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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The final chapter of the paper contains a summary of the main statements of the work and possible conclusions derived from them. For a conclusion, you revisit the research question, answer it succinctly, and provide a final assessment. You can also comment on the hypotheses you formulated at the beginning of your paper.

What belongs in a conclusion?

• Recommendations for practice
• Placing the problem in a wider context
• Personal conclusions, if they are meaningful for your type of paper
• If applicable, an outlook on research gaps arising from your own scientific work
• Summarized answers to the questions posed in the introduction

The title of the final chapter corresponds to the points you address and is therefore, for example, “Summary and Conclusion,” “Recommendations for Practice,” or “Outlook.”

A good conclusion is brief and written in a neutral tone, despite its evaluative nature.

What does not belong in a conclusion?

• You do not address new content in the final chapter.
• In the final chapter, you do not present your personal opinion (based on gut feeling) but your justified evaluation, which is based on the preceding discussion and your conclusions. If applicable, you may also provide recommendations for action.

The conclusion is a mandatory part of the structure of a scientific paper.

Frequently asked questions

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Purpose of the discussion

In the discussion, you assess what your results mean, to what extent you have achieved your objectives, and what recommendations may arise from your results.

By assessing, we do not mean your personal opinion, but rather a fact-based interpretation of your results and their classification.

“In experimental and theoretical theses, the discussion is the most important part of the paper: This is where it becomes clear whether you can interpret data, answer open questions based on measurements, identify problems, identify causes, highlight shortcomings, and raise new questions. This chapter is your chance to convince the examiners of your competence.”

– Prof. Dr. Michael Zwanger

How to write your discussion

1. You assess your results by taking the experimental conditions into account and conducting an error analysis.
2. You also establish the connection between the results and the theory, and explain possible deviations from any existing theoretical predictions. This is followed by a comparison with experimental results from research.
3. Finally, you relate all previous chapters to each other so that you can derive consequences for research or development. The results of other authors are used to confirm your own findings or to highlight new insights. Recommendations for action may also be given.

“In development theses, this part is not necessarily required as a separate chapter; the content may be more appropriately distributed among the surrounding chapters without having to introduce an explicit “Discussion” chapter.”

– Prof. Dr. Matthias Hopf

The discussion is (except in development theses) a mandatory part of The Structure of a Thesis in Engineering and Natural Sciences.

Frequently asked questions

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In some papers, you present the results of your own empirical research, while in others you may, for example, develop a concept for a social institution. Your task is always to develop a comprehensible argumentation. More information on the different types of scientific papers can be found in this article: The different types of scientific papers.

In addition to these general features, there are further evaluation criteria for scientific papers, which the supervising lecturers set depending on the nature of your work. So, first ask the lecturers supervising your term paper or final thesis about specific requirements. The OWL can clarify formal aspects, but it does not replace a conversation with your lecturers.

Be proactive and prepare for the meeting! First, read the seminar plan, as it often describes the expectations for the term paper. Some lecturers have also created their own guides, e.g. for supervising the bachelor’s thesis. You should read these guides before a meeting. See also the article: Preparing for the first meeting with your lecturers.

What you should clarify with your supervising lecturer

• Topic and research question of the paper
• Individual or group work
• Form of marking individual contributions (for group work)
• Suitable (research) methodological approach
• Timeline and submission date
• Type and extent of supervision, if applicable support from tutors
• Formal requirements, e.g. word or page count, formatting
• Form of submission, e.g. printed version, Moodle, by email, file format
• The most important evaluation criteria
• The use of gender-neutral language

Lecturers usually use an evaluation grid to assess your scientific paper. We have been provided with the following two examples – depending on the type, purpose, and method of the paper, the evaluation criteria for your work may differ from these examples. Discuss the expectations for your specific paper with your supervising lecturers.

Evaluation grid example 1

We thank Wolfgang Wahl for this example of evaluation criteria for a term paper in module 1.1.

Evaluation grid example 2

Exclusion criteria for a positive assessment:

Structure and organization of the work:

Contents:

Literature base and evaluation:

Language:

Further criteria:

(++ = very good | + = good | 0 = satisfactory | – = sufficient | –– = insufficient)

We thank Susanne Heidenreich for this example of the evaluation criteria for a bachelor’s thesis.

Frequently asked questions

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To ensure unbiased evaluation, your supervisor will usually not read the entire text in advance. For this reason, examiners often choose not to hold final coordination meetings in the last three to four weeks before submission. Instead, you may be allowed to submit a sample for early review.

When revising your text, seek support from both subject experts and people outside your field. Fellow students, lecturers, or colleagues in companies can check for technical accuracy, logical consistency, and clarity of argument, while those outside your field can focus on readability and formal issues.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which suggestions for improvement you want to accept.

Give your feedback providers clear instructions about what they should focus on when reviewing your text. Clarify in advance when they have time and how much time they’ll need for the review. You should also ask in which format they prefer to receive your work – printed or digital.

Giving text feedback

1. Create a supportive environment: Feedback works best face-to-face in a relaxed and confidential setting. If there’s already a trusting relationship, written feedback can also work well.
2. Ask about feedback needs: It’s easier to give feedback when you know exactly what the person wants. Ask about the context – what is the text trying to achieve? What stage is the writer at?
3. Start with something positive: It’s always nicer to hear something positive first. Every text has something that can be praised – content, spelling and punctuation, clarity, the research question, or the structure. Ending on a positive note is also helpful.
4. Be specific: Feedback should refer to specific passages in the text.
5. Offer alternative perspectives: Evaluate specific sections from your point of view. Clearly identify strengths and weaknesses.
6. Use I-messages: Feedback is easier to accept when phrased in the first person, e.g., “I didn’t understand this part…”

Receiving text feedback

1. Share your feedback expectations: It’s easier for someone to give helpful feedback when they know what you’re looking for. Also outline the context – what is the goal of the text? What phase are you in?
2. Be open but critical: Accept feedback as one perspective on your work. Be open, listen, and ask questions – but also question whether the criticism is fair. You don’t have to accept everything – you’re the writer, and you decide what to take on board.
3. Ask follow-up questions: Take advantage of the fact that someone has read your text. Ask whatever you want to know – e.g., “What do you think of the title?”
4. Don’t justify – but engage in discussion: Explaining orally what you meant to say is already part of revising. Talking is a precursor to writing – so use the opportunity to discuss your content and writing goals.

Who can give me text feedback?

• Writing tutors: Mainly for cross-disciplinary, sample-based feedback. Possible focus areas: Is the line of argument clear? Is the wording understandable?
• Fellow students, lecturers, company colleagues: Mainly for subject-related content feedback, for instance: Is the research question appropriate? Have I cited the key literature?
• Friends and family: Mainly for language feedback. Maybe someone has a good grasp of spelling and punctuation?

Feedback checklist

• Why do I need feedback? Define focus areas: content, language, formatting, etc.
• When do I need feedback? Regularly, at key points, only at the beginning or end of the writing project – and by when?
• Whom should I ask for feedback? Feel free to ask different people for different tasks.
• When will I incorporate the feedback? Schedule writing time accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

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