of each page.
1. Word Count
- PhD: 45,000 – 120,000 words of text
- MPhil: 20,000 – 60,000 words of text
1. Number of Copies
- PhD: 06 copies
- MPhil: 05 copies

Note: This section provides detailed guidelines for the formatting of MPhil/PhD theses, ensuring consistency and adherence to academic standards. Students must follow specific requirements for preliminary pages, chapters, and references, including adherence to APA style (7^th edition) ensuring uniformity and professionalism.

RESEARCH WORK SUBMISSION TIMELINES

MPhil: The MPhil research is supposed to be completed within the semester in which thesis 02 is registered. It is in the best interest of the researcher and the advisor to prepare a submission plan accordingly and submit the same to the MPhil convener as well to avoid any inconvenience.
PhD: This is in the best interest of the doctoral researchers to follow the below listed timelines for submitting their research work to their supervisors and getting it approved to avoid inconvenience in terms* of time and dues.

Note: The timeline for research work submission is crucial to ensure that students meet the deadlines for approvals, review of literature, instrument development/validation/piloting, data collection, write-ups, submissions/revisions and publications etc.

Conclusion

The IMS Research Regulations are vital for guiding MPhil and PhD researchers towards clarity, integrity, standardization, transparency, uniformity, accountability and reliability of the research process to help researchers contribute meaningfully in realizing the national higher education objectives for sustainable development of the country.