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Syllabus & Requirements

From Interest to Research: MA Thesis Planning Workshops” (For students in early stages)

Thinking about your MA thesis but not sure where to start? This workshop helps you transform your academic interests into viable research projects. Through structured exercises, peer discussion, and practical planning sessions, you’ll move from vague ideas to concrete research designs.

We’ll focus on the crucial early stages:

  • Identifying research interests
  • Narrowing down topics
  • Developing research questions
  • Finding appropriate methods
  • Creating realistic timelines
  • Understanding the thesis requirements
  • Building your research toolkit

By the end of the semester, you’ll have a solid thesis proposal, practical research plan, and clear next steps. Join us to lay the groundwork for a successful thesis journey!



Week 1 (April 15) – one-on-one sessions

Week 2 (April 22) – one-on-one sessions
Week 3 (April 29, 10:15–11:45 ONLINE): “Thesis partnerships and pathways”

Session Objectives:

  1. Introduce students to the workshop structure and expectations
  2. Create effective critical friends pairs across different thesis stages
  3. Help students articulate their current position and needs
  4. Build initial connections across the cohort

No pre-session assignment (since it’s coming up quickly)


INTERIM Week 4 (May 6): no meeting, just assignments 😉

Topic Development Group:

  • Research 3-5 recently completed theses in your area of interest
  • Create a list of 7-10 potential research questions inspired by your interests
  • Write a one-page reflection on what makes a strong thesis topic in your field

Writing Group:

  • Develop a thesis progress map and identify one “quick win” to accomplish within the next two weeks
  • Analyze the structure of a thesis or dissertation you admire
  • Document your current writing process/blocks in preparation for future sessions

Week 5 (May 13, 10:15–11:45 ONLINE): “The Art of the Researchable Question”

Activities:

  • Analysis of exemplary thesis questions across disciplines
  • Question transformation laboratory (making questions more focused, original, and researchable)
  • “Question speed dating” – rapid peer feedback on research questions

Pre-session Assignments:

  • Topic Development: Create 5-7 potential research questions with rationales for each
  • Thesis Writing: Submit your current research question(s) with a brief analysis of their strengths and limitations

WRITING GROUP SESSION (1:00-1:45, ONLINE): “Architectural Thinking: Structure and Flow”

  • Using visual mapping to identify structural issues
  • Creating coherence across sections
  • Narrative techniques for academic writing

Pre-session Assignment (Writing Group):

Option A (for those with drafted sections):

  • Select a chapter or section (5-10 pages) that feels structurally challenging
  • Create a visual outline showing how ideas connect (or fail to connect)
  • Identify 2-3 specific structural issues you want to address

Option B (for those in early writing stages):

  • Bring an example of academic writing you admire for its structure (with brief notes on why)
  • Create a visual thesis structure map showing planned chapters/sections; identify 2-3 areas where you anticipate structural challenges

INTERIM Week 6 (May 20): no meeting, just assignments

Topic Development Group:

  • Test your top 2-3 research questions with preliminary research
  • Identify 5-7 key scholars/sources relevant to your emerging topic
  • Create a “scope statement” defining the boundaries of your potential thesis

Writing Group:

  • Identify a specific methodology question to explore in the next session
  • Implement one structural improvement based on the workshop
  • Map the flow of argument in one section of your thesis
Week 7 (May 27, 10:15–11:45, ONLINE): “Research Design Innovation Lab”

Activities:

  • Method experiment stations (students try different methodological approaches)
  • “Design thinking” for research challenges
  • Source triangulation exercise

Pre-session Assignments:

  • Topic Development: Think of one method that either you will definitely use in your thesis or that you have always wanted to try out AND one that will definitely NOT be part of your thesis.
  • Thesis Writing: Identify a methodological challenge in your current work and possible solutions

INTERIM Week 8 (June 3): no meeting, just assignments

Topic Development Group:

  • Conduct a mini-literature review (5-7 sources) on your emerging topic
  • Create a research design sketch for your potential thesis
  • Identify 2-3 potential thesis supervisors and their relevant expertise

Writing Group:

  • Prepare questions about positioning your work in scholarly conversations
  • Apply one methodological insight from the workshop to your thesis
  • Review your literature review for gaps or opportunities
Week 9 (June 10): ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS online
Week 10 (June 17, 10:15–11:45, onLINE): “Thesis as Conversation”

Activities:

  • “Scholarly dinner party” exercise (who would you invite to discuss your topic?)
  • Positioning your work in academic debates
  • Creating dialogue between sources and your voice

Pre-session Assignments:

