Guidelines for Writing a Thesis
Department of Business Administration and Service Management
Prof. Dr. Jens Hogreve
Business Faculty Ingolstadt,
Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt
Version: August 2014
Preface
Dear students,
During the central part of your studies you are obliged to compose scientific assignments in the
form of theses. To ensure their successful elaboration, you must fulfill the following
requirements:
1.
critical and creative writing in the intellectual sense and
2.
accurate and diligent implementation of the formal standards in your written work in the
technical sense.
The first requirement is by far more demanding and interesting, and will therefore be the focus
of the evaluation of your work. However, the second requirement should not be disregarded or
underestimated. Poor formatting will negatively influence the content of your work.
You will receive counseling with questions that regard the content of your work. This guideline
should answer any questions about formatting.
This guideline will help you with many questions that may arise while writing your thesis. It was
designed specifically for writing scientific papers at the Department of Service Management. It
consists of multiple elements relevant for scientific assignments, such as direct and indirect
citations, figures, bibliography, footnotes, and the appendix. If this guideline should leave you
with any questions unanswered, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Ingolstadt, September 2014
Prof Dr. Jens Hogreve
II
Table of contents
Page
Table of contents .........................................................................................................................III
List of figures ................................................................................................................................ V
1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
Presentation of the problem ......................................................................................... 1
1.2
Method of investigation ............................................................................................... 1
2
Time schedule for theses ..................................................................................................... 2
3
Time for completion and length of theses ......................................................................... 3
4
Formal requirements .......................................................................................................... 4
5
Content and structure of scientific assignments ............................................................... 7
5.1
Title page ...................................................................................................................... 7
5.2
Table of contents .......................................................................................................... 7
5.3
List of figures and figures ............................................................................................ 8
5.4
List of abbreviations and abbreviations ..................................................................... 10
5.5
Content ....................................................................................................................... 11
5.6
List of appendices and appendix ................................................................................ 11
5.7
Bibliography............................................................................................................... 12
5.7.1 Reference of books and publication series ..................................................... 13
5.7.2 Reference of magazines and newspapers ....................................................... 14
5.7.3 Reference of electronic media ........................................................................ 14
5.8
6
List of expert interviews and declaration of honor .................................................... 16
Citation method ................................................................................................................. 17
6.1
Citation form .............................................................................................................. 17
III
6.1.1 Direct quotations ............................................................................................ 17
6.1.2 Indirect quotations .......................................................................................... 18
6.2
Use of in-text citation ................................................................................................. 18
7
Footnotes ............................................................................................................................ 20
8
Evaluation of a scientific assignment ............................................................................... 21
9
Final considerations .......................................................................................................... 23
List of Appendices ....................................................................................................................... VI
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. X
IV
List of figures
Page
Figure 1:
Time for completion and maximum number of pages for theses of different courses
of study. ........................................................................................................................ 3
Figure 2:
Formal requirements .................................................................................................... 6
Figure 3:
Example of a numeric outline with indentations.......................................................... 8
Figure 4:
Checklist for creating figures .................................................................................... 9
Figure 5:
Abbreviations for referencing ................................................................................. 10
Figure 6:
Example for the reference of an book chapter ........................................................... 13
Figure 7:
Examples for the reference of magazines and newspapers ........................................ 14
Figure 8:
Example for the reference of electronic media .......................................................... 15
Figure 9:
Text fragments illustrating the Harvard citation style ................................................ 19
V
1 Introduction
1.1 Presentation of the problem
Students must perform in multiple types of exams in which written assignments present an
important part. Whereas in written exams only rough guidelines are to be followed, stricter
formalities must be applied to scientific assignments. Scientific assignments can appear in the
form of working sheets, term papers and theses. “Often the affected people have no idea how this
work is to be completed” (Koeder/Hamm 1995, p. 163). Therefore, this guideline aims at
explaining formal questions and/or insecurities by providing information and illustrative
examples.
1.2 Method of investigation
This guideline consists of nine parts. The second part of the guideline composes the basis. The
time frame and length of the thesis will be explained according to the respective course of
studies. The third part clarifies what needs to be taken into consideration when arranging
meetings to discuss the paper. The fourth part addresses technical and formal requirements for
the scientific assignments. Content and structure, as well as references to the particular parts of
the scientific assignments, are exemplified in part five. The sixth part focuses on techniques for
citations. Chapter 6.1 clarifies direct citations (section 6.1.1) and indirect citations (section 6.1.2).
Chapter 6.2 explains the use of in-text citations, which are required for the Harvard citation style.
The use of footnotes is described in chapter seven. The grading of the paper is clarified in
chapter eight. The guideline ends with a short conclusion.
1
2 Time schedule for theses
The dates of various feedback meetings are recorded in the time frame. These feedback meetings
are mandatory. Until the respective meeting date, the required documents must be sent to the
counselor via e-mail. For Bachelor theses there are two designated meetings: first draft of the
outline including a reading sample (“pragmatic page”) and an extract including the bibliography.
The extract comprises a maximum of five pages. For Master theses there are three designated
meetings: first draft of the outline, second draft of the outline including a reading sample and the
bibliography. Third meeting will be the presentation with discussion and feedback. The reading
sample comprises a maximum of ten pages. In the case of empirical theses there are additional
meetings to discuss the study design and questionnaire. These meetings will be arranged
individually.
The requirements for the individual meetings are explained in more detail below:

