Referat, coursework and thesis: answers to common questions

Question 1

What is a referat?

Accepted Answer

A referat is a written paper that collects, compares and summarizes what has already been written on one topic. The term is used in Azerbaijan and other post-Soviet countries and comes from the Latin “refero”, meaning “I report”. It usually doesn't require research of your own, but you have to choose sound sources, organize them logically and show where every idea comes from.

Question 2

How do I write a referat?

Accepted Answer

Narrow the topic, find a few reliable sources and take short notes with page numbers as you read. Then draft a plan, write the main part in your own words from your notes, then the conclusion, and the introduction last. Finally, build the reference list and check your citations and formatting against your teacher's requirements.

Question 3

What is the structure of a referat?

Accepted Answer

The standard structure is a title page, table of contents, introduction, a main part of two or three sections, a conclusion and a reference list. Appendices with tables, charts or documents go at the end if needed. The introduction, each main section, the conclusion and the reference list usually start on a new page.

Question 4

How do I make a plan for a research paper?

Accepted Answer

Split the topic into a few logical questions; each one becomes a section or subsection of the main part. Order them from general to specific, from cause to effect or chronologically, and jot two or three points under each heading. Show the plan to your teacher early: fixing a plan is far easier than rewriting a finished chapter.

Question 5

How do I write the introduction of a referat?

Accepted Answer

The introduction explains why the topic matters, states the aim of the referat and lists the tasks that will get you there. You can also name your main sources and describe how the paper is organized. It is usually one to one and a half pages long, and easier to write once the main part is done.

Question 6

How do I write the conclusion of a referat?

Accepted Answer

The conclusion answers the aim and tasks from the introduction in order, summing up what follows from each section. It brings in no new facts, quotes or sources and doesn't copy sentences from the main part. You can end with your own position or with what is worth studying next.

Question 7

How many pages should a referat be?

Accepted Answer

There is no single standard: your teacher or your department's guidelines set the length. A school referat is usually a few pages long; a university one is longer but still well short of coursework. The title page, contents, references and appendices are often not counted, so check that too.

Question 8

How do I format a title page?

Accepted Answer

At the top goes the name of the school or university (and the faculty and department, if required); in the middle, the type of work (“Referat”), the subject and the topic; lower down, your name, group or class and the teacher who checks it; and at the very bottom, the city and year. The title page counts toward the page total but carries no page number. Many departments have their own template, so ask for it first.

Question 9

How do I make a table of contents?

Accepted Answer

The table of contents follows the title page and lists every heading from the introduction to the references with page numbers. Rather than typing it by hand, apply the “Heading 1” and “Heading 2” styles to your headings and insert an automatic one via References → Table of Contents. After editing the text, click Update Table so the page numbers stay right.

Question 10

What font and size should a referat use?

Accepted Answer

The most common requirement is Times New Roman 14 pt with 1.5 line spacing on A4; GOST 7.32-2017, which many Russian-language guidelines follow, allows nothing smaller than 12 pt. Margins vary between universities, but the left one is usually wider (for example, 3 cm) so the text isn't lost in the binding. If your guidelines say otherwise, follow them.

Question 11

How do I write a reference list?

Accepted Answer

List only the sources you cite in the text, each in the required style: for a book, the author, title, place, publisher and year; for an article, the journal, issue and pages; for a website, the full address and the date you accessed it. Entries are usually alphabetical or in order of first mention. Find out early whether your department wants APA, GOST or its own template.

Question 12

How do I cite sources in a referat?

Accepted Answer

Cite right after any idea, figure or quotation you take from someone else. Two systems are most common: the author, year and page in parentheses, such as (Mammadov, 2019, p. 45), or the source's number in your reference list with the page in square brackets, such as [12, p. 45]. Put exact quotes in quotation marks, and cite paraphrases too.

Question 13

Where can I find sources for a referat?

