MBIB5900 Master Thesis Course description

The course is mandatory for all students.

The language of the course is Norwegian.

See under Study progress in the programme description.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• is familiar with relevant theory and research in the area that the thesis concerns

Skills

The student

• is capable of using relevant methods in report work and evaluations
• is capable of evaluating the use of methods in and results of studies and evaluations

General competence

The student

• is capable of carrying out a delimited research or development work under supervision and in accordance with applicable research ethics standards
• is capable of communicating about relevant issues, analyses and conclusions both in written form and orally

The work on the master's thesis will begin with a seminar late in the spring semester during first year where lecturers affiliated to the programme present their areas of research, and possible topics for master's theses. The next seminar is held just after the academic year starts, and the students will then decide on the thesis topics and discuss who they would like as a supervisor. In addition, three topic-specific lectures dedicated to the thesis will be held where the students present part of the thesis and receive feedback and comments from lecturers and opponents (two in the autumn semester and one in the spring semester). Supervision will be provided throughout the process of completing the master's thesis, and a supervision agreement between student and supervisor will be entered into before the first thesis lecture at the very latest.

An information letter with a detailed overview over the thesis lectures, the date these will take place and the procedure for submitting the thesis, will be handed out at the introductory seminar in the first year.

The master's thesis can be written individually or as a collaboration between several students. In the latter case, each student's area of responsibility must be clearly stated in the introduction.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

1. Attendance and submission of the student's own work in the three topic-specific thesis seminars.

2. A public and final seminar will be organised in relation to the submission where the candidates present their master's theses.

Coursework requirements must be completed by the set time and approved by the lecturer before the student can take the exam.

The form of assessment is a master's thesis (80-130 pages). The master's thesis must be submitted in digital form (pdf format). Font and font size: Arial/Calibri 12 points. Line spacing: 1.5.

Students are allowed to submit a new or revised master's thesis once if they are awarded a fail grade. In cases where several students write the thesis together, the whole group must resubmit a new or revised thesis. A student will not be allowed to submit a new master's thesis in the same programme if a pass grade has already been awarded, cf. the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet, Section 5-6 first and second paragraphs.

The master thesis can be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or in English.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

This course on interactive information retrieval (IIR) focuses on users' use and interaction with information systems and the users' satisfaction with retrieved information. The course deals with central concepts and models as well as theoretical and methodical aspects of context-based evaluation of IIR. Emphasis is placed on the relations between users, information needs, information situations, relevance of retrieved information, and information seeking behaviour. In particular, the course focuses on methods and study designs (methodology) for how to study users' system interaction, their satisfaction with retrieved information, and information seeking behaviour.

In summary, the course covers:

• Conceptions of information need and relevance, as well as models of information searching, information seeking, and information behaviour.
• (I)IR evaluation approaches.
• Data collection methods and study design for (I)IR evaluation and user studies.

The teaching language is in English when there are foreign exchange students present.

None.

The student should have the following learning outcomes upon successful completion of the course:

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge and insight about different IR evaluation approaches
• advanced knowledge about central concepts, models, and methods for IIR evaluation and user studies
• advanced knowledge about how to conduct IIR evaluation and user studies

Skills

The student can

• reflect on central models and methods for IIR evaluation and user studies
• assess relevant methods, and combinations of these, for IIR evaluation and user studies
• identify and compare key evaluation concepts for IIR evaluation and user studies
• use advanced knowledge on central concepts, models, and methods to conduct IIR evaluation and user studies

General competence

The student is able to

• disseminate and give an account of different IR evaluation approaches
• analytically assess relevant methods, and combinations of these, for IIR evaluation and user studies
• independently design, plan, and conduct different types of IIR evaluations and user studies