OBSERVATIONS ON BACHELOR’S THESES ERRORS
Observations by: Ann Vihalem
Disce, quae censet amiculus
Hearken what the friend suggests
(Horace’s words)
Errare humanum est, stultum est in errore preseverare
Errors are human, but it is stupid to stick with the error
A Bachelor’s thesis is like a book that reaches many people

STARTING TOO LATE
A Bachelor’s thesis cannot be written in a week, several weeks, or a month. A good thesis
presumes long-term preparation: selecting the right topic, specifying the problem and objective,
assembling the structure, planning the research, searching for information, working through the
sources, familiarising yourself with style requirements, arranging a schedule for writing the thesis,
etc. With proper preparation, you can continue with the actual writing stage. You should consider
that the first version is not the final one. Inevitably, some parts of the Bachelor’s thesis have to be
rewritten several times (some more, some less), and lots of time is spent on polishing the thesis,
meeting the style requirements (NOTE! – forma dat esse rei – form gives items their essence).

COPING ON YOUR OWN
A supervisor is intended for writing the Bachelor’s thesis. For the student it is worthwhile to be
in regular touch with their supervisor, who provides advice, help, instructions, tips, and
suggestions, both in terms of content and form. This excellent opportunity should be used duly
and to the limit. It is worth remembering the rule: the student has to be the active party –
arrange meetings with the supervisor, be in touch eye to eye as well as by email and phone,
offer thesis versions for reading, ask questions, discuss, etc. NOTE! The supervisor does not
have to chase the student, hurry him up, and make him work. Cooperation and interactivity
create a synergistic effect. Trust your supervisor! He has experience, his senses perceive the
general and whole, although the supervised may be wiser, more informed in some issues, or on
a level of certain organisation.
INSUFFICIENCY OF KNOWLEDGE
What is a Bachelor’s thesis? How to write? The purposeful writing of a Bachelor’s thesis is
guided with certain university events, a supervisor, and relevant books (e.g. Master thesis related
Chris Hart. Doing Your Masters Dissertation. Sage Publications. 2005. 481 pages. In Tallinn
University Academic Library VC05/5709. /NOTE! Such books also exist specifically about
writing a Bachelor’s thesis/; E. Kalle, A. Aarma. Teadustöö alused. TTO. 2003. etc.). These show
you what a Bachelor’s thesis is, how to structure it, how to use sources, etc. Generally, English
publications are thick and wordy (e.g. C. Hart’s), the reading of which should not be taken too
seriously because you may be caught up in reading and forget about writing the thesis. It is worth
leafing through
the Bachelor’s and Master’s theses of your predecessors, both in Nord and other university
libraries, to find ideas and concentrated knowledge, as well as a template. Thus, a vision of a
Bachelor’s thesis is formed.

DIFFICULTIES WITH SELECTING A TOPIC
The first, serious, task is selecting the topic and limiting it. What to study? Everything can be
studied? But what to choose? A thesis defended under the topic of marketing has to be about
marketing or strongly linked to marketing, as well as scientific, and worth a degree. The topic –
the idea for the thesis – should come from the student, engaging him in an area of interest and/or
the organisation in which the student works. It is hard for the supervisor to offer topics like cakes
on a gold-rimmed plate. By assigning or forcing the selection of a topic, the student’s need and
wish may be contradicted. If the supervisor is supported by a school or research group, it is
natural that students belonging to the group participate in joint research and present their part as a
Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral thesis. Topic selection should consist of three steps: 1. Write
down possible topics. 2. Consider the pluses and minuses of possible topics. 3. Share your
thoughts with the supervisor (if necessary, also with the institution management, colleagues,
course mates). The supervisor’s task is to specify the topic, evaluate its appropriateness and
possibility on multiple planes. The Bachelor’s thesis is written alone and the problem solving
must be achievable by a single person, both theoretically and practically (of course, using
teamwork is not excluded). The rule should be pauca, sed boro – less, but better.
GRABBING TOO BIG OF A PIECE
One thesis does not fix the world, one thesis does not solve all economic problems. Setting too
strenuous a goal strongly lowers motivation, and a defence planned for winter or spring is
postponed to who knows when. Versate diu quid ferre recusent, quid valeant umeri – weigh well
what your shoulders can and cannot bear (Horace’s advice).

DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE TITLE AND CONTENT
The title of the thesis and its content should correspond to each other. Not in a way that the title is
about the garden and the content about a hole in the garden. The same goes for sections,
subsections, and sub-subsections. The title of the thesis should not be too general, grasp too wide
subject matter, consist only of one-two words. Scientific, not journalistic style is used in the titles.

OVERLY STRUCTURED TABLE OF CONTENTS
Each numbered section, subsection, and sub-subsection has to have sufficient capacity and value
to be included in the table of contents. Inside the text, it is possible to use other distinctions
besides the numeric. An exaggerated and overly fragmented structure (e.g. 12 parts), that for the
reviewer, committee members, and other readers is hard to grasp, should be avoided. Clarity and
specificity even in this.

IGNORING INTRODUCTORY ELEMENTS
The introduction serves to introduce the thesis briefly and specifically. This should be authorcentred and mainly in one’s own words. Things that in essence belong to the main part of the
thesis should be avoided. The required elements of the introduction are topicality, novelty, thesis
problem, objective, tasks and methods for reaching the objective; if research was used, its
objective and hypothesis or hypotheses, the thesis structure, and more important references. If you
wish to specifically thank someone (husband/wife, friend, company, school), you can do so in the
introduction.
POORLY DEFINED OBJECTIVE
Objective set in the introduction has to be clear, understandable, problem-based. This should
hint where the thesis wants to reach. The objective could be presented as structured: main
objective and secondary objectives. With the objectives, the means to reach them, the tasks, and
the methods used, should be mentioned. The student may also present a hypothesis or
hypotheses that he proves (or refutes) in the thesis.

UNBALANCED STRUCTURE
The main sections and the subsections of the thesis have to be balanced. It is worthwhile to
observe the inner proportions of the thesis and avoid overemphasising the less important and
under-developing the essential. That which deserves more development is a reason for greater
capacity. Things that have essentially less weight, do not justify excessive commitment, although
there is more information on it and this subtopic was simply favourable and interesting.

INCONSISTENCIES IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
The Bachelor’s thesis has to provide a theoretical or theoretical-practical problem solution. The
topic of the thesis determines the content of the theoretical part, form, volume, and the relation
with practical research. The theoretical part should be associated and harmonious with the
practical part, give its theoretical grounds and justification. A theory for theory’s sake is pointless;
there is no need to theorise just in case (spending time and paper on what is marketing or what is
one or another research method is useless – there are handbooks for this). The relationship
between theory and practice and the form of submission in a specific thesis depends on the
circumstances. There is no one set norm.

ILLOGICAL ORDER
Each section, subsection, sub-subsection, paragraph, sentence, word, and letter have to be in the
right place, logically linked to the preceding and following. You should avoid the manifestation of
pike, cancer, and swan. In Krõlov’s fable, they all leaned in different directions. It is good to start
with the general and move towards the specific. Step by step and consistently.

PRESENTING THE “BRICK”
A “Brick” refers to an overly compressed thesis. One that is difficult to read, grasp, and
comprehend, one that does not highlight the essential, and in which everything is a uniform grey
mass. Each thesis has to be designed, made reader-friendly. A marketing principle is valid here as
well: client-centredness, respecting the client (i.e. the reader), and servicing.

SUBMITTING A TERM PAPER OR OVERVIEW
A Bachelor’s thesis is not a term paper, an overview describing a collection of quotes from other
authors, opinions, and some phenomena. A Bachelor’s thesis is a student’s research, analytical
work, and therefore has to meet the research requirements. Observe that in the introduction the
use of the following words would not be prevalent: overview, description (this gives the
committee something to grasp).
SUBMITTING PLAGIARISM
A Bachelor’s thesis has to be the student’s work, although relying on the works of other people.
Originality is expressed by the student’s topic selection, structure, analysis, discussion,
elaboration, applying the knowledge creatively, and conclusions. The worst thing that you could
do is to submit someone else’s work as your own. This is followed by a severe punishment. If not
now, then in the future.

