Scientific work
What is it about?
We offer you a self-learning course on learning arrangements and a guide to promoting your learning and working techniques. Our approach does not see itself as a recipe book based on the principle of "successful in your studies in 30 days", but as an encouraging guide through your studies. Our offer of learning strategies/problem solving can be helpful for you, because understanding complex issues is indispensable, especially in engineering subjects. We want you to be able to develop a positive and personal relationship with your subject and encourage you to optimize your learning behavior and think about solutions.
Procedure and notes
You can take this self-learning course at any time. In each learning unit you will find different tasks and exercises, on which you are asked to work on. At the end of each learning unit, you can read the most important points in a summary. For each learning unit, we have created an explanatory video that gives you an insight into the topic (available only in German language).
Please carry out the exercises regularly throughout the semester and save the worksheets in a file. Please do check your progress continuously. If you do not feel any progress, consider what reasons might have been for this. If you need our support, please contact us via e-mail
Materials and exercises
The materials and exercises/tasks on this website are tools that are only useful when you use them. But if you train regularly, you will notice a work relief that will certainly be beneficial in your specialist studies.
Will I receive proof of participation or credits?
If you submit one task voluntarily selected from the learning material for each learning unit, we will issue you with proof of participation. Please send us all six tasks in one file via e-mail.
Learning units
LU 1 Scientific work - what is it?
During your studies, you will experience science on a daily basis: you will deal with scientific findings, you will work in projects, you will produce papers and you will use scientific language.
The aim of this learning unit is that you
- know characteristics of science
- know the basic principles of scientific work
- know the functions of science
- understand how theories are formed
- acquire the ability to assess the scientific nature of texts
LU 2 Dealing with scientific literature
In your studies you read scientific texts in order to expand your knowledge, to prepare for lectures or exams or to compile sources for your own written work.
The aim of this learning unit is that you
- reflect on your reading habits
- consciously shape your reading
- be able to plan reading processes
- know and be able to use different reading processes
- be able to deal with texts critically
LU 3 Text editing - marking, excerpting
Once you have found texts that are important for your paper, you need to edit and critically evaluate the literature. A helpful technique for this is text editing, which helps you to better comprehend your thoughts.
The aim of this learning unit is that you
- know and be able to apply methods of text editing
- be able to edit texts systematically
- be able to separate central from less important text contents
- be able to create excerpts
LU 4 Reading strategies - mind maps, concept maps
For an active engagement with scientific texts you need individually suitable reading strategies, because scientific texts have to be analyzed and reflected.
The aim of this course unit is that you
- improve and deepen your understanding of the text
- know different reading methods
- be able to apply appropriate reading strategies
- develop a critical approach to texts
LU 5 Visualize
Visualizations are helpful in preparing for writing. Graphical overviews help to sort your own thoughts, to show the structure of a text and to make trains of thought visible.
The aim of this unit is that you
- develop an awareness of the importance of visualization
- know and be able to use different visual presentation methods for a deeper understanding of texts
- be able to depict thematic connections
LU 6 Literature research - collection of material
Literature research means to get an overview of a research topic of a subject area. It forms the framework for all further procedures of your scientific work.
The aim of this course unit is that you
- know and apply research techniques
- be able to select relevant literature for your topic in a targeted manner
- be able to carry out your literature research successfully