Accepted Answer

Start with your textbook, lecture notes and your teacher's reading list, then search your university library and the online catalogue of the National Library of Azerbaijan (ek.anl.az). For academic articles, try the open-access directory DOAJ (doaj.org), and eLIBRARY or CyberLeninka for Russian-language work. Anonymous sites and essay banks don't count as sources: prefer material that names its author, publisher and year.

Question 14

How many sources does a referat need?

Accepted Answer

There is no fixed number: your teacher or department sets it, and a referat usually needs fewer sources than coursework, which in turn needs fewer than a thesis. Reliable, relevant and reasonably recent sources matter more than the count, and so does not leaning on a single textbook. Mixing types of source, such as books, journal articles and official statistics, also makes the paper more convincing.

Question 15

How do I write a referat in Azerbaijani?

Accepted Answer

Use a scientific style: neutral and precise, with no colloquial words and the same terms throughout. Always type the Azerbaijani letters ə, ğ, ı, ö, ü, ç and ş, and check spelling against an orthographic dictionary, because spelling mistakes cost marks. If your sources are in Russian or English, don't translate them word for word; put the ideas into natural Azerbaijani sentences.

Question 16

What is a sərbəst iş (independent assignment) and how do I write it?

Accepted Answer

A sərbəst iş is a short written task that students at Azerbaijani universities complete on their own during the semester: a small referat, an analysis, a set of problems or a mini project. At many universities it is worth up to 10 of a subject's 100 points, and the syllabus gives the exact split. Read the task carefully, find two or three reliable sources, write it in your own words with an introduction, main part and conclusion, and cite your sources.

Question 17

How can I write an independent assignment quickly?

Accepted Answer

Read the requirements and break the work into short timed blocks: sources first, then the plan, then writing and checking. Draft the whole text without stopping to polish, then edit it in one pass. Put your phone away; in OrujovAI's study rooms you can work alongside other students on one shared timer.

Question 18

How do I write a coursework paper?

Accepted Answer

Agree the topic with your supervisor, get the department's guidelines and write your research aim in one sentence. Collect the literature, write the theory chapter from your sources and the practical chapter from your own analysis, calculations or survey. Leave the introduction, conclusion and references for the end, and show chapters to your supervisor as you finish them so feedback doesn't pile up at the deadline.

Question 19

What is the structure of coursework?

Accepted Answer

Coursework usually has a title page, contents, introduction, two or three chapters, a conclusion (sometimes “conclusions and recommendations”), references and appendices. The first chapter is usually theoretical, the second and third analytical or practical. Chapters are divided into sections (1.1, 1.2 and so on), and a short summary at the end of each chapter helps the reader.

Question 20

How many pages should coursework be?

Accepted Answer

Coursework is much longer than a referat, and the exact length depends on the subject and department and is set in its guidelines. Check there whether the title page, contents, references and appendices count toward it; usually they don't. If you don't have the guidelines, ask your supervisor rather than going by another university's template.

Question 21

How do I write a coursework introduction?

Accepted Answer

A coursework introduction states the relevance of the topic, the aim, the tasks, the object and subject of the research, the methods and the structure of the paper. Each task usually matches a chapter or section, so write them with your plan in front of you. It runs to about two or three pages, and the final version is best written once the work is done.

Question 22

How do I choose a coursework topic?

Accepted Answer

Pick an interesting topic in your field and check early that you can find both literature and data for the practical chapter (statistics, an organization's reports, a chance to run a survey). Then narrow it by place, period or object: for example, instead of “Tourism”, try “Prospects for rural tourism in the Shaki district”. AI can suggest narrower versions, but agree the final choice with your supervisor.

Question 23

How do I write a diploma thesis?

Accepted Answer

A diploma thesis is a larger, more independent version of coursework: relevance, aim and tasks, methods, theory and practical chapters, conclusions and recommendations, then a defense before a committee. Plan it months ahead: approve the topic and schedule with your supervisor, hand in chapters one at a time and leave time for the plagiarism check. Note that not every bachelor's program requires a thesis; in some, the final assessment is an exam, so first check what your program asks for.

Question 24

How many pages should a diploma thesis be?

