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how-to-write-a-masters-thesis [2022/03/28 11:24]
lopatkova [Submitting]
how-to-write-a-masters-thesis [2023/04/20 10:08] (current)
vodrazka [Submitting]
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 ==== Me or We ==== ==== Me or We ====
  
-Most scientific contributions were achieved in a team and it is therefore customary to write publications in plural, as in ''"We present"'', ''"We implemented"'' and ''"We conclude that..."''. If you are a single author of the work, though, opinions differ on the choice of singular (''"I"'') and plural (''"We"''). Some even say a third person should be used as in ''"The researcher found out that..."'' It is generally advisable to avoid the singular/plural choice wherever you can by using impersonal passive voice, such as ''"The research shows that..."'', ''"The findings suggest that..."''. The active voice singular (''"I"'') would then be kept for sentences in which you underscore your particular contribution: ''"I implemented"'', ''"I measured"''. Even the use of ''"We"'' throughout the thesis in all places where you are clearly referring to you as a single author, is acceptable. Using a plural ''"we"'' instead of singular ''"I"'' in scientific writings is supposedly called [[https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorsk%C3%BD_plur%C3%A1l|''pluralis auctoris'']] and Wikipedia says it is more common towards the East (hence the Wiki page is only in a few languages, including Czech, but excluding English). That being said, the choice is really yours. +Most scientific contributions were achieved in a team and it is therefore customary to write publications in plural, as in ''"We present"'', ''"We implemented"'' and ''"We conclude that..."''. If you are a single author of the work, though, opinions differ on the choice of singular (''"I"'') and plural (''"We"''). Some even say a third person should be used as in ''"The researcher found out that..."'' It is generally advisable to avoid the singular/plural choice wherever you can by using impersonal passive voice, such as ''"The research shows that..."'', ''"The findings suggest that..."''. The active voice singular (''"I"'') would then be kept for sentences in which you underscore your particular contribution: ''"I implemented"'', ''"I measured"''. Even the use of ''"We"'' throughout the thesis in all places where you are clearly referring to you as a single author, is acceptable. Using a plural ''"we"'' instead of singular ''"I"'' in scientific writings is supposedly called [[https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorsk%C3%BD_plur%C3%A1l|''pluralis auctoris'']] and Wikipedia says it is more common towards the East (hence the Wiki page is only in a few languages, including Czech, but excluding English). The English term for this is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We#Author's_we|author's we]]. [[https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2009/09/use-of-first-person-in-apa-style.html|The APA style allows first person]] both in singular and plural. That being said, the choice is really yours. 
  
  
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 (Petricek, 2016)((Tomas Petricek [@tomaspetricek]. (2016, May 11). //Making silly #latex jokes is much more fun than doing final tweaks in my thesis on #coeffects...//. Twitter. [[https://twitter.com/tomaspetricek/status/730442442827304961|URL]])) (Petricek, 2016)((Tomas Petricek [@tomaspetricek]. (2016, May 11). //Making silly #latex jokes is much more fun than doing final tweaks in my thesis on #coeffects...//. Twitter. [[https://twitter.com/tomaspetricek/status/730442442827304961|URL]]))
 +
 +For LCT students: You should follow the instructions for the thesis formatting as strictly as possible; however, some slight deviations commonly occur for LCT students and are tolerated. You can have your other university's name and logo on the title page. If you have co-supervisor from the other university, you can include their name as well. For the purpose of defense at Charles University, you should show your CUNI supervisor (i.e. the one that is indicated at your CUNI official assignment) as the main one. Name your CUNI supervisor on the abstract page. 
  
