The course aims to acquire the necessary basic knowledge about scientific work in the field of mechanical engineering and the practical completion of a scientific thesis. The thesis is prepared in the form of a literature work and represents the state of research on a current engineering topic. The required theoretical basis will be trained in the following topics of the e-learning course „Basics of scientific work for students in the field of mechanical engineering":

1. Introduction to scientific work
2. Formulation of a research question and time-and self-management
3. Literature Research
4. Scientific Writing
5. Scientific Presentation

In addition to the e-learning course, the practical process of a scientific thesis will be learned over the whole semester period in a group on current topics by the institutes of the KIT-department of Mechanical Engineering. The groups are supervised by the respective institutes and the theoretical basics are trained in further exercises.  

Learning Objects:

On completion of the course the students are able:

• to structure and formulate a research question,
• to plan projects in a task- and resource-oriented way,
• to apply creativity techniques within a team,
• to investigate and to evaluate scientific resources and to derive information,
• to summarize work results in a well-structured written report,
• to present scientific problems/results in an oral presentation,

• to work actively in a team in a task-oriented and constructive manner.

 Examinations:

1. Exam within the e-learning course
2. Structuring and preparation of a research question as a basis for the scientific thesis
3. Preparation of a scientific thesis of at least 30 pages according to a given guideline as a group work
4. Preparation and execution of a scientific presentation of a maximum of 30 minutes in the group

The course will be passed, if:

• the exam registration in KIT-Campus is done until 2022/07/29.
• the online exam of the e-Learning course is passed and submitted until 2022/05/22.
• the formulated research question is submitted until 2022/05/29.
• the complete scientific thesis is submitted until 2022/07/17.
• the scientific presentation is submitted until 2022/07/17 and is presented until 2022/07/29 at the supervising institute.
• you have regularly and actively participated in the group meetings (from 2022/05/09 to 2022/07/29).

The introductory event will take place on 2022/4/22. Should it be necessary to switch to an online event, this will be announced via the corresponding ilias course.

If you have not submitted the respective exercises by the deadline or insufficient quality, you have to compensate for this by an additional exam in form of a written exercise after consultation with the coordinating institute (atm@ifab.kit.edu). If you have not submitted the additional exercises by the agreed deadline or insufficient quality, the course will be failed and must be repeated in one of the following semesters.

The course addresses students in the Bachelor program Mechanical Engineering in the fourth semester. Students in the Bachelor program Mechanical Engineering in the second semester, as well as students in the Master program Mechanical Engineering or other programs, may participate in case of vacancies. The lecture consists of an e-learning course, combined with an online exam and accompanying self-study over the entire lecture period.