SUBMITTING A MAMMOTH WORK
A Bachelor’s thesis has a given volume. It is not good if a thesis of over one hundred pages is
submitted, if one is unable to remain within the framework. Therefore, it is essential to control
your word use, consider the volume ratios of the thesis, follow the principle: rather less, but
better.

THE ABSENCE OF PERSONAL OPINION OR PRESENTING IT VAGUELY
A Bachelor’s thesis should included, in addition to other people’s opinions, the thoughts,
opinions, analysis, conclusion, discussion summaries, recommendations, etc. of the thesis author.
You should not be overly modest; what is yours should be clearly emphasised in the text and
referenced under figures and charts. Using references should be analytical: comparing the views
of different authors, presenting one’s own viewpoints. It is reasonable to dismiss long quotes; the
thesis has to come from the student, in his own words.

INADEQUATE OR CONFUSING REFERENCING
The thesis shall not make it to defending if there are no references to primary sources. References
are compulsory in a Bachelor’s thesis. A unified system should be used for referencing and it
should be done in a way that the reader grasps the beginning and the end of the reference. One of
the first steps of starting a Bachelor’s thesis is thorough inspection of the school’s guidelines on
written submissions. If the guidelines are read later and the thesis is then adapted accordingly, a
great deal of effort is necessary in order to locate a certain source, its author, page, or something
else, redesign figures or charts, etc.

NOT DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN A QUOTE AND ADAPTATION
If some other author’s idea, thought, sentence, or paragraph is used as it is in the original, it has to
be treated as a quote and put into quotation marks. If the idea is presented in a shortened or
adapted version, it is not distinguished with quotation marks. References are required in both
cases.

PRESENTING FIGURES AND CHARTS INCORRECTLY
Each figure and chart should be legible, irrespective of the text. This is ensured by the necessary
characteristics: number, title, time and place dimension, source. You should present figures and
charts with the same design all the way through and you should avoid unjustified complexity (e.g.
“cake slices” – if the thickness dimension is not used, there is no point in going multidimensional,
this can be done in a simpler and clearer way).

WEAK AND OLDISH REFERENCES LIST
The references list should not only be based on specialist literature in Estonian. Fresh information
from all over the world should be used (and of course also from Estonia), drawn from from
theoretical monographs, international journals, Internet databases, public reports from research
companies, conference materials, statistics bulletins, etc. Avoid using only the main textbooks,
lecture notes, handbooks. It makes no sense to repeat in the Bachelor’s thesis
what is already known from marketing courses. The Bachelor’s thesis should delve much deeper
than the current knowledge. You should not stay under the minimum required number of
references, it is better to exceed this. Make sure that relatively old sources would not dominate in
the list. Marketing is constantly developing, modern approaches are added.

REFERENCES LIST CONTAINING AIR
The reference list should only include sources referred to in the text, not the sources that have
been read for background or that are on the bookcase or stacked on the table. This artificially
increases the references list, but is also dishonest.

THESIS WITH BAD STYLE AND BAD LANGUAGE
If the thesis is based on the works of different authors, different languages, styles, and terms used
could also be carried into the Bachelor’s thesis. A linguistic Babel is formed if you do not create
your own style and language use all the way through. At the same time, you should not copy the
linguistic errors and stupidities of other authors. The student should think about each word and
sentence of the thesis. Avoid the phenomenon of mixing Estonian with other languages, such as
English, Finnish, German, or some other language. If there is no Estonian equivalent for an
English term, invent it, discuss with language specialists (there are advisers), it also helps to
include the foreign-language original after an underused term or one created by the author.
Language use should not be too intimate; avoid fluent, familiar, informal expressions
characteristic solely of spoken language. Main requirement: Respect the Estonian language! If we
do not do it, who else will! Let the Estonian language be our love!

