What is an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay originates from the North American writing tradition and follows a clear, comprehensible structure. Its goal is to convince readers through a coherent line of reasoning and to encourage further reflection. At the center stands a clearly formulated thesis statement or research question that you address through argumentation.

Unlike a seminar paper or term paper, an essay does not aim to present a topic in its entirety. Instead, you focus on a concise line of argument. Arguments, examples, and literature are selected deliberately and linked logically.

• clear thematic focus
• a recognizable personal position
• a personal yet academically sound style

Structure and key features

An argumentative essay is usually divided into three parts.

In the introduction, you introduce your topic and formulate a debatable thesis statement or research question. It should be neither too general nor purely descriptive.

The main body consists of several paragraphs, each developing one argument. Ideally, each paragraph begins with a key sentence that clarifies the line of thought.

• examples
• references to academic literature
• consideration of opposing viewpoints

In the conclusion, you return to your initial thesis and reflect on how convincingly your argumentation supports it. New arguments are not introduced here.

Procedure: step by step

• What surprises or intrigues me?
• Where do I see a contradiction or need for clarification?
• Which perspective is missing so far?

Clarify how much and what type of literature is expected. Only by referring to academic sources do you participate in the scholarly discussion.

• reading lists from the seminar
• subject‑specific literature search via the university library
• research using suitable keywords
• snowball principle

• formulate a concise and focused thesis statement
• collect and organize arguments
• develop arguments paragraph by paragraph
• revise introduction and conclusion

Writing also means thinking: while writing, your position may become more precise.

• Is my position clear?
• Do I include relevant literature?
• Is the argumentation logically structured?
• Does the conclusion connect back to the introduction?

Writing processes rarely follow a linear path. Moving back and forth between planning, writing, and revising is normal.

Guiding questions for your writing

• What am I claiming in this paragraph?
• Why is this argument important?
• Which source supports my statement?
• How does this paragraph connect to the previous one?

The argumentative essay offers plenty of room for your own position. At the same time, it requires deliberate selection and avoiding overly descriptive writing.

Frequently asked questions

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What is the Harvard style?

The Harvard style is what is known as an author–year citation style. This means that the source is named directly in the text – usually in round brackets – and not in a footnote. At the end of the paper, you include an alphabetically sorted reference list with all sources used.

The Harvard style is not a strictly standardised citation style. What matters is not one single “correct” form, but that you cite consistently and uniformly throughout your paper.

Short references in the text

In the Harvard style, you refer to your source directly in the text. A short reference consists of the author’s last name, the year of publication and – if needed – the page number.

(Müller 2021, p. 45)

In indirect quotations, you express ideas from a source in your own words. This form of citation is the norm in academic studies. A page number is recommended, especially when you refer to a specific passage.

Informal desire paths mainly emerge where the planned routing does not match the users’ actual movement patterns (cf. Müller 2021, p. 45).

You reproduce direct quotations verbatim from the source. They appear in quotation marks and must always be cited with a page number.

“Desire paths follow a collective optimisation logic.” (Müller 2021, p. 45)

Use direct quotations sparingly. In academic writing, indirect quotations are expected in most cases.

Multiple authors and special cases

• Two authors: (Müller & Schmidt 2020)
• Three or more authors: (Müller et al. 2019)
• Several sources in one reference: (Müller 2021; Schmidt 2019)

The reference list in Harvard style

In the reference list, you include all sources you have cited in the text – and only those. The entries are sorted alphabetically by the authors’ last names. Below you will find three examples of the most common types of sources.

The Harvard style can create uncertainty because several valid variants exist. It is therefore important to follow the guidelines provided by your lecturers or professors (if available) and remain consistent throughout your paper.

Tips for using the Harvard style

• Only include cited sources in the reference list – and follow the same structure for all entries.
• Special sources (social media, interviews, lectures) require adapted information such as platform, date or URL.
• Indent long direct quotations; for indirect quotations, you may optionally add “cf.” at the beginning.
• Write authors’ names exactly the same in the text and in the reference list.
• Zotero helps with collecting and formatting – but it does not replace your own content check.
• Common mistakes: missing page numbers in direct quotations, inconsistent spelling of names, incorrect use of “ibid.”.

Citing with Zotero and Word

Zotero is a free reference management program that integrates with Word and formats references automatically.

