Congratulations to Yiqian (Katherine) Cao and Susan K. Ruffell, winners for 2009.

Each year, ALANZ runs a competition for the best PhD thesis and the best Masters thesis.

The theses are judged by representatives from the universities in New Zealand.

The theses are judged according to three criteria:

1. Originality of conception and place within the field of knowledge
2. Quality of research design/methodology and execution
3. Nature and extent of contribution to theory and practice

The winner of each category receives:

1. A certificate and book voucher
2. A full year’s membership of ALANZ
3. An opportunity to publish an aspect of the work in an issue of New Zealand Studies in Applied Linguistics

Each institution may forward one PhD and one Masters thesis. Entries close at the end of the first week of December each year. Entries should be submitted to John Macalister (john.macalister@vuw.ac.nz ) as email attachments by the coordinating representative from each institution.

The 2009 judges were: Rosemary Wette (University of Auckland), Anne Feryok (University of Otago), Gillian Skyrme (Massey University) and Stuart Webb (Victoria University of Wellington).

PhD Winners

2009 Yiqian (Katherine) Cao (University of Auckland)
2008 Gillian Skyrme (Massey University)
2007 Sun Hee Ok Kim (University of Auckland)
2006 Naashia Mohamed (University of Auckland)
2005 Martin East (University of Auckland)

Masters Winners

2009 Susan K. Ruffell (Victoria University of Wellington)
2008 Seung Hee Pak (University of Auckland)
2007 Judy Jen-Pei Chai (University of Auckland)
2006 Dawn Booth (University of Auckland)
2005 Yiqian Cao Catherine (University of Auckland)