Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
This seminar is a rather special course where you will have to perform as real researchers and work on your master thesis in a style of academic (i.e. scientific) writing. That requires a lot of creative thinking, extensive reading of literature and thus a lot of time. There are the following conditions of attendance and enrollment into this course: a) you already know your final and irrevocable topic of the master thesis; b) you are certain that you can deliver its draft of approximately 20 pages at the beginning of January (Fall Semester)/May (Spring Semester) at the latest.
- Please read the attached files (e.g. the Master Thesis Primer) for more information.
- Our main communication platform will be Moodle - IEPS - "Master Thesis Seminar JEM166".
- At our first meeting you will be instructed about the next tasks and classes and you will be provided with a password to Moodle (the access details will also be sent to all registered students automatically).
During Fall 2022 we will attempt to return to the standard form of seminars, i.e. we will be meeting on Thursdays in room 105. However, the hybrid form will remain as a backup option and it will be available to those of you who will need it. A survey with questions related to the need for an online form of the course will be sent to you one week before the beginning of the semester.
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
This seminar is a rather special course where you will have to perform as real researchers and work on your master thesis in a style of academic (i.e. scientific) writing. That requires a lot of creative thinking, extensive reading of literature and thus a lot of time. There are the following conditions of attendance and enrollment into this course: a) you already know your final and irrevocable topic of the master thesis; b) you are certain that you can deliver its draft of approximately 20 pages at the beginning of January (Fall Semester)/May (Spring Semester) at the latest.
- Please read the attached files (e.g. the Master Thesis Primer) for more information.
- Our main communication platform will be Moodle - IEPS - "Master Thesis Seminar JEM166".
- At our first meeting you will be instructed about the next tasks and classes and you will be provided with a password to Moodle (the access details will also be sent to all registered students automatically).
During Fall 2022 we will attempt to return to the standard form of seminars, i.e. we will be meeting on Thursdays in room 105. However, the hybrid form will remain as a backup option and it will be available to those of you who will need it. A survey with questions related to the need for an online form of the course will be sent to you one week before the beginning of the semester.
Aim of the course -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
The course is dedicated to the students starting to work systematically on the diploma thesis. You are supposed to know already the topic of your thesis and be acquainted with basic references to books and journal papers which deal scientifically with your problem. The recommended enrolment to this course is in the second or the third semester of your studies at IEPS. In the extreme cases, the name of your thesis supervisor can be determined during this course, even though it would be much better if your supervisor and the topic had already been registered in SIS. More details about how to find your supervisor are in the IEPS Guide you received at the start of the semester. Its latest version is stored in Moodles in the "IEPS Moodle" block.
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
The course is dedicated to the students starting to work systematically on the diploma thesis. You are supposed to know already the topic of your thesis and be acquainted with basic references to books and journal papers which deal scientifically with your problem. The recommended enrolment to this course is in the second or the third semester of your studies at IEPS. In the extreme cases, the name of your thesis supervisor can be determined during this course, even though it would be much better if your supervisor and the topic had already been registered in SIS. More details about how to find your supervisor are in the IEPS Guide you received at the start of the semester. Its latest version is stored in Moodles in the "IEPS Moodle" block.
Course completion requirements -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
The following activities are included in the final grade:
Homework: Referee report on two final drafts (10 points for each report)
Provide feedback (at least three times) on presentations of your classmates.
Literature -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (24.10.2019)
McCloskey, D. (1999). Economical Writing. Waveland; 2nd edition. Strunk, W. & E. B. White (2000). The Elements of Style. Longman; 4th edition. Williams, J. M. (2010). Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Longman; 10th edition.
Harvard Referencing Guide. At http://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (24.10.2019)
McCloskey, D. (1999). Economical Writing. Waveland; 2nd edition. Strunk, W. & E. B. White (2000). The Elements of Style. Longman; 4th edition. Williams, J. M. (2010). Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Longman; 10th edition.
Harvard Referencing Guide. At http://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing
Requirements to the exam -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
The following activities are included in the final grade:
Homework: Referee report on two final drafts (10 points for each report)
Provide feedback (at least three times) on presentations of your classmates.
Entry requirements -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
Pre-conditions of attendance: Please enrol into this course only if you know your final and irrevocable topic of the master thesis, and you are sure that you can deliver its draft of approximately 20 pages within 80 days from the start of the course.
The Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University gives special emphasis on the high quality of the Master Theses of their school graduates. Writing of your thesis should become a highlight of your study - a mirror revealing your real capacities to work with scientific literature, to think logically and to invent new ideas about your selected topic. A good thesis will open the doors to your specialisation in the area of your professional career. Following the motto "quality rather than quantity" the examiners should base the evaluation of Master’s Theses on their quality, i. e. on the specificity of the research question, on its successful transformation into testable hypotheses and on the independent contribution of authors in answering the research question. In addition, there is the emphasis on the overall consistency of the thesis and the links between the research question, hypotheses, methods used, interpretation of results and conclusions. Conversely, the students are encouraged to limit the extent of their work and to eliminate irrelevant parts, e.g. trivial repetitions from wikipedia or journalistic catchwords recycled already thousands of times. Master thesis should avoid becoming a patchwork of trivial statements which bring no new insights.
High quality work is typically characterized by:
* a clearly specified well-motivated research question,
* the existence of testable hypotheses derived from the research question,
* a rich survey of facts and processing of data,
* an independent contribution by the student, i. e. a fair endeavour to address the specified research question by pointing to new views, contradicting facts and your own ideas,
* an overall consistency and good interlink between the individual parts,
* no plagiarism.
Plagiarism - "the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work." Any materials downloaded from the internet, which are copied into a dissertation, paper or essay, must be explicitly quoted and referenced. Failing to do that will be treated as a case of plagiarism and cheating, and therefore prosecuted. Plagiarism in the coursework can end up in a course failure. Plagiarism in the thesis may also lead to expelling you from the school.
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
Pre-conditions of attendance: Please enrol into this course only if you know your final and irrevocable topic of the master thesis, and you are sure that you can deliver its draft of approximately 20 pages within 80 days from the start of the course.
The Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University gives special emphasis on the high quality of the Master Theses of their school graduates. Writing of your thesis should become a highlight of your study - a mirror revealing your real capacities to work with scientific literature, to think logically and to invent new ideas about your selected topic. A good thesis will open the doors to your specialisation in the area of your professional career. Following the motto "quality rather than quantity" the examiners should base the evaluation of Master’s Theses on their quality, i. e. on the specificity of the research question, on its successful transformation into testable hypotheses and on the independent contribution of authors in answering the research question. In addition, there is the emphasis on the overall consistency of the thesis and the links between the research question, hypotheses, methods used, interpretation of results and conclusions. Conversely, the students are encouraged to limit the extent of their work and to eliminate irrelevant parts, e.g. trivial repetitions from wikipedia or journalistic catchwords recycled already thousands of times. Master thesis should avoid becoming a patchwork of trivial statements which bring no new insights.
High quality work is typically characterized by:
* a clearly specified well-motivated research question,
* the existence of testable hypotheses derived from the research question,
* a rich survey of facts and processing of data,
* an independent contribution by the student, i. e. a fair endeavour to address the specified research question by pointing to new views, contradicting facts and your own ideas,
* an overall consistency and good interlink between the individual parts,
* no plagiarism.
Plagiarism - "the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work." Any materials downloaded from the internet, which are copied into a dissertation, paper or essay, must be explicitly quoted and referenced. Failing to do that will be treated as a case of plagiarism and cheating, and therefore prosecuted. Plagiarism in the coursework can end up in a course failure. Plagiarism in the thesis may also lead to expelling you from the school.
Registration requirements -
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
The course is intended for IEPS students who are either working or about to start their work on their diploma thesis. It is vital that the students enrolled on this course have already contacted a potential supervisor and prepared at least a rudimentary draft of the thesis proposal. Please note that the defence can take place 9 months after the registration of the topic.
Last update: Ing. Vilém Semerák, M.A., Ph.D. (30.09.2022)
Předmět je určen pro studenty IEPS programu, kteří začínají pracovat či již pracují na své diplomové práci. Je tedy nutné, aby student byl již v situaci, kdy alespoň požádal potenciálního vedoucího o spolupráci a měl návrh záměru práce (alespoň v nějaké rudimentární podobě). Od registrace tématu k obhajobě musí uběhnout nejméně 9 měsíců.
