The completion phase should be scheduled in the time schedule. For a thesis that needs to be bound, at least 3 days should be planned, ideally a week. This is because the completion phase is exclusively dedicated to the final touches and proofreading.
Checklist
1) General
- Are all formalities fulfilled?
- Is the cover sheet formatted? Are all necessary details included (name, matriculation number, address, reviewer/seminar leader, title of the paper, seminar if applicable)?
- Are all citations in the text accompanied by page numbers?
- Are all necessary indexes present? Table of contents and bibliography are obligatory. In many cases, a list of figures and abbreviations is also required. Tip: Use the functions of writing software to automatically create these lists.
- Is the text checked for correct spelling and punctuation? The use of spelling and grammar checkers is mandatory. However, since these systems do not detect everything, it is helpful to have a trusted person proofread the text again. Note: The Writing Center does NOT provide this service.
- Are all headings, quotes, etc. formatted consistently? Tip: Use paragraph formatting.
2) Consistency checks
Tip: Consistency checks are made much easier by working with a reference management program!
- Is the bibliography complete? Check whether all references in the text are also in the bibliography and whether only the information referenced in the text is also in the bibliography.
- Are the sources in the text all structured according to the same scheme? For example, all page references with "p." or without, but not once like this and once like that?
- Do the references in the bibliography all follow the same convention?
Attention! There is not ONE correct form. Some institutes specify how the bibliography must be structured, others limit themselves to the specification that the bibliography should be "consistent". If there are guidelines, you should follow them. If not, it is sufficient to decide on a convention and to follow its principles consistently. If you use a reference management program, you can choose between different output styles. The references in the text are then automatically output according to the selection.
3) Finetuning
- Scan your document for duplicate gaps and replace them with a single one.
- In the course of text production, many writers develop a preference for certain words or phrases that are not technical words. These are often filler words that do not contribute to the argument (e.g., "also"). If you encounter a word or phrase several times on a page in your text, you can check whether they can be replaced by other words/phrases or deleted. The latter is often possible when using filler words without changing the line of argument. This revision step contributes a lot to how smoothly your text reads. Remember: you are writing for a reader.
Tips
The Medien- und Informationszentrum supports you in choosing literature management programs and offers consultation hours. You can attend short introductions to Citavi, Mendeley and Zotero and/or use self-study materials.
Meurer, Peter, & Schluchter, Manfred. (2017). Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten mit Citavi 6. Hinweise zum Schreiben wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten mit der Software »Citavi.
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SOURCES
How to cite this page
Knorr, Dagmar (2020): Completion Phase. Wiki "Schreiben im Studium | Academic Writing". Leuphana University Lüneburg, Schreibzentrum / Writing Center. <https://lehrwiki.leuphana.de/display/SWCRessourcen/Completion+Phase>