Several typical difficulties and potential pitfalls accompany writing a thesis. The following article was written to support you when writing a thesis by answering the most frequently asked questions and highlighting common mistakes. The comments and recommendations, which are presented here, apply to theses which are written at the Entertainment Computing Group. It is always advisable to familiarize yourself with your supervisor's expectations.

1. What is a Thesis?

A thesis is the final academic project that demonstrates a student's ability to apply what they've learned throughout their degree. It typically involves solving a specific problem, a software engineering challenge, or exploring a particular topic in the field of human-computer interaction.

In a thesis, students often apply skills like designing and developing user-centered applications or analyzing the psychological and social aspects of interacting with technology. For example, a student might research how to improve the usability of a mobile app, create a more intuitive interface for a software tool, or investigate how users interact with emerging technologies such as virtual or augmented reality.

Working on a thesis requires reviewing relevant literature, formulating a straightforward research question and hypotheses, programming prototypes, conducting user studies or experiments, and analyzing data, to contribute to current research. It's not just a technical or design project, but an academic work that follows a structured methodology, integrating insights from fields such as psychology, design, and computer science. In short, a thesis in our field shows the student's ability to conduct research, critically analyze problems, and provide innovative or improved solutions within the discipline.

2. What Should Be Included in a Thesis?

A thesis should include several essential components. Below is an exemplary structure that contains the most important elements. Chapters may be named differently, according to the thesis's topic, or may differ depending on your focus.

1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Background
3. Concept
4. Implementation
5. Method
6. Results
7. Discussion
   1. Limitations
   2. Future Work
8. Conclusion

A thesis begins with the Title Page (you can find an example here), followed by the Abstract (including a brief summary of the research problem, methods, results, and conclusions), and the Table of Contents (outlining the structure of the thesis).

The Introduction provides a brief thematic summary, defines the research question(s), outlines the objectives, and explains the thesis structure. The Theoretical Background presents a critical analysis of relevant academic work, highlighting gaps your thesis addresses. If your thesis involves practical work, such as the development of an application, you have to describe the Concept and Implementation.

In the Method section, you describe your research approach and hypotheses, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. The Results section presents your findings, using figures such as graphs and tables as visual aids. In the Discussion, you interpret the results by considering them in the context of related work. You also acknowledge any limitations and critically reflect on your contribution, resulting in an outlook for future research.

The Conclusion briefly summarizes the key findings, discusses the contributions of your work, and suggests areas for future research. Finally, the References section lists all the sources cited, and an Appendix may include supplementary material, such as raw data or code.

The thesis should also contain images (e.g., from your application), diagrams, and tables, where appropriate, as they help in understanding and visualizing your work.

3. How Many Pages Should I Write?

Refer to the PO (Prüfungsordnung) of your degree course. There, you will find information about the thesis's formal requirements. Our chair will not require a certain number of pages, but rather a well-rounded result that covers all relevant topics. If your thesis focuses on theoretical research, you should elaborate on the theoretical background in greater depth. In contrast, a thesis with a focus on the development of an application should elaborate on the details of your technical implementation.

4. What Distinguishes a Bachelor's Thesis from a Master's Thesis?

The main difference between a Bachelor's and a Master's thesis lies in their scope, complexity, and level of originality. A Bachelor's thesis spans a period of 12 weeks. It typically focuses on demonstrating a student's ability to apply existing knowledge to solve a defined problem, often through literature review, analysis, or a practical project. It serves as an introduction to academic research, requiring problem-solving and writing skills.

In contrast, a Master's thesis typically takes 26 weeks and involves more advanced, independent research, as well as a deeper understanding of the subject. It often requires the student to contribute novel insights, theories, or findings to their field. The scope is broader, and the research methodology is more advanced, demanding a higher level of critical thinking, analysis, and scholarly contribution. Overall, a Master's thesis expects more originality and depth compared to the Bachelor's thesis, which primarily demonstrates foundational academic skills.

5. Communication With Your Supervisor

Throughout the thesis, your university supervisor is there to help—consult with them regularly. Since the Bachelor's thesis is typically a student's first academic work, seeking guidance is common and encouraged. Good mentoring also requires time for revisions, so don't wait until the last few days, as even the best advice won't help at that point.

6. How Is a Thesis Graded?

For a (very) good grade in your thesis, we require the following aspects to be fulfilled: The task must be appropriately, creatively, and reflectively solved. Your work should be carried out systematically, scientifically, and methodologically sound, with thorough reflection and analysis. Extensive subject knowledge is essential, demonstrated through comprehensive literature research and detailed engagement with the topic. The thesis must be well-written, structured, and presented clearly without errors, with proper formatting and effective use of graphics. You should show personal initiative, problem-solving skills, and dedication, without delays caused by your own actions. The thesis should be completed autonomously, with reliable communication and reflective acceptance of feedback. An oral presentation concludes the thesis process.

7. Academic Code of Honor

It should be obvious, but always needs to be emphasized: A thesis marks an individual work that was created autonomously and is based on the sources cited in the References section. Mindless Copy-and-Paste, fabrication of data, duplication of others' work, or "purchase of services" concerning implementation not only insults the supervisor's intelligence but also represents an abuse of confidence, which cannot be tolerated in the least. Such plagiarism violates the intellectual property rights of others and can lead to failure of the thesis. The case will also be reported to the examination board and may have far-reaching consequences. Research involving human participants requires careful consideration of ethical principles and approval. Your work must follow the guidelines of the UDE and the recommendations of the DGPS.

For the use of software and AI tools, please refer to the most recent list of allowed tools before starting to work on your thesis.