(in Polish) Seminarium dyplomowe 4100-IMSD

Course learning outcomes (P) by semester, mapped to programme outcomes (K):

Semester I – Selection of research topic and thesis concept
Knowledge — the student knows and understands:
S1_P_W01: The student knows and explains selected theories of applied linguistics, main methodological approaches, and the possibilities of applying data analysis methods and tools appropriate to the planned thesis topic. (K_W02, K_W04, K_W05)
S1_P_W02: The student knows and explains copyright principles regarding the use of academic sources, their citation, paraphrasing, and attribution of authorship. (K_W13)

Skills — the student is able to:
S1_P_U01: The student is able to apply knowledge of applied linguistics and research methodology to define the scope of the thesis, formulate its objective and research questions, and conduct a preliminary analysis of the linguistic phenomena under study. (K_U01, K_U02)
S1_P_U02: The student is able to formulate a preliminary application-oriented research problem, evaluate the relevance of sources, and identify potential data analysis methods, tools, and techniques. (K_U03, K_U04)
S1_P_U03: The student is able to present and justify the topic, objective, and research questions in the language of the seminar at C1 level, adapting the delivery to the supervisor and fellow seminar group members. (K_U12)

Social Competences — the student is ready to:
S1_P_K01: The student is ready to critically evaluate their own knowledge, analysed literature, and preliminary assumptions of the planned research. (K_K01)
S1_P_K02: The student is ready to consult the supervisor or other experts on issues regarding topic selection, sources, and research design that exceed their current competences. (K_K02)

Semester II – Development of theoretical foundations and research methodology

Knowledge — the student knows and understands:
S2_P_W01: The student knows, compares, and explains theories of applied linguistics as well as trends and research methodologies in language education and language acquisition, and justifies the choice of data analysis methods, techniques, and tools for their own project. (K_W02, K_W04, K_W05)
S2_P_W02: The student knows and explains the rules of copyright-compliant use of literature, pedagogical materials, research instruments, and other works in the Master's thesis. (K_W13)

Skills — the student is able to:
S2_P_U01: The student is able to draft coherent theoretical chapters and design empirical research based on knowledge of applied linguistics and research methodology in language education and language acquisition. (K_U01, K_U02)
S2_P_U02: The student is able to refine an application-oriented research problem, select or develop appropriate research tools, and plan the data analysis method using suitable information and communication technologies (ICT). (K_U03, K_U04)
S2_P_U03: The student is able to present and justify the theoretical foundations and methodology of their own research in the language of the seminar at C1 level, using appropriate specialist terminology and responding to questions from the audience. (K_U12)

Social Competences — the student is ready to:
S2_P_K01: The student is ready to critically evaluate academic sources, chosen theoretical foundations, and their own methodological decisions. (K_K01)
S2_P_K02: The student is ready to engage in consultations with the supervisor or other experts to verify the research design, research instruments, and planned data analysis strategy. (K_K02)

Semester III – Research execution, data analysis, and interpretation

Knowledge — the student knows and understands:
S3_P_W01: The student knows and explains the relationships between adopted theories of applied linguistics, the methodology of their own research, and the methods, techniques, and tools used for empirical data analysis. (K_W02, K_W04, K_W05)
S3_P_W02: The student knows and understands copyright rules regarding the use, modification, and attribution of borrowed tools, research materials, and methods of presenting results. (K_W13)

Skills — the student is able to:
S3_P_U01: The student is able to conduct designed research and utilise linguistic and methodological knowledge to analyse, interpret, and critically evaluate the gathered linguistic material. (K_U01, K_U02)
S3_P_U02: The student is able to apply appropriate methods, tools, and advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) to analyse results and formulate preliminary application-oriented conclusions. (K_U03, K_U04)
S3_P_U03: The student is able to present the research process and preliminary findings in the language of the seminar at C1 level, adapting the explanation style for academic and educational practitioner audiences. (K_U12)

Social Competences — the student is ready to:
S3_P_K01: The student is ready to critically evaluate the research process, the quality of gathered data, the accuracy of analysis, and the validity of proposed interpretations. (K_K01)
S3_P_K02: The student is ready to seek feedback from the supervisor or other experts in the event of difficulties regarding research execution, data analysis, or result interpretation. (K_K02)

Semester IV – Integration of results and finalisation of the Master's thesis

Knowledge — the student knows and understands:
S4_P_W01: The student knows and synthetically explains the connections between applied linguistics theories, research methodology in language education and language acquisition, and data analysis methods used in the Master's thesis. (K_W02, K_W04, K_W05)
S4_P_W02: The student knows and explains the principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law applicable to the final version of the thesis and developed pedagogical solutions. (K_W13)

