Depending on the type of paper, certain requirements apply to the scope and content of the theses I supervise. The following binding framework applies to the scope of the text part (“net scope”):
- Term paper: 3000 to 4500 words, corresponding to approx. 10-15 pages
- Bachelor’s thesis: 12,000 to 15,000 words, equivalent to approx. 40-50 pages
- Master’s thesis: 20,000 to 24,000 words, equivalent to approx. 60-80 pages
- Assignments and practical tasks: according to task description
If the length of a submitted paper is below or above the limit, it may be deemed formally inadequate and thus fail. In any case, falling below or exceeding the limit will result in a lower mark.
The current word count is displayed in Word at the bottom left of the window.
Note: This document comprises approx. 6,500 words net.
A written paper contains the following elements (in this order):
- Cover page
- Restriction notice, if applicable
- Table of contents *
- List of abbreviations, if applicable
- List of figures, if applicable
- List of tables, if applicable
- List of symbols, if applicable
- Text section *
- Bibliography *
- Overview of tools used *
- Appendix, if applicable
- Declaration of originality *
The elements that are mandatory in all term papers (including master’s papers) as well as bachelor’s and master’s theses are marked with an *. The elements marked with the addition “if applicable” are mandatory under certain conditions, which are defined in the respective section. Each element begins on a new, odd-numbered page in printed works.
2.1 Cover page
In printed papers, the cover page is visible through the transparent cover sheet. In PDF files, it is the first page and gives the first impression of your paper. It contains the following information:
- Name of the university (“Hochschule Bielefeld – University of Applied Sciences and Arts”)
- Title of the work (e.g. “Mastery Paper”, “Term Paper”, “Project Report”, “Report on the Practical Phase”, “Bachelor’s Thesis” or “Master’s Thesis”)
- For Mastery Papers, term papers and project reports, also include the name of the course (e.g. “Vocational Education 2”, “Electrical Engineering 1”, etc.)
- Title or topic of the paper
- Name of the examiner (“Examiner: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Jungmann”)
- If applicable, name of the academic supervisor (e.g. “Supervisor: Ulrike Büscher M.A.”)
- Your details: first name and surname, email address (…@hsbi.de), matriculation number, degree programme and current semester number
- Date of registration, if applicable
- Date of submission
The cover page is the first page of your work and counts as page i (Roman numeral one), but does not have a visible page number.
2.2 Restriction notice
In principle: If a paper contains personal or internal company data, it can be marked with a restriction notice, which must be placed before the table of contents. This could look like this, for example:
Restriction notice
“This paper entitled … contains internal company data from the company … It is therefore only intended for submission to Bielefeld University and the reviewers of the paper. It must not be made accessible to the public or third parties. (Place, date) (Handwritten signature)”
The page number of the restriction notice, if any, is the Roman numeral “iii”.
A restriction notice prevents both the comparability of papers and its scientific usability. For this reason, I preferably supervise papers without a restriction notice. Yet, when collaborating with companies, a restriction notice is sometimes unavoidable. Please clarify this early on in the supervision process.
2.3 Table of contents
The table of contents reflects the structure of the paper. A good structure is at the heart of any scientific work. The structure reflects the logical sequence of ideas (the “vertical thread”) of the work. One of the characteristics of a good written work is that the sequence of ideas can be traced using the structure or table of contents without having to read the text.
Your work should not exceed three levels of structure (1, 1.1, 1.1.1), no 1.1.1.1. In addition, each level must be filled meaningfully (no standalone 3.1 without 3.2).
The table of contents includes all parts of the paper, with the exception of the cover page, the table of contents itself and the declaration of originality. The headings of the text sections must be included verbatim in the table of contents. It shows the page number on which the heading is located. In order to ensure uniform formatting and up-to-date headings, the table of contents should be created using the corresponding function in the writing software. Manually created tables of contents usually look unprofessional and often contain incorrect headings and page numbers.