  • Topic Development: Map the key scholars/sources in your emerging field with their perspectives
  • Thesis Writing: Analyze how effectively you’re engaging with sources in a current chapter

WRITING GROUP SESSION (1:00-1:45, ONLINE): “Breaking Through Barriers”

Identifying and addressing specific writing challenges
Tailored strategies for different writing obstacles
Creating momentum in stalled projects

Pre-session Assignment (Writing Group):

Option A (for those with writing blocks in current work):

  • Complete a “writing obstacles inventory” identifying your specific challenges
  • Bring a segment of writing (2-3 pages) where you feel particularly stuck
  • Document your current writing process/routine for discussion

Option B (for those in planning/early stages):

  • Document your planned writing process/schedule for thesis work
  • Identify 3 writing challenges you’ve faced in previous academic work
  • Draft a detailed outline for an upcoming section (1-2 pages)

Week 11 (June 24): ONE-on-one consultations online

INTERIM Week 12 (July 1): no meeting, just assignments

Topic Development Group:

  • Revise your research plan based on workshop insights
  • Create a thesis timeline with key milestones
  • Begin thinking about how your thesis could lead to future academic/professional opportunities

Writing Group:

  • Consider which section of your thesis has the most potential for future development
  • Implement one data management strategy from the workshop
  • Address one identified gap in your sources/research
Week 13 (July 8, 10:15–11:45, online): “Collaborative Problem-Solving Workshop” OR another topic as per student feedback throughout the semester

Activities:

  • Student-led problem identification and clustering
  • Small group solution development
  • Resource sharing and strategy testing

Pre-session Assignments:

  • All students: Submit your most pressing thesis challenge and one resource that has helped you overcome a previous challenge
  • Topic Development: Bring a specific question about your research design
  • Thesis Writing: Bring a specific section that needs improvement

WRITING GROUP SESSION (1:00-1:45, ONLINE): “The Final Push: Completion Strategies”

Managing the final stages of thesis writing
Quality control and polishing techniques
Preparation for submission

Pre-session Assignment (Writing Group):

Option A (for those nearing completion):

  • Create a completion timeline with remaining tasks and deadlines
  • Select a polished section and an unpolished section for comparison
  • Prepare 2-3 specific questions about finalizing your thesis

Option B (for those in mid-process):

  • Prepare 2-3 questions about maintaining momentum through the writing process
  • Create a progress assessment and timeline for remaining work
  • Identify a section you’ve written that needs significant revision

Week 14 (July 15, ONLINE): Wrap-up, EVALUATION, celebration
PLUS July 16 10:15–11:45 online – ISME navigator: Thesis Development Workshop (for the administrative needs)

Requirements

Regular and active participation in all sessions is appreciated, but attendance may depend on individual needs and capacities as well as responsibilities towards critical friends; you are required to participate at least in 3 sessions (excluding one-on-ones, the 10:15–11:45 and 1:00–1:45 sessions are separate sessions); you cannot pass the course if you don’t engage with the assignments and regular meetings.

On-campus participation will be in 2.2058; online sessions will be in the instructor’s personal webex room.

Note: The two courses are not designed to offer compensation tasks for irregular attendance, so if you never participate throughout the semester or if you let your critical friends down, you will not pass the module.

All sessions are open for all students at different stages to join in. Also check out the ISME navigator sessions for further administrative and logistic input.

The pre-session assignments mentioned for each session don’t need to be sent to the instructor (unless they are called “submit”, see below), but must be completed before the relevant session, so as preparation for the session; we will use the assignments during the sessions, so it makes sense to actually do these assignments if you plan to participate in the relevant sessions.

“Submit” Assignments:

  • Assignments described as “submit” (especially for the writing group) are to be sent from @fu mail addresses via email to the instructor with the subject “kraken” until the Monday 1 PM before the relevant session.
  • As to treat all students equally, I must specify the requirements to pass the course, which can be achieved by submitting ONE of these “submit” assignments. I trust you find benefit in more than just one of these assignments 😉

Condition to participate in the one-on-one consultations in week 9 or 11:

  • Students maintain a digital thesis development portfolio for themselves.
  • They select their best/most relevant work from the assignments OR their current thesis writing to share from @fu mail addresses via email to the instructor with the subject “kraken” before the one-on-one consultations in week 9 or 11, deadline June 6, 12 PM, so as the basis for the consultation. The one-on-one consultations are voluntary, though.
  • Scheduling will be via Calendly and will be available as of the end of May: https://calendly.com/mummelthei/isme-commresearch-summer-2025

Communication

Via the campus management mailing lists (so don’t forget to register for the two courses!) and via this blog. No blackboard.