After successful completion of the course, students are able to select and apply such methods, frameworks, and approaches that help to create and develop their own master thesis, by reflecting different ways of doing, researching and describing. Specifically, they are able to:

• develop a valid research question
• choose an appropriate methodology for their research question
• conduct their research accurately
• report their results concisely
• reflect and discuss their own reserach and the research of others critically
• take into account ethical issues of research

The goal of this course is to provide support for students who are looking for a master's thesis topic and who subsequently are drafting their thesis and are then preparing themselves for the final defense. Furthermore, this course intends to support community building among master students and lecturers in media informatics.

There will be three seminar days each semester. The first seminar day is started by a preliminary meeting. During this meeting all important issues concerning this seminar will be explained. Students do not have to complete the seminar in one semester, they may stretch their attendance over several semesters.

The first presentation on each seminar day is given by a lecturer on the topic of research methods in her/his field of research. The rest of the seminar day is made up of student presentations. Each student has to give two presentations, one on her/his master thesis proposal (10 min + 5 min discussion), and one on the final thesis (20 min + 5 min discussion). During the seminar, students have to provide systematic feedback to all other students on their master thesis. This feedback should address the following issues: related work and the relationship of the master thesis to related work, research question, methodology, (expected) results.

• Presentations by lecturers
• Presentations by studenst
• Critical discussion
• Systematic feedback by students

There will be 3 seminar days in WS 2020:

• Seminar day 1: Thu, 19 Nov 2020, 14-16
• Seminar day 2: Thu, 17 Dec 2020, 9-12
• Seminar day 3: Wed, 20 Jan 2021, 10-13

You may register for this course at any time (and not only at the beginning of the semester) and start with any of the 3 seminar days. If you step in later, you may continue the course in SS 2021.

Required: Registration for this course in TISS.
After registration in TISS you will find further information on this course in TUWEL.

• Participation in the three presentations of lecturers on research methods
• Presentation of the master proposal
• Feedback on other master proposals and master theses
  
• Presentation of the final results of the master thesis
• Active participation in the discussion on presentations from others

Students who attend a research method presentation or present a proposal or final presentation have to be present for the whole seminar day.

This seminar is mandatory for all students of media informatics.

Only those students who make a final presentation of their master thesis will receive a certificate. Students who are not able to complete all parts of the seminar may continue in the following semester.

A seminar day is usually held within the two weeks prior to a submission deadline to complete the studies. However, if it is not possible to offer a seminar day within these two weeks, there is still the possibility to submit the requests to complete the studies and give the presentation on the following seminar day, which will in any case be held prior to the final defense.