First draft of the outline: This should be a more detailed draft of the outline and
include the title of the thesis and the author’s name. The statement of the title and name
apply to all documents. A first reading sample (“pragmatic page”) should be reached in
which the relevance of the research question for practice and scholarship and the planned
approach should be explained.

Second draft of the outline: This draft should present the final outline and consider
suggested changes discussed in the first meeting.

Bibliography: The bibliography should comprise all of the researched sources relevant
for the thesis. The sources should be presented in the correct citation style.

Reading sample: The chapter of the extract can be chosen freely. It should be a coherent
part of the thesis. The current outline and corresponding references should be handed in
alongside with the extract.
2
3 Time for completion and length of theses
The following Figure 1 gives an overview over the respective time periods for completion of
theses and the maximum number of pages including figures. A reduction of pages of up to 10%
is possible.
Course of study
Degree
Time for completion
Maximum No. of pages
Business Administration1
Bachelors
2 Months
30 Pages (no more!)
Business Administration2
Masters
6 Months
60 Pages (no more!)
Figure 1:
Time for completion and maximum number of pages for theses of different courses of study.
Source:
Own illustration.
See § 17 (3) of the examination regulation for the Bachelor’s course Business Administration at the Catholic
University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt from Mai 7, 2007.
1
See § 17 (2) of the preliminary examination regulation for the Master’s Course Business Administration at the
Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt from Feb. 7, 2011.
2
3
4 Formal requirements
This guideline for the preparation of scientific papers is based on the work by Thomas (1987) 3.
However, the department made a few changes. For a comprehensive explanation on how to write
scientific papers, we recommend “Scientific Assignments” by Manuel R. Theisen in its current
edition.
In liberal arts, different kinds of written elaborations of scientific findings exist (Theisen 1993, p.
6 f.). The remarks in this guideline refer to the following types of manuscripts:

worksheets, and

theses.
In worksheets, a short answer to questions regarding exercises is expected. The thesis is an
extensive written examination aiming to generate “proof of the ability to independently work on
scientific projects” (Theisen 1993, p. 10).
Some further comments on spelling, grammar, and punctuation:

All papers must be written according to the current rules of spelling.

When multiple options exist, set punctuation consistently.

Colloquial terms are only acceptable in exceptional cases.

Avoid set phrases. Also avoid relativizing by using “probably” and “surely”.

Sentences should never be longer than three lines, even if this may be practiced in
literature.

