Guidelines for assessment and grading

Assessment criteria

•   Independent scientific thinking /originality
  • Does the candidate use and develop original ideas?
  • Are known ideas interwoven in a new way?
  • Are the core findings presented in clear statements?
  • Does the thesis incorporate critical appraisal?
• Methodology
  • Does the candidate show sufficient familiarity with current knowledge (literature, experiments)?
  • Are the methods and techniques used properly described?
  • Are the methods adopted appropriate to the subject matter?
  • Has the research (field work, collecting data, experiments, models, etc.) been carried out carefully and adequately?
  • Are the possibilities and limitations of the applied method discussed?

• Structure and scientific argumentation
  • Is the exposition of the topic clear, are the aims logically stated?
  • Does the thesis include clearly formulated hypotheses?
  • Does the structure of the thesis show a logical approach to the topic?
  • Are the results of the research and conclusions clearly and logically presented?
  • Have the central questions been answered?
  • Is a comparison made between the results and published data? Are the results placed in a broader context?
  • Are the facts clearly distinguishable from hypotheses and suppositions?
  • Are proposals made for subsequent research projects?
• Form and presentation
  • Have the formal requirements for diagrams, tables, literary sources etc. been met?
  • Is there a comprehensive, informative abstract?
  • Is the text scientifically correct, clearly understandable and in a grammatically sound language?

Assignment of grades

Marks or grades will be awarded on the following principles:

• excellent, far above average, among the best 10% (grade 6.0)
• very good, above average, only minor flaws (5.5)
• good, well within average, certain flaws (5.0)
• satisfactory, below average, several flaws (4.5)
• barely satisfactory, below average, obvious flaws (4.0)
• unsatisfactory, well below average, serious flaws (3.0)