Notes on the Preparation of Academic Papers
(Proseminararbeiten [basic study papers], Oberseminararbeiten [advanced study papers], Master's and doctoral theses)

Title Page
Table of Contents
Preface
Text
Footnotes/Annotations
Bibliography
Catalogue
Appendix
Illustrations
How to write presentations and assignments

Academic papers must be word-processed. You should leave a 5cm margin on the right-hand side of each page. One page contains a maximum of 2,300 characters, that is 40 lines at 60 characters each. Basic study papers are 10-12 pages long, advanced study papers comprise 15-18 pages (text including footnotes or annotations respectively) plus illustrations. The Bachelor's thesis is about 40 pages long. The scope of Master's and doctoral theses has to be settled individually with the supervisor. Page numbering starts on the first text page and ends on the last page of the bibliography. The preceding pages (title page, table of contents) are included in the count, but are not numbered.

An academic paper consists of the following sections arranged in the order listed below. All sections marked with an asterisk (*) are the absolute minimum required for every paper.

Title Page* (s. example)

The title page should be laid out as follows: Information on the seminar (University - current semester - teacher - kind of seminar - subject of the seminar) are given at the top of the page. The title of the paper and deadline for submission should be placed in the centre and personal details (Name - semester - combination of subjects - address and phone number) at the bottom.

Draft of a title page

Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
ZEGK - Institut für Europäische Kunstgeschichte
Wintersemeser 2008/09
Seminarleiterin: Prof. Dr. Lisa-Marie Müller
Proseminar: Einführung in die Kunst der Gegenwart

 

 

 

 

Zur Zeitstruktur ausgewählter Installationen auf der documenta XI

 

 

abgegeben am 1. Februar 2009

 

 

 

 

von
Philipp Frick
4. Semester (BA 75%)
Europäische Kunstgeschichte/Geschichte/Romanistik
Gartenstr. 47, Heidelberg, Tel.-Nr. 4711


The Dean's office proposes the following page set-up for Master's theses: Topic of the paper - appendix ("Arbeit zur Erlangung des Grades eines Magister Artium an der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Philosophische Fakultät, Kunsthistorisches Institut") [Work submitted to obtain the degree of Magister Artium of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of History of Art] - submitted to (Name of the first expert) by (Name of the candidate) from (Place of birth). Doctoral theses carry the appendix: "Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Kunsthistorisches Institut" [Doctoral thesis submitted to obtain a doctorate of the Faculty of Philosophy, Department of History of Art].

Details of the modalities concerning examinations for a master's degree are listed in the "Prüfungs- und Studienordnung der Universität Heidelberg für die Magisterstudiengänge" [regulations concerning study and examinations for a master's degree]. Those modalities concerning the doctorate are given in the "Promotionsordnung der Universität Heidelberg für die Philosophische Fakultät und die Neuphilosophische Fakultät" [doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Philosophy and History and the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Heidelberg]. You find both regulations on the homepage of the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the Ruprecht-Karls-University; a version to be copied is available at the library of the European division of the KhI [Department of History of Art].

Table of Contents*

Academic papers need a detailed table of contents. The different sections have to be clearly separated from each other and marked according to their hierarchical order. You can use either the common structuring by Roman or Arabian numerals or you number the parts based on the decimal system with Arabian numeral (1, 1.1, 1.2, 2, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2. etc.). After having chosen one kind of numbering you have to consistently stick to it. In addition the headings within the text have to match the headings in the table of contents.

Preface

The preface - usually only found in theses - provides the opportunity to give information on external circumstances of the work done (for example the problem of obtaining material or the access to originals) and to thank for help and support.

Text*

  • Introduction to the subject of area, formulation of the problem/question, basis of material, methodology, course of investigation, state of research).
  • The content of the main part - which under no circumstances may carry this title - is to be divided into coherent sections and should in any case contain an in-depth analysis of the key issue which is to be discussed in detail according to the work hypothesis. Here comparisons can be given, the object may be put into a wider context and the considerations so far can be deepened. Whenever someone else's ideas or opinions are referred to in the essay, the source must be acknowledged through reference.
  • Conclusion (summary of the results, outlook and suggestions for further research)

Scientific work calls for a formal, objective style, that means that comparisons are a better choice than metaphors, colloquial expressions as well as pathetic formulations should not be used. Concerning orthography (spelling and punctuation) the Duden is binding. When quotations are given certain rules have to be followed which you can find in the common handbooks on how to write academic works/texts.

