1.1 The following information is for students majoring in English who intend to write their B.A. thesis in one of the topic areas DELP offers to provide supervision in. For general guidelines concerning theses in the BA in English programme, please consult http://seas.elte.hu/w/studies/graduation/thesis.

1.2 The BA thesis is a coherent and informed English language discussion of a professional issue pertaining to English language studies. It addresses one or more research questions, is clearly structured and written, and reaches a logical conclusion. It must also demonstrate the author's familiarity with academic English and the literature of the given topic area. DELP offers supervision in topic areas related to English language use, language learning and teaching, civilisation of English speaking cultures, intercultural communication and Australian studies. For more details see the section on BA thesis topics below. Theses in these areas may be based on empirical research or library research.

1.3 Academic support of the work of the thesis writer is provided by a supervisor from the Department. Students should try and pick their own supervisors by approaching individual tutors, preferably as early as possible, as a single tutor is not allowed to take more than a certain number of supervisees (usually three per year); in other words, supervisor allocation operates on a 'first come, first served' basis. If a preferred supervisor is not available or a student cannot find anyone who is willing to accept him or her as a supervisee, a supervisor will be assigned by the head of the department. The deadline for letting the head know that someone is left without a supervisor is two weeks before the deadline for submitting the thesis title to the registrar. In addition, please note that DELP - like all other SEAS departments - can only provide thesis supervision for a limited number of students.

1.4 To submit a thesis title for a BA thesis

1 You have to give a completed Statement of Intent to your supervisor. Discuss the topic, the title and the approach with your supervisor and finalise the title.

2 The title has to be submitted electronically on Neptun, where they will have to be approved of by the supervisor and also by Dr. Rita Divéki, who is in charge of BA theses. If the title is not clear enough or is too broad or is problematic in any way, it may be rejected and improvements may be required.

General deadlines:

For specific deadlines of the current term, please check the Noticeboard.

DELP DEADLINE:

Proposal to be signed by the supervisor and coordinator (szakfelelős) or deputy at DELP

Who to turn to for the coordinator's (szakfelelős) signature at DELP

Proposal (címbejelentő) submission deadline at the Registrar (TH)

Thesis submission deadline at the Registrar (TH)

Two weeks before the registrar’s (TH) deadline

Rita Divéki

mid-March

mid-October

(semester before thesis submission)

mid-November

mid-April

2 The supervision

2.1 With the consent of the supervisor, students have to sign up for a so-called Tutorial Seminar in Neptun, which is not a time-tabled course, only a means of formalising the supervision.

2.2 The supervisor will provide guidance in writing the BA thesis. Students are entitled and also required to take part in three compulsory consultations during the writing process. Consultants can offer the following support:

clarification of the topic and title of the thesis
discussion of the appropriate research questions
suggestions for a reading list
advice on possible approaches to the analysis.

2.3 The supervisor cannot be expected to edit language, punctuation and spelling. The thesis is supposed to demonstrate the student's academic abilities and language skills, so the quality of the paper is entirely the student's responsibility.

3 The formal requirements of the BA thesis

3.1 The BA thesis must be submitted having been computer printed. The length of the thesis must be at least 40,000 characters (a minimum of 20 pages and a maximum of 22 pages, not including the Table of Contents, the preliminary pages (title pages, the Abstract), the Appendices, and the References section (Bibliography). The References section of a research project type thesis must contain at least five items from the relevant academic literature, whereas the references section of a library research based thesis must contain at least eight references in addition to primary sources.

3.2 Font: Times New Roman, size 12, spacing: 2, margins: 2,5 cm.

3.3 Academic papers at DELP have to follow the APA Manual (7th Edition)* regarding formatting, citation and referencing. As APA relates to using American English, and spelling and punctuation rules vary in different national varieties of English, authors should be consistent in applying the spelling and punctuation rules of the variety they use and thus may deviate from the standards described by APA. Papers should be organised using headings relevant to the type of paper. Chapters and sections are also to be numbered or go without numbering depending on the type of paper. In seminar papers numbering is not necessary, while in theses numbering should be used. The APA citation and referencing style must be adhered to meticulously in every type of paper.

*Except papers on literary, historical, social or cultural topics in the Australian Studies Programme, which should be written according to the MLA guidelines.

More information on the documentation requirements can be found at the APA & MLA guidelines section of this site.

3.4 Please check this website for the formal requirements:

http://seas.elte.hu/dokuwiki/studies/graduation/thesis/formal_requirements

The thesis must be submitted electronically in Neptun AND on the School of English and American Studies (SEAS) web page:

http://seas.elte.hu/dokuwiki/studies/graduation/thesis/submit by the same deadline.