When using relative clauses, it must be clear which object from the previous sentence is
being referred to.
When drafting worksheets and theses, various guidelines must be taken into consideration. These
guidelines can be gathered from Figure 2. They are obligatory for all papers written at the
Department of Service Management.
Worksheets
3
Theses
Thomas mainly refers to an article by Kaiser (1978 b).
4
Number of copies
One copy for the course lecturer via Two
e-mail and one hard copy.
printed
and
bound
copies
including a CD with a digital version
of the paper in PDF and Word format
including all sources in PDF format
must be handed in at the secretary for
exams. Additionally, the digital version
of the paper must be sent to the
supervisor in PDF and Word format via
e-mail. In case of empirical theses the
data set/transcribed interviews need to
be handed in as well.
Binding
Worksheets are to be tacked on the Theses must be bound with a firm
top left side. It is not necessary to cover.
use a folder.
Paper quality
DIN-A4 pages must be used. They can only be printed one-sided. It is not
necessary to use thick paper (>80g/m2).
Font
Papers should be written in Times New Roman.
Formatting
Hyphenated justification
Margins
Use margins of 2 cm on left and right. The margin to the top is 2,5 cm and 2
cm to the bottom.
Spacing
The spacing between lines is 1,5. A blank line should be inserted between
paragraphs.
Headings
Font size 16 for headings on the first level. All headings to be formatted in
bold font. Font size 14 for headings on the second level. For paragraph
headings, use font size 12. Do not insert a blank line between the heading and
the following paragraph.
Every new chapter (headings on the first level) begins on a new page.
Footnotes
Use font size 10 for footnotes. Every footnote begins with a capital letter and
ends with a period. Use justification with simple spacing and Arabic
numerals.
Order
Title page,
Blank page,
repetition of the research question,
title page (see Appendix 1),
content,
table of contents,
appendix,
list of figures
bibliography.
list of abbreviations,
5
content,
list of appendices and appendix,
bibliography,
list of expert interviews (if applicable),
declaration of honor (see Appendix 2),
blank Page.
Blank pages, the title page and the declaration of honor do not have page
Numbering of
numbers. The page numbering begins with the table of content. The table of
pages
content, list of abbreviations, list of figures, appendix, list of appendices, list
of expert interviews, and bibliography are to be numbered with Roman
numerals. If the appendix consists of multiple parts, each part of the
respective appendix heading should be provided with a letter for identification
and be numbered separately.
Figure 2:
Formal requirements
Source:
Based on Thomas 1987, p. 367 f.
6
5 Content and structure of scientific assignments
5.1 Title page
The title page should comprise the following information:
1. Name of the department
2. Topic of the paper
3. Due date
4. Course lecturer
5. First name, name, street, zip code, city, telephone number, and matriculation number of
the author.
An exemplary layout of the title page can be found in Appendix 1.
5.2 Table of contents
The table of content features an overview over the outline with page numbers, and gives the
reader a first overview over the structure of the scientific paper. References to the list of figures,
the list of conducted expert interviews, the list of appendices, the appendix (if existent), and the
bibliography are to be marked with Roman numerals.
The outline should demonstrate how the topic was understood and processed. It has a logical
structure indicating the train of thought of the written work. Therefore, all points of the outline
should be worded comprehensibly. The following recommendations should also be taken into
consideration.
General remarks:

Each point of the outline must include a page reference.

These points must coincide with the headings in the text. They should also present a brief
and precise summary of the content.

It can be helpful to add bridge sentences between headings and sub-headings.

One point of the outline should not be shorter than half a page.
7
Formal requirements:

A formally and logically clear outline indicates a coherent structure. It should be assured,
for example, that a sub item 1.2 follows a sub item 1.1.

Sub items should not be a literal repetition of the super ordinated point.