Footnotes/Annotations*

Footnotes or annotations give the reference to either a word-for-word quotation or of a quotation paraphrasing or summarizing the original (identifying quotations). In this context certain rules have to be followed (s. above). In addition, the footnotes may provide factual information on literature as well as considerations or comments that would interrupt the text flow (commenting annotations). Notes of thanks which are not formulated in the preface also have to be put here. However, the assignment has to be readable without the footnotes because first of all they are meant to give evidence of the correct and comprehensible proceedings of the author. The footnotes and annotations are consecutively numbered; in the case of doctoral theses the numbering may refer to single chapters. Footnotes always end with a full stop!

Examples:

43 I want to my cordial thanks to Dr. Lisa Meyer for the detailed information on the so far unpublished results on mural painting.
44 Schiller, Eduard: Die Wandmalerei in Niedersachsen. München 1923, S. 23-26.
45 Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von: Das Lieschen. In: Goethe und die Frauen, hrsg. von Michaela Mann (Quellentexte zur Goethe-Forschung, 34). Weimar 1998, S. 55-138, hier S. 59. OR: Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von: Das Lieschen. In: Goethe und die Frauen, hrsg. von Michaela Mann. Weimar 1998 (= Quellentexte zur Goethe-Forschung, 34), S. 55-138, hier S. 59.
46 Ebd., S. 61. OR: Goethe 1998 (vgl. Anm. 45), S. 61. OR: Goethe 1998, S. 61.

Bibliography*

  • The bibliography lists all publications and sources used for the essay, that is the entire literature cited and referred to in the footnotes. The bibliography should be headed "Literaturverzeichnis" and not "Bibliographie" as the latter term implies completeness.
  • In the bibliography works are listed alphabetically according to the author's surname. In rare cases (e. g. reports on research) it is preferable to sort the works into chronological order after the dates of publication. Primary texts and secondary texts should be listed separately, whereas the distinction between books and articles is not common.
  • There are several ways how to list titles of literature (cf. footnotes), however, the chosen system has to be followed throughout the whole text (see the common handbooks for help). If literature is abbreviated (titles of journals), the bibliography has to be completed by a list of abbreviations.

Catalogue

Depending on the subject it may be advisable to set up a separate catalogue to record external data (place where the object is kept, number of inventory, technique, measures, inscription, customer, provenance, state of preservation, state of research, literature) on the works of art which are discussed in the text. For this purpose the works of art are consecutively numbered and listed according to their function in separate categories of autograph works and those which cannot be considered as autograph works.

Appendix

The appendix comprises - if necessary - literary sources which have only partly been quoted in the text as well as all kinds of directories (e.g. list of abbreviations and table of illustrations), additional tables and schematic drawings as well as illustrations at the end.

Illustrations*

Masters' and doctoral theses always contain illustrations. In the case of Proseminararbeiten [basic study papers] and Oberseminararbeiten [advanced study papers] illustrations are desirable and facilitate readability. All illustrations, including schematic drawings and tables, have to carry captions. In any case the section containing the illustrations (with good photocopies or photographs for Masters' and doctoral theses) has to be completed by a table of illustrations, which can be combined with the proof of the illustrations.

 

How to write presentations and assignments

Presentations and written assignments offer the possibility to explore a specific subject area in depth and express one's own views and opinions. Students are expected to create a conclusive work by means of their own ideas and the information gained from books. The presentation or assignment must finally be put into a form suitable for academic work.

As a seminar presentation and an assignment have to meet different requirements it is obvious that performance and text do not have to be identical. The presentation, on the one hand, is meant to submit the information on the topic illustratively and in an appealing way, in order to make it easy for the audience to follow the talk and arouse their interest in the topic. The assignment, on the other hand, should introduce the reader to the problems of the topic, provide the reader with more detailed information, compare different scientific positions and insights, which also includes an overview of the basic literature, and critically examine them and also assess them as far as possible.

