Master's seminar

Master's seminars
obligatory courses

As part of the MA seminar, the student plans and conducts research, prepares a Master's thesis, containing a review of the literature and research report, and prepares for the MA exam.

The Master thesis is embedded in a didactic context. The designed research refers to language education and proposes implementation implications, aiming at improving the language education process on many levels, it can apply to all stages of education, university education included.

Preparation of the Master thesis should prove that students are able to:

- assess the state of research,

- expand their knowledge by independent library research and study,

- use relevant research methods and in particular the use of scientific work methods,

- conduct a research study with relevant didactic implications,

- reason logically,

- identify and analyze surrounding phenomena, especially those with which the graduate will deal in professional practice,

- draw justified conclusions,

- actively use the knowledge acquired during studies and use it for practical application or for theoretical inference,

- embed the problem/research issue in literature,

- use clear and precise academic language.

Blended learning

The aim of the MA seminar is to equip the student with the knowledge and skills enabling him to plan and implement his own research project in the field of foreign language acquisition and methodology of foreign language teaching and to present it in the form of a Master's thesis.

The Master's seminar is conducted in one of three languages - English, French or German. Students prepare their MA theses in the language of the seminar they attend. The subject of the seminar is defined by the MA supervisor, the topics of MA theses are agreed by the students with the MA supervisor, and approved by the Director of Studies after consulting the CKNJOiEE Didactic Council by the end of the semester at which the MA seminar began.

Participants of the MA seminar familiarize themselves with the formal requirements for a Master's thesis, which include the following aspects: editorial techniques, rules for editing a scientific text in a foreign language, collecting literature, documenting and citing sources, preparing a list of references, and plagiarism issues. The structure of the MA thesis corresponds to the structure of a scientific article, with the theoretical part of the thesis (literature review) being broader than the customary one in a scientific article.

The seminar develops the knowledge and skills needed to plan and conduct an original research project in the field of foreign language acquisition and methodology of foreign language teaching, and to present it in the form of a Master's thesis. During the seminar, students learn about research methods, data collection and analysis techniques, and drawing justified conclusions based on available data analysis. When designing and conducting their own research, the seminar participants formulate research goals and questions, use selected research methods in practice, select appropriate techniques for obtaining, analyzing and presenting empirical data, interpret their research results in the light of available knowledge and research results, and draw conclusions. The MA seminar lasts four semesters and the tasks described above are implemented in consecutive semesters. The final effect of the seminar is the preparation and defense of the MA thesis.

Students are required to read/familiarize themselves with the didactic and scientific materials specified by the MA supervisor, placed on the CKC UW platform, provided during classes or available in the library. These are, for example, articles, chapters, studies, and electronic materials (presentations, video films).

Students will use selected items on research methods listed below or their fragments and items defined in syllabuses by the MA supervisors, depending on the language of the MA thesis, the topic of the MA thesis, and type of study:

Brown, J. D., & Coombe, C. (Eds.). (2015). The Cambridge guide to research in language teaching and learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Brown, J. D., & Rodgers, T. S. (2002). Doing second language research. Oxford: OUP.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education. London: Routledge.

Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford: OUP.

Mackey, A., & Gass Susan M. (2016). Second language research methodology and design. New York: Routledge.

O’leary, Z. (2004). The essential guide to doing research. London: SAGE Publications.

Paltridge, B., & Phakiti, A. (Eds.). (2018). Research methods in applied linguistics: A practical resource. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Phakiti, A., De Costa, P., Plonsky, L., & Starfield, S. (Eds.). (2018). The Palgrave handbook of applied linguistics research methodology. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Knowledge: the graduate knows and understands

S_W02 essential terminology relating to linguistics, literary studies, pedagogy and education studies, psychology, history, culture and religion studies, relevant to the teaching of foreign languages,

S_W04 the methods (based on education research), norms, procedures and standards of practice in various educational institutions, including institutions of higher education, involved in the teaching foreign languages,

S_W11 to an in-depth degree, the learners (recipients of educational services) and the methods of diagnosing their needs and assessing the quality of educational services,

S_W18 the most important traditional and contemporary trends and systems in psychological and pedagogical thinking and their historical and cultural contexts.