3.5 The cover page should carry the words "alapszakos szakdolgozat", in addition to the title of the thesis both in English and Hungarian, the supervisor's name and title in the bottom left-hand corner, the student's name and major in the bottom right-hand corner, and the year of submission at the bottom. (Sample cover pages can be found on the website of the Faculty of Humanities.

In Hungarian: https://btk.elte.hu/dstore/document/3283/Belso_borito_BA.doc

and in English:

https://btk.elte.hu/dstore/document/2707/BA%20Inner%20template%20%281%29.docx )

3.6 The thesis should contain the following sections:

Certificate of Research in English and Hungarian (A sample of such a declaration of originality in English can be found in Appendix 1 below, while a Hungarian version can be found on the website of the Faculty of Humanities. https://btk.elte.hu/dstore/document/2146/szerz%C5%91s%C3%A9gi%20nyilatkozat%20BA.docx )

Abstract of 200-300 words

Table of Contents

Introduction

Body of the thesis (different for different types of research)

Conclusion

References or Works cited (following the requirements of APA or MLA documentation respectively)

Appendices

4 The assessment of the BA thesis

4.1 The thesis will be read and marked by an independent tutor of the department (the 'Bíráló') allocated by the Head of the Department.

4.2 The language (and form) criteria have been worked out by DEAL for all SEAS theses (See Appendix 2 below), and the scores from this source (a maximum of 25 points) will constitute one third of the full score (a maximum of 75 points) awarded for the thesis. The candidate gets a separate mark for this aspect of the thesis, which will be determined in accordance with the following chart:

Points Grades

23-25 = 5 (jeles/excellent)

20-22 = 4 (jó/good)

17-19 = 3 (közepes/average)

15-16 = 2 (elégséges/pass)

0-14 = 1 (elégtelen/fail)

4.3 As for the content of the thesis, the reader will award scores of 0-3 or 0-4 for each of the aspects specified in one of the three DELP BA Thesis Scoring Sheets (Appendices 3, 4 & 5 below) designed and developed for the two different types of theses supervised by DELP, and the scores from this source will constitute two thirds (a maximum of 50 points) of the full score awarded for the thesis. The candidate gets a separate mark for this aspect of the thesis, which will be determined in accordance with the following chart:

Points Grades

45-50 = 5 (jeles/excellent)

40-44 = 4 (jó/good)

35-39 = 3 (közepes/average)

30-34 = 2 (elégséges/pass)

0-29 = 1 (elégtelen/fail)

4.4 The final grade of thesis will be determined on the basis of the aggregate score from the two sources in accordance with the following chart:

Points Grades

68-75 = 5 (jeles/excellent)

60-67 = 4 (jó/good)

52-59 = 3 (közepes/average)

45-51 = 2 (elégséges/pass)

0-44 = 1 (elégtelen/fail)

4.5 A thesis is a potential fail if the first reader awards:

less than 45 points (60% of the full score) for the aggregate Language/Content score
0 for any one of the Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation or Range & control of vocabulary criteria in the Language section, or
if either one of the Language or Content mark is a fail.
if plagiarism is suspected, i.e. an intentional yet uncredited reproduction of someone else's work, ideas or words occurs.

4.6 The Head of the Department appoints a second reader if the first reader fails the thesis.

4.6.1 If a thesis is also failed by the second reader, its final grade will be a 1 (fail).

4.6.2. If the second reader does not fail a thesis, the two readers will try and agree on the final score. If they cannot reach an agreement, the Head of Department appoints a third marker whose decision will be final.

4.7 In addition to awarding the total scores and grades to both the Language and the Content components and the aggregate final score and grade of the thesis, the reader ('Bíráló') will write up a report - a 6 to 10-line summary of his/her conclusions in English or Hungarian. (See templates in Appendices 6/a & 6/b.)

APPENDICES:

APPENDIX 1: SAMPLE CERTIFICATE OF RESEARCH

CERTIFICATE OF RESEARCH

By my signature below, I certify that my ELTE B.A. thesis, entitled .......................................................................................................

is entirely the result of my own work, and that no material is included for which a degree has previously been conferred upon me. In my thesis I have faithfully and exactly cited all the sources (printed, electronic or oral) I have used, including books, journals, handouts and unpublished materials, as well as any other media, such as the internet, letters or significant personal communication, and have always indicated their origin.

Date: .......................... Signed: .........................

