dissertation on real estate ownership

Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 1

Topic: Term paper/Bachelor thesis/ Master thesis: Name and Matriculation number: Study programme: Starting and closing date: Grade Date of evaluation Overall grade First supervisor: Prof. Dr. Frank Kramer

Second supervisor:

Supervising process

General remarks  The student is responsible for choosing an appropriate topic. This choice is discussed with the supervisor.  All documents must be sent in word-format (no pdf) (except key articles to be sent before the first meeting).  For our meetings choose a time slot in Felix: https://felix.hs-furtwangen.de/url/RepositoryEntry/2162360323. There you will find the link and access code

to the online tool. Each time slot is 15 minutes. Please choose only time slots with the title “Thesis discussion”. Step Date Documents to be sent Remarks

1. Students are assigned to supervisors by the programme office.

February or July/August

2. Kick-off E-mail (Supervisor → student)

18.07.2022  Evaluation form  Very important: Please read them carefully and take them into account to prepare our next meeting and to write your thesis.

3. E-mail 1st meeting (Student → supervisor)

at the latest by 26th July, 2022  Brief research proposal (shortened to 2-3 pages)

 Draft of the table of contents (1 page)  1-2 key articles regarding the chosen topic

 For each main part of the table of contents write one paragraph to summarize the expected results.

 A good table of contents, that provides a clear and logical overview of the structure of your thesis is crucial and perhaps the most difficult step at the beginning. Ask yourself whether the table of contents fits to your research questions.

4. 1st meeting (online) 28th and 29th July, 2022 5. Update E-Mail

(Student → supervisor) at the latest by 30.09.2022 (Step 1 + aprox. 8 weeks)

 Revised research proposal/Introduction  Revised table of contents

6. Feedback E-Mail (Supervisor → student)

(Step 1 + aprox. 9 weeks)

7. 2nd meeting On request by student or supervisor 8. Questions via E-Mail

(Student → supervisor) At any time  There is a limited number of e-mails that can be answered per

thesis. It is expected that you mainly work independently.  I will not read any preliminary/draft versions or parts/chapters of

a thesis before official submission of the thesis. 9. Thesis submission

(Student → supervisor)  Thesis

 Take into account the official guidelines of the study programme to submit your thesis.

Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 2

Grading scheme Grade 1,0 1,3 1,7 2,0 2,3 2,7 3,0 3,3 3,7 4,0 5,0 Verbal grade

Very good Good Satisfactory Adequate Inadequate

SPO Outstanding performance Performance which is significantly above average

Average performance

Performance which, despite shortcomings still satisfies

requirements

Performance which, due to significant

shortcomings, no longer satisfies requirements.)

The thesis was excellent. There is nothing to add to it.

Outcomes could not have been better.

The student has demonstrated a solid, good work. Outcomes are fine. But there are some fields, where the student could

have done better.

Overall performance was ok. The student has added some value through his work. But

there are some considerable areas, where outcomes did not meet expectations.

The thesis is acceptable but is missing major expectations.

Overall performance is close to fail.

The thesis is not acceptable. Outcomes

didn’t meet expectations at all.

Evaluation category Weight Grade Weighted grade

Focus, structure, introduction 25% 0 0,00 Literature 5% 0 0,00 Formal conventions 10% 0 0,00 Content and writing style 45% 0 0,00 Graphs and figures 15% 0 0,00 Further aspects +/- 0,00 Overall grade first supervisor (not rounded) 0,00 Overall grade first supervisor (rounded)

Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 3

Focus and structure + - Structure  Is the topic clearly focused?

 Has the student made clear what aspects of the chosen topic he/she will deal with (limitation)?

 Does this limitation of the topic make sense (neither too broad nor too narrow)?

 Is there a clear and logical structure with discrete chapters (“common thread”)?

 Is this logical structure of the thesis visible and understandable by looking at the table of contents?

 Is the balance between theory and practice appropriate for the topic?  Does the thesis rely on a solid theoretical foundation, models or

concepts which are then applied to the topic?  Is the structure sufficiently subdivided?  If a chapter is subdivided, then there should be at least two sub-

chapters.  Are the chapter titles informative

(= providing an idea of the content of the chapter)?  Does each part start with a short introduction and finish with an

intermediate summary?  Does the title of the thesis reflect the content?

 

Introduction  Is the introduction well written and does it contain the necessary elements: o Background:

What is the topic about? Broader context of the topic? Why is the topic important? Why is it necessary to write about the topic?

o References: Some important references regarding the topic and relate the thesis to these references (= literature review; alternative: in a separate chapter)

o Research gap: Identifying a research gap that is addressed by this thesis.

o Research questions/objectives: 2-4 research questions; What are you trying to find out? Are the research questions/objectives clearly articulated?

o Methodology: Which sources of data will be used (primary and secondary)? How do you find the data needed? How will the data by analysed? Is

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Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 4

there a first idea regarding the expected results? o Description of the structure:

Brief overview over the different parts of the thesis (=description of the table of contents = chapter outline)?

o Limitations: What issues linked to the topic are not included in your thesis?

Literature + - Quantity  Number of sources used?

 To what extent does the author relate on a single or a few sources for certain chapters?

