Recommendations for Academic Theses

Writing an academic paper is a major challenge for many students and researchers. Difficulties in getting started are particularly common. In many cases, simple strategies can help overcome these initial hurdles. On this page, you will find further information, including suggestions, tips, and tricks for writing an academic paper.

What’s the point of writing an academic paper?

Writing is a process through which you acquire knowledge, process it, and ultimately present it in your own words. The main focus lies in your ability to find key information on a topic, evaluate and work with it, and then structure it independently. In the final stage, you will present the most important and innovative insights in a clear and engaging way (e.g. by using visual elements). The result is a logically structured and comprehensible text for the reader.

Tools

It is a fundamental rule that all tools used in an academic thesis must be clearly listed and documented. This should be done as a complete and open description, directly in the relevant parts of the text—not in the bibliography. In general, the format should be a label in parentheses at the end of a sentence, paragraph, or section (as precisely as possible), except in the case of translated direct quotations, which must be clearly marked and documented with a footnote. A tool may not be used for an entire chapter—except for corrections and formatting improvements—and must be applied selectively and purposefully. This label must clearly state which program was used, its version (if applicable), the date of use, and what it was used for (content and/or formatting). If relevant, the scope and the affected elements must also be explained in this free-text label. The tools used, and how they were applied and for which purposes, must also be described in the methodology chapter.

The results must always be reviewed, supplemented (except in the case of translations), and documented by the student, and a personal contribution must be evident. Such tools are not supported by our institute and may be used solely under the student’s own responsibility and in accordance with the conditions described here.

  • The University of Bern offers free writing consultation for Bachelor's and Master's theses. More information can be found here.
  • The following platform supports academic writing according to various conventions: https://sciflow.net/en/
  • With languagetool.org you can perform text corrections. The same applies to https://www.deepl.com/en/write. These tools help detect and quickly fix simple spelling or careless errors. https://www.grammarly.com/writing is another tool that automatically checks spelling, grammar, and writing style—particularly useful for English. 
  • Additionally, the website schreiblabor.com is recommended for text analysis support and writing style advice.
  • The following tool helps paraphrase texts in multiple languages. However, be cautious to avoid plagiarism—cite sources properly, do not overuse content from a single source, and ensure a personal contribution: https://quillbot.com/
  • Additional tips on academic writing (in English) can be found on the following websites: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/ and https://owl.excelsior.edu/
  • Typical English phrases for specific writing situations are described here: https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/describing-trends/
  • Citation and writing style tips can be found here: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/
  • Translations can be supported using the following platforms. Be careful not to commit translation plagiarism. Machine translations must be reviewed and, if necessary, corrected, though not necessarily rewritten in your own words:
  • Generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), can be used as information sources and writing aids. However, it is essential to keep in mind that outputs from LLMs and AI tools may contain errors. All information provided must be carefully verified. Students must also contribute their own original work. It is not permitted to include long passages generated by LLMs verbatim. LLMs can assist with phrasing, but their results must be reviewed, supplemented, and documented by the student. https://chat.openai.com/auth/login

  • Generative AI may also be used to create images and graphics. In such cases, students must make a personal contribution—for example, by giving precise design instructions. Moreover, the number of such elements should remain modest and must always be relevant and add value to the thesis.

  • AI-supported tools are evolving rapidly, and the situation is constantly changing. Examples of helpful tools for literature analysis include Scholarcy, Elicit, or Research Rabbit.

  • Artificial intelligences (AI) are not academic sources. Theses must primarily be based on scholarly sources and independent work and value creation (e.g., through innovative ideas, syntheses, or newly collected data).

  • More information and official guidelines from the University of Bern regarding the use of AI tools in academic work can be found here: FAQ on the Use of AI-based Tools in Teaching – Vice-Rectorate Teaching, University of Bern