Skills — the student is able to:
S4_P_U01: The student is able to comprehensively analyse and interpret the results of their own research, critically relate them to established theories and previous studies, and formulate well-founded conclusions. (K_U01, K_U02)
S4_P_U02: The student is able to evaluate research results using appropriate methods and information and communication technologies (ICT), and develop practical recommendations, tools, procedures, or materials supporting language education based on these findings. (K_U03, K_U04)
S4_P_U03: The student is able to prepare a coherent Master's thesis in the language of the seminar at a proficiency level of at least C1, as well as present and defend its premises, findings, and implementation proposals before academic and educational practitioner audiences. (K_U12)

Social Competences — the student is ready to:
S4_P_K01: The student is ready to critically evaluate their own knowledge, the reliability of results, limitations of the conducted study, and the scope of formulated conclusions and recommendations. (K_K01)
S4_P_K02: The student is ready to use feedback from the supervisor and opinions of other experts while refining the final version of the thesis, and to recognise the limits of their own research competences. (K_K02)

I. Course completion rules
The condition for passing the course in each semester is:
– attendance in classes (1 absence is permitted; unexcused absences above the limit result in an NK grade [non-attendance] and the requirement to repeat the course),
– timely completion of all mandatory written and/or oral assignments completed during classes and on the e-learning platform.

The final grade in each semester is determined based on the assessment methods and criteria described below in points 2, 3 and 4, in accordance with the assigned weightings.

The use of AI tools and language processing technologies is permitted solely to the extent that it does not conflict with the achievement of the intended learning outcomes, with the consent of the instructor, following agreement on the scope of their application, and provided a written declaration is submitted. The use of AI tools without the instructor's consent is treated as a breach of academic integrity rules and results in a failing grade ("fail").

Passing the master's seminar in individual semesters:
Obtaining a passing grade in the master's seminar in each semester requires meeting all the conditions specified below. Submitted materials should correspond to the given stage of thesis preparation, meet content-related, methodological, formal and linguistic requirements, and be prepared in accordance with the principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law. Acceptance of materials by the supervisor may take place after the student makes the required corrections.

In each semester, the student is also required to present thesis progress according to deadlines and forms set by the supervisor, participate substantively in consultations and seminar discussions, and incorporate the feedback received.

In individual semesters, passing the master's seminar is based on:

Semester 1:
1. submitting a proposed topic and thesis proposal to the supervisor by the agreed deadline, including in particular a rationale for the choice of topic, thesis objective, research problem and questions, the scope of the planned study, and its intended application-oriented nature,
2. submitting a preliminary bibliography and proposed thesis structure to the supervisor by the agreed deadline,
3. obtaining the supervisor's approval for the topic and preliminary thesis proposal, following the implementation of required corrections.

Semester 2:
1. submitting draft theoretical chapters together with a bibliography to the supervisor by the agreed deadline, meeting content-related, formal and linguistic requirements,
2. submitting a research methodology proposal to the supervisor by the agreed deadline, including in particular the objective and research questions, as well as hypotheses, a description of the subject and context of the study, the selection of research methods and procedures, and a data analysis plan,
3. submitting draft research tools intended for use in the study to the supervisor by the agreed deadline,
4. obtaining the supervisor's approval for the submitted theoretical chapters, methodology proposal and research tools, following the implementation of required corrections.

Semester 3:
1. conducting the student's own empirical research in accordance with the approved methodological design,
2. submitting the research section of the thesis to the supervisor by the agreed deadline, including a description of the methodology, presentation and analysis of results, their interpretation in relation to the adopted theoretical foundations, and preliminary application-oriented conclusions,
3. demonstrating a link between the obtained results and potential ways to apply them in language education practice,
4. obtaining the supervisor's approval for the submitted research section, following the implementation of required corrections.

Semester 4:
1. submitting the complete master's thesis together with the bibliography and required appendices to the supervisor by the agreed deadline, meeting content-related, methodological, formal and linguistic requirements,
2. incorporating final conclusions, study limitations and implementation proposals in the form of recommendations, tools, procedures or materials supporting language education into the thesis,
3. obtaining the supervisor's approval for the complete master's thesis, following the implementation of required corrections,
4. submitting the approved thesis into APD by the agreed deadline and in accordance with applicable procedures,
5. approval of the anti-plagiarism test report in APD by the supervisor and submitting the thesis for review.

II. Assessment methods
The final grade for each semester of the master's seminar is determined separately based on the assessment methods listed below.
Ongoing consultations, submission of draft versions of materials, timely completion of individual thesis stages, and participation in seminar discussions—with the exception of presentations specified below as assessment methods—do not contribute a percentage to the final grade, but remain mandatory conditions for completion specified in the "Course completion rules" section.