Headings in the text can be highlighted in bold font.
A clear layout of the outline in the table of the content, for example by indentation, facilitates the
overview. Avoid overly detailed outlines.
To classify points of the outline, we suggest using a numeric outline with indentations (see
Figure 3). The subdivision should be as follows: parts (e.g. 1), chapters (e.g. 1.1), passage (e.g.
1.1.1.), and if necessary paragraphs (1.1.1.1).
1
Study Question
2
Conceptual Foundations
3
First main Part
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.2
4
Second Main Part
4.1
4.2
Figure 3:
Example of a numeric outline with indentations
Source:
Based on Theisen 1993, p. 97.
5.3 List of figures and figures
Graphs, tables etc. are to be marked as figures and itemized in the list of figures. The advantage
of figures is illustrating complicated scientific facts for the reader. However, this can only be
achieved if the figure is legible. Therefore, the font size should be at least 10 points. All figures
8
must have a frame with the same width. Avoid scanning and inserting figures, as the quality is
often very poor. Figures should be designed in shades of grey.
Additionally, the message of the figure must be clear and all elements of the figure should be
explained in the text. An exemplary mistake is absent description of axes. The checklist in
Figure 4 provides assistance for creating figures.
Criteria to be checked
Fulfilled?
Does the subtitle answer the questions: Yes
No
What? Where? When? Are unnecessary
words eliminated?
Can all details and symbols be completely Yes
No
distinguished or identified through the
explanation at the end of the figure?
Is the reference existent and complete?
Yes
No
Is the caption legible?
Yes
No
Are the scales selected in such a way to Yes
No
avoid distortions?
Are unnecessary details present?
Yes
No
Is the depicted fact trivial?
Yes
No
Does the figure fulfill the requirements of Yes
No
completeness, accurateness, and clearness?
Figure 4:
Checklist for creating figures
Source:
Based on Riedwyl 1987, p. 11.
Immediately beneath the figures, the figure title and reference should be added. The reference
ends with a period. All references for figures that are not literally copied begin with “Based on”.
References for figures must also be added when they are not taken from literature. Such figures
are to be marked as “Reference: Own elicitation or Own illustration”. A blank line (font size 12,
single spacing) must be left before and after figures. All figures must be numbered continuously.
In scientific papers, a reference to the image in the written text is required. Thereby, figure’s
number must be indicated. The statements in the figures must be in accordance with the
9
statements in the written text. Avoid displaying figures in horizontal format. However, if
necessary, the paper should be turned clockwise to view the figure.
5.4 List of abbreviations and abbreviations
fig. = figure
A/N = author’s note
ed. = edition
Vol. = volume
diss. = dissertation
et al. = and others
et seq. = and the following (pages)
hab. = habilitation thesis
emphasis mine = author’s emphasis
ed. = editor
pub. = published by
No. = number
n.d. = no date
n.Vol. = no volume
n.a. = no author
n.p. = no place given
p. = page
col. = column
Figure 5:
Abbreviations for referencing
Source:
Thomas 1987, p. 369.
Abbreviations should be avoided in written text. The list of abbreviations should only contain
abbreviations unknown to the reader. When using an abbreviation in the text for the first time,
the word is to be written out and the abbreviation added in parentheses. If the word is used at a
later point in the text, the abbreviation should be used. Abbreviations that are only to be used in
the list of references are listed in Figure 5. These abbreviations need and should not be
included in the list of abbreviations.
10
The paper should follow a consistent symbolism. If symbols from other sources are used, their
content should be adapted to the paper. This excludes literal quotations.
5.5 Content
Although this guideline does not focus on the content of scientific papers, content is pivotal for
successful scientific assignments. It is advisable that the author drafts an outline after already
having reviewed all available literature. Thereby, the author will know how to present his or her
topic effectively.
Factual remarks about the objective, goal, and methodological structure should be covered in the
first introductory point of the outline. In this point, the topic should be interpreted, defined, and
explained. Furthermore, the topic’s specific relevance should be demonstrated and the topic
should be classified in a larger context. This point must not necessarily be titled “Introduction”
or “Presentation of the problem”. However, it must introduce the underlying problems of the
topic. It is always preferable to use on-topic headings instead of generic headings such as “Main
part”.
The second point of the outline “Method of investigation” should illustrate how the topic was
elaborated. It should serve as an orientation guide for the reader, and at the same time force the
author to revise the conclusiveness of his or her outline. This point is followed by the first main
part. The first main part usually is concerned with the definition of terms, the distinction from
related constructs, and the theoretical derivation of hypotheses.
Final considerations are to be discussed in the last part of the paper. The heading should indicate
if the author chose to conclude the paper with a summary of his or her results, a short description
of his or her theses in the form of a résumé, or a an outlook on unsolved problems and the need
for future research.
5.6 List of appendices and appendix
The main part of the appendix is additional material such as larger tabular figures, graphic
figures, or longer legal texts. In papers with empirical research, the questionnaire and the list of
statistical results are often included in the appendix (Theisen 1993, p. 160-162). Also, meeting
minutes from expert interviews should be included in the appendix.
11
Figures in the appendix are to be numbered continuously. The numbering is independent from
the numbering used in the written text. A list of appendices precedes the appendix.
Appendices should only include information that is crucial for the understanding of the written
text. The appendix should NOT be used to avoid the minimum page requirements. If no relevant
facts exist, the appendix can be omitted.
5.7 Bibliography
The bibliography should only include references cited in the written text. The list of references is
to be arranged in alphabetical order according to the authors’ names. The individual information
on the references should be gathered from the sources. In general, each reference consists of four
parts:

the name(s) and initials of the first name(s) of the author(s). If the author is unknown, the
source must be alphabetically classified as “n.a.”. Academic titles are not mentioned in
the bibliography,

the year of publication,

the title of the publication, and

other bibliographical information (see examples in Appendix 3 and the bibliography).
When creating the bibliography, take the following guidelines into consideration:

Use the most current edition of the book.

