Recommendations Mit Links Cms

Recommendations for Preparing a Thesis

1 Recommended Dictionaries Bilingual • Duden Oxford: Großwörterbuch Englisch (A/LBS Spra 63.4449) • Routledge Langenscheidts Fachwörterbuch Wirtschaft, Handel und Finanzen: englisch-deutsch, deutsch-englisch, (A Spra 367 5403) Monolingual • Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (A Spra 363) • Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (A/LBS Spra 363) • Longman Business English Dictionary (LS Spra 367) Monolingual dictionaries are always suitable and recommendable for finding synonyms and for the spell check. English Grammar (or newer editions) • Longman English Grammer, New York, 1997 (LS Spra 375) • Heurichs-Kleinen: Englische Grammatik, 2002 (LS Spra 375) Internet • http://dict.leo.org/ (highly recommended) • http://www.quickdic.de/ • http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/

2 Recommended Literature about how to write a Thesis

Books (or newer editions)

• Van Wagenen, R. Keith: Writing Thesis – Substance and Style, 1991 • Glatthorn, Allan A.: Writing the Winning Dissertation – A Step-By-Step Guide, 1998 • Watson, George: Writing Thesis – A Guide to Long Essays and Dissertations, 2002 • Swetnam, Derek: Writing your Dissertation – How to Plan, Prepare and Present Successful Work, 3rd edition 2000 • White, Brian: Writing MBA Dissertation, 2000 • Harvey, Gordon: Writing with Sources – A Guide for Students, 1998 • Anderson, Jonathan: Assignment & Thesis Writing; 3rd edition, 1998 • Bond, Alan: Writing a Master’s Thesis – How to Plan, Draft, Develop and Publish your Thesis, 2003 • Paul, Oliver: Writing your Thesis, 2003

Websites:

• http://www.learnerassociates.net/dissthes/ • http://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.dissertation.html • http://final-year-projects.com/ • http://nmsu.edu/~gradcolg/Guidelines/msformat.html

3 Structure of a Graduation Thesis 1

Title page (Mandatory Text and Style: example for a paper and for a master thesis )

2*

(Preface / Acknowledgements)

3

(Table of) Contents

4*

(List of) Abbreviations

5*

(List of) Symbols

6*

(List of) Exhibits / Figures

7*

(List of) Tables

8

Chapters (: Introductory Chapter, Other Chapters, Summarizing Chapter)

9*

Appendices

10

References

11

Declaration (Mandatory Text and Style: example)

* non-mandatory. These parts are only needed in special cases.

4 Common Abbreviations The following list shows a selection of common English abbreviations applicable within a thesis, without the need of separate explanation. Other abbreviations have to be introduced either within footnotes or need to be alphabetically listed after the table of contents. p. pp. ed. eds. ed. i.e. e.g. ibid.

page pages editor editors edition id est exempli gratia ibidem

et al. vol.

et alii/alia Volume

that is to say for example previously mentioned (especially for the usage within footnotes) and others

Anon

Anonymous (author)

5 Referencing For each reference a detailed format with possible elements is given. Thereafter examples for practical use are listed. Monograph Surname, Initials, (can be capitals) Year of publication. Title. (can be underlined or italicised) Volume / edition. (if not the first) Place of publication: Publisher. e.g.

Rappaport, A., 1986. Creating Shareholder Value – The New Standard for Business Performance. New York et al.: The Free Press. Rappaport, A., Creating Shareholder Value: The New Standard for Business Performance, New York et al., 1986.

Edited Books Surname, Initials., (of the contribution) Year of publication. Title of contribution. In: Surname, Initial., (from the editor) (ed. / eds.) Title of Book. (can be underlined or italicised) Place of publication: Publisher, Page numbers of contribution.

e.g.

Davis, James R., 1992. Capital Budgeting. In: Keller, Donald E.; Bullock, James; Shultis, Robert L. (Eds.), Management Accountants’ Handbook, 4th ed., New York et al.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp.211-229.

or:

Davis, J.R. (1992) Capital Budgeting, in: Keller, D.E. et al. (Eds.), Management Accountant’s Handbook, 4th ed., New York et al., pp. 211-2129.

or:

Tallman, S., 2001. Global Strategic Management. The Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management, ed. R.E. Freeman and J.S. Harrison, pp.464-490. Please note that the use of italics in the title (as done with the last reference) must be made constantly throughout the thesis ! Periodicals Surname, Initials., Year of publication. Title of article. Title of periodical, (can be underlined or italicised) Volume number, Page number. e.g.

Eccles, R.G., 1991. ‘The Performance Measurement Manifesto’. Harvard Business Review, vol. 69, pp. 131-137.

or:

Eccles, R.G. (1991): The Performance Measurement Manifesto, in: Harvard Business Review, Vol. 69 (Jan./Feb.), 1991, pp. 131-137.

or:

Eccles: The Performance Measurement Manifesto, in: Harvard Business Review, Jan./Feb. 1991, 131-137. Internet Author / editor. (Year). Title.

Available from: (URL) Accessed Date e.g.

FASB (eds.) (2001). Business Reporting Research Project. Available from: http://www.fasb.org/brrp/index.shtml, 14 January 2004.

or:

PricewaterhouseCoopers (Eds.): Competing for capital – Recognizing utilities’ worth, 2002, http://www.pwcglobal.com/competingforcapital/, November 20th 2003. or: FASB (Eds.) (2001): Business Reporting Research Project, in: (Internet) http://www.fasb.org/brrp/index.shtml, (January 14, 2004) Please note that the exact date of accessing the internet must be given! Harvard System The Harvard method of quotation avoids the usage of footnotes as the references are inserted at the appropriate part of the text within brackets. Surname, Initials., Year of publication, Page number e.g.

(Eccles, p.35)

or:

(Eccles 1991: 35)

or:

Eccles (1991) concluded that…

6 Usage of AE or BE You should decide about writing your thesis in American English or British English and should check before with your professor/advisor. No matter what language you choose, the use within your paper should be consistent.

7 Handling of direct Quotations English language quotations are marked with quotation marks in the text. For quotations from other languages it is recommendable to translate it into English serving a fluently reading. However, the original quotation should be put in a footnote. Direct quotations should be scarcely used and limited to special cases ! In case of doubt ask your supervising professor.