Study Administration

Sonneggstrasse 5 / NO D 51.3
CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
studies@erdw.ethz.ch
Phone: + 41 44 632 86 44
Guidelines to Master’s Project Proposal

Learning Goals
The main purpose of the Master’s Project Proposal is to help students organize ideas, material and
objectives for their Master’s Thesis, and to begin development of communication skills. The main
objectives of the Master’s Project Proposal are to demonstrate the following abilities:
− to formulate a scientific question
− to present scientific approach to solve the problem
− to interpret, discuss and communicate scientific results in written form
− to gain experience in writing a scientific proposal

Stages of Development of Master’s Project Proposal

− Chose the topic for your Master’s Project in collaboration with your prospective main supervisor.
− Discuss the research questions, goals, approach you intend to take, methodology, data needed
and time plan with your supervisors. Define and read key literature.
− Construct a logical outline for the project. Include analysis steps and expected outcomes.
− Fill in details of the project proposal. Write complete proposal in scientific proposal format.
− Hand in the final version to your main supervisor, your co-referee and additional supervisor for
approval and grading.

Format of the Master’s Project Proposal

The Master’s Project Proposal includes the following documents:
− Abstract/Summary of less than one page
The abstract summarizes the main issues and conclusions of the report (it is a mini version of your
proposal).
− Proposal of 10-20 pages (maximum)
The proposal is a scientific description of your Master’s Project and has a clear structure. It is
suggested to follow the outline listed below.
− Time plan
Detailed time plan for your MSc Thesis incl. deadline.

Administrative steps to follow

1)
The Master’s Project Proposal has to be completed during the third semester of your Master’s
Studies.
− Register for course 651-4060-00 Master’s Project Proposal in myStudies
− Fill out all details of your Master’s Project Proposal in the LA-Tool of D-ERDW
− Request approval for your Master’s Project Proposal through the LA-Tool of D-ERDW
− By January 31 hand in the final version of your Master’s Project Proposal to your supervisors
and send a PDF of your Master’s Project Proposal to your subject advisor and to the study
administration
− Supervisor sends in grades for your Master’s Project Proposal by February 15
− After successful completion of your MSc Project Proposal, you may officially start work on your
Master’s Thesis

1) If you plan your MSc Project Proposal in spring semester please contact the study administration (deadline June 30)

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 Study Administration
Sonneggstrasse 5 / NO D 51.3
CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
studies@erdw.ethz.ch
Phone: + 41 44 632 86 44
Outline of the Master’s Project Proposal
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The list below is a recommended guideline (except for time plan ) for your Master’s Project Proposal.

Title
Define a short, significant title which reflects clearly the contents of your report. The title page follows
the guidelines of scientific proposals at Department of Earth Sciences (see
http://www.erdw.ethz.ch/documents/index).
Abstract
Succint abstract of less than one page.
Table of content
The table of content lists all chapters (headings/subheadings) including page number.
Introduction
Explain why this work is important giving a general introduction to the subject, list the basic knowledge
needed and outline the purpose of the report.
Background and results to date
List relevant work by others, or preliminary results you have achieved with a detailed and accurate
explanation and interpretation. Include relevant photographs, figures or tables to illustrate the text.
This section should frame the research questions that your subsequent research will address.
Goal
List the main research question(s) you want to answer. Explain whether your research will provide a
definitive answer or simply contribute towards an answer.
Methodology
Explain the methods and techniques which will be used for your project depending on the subject: field
work, laboratory work, modeling technique, interdisciplinary collaboration, data type, data acquisition,
infrastructure, software, etc.
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Time Plan for Master’s Project Proposal and Master’s Thesis
Give a detailed time plan. Show what work needs to be done and when it will be completed. Include
other responsibilities or obligations.
Discussion / Conclusion
Explain what is striking/noteworthy about the results. Summarize the state of knowledge and
understanding after the completion of your work. Discuss the results and interpretation in light of the
validity and accuracy of the data, methods and theories as well as any connections to other people’s
work. Explain where your research methodology could fail and what a negative result implies for your
research question.
Acknowledgements
Thank the people who have helped to successfully complete your project, like project partners, tutors,
etc.
Reference & Literature (Bibliography)
List papers and publication you have already cited in your proposal or which you have collected for
further reading. The style of each reference follows that of international scientific journals.
Appendix
Add pictures, tables or other elements which are relevant, but that might distract from the main flow of
the proposal.
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Time plan is a mandatory element of the Master’s Project Proposal
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 Study Administration
Sonneggstrasse 5 / NO D 51.3
CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
studies@erdw.ethz.ch
Phone: + 41 44 632 86 44