APPENDIX 2 - MARKING SHEET FOR LANGUAGE & FORMAT

BA Thesis Marking Guidelines for the Language Component

Student’s name:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Supervisor’s name:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Referee’s name:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thesis title:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please circle the appropriate score for each criterion in the table below.

Definition of the scores*:

0 = does not or only insufficiently meets the requirements

1 = partially meets the requirements

2 = fully meets the requirements

ORGANISATION
Layout	0		1	2
Coherence and cohesion	0		1	2
Presence and quality of necessary subsections (genre dependent)	0		1	2
Paragraphing (division of ideas into thought units)	0		1	2
DOCUMENTATION
Adequate use and embedding of examples, tables, figures, etc.		0	1	2
In-text citation (APA, MLA or as specified by each department)		0	1	2
References/works cited/bibliography section (APA, MLA or as specified by each department)		0	1	2
ACCURACY
Grammar		0	1	2
Spelling		0	1	2
Punctuation		0	1	2
APPROPRIACY

Range and control of vocabulary	0	1		2
Style (formal, academic style)	0	1		2
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
Statement of originality incorporated (no = 0; yes = 1)	0		1

*N.B. If the work is an intentional yet uncredited reproduction of someone else’s work, ideas or words, give 0 points both for the language and the content component of the paper.

Additional comments:

Total score:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reader’s signature:	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

APPENDIX 3 - MARKING SHEET FOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH BASED THESES

DELP BA THESIS CONTENT MARKING CRITERIA FOR AN

EMPIRICAL RESEARCH BASED THESIS

1. AIMS AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Meaningful, relevant and well formulated objective(s) / research question(s).	0 1 2 3
Feasible, clear and logical research design and planning.	0 1 2 3
Explains / justifies principles behind decisions about procedures and materials in the Introduction / Statement of Intent section.	0 1 2 3

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Clear relationship between the research question and the literature survey.	0 1 2 3 4
Balanced presentation of different points of view, leading to reasonable conclusions; not just a patchwork of ideas.	0 1 2 3 4
A sound proportion of quoted material to main text.	0 1 2 3 4
Familiarity with relevant literature and research results.	0 1 2 3 4

3. PROCEDURES & DISCUSSION

A well-specified and justified set of data / materials (e.g., empirical quantitative or qualitative data, a set of course books or practical activities) that is appropriate in nature, variety and breadth for the aims and context of the investigation.	0 1 2 3 4
Appropriate (use of) research tools, which suit the aims and the content.	0 1 2 3 4
Processes (data collection, data analysis) clearly and systematically presented and interpreted with convincing arguments / justification.	0 1 2 3 4
Results clearly presented and interpreted.	0 1 2 3 4

4. CONCLUSIONS & REFLECTIONS

Conclusions are well-supported and convincingly related to the research questions and the investigation as a whole.	0 1 2 3
Uses critical judgement and demonstrates awareness of the possibilities and limitations of the investigation.	0 1 2 3
Demonstrates an increased understanding of the topic under investigation, if only by showing an understanding of its complexity.	0 1 2 3

0 = not sufficient/unacceptable

6x3+8x4=50 points

APPENDIX 4 - MARKING SHEET FOR LIBRARY RESEARCH BASED THESES

DELP BA THESIS CONTENT MARKING CRITERIA FOR A

LIBRARY RESEARCH BASED THESIS

1. AIMS AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Meaningful, relevant and well formulated objective(s) / research question(s).	0 1 2 3
Feasible, clear and logical research design and planning.	0 1 2 3
Explains/justifies principles behind decisions about procedures and materials in the Introduction / Statement of Intent section.	0 1 2 3

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Clear relationship between the research question(s) and the reviewed literature.	0 1 2 3 4
Overall logical sequencing and clear structure dictated by topic areas or by research questions.	0 1 2 3 4
A sound proportion of relevant – quoted, paraphrased or summarized – material and thesis writer’s own ideas, analysis and evaluation.	0 1 2 3 4
Source opinions clearly separated from thesis writer’s own hypothesis / evaluation.	0 1 2 3 4
A synthesis of different views and controversial issues related to the overall theme of the thesis. (Thesis is not just a patchwork of ideas.)	0 1 2 3 4
A fair and sensitive treatment of concepts, principles and issues. Objective and respectful acknowledgement of opposing viewpoints where applicable. (No jumping to conclusions, no over-generalisations.)	0 1 2 3 4
A critical appreciation of what the literature says. (E.g. showing the relevance of the readings to writer's own context.)	0 1 2 3 4
Reference made to a minimum of 8 relevant printed publications.	0 1 2 3 4