It is only required to name the first place of publication for books, dissertations etc. In the
case of two or more places of publication, indicate this by “et al.”. Example: Berlin et al.

Do not list the publishing company.

Other bibliographical information of English- and other language literature must be
translated into the German equivalent. For example, “3. Jg.” means “Vol. 3” and “Nr. 2”
is “No. 2”.

English titles are normally written in minuscule with the exception of the first letter,
regardless of how the title is written in the English original text.

With English titles of magazines all first letters, except for prepositions, are written in
capital letters.
12
5.7.1
Reference of books and publication series
The following information is to be included, in the given order when referencing monographs:

Name of the author: last name and then (separated by a comma) the initial(s) of the first
name(s). In the case of multiple authors, their names are to be separated by semicolons.
Organizations and institutions can also be authors, given that more specific information
cannot be found. The authors’ names can be highlighted in bold font.

Year of publication: after the authors’ name(s), the year of publication is to be included
in round parentheses. The year of publication can be highlighted in bold font.

Title of the book: the complete title (and subtitles) must be included. For publication
series, the title of the publication should be named, ending with a comma. Then,
following the indication “in”, the authors and the title of the publication series are to be
named. After listing the authors’ names, the information “(eds.)” is to be added, to
distinguish the editors of the publication series.

Edition and volume: the edition must always be indicated when more than one edition
exists. Only indicate the volume (volume number and title), if the article was published in
a corpus of multiple volumes.

Place of publication: in the case of multiple places of publication, it is sufficient to name
the first place of publication including the information “et al.”. It is not necessary to
name the publishing company.

Page: in the case of book chapters the first and last page of the publication is to be
included in the bibliography.
If the required information is missing, this must be made indicated in the bibliography. “n.a.”
(no author), “n.p.” (no place given), or “n.d.” (no date). In Figure 6 you can see an exemplary
reference of an book chapter:
Hogreve, J.; Sichtmann, C. (2009). Dienstleistungsgarantien als Instrument zur Steuerung der
Kundenintegration, in: Bruhn, M.; Stauss, B. (eds.). Kundenintegration, Wiesbaden, pp. 343358.
Figure 6:
Example for the reference of a book chapter
13
Source:
5.7.2
Own illustration.
Reference of magazines and newspapers
References for magazines begin with the author’s name, the year of publication, and the title of
the publication. This information is followed by the indication “in:” and the title of the
newspaper. The complete titles of newspapers must always be named. Furthermore, information
on the volume, the number of the magazine, and the first and last page number of the cited article
must be included.
Kung, W.; Hogreve, J. (2011). Toward a Deeper Understanding of Service marketing: The
Past, the Present and the Future, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 28, No.
3, pp. 231-247.
Fließ, S.; Hogreve, J.; Nonnenmacher, D. (2005). Die emotionale Wirkung von
Schaufenstern auf das Kaufverhalten, transfer – Werbeforschung & Praxis, Vol. 50, No. 3,
pp. 26-31.
Figure 7:
Examples for the reference of magazines and newspapers
Source:
Own illustration.
If you are citing a newspaper, the author’s name should be included if possible. If not possible,
the reference “n.a. = no author” can be used. By stating “in:” you are indicating a newspaper as
the information source. Then, the publication date dd/mm/yyyy, and the volume and newspaper
number should be included. Examples of referencing a magazine or newspaper can be gathered
from Figure 7.
5.7.3
Reference of electronic media
The Internet is growing in importance for scholars due to its nearly unlimited range of
information. However, referencing electronic media can be a challenge. Firstly, so far no widely
accepted citation rules for electronic media exist. Secondly, the permanence of electronic sources
is not yet guaranteed (Alberth 1998, pp. 1368 et seq.). This objects the principle of scientific
assignments, because a revision of the sources is often impossible after a short time. Therefore,
electronic media should only be resorted to if the source is not available in another form.
14
To make use of the variety of information available on the Internet for scientific assignments,
Internet sources should be cited as following (Alberth 1998, pp. 1370-1372; Piller 1995, p. 648
et seq.). You can find an example in Figure 8.