An indispensable requirement for writing presentations and assignments is an effective time management because such a project usually takes several weeks. The actual writing of the assignment constitutes just a - small - part of the whole process: The preparation starts with a thorough contemplation and in-depth analysis of the respective subject, which is followed by the search for relevant literature. Equally important are the conclusive conception and the wording of the essay or presentation, as well as the attentive proof-reading of the text.

First of all it might be helpful to turn to the most important art-historical encyclopaedias and handbooks to get a first orientation. The research on works of art always begins with the search for illustrations because the acquaintance with the object and its description are part of the way of approaching the topic. At a next stage you have to decide which aspect you want to discuss in your work. You should then draw up a rough plan or outline for your essay or presentation, which then is followed by a more specific and detailed selection of material.

At to the research of literature, you have to be aware which tools and facilities are available and which results you can expect from them. It is most rewarding to use bibliographies for a well-aimed research. Bibliographies contain a systematic list of all texts on a certain topic; they are often published with a serial volume per year, in which a certain selection of new publications is included. Various bibliographies are available as computerized data bases on CD-ROM or on the Web (e. g. via the University Library Homepage). The University Library offers regular introductions to the use of research possibilities. The following bibliographies are the most important for art historians: […] There are also bibliographies on single subject areas such as the "Bibliographie zur Kunst des 19. Jahrhunderts" [Bibliography on the Art of the 19th Century] or the "International Medieval Bibliography". In addition to this you find special bibliographies or series in the library of the KhI as well as yearbooks of museums and institutions which, among other information, contain the latest publications on their own collections. Now you have to make a choice from the range of literature available to you and, if necessary, do a search on specific keywords once again.

After gathering a fairly wide range of material on the basis of which you worked out a rough draft, and then narrowing down your research for literature to specific subject areas, you now are able to draw up the final outline of your essay/presentation:

  • Try to "learn" and "think" in the process of the work.
  • Learning means that you deal with a certain field of information that you keep and store in your memory and that you finally are able to pass on.
  • Thinking means that you critically analyze this knowledge, that you form your own opinion about what you have learnt and what you have kept in mind.
  • The history of art comprises a vast amount of data and facts which you have to learn. However, it is not an exact science; some of these data have been handed down by convention and some of the supposed facts have only been copied somewhere else.
  • When reading for your work, always try to be aware of the method the author of an essay or a book follows, what context the author has and which interest she/he pursues with her/his argumentation.
  • Clear thinking when you handle new information also implies that you structure and present the newly acquired information according to your key questions. This process is different from solely repeating something that you have read and that you supposedly know and it is also different from simply presenting your own opinion. You should also present the information as illustratively as possible to your audience and readers.

Finally you have to proof-read your work. It is advisable to read it twice, in the first run you check whether the contents are conclusive, in the second run you make sure all formal requirements are met. Now, however, please ask yourself the following questions before delivering your lecture and handing in your assignment:

1. Questions concerning the contents

  • Did I go into a deep enough investigation of the topic and did I formulate my question accordingly?
  • Have I put my question in such a way that the reader is able to fully understand it?
  • Have I modified the questions in the course of the work or have I stuck to the initial question?
  • Does my work come up to the announcement made in the title of my assignment or is it necessary to give a subtitle for a more detailed definition?
  • Is the presentation/assignment clearly structured?
  • Is my introduction interesting enough so that the reader wants to have a closer look at my paper?
  • Are the single sections logically connected with each other?
  • Have I clearly defined general assertions or summarizing opinions, are they at all necessary - if yes, have they been covered by the respective literature?
  • Have I presented my main thesis early enough?

2. Questions concerning formality

  • Does the title page give the required information like name, address, number of semesters and subjects?
  • Have I thought of introduction and conclusion?
  • Have I written my text in a clear, understandable language and put it into a readable form?
  • Have I been careful to avoid repetitions and unnecessary fillers?
  • Have all data and quotations been reliably covered?
  • Are all examples of illustrations which I discuss in detail included as photocopies, integrated into the text and provided with captions so that they are easily to be found?
  • Does my presentation/assignment meet the demands of an academic work?
  • Have I proof-read my text thoroughly enough? Have all faults (spelling, punctuation, grammar) been corrected?

Enjoy yourself and good luck!

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Latest Revision: 2018-05-23
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