3. CONCLUSIONS & REFLECTIONS

A reflective summary of what the literature implies.	0 1 2 3
Well-supported conclusions convincingly linked to research question(s).	0 1 2 3
Clear signs of an increased understanding of the topic, showing an understanding of its complexity and an awareness of the limitations of the investigation.	0 1 2 3

0 = not sufficient/unacceptable

6x3+8x4=50 points

APPENDIX 5 - ALTERNATIVE MARKING SHEET

DELP BA THESIS CONTENT MARKING CRITERIA

1. FOCUS, AIMS AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Meaningful, relevant and explicitly formulated objective(s) / research question(s).	0 1 2 3 4 5
Feasible, clear and logical research design and planning.	0 1 2 3 4 5
Explains / justifies principles behind decisions about procedures, instruments and materials.	0 1 2 3 4 5

2. USE OF REFERRED MATERIALS

Clear relationship between the objective(s) / research question(s) and the literature review.	0 1 2 3 4 5
Quantity (amount) and quality (relevance, depth) of literature cited; a sound proportion of quoted material to main text.	0 1 2 3 4 5
Balanced presentation of different aspects of topic, leading to a logical line of argument and reasonable conclusions.	0 1 2 3 4 5

3. ARGUMENTATION, CONCLUSIONS & REFLECTIONS

Logical sequencing of relevant issues and clear structure.	0 1 2 3 4 5
A sound proportion of quoted, paraphrased or summarized material and/or relevant data and thesis writer’s own ideas, analysis and evaluation.	0 1 2 3 4 5
Findings presented and interpreted in a realistic and disciplined manner.	0 1 2 3 4 5
Demonstrates an increased understanding of the topic under investigation.	0 1 2 3 4 5

0 = not sufficient/unacceptable

6x3+8x4=50 points

APPENDIX 6/a: MARKER’S REPORT SHEET (IN ENGLISH)

ELTE – FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

SCHOOL OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY

BA THESIS MARKER'S REPORT

Name of candidate:

Title of thesis:

Supervisor:

Marker:

Evaluation:

SCORE MARK

Language and formal requirements	/25
Content	/50
TOTAL/FINAL GRADE	/75

…………………………………………. ………………………………………….

date marker's signature

APPENDIX 6/b: MARKER’S REPORT SHEET (IN HUNGARIAN)

ELTE - BTK

ANGOL-AMERIKAI INTÉZET

ANGOL NYELVPEDAGÓGIA TANSZÉK

ALAPSZAKOS ZÁRÓDOLGOZAT BÍRÁLATI LAP

Jelölt:

Dolgozat címe:

Témavezető:

Bíráló:

Bírálat:

PONT JEGY

Nyelv és formai követelmények	/25
Tartalom	/50
ÖSSZPONTSZÁM/VÉGSŐ JEGY	/75

…………………………………………. ………………………………………….

dátum bíráló aláírása

BA Thesis topics

The following list offers seven broad areas in which DELP tutors offer supervision for BA theses, along with a few examples of possible topics within each area. For specific topics offered by DELP staff, please go to the Staff details page.

1. The customs, traditions, civilisation of English-speaking cultures L

e.g. Pop culture, political issues, influential people, a selected period in history, a

selected region, etc.

2. Australia (offered by the Australian Studies Programme) L

e.g. A selected period of Australian history, aspects of Aboriginal life and cultural

practices, current issues, political issues, aspects of Australian artor culture, etc.

3. The relationship between language and culture L

e.g. How culture reveals itself in the language, facets of culture through

literature/music/art, the translation of culture-specific expressions, etc.

4. Intercultural communication L

e.g. Cultural awareness, culture shock, successful intercultural communication,

the relationship between language, culture and communication, etc.

5. English in the media L

e.g. On-line communication, English as the lingua franca/International English,

EU institutional English, "media English", etc.

6. The role of English in Hungary and in the world IS/T

e.g. Attitudes towards learning English, English and other languages, English-language sings and notices in Hungary, etc.

7. Investigating aspects of learning English IS/T

e.g. Learning English through self-study/e-learning songs, games, the Internet,

jokes, etc., short-cuts to vocabulary expansion, the treatment of

articles/modals/gerund etc. in course books, investigating private teaching,

culture in coursebooks, etc.

L mainly library research based

IS might include elements of independent study/investigation/empirical research (e.g. interviews,

questionnaires)

T recommended to students embarking on a teaching career

ELTE
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