Thesis/Dissertation Evaluation Form

Name of the Student who Wrote the

Adugna Woyessa Gemeda
Dissertation:
Degree Title (Only doctoral dissertations Degree of Doctor in Philosophy (Ph.D.) in
are allowed): Public Health
Title of Thesis/Dissertation: The Epidemiology of Highland Malaria in
Ethiopia: A Study From Butajira Area
Number of pages of the
141
Thesis/Dissertation:

Grade Points/
Evaluation Criteria Comments
Grades (1-5)
The title is clear and descriptive, indicating
the focus on highland malaria in Ethiopia
and the specific study area, Butajira.
However, it could be more concise without
Title is “academic” sounding and well losing meaning, e.g., “Highland Malaria
3
designed Epidemiology in Butajira, Ethiopia”. The
title must use critical terms throughout the
dissertation so that readers are likelier to
think that the dissertation coheres as directed
by 18.3 (Turabian 2018, 116)
The abstract thoroughly summarises the
dissertation, outlining the background,
objectives, methods, main findings, and
conclusions. The abstract effectively
highlights the key findings, such as malaria
prevalence, the dominance of Plasmodium
vivax, variations in malaria prevalence by
altitude and age, and the performance of
Abstract meets international malaria RDTs. The abstract concludes with 3
standards the study’s main implications, emphasising
the need for tailored antimalarial
interventions considering age, altitude, and
household risk factors. It also calls for
further research on Plasmodium vivax
epidemiology and ITN use. This gives
readers a clear understanding of the study’s
significance.

Evaluation Criteria
Table of Contents has been reviewed
and offers a sound outline
Bibliography (jump to end) is at PhD
level (ideally 100-150 entries,
properly formatted, with about 20%
(or more) journal entries
Grammar, style, and spelling are at
Ph.D. level
Grade Points/
Comments
Grades (1-5)
The Table of Contents is more detailed than
necessary. There are mistakes, too, in the
Table of Contents. One of the mistakes that
can be easily identified is the placement of
paragraph 3.7. The table of contents cannot
list pages that precede it as stated in A.2.1.7
(Turabian 2018, 402), yet in the present 4
dissertation, the author has listed out earlier
pages. The detailed table of contents is also
a strong point, providing a clear roadmap for
the dissertation. It includes all major
sections and subsections, which helps
navigate the document.
First and foremost, one must note that the
dissertation does not contain a Bibliography
but only a reference list. Turabian requires
full names in the reference list, with the last
name first, followed by a comma and the
first name. The titles of articles should be in
sentence case (only the first word and proper
nouns capitalised), while journal titles
should be in title case. For Example,
“Ownership and use of insecticide-treated
nets in Oromia and Amhara Regional States 3
of Ethiopia two years after a nationwide
campaign.” should be “Ownership and use
of insecticide-treated nets in Oromia and
Amhara regional states of Ethiopia two
years after a nationwide campaign.” Journal
titles should be italicised, followed by the
volume number in italics and the issue
number in parentheses. (Turabian 2018)
specifies particular punctuation and spacing
rules which should be consistently applied.
The author seems to have extensively 4
followed the English Style Guide (European
Commission 2021). The dissertation
demonstrates a commendable command of
English. The language is mainly clear,
academic and appropriate for the subject
matter. However, there are areas where the
quality of English could be improved to
 Grade Points/
Evaluation Criteria Comments
Grades (1-5)
meet the highest standards of academic
writing, as outlined in (Turabian 2018). It is
straightforward to understand for an
ordinary reader.
The abstract, by way of background,
indicates that the research is for a better
Problem definition understanding of malaria epidemiology to
 Relevant
improve measures to control the spread of
3
 Clearly phrased malaria. The contents of the abstract,
 Testable however, indicate the contents of the
dissertation to the readers, and its
implications are also identified
The author has described the data collection
method as multiple cross-sectional studies in
six rural Kebeles of Meskan and Mereko
districts in the Butajira Area of Ethiopia
between October 2008 and June 2010. The
participant recruitment method is described
Research design as multi-stage sampling.
 Theoretical framework 2
The methodology is organised into distinct
 Research methods sections: study design, sample size
calculation, data collection, data
management, quality control, statistical
analysis, and ethical considerations. Each
subsection clearly outlines the specific
methods used, enhancing readability and
comprehension.
The dissertation clearly defines the research
problem and objectives, making it easy for
Execution readers to understand the scope and
 Scholarly level importance of the study. The objectives are
4
aligned with the research questions and
 Level of innovation hypotheses, providing a logical flow from
the introduction to the methodology and
findings
Research results The dissertation makes extensive use of 3
 Description empirical data collected through well-
 Analysis defined methodologies. Using tables,
graphs, and statistical analysis helps
 Grade Points/
Evaluation Criteria Comments
Grades (1-5)
substantiate the claims made.
The conclusion effectively summarises the
key findings and provides recommendations
Analysis, interpretation, conclusions for policy and future research based on the
 Clear evidence. The recommendations are 2
 Defendable practical and based on the study’s findings,
demonstrating the applicability of the
research to real-world public health issues
The author has handled sources
professionally. He approaches the sources
critically and impartially, examining and
Justification of the sources and
analysing them objectively. This work is 4
literature used
exceptionally meritorious because of the
thorough analysis of the materials it is based
on.

Further comments None

Total marks scored out of 55

35
Percentage score
63.63%