Guide to Handling Assessment of Doctoral Theses at Doctor Course,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology(Enacted on April 1, 2020)(Last revised on October 26, 2022)(Purpose)
Article 1. This Guide stipulates the necessary matters related to the assessment of doctoral theses, basedon the provisions of Article 47 of the Detailed Regulations of Graduate School of Natural Science andTechnology of Shimane University (hereinafter, the “Detailed Regulations”).
(Related Publications)
Article 2. Related Publications, among the application forms mentioned in Articles 6, 12, 28, and 34 of theDetailed Regulations shall consist of any related publications that are included in the List of Publications(research papers that form the basis of the doctoral thesis), in addition to Reference Publications(research papers that are not directly related to the doctoral thesis but will be used as references during
the assessment).
(Application Period for Preliminary Assessment)
Article 3. The application period for the preliminary assessment mentioned in Articles 7 and 29 of theDetailed Regulations shall be the period from the first day of the month until the 20th day of the month,excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays. However, if the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday,
the final day shall be on the 21st (if the 21st is also a holiday, then on the 22nd; if the 22nd is also aholiday, then the final day shall be on the 19th).
(Application Requirements for Course Doctorates)
Article 4. The preliminary assessment committee mentioned in Article 9 of the Detailed Regulations shallassess whether applicants fulfill the requirements as provided in Article 5 of the Detailed Regulations,in addition to the criteria listed below. In such cases, the Committee shall be able to request thesubmission of additional documents when deemed necessary.
i. The doctoral thesis must be original, created based on research papers published or due to be published,in a scientific journal with a credible peer review system, or research papers deemed to be equivalent
to the above.
ii. The Related Publications (research papers that form the basis of the doctoral thesis) must be, inprinciple, research papers that have already been published, or accepted for publication, at the time ofapplication.
iii. The related publications must fulfill the following criteria.
CourseCriteria Pertaining to
Number of Related Publications

Information Systems Design and Data Science Course
Physics and Materials Science Course
Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Course
Earth Science Course
Environmental and Sustainability Sciences Course
Chemistry Course
Architectural Design Course

At least two of the related publications must be peerreviewed. The degree applicant must be the firstauthor or equivalent of at least one of these papers,
and deemed to have written the said research paper
after entering the Doctor Course (Second Term) of theGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology.

Mathematical Sciences CourseLife Sciences Course

At least one of the related publications must be peerreviewed. The degree applicant must be the firstauthor or equivalent, and deemed to have written thesaid research paper after entering the Doctor Course(Second Term) of the Graduate School of Natural
Science and Technology.

In addition to the above, the Related Publications must also fulfill the criteria stipulated in theAppended Table.

iv. Pertaining to co-authored papers among the Related Publications, the applicant must have taken theprincipal role in the research, and the paper must not have been submitted to any university as adoctoral thesis by any of the co-authors.
(Application Requirements for Thesis Doctorates)
Article 5. The thesis preliminary assessment committee mentioned in Article 31 of the Detailed Regulations
shall assess whether applicants fulfill the eligibility requirement as provided in Article 25 of theDetailed Regulations, in addition to the criteria listed below. In such cases, the Committee shall beable to request the submission of additional documents when deemed necessary.
i. The doctoral thesis must be original, created based on research papers published, or due to be published,in a scientific journal with a credible peer review system, or research papers deemed to be equivalent
to the above.
ii. The Related Publications (research papers that form the basis of the doctoral thesis) must be, inprinciple, research papers that have already been published or accepted for publication, at the time ofapplication. At least two of the Related Publications must be research papers that have been evaluatedby credible peer review, and the applicant must be the first author or equivalent. In addition, theRelated Publications must also fulfill the criteria stipulated in the Appended Table.
iii. Pertaining to co-authored papers among the Related Publications, the applicant must have taken theleading role in the research, and the paper must not have been submitted to any university as a doctoral
thesis by any of the co-authors.
(Consent of Co-authors)
Article 6. As confirmation of the provisions of Article 4, Paragraph 1, Item iv and Article 5, Paragraph 1,
Item iii, a letter of consent of all the coauthors shall be submitted (Appended Form No. 1), in addition
to Abstract of Co-authored Paper a summary of the joint research (Appended Form No. 2). In such cases,
if the co-author(s) already possess a doctoral degree, the Co-author Consent Form may be substituted
for a letter of confirmation (Appended Form No. 3) filled by degree applicants’ academic advisor orresearch supervisor.
(Application Period for Doctoral Thesis Assessment)
Article 7. The application period for the Doctoral Thesis Assessment mentioned in Articles 13 and 35 of
the Detailed Regulations shall be the period from the first day of the month until the 20th day of themonth, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays. However, if the 20th falls on a weekend orholiday, the final day shall be on the 21st (if the 21st is also a holiday, then on the 22nd; if the 22nd isalso a holiday, then the final day shall be on the 19th).
(Decision)
Article 8. The decision mentioned in Article 21, Paragraph 2, and Article 42, Paragraph 2 of the Detailed
Regulations shall be carried out by means of a secret ballot.
Supplementary Provisions
This Guide shall be enforced from April 1, 2020.
Supplementary Provisions (partially revised on December 23, 2020)
This Guide shall be enforced from January 1, 2021.
Supplementary Provisions (partially revised on October 26, 2022)
This Guide shall be enforced from October 26, 2022.

Appended Table
Criteria Pertaining to Related Publications for Respective Course
CourseMathematical Sciences Course

Information Systems Design andData Science Course

Physics and Materials Science Course

Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering Course

Criteria Pertaining to Related Publications
Related Publications must be research papers that are published in ascientific journal with a credible peer review system or the proceedingsof an international conference.
Related Publications must be research papers (including letters) that are
published in a scientific journal with a credible peer review system or theproceedings of an international conference.
Related Publications must be research papers (including letters) that are
published in a scientific journal with a credible peer review system or theproceedings of an international conference.
Related Publications must be research papers (including letters) that are
published in a scientific journal with a credible peer review system or theproceedings of an international conference.

Earth Science Course

Related Publications must be research papers (including letters and notes[short communications]), or scaled geological maps with appended
explanatory notes, that are published in a scientific journal with acredible peer review system. Proceedings of international conferences
are not eligible.

Environmental and Sustainability
Sciences Course

Related Publications must be research papers (including letters and notes[short communications]) that are published in a scientific journal with acredible peer review system, or the proceedings of an international
conference.

Chemistry Course

Related Publications must be research papers (including letters and notes[short communications]) that are published in a scientific journal with acredible peer review system. Proceedings of international conferences
are not eligible.

Architectural Design Course

Related Publications must be peer-reviewed research papers (includingtechnical reports) that are published by an academic society related toarchitecture, with a credible peer review system, or in the proceedings ofan international conference. Depending on the field of research, these
may include prize-winning works entered into design competitions thatare deemed to exceed the established criteria.

Life Sciences Course

Related Publications must be research papers (not including letters ornotes [short communications]) that are published in a scientific journal
with impact factor. Proceedings of international conferences are noteligible.