Final theses

Award procedure

Theses (Bachelor's and Master's theses) are allocated centrally via an OPIuM allocation procedure. Current information on planned/ongoing allocation procedures can always be found under the current announcements of the Examinations Office.

Places for theses for the winter semester (i.e. for processing periods starting between October and March) are usually allocated in July and for the summer semester (i.e. for processing periods starting between April and September) usually in February.

The allocation procedure for a thesis is open to

• Students in the Bachelor's degree program in Business Administration and Economics,
• Students in the Economics core subject of the dual-subject Bachelor's degree program,
• Students on the Master's degree programs in Business Administration and Economics,
• Students on the Bachelor's and Master's Information Systems programs.

Thesis supervision for Information Systems students can only be provided by the Information Systems departments.

Selection & Announcement

After the application deadline, places are allocated first according to the stated priorities and within the priorities according to the average grade achieved. Furthermore, the capacities of the subject areas are taken into account.

After the application deadline, the allocation of places for Bachelor's theses is published via OPIuM. The departments will inform you about the allocation of places for Master's theses.

You are only entitled to a place if you have applied for it in the OPIuM allocation procedure by the deadline. Information for students who have missed the first deadline can be found on the page "Nachrückverfahren des Prüfungsamts".

Once the places have been allocated and announced, the start date for your thesis will be set. This is done in consultation with the supervising department and the regulations specified by the department apply. The earliest possible starting date is two weeks after the announcement of the allocation, the latest possible date is the end of the semester to which the procedure relates.

The place allocation is only valid for one semester.

Identifying and narrowing down topics

If you are interested in our current topics (areas) and would like to write a seminar paper, Bachelor's or Master's thesis with us, please contact us as early as possible before the application deadline for the award procedure if you have any questions regarding possible topic restrictions or modifications or company cooperations.

At the start of each semester, we organize a kick-off meeting at which we provide all students who have been awarded a place at BOW with all the important information.

At the end, you will read up on your prioritized topic and narrow it down together with your supervisor. We provide a useful template, the Research Canvas, for formulating the objectives and research questions and describing the methodological approach. Allow sufficient time for reading and defining the research objectives, but above all for creating the research canvas (experience has shown that this takes approx. 2-6 weeks).

Our research canvas, the "roadmap" of your work, should be available by mid-February (winter semester) or mid-August (summer semester) at the latest to enable you to register within the semester in which you are accepted.

Start of the processing phase

Once the research canvas has been approved, we will register the thesis with the examination office.

After registration, you will begin your thesis on the specified start date. Set yourself a realistic timetable and start preparing and carrying out the data collection early on, especially if you are using an empirical research design. To ensure a targeted approach, it makes sense to arrange regular meetings with your supervisor. However, you should always approach your supervisor with any questions you may have.

The processing times are 13 weeks (Bachelor) and 20 weeks (Master).

At first glance, the canvas may seem like extra work, but it can save some effort in the research and writing process. It helps you not to lose sight of the goals and questions of your thesis and not to stray from the actual topic.

For a goal-oriented approach, it also makes sense to agree on a suitable supervision format with your supervisor, e.g. regular, well-prepared meetings.

Goal and scope

With the Bachelor's thesis, you should demonstrate that you are able to independently work on and present a defined problem from the field of Information Systems under supervision.

With the Master's thesis, you as a student should show that you are able to work independently on a problem from the field of Information Systems using scientific methods within a specified period of time.

The length of the thesis should not exceed 12 pages (seminar paper), 40 pages (Bachelor's thesis) and 60 pages (Master's thesis). Deviations of 10% are permitted. The quality of a thesis is not reflected in the number of pages (less is often more). The outline and appendices - if necessary - may also be included.

Data collection and analysis

Data collection is the process of gathering information to answer specific research questions. It can include both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Qualitative research aims to gain an in-depth understanding of complex phenomena. It uses unstructured data, such as literature (theoretical) and/or interviews or focus groups (empirical), to identify patterns, themes and relationships. The focus is on inductive analysis, in which the results are developed from the collected data.

Quantitative research aims to empirically test hypotheses and identify statistical correlations. This research uses structured data, which is available in numerical form, and analyzes it using statistical methods. The aim is to present objective results based on a broad database.

We provide scientific articles on specific research methods that can be used to guide the methodological approach of the thesis.

Language & comprehensibility

The specific problem expressed by the topic must be addressed. Long general considerations are undesirable. For example, when considering a specific problem, a lengthy introduction with general facts that have nothing to do with the topic itself should not be written.

The potential reader should be regarded as an expert, not a layperson. They have a general knowledge of the problem and are particularly interested in a presentation of the main topics. Definitions should therefore not be given for all terms, but only for the subjects that are the focus of the work.

A compact presentation and good illustration can be achieved with figures, tables and enumerations. However, such visualizations should not overload the work. Many correlations can also be expressed clearly in text form.

Self-evident statements do not advance your research. Instead, concentrate on the core idea of your work and pay attention to the central theme.

Citation

You cite to clarify the authorship of statements that you have taken from other authors. If you quote text verbatim or in spirit in your work without identifying it as such, you are plagiarizing.

You are quoting to document data and facts that you state in the text. No factual assertion may be made without being substantiated.

Published literature can be cited, e.g. work reports, conference and conference papers or scientific journal articles.

For theses, you can choose between the footnote system or the author-date system. For seminar papers, follow the guidelines of your supervisor.

Reference management programs allow you to collect, organize and process references in digital form and thus effectively support your academic work.

You will find further guidelines on citation and information on formal design in our format template, which we provide at the beginning of each semester.

Proofreading & submission

Pay attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation. Ideally, have the work proofread by other people.

Make sure that the paper complies with the specifications of our format template (e.g. font, line spacing, margins, cover page, etc.).

Check all references and the bibliography for completeness and correctness. Observe the prescribed citation style.

Coherence of content: Read through the paper again to ensure that the argumentation is logical and coherent and that all important points are covered.

Make sure that all figures and tables are numbered correctly and listed in the appropriate lists.

Check that all appendices, documents or data pertaining to the thesis are complete and correctly inserted.

Check that the affidavit is signed.

Your thesis must be submitted to the Examination Office in two hardbound copies by the deadline. In addition, your thesis must be submitted as a PDF file on a digital data carrier or via e-mail to the Examination Office and to the respective supervisor(s). You are responsible for the correct transmission of the file. The PDF document of your thesis is required for checking for plagiarism. You can find this and further information in the current examination regulations for your degree program on the website of the Examinations Office.

Evaluation of the work

You will receive the grade and feedback from your supervisor within 8 weeks of submitting your thesis.

Composition of the overall grade:

• Bachelor's thesis: 40% formal, 60% content
• Master's thesis: 30% formal, 70% content

Underlying assessment criteria:

• Language
• Spelling and punctuation
• Formal accuracy
• Citation and references
• Scope
• Structure and organization
• Stringent argumentation
• Quality of sources
• Formulation and achievement of objectives
• Conceptual basis
• Independence