Name and initials of the author(s). If the author is unknown, the respective source must
be marked with “no author” and filed accordingly in the list of references. Academic
degrees and titles are not listed,

year of publication,

title of the publication,

other bibliographic information if possible,

Unique Resource Locator (URL) and

date of research.
Fließ, S.; Hogreve, J. (no year). Mit Dienstleistungsgarantien zur Service Excellence,
electronic source published under the URL: http://www.mendeley.com/research/mitdienstleistungsgarantien-zur-service-ecellence/, accessed on September 15, 2011.
Figure 8:
Example for the reference of electronic media
Source:
Own illustration.
Information (such as articles) that was only published online must be handed in as a hard copy
along with the thesis, as agreed upon with the advisor. Otherwise, the paper version of the source
must always be used.
General remarks:
When selecting appropriate literature, mainly English journal articles should be used that were
published in an A+ or B journal, according to the vhb-ranking (rankings can be found here:
http://vhbonline.org/uploads/media/Ranking_Gesamt_2.1.pdf). Only if no appropriate literature
can be found in this ranking, series of publications can be used. Textbooks should be avoided as
sources, and lecture notes should never be cited.
15
5.8 List of expert interviews and declaration of honor
It may be useful to conduct expert interviews when writing a thesis. Expert interviews can be
conducted during a pretest or an explorative phase of a survey. Important results of these
interviews can be quoted in the thesis. Therefore, it is important to compile a list of the
conducted expert interviews.
The following information is required:

First and last name of the interview partner,

role of the interview partner (when appropriate),

name of the institution or organization, and

place and time of the conducted interview.
Theses must also include a declaration of honor. In this declaration, the author must assure that
he/she wrote the thesis on his/her own. An example of a declaration of honor can be gathered in
Appendix 2.
16
6 Citation method
“A lot of what is delivered in the process of elaboration is not the result of own contemplation.
Whoever borrows from others, must do the people, whose thoughts, concepts, models, methods,
measuring techniques etc. he/she has made his/her own, justice” (Dichtl 1996, p. 218) and
therefore reference the source of information through citations.
Every citation must be verifiable. Thoughts and ideas stemming from others must be marked as
such. Citations must be used in a manner that conserves the original meaning intended by the
author. The original source must be cited. This is the source in which the topic was published for
the first time. Secondary sources, which are sources from other sources, should be avoided.
Secondary sources can only be used if the original source is not available. The secondary source
must be marked as such in the in-text citation by adding “quoted by”. Primary and secondary
sources must be included in the bibliography.
At the department of Service Management, only the Harvard citation style is acceptable. With
this citation style, an in-text citation is added at the appropriate passage in the text (Tehisen 1993,
p. 138 et seq.).
6.1 Citation form
6.1.1
Direct quotations
Direct quotations are to be marked with quotation marks (“…”). In the case of quotations within
in direct quotations, single quotation marks should be used (‘…’). Quotes and references require
absolute accurateness, which implies that specific formatting by the author must be maintained.
Additions to the citations by the author of the thesis must be marked with square brackets ([…])
including the indication “comment by the author”. Principally, text highlighted by the original
author should be adapted. Own highlights in the text must be indicated by “highlighted by the
author”. The omission of one word (several words) must be indicated by two (three) full stops,
e.g. (…). If the quote contains a mistake, this should be indicated by “(sic)”. This is important,
so that the corrector does not assume an incorrect citation.
Extensive and frequent direct quotations convey the impression to the reader that the author
