Course description
The course introduces students to basic content and formal criteria required for writing their master theses. Based on a literature review, students are expected to develop a master thesis project containing a clearly formulated title, research problem, research question, and research methods.
Course instructor
Andrej Findor, andrej.findor@fses.uniba.sk, 02/20669 830
Consultation hours: Mondays 14:00 – 16:00, Room B127/MS Teams/Phone
Class participation and activity
Students are expected to provide feedback to their colleagues’ master thesis projects. This is the only way how students can help each other to develop and improve their master thesis projects. The necessary precondition for class participation and activity is class attendance. Class participation and activity will be worth 10% of the total grade.
Reading for the course
Students are encouraged to consult the recommended reading while preparing their master thesis projects. Recommended reading can help them to make this process less time consuming and stressful, and can lead to better master thesis projects.
Project assignments
Throughout the semester, students are expected to submit 4 project assignments related to their master theses. In project assignment 1, students will formulate the topic and tentative title of their master theses. In project assignment 2, students will conduct a literature review related to their topics and make a list of 10 most relevant articles, books and book chapters needed for the writing of their theses. In project assignment 3, students will formulate the research problem/s and research question/s central to their theses. In project assignment 4, students will describe research methods used in their theses. Each project assignment will be worth 10% of the total grade (40% of the total grade for all project assignments). Deadlines for submitting project assignments are specified in the course plan. As dictated by GDPR legislation, students will be assigned unique identification numbers, so they do not share sensitive personal information such as their first and last names. Students will submit their project assignments under their unique identification numbers to a shared sheet file:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhUL60R-UtiBy66dgQbJ51Z6CLgq6XJV8SRqtfMLx1E/edit?usp=sharing
Final presentation
Students are expected to present their master thesis projects at the end of the semester. The presentation should include the literature review and a clearly formulated research design including title, research problem, research question, and research methods. Each presentation should not exceed 10 minutes and is expected to be followed by peer-comments and discussion. Final presentation will be worth 50% of the total grade.
Course grading
Class participation and activity: 10% of total grade
Project assignments: 40% of total grade
Final presentation: 50% of total grade
Course plan
Date | Week | Topic | Coursework | Recommended reading |
22/9/2020 | 1 | Introduction to the course + choosing topic, formulating title | -- | -- |
29/9/2020 | 2 | Choosing topic, formulating title | Project assignment 1 (due on Sunday, 27/9/2020) | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
6/10/2020 | 3 | Conducting literature review | -- | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
13/10/2020 | 4 | Conducting literature review | -- | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
20/10/2020 | 5 | Conducting literature review | Project assignment 2 (due on Sunday, 18/10/2020) | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
27/10/2020 | 6 | Creating research design | -- | Bukve, 2019, pp. 1-7 |
3/11/2020 | 7 | Formulating research problem and research question | -- | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
10/11/2020 | 8 | Formulating research problem and research question | Project assignment 3 (due on Sunday, 8/11/2020) | Booth et al., 2008; Burton & Steane, 2004 |
17/11/2020 | 9 | Applying research methods | -- | Halperin & Heath, 2012; Kumar, 2011; Matthews & Ross, 2010 |
24/11/2020 | 10 | Applying research methods | Project assignment 4 (due on Sunday, 22/11/2020) | Halperin & Heath, 2012; Kumar, 2011; Matthews & Ross, 2010 |
1/12/2020 | 11 | Basic principles of academic writing | -- | Zinsser, 2001; Annesley, 2010a-h; 2011 |
8/12/2020 | 12 | Master thesis project | Final presentations | Ford et al., 2012; Booth et al., 2008 |
15/12/2020 | 13 | Master thesis project | Final presentations | Ford et al., 2012; Booth et al., 2008 |
Recommended reading
Annesley, T. M. (2010a). Bars and pies make better desserts than figures. Clinical Chemistry, 56(9), 1394–1400. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.152298
Annesley, T. M. (2010b). Bring your best to the table. Clinical Chemistry, 56(10), 1528–1534. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.153502
Annesley, T. M. (2010c). ‘It was a cold and rainy night’: Set the scene with a good introduction. Clinical Chemistry, 56(5), 708–713. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.143628
Annesley, T. M. (2010d). Put your best figure forward: Line graphs and scattergrams. Clinical Chemistry, 56(8), 1229–1233. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.150060
Annesley, T. M. (2010e). Show your cards: The results section and the poker game. Clinical Chemistry, 56(7), 1066–1070. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.148148
Annesley, T. M. (2010f). The abstract and the elevator talk: A tale of two summaries. Clinical Chemistry, 56(4), 521–524. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2009.142026
Annesley, T. M. (2010g). The discussion section: Your closing argument. Clinical Chemistry, 56(11), 1671–1674. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.155358
Annesley, T. M. (2010h). The title says it all. Clinical Chemistry, 56(3), 357–360. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2009.141523
Annesley, T. M. (2011). Giving credit: Citations and references. Clinical Chemistry, 57(1), 14–17. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.158048
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd edition). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Bukve, O. (2019). Designing social science research. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Burton, S., & Steane, P. (Eds.). (2004). Surviving your thesis. London; New York, NY: Routledge.
Ford, N., McCullough, M., & Schutta, N. T. (2012). Presentation patterns: Techniques for crafting better presentations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
Halperin, S., & Heath, O. (2012). Political research: Methods and practical skills (Second edition). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners (3rd edition). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Matthews, B., & Ross, L. (2010). Research methods: A practical guide for the social sciences. New York, NY: Pearson Longman.
Zinsser, W. (2001). On writing well: The classic guide to writing nonfiction (25th anniversary edition). New York, NY: Quill.
- Teacher: Andrej Findor
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