Skills: the graduate is able to

S_U01 search, analyse, evaluate, select and use information, using a variety of sources and methods, including advanced information and communication techniques, in Polish and English and, optionally, in French or German,

S_U07 assess the suitability of a variety of methods, procedures and best practices, and select and apply the appropriate approach with the goal of accomplishing tasks and solving problems related to foreign language teaching,

S_U08 use theories in psychology, pedagogy and education, and other related disciplines to critically analyse and interpret educational, social, care-giving and cultural issues, as well as understand the motives and patterns of human behaviour,

S_U09 use advanced theories to analyse the motives and patterns in human behaviour in order to diagnose a situation and deliver practical strategies for different teaching contexts,

S_U19 prepare written work in both Polish and English, optionally in French or German, relevant to their field of studies, at an advanced level, on specific issues, using advanced theoretical approaches and a variety of sources,

S_U20 prepare, and deliver in public, oral presentations in Polish and English, optionally in French or German, for specific purposes, using advanced theoretical approaches, as well as a variety of sources,

S_U21 speak and write consistently and precisely in Polish and in English, optionally in French or German, on topics related to educational matters, applying different theoretical approaches and using findings from other disciplines related to the field of studies,

S_U22 present their ideas, concerns, suggestions and arguments, in Polish and in English, optionally in French or German, supporting them with chosen theoretical perspectives and diverse viewpoints.

Social competences: the graduate is prepared to

S_K02 critically reflect on the level of their skills and knowledge, constantly develop professionally and personally, self-assess their competences, improve their skills, plan their development and training, consult experts in case of difficulties,

S_K07 correctly identify the priorities for the implementation of specified tasks,

S_K12 communicate with people who come from various milieus and who are in different emotional states; resolve conflicts through dialogue and create a good atmosphere both in and outside of the classroom,

S_K13 see the importance of behaving in a professional manner and reflect on the ethical issues raised in the teaching profession, as well as develop professionally and support the ethos of the teaching profession.

Assessment methods and criteria are the same in all seminar groups.

The student prepares subsequent elements of the MA thesis in accordance with the detailed schedule set by the MA supervisor. The student receives credit in each semester on the basis of:

- class attendance (students can be absent once per semester),

- preparation and active participation in face-to-face and online classes,

- completion of tasks scheduled for the consecutive semesters - timely and consistent with the instructions, both during classes and on the CKC UW platform (e.g. preparing the topic and abstract of the MA thesis, individual chapters of the theoretical part of the MA thesis, list of references, the empirical part of the MA thesis, the research plan and research questions, selecting method and tools, conducting the research, presenting the results of the research and conclusions, uploading the tasks on the platform, preparing presentations, etc.),

- obtaining positive grades for individual tasks planned for the consecutive semesters, in particular for the theoretical chapters of the thesis (literature review), for planning and conducting the study, analysing and interpreting the results, for the empirical chapter of the thesis (study report) and for the final version of the MA thesis.

A prerequisite for getting credit in individual semesters at all seminars is:

- the first semester - 1) approval of the subject and abstract of the MA thesis (the abstract contains the thematic scope of the thesis, purpose, research questions, outline of the study and 15 references) and 2) documented written work on the literature review (e.g. in the form of a reading journal or parts/chapters of the theoretical part),

- second semester - 1) submission of the first version of all the theoretical chapters of the thesis and obtaining a positive grade, 2) presentation of the detailed research plan (together with the drafts of data collection tools, e.g. observation and interview templates, questionnaires, pre- and post-tests) and obtaining a positive assessment,

- third semester - 1) conducting the research, 2) collecting and analyzing data, 3) preparing the first version of the research report (empirical chapter of the thesis) and obtaining a positive assessment,

- fourth semester - presentation of the final version of the MA thesis (containing all required elements) and obtaining a positive grade.

Other detailed conditions for getting credits for individual semesters are specified by the MA supervisors.