processed the literature, but did not reflect it sufficiently. Direct quotations should only be used
17
if they describe the issue very aptly. Citations in a foreign language require a translation
including the information about the translator. Lengthy citations in a foreign language are to be
translated. The citation in the original language is to be added in a footnote. As a general rule,
there is no need to translate quotations from English sources. A direct quotation should generally
not be longer than two to three sentences. However, if longer quotations seem unavoidable, they
must be inverted and single-spaced.
6.1.2
Indirect quotations
An indirect quotation means that thoughts and ideas by other authors were integrated into the
text. This does not imply a direct reproduction of the text. The length of an indirect quotation
must be clearly comprehensible. Therefore, it may be necessary to add an introductory sentence,
such as “The following description is based on Bitners ideas on…”.
In summary, the following three rules can be established:
1. Immediacy, which means that the quotation is to be taken from the primary source (original
source).
2. Purposefulness, which means that the quotation should only contain what the author intended
to prove with the quote.
3. Accuracy, which means that the references are to be listed clearly and sufficiently to enable a
fast and easy search for the source.
6.2 Use of in-text citation
In-text citations make reference to the bibliography. In-text citations include the author’s name,
the publication year of the book or article, and the page number(s). The page number(s) should
be as exact as possible. Try to avoid indications such as “et seq.”. Instead, the exact number of
pages should be listed, from first to last. If a source refers to only two successive pages, this can
be indicated by the first page number followed by “et seq.”. By using in-text references, the
reader can gather closer information on the sources in the bibliography (see Appendix 3). If
multiple contributions by the same author and from the same year are used, these must be
distinguished by a further attribute in addition to the year of publication (example:
Fliess/Hogreve 2005 a, p. 312). The publications of the author are to be marked accordingly in
the bibliography. For sources with up to three authors, all authors are to be listed in the in-text
18
citation. When the source has more than three authors, this can be indicated in the in-text citation
by using “et al.” after the first author’s name. However, all authors must be listed in the
bibliography. Figure 9 illustrates an example of the Harvard citation style.
In the past years, service guarantees have been viewed as an innovative instrument for
marketing in management and science. With the help of service guarantees, competitive
advantages can be secured and expanded (Wirtz/Kum 2004, p. 159). Bateson and Hoffman
(1999, p. 333) share this valuation: “One of the most innovative and intriguing customer
retention strategies to be developed in recent years is the service guarantee”.
Figure 9:
Text fragments illustrating the Harvard citation style
Source:
Hogreve 2007, p. 1.
19
7 Footnotes
Factual remarks by the author that exceed the framework of the thesis should be included in
footnotes. Footnotes are separated from the written text by a short line. There should be at least
one single spaced line between the text and the footnote. Footnotes should be single-spaced. If
the footnote refers to an entire sentence, the figure of the footnote is to be added at the end of the
sentence, after the punctuation mark. If the footnote refers to only a single word or a group of
words, it should be added after the respective word(s) (Drosdowski et al. 1996, p. 67). Footnotes
begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Footnotes should not be extended over two
pages. Only apply footnotes if they are really necessary!
20
8 Evaluation of a scientific assignment
The following criteria are applied for the evaluation of scientific assignments. The conceptual
and material requirements for theses are much more strict than for worksheets.
Topics:
 Presentation of the examined issue,