1. Install Zotero (zotero.org) – the Word plugin is installed automatically.
2. Set the citation style: Edit → Preferences → Cite → Styles → select Harvard style.
3. Place the cursor in the text → in the Zotero tab in Word, click Add/Edit Citation → enter source and page number.
4. Create the reference list: click Add/Edit Bibliography – Zotero inserts all cited sources alphabetically and updates them automatically.

1. References → Manage Sources → New: create a source and enter the details (author, year, title, publisher etc.).
2. Select the citation style (format template) in the top right of the References tab.
3. Place the cursor in the text → Insert Citation → select the source. The short reference appears automatically.
4. At the end of the paper: insert the reference list – Word creates the list from all used sources.

Frequently asked questions

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Finding a topic

If you are still at the very beginning of finding a topic for your academic paper, think about which subjects from your studies you would like to explore further, which career you would like to pursue, or which issues you care about. You can also use techniques such as Freewriting or Clustering. As soon as topics emerge that genuinely interest you, you should proceed more systematically to be able to decide on one of them.

To do so, you can use the following questions. Try to answer the questions in the table below for each topic that interests you. At this stage of your academic work, it is normal that you cannot yet answer all questions.

You will quickly notice:

• What genuinely interests you
• What is feasible
• What you need to narrow down further
• Where you need to investigate further

Even if you have already made your choice, you should still use these questions.

Your answers will form an exposé – essentially the travel route for your paper. You can change the route along the way, but those who set off without any plan rarely arrive on time or at the right destination.

Registering your paper

When registering your paper, you must also provide the title. The title of your paper appears on your degree certificate and will therefore accompany you for the rest of your life. It should be easy to understand and not too awkward or too long.

Avoid company or product names as well as abbreviations that are not widely known in the title.

After registration, only editorial changes are still possible. The changes must not be so substantial that they appear to be a change of topic. Further changes are only approved by examination boards in exceptional cases.

Narrowing down your topic

Narrowing down your topic ensures that you can word it concisely and treat the topic in sufficient depth.

Elevator pitch: Imagine you meet an important person in the elevator. You have three minutes to present your current project as convincingly as possible.

Formulating your topic

When narrowing down and formulating your topic, you should repeatedly ask yourself the following questions:

• What belongs to my topic, and what does not?
• Which considerations go too far when working on the topic?
• Which details can I leave out?

Frequently asked questions

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Why cite at all?

• To prove facts: You state where your information comes from, ideally tracing it back to the original source. This not only respects copyright but also gives your readers the opportunity to examine methods and details for themselves.

Example: 90 percent of Wikipedia authors are male (Bayer 2013).

• To build on existing knowledge: In academia, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You cite to refer to the ideas, theories, and findings of others – allowing you to continue the discourse rather than starting from scratch.

Example: The term “invention” is often equated with the concepts of “discovery” or “creation” (cf. Müller, 1998, p. 13).

• To keep it concise: If something is already written elsewhere, a reference is usually sufficient. In academic writing, it’s common to trust the audience to either accept the claim or check the source themselves.

Example: Outreach services are a traditional methodological approach in social work. For centuries, almoners would visit people experiencing hardship to assess their needs and provide aid. At the same time, they were tasked with monitoring how the poor lived and preventing abuse of the support system (cf. detailed discussion in Sachße/Tennstedt 1980).

Quotes often serve several purposes at once:

Example: With regard to the use of ocean thermal energy for power generation, research on structural pipes between 1970 and 2000 focused on using water as a heat carrier. Heat transfer and resistance coefficients were measured [6–17]. Companies provided additional measurements using water [18, 19]. A few studies also examined gases as heat carriers [11, 20].

What types of quotations are there?

There are two types of quotations: direct and indirect. In both cases, you must always add a reference to show where the quotation comes from.

With direct quotations, you reproduce the original wording exactly. This is marked with quotation marks and a reference.

Example: “One of the main pioneers of this model is Goffman with his concept of stigma or stigmatization” (Metzler, 2011, p. 101).

Use direct quotations sparingly. In the humanities and social sciences, you should cite directly when the wording is particularly striking or original. In the natural and engineering sciences, direct quotations are rarely used.

With indirect quotes, you take ideas, results, etc. from another text but rephrase them in your own words. These also need a reference.

Example: According to Metzler, Goffman – who developed the concept of stigma or stigmatization – is one of the key early figures of symbolic interactionism (2011, p. 101).