Accepted Answer

The length depends on the university, field and degree level and is set in your department's guidelines. A bachelor's thesis is clearly longer than coursework, a master's thesis is usually longer still, and its minimum length is set in your university's thesis rules. The same rules say which parts count toward the total.

Question 25

How do I write a thesis conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Summarize your main results point by point, in the order of your tasks: what exactly you found for each one. Then state concrete recommendations and where they could be applied. Add no new data or sources; the conclusion usually runs two or three pages, and it is where the committee sees what your work achieved.

Question 26

How do I write a master's thesis?

Accepted Answer

A master's thesis is independent research: you pose a research problem, study it with methods you choose and show its novelty and practical value. Choose the topic with your supervisor as early as possible, start the literature review in the first months, collect data for the empirical part (surveys, statistics, calculations) on time and report to your supervisor regularly. Read your university's thesis rules from the start: the length, summary, number of sources and allowed similarity score are set there.

Question 27

What is the structure of a master's thesis?

Accepted Answer

Typically: title page, summary with keywords, list of abbreviations, contents, introduction, three chapters (theory, analysis and recommendations), conclusions and recommendations, references and appendices. The introduction covers relevance, how well the problem has been studied, aim and tasks, object and subject, methods, novelty and practical significance. The length of the summary, the number of keywords and the languages it must be written in (for example, Azerbaijani and English) are set by your university's rules.

Question 28

How do I write an abstract?

Accepted Answer

An abstract is a short summary of the paper: the problem, aim, methods, main results and why they matter, in a few sentences. It is usually 150–250 words, though the journal sets the exact limit. Write it after the paper, and leave out citations, tables and unexplained abbreviations.

Question 29

How do I choose keywords?

Accepted Answer

Keywords are 3–7 words or short phrases that capture the topic, object and method of your work; the journal or university sets the exact number. Choose the terms a reader would type when looking for work like yours, and don't simply repeat the words of your title. Very general words like “research” or “analysis” don't help, while specific terms do.

Question 30

How do I write a research article?

Accepted Answer

Most research articles follow the IMRaD structure: introduction (problem and aim), methods, results and discussion, plus a title, abstract, keywords and references. Choose your target journal first and read its author guidelines, since the length, citation style and formatting depend on it. Focus on one main finding and back every claim with data or a source.

Question 31

How do I prepare a report (məruzə)?

Accepted Answer

A məruzə is a talk given to an audience, so for a few minutes an opening, two or three main points and a conclusion are enough. Don't read from a script: put key points on cards, double-check figures and dates and rehearse out loud with a timer. If slides are required, keep one idea and little text per slide.

Question 32

How do I write up a lab report?

Accepted Answer

A lab report usually runs: title and aim, brief theory, equipment and materials, procedure, measured results in tables and graphs, calculations with error estimates, and a conclusion. Record measurements as they came out and never “adjust” them; an unexpected result is reported honestly and explained. Finish by saying whether the aim was met and comparing your measured value with the theoretical one.

Question 33

How do I write an internship report?

Accepted Answer

An internship report covers where and when you interned, a short description of the organization, the tasks you were given, the work you did, the skills you gained and your suggestions. Write it from your internship diary, with concrete tasks and examples rather than general phrases. A review or reference from your placement supervisor is often attached, and your department will give you the required form.

Question 34

Can I write a referat with AI?

Accepted Answer

You can't have AI write the whole text and hand it in as yours: that is plagiarism, and such text tends to be generic, contains factual errors and sometimes cites books and articles that don't exist. If your teacher or university rules allow it, you can use AI as an assistant, but the text and conclusions must be your own. It shows quickly when someone can't answer questions about their own paper. If the rules require it, note in the paper what you used AI for.

Question 35

Is there a website that writes research papers?

Accepted Answer

Yes: there are sites selling ready-made papers, services that write to order and AI generators. But submitting someone else's work under your name is plagiarism, such services can't vouch for the facts or for where else the text has been used, and you are the one who will face questions at the defense. The safer route is to write it yourself and use AI for planning, finding sources and feedback; OrujovAI works as that kind of assistant.

