Universität Wien
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240505 SE MM1 Defining an MA Thesis Project (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Continuous assessment of course work

Participation at first session is obligatory!

The lecturer can invite students to a grade-relevant discussion about partial achievements. Partial achievements that are obtained by fraud or plagiarized result in the non-evaluation of the course (entry 'X' in certificate). The plagiarism software 'Turnitin' will be used.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) for the attainment of partial achievements is only allowed if explicitly requested by the course instructor.
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 14.10. 13:15 - 16:30 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Tuesday 04.11. 13:15 - 16:30 Hörsaal A, NIG 4.Stock
  • Tuesday 18.11. 13:15 - 16:30 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Tuesday 02.12. 13:15 - 16:30 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Tuesday 16.12. 13:15 - 16:30 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Tuesday 13.01. 13:15 - 16:30 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Tuesday 20.01. 13:15 - 16:30 Seminarraum A, NIG 4. Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The purpose of this course is to guide students in the first steps of preparing their MA research. The seminar provides a framework to travel collectively through the process of finding a topic, find appropriate literature to situate their interests in a (sub-)disciplinary debate and planning further studies accordingly. Topics addressed include finding researchable questions, considering ethical questions, preparing for research and designing an effective fieldwork plan. The students are expected to work on their research ideas and present them in class at least once. Openness to constructive criticism, but also to engage with ideas of peers are crucial aspects required for successful participation.
The aim of the course is an understanding of proposal writing for ethnographic research and a first draft of the proposal for the MA thesis at the end of the term.

Assessment and permitted materials

- Regular attendance and active participation
- Assignments related to the development of the individual MA thesis project
- Providing feedback on the work of other participants
- Preparation of a proposal for the own MA thesis

All materials that comply with the standards of good scientific practice are permitted, unless the lecturer specifies otherwise.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The minimum requirement is regular attendance. In addition, all criteria for evaluation must be fulfilled positively including the submission of a full research proposal by the deadline. Requirements for the course completion are:
1) active participation in the class (20 points max.)
2) Development and presentation of own project (20 points max.)
3) Commentary on peers’ work (20 points max.)
3) Final individual draft of the MA thesis proposal: 5-8 standard pages (40 points max.)

Grading scale:
91–100 points: 1 (excellent)
81–90 points: 2 (good)
71–80 points: 3 (satisfactory)
61–70 points: 4 (sufficient)
0–60 points: 5 (non sufficient)

In order to complete the course successfully, one needs to obtain at least 61 points.

Examination topics

Oral participation, written comments and first draft proposal (details see above)

Reading list

Additional literature will be announced in the first session

Castillo, Rosa Cordillera A., June Rubis, and Antony George Pattathu. ‘Critical Research Ethics as Decolonial Praxis: A Comment and Responses’. International Quarterly for Asian Studies 54, no. 1 (8 April 2023): 21–37.

Gupta, Akhil and James Ferguson. “Discipline and Practice: ‘The Fields’ as Site, Method and Location in Anthropology”. In Anthropological Locations, edited by A. Gupta and J. Ferguson, 1-46. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997.

Harper, Ian. ‘Ethics’. In Doing Anthropological Research: A Practical Guide, edited by Natalie Konopinski, 91–102. Routledge, 2013.

hooks, bell. “Theory as Liberatory Practice.” In Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, 59-76. New York: Routledge, 1994.

Jefferey, Laura and Natalie Konopinski, “Planning Your Research Project.” In Doing Anthropological Research, edited by Natalie Konopinski, 21–36. London: Routledge, 2014.

Kelly, Tobias. “Getting Started: The Search for Anthropological Questions.” In Doing Anthropological Research, edited by Natalie Konopinski, 6-20. London: Routledge, 2014.

Peterson, Kristin, and Valerie Olson. 2024. The Ethnographer’s Way: A Handbook for Multidimensional Research Design. Duke University Press.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 29.09.2025 14:47