On the structure of the graduation thesis “On the physical development of school students of the town of Tartu” defended at the Department (former Chair) of Zoology at the University of Tartu (former Tartu State University) in 1958

Abstract

Throughout times, along with simpler papers (essays, reports, subject and research papers), students of different specialities at the University of Tartu have also done more serious research in many areas, including anthropology, under the supervision of lecturers.

More than a quarter of century ago, before 1991, the students of the Soviet-time Tartu State University wrote, in addition to exercises in research, term papers, graduation theses and prize essays of Students Scientific Society (founded in 1948).

The article will deal with 10 graduation theses compiled at the Chair of Zoology of Tartu State University from 1958–1970. These papers addressed Estonian school students’ physical development based on anthropological material collected from 1956–1967.

In those years, the graduation thesis was a student’s independent research paper which was defended in front of a state examination board to complete the studies at the university.

Particular attention is paid to the first of these graduation theses – the graduation thesis defended by 5th-year student Viivi Schüts in 1958, “On the physical development of school students of the town of Tartu” (in Estonian, on 94 pages in typescript, hard-cover). The article includes the structure of this research paper.