Question 36

Can I write coursework with AI?

Accepted Answer

Coursework is graded mainly on your own analysis, so AI can't and shouldn't do that part for you. It can help you understand methods, check formulas or code for your data analysis, critique your plan and tidy up the language of a chapter you wrote. Ask your supervisor beforehand what is allowed, since the rules differ between universities.

Question 37

Will they know if AI wrote my thesis?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes, and not only because of detectors. Turnitin, Antiplagiat and other systems have AI-detection modules, but they make mistakes; papers are more often exposed by sources that don't exist, a style unlike your earlier work and being unable to explain your own text at the defense. Above all, presenting such work as your own breaks academic integrity rules and can have serious consequences.

Question 38

At which stage of writing a referat can I use AI?

Accepted Answer

AI is most useful for choosing and narrowing the topic, critiquing your plan, explaining a hard source in plain words, checking the language and logic of your draft and preparing for the defense. Don't hand it the writing itself, the thinking behind your conclusions or the reference list. A simple rule: ideas and text come from you, questions and feedback from AI.

Question 39

Can AI find sources for a research paper?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if it can search the web: then it links to real pages you can open. A plain chatbot without web access builds the list “from memory” and often invents books and articles. OrujovAI's Search mode answers from live web sources with numbered citations, and Deep Research on the Plus plan compiles a longer report from many sources. Either way, don't add a source to your list until you have opened and read it yourself.

Question 40

Can I trust sources that AI gives me?

Accepted Answer

Not without checking. AI can produce convincing references, complete with an author, journal, year and even a DOI, that don't actually exist. Look up every source in a library catalogue or academic database, check the DOI at doi.org, read the passage you cite and list only what you have seen yourself.

Question 41

Can AI make a plan for my referat?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is one of the most useful ways to use it. Give it your topic, the type of paper and the length, ask for a few outline options, then build your own and ask what is missing and which sections overlap. Agree the final plan with your teacher or supervisor, since they set the requirements.

Question 42

Can AI edit my text?

Accepted Answer

Yes: it can point out grammar and spelling mistakes, long tangled sentences, repetition and gaps in logic between paragraphs. Ask it to explain the problems rather than rewrite your text, so the style stays yours and you accept each change knowingly. OrujovAI edits text in Azerbaijani, Russian and English; if your rules require it, mention that you used AI for editing.

Question 43

What is plagiarism?

Accepted Answer

Plagiarism is presenting someone else's text, ideas, data or images as your own without credit. It includes lightly reworded passages without a citation, submitting work someone else wrote or that you bought, handing in AI text under your name, and resubmitting your own earlier work without permission (self-plagiarism). At university it can lead to the work being rejected and to disciplinary action.

Question 44

How do I write a referat without plagiarism?

Accepted Answer

Read and understand the source, then close it and write from your notes, so the sentences come out as your own. Cite every borrowed idea, put exact quotes in quotation marks with the page number, and use them sparingly. Comparing several sources and drawing your own conclusion, rather than retelling one, protects you from plagiarism and makes a stronger paper.

Question 45

How do I check a paper for plagiarism?

Accepted Answer

Universities run papers through dedicated systems such as StrikePlagiarism or Turnitin, which compare the text with web sources and databases and show a similarity percentage with the matching passages. A high score alone doesn't prove plagiarism, because properly cited quotes and standard terms also match, and a person decides after reading the report. The allowed threshold depends on the university and the type of work, so ask your department.

Question 46

Is there a plagiarism checker for Azerbaijani?

Accepted Answer

Yes. StrikePlagiarism, which has an office in Azerbaijan and an Azerbaijani-language site, is used to check academic work and handles texts in Azerbaijani. Ask your department which system it uses and whether you can check your paper in advance. Be careful with unfamiliar free sites: some may store your text in their database, so the official check later flags a match with your own work.

Question 47

Do plagiarism checkers detect AI text?