USING TOO MANY SYNONYMS
The use of main terms should be uniform and unambiguous. Not in a way that one sentence has
marketing, another commerce and they are thus interposed throughout the thesis. Use the
linguistic form, once chosen, from the beginning until the end (for example, segmenting –
segmentation, positioning – position). When using terms from different authors, create your own
system, of course, the kind that is consistent with language conventions.

THESIS FULL OF SPELLING ERRORS
Use a specific computer programme, other people’s help. Read the paper version several times
(the computer screen does not allow one to grasp the text from all sides). When writing the thesis,
follow the explicable Estonian dictionary, lexicon of foreign words, orthography books, specialty
dictionaries, etc. The student should understand the meaning of words used in the thesis (e.g. trade
mark, brand). Then, upon defending, there is no embarrassment due to typos, careless errors, and
wrongly defined terms. The draft given to the supervisor for reading should also be reviewed. The
supervisor does not have to correct typos, although he would point them out.

USING A SINGLE ANALYSIS METHOD
Situation analysis uses only one method: for example, the overexploited and rather general
SWOT (the excessive generality of which can be deceased when the classical scheme is taken
further – by considering the seriousness of dangers and their probability, etc. – take everything
you can from the method). Use the entire marketing theory repository (models, matrices) and
even more, also other subjects studied in the university (sociology, statistics, management, etc.),
and specific books on research methods to find a suitable selection of usable means of analysis.

WRONGLY USED METHODS
For example, the classic mistake for SWOT is ignoring the classic scheme, in which S and W
should be centred on the company, while O and T should be analysed depending on the
environment. Often the opportunities section of student works include opportunities written down
as the company’s own activities, sometimes even unnecessarily repeating the contents of
weaknesses. When compiling a questionnaire, the general compilation rules should be considered.
Before conducting the poll, check the questionnaire thoroughly (also let others do this); a student
should not ruin his reputation with a faulty questionnaire sheet. Before applying any analysis
method, you should recognise what kind of method it is, what are the requirements, difficulties,
etc., accompanying it. It is essential to know the methodology and techniques of research.

NOT USING ANNEXES
The text should not be burdened with content that could be in the annexes. These include
additional information referred to in the text, the volume of which could be rather high if
necessary (not regulated). On the other hand, the annexes should also have their own idea and link
to the rest of the thesis, the annexes part should not be unnecessarily expanded with useless
information.

TOO GENERAL A CONCLUSION
The conclusion lacks conclusions, suggestions, recommendations, the student’s personal
contribution. Conclusions and suggestions should be given clearly, with constructive content and
from the viewpoint of organisation, a consumer group, area, or country. Follow the proportions of
introduction and conclusion. The conclusion should be longer, the work is done and there are
things to be said.

GETTING DEPRESSED
Depression and boredom may affect the author when writing the thesis. A supervisor’s harsh
critique after submitting the first version of a thesis could cause a real shock. Several students
have admitted the latter. The reason for this is human vulnerability, too much self-confidence, or
overly high self-esteem. You should tolerate harsh criticism, learn from it, and go on. A poor
thesis should not be taken to defending, the risk of failure is too high. Besides, a Bachelor’s thesis
is a public work, it will remain; everyone can read this and the writer’s reputation depends on this.
There is no need to despair due to the analysed company’s bankruptcy, work, or personal
problems. At some point the Bachelor’s thesis will be finished anyhow.
DEFENSE SPEECH RUINING A GOOD THESIS
A great thesis does not necessarily mean an excellent grade. Upon defending the thesis, the
student may replace his potential five with a significantly lower grade. Upon the defending, a
committee is at work, and before them you have to be convincing and specific in your statements,
the defense speech has to reach them, the defender has to be able to answer all the questions; if
the reviewer found obvious mistakes, they should be admitted instead of stubbornly sticking to
your own view, etc., etc. On the other hand, it is not possible to bake a good bread out of bad
dough only with a beautiful, smooth, and overwhelming speech and vigorous gestures, this is also
apparent.
TAKE CARE! GOOD LUCK WITH THE DEFENSE!
Amat victoria curam
Victory loves carefulness; nothing is gained without effort
(Catullus)