How do I cite?

There are many ways to cite in academic writing: footnotes, in-text references with author names and year of publication, numbers, or combinations of numbers and letters in square brackets.

There’s no single “correct” citation style. What matters is that you stay consistent throughout your entire text and don’t mix styles!

How do I know which citation style to use?

• Ask your lecturers – they often have a preferred style you should follow.
• Learn about the conventions in your discipline. See our articles: Citing in the Social Sciences, Citing in Business Studies, Citing in Engineering and Natural Sciences.
• If your lecturers don’t specify a style, you can choose one yourself. It’s best to go with a well-documented style (DIN, Harvard, APA, IEEE etc.).

What is a bibliography?

The bibliography includes all the sources you cited in your text – and only those. As it should allow readers to trace each source, the entries must be detailed enough to locate the exact work if needed.

The bibliography must be complete and consistent.

The format of the bibliography depends on the citation style used. Sources are usually listed alphabetically.

What do I have to cite?

In academic writing, you must mark every idea that is not your own. The only exception is general knowledge within your discipline.

That sounds easier than it is. Especially at the beginning of your studies, it can be difficult to recognize what counts as general knowledge. The good news: it gets easier over time. Until then, these rules of thumb may help:

You don’t necessarily need to cite:

• Things your readers are expected to know.
• What common sense would suggest.
• Content found in general reference works.

You must always cite:

• If an idea or result can be traced back to a specific author or study.
• If the statement is controversial or debatable.
• Any wording you copy exactly.
• If you include data from other research.

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Literature recommendations

Questions

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Citing sources

You must cite all sources and tools you used in your work, such as publications, textbooks, software, etc.

This also applies to translation tools or ChatGPT.

In principle, only sources that can be read and verified by others should be cited.

You can cite either verbatim (direct quotation) or paraphrased in your own words (indirect quotation).

In the Natural Sciences, it is common to paraphrase sources – in other words, to read the original text and summarize the relevant aspects in your own words.

For more than two authors, abbreviate with “et al.”, e.g. (Böhme et al. 2014).

When citing, you must also include the exact page number of the reference, e.g. [5, p. 854].

For multiple pages, indicate the range, e.g. [5, p. 852–856].

In direct quotations, the cited text is placed in quotation marks and reproduced exactly as in the original source:

• If words must be inserted for better understanding, enclose them in square brackets.
• If parts are omitted, indicate this with […]. This is only acceptable if the meaning remains unchanged.

It is important that each reference appears only once in the bibliography.

For textbooks or sources from which you cite different sections, also include the respective page number in the in-text reference.

In the bibliography at the end of your work, list all literature you used in full.

Basic subject knowledge is excluded from citation requirements, e.g. you do not need to specify where you obtained the molar mass data.

Avoiding plagiarism

If you do not identify direct or indirect quotations from the literature as such, this constitutes plagiarism.

Plagiarism may result in your work being graded as failed. If you are unsure, ask your supervisor.

Citation style and bibliography

Please note the information provided in the general Moodle course of the Faculty of AC for guidance on citation styles and suitable reference management programs.

Bibliography:

• The bibliography is a complete list of the sources you used, included at the end of your work. List only those sources you have cited in your text.
• The bibliography should allow readers to trace the sources you used. Entries must be detailed enough for readers to locate and consult the source themselves.
• The bibliography must be complete and consistent in format.
• References are ordered according to their appearance in the text. Each entry ends with a period.
• If you use a citation style other than the one recommended by the faculty, discuss it with your supervisor.
• Online sources must also be cited, always including the date of access.
• Abbreviations of chemistry journals can be found on the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) website.

Example: U. Böhme, S. Tesch, Citing: Why and How? Nachr. Chem. 2014, 62 (9), p. 852–857.

Frequently asked questions

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Designing the layout

The layout – in other words the page design of your paper – should be clear and functional.

• Font and font size: Use a simple font, e.g. Times New Roman or Arial.
• Captions: All tables, equations, figures, and schemes must be numbered in the order in which they are mentioned in the text; examples: “Table 1”, “Figure 1” – It is best to use the automatic captioning function of your word processor. All figures and tables must be introduced in the text.
• Use abbreviations and acronyms sparingly but consistently. At the first mention, the full term must also be given.
• Nomenclature, symbols, units: The rules and recommendations of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the International Union of Biochemistry (IUB), and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) should be followed. Furthermore, the DIN EN ISO 80000 must be observed.

