200083 SE Bachelorarbeit (2018W)

AIMS OF THE COURSE:
Obtaining and applying the research skills to successfully write a scientific bachelor thesis, which either has the form of a detailed research proposal (Abstract, Introduction, Methods section) or a brief empirical paper (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion).
These skills include:
- Collecting and reading existing research literature on a topic and gaining an overview of the current knowledge status on this topic
- Conceptualizing and motivating a research question
- Developing a concrete research design to address the research question
- Writing clearly-structured, concise thesis sections in scientific research paper format
- Giving, receiving and implementing feedback from peers and course lecturer

CONTENTS AND METHODS OF THE COURSE:
The seminar is structured as follows:
1. Introductory session
Tuesday 02.10.2018 11.30-13.00 Hörsaal G
- Explanation of course outline/contents
- Formation of thesis groups of 4 persons (6-7 groups in total)

2. Group interim meetings and milestone meetings (mid October – mid December)
Each thesis group has six 40-minute „milestone meetings“ with the course lecturer (date & time slots to be arranged individually per group), in which a series of milestones are discussed, for each thesis/student individually.
In addition, the thesis groups meet before each milestone meeting (or more often, if desired). In these interim „pre-milestone“ meetings, the students discuss together what will be presented in the milestone meetings and provide each other with feedback. Students provide the course lecturer with brief (one-page) pre-milestone „meeting minutes“ in which they summarize, for each thesis, what was discussed and what feedback came up.
In the six milestone meetings, the following milestones are discussed:
1. Thesis topic: come up with a possible thesis topic, or two possible topics, and a brief motivation
2. Detailed research question: come up with a concrete and detailed research question, including a clear motivation, and a first literature list that contains at least 3 papers
3. Method plan I: come up with a brief method plan and receive feedback
4. Intoduction outline I: Come up a with logically-structured „bullet list“ outline of the thesis introduction (in hourglass form); receive feedback
5. Intoduction outline II: Present updated outline of thesis introduction
6. Method plan II: present updated method plan, in the form of a detailed outline of the thesis‘ methods section (in bullet-list form)
Milestone meetings also provide opportunities to discuss questions.
For students writing an empirical bachelor’s thesis (which includes data collection), the meetings will be structured differently to also cover data analysis and results/discussion sections of the thesis.

3. Presentations of thesis plans in plenatory sessions (8-10 minutes per student, 6-7 students per session)
• Tuesday 08.01.2019_11.30-13.00_Hörsaal G
• Tuesday 15.01.2019_11.30-13.00_Hörsaal G
• Tuesday 22.01.2019_11.30-13.00_Hörsaal G
• Tuesday 29.01.2019_11.30-13.00_Hörsaal G

4. Handing in of thesis (final date to be announced in first session)
The thesis has the following requirements:
- Research paper format
- Length: 6000-8000 words, excl. references

It is possible for students to write their thesis while abroad. In this case, they still have to be part of a thesis group and participate in the required meetings via skype.