The page number of the table of contents is the Roman numeral “ii” unless there is a restriction notice. Otherwise, it is “iii”. This applies to PDF versions, as no blank pages are inserted after the cover page and disclaimer. The differences between digital and printed works are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Page numbering
| Element | PDF version | Print version |
|---|---|---|
| Cover page | i (not displayed) | i (not displayed) |
| Empty back of cover | (not applicable) | ii (not displayed) |
| Table of contents (TOC) | ii | iii |
| Empty back of TOC | (not applicable) | iv |
| Lists of abbreviations, figures etc. | iii … | v … |
| Text section | 1 … | 1 … |
| Bibliography | … | … |
| Appendix | … | … |
2.4 List of abbreviations
Abbreviations should be used sparingly. Acronyms that are ambiguous or uncommon in the respective technical language, as well as personal and company-specific abbreviations, should be avoided. Terms that must inevitably be abbreviated should be written out in full the first time they appear in the chapter, with the abbreviation (abbr.) in brackets after them. The abbreviation can then be used throughout the rest of the chapter. Commonly used abbreviations that appear in the Oxford dictionary (such as “e.g.” or “i.e.”) are not included in the List of abbreviations. If symbols are used, e.g. in formulas, they must be clearly explained separately in the List of symbols.
A list of all abbreviations must be created if the work contains three or more abbreviations.
The page number of the List of abbreviations is a lowercase Roman numeral.
2.5 List of figures
A list of all figures must be created if the work contains three or more figures.
Figures and illustrations should be numbered consecutively and listed in the List of figures in the order in which they appear in the text, indicating the word “Figure”, the number, heading and page number.
It is highly recommended to have the List of figures generated automatically by Word from the captions.
Please also note the information on incorporating illustrations into the text in section 3.6.
The List of figures is usually on a separate page labelled with a lowercase Roman numeral.
2.6 List of tables
A list of all tables should be created if the work contains three or more tables.
Tables should be numbered consecutively and listed in order in the List of tables, indicating the word “Table”, the number, heading and page number.
It is highly recommended to have the List of tables generated automatically by Word from the captions.
Please also note the information on incorporating tables into the text in section 3.7.
The List of tables is usually on a separate page, which is marked with a lowercase Roman numeral.
2.7 List of symbols
If mathematical symbols are used, e.g. for variables in formulas, these must be clearly listed in the List of symbols.
A list of all symbols must be created if the work contains three or more mathematical symbols.
The List of symbols is usually on a separate page, which is labelled with a lowercase Roman numeral.
2.8 Text section
The text section consists of the introduction, the main section and the conclusion. The length of this section is considered to be the net length, which should be within the limits specified at the beginning of this chapter.
From here, the page numbers are formatted as Arabic numerals, starting again at 1 and continuing to the last page of the paper.
2.8.1 Introduction
In the introduction, you should address the following aspects:
- the task or motivation behind the paper,
- the objectives pursued with the paper, and
- the structure of the paper, i.e. the logical outline of your paper, which clearly shows the sequence of your thoughts as you write.
This is where the immensely important, notorious “engaging the reader” begins!
Important note:
Writing the section on the structure of your paper is a good test! If your paper is logically organised and has a clear structure, my experience shows that you will find it easy to write this section. You can outline the content of each chapter or subchapter in a short, concise sentence and clearly present the connections between the chapters or the sequence of your argumentation. When writing this section, you will come across sections that do not yet have the right position within the chapter structure or whose relevance to the topic of your paper is not clear. You will notice fragments that disrupt the logical structure and clear layout because they “somehow don’t really fit in”. Take this as an opportunity to take a step back and read through your work with a critical eye after a short break, e.g. after printing it out, and check where there is still room for improvement.
You will typically edit the introduction at least twice:
- At the beginning of your work, formulate the task/motivation and goal. This is the peg to which you attach the vertical thread that runs through your work. You also plan the rough structure of the work, i.e. what is likely to be in which chapter.
- At the end, explain the structure of your paper in the form it ultimately took when you wrote it and write or revise the section on the structure of the paper.
2.8.2 Main body
The main body forms the core of your work. It typically contains the following aspects:
- scientific principles, theories, models, state of the art in science or technology,
- scientific methods you use in your work, e.g. literature research, interviews, simulation experiments, etc.,
- your approach to carrying out your project, experiment, investigation, etc.,
- the results of your project, experiment, investigation, etc.
The main section should constitute the majority of your work.
Please do not use “main part” as a heading! The main part consists of several chapters, each with its own heading. The same applies to the concluding part that follows.
2.8.3 Conclusion
The conclusion of your paper contains a summary in the broader sense. It usually covers the following aspects:
- brief and concise summary of the central statements from the main section, from the objective to the methodology and, above all, the most important results,
- statement on the extent to which your approach has achieved the objective set out in the introduction,
- your assessment of
- what conclusions your research allows, and which it does not,
- the contribution your work makes to the further development of the state of science – expectations always depend on the type of work (term paper, bachelor’s or master’s thesis),
- what prospects for the future your findings open up,
- the extent to which your working methods would need to be adapted in the next step in order to gain further insights.