Formatting the document

• Italic type is used for symbols of physical quantities, but not for the corresponding units, e.g.: T for temperature, stereochemical descriptors (cis, E, R), locants (N-Methyl), symmetry and space groups (C_2v), and prefixes as in “tert-Butyl”, but not for Latin expressions such as “in situ”.
• The stereochemical descriptors D- and L- as well as the terms molar (M) and normal (N) should be written in small caps.
• Oxidation states should be written in small caps in parentheses when the element name is written out, and as superscript when using the element symbol; example: iron(II) resp. Fe^II; iron(III) resp. Fe^III.
• Formulas of coordination compounds must be written in square brackets (IUPAC rule).
• For axis labels, units are separated by a slash; e.g. T / K. The ordinate is labeled perpendicular to the axis. An arrow indicates the direction of increasing values, e.g. on coordinate axes or next to labels.

Specifying chemical formulas

You should label chemical formulas consecutively with formula numbers (Arabic numerals, bold, and not in parentheses). Alternatively, you may label them as figures:

• Common abbreviations such as Me, i Pr, s Bu, and Ph may be used, but consistency is important.
• General substituents should be denoted as R¹, R² or R, R‘.
• The spatial arrangement of substituents must also be indicated.

Extensive reaction conditions should be listed in the legend.

Creating tables

The following general rules apply to tables:

• Tables should have a descriptive heading and be divided only by three lines (header, neck, and footer lines).
• Tables with only one or two columns, or columns with only one or two entries, should be avoided.
• For footnotes in tables, lowercase Latin letters in square brackets are used.
• All tables must be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text.

The word “table” must always be written out in full.

Labeling figures

The coordinate axes (horizontal axis: abscissa; vertical axis: ordinate) must be labeled with their quantities (in italics) and units, e.g.: λ / nm→.

The ordinate should, if possible, be labeled perpendicular to the axis, and the quantities or the axes should be indicated with an arrow.

The arrow always indicates the direction in which the numerical value of a quantity increases.

• A general or calculated relationship between quantities should be shown in the diagram as a solid line (Figure 1).
• Measured values, on the other hand, should be shown as data points without connecting lines (Figure 2). Exception: spectra.
• If the trend between measured points is important, it should be represented by a physically meaningful fitting function (Figure 3 and Figure 4). However, this function must be based on a theoretical relationship.
• Each figure must have a descriptive caption that briefly conveys the content of the figure.

Literature: DIN German Institute for Standardization e. V.: Graphical representation in coordinate systems, Beuth Verlag GmbH, Berlin 1973 (DIN 461).

Labeling equations

Equations must be numbered consecutively and referred to in the text.

The variables used must be explained in the text.

Specifying physical data

The qualitative and quantitative description of states and processes is done using quantities that describe measurable properties.

Every value of a quantity (e.g. measured value) can be expressed as the product of a numerical value and a unit.

Example:

Quantity value = numerical value • unit (quantity value = {quantity value} • [quantity value])

U = 5 V (U = {U} · [U])

G = 3 kJ mol-1 (G = {G} · [G])

Literature:
DIN German Institute for Standardization e. V.: Quantities, Beuth Verlag GmbH, Berlin 1998 (DIN 1313).
DIN German Institute for Standardization e. V.: Quantities and units – Part 1: General, Beuth Verlag GmbH, Berlin 2009 (DIN EN ISO 80000-1).

Frequently asked questions

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Topic and supervisors

The examination board of the Faculty of Applied Chemistry appoints examiners or equivalent persons as supervisors. They assign the scientific work (Bachelor, Master project, or Master thesis), while students can submit topic proposals.

With the approval of the examination board, the final thesis can also be completed at institutions outside the university, provided adequate supervision is ensured.

Here you can find the registration form.

Duration and scope

The duration of the final thesis depends on the type of written work.

The exact rules can be found in the corresponding study and examination regulations:

• The total duration of the Bachelor project and the Bachelor thesis is limited to 5 months. An extension of up to 2 months is possible in exceptional cases if the student is not at fault. A corresponding informal request must be submitted to the chairpersons of the examination board.
• The Master project module is limited to two semesters (9 SWS per semester). One day per week is scheduled per semester. The specific rules are summarized in the master program study plan.
• The duration of the Master thesis is limited to 6 months. An extension of up to 2 months is possible in exceptional cases if the student is not at fault. A corresponding informal request must be submitted to the chairpersons of the examination board.