Tips and Tricks to successful scientific writing

This brief guide is intended to help you improve the quality of your written reports or prepare
scientific manuscripts.
The ABC of report writing is:
Accuracy
Brevity
Clarity
Note that a comprehensive result does not have to be associated with an extensive
manuscript and that a concise manuscript with the same informative value is better than a
long detailed report. The easier your report is to read, the more effective it is!

It is important to:
1) Define the purpose, title and readership of the report
2) Plan carefully and generously the timing and the writing of your project
3) Think carefully about the length. Is there a defined word limit?
4) Put the focus on scientifically correct and adequate presentation
5) Efficiently communicate the results, research findings and conclusions to the readership
6) Design a suitable structure (including chapters and paragraphing)
7) Gather all the relevant material (e.g. books, articles, information from web-sites, your
own field notes) and note down the main points under the appropriate paragraph
8) Avoid information overload, the less the better, only “need to know”, no “nice to know”
9) Chose appropriate figures or tables to illustrate the text, prepare draft versions before
starting to write – it is much easier to write figure-supported text
10) Write a rough first draft as quickly as possible
11) Write the final version, carefully checking all facts:
− read it through carefully and make sure that the text flows smoothly
− ensure that everything you have written is correct and coherent
− check that you have used paragraphs appropriately and make sure that they agree
with the Table of Content
− check for spelling mistakes using the spell-check function, check grammar and
punctuation
− ensure that all citations of other author’s work are correct (see information on
plagiarism)
− check all references, figures, tables etc.
12) Get a colleague to read your report to see whether it is clear and comprehensible

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 Study Administration
Sonneggstrasse 5 / NO D 51.3
CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
studies@erdw.ethz.ch
Phone: + 41 44 632 86 44

Information on Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use or close imitation of the work of another author without citing that
author. It is a copyright infringement. Short passages of another author’s work can be cited,
but must be identified as quotations and correctly cited.

Good scientific conduct demands an appropriate citation when using other persons’ ideas
and theories, even if they are paraphrased in the paper concerned. Certain subjects have
particular citation principles that must be followed when writing up a scientific paper. This
requirement is usually not imposed in the case of basic knowledge (e.g., taken from
reference books) that pre-supposes a general knowledge of the subject in question. If,
however, structural elements from a reference book are used, this must be cited.

For further information see: http://www.ethz.ch/students/semester/plagiarism_s_en.pdf

How important are Figures

Figures are extremely important in any scientific report. They may take the form of graphs,
field sketches, field photographs, stratigraphic logs, sketch maps etc. Develop your skills in
using graphics software (e.g. Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator) as soon as possible so that you
can produce professional-looking reports.

Each figure should have its own detailed caption and should be referred to as Fig. 1 or
Figure 1 (Fig. 2 and so on) in sequence in the text. You should not refer to Fig. 3 before Fig.
2 etc. All abbreviations that occur in a figure must be explained in the caption. Note that
figures are an excellent possibility to advertise your paper to a potential reader.

Correct use of Figures and Photographs

Figures and Photographs are very useful in illustrating field relationships in geological
reports. They should be carefully selected to illustrate a particular point and should always
have a scale (e.g. hammer, coin, or ruler) and, if necessary, orientation. Avoid too many
figures or photographs – this can make the report look like a photo album. Once you have
got the hang of using graphics software it is very easy to annotate figures or digital
photographs and label key features, highlight stratigraphic contacts etc.

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