The course prepares students for the effective communication and formal defense of their Master’s thesis in an academic setting. Building on the research conducted during the thesis process, the course focuses on translating complex scholarly work into clear, structured, and rigorous presentations that meet academic standards. The course emphasizes the integration of research question, theory, methods, and findings into a coherent narrative and prepares students for engaging in critical academic discussion.

The first pillar focuses on communicating research insights to academic audiences. Students learn to systematically link research questions, theoretical foundations, methodological choices, and empirical findings, moving from evidence (data) to interpretation (insight) and to well-grounded conclusions. Particular emphasis is placed on clarity of argumentation, internal consistency, and the precise communication of methodological rigor. Students are trained to distinguish between correlation and causation, to define the scope and limitations of their findings, and to avoid overstating empirical claims. In addition, they learn to structure results effectively and to visualize empirical patterns in a way that communicates a clear message aligned with the research question and theoretical framework.

The second pillar centers on the Defensio, which consists of a formal presentation of the Master’s thesis followed by a critical academic discussion. Students present their research in a structured and concise manner, focusing on the core research problem, theoretical positioning, methodological approach, key findings, and implications. They are expected to demonstrate a deep understanding of their work, justify their research design and methodological choices, and respond convincingly to questions regarding theory, data, analysis, findings, and limitations.

The third pillar emphasizes reflection. Students critically evaluate their own Defensio as well as the Defensio sessions of their peers, with a focus on the quality of research communication, argumentation, and methodological rigor. This reflective process strengthens their ability to assess research against academic standards, to identify strengths and areas for improvement, and to further develop their competence in engaging in constructive academic discourse. Therefore, the course builds on the following three pillars:

1. Communicating research insights
2. Defensio (presentation of master’s thesis and Q&A)
3. Reflection

Upon completion of the course, students:
•    communicate their Master’s thesis in a clear, structured, and academically rigorous manner, integrating research question, theory, methods, and findings into a coherent narrative.
•    systematically link evidence (data), interpretation (insight), and conclusions, while critically assessing the scope, limitations, and validity of their findings.
•    present their research concisely and convincingly in a formal Defensio setting, focusing on key theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions.
•    justify their research design and methodological choices and respond confidently to critical academic questions regarding theory, data, analysis, findings, and limitations.
•    critically evaluate their own Defensio performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement in research communication and argumentation.
•    provide constructive and analytically grounded feedback on the Defensio performances of peers, applying academic standards of rigor and clarity.

The course will be held in an online learning format. That is, the course consists of synchronous and asynchronous online activities. Students are supposed to view all asynchronous online content and attend their synchronous online Defensio.

The course’s didactic concept rests on three pillars:

1. Practice-oriented learning: The course is centered on active application, with a strong focus on preparing, delivering, and refining thesis presentations in a Defensio setting. Students develop and demonstrate their communication and argumentation skills in a Defensio examination format.
2. Feedback-driven development: Students receive and provide feedback on their own and their peers’ presentations in the Defensio session. This feedback fosters the ability to critically assess both one’s own work and that of others.
3. Alignment with academic standards: The course is closely aligned with the expectations of a CEMS Master’s thesis and its formal Defensio. Emphasis is placed on academic rigor, coherent argumentation, and methodological transparency, ensuring that students develop the competencies required to meet the standards of scholarly communication and evaluation.

The course is a workshop-type course (AG). Based on the Defensio session, the course will be assessed as "successfully completed" or "not completed".

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

Recommended literature:

• Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research methods for business students. Pearson Education.
• Further literature will be suggested during the course.