Informationen zu Prüfungen und Arbeiten

Wenn Sie planen, eine Proseminararbeit zu schreiben, lassen Sie mich das bitte bis spätestens zum Ende des Semesters wissen (31. Januar für das Herbstsemester; 31. Juli für das Frühjahrssemester). So kann ich Ihre Absicht in den Online-Diensten der Universität Basel erfassen. Weitere hilfreiche Hinweise finden Sie unten in den „Proseminar Paper Guidelines“ (nur auf Englisch).

Information on Exams and Assignments

If you plan to write a proseminar paper, please let me know by the end of the semester at the latest (January 31 for the autumn semester; July 31 for the spring semester). This allows me to register your intention in the University of Basel’s online systems. You can find further helpful information in the “Proseminar Paper Guidelines” below.

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Proseminar Paper Guidelines

All written assignments can be written in English or German. Proseminar papers are graded pass/fail. When submitting the paper, you must also submit an Erklärung zur wissenschaftlichen Redlichkeit (Declaration of Scientific Integrity).

Work Steps and Deadlines 

1. Registration: before February 1 (Fall Semester); August 1 (Spring Semester).
2. Proposal: to be submitted by April 1 (Fall Semester); September 1 (Spring Semester).
3. Submission of the paper: by arrangement.
4. Discussion of the paper: by arrangement.
5. Revision: one revision is offered if the paper has been assessed as insufficient to pass.
6. Assessment of the paper: up to six weeks after submission.

Proposal

The proseminar paper proposal must be based on the oral presentation and/or written assignment required to pass the course (check the course syllabus on ADAM), unless you communicate your intention to shift topics to me in writing before registration and receive my approval. Proposals should be 3 pages maximum, have the research question as their title, and include:

• A brief explanation of the topic (approx. 1/2 page);
• An outline of the state of research (approx. 1 page);
• A list of selected primary sources, or collections of sources (approx. 1/2 page);

• A bibliography of cited sources and secondary literature (approx. 1/2 page).

   

Length and Formatting of the Proseminar Paper

Proseminar papers should be 10–12 pages long (about 3500–4200 words), excluding the title page, table of contents, bibliography, and appendices. Use a 12-pt font; 1.5-line spacing; 2.5 cm margins; justified text with hyphenation; and page numbers. They must include:

• An introduction (approx.1–2 pages).

The introduction should formulate and explain your research question and your choice of primary sources. Briefly explain and justify your methodological approach, including any limitations relevant to the analysis. Introduce the topic and identify the scholarship that is particularly important for your question. This is not intended to be a comprehensive literature review! Focus on the required and recommended readings; if you include substantial additional reading, please discuss your selection with me.

• The main body of text (approx. 8–9 pages). 

A useful approach is to begin with one of your selected primary sources and analyze it according to established principles of source analysis. From there, introduce contextual information and mention relevant scholarly discussions where they help you interpret the source and answer your research question. You can then analyze additional sources in the same way, considering what they clarify, complicate, or call into question. Your argument should develop from your analysis of the evidence. The aim is not to make the reader agree with you at all costs, but to make your reasoning transparent, well-supported, and plausible.

• A conclusion (approx. 1 page).

The conclusion should present the paper’s main findings, relate them to the scholarly discussions identified in the body of text, and critically assess how strong and far-reaching your conclusions are. The objective is to make the methodological, evidential, and interpretative limits explicit. 

• Footnotes, instead of endnotes.

Should be used sparingly, only to refer to sources and literature, according to a consistent citation style.

• A bibliography (approx. 15 titles).

The bibliography should focus on answering the selected research question. Ideally, some titles should showcase different research approaches and interpretations, including the scholarly debates mentioned in the main body of text.

Assessment

My assessment will follow the History Department’s official guidelines. The following criteria will be considered:

Content (40%): clear research question; substantive design (structure of the paper; weighting of broad contexts and specific examples); selection of sources and source-critical interpretation; consideration and critical processing of the state of research; originality. 

Academic quality (40%): choice of documentation, paraphrases, and citations; precision of presentation and terminology; justification of one’s own arguments; presentation of different scholarly positions. 

Form (20%): presentation of the text (cover page, table of contents, page numbers, footnote apparatus); spelling, punctuation, and linguistic expression; and accurate reproduction of bibliographic information in footnotes and the bibliography.

Use of AI Tools

AI can be used in principle, but it must be cited according to the University’s AI citation rules. For the Proseminararbeit, you will be expected to submit an Erklärung zur wissenschaftlichen Redlichkeit (Declaration of Scientific Integrity). Please remember that using AI, particularly generative AI like large language models (LLMs) and chatbots, can assist with academic tasks, but it should not replace traditional methods. Use AI tools reflexively and assess their potential and shortcomings critically when incorporating them into your study or writing routines. 

For more information, see the University of Basel’s guidelines on AI, LLMs, and chatbots.