The final grade for the MA seminar in all semesters is composed in the following way:

- 75% of the grade for accomplishing individual tasks (verified learning outcomes: S_W02, S_W04, S_W11, S_W18, S_U01, S_U07, S_U08, S_U09, S_U19, S_U20, S_U21, S_U22, S_K02, S_K07, S_K12, S_K13)

- 25% of the grade for preparing and actively participating in classes (discussions, student presentations, progress reports) and timely completion of tasks and uploading them on the CKC UW platform (verified learning outcomes: S_W02, S_W04, S_W11, S_W18, S_U01, S_U07, S_U08, S_U09, S_U19, S_U20, S_U21, S_U22, S_K02, S_K07, S_K12, S_K13).

Scale:

95-100% - 5

90-94% - 5-

85-89% - 4+

80-84% - 4

75-79% - 4-

70-74% - 3+

65-69% - 3

60-64% - 3-

0-59% - 2

Criteria for assessing presentations and tasks (may vary depending on the nature of the task):

- task completed on time,

- compliance with the instructions (also in terms of formatting),

- completeness,

- clarity and logic of the argument,

- insight and quality of argumentation,

- organization of content and content consistent with the topic,

- the correctness of the research report and conclusions,

- number, selection and documentation of sources (respectively APA, MLA style),

- language correctness (style, grammar, vocabulary, spelling); academic language.

MA thesis is assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

- consistency of the thesis content with its title with the field learning outcomes,

- consistency of the thesis content with its title,

- assessment of work layout, structure, content division, chapter order, completeness of theses, etc.,

- substantive assessment of work, including reference to independent thinking, the extent to which work is a new approach to the problem,

- demonstrated knowledge of the literature on the subject,

- characteristics of the selection and use of sources,

- assessment of the formal aspects (e.g. correctness of the language, mastery of the writing conventions, source documentation, appendices).

Master's thesis volume is at least 60 pages of standardized computer printout, without attachments and bibliography.

Standardized computer printout is:

- 1800 characters per page (including spaces and punctuation marks) in the layout: 60 characters per line, 30 lines per page,

- spacing between lines (interline space) 1.5 points,

- main text: Times New Roman font 12 points,

- chapter titles: Times New Roman 14 font + bold,

- footnote: Times 10 points, spacing: 1 point,

- standard margins (2.5 cm) and paragraph indents.

- justified text, no hanging letters at the end of the line.

Structure of the MA thesis:

- title pages (in accordance with standard requirements at the University of Warsaw; templates available on the CKNJOiEE website, in the "diploma" section),

- the supervisor's opinion on admission to further proceedings and the student's statement that they prepared the thesis themselves and the statement on the compliance of the printed version of the thesis with its electronic version,

- abstract in Polish (up to 800 characters), about 16 lines.

- a list of keywords (maximum 5 words),

- the title of the thesis in Polish (the title of the thesis may not be in block letters),

- Table of Contents,

- Table of Tables,

- Table of drawings (diagrams, maps, etc.),

- list of appendices,

- introduction (the introduction should outline the general background of the studied problem, indicate the reasons for choosing the topic of the thesis, specify the purpose and scope of the work, provide general information on the content of individual chapters of the work, indicate the research methods, and synthetically describe the result of the study),

- chapters containing the main text of the work divided into relevant sections and subsections - including theoretical chapters of the work (review of literature) and a chapter containing the study report consisting of the following elements: introduction (outline of the problem, the purpose of the study, research question/s, research hypothesis/es), method (description of study participants, data collection tools/instruments, research procedures, data analysis methods), presentation of results, discussion of results,

- conclusions - indicate the conclusions based on both literature review and the research study, specify the degree of achievement of the purpose of the thesis based on the results of the study, refer to research hypotheses (determine whether and to what extent they have been confirmed), indicate the pedagogical implications of the results of the study and indicate implementation possibilities),

- list of cited literature (only the items to which the author refers in the thesis) in alphabetical order, in accordance with the requirements of the bibliographic style (minimum 30 items),

- appendices (e.g. study documentation, tests, interview templates and questionnaires, transcripts of interviews, observation notes, etc.).

The diploma exam is oral and is conducted in the language in which the thesis was written. The condition of admission to the diploma exam is:

- meeting all requirements specified in the study program,

- obtaining a final grade of not less than 3.0 for the thesis,

- submitting the diploma thesis signed by the promoter to the secretary's office,

- providing necessary documents to the secretary's office.

Not applicable.