relevance of the topic in practice and science (identification of a research gap),

specific difficulties of the work and/or challenges for the author,

chosen approach for the examination of the research topic and justification quality of this
choice.
Conceptual structure:
 Correct comprehension of the topic,

aptness of thematic constraints,

fundamental logic of the outline,

appropriate weighting of the individual parts considering the overall topic,

coherent concept.
Content:
 Clearness and consistency of the argumentation,

quality of the theoretical foundation,

own research initiatives (e.g. empirical research)

independence of the conclusions,

originality of the presentation, level of reflection, ability to criticize, adequacy of chosen
methods.
Formal aspects of the presentation:
 Precision and scientific orientation of the linguistic style,

mastery of the rules of grammar (spelling, punctuation),

citation style,

formatting (e.g. optical aids through figures).
Literature:
 Extent and relevance of utilized sources,
21

independence of the acquisition of sources,

aptness of the processing the literature.
Since the independence of the work plays a prominent role, stricter criteria are applied if the
student seeks extensive consultation.
22
9 Final considerations
Formalities play an important role for the success of scientific assignments:
1. With regard to the considerable amount of time it takes to correctly format scientific
assignments, and
2. with regard to the evaluation of the scientific assignment.
Therefore, a designated time for formalities should be planned for when writing a scientific
assignment. A task schedule for a thesis of 12 weeks can be found in Theisen (1993, pp. 20 et
seq.) or Kaiser (1978 a). This task schedule can be modified according to the requirements of the
Department of Service Management.
23
List of Appendices
Page
Appendix 1:
Exemplary layout of the thesis title page .......................................................... VII
Appendix 2:
Declaration of honor ......................................................................................... VIII
Appendix 3:
Recommendations for the composition of a bibliography with examples .......... IX
VI
Appendix 1:
Exemplary layout of the thesis title page
Source:
Based on Thomas 1987, p. 367.
Service Guarantees as an Instrument of Control for Customer Integration
Department of Service Management
Prof. Dr. Jens Hogreve
Master Thesis to obtain the Degree
Master of Science
at the Business Faculty Ingolstadt,
Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Handed in by:
Max Mustermann
Musterstr. 1
85049 Ingolstadt
Tel.: 0123 456789
Matriculation No.: 1234567
Submission date: October 1, 2011
VII
Appendix 2:
Declaration of honor
Source:
Own illustration.
Declaration of honor
I assure that I wrote the thesis at hand on my own and did not use any other than the listed
sources and aids. I also made citations clearly visible.
This scientific assignment has not been handed in at any other examination authority in this or a
similar form and has not been published.
I am aware that false declarations will lead to legal consequences.
Ingolstadt, ……………………………
…………………………………….
(date)
(signature)
VIII
Appendix 3:
Recommendations for the composition of a bibliography with examples
Source:
Own illustration.
Bibliography
Alberth, M. R. (1998). Kurze Gedanken zum wissenschaftlichen Zitieren des Internets,
Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft, Vol. 68, No. 12, pp. 1367-1374.
Dichtl, E. (1996). Spielregeln fürs Zitieren, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Jg. 25, Nr. 4, S. 218-219.
Drosdowski, G.; Müller, W.; Scholze-Stubenrecht, W.; Wermke, M. (1996). Duden,
Rechtschreibung der deutschen Sprache, 21st ed., Mannheim et al.
Hogreve, J. (2009). Twenty Years of Service Guarantee Research: A Synthesis, Journal
of Service Research, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 322-343.
Kaiser, A. (1978 a). Anleitung zur Anfertigung einer wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen
Diplomarbeit (Teil I), Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 35-38.
Kaiser, A. (1978 a). Anleitung zur Anfertigung einer wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen
Diplomarbeit (Teil II), Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 83-88.
Koeder, K. W.; Hamm, H.-J. (1995). Die Anfertigung von Klausuren, Hausarbeiten,
Referaten und Diplomarbeiten, Dichtl, E.; Lingenfelder, M. (eds.). Effizient
studieren: Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wiesbaden, pp. 163-172.
Piller, F. (1995). Computernetze und wissenschaftliche Publikationen. Das Internet als Quelle
des wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Arbeitens, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches
Studium, Vol. 25, No. 12, pp. 646-650.
Riedwyl, H. (1987). Graphische Gestaltung von Zahlenmaterial, 3rd ed., Bern et al.
Theisen, M. R. (1993). Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten. Technik – Methodik – Form, 7th ed.,
Munich.
Thomas,
U.
(1987).
Empfehlungen
zur
formalen
Gestaltung
von
Diplomarbeiten,
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium, Vol. 19, No. 7, pp. 367-372.
IX
Bibliography
Alberth, M. R. (1998). Kurze Gedanken zum wissenschaftlichen Zitieren des Internets,
Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft, Vol. 68, No. 12, pp. 1367-1374.
Dichtl, E. (1996). Spielregeln fürs Zitieren, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 218-219.
Drosdowski, G.; Müller, W.; Scholze-Stubenrecht, W.; Wermke, M. (1996). Duden,
Rechtschreibung der deutschen Sprache, 21st ed., Mannheim et al.
Hogreve, J. (2009). Twenty Years of Service Guarantee Research: A Synthesis, Journal
of Service Research, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 322-343.
Kaiser, A. (1978 a). Anleitung zur Anfertigung einer wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen
Diplomarbeit (Teil I), Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 35-38.
Kaiser, A. (1978 a). Anleitung zur Anfertigung einer wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen
Diplomarbeit (Teil II), Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium,
Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 83-88.
Koeder, K. W.; Hamm, H.-J. (1995). Die Anfertigung von Klausuren, Hausarbeiten,
Referaten und Diplomarbeiten, Dichtl, E.; Lingenfelder, M. (eds.). Effizient
studieren: Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wiesbaden, pp. 163-172.
Piller, F. (1995). Computernetze und wissenschaftliche Publikationen. Das Internet als Quelle
des wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Arbeitens, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches
Studium, Vol. 25, No. 12, pp. 646-650.
Riedwyl, H. (1987). Graphische Gestaltung von Zahlenmaterial, 3rd ed., Bern et al.
Theisen, M. R. (1993). Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten. Technik – Methodik – Form, 7th ed.,
Munich.
Thomas,
U.
(1987).
Empfehlungen
zur
formalen
Gestaltung
von
Diplomarbeiten,
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Studium, Vol. 19, No. 7, pp. 367-372.
Remark: If the thesis is written in English, you always need to write “Vol.”, “No.” and “pp.”
where applicable in both English as well as German sources. The same applies for theses written
in German. Here you always need to use “Jg.”, “Nr.”, “S.” for both English as well as German
sources.
X