The last page of the conclusion corresponds to the net number of pages in the work.
The conclusion is followed by the bibliography.
2.9 Bibliography
The bibliography contains the complete references (long references) for the short references used in the text in the chosen citation style (see section 3.5).
Unless otherwise agreed – for educational science and didactic theses: The sources used are arranged in alphabetical order according to the authors’ surnames and the year of publication as specified in DIN ISO 690:2021 (name-year system).
Unless otherwise agreed – for technical theses, the sources are numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. The bibliography then lists the long references of the sources in the same order as specified in DIN ISO 690:2021 (numbering system).
The relevant guideline for citation methods in written work and the preparation of the bibliography is DIN ISO 690:2021. It contains information on both the name-year system and the numbering system. The standard can be accessed digitally from the university network in the Perinorm database. If only an older version is available, e.g. in citation programmes, this may be used.
A rule of thumb that generally outlines the scope of the bibliography is: at least one good source per page of text, i.e. in a paper with 15 pages of text, at least 15 high-quality academic sources should generally be used. This does not mean that the sources should be distributed evenly across the pages of text.
The numbering of the pages in Arabic numerals is continued.
2.10 Overview of tools used
If you have used generative IT/AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Dall-E, Stable Diffusion, etc.) in your paper, you must list them in full in a table entitled “Overview of tools used”. This overview should be on a separate page after the bibliography and contain the following information:
- Product name (e.g. ChatGPT)
- Access source (e.g. URL)
- Details of the software functions used (e.g. model, instant, thinking)
- Scope of use (e.g. outline, proofreading)
The table lists the AI tools that you have used as tools, for example to check the draft of your outline or to correct your spelling. If you examine the output of an AI service in your paper, that service also appears in the table, with the examination as the scope of use – as a tool, not as a reference.
Verbatim or paraphrased quotes from the results of these tools are generally not permitted, because the examination task consists of writing the text, and an examination task must be completed independently by yourself. Letting an AI tool generate text is something different from using it as a tool. An exception to this is the scientific examination of the output of generative AI tools in the context of your work. Even then, such output is never a source and never evidence: you quote it only as the object of your examination. The quotation carries its long reference directly – the product name, the access source, the model and the mode and the date of your query – together with the note that the quotation is not to be understood as evidence. It never gets a short reference, and its long reference appears nowhere else, in particular not in the bibliography.
What is permitted:
- Structure ideas
- Alternative wording
- Linguistic fine-tuning
- Comprehension questions (“Explain X to me”)
What is expressly prohibited:
- Generating entire sections of text
- Accepting AI-generated data, facts, and references without verification
- Images/figures directly from AI without source and content verification
Important in this context: AI-generated content, especially data and facts, must not be cited in an academic paper. They either come from a valid source – in which case the original source must be researched and cited – or they are hallucinated – in which case their use in an academic paper is prohibited anyway.
The numbering of the pages in Arabic numerals is continued.
2.11 Appendix
An appendix should be created if there are materials that are too extensive to be integrated into the text and are not essential for understanding the text, e.g.
- extensive calculations whose results are used in the text,
- extensive technical drawings or schematic representations,
- questionnaires used,
- guidelines and transcripts of interviews,
- extensive tabular material referred to in the paper.
As a rule, all sources that you refer to in your paper and that are not accessible to the university public should be included in the appendix.
The individual parts of the appendix must be labelled separately (e.g. “Appendix 1: Exploded view of component 4711”, “Appendix 2: Questionnaire used”, “Appendix 3: Interview with Person XYZ on YYYY-MM-DD”, etc.). A suitable table of contents should be included on the first page of the appendix.
Page numbering to be continued in Arabic numerals. If page numbering is not appropriate or feasible due to the nature of a particular page of the appendix, the page number may be omitted. The page shall nevertheless be counted and the numbering shall continue accordingly on the next page.
The last page of the appendix is the last numbered page of your paper.
2.12 Declaration of originality
Every piece of work you submit during your studies must contain a declaration of originality. Without it, your work may be considered not to have been written by you. This would mean that the examination requirement has not been met.
For the content of the declaration of originality, please refer to the HSBI formal requirements. You can download the document from the university website. The declaration must be completed, signed and included as the last page of your paper. It does not have a page number.
If you have used generative AI to assist you in your paper, please include the “Overview of tools used” required by the declaration of originality at the end of your bibliography (see section 2.10).