Accepted Answer

Many now try to: Turnitin, Antiplagiat and StrikePlagiarism have added modules that flag AI-generated text. These detectors work on probabilities and make mistakes, flagging human writing as AI and missing edited AI text, and Turnitin itself advises against treating the score as the sole basis for action. The surest protection is to actually write the work yourself and keep your drafts.

Question 48

How do I put a text in my own words?

Accepted Answer

Reread the passage until you understand it, then close the source and explain the idea as if to a friend. Compare your version with the original: if the sentence structure and word choice are too close, rewrite it, though you can keep the key terms. A paraphrase still needs a citation, because the idea is still someone else's.

Question 49

Is it okay to make a text “unique” with paraphrasing tools?

Accepted Answer

No. Using synonym-swapping “uniqueness” tools to raise the score only hides where the idea came from, which is still plagiarism. The output is often full of odd, meaningless sentences, and some checkers detect paraphrasing anyway. The right way is to understand the source, put it in your own words and cite it.

Question 50

Can I download a ready-made referat?

Accepted Answer

You can download one to read and see how it is built, but submitting it as your own, even partly reworded, is plagiarism. Ready-made papers from the internet are often already in plagiarism-checker databases, and teachers often recognize them. Their facts and sources are also frequently outdated or unchecked, so don't cite them as sources either.

Question 51

How do I format a referat in Word?

Accepted Answer

Set the margins under Layout → Margins, then set the font, size, 1.5 line spacing and first-line indent once in the Normal style rather than paragraph by paragraph, so they apply to the whole document. Start each new section on a new page with Ctrl+Enter so headings don't shift when the text changes. Add page numbers with Insert → Page Number, and tick “Different First Page” so the title page has none.

Question 52

Can I submit a referat as a PDF?

Accepted Answer

If your teacher accepts it, yes: a PDF keeps fonts and layout the same on any computer. Some departments, though, want a Word file (.docx) for the plagiarism check or for comments, so ask first. In Word, choose File → Save As and pick PDF; for small fixes in a finished PDF, OrujovAI's PDF editor lets you simply write what to change.

Question 53

How do I choose a referat topic?

Accepted Answer

If you are choosing from a list, take a topic that interests you and has serious sources in the library and online. Narrow it to fit the length: instead of “Ecology”, try “Pollution of the Caspian Sea and its causes”, a topic built around one question. Before you commit, look at two or three sources to make sure there is enough material.

Question 54

How do I write a research paper in English?

Accepted Answer

Write in an academic style: each paragraph opens with a topic sentence, the introduction ends with a thesis statement, and you avoid conversational phrases and contractions like don't and can't. Citations usually follow APA, MLA or Harvard style, and your teacher will tell you which. Think and write in English from the start rather than translating a draft, then proofread the language separately.

Question 55

How do I write a referat in Russian?

Accepted Answer

A Russian referat is written in scientific style: impersonal constructions (“рассматривается”, “было установлено”) and precise terms, with the authorial “мы” or impersonal forms instead of “я”. Russian-language departments usually base formatting and references on GOST standards, such as GOST 7.32-2017 for the text layout and GOST R 7.0.100-2018 for the reference list. eLIBRARY and CyberLeninka are good places to find Russian-language sources.

Question 56

How do I work with my supervisor?

Accepted Answer

At the start, agree the topic, plan, deadlines and meeting schedule with your supervisor and put them in writing. Send the text in parts, come to each meeting with specific questions, note comments as a list and show in the next draft how you addressed them. Your supervisor won't write the paper for you but can spot problems early, so when you get stuck, say so straight away.

Question 57

How do I prepare to defend my coursework?

Accepted Answer

Prepare a short talk following a plan: relevance, aim and tasks, methods, main results and recommendations; you usually get only a few minutes, so rehearse with a timer. Write down the questions the committee might ask and your answers: why this topic, why this method, what your results change and what the limitations are. In OrujovAI Chat you can paste your introduction and conclusion, ask for such questions and practise answering them.