Frequently asked questions...

A presentation is not formally obligatory. However, it is highly recommended to discuss the topic with the seminar leader in advance. It is best to bring your research question and the material you want to examine with you. You can bring and ask any thematic questions during the consultation hour. During the consultation, you will then receive suggestions and feedback on your current status as well as assistance with the preparation of your thesis.

On the cover sheet you need to write in the top left-hand corner: TU Dresden, the Institute and the Chair where you are taking the seminar paper. This is followed by the title of the seminar, the supervising lecturer, the semester of the examination and the type of examination.

Write the title and subtitle in the middle of the sheet.

In the bottom left-hand corner, write your name, matriculation number, your email address (provided by TU Dresden, not a private address!), the degree program and the semester in which you are studying, the submission date and the examination number or module in which you are submitting the assignment.

Term papers are usually submitted as a print as well as digitally. To meet the submission deadline, it is sufficient to submit the digital version on time. The printed version can still be submitted afterwards. The lecturer will inform you whether a printed version is required.

Please submit the digital version to the corrector (usually your lecturer) via email. Write "Submission of seminar paper" in the subject line. In the email, please state your required examination performance (e.g. combined work), your degree program, matriculation number and the seminar you attended. Attach your paper as a PDF file to this email. Name the PDF according to the following pattern: Surname_Examination_Performance (e.g.: Muster_kombArbeit)

Please hand in the printed paper to the secretary's office. If the secretary's office is not occupied, please put the paper in the mailbox in front of it. Please staple the pages (or file folders), staplers or similar are not necessary. Hand in the work in an envelope or a transparent film, please write the person who is to receive the work on the envelope or on a piece of paper.

The rule of thumb is: two references per written page. For a seminar paper of 12-15 pages, this results in 24-30 references in the bibliography. However, this rule does not mean that you should only include two references on a written page. We will not accept papers with fewer than ten references in the bibliography.

In the appendix, include everything that did not find a place in your written paper. This includes at least the bibliography and the self-employment declaration. Optionally, images, transcripts, list of figures, diagrams, questionnaires including answers, etc. can also be included in the appendix.

• The Chair offers the basic module: Germanistische Linguistik und Sprachgeschichte. This consists of an introductory course, an exercise and the additional student tutorial. The course introduces students to the methods and subjects of German linguistics. The qualification objective of the course is for students to be familiar with the basic concepts and methods of German linguistics and to be able to apply them to texts. Topics include: semiotics/the linguistic sign, phonetics/phonology, orthography and graphemics, morphology, word formation, word type theory, grammar of the simple sentence, grammar of the complex sentence, semantics, pragmatics, Old High German, Middle High German, Early New High German, Modern High German. You complete the module with a written exam.
• Another basic module of your studies, for which we offer a course, is "Introduction to Academic Work". In this module, you will learn the basics of writing an academic paper in a practice-oriented way. Topics include Finding a topic for a paper, creating a research question/research hypothesis, literature research, bibliography, academic writing and criticism, creating an outline for a term paper, oral presentation of an academic topic. The examination you take in this module is a portfolio - you submit smaller pieces of work during the semester, which together form your grade.

• A lecture is a frontal course in which the current state of research on the topics is presented in an overview. Lectures are usually held by professors. The number of participants is usually not limited, which is why the events take place in large lecture halls. At this Chair, we offer lectures and introductory courses. The introductory course is a lecture that is specially designed for first-year students and teaches the basic content for working in linguistics.
• An exercise teaches you scientific working methods in the respective subject area. The exercise is similar to a school lesson - the lecturers practise with the students using practical examples. Exercises are offered for the basic module "Fundamentals of Linguistics and History of Language", in which you will learn from exam-like exercises.
• In a seminar, you will examine various aspects of a (seminar) topic. You will work independently on selected content. The results are usually presented to the other participants during the seminar in the form of presentations or similar. The independent academic work culminates in a term paper, which is written as part of the seminar topic. Ideally, you should choose a seminar according to your personal interests. The Chair offers courses in the following areas: Language history, construction grammar, barrier-free communication, variety linguistics and language and religion.

As a rule, you will need two reviewers for your thesis - one person will write the first review, another the second. However, both will also be available to answer any questions you may have during the academic process.

• As a rule, first reviewers are persons who have at least a doctorate. All Research Associates of the Chair can supervise the second review. You can find an overview here: https: //tu-dresden.de/gsw/slk/germanistik/studium/pruefungen
• Once you have decided on a topic for your Bachelor's thesis, ask the people who should supervise the thesis for you. Ideally, you should have already attended courses with them, but this is not a prerequisite. Attend the consultation hour and present your research idea and your other supervisor. The two reviews can also be supervised by people from different Chairs if this is appropriate for the topic and has been agreed with both supervisors.

• As a rule, first reviewers are persons who have at least a doctorate. All Research Associates of the Chair can supervise the second review. You can find an overview here: https: //tu-dresden.de/gsw/slk/germanistik/studium/pruefungen
• Once you have decided on a topic for your Master's thesis, ask the people who should supervise the thesis for you. Ideally, you should have already attended courses with them, but this is not a prerequisite. Attend the consultation hour and present your research idea and your other supervisor. The two reviews can also be supervised by people from different Chairs if this is appropriate for the topic and has been agreed with both supervisors.

• As a rule, first reviewers are persons who have at least a doctorate. All Research Associates of the Chair can supervise the second review. You can find an overview here: https: //tu-dresden.de/gsw/slk/germanistik/studium/pruefungen
• Once you have decided on a topic for your state examination thesis, ask the people who should supervise the thesis for you. Ideally, you should have already attended courses with them, but this is not a prerequisite. Attend the consultation hour and present your research idea and your other supervisor. The two reviews can also be supervised by people from different Chairs if this is appropriate for the topic and has been agreed with both supervisors.

• You can also find the available examiners for the oral state examinations at the following link: https: //tu-dresden.de/gsw/slk/germanistik/studium/pruefungen-pruefende-staatsexamen
• For the oral state examination, you should also briefly introduce yourself during office hours. Think in advance about the main topic on which you would like to be examined.