Semester 1
a) Written master's thesis proposal
An outline including a proposed topic, rationale for the choice of topic, thesis objective, research problem and questions, scope and context of the planned study, its intended application-oriented nature, a preliminary bibliography, and a proposed thesis structure. The assignment verifies the ability to ground the problem in applied linguistics knowledge, conduct preliminary planning of methodology and data analysis, and use sources in compliance with copyright law.
– weighting in the final grade: 80%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_W02, K_W04, K_W05, K_W13, K_U01, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_K01, K_K02.

b) Presentation and justification of the thesis proposal
An oral presentation of the topic, objective, research questions and application-oriented nature of the project in the language of the seminar at C1 level, and answering questions from the supervisor and seminar group members.
– weighting in the final grade: 20%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_U12, K_K01, K_K02.

Semester 2
a) Draft version of theoretical chapters
Drafting chapters that present, analyse and critically discuss theories, models and previous research relevant to the thesis topic. The chapters should form a coherent theoretical foundation for the study and include a properly prepared bibliography.
– weighting in the final grade: 70%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_W02, K_W04, K_W13, K_U01, K_K01.

b) Methodology design and research tools
A written preparation of the research design and research tools, along with an oral presentation in the language of the seminar at C1 level, accompanied by a rationale for decisions made and answering questions. The research design includes the research objective, questions and hypotheses, a description of the subject and context of the study, selection of methods and procedures, data analysis plan, and research tools. The project should serve to solve an application-oriented problem and foresee the use of appropriate analytical techniques and information and communication technologies (ICT).
– weighting in the final grade: 30%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_W04, K_W05, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_U12, K_K01, K_K02.

Semester 3
a) Research section of the master's thesis
A study comprising a description of the conducted research, presentation and analysis of data using appropriate methods, techniques and tools, interpretation of results in relation to theoretical foundations, and preliminary application-oriented conclusions and proposals.
– weighting in the final grade: 80%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_W02, K_W04, K_W05, K_W13, K_U01, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_K01, K_K02.

b) Presentation of research results
An oral presentation of the research process, main findings, methods of interpretation, and potential application in language education. The presentation takes place in the language of the seminar at C1 level and includes answering questions and discussing study limitations.
– weighting in the final grade: 20%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_U12, K_K01, K_K02.

Semester 4
a) Complete master's thesis
The final version of the thesis comprising seamlessly integrated theoretical and empirical sections, analysis and interpretation of results, conclusions, study limitations, and implementation proposals in the form of recommendations, tools, procedures or materials supporting language education. The thesis must be written in the language of the seminar at a proficiency level of at least C1 and meet formal requirements and copyright rules.
– weighting in the final grade: 90%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_W02, K_W04, K_W05, K_W13, K_U01, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_K01, K_K02.

b) Presentation of the synthesis of results and implementation proposals
An oral, concise presentation of the research problem, methodology used, main results, conclusions and practical pedagogical solutions, alongside justification of these in response to questions.
– weighting in the final grade: 10%,
– verified learning outcomes: K_U03, K_U04, K_U12, K_K01, K_K02.

III Assessment criteria
The criteria assigned to each assessment method are applied jointly and do not carry separate percentage weightings. All criteria must be met at least to a satisfactory degree. Grades for individual assessment methods are awarded on a scale from 0% to 100% based on a holistic assessment of the specified criteria.

Semester 1
a) Criteria for evaluating the written master's thesis proposal:
– relevance and academic justification for the choice of topic,
– accuracy, precision and consistency of the objective, research problem and questions,
– grounding of the project in applied linguistics knowledge and research methodology,
– appropriateness of planned methods, tools and data analysis methods for the research problem,
– clear definition of the application-oriented nature of the planned study,
– appropriateness and currency of source selection,
– accuracy of bibliography and source citations,
– completeness, logic and coherence of the proposal,
– formal, linguistic and terminological accuracy.

b) Criteria for evaluating the presentation and justification of the thesis proposal:
– substantive accuracy and completeness of the presentation,
– logic, clarity and coherence of the presentation,
– linguistic accuracy and use of specialised terminology,
– ability to justify decisions made,
– appropriateness of answers to questions,
– ability to critically respond to comments and feedback.

