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teaching:thesis

Bachelor and Master Thesis

This website gives an overview and information on how to write a bachelor's or master's thesis in our group. Always check the institute's website for questions on the formal procedures.

  1. If the general topic is approved we meet to discuss the details and determine the second examiner (Prof. Mutzel is the first examiner). Usually, you will be additionally advised by a member of the team.
  2. Next, you write a short exposé (a latex template will be provided by us) describing what the thesis will contain. The exposé should contain
    1. the title of the thesis
    2. a very brief introduction of the topic (including references to the most relevant literature)
    3. the goals of the thesis
    4. the brief description of the ideas about how the goals can be achieved
    5. a first outline of the structure of the thesis (optional)
  3. After you hand in the exposé you can officially start. To this end, you need to fill out the registration form which will be provided to you at this point. After you and the examiners sign the form and it is sent to the examination office the due date will be available on the basis website.
  4. If you are writing a master thesis, you need to do an introduction presentation, see below for details.
  5. During your time writing your thesis you have to regularly attend the mandatory bachelor master seminar. Please subscribe to our mailing list to stay informed about upcoming presentations.
  6. After finishing your thesis, you hand it in at the examination office. We as a chair are not involved in this final step. Check the institutes website for information. The examination office will send your thesis to your examiners.
  7. Shortly after handing in, you can do your final presentation, see below for details.

FAQ

  • Do I have to register in BASIS for anything? : You do not have to register in BASIS for thesis related modules: Neither for the thesis itself nor for the seminar. The thesis will appear automatically in your records after the registration form got processed (your second examiner might not be displayed, this is normal).
  • How do I hand in the thesis? : See one of the last bullet points in the procedure overview above.
  • Do I have to hand in code? : As long as you use the git-repo supplied by us, there is no need for you to submit your code in any additional form with your thesis.
  • Do I have to attend BaMa-talks in German, if I do not understand German? : No, as there is little benefit for you, you do not have to attend talks in a language you do not speak.
  • Is there a minimum / maximum number of pages for my thesis? There might be one. Check your current “Bachelor Prüfungsordnung” / “Master Examination Regulation”.

Introduction talk and final presentation

For bachelor thesis:

  1. Only a final presentation of 30 minutes + 15 minutes discussion and questions

For master thesis:

  1. Introduction talk of 30 minutes + 15 minutes discussion, and
  2. A final presentation of 45 minutes + 15 minutes discussion and questions

After discussing the date for your presentation, your advisor will add it to our schedule.

Tips for the presentation
  • Seletion of content: not everything you have done can be presented. It is necessary to select the topics to be presented.
  • Target audience: Note that the target group of your presentation are NOT your professor(s) or the reviewers; every student specialized in algorithmics should be able to follow your talk (your colleagues)
  • Make sure you at least mention related work and highlight what has already been done in the field of your thesis and what has been done / added by you
  • Put the right amount of content on each slide. On average about one slide per 1.5 to 2 minutes talk.
  • Use examples and figures to explain complicated content.
  • Use colors for highlighting.
  • Train your presentation. It's a good idea to present to, e.g., a friend.
  • Read and follow the more detailed guidelines here.

Template for the thesis

Your advisor will provide you a latex template.

For bibliography guidelines see here.

Checklist for your thesis

This list is far from complete and its points should be familiar to you, but we want to stress, that all of those points have an impact on your final grade.

  • Spellcheck your thesis (eg. Duden or grammerly) and/or use a spell checker in your latex editor!
  • Double check your grammar
  • Use precise wording and no informal speech
  • Write in passive (or use the scientific “we”, do not mix), refrain from using “I” (resp. “ich”)
  • Structure your thesis, each chapter and each section in a good and reasonable manner. Write short introductions for each chapter / section.

A note on feedback on drafts

If you get feedback from your supervisor on drafts of your thesis, neither does the feedback claim to be complete, nor is it meant to be. It is your task to write a thesis fulfilling general scientific and topic specific requirements, you should have internalized from your studies up to this point.

teaching/thesis.txt · Last modified: 2024/11/07 14:09 by jonas.sauer

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