 ==== Referencing, Plagiarism and These Things (Don't Skip Me!) ==== ==== Referencing, Plagiarism and These Things (Don't Skip Me!) ====
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 In scientific writing, there is a rigid, accustomed way of proper referencing. TODO write about reference norms. In scientific writing, there is a rigid, accustomed way of proper referencing. TODO write about reference norms.
 +
 +=== Useful links ===
 +
 +**CUNI student handbook:** 
 +(pdf cz) https://karolinum.cz/knihy/foltynek-jak-se-vyhnout-plagiatorstvi-24022
 +(web cz) https://www.akademickaetika.cz/prirucka-pro-studenty/
 +
 +(pdf eng) https://karolinum.cz/knihy/foltynek-how-to-avoid-plagiarism-24023
 +(web eng) https://www.akademickaetika.cz/en/student-handbook/
 +
 +**CUNI handbook for academic staff:**
 +(pdf cz) https://karolinum.cz/knihy/foltynek-jak-predchazet-plagiatorstvi-ve-studentskych-pracich-24082
 +(web cz) https://www.akademickaetika.cz/prirucka-pro-akademicke-pracovniky/
 +
 +(pdf eng) https://karolinum.cz/knihy/foltynek-how-to-prevent-plagiarism-in-student-work-24024
 +(web eng) https://www.akademickaetika.cz/en/handbook-for-academic-staff/
 +
 +
 +Moodle kurz na FF
 +https://www.ff.cuni.cz/2021/02/e-learning-focused-academic-integrity-research-ethics-english/
 +(asi zatím dostupné jen pro studenty FF, pracuje se na verzi pro celou uni - mělo by být dostupné v dubnu/květnu 2022)
 +
 +odkazy na cizí uni:
 +https://gpsdocs.rice.edu/orientation/Plagiarism_Hewitt_document.pdf
 +http://cnx.org/content/col10604/1.1/
 +
 +==== Abstract ====
 +
 +píše se nakonec :-)) 
 +Jak s překladem do češtiny - typicky lze požádat o pomoc supervisora :-)
 +
 +It is strongly recommended that the abstract in your thesis differs from the abstract in the official assignment. Even though in theory you could claim that you did exactly what was in the assignment, it is better to show the reviewer that it is not just a copy. Typically, the assignment is more vague because you do not know what exactly you will do after you see the results of the first experiments. In contrast, the abstract should summarize what you actually did. Even if your thesis closely matches the assignment, the abstract probably should highlight your main achievement(s) (e.g. “we were able to improve the state of the art by 50%”). 
  
 ===== Submitting the Thesis ==== ===== Submitting the Thesis ====
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 //Dan píše ve svých poznámkách:// //Dan píše ve svých poznámkách://
 PDF-A requirements: PDF-A requirements:
-there is an ufal-wide installation of the verapdf tool available at /lnet/ms/projects/verapdf, with a useful wrapper script /lnet/ms/projects/verapdf/checkpdf that can be more talkative if you use the `–verboseoption. +there is an ufal-wide installation of the verapdf tool available at ''/opt/tools/verapdf'', with a useful wrapper script ''/opt/tools/verapdf/checkpdf'' that can be more talkative if you use the ''–verbose'' option. 
  
 === Hardcopies  === === Hardcopies  ===
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 //TODO: is this still true in 2021? The standard way is a zip attachment in SIS (plus a link to GitHub/Lindat/etc.).// //TODO: is this still true in 2021? The standard way is a zip attachment in SIS (plus a link to GitHub/Lindat/etc.).//
  
-If you order the binding in Prague, the stores typically know how the product should look like, so they will only ask you your name and the name of the faculty. You will have to submit two hardcopies of the thesis: one for the supervisor / the opponent and one for the library. The hardcopy for the library must also contain the original assignment, signed and stamped from the dean's office (at this time it is probably being kept for you by Ms. Brdičková – see above). +If you order the binding in Prague, the stores typically know how the product should look like, so they will only ask you your name and the name of the faculty. You will have to submit two hardcopies of the thesis: one for the supervisor / the opponent and one for the library. The hardcopy for the library must also contain the original assignment, signed and stamped from the dean's office (at this time it is probably being kept for you by Ms. Doušová – see above). 
  
  
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 https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en/students/bachelor-and-master-thesis/guidelines-for-writing-a-master-thesis https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en/students/bachelor-and-master-thesis/guidelines-for-writing-a-master-thesis
 +
 +Prepare a presentation (PDF, Microsoft PowerPoint or LibreOffice Impress). A laptop will be available (or you can use your own), with a dataprojector.
 +
 +You will have only **10 minutes,** which is very short time! The committee will be NLP-literate, but not necessarily specialized in your problem. Keep the introduction very short: the area I selected is XXX, the concrete problem is YYY, it is a problem because ZZZ (impact, motivation). Then another slide introducing methodology, then possibly a few interesting details from your research, then results. As with every presentation, avoid slides with too much text or too many numbers (or if you believe you need many numbers to be able to answer questions, highlight the one or two numbers that the audience should not miss). Avoid complicated formulas or anything that may take some time for the audience to grasp (remember, you will not give them much time because you will not have it). Avoid too many slides (1 minute per slide should be minimum).
 +
 +Present the slides to yourself **aloud,** possibly several times. Try to arrange a dry-run with your supervisor. Get confident about what you are going to say. Check the timing.
 +
 +There will be two written reviews of your thesis: one by your supervisor, the other by an opponent. Both reviews shall be available to you at least one week before the defense. The reviews may contain questions that you will have to answer during the defense. If so, prepare the answers. You may prepare slides to back the answers if applicable. In that case, don't include these slides in your main presentation. They don't count towards your time limit. Wait until asked, then show them (they may be part of the same presentation file, e.g. you may put them after the Thank You slide).
 ==== Final State Examination === ==== Final State Examination ===
  
  
 https://ufal.mff.cuni.cz/teaching/state-exams https://ufal.mff.cuni.cz/teaching/state-exams

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