The different types of final theses also differ in their scope. Focus on the aspects that are essential for your task. Adhere to the following specifications:

• The length of the Bachelor or Master thesis should be approximately 50 or 60 pages, respectively, excluding the appendix.
• The length of the project report in the Master project module should be about 15,000 characters, excluding the appendix.

Submission

From November 8, 2024, a new uniform process for submitting final theses applies at Ohm: All students submit their theses to the study office.

Submission consists of one printed copy as well as an identical digital PDF version, which must be sent by email to studienbuero@th-nuernberg.de and to your first and second examiners.

Further information can be found in the registration form for the final thesis.

Evaluation

The evaluation of the final thesis is based on several criteria:

• Correct understanding of the assignment
• Adequate consideration of existing literature (conducting a literature review, presentation of the state of the art etc.)
• Scientific approach, validation of results
• Discussion or scientific assessment of the results achieved and a concise summary of the most important findings
• Formal presentation of the work (spelling, sentence structure, expression, organization, quality of figures and tables etc.)

Literature: Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg-Simon-Ohm: Study and Examination Regulations for the Bachelor/Master program in Applied Chemistry at Georg-Simon-Ohm University of Applied Sciences – Fachhochschule Nürnberg (SPO M-AC) 2010, 2014.

Frequently asked questions

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Title page

Make sure that all essential information is included on your title page:

• Topic of the thesis
• Thesis / Master Thesis / Project Report for the degree Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or Master of Science (M.Sc.)
• By Jane Doe
• Supervisor: Prof. Prof. Dr. Firstname Lastname
• Nuremberg, DD.MM.YYYY (Summer Semester YYYY)

Examination declaration

The statutory declaration must not be missing from any thesis:

I, Jane Doe, Matriculation No. 123456789, certify that I have written this thesis independently, have not submitted it elsewhere for examination purposes, have indicated all sources and tools used, and have marked literal and analogous quotes as such.

Plagiarism Declaration in Accordance with Examination Rules: I herewith declare that I have worked on this thesis independently. Furthermore, it was not submitted to any other examining committee. All sources and tools used in this thesis, including literal and analogous quotes, have been identified.

Do not forget the date and your signature.

Publication declaration

This page must include the declaration according to § 19 para. 8 APO and the publication declaration of the thesis.

Here is the form.

Acknowledgements

The acknowledgements should not exceed one page. They may also be omitted entirely.

Summary

This section contains a brief summary of the most important results of your work.

Remember that this section is the “business card” of your work.

Structure and features:

• Total 250 to 300 words
• Purpose / Objective (5–10 sentences)
• Method (1–2 sentences)
• Results (2–3 sentences)
• Value / Benefit (2–3 sentences)

The summary is also called “abstract”.

For the Master Project Report, the summary should be written in English only.

Used symbols and abbreviations

This section lists all symbols and abbreviations used as a reference.

Always make sure to follow DIN EN ISO 80000.

Latin symbols:

Greek symbols:

Contents – example

Introduction

The introduction presents the background of your thesis.

It informs readers about the important scientific, economic, or ecological contexts of your task.

It should clarify which current problems exist and why you aim to solve certain tasks in your work.

The introduction typically spans 1–2 pages.

Your introduction should answer the following questions:

• Why is your work important?
• What contribution does your work make?
• What is the objective of your work? (research question, hypothesis, research goal)
• How was the research conducted?
• If applicable: How is the work structured?

Theory or state of the art

The “theory” or “state of the art” section provides information on the most important theoretical and practical foundations of your thesis.

Ideally, use descriptive titles instead of just “Theory” or “State of the Art.”

If applicable, multiple chapters may be useful: Optionally work with subchapters.

Here you present the results of your literature research.

This also includes a critical assessment and discussion of the literature. After this, the readers understand the current state of knowledge or state of the art in the task area.

This section allows your audience to understand the type of work conducted, the analyses, and the subsequent evaluation or discussion of the results.

Focus on the essential aspects of your thesis, not on generally known fundamentals.

Information that is not necessary for understanding your work or not applied should not be described here.

Chapters 1 and 2 should together comprise approximately one-third of your thesis: guideline is 15–20 pages.

Objectives and problem solving

Clarify with your supervisor whether a separate chapter for objectives and problem solving is needed or whether these aspects can be included in the introduction.