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Quality  Quality: Is the literature used of an appropriate level: o Academically recognized publications o Breadth of literature consulted o Latest scientific sources o Not: Wikipedia, other term papers, bachelor thesis, master thesis,

any source on the Internet o Be aware: one reason for citing sources is to assure the reader of

the accuracy of the facts (that´s why you cannot use any source that you find on the Internet).

 

Formal conventions + - Referencing  Is the referencing consistent and in accordance with a standard

referencing system (e.g. Harvard, Vancouver/Chicago)? (throughout the thesis + bibliography) (I prefer the footnote-system with comprehensive citing)

 Cite all sources always comprehensively (e.g. don´t use “ibid”,…).  Plagiarism? (which will lead to a “failed thesis attempt”)  Does the author refer (at least in most cases) to the original source?  The bibliography should only contain sources that were really used (and

referenced) in the thesis.

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Formatting  Is the work professionally formatted following a scientific style?  Guidelines:

o Use style sheets/templates! o Numbered pages o Font size: 12 pt. (not smaller!) o Spacing: 1.5 lines (not less!) o Margins: approx. 3 cm on all sides o Figures/tables need a title (or subtitle) and must be numbered

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Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 5

o Header on each page o Printed one-sided o Adhesive binding (“soft cover”) and a transparent film to cover the

title page Formal elements

 Does the work contain the required formal elements? o Title page o Abstract (1/2 – 1 page) o Table of contents o Table of figures / tables o List of abbreviations (in alphabetical order) o Bibliography (in alphabetical order) o Statement of authorship

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Grammar + Orthography

 Are there grammatical or orthographical mistakes?  Punctuation?

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Content and writing style + - Writing style  Is the work well-written, in an academic style? i.e.:

o No redundancies and no unnecessary repetitions o No “truisms” (statements that are common knowledge or always

true) o No flowering language o No jargon and slang; use of the right topic-specific terms o No unjustified subjective statements or personal anecdotes (=

objectivity) o No over-complicated sentences

(clear and concise writing): as briefly and clearly as possible (“use no more words than are necessary to do the job”); short sentences; writing is broken into paragraphs

o No contradictions  Is there a logical structure within the text (within a chapter)?: logical

reasoning within the text; consistency; no logical breaks in the text;

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Abstract  How is the abstract written? Content: o What are the research questions? o How did I go about answering them? o What were the results? o What conclusions do I draw?

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Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 6

Empirical research (not always included)

 Has the student conducted his/her own survey, depth interviews, observation?

 Is the research method well thought-out and realistic?  Is the analysis of enough depth?  Is the methodological approach clearly explained?  Does the student reflect about the strengths and weaknesses of the

chosen empirical approach?  Are the results compared to existing (similar) empirical research results?

 

Scientific/ Analytical quality

 Basic concepts, terms and theories are defined and explained correctly?  If there are different ways to define a certain concept, does the author

mention and explain these different alternatives?  Is the scope of the work, in breadth and depth, adequate and

appropriate? Does the work demonstrate the student´s deep understanding of the topic?

 Are the most relevant aspects covered?  Is there an analysis or is it just a compilation of definitions and

descriptions?  Is it just a loose collection of (direct or indirect) quotes from different

sources, that are not logically connected, compared, assessed,….?  Is there a balanced view on the topic, i.e. pros/cons;

advantages/disadvantages?  Critical thinking visible?  Does the author abstract from the particular to the general?

 

Conclusion/ Summary (this criterion also applies to the evaluation category “Focus and structure”)

 Does it (or the results in general) contain the answers to the research questions? Do the results make sense in the light of the analysis?

 Does it fit to the introduction?  Does it summarize the main findings? It shouldn´t contain new aspects.  It could discuss the limitations of the thesis

(if not already included in the introduction).  Does it give a perspective about further lines of research in the field?

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Relevance  How useful is the work for the field of research (or the company)?  How original or creative is the work?  Own results/own research perceptible?  Does it provide new insights on the topic?

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Appendix  Quality and usefulness of the appendix (= any work that is not essential  

Prof. Dr. F. Kramer, HFU Business School, Hochschule Furtwangen University Evaluation thesis 7

to understand your thesis but which you would like to submit for better understanding of the topic).

Figures/Tables/graphs + - Graphs/ tables/ figures

Graphs and figures are a separate evaluation category due to the importance given to these issues by the supervisor.  Quantity?

(rule of thumb: 0.5 • number of pages = number of figures/tables)  Quality:

o Content o Self-created figures or only copied ones? o include figures that structure content (tree structure,…)? o Similar layout of different graphs and figures?

 Meaningful figure titles

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Further aspects: Exchange with super- visor

 Was he/she able to work independently (with the appropriate level of exchange with the supervisor)? ...

 Did the student put the supervisor´s advice into practice?

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Questions  In some cases, it might be necessary to clarify some questions after submitting and evaluating the thesis.

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Other  If there was a separate research proposal: Is the thesis in line with the research proposal and what aspects are different?

 ...

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Length  Length of the thesis (without table of contents, list of figures, bibliography, appendix): o Bachelor thesis: around 40-50 pages (aprox. 18.000-23.000 words) o Master thesis: around 50-60 pages (aprox. 20.000-27.000 words)

(if the length of the thesis exceeds these limits it could lower the final grade)

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