Master's Dissertation

By the end of this two-year master's course, the students must have attained a series of goals and acquired a number of competencies, and must demonstrate their level of accomplishment through the elaboration of a master's dissertation. Among other main aims, they should be able:

• To develop a research hypothesis which allows them to show mastery of the necessary abilities (searching for information, handling relevant resources, etc.).
• To conceive, design and develop lexicographic tools and materials for a multicultural and multinational society.
• To apply the knowledge acquired through the diverse course modules.
• To conceive, design, put into practice and develop a substantial research process with academic rigour and to be able to present their conclusions.
• To use methods which are appropriate to the content.
• To present conclusions which highlight the novelty of the research they have carried out.
• To use an appropriate academic style, both in writing and orally, in their dissertation defense before the examining board. The language are English or German.

The dissertation content will be closely related to the master's subject matter and will be determined by the topic, the field and the research project selected by the candidate and her/his supervisor.
Students have a wide range of choice with regard to topics and supervisors, given the diversity of academic and research profiles represented in the teaching staff taking part in the course.

The bibliographic references were provided regarding the subject of the master's thesis.

Knowledge or contents: Con01 - Con10

Skills or abilities: H/D01- H/D10

Competencies: Comp01, Comp02, Comp03, Comp04, Comp05, Comp07, Comp08

The student will hold regular meetings with her/his supervisor where they will discuss the topic and the structure of the research project, exchange bibliographic references and review the research process.

1. First opportunity:
The final grade will take into account the supervisor's report, in addition to the content and formal quality of the dissertation itself (80% of the overall grade) and the oral defense together with the student's ability to answer the questions and comments made by the members of the examining board (20% of the overall grade).
The following aspects will be particularly valued:
- Theoretical background of the dissertation.
- Scientific and methodological rigour.
- Critical awareness of the research process
- Quality of written report
- Quality of oral defense

2. Second opportunity:
Same requirements and criteria as in the first opportunity

Academic misconduct (cheating, plagiarism...) will be penalized according to the University regulations on student assessment (“Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión de cualificacións”).

The master's dissertation is equivalent to 30 credits.

• Evidence of plagiarism anywhere in the dissertation will result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate. All of the following will be considered instances of plagiarism: use of ideas, methods or literal quotations inserted in the text without an explicit reference to their author.

• In order to be allowed to defend his/her dissertation, the student must have completed the rest of the credits set in the course programme.