If you use a separate chapter “Objectives and problem solving”, make sure not to repeat the introduction.

If you decide to include this chapter for a better understanding of your thesis, ensure that it fully covers the objectives or task description.

If your thesis involves multiple tasks contributing to the overall solution, it is helpful for readers to understand which tasks need to be completed and how you intend to solve them.

Explain your strategy for solving the overall research question so that it is clear why you perform certain experiments or measurements.

Materials and methods

In this section, you document your experiments or measurements.

Separate the description of the equipment used from the explanation of the procedure.

The following questions should be answered:

• Which devices (manufacturer), chemicals etc. were used?
• Which techniques were applied?
• How exactly did you perform the work?
• Why was this specific setup chosen?
• How were the obtained results analyzed?
• Are there factors that could influence the research?

Equipment:

Indicate which chemicals (incl. manufacturer and purity used) / devices were employed and how the experimental setup looked.

Methods:

Describe how you conducted your experiments or measurements.

The description must be such that your procedure is understandable and reproducible for the readers.

This section documents the experimental procedure so that other professionals can reproduce the experiments.

Record all parameters relevant for later analysis (e.g. device parameters, eluents, preparation of standard and sample solutions etc.).

The traceability of your results is a strict requirement of quality assurance systems based on ISO 9000 ff.

Measurement results and interpretations do not belong in this chapter.

If you develop a method, indicate the starting and final method and if applicable relevant intermediate steps.

Results and discussion

Present your obtained measurement results – display them in tables!

Everything presented in tables, figures, or schematics must also be introduced and commented on in the text.

If you have many spectra, chromatograms, or similar data, show only selected examples.

Avoid overly detailed displays in huge tables or too many measurement charts. If necessary, these are better placed in the appendix.

Your experimental results should be analyzed with respect to the fundamentals described in section 2 and, if possible, supported by statistical data, e.g. coefficient of variation, confidence interval, statistical significance of differences, number of replicates etc.

Remember: a picture is worth a thousand words.

In the discussion, evaluate the results. Discuss how well the results fit theoretical frameworks or models, and how well they correspond with known literature results.

Also discuss the consequences of the results with respect to the research question.

It is often useful to combine results and discussion in one chapter and use a thematic structure.

This ensures that the obtained results are immediately interpreted and the derived conclusions are applied to further development.

Results: Neutral (!) presentation; no interpretation or personal opinion; concise and precise numbers, data, and facts; illustration of results using tables or charts (must be introduced in the text and have self-explanatory captions).

Discussion: Discussion based on derived diagrams, tables etc.; interpretation of results; What do the results mean? Why are they interesting? What can we learn from the results? Discussion must answer the research question! Discussion is more than personal opinion; What does the literature say? How can the results be explained or reconciled with the literature? Where are differences compared to the literature? Why do they exist?

Contents of a discussion: Point out similarities and differences; describe causes and effects; compare with literature, derive, confirm or refute hypotheses; support your discussion with derived data (diagrams), calculations, or models.

Conclusion

Provide – in a maximum of two pages – information about the results you have achieved regarding the fulfillment of your research question and the consequences you derive from these results.

The conclusion should consist of three parts:

• Summary
• Limitations
• Outlook / Further Work

Summary:

• Summary of the most important findings from the work
• Should not contain new aspects
• The “promises” from the introduction must be kept

Show once again how great your work is (but do not exaggerate and always stay neutral).

– Prof. Dr. Dirk Sachsenheimer

Limitations:

• Specify limitations of your research (methodological, temporal, data collection)
• 3 to 5 aspects

Outlook:

• What would / could you research next based on your findings?
• 3 to 5 aspects

Literature

All sources used (textbooks, publications etc.) must be cited.

At the end of your work, include a complete literature list that details all sources.

More information on citing in chemistry and the literature list can be found in this article: Citing in Chemistry.

Used tools

All tools used (programs, AI-tools etc.) must be indicated.

This also includes Word, Excel, calculator etc. with version and exact name indicated.

Coordinate with your supervisors regarding whether and to what extent you may use generative AI-tools in your final thesis.

If you have questions or uncertainties, you can always contact your supervisors.

Appendix or attachment

All information necessary for understanding the work, which due to its volume or lower relevance does not fit into the main sections, is placed in the appendix.

Frequently asked questions

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