Master thesis
The third and fourth semester are the research phase. The students achieve the ability to work on scientific problems.
The modules In-depth Knowledge Acquisition and Method training lay the foundation for a successfull work on the master thesis. Here, the students familiarize themselves with a new area of knowledge, they read up on this subject matter in the literature. They get acquainted with relevant measuring and analyzing methods or theoretical methods and numerical techniques.
The master thesis in the fourth semester aims on independent work on a scientific problem. The module „Master thesis Physics of Life, Light and Matter“ consists of the written thesis and a colloquium. The students have to write the thesis within 20 weeks.
The students learn to work well in a team. They are able to discuss complex physical facts and own results referring to the current state of research. They can present this in a scientific work as well as in a talk. In a scientific discussion, they can deal with critical questions and properly present their own results. The students follow the rules of good scientific practice.
The topic of the master thesis is choosen from a catalogue offered by scientists of the Institute of Physics. It is, however, also possible to choose topics from other scientific institutions; in this case the second supervisor has to be a scientist of the Institut of Physics.
Good scientific practice
Bachelor, master and doctoral theses, but also reports that have to be made during the undergraduate course of study, have to be prepared according to the rules of good scientific practice at Rostock University (Regeln zur Sicherung guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis und zur Vermeidung wissenschaftlichen Fehlverhaltens an der Universität Rostock).
The Konferenz der Fachbereiche Physik (KfP) has adopted a recommendation on "Good scientific practice for scientific qualification reports and theses in physics". This paper presents the current general set of accepted standards for the preparation and writing of scientific qualifying reports and theses in physics.
This recommendation with criteria "for good scientific practice in conjunction with qualifying reports and theses draws on two aspects of scientific work, the processes of obtaining new physical insights as well as the representation of the results.
Utilizing the rules of good scientific practice is an important goal of learning within undergraduate and graduate studies, in particular in constructing bachelor and master theses, but also already relevant at an earlier stage, for example, during the undergraduate practical experiments.
The authors themselves are responsible for upholding the rules and regulations of good scientific practice. They are guided by their supervisors, who advise in such a way as to see that the rules of good scientific practice are upheld."
>> Gute wissenschaftliche Praxis bei wissenschaftlichen Qualifikationsarbeiten in der Physik
>> Good scientific practice for scientific qualification reports and theses in physics