Dates
| weekly | Tuesday | 10:15 - 11:45 | 06.04.2026 - 10.07.2026 | C 12.101 Seminarraum |
Curriculum context
Presentation or Discussion of a Research (25%)
Poster (50%)
Resit date: No resit date will be offered to this assessment, because it is didactically inseparably connected with one of the associated courses. A resit will only be possible, if the module is available again.
Organizational information
Registration
Registration ends 07.4.2026 at 23:59 h
Persons
Content
This seminar is designed to support students in writing their Master’s thesis. It focuses on central questions of research projects and guides students step by step through the development of a compelling thesis, from identifying an appropriate research topic and research question to structuring the literature review, formulating an argument and/or hypotheses, and developing a suitable research design, including potential questions of case selection. The course will accompany students “in real time” as they write their Master’s thesis, addressing the respective steps of the process as they arise. In addition, the course offers practical guidance on the writing process, including strategies for addressing potential writing blockages as well as dealing with issues of data availability and non-findings. It also addresses how generative AI can and cannot be used. Finally, fundamental questions of research ethics will be discussed. The course is structured as a reading- and discussion-based seminar and combines group discussions on general issues of research design, small-group exchanges, and hands-on exercises for the different steps of the research and writing process. We will work with chapters from relevant textbooks and academic literature. Students will have ample opportunities to apply the concepts discussed to their own thesis projects.
At the end of the seminar, students are able to:
• Organize the writing of their Master’s thesis step by step, from topic selection to completion
• Identify an appropriate thesis topic and formulate a clear research question
• Develop a research design and justify methodological choices in relation to relevant literature
• Address common challenges in the writing and analytical process using practical strategies
• Use generative AI tools responsibly and effectively in view of limitations and boundaries
• Critically reflect on key questions of research ethics and take informed decisions
• Present their research designs to an academic audience
Evaluation
Further information on teaching evaluation: https://www.leuphana.de/en/teaching/quality-management/evaluation/course-evaluation.html