Semester 2
a) Criteria for evaluating the draft version of theoretical chapters:
– substantive accuracy and in-depth presentation of the topics discussed,
– relevance of theories, models and previous research to the thesis topic,
– ability to analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate sources,
– clear connection of theoretical foundations to the research objective and problem,
– logic of reasoning, coherence of argumentation and correct structure of chapters,
– completeness of the work,
– linguistic, stylistic and terminological accuracy,
– formal and bibliographical accuracy,
– compliance with copyright law.

b) Criteria for evaluating the methodology design and research tools and their presentation:
– consistency of the objective, research problem, questions and hypotheses,
– appropriateness of selected methods, procedures and context of the study,
– accuracy and completeness of the research design description,
– accuracy, completeness and utility of research tools,
– relevance of tools to research questions and hypotheses,
– appropriateness of the data analysis plan,
– justification for the choice of analytical techniques and information and communication technologies (ICT),
– feasibility of the project,
– clear implementation potential of the study,
– formal, linguistic and terminological accuracy,
– compliance with copyright law,
– logic and clarity of presentation,
– ability to justify theoretical and methodological choices,
– appropriateness of answers to questions,
– ability to critically respond to feedback.

Semester 3
a) Criteria for evaluating the research section of the master's thesis:
– compliance of research execution with the approved methodological design,
– completeness and accuracy of the description of the research process,
– accuracy and clarity of data presentation,
– accuracy of data analysis,
– appropriateness of methods, tools and technologies used,
– relevance and depth of result interpretation,
– proper reference of results to theoretical foundations and previous research,
– validity of preliminary conclusions and application-oriented proposals,
– critical evaluation of the research process and results obtained,
– logic, coherence and completeness of the section,
– formal, linguistic, terminological and bibliographical accuracy,
– compliance with copyright law.

b) Criteria for evaluating the presentation of research results:
– accuracy and completeness in presenting the research process and results,
– clarity of data presentation,
– accuracy of interpretation and coherence of argumentation,
– ability to link results to theoretical foundations,
– ability to present the significance of results for educational practice,
– linguistic and terminological accuracy,
– adaptation of the speech to the audience,
– appropriateness of answers to questions,
– awareness of the limitations of the conducted study.

Semester 4
a) Criteria for evaluating the complete master's thesis:
– substantive quality and depth of theoretical foundations,
– relevance and currency of literature used,
– accuracy and coherence of research methodology,
– accuracy, completeness and depth of data analysis,
– relevance of result interpretation and its connection to theoretical foundations,
– consistency of conclusions with the objective, research questions and hypotheses,
– critical evaluation of study limitations,
– utility, validity and feasibility of implementation proposals,
– logical composition, coherence of argumentation and completeness of the thesis,
– linguistic, stylistic and terminological accuracy at a level of at least C1,
– formal and bibliographical accuracy,
– completeness of required appendices,
– compliance with intellectual property protection and copyright law.

b) Criteria for evaluating the presentation of the synthesis of results and implementation proposals:
– ability to present thesis premises in a synthetic and clear manner,
– accuracy in presenting methodology and results,
– relevance and coherence of presented conclusions,
– ability to critically present study limitations,
– justification of the value and feasibility of implementation proposals,
– linguistic and terminological accuracy,
– adaptation of speech to the audience,
– ability to argue and answer questions.

IV Grading scale
The final grade for each semester is calculated based on a weighted average of the scores obtained for individual assessment methods specified for that semester.

The condition for obtaining a passing final grade ("pass") is:
– meeting all conditions specified in the "Course completion rules" section,
– obtaining at least 60% of points for each assessment method.
Failure to meet any of the above conditions results in a failing grade and failure to complete the course ("fail").

Grading scale:
90–100% → very good (5.0)
85–89% → good plus (4.5)
75–84% → good (4.0)
70–74% → satisfactory plus (3.5)
60–69% → satisfactory (3.0)
0–59% → unsatisfactory (2.0)

Note: Formal requirements regarding the preparation of the thesis abstract (proposal), the structure of the Master's thesis and its individual components, as well as the general evaluation criteria for Master's theses, are specified in Resolution No. 62 of the Teaching Council of CKNJOEE UW for the Foreign Language Teaching program of 12 September 2025 on detailed graduation regulations for the Foreign Language Teaching field of study.

Not applicable.

The required and recommended literature is determined by the seminar instructor, in accordance with the thematic scope of the seminar.

Students may also use sample publications on research methods listed below:
Brown, J. D., & Coombe, C. (Eds.). (2015). The Cambridge guide to research in language teaching and learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Brown, J. D., & Rodgers, T. S. (2002). Doing second language research. Oxford: OUP.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education. London: Routledge.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Mackey, A., & Gass Susan M. (2016). Second language research methodology and design. New York: Routledge.
O’leary, Z. (2004). The essential guide to doing research. London: SAGE Publications.
Paltridge, B., & Phakiti, A. (Eds.). (2018). Research methods in applied linguistics: A practical resource. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Phakiti, A., De Costa, P., Plonsky, L., & Starfield, S. (Eds.). (2018). The Palgrave handbook of applied linguistics research methodology. London: Palgrave Macmillan.