Instructions for writing of the thesis

The thesis presents the results of the experimental work of the graduate under the supervision of the thesis supervisor. It is submitted in electronic form for publication in IS. The thesis itself should be written in a clear and comprehensible manner, free of grammatical and logical errors (checked by proofreaders), laboratory slang and unnecessary anglicisms. A4 page size, 1.5 line spacing is recommended, usual font (Times New Roman or Arial) size 12, page margins 2.5 cm, paragraph alignment in a block.

The graduate is obliged to remove all major errors in the manuscript before the DP defence, which are pointed out to him/her by the supervisor, the opponent or, if he/she finds them himself/herself, by inserting the so-called errata into the IS (it is necessary through the Study Department of the MU Faculty of Arts).

The official document Measures of the Dean No.3/2019 contains the Guidelines for the preparation of bachelor's theses, diploma theses and rigorous theses at the MU Faculty of Science.

Breakdown of the thesis

The thesis contains the following parts (see below): Title page, Contents, Theoretical part, Experimental part, Summary of results (Conclusion), List of abbreviations, References. The experimental part contains the chapters Chemicals and Methods, Results and Discussion. The Results and Discussion chapters may be combined if this contributes to clarity. The thesis also contains Bibliographic record, Abstract (both in Czech and English), DP assignment (generated after the approval of the DP topic in the IS in the Topic Schedule by the student, supervisor and pedagogical representative), Student's declaration and Acknowledgements.

Title page

Includes the header Masaryk University, Faculty of Science and National Centre for Biomolecular Research, as well as the title of the thesis, the name of the graduate and the year of submission. In addition, a separate page is attached with the graduate's declaration confirming the originality of the results, the independence of his/her work, the assignment and the bibliographic record.

Content

Chapter titles and numbering, page references. Too detailed subchapterisation (max. level 4 is recommended, e.g. 4.3.2.2) is usually not appropriate for reasons of low clarity.

Theoretical part

The theoretical part contains a literature search and the data necessary to understand the meaning of the thesis, including references to results achieved by predecessors. It includes a definition of the objectives of the thesis stated separately at the end of the chapter. The literature search is intended to be the student's independent work, so it is inappropriate to copy it verbatim from predecessors (including errors, similarities may be found through the IS routine as egg to egg).

Experimental part

Chemicals and methods

Full list of all chemicals used, including origin (given for repeatability of work), details of laboratory apparatus (model, manufacturer). Full description of methods so that they can be repeated according to this manual; if trivial procedures are applied, do not describe these, only briefly summarise with literature reference.

Results

A description of the experiments, their design and results with a brief commentary and description of conditions not mentioned in the experimental section. It may be divided into logical chapters with a concise heading. Each figure and table shall be given a serial number, title and description so that it can be understood without searching the experimental section; the figure description shall be made below it, the table description above it. Figures and tables shall be inserted seamlessly into the text so that it is not necessary to leaf through the work unnecessarily. Tables and figures are not duplicated. More extensive data may be given at the end of the thesis in the form of appendices. All figures relating to the results section shall be given to the appropriate number of valid digits; this applies in particular to the results of measurements and calculations.

Discussion

In the discussion it is advisable to respect the structure of the results. It may be divided into individual chapters or written as a single unit. The discussion includes a short summary of the facts and a comparison with the results of other chapters of the whole thesis. The discussion is also conducted with respect to the facts found in the literature (documented by citations). In order to explain contradictions, ambiguities or conflicting results, the final models and hypotheses are presented. Speculations that have no reasonable basis are avoided.

Summary of results / Conclusion

It is presented in bullet points, summarizing briefly and concisely the results obtained.

A list of less common abbreviations is optional. It is not necessary to list (explain) common abbreviations such as HPLC, EDTA, ATP, NADH, etc., however, abbreviations should always be listed and explained when they are first used in the text.

Literature

A uniform method of citation shall be followed, optimally according to ISO 690:2022. Internet references (only if no other source is available, i.e. not Wikipedia) and personal communications (from recognized authorities, not colleagues*women or lab technicians*women) may also be cited. Internet references shall be cited with the date of their origin and acquisition. It is recommended to choose the citation method by numbering. Example of citation by numbering:

In DP text: ...concentration has been shown to decrease during adaptation [1]...
[1] Novotný, J., Novotná, E.: Effect of adaptation on cytochrome c concentration in tularemia bacteria. Biophys. Acta 434 (1995) 1243.

If you cite a paper, you indicate that you are aware of the content of the paper or that you have the paper. Otherwise, you must refer to another citation (not usually used in regular publications).

For example:

Novotný, J., Novotná, E.: Effect of adaptation on cytochrome c concentration in E. coli [1].
[1] Biophys. Acta 434 (1995) 1243, cited in Blake, J.: PLoS ONE, 4 (2008) 35.

The citation of results, including graphs, from publications by other authors is subject to the standard procedure of a written request to the copyright owner, usually the publisher, for permission to copy.

Terminology

Commonly used terms belonging to the common vocabulary are spelled in accordance with the Czech spelling rules (analysis, synthesis, theory, method, etc.) or with professional standards.

The names of chemical substances are given uniformly throughout the thesis, respecting the recommendations of nomenclature committees is not a disadvantage, although newer forms are not automatically incorrect: glucose/glucose, dehydrogenase/dehydrogenase, methanol/methanol, etc.

Units: units are written in superscript (mg.ml-1) form, not with a slash; concentrations are given in mol.l-1 or M; g.l-1 or mg.l-1, µg.ml-1, ng.ml-1, µg.l-1, ng.l-1, etc. may be used to express concentration, but not ppm, ppb. The proportion of an analyte in a solid sample is not called concentration, but content, and is expressed in units usually mg.kg-1, µg.kg-1, µg.g-1, ng.g-1, % m/m (weight percent).

Further requirements for the preparation of the DP

length: min. 50 pages
includes the DP assignment form
content: must include an experimental/results section, the theoretical section is no more than 1/3 of the total number of pages of the DP
length of the DP presentation during the defence: 10 min, use of MS Powerpoint, Prezi or Acrobat Reader and a data projector

Publication of final theses

See Article 40 of the Study and Examination Regulations.

In the thesis archive, the thesis should be stored in a *.pdf file with limited rights (no printing, no removal of images and text)

Hiding the results section of the thesis

If the DP supervisor decides that the results part of the DP needs to be hidden, a special request should be made. In the request, he/she shall specify which parts (chapters) are to be hidden and the reasons for hiding them. Unpublished data is not sufficient reason for hiding (see the Higher Education Act). According to the law, hiding is only possible for the duration of the barrier to publication, but for a maximum of 3 years. Indicate the necessary period of time for delaying publication of part of the thesis, but no longer than 3 years. Access to the classified part should be granted to the thesis supervisor, the DP supervisor and the opponent D