TERMINOLOGY NOTES AND PUBLICATIONS

KTU MASTER’S THESIS TITLES

Five years ago, Kaunas University of Technology began training specialists under new programmes. A bachelor’s degree is the first level of higher education. Four-year bachelor’s studies conclude with a qualifying examination or a final project. A diploma engineer’s qualification can be obtained by completing a further year of study under a special programme and preparing and defending a diploma project that confirms the qualification and the ability to apply acquired knowledge in practice. More gifted students, after two further years of study under a special programme, complete their master’s studies with a master’s thesis. These confirm the qualification acquired and the ability to conduct research and apply knowledge in scientific, industrial, pedagogical and other activities, or to continue studies at doctoral level.

Theses and diploma projects are very important scholarly works by students seeking to progress to a higher level of study; they must therefore be well prepared not only in terms of their subject matter but also their language. The importance of such works can also be judged by their titles. This article analyses the titles of master’s theses from KTU faculties.

A work’s title should be clear, precise, as brief as possible, and written in correct language, summarizing the entire content and essence of the work. But how are we to understand the essence of a work from titles such as, for example: Realization of the possibilities of integrated education in the teaching process (Ad¹). Study of the properties of bias-knit sportswear socks and their consumer properties (D). Study of the conditions for forming an investment portfolio in Lithuania (V). Formation of product assortment policy (V). Cashless payments in Lithuania and their improvement (Ad). Methodology for determining the resistance of domestic video equipment to distortions and interference for the teaching process (TE). The influence of crack closure on the crack propagation rate (MT). Design and structure renewal of wool dress fabrics for 1997

¹ See the list of faculty-name abbreviations.

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in the field of directions (D). A predictive communication system for people with disabilities (Ad).

The main characteristic of the titles of scholarly works is the precision of each word and the definiteness of its meaning, most often achieved by using Lithuanian terms. Unfortunately, at present, loanwords are very often preferred, with one fundamental principle of terminology forgotten—a principle about which Prof. S. Šalkauskis, a pioneer of terminology theory, wrote as early as the beginning of the 20th century. With many suitable Lithuanian terms at our disposal, we can do without loanwords, as in the following examples: Development of information activity from the marketing (=market research, marketing) perspective (V). Comparative study of mobile communications system transmitters (=transmitting devices) and receivers (TE). Marketing in Lithuanian sewing-industry companies (=Market research in Lithuanian sewing-industry companies) (V). Planning international marketing (=international market research, marketing) operations (V). The influence of marketing (=market research) processes on a bank’s financial activity (V). Analysis of local telecommunications (- remote communications) traffic (?) based on TECo data (TE).

Excessive enthusiasm for loanwords leaves no room for Lithuanian words, for example: Specification of IN (interpretation) and RE (realization) processes using an object-oriented approach (IF). Object-oriented information-systems specification language (IF). Meanwhile, some loanwords are difficult to understand altogether. Here are a few examples: Segmentation of foreign markets (V). Development and study of a pipeline monitoring system for telemetry information transmission (=transfer) equipment (TE). Development and study of a pipeline-failure monitoring system (TE). Problems of social adaptation of visually impaired and blind children and young people in an open soci=Television (

The titles of students’ works contain numerous spelling errors and linguistically incorrect terms, for example: Opportunities for future teachers’ self-realization (=self-actualization) (Ad). Study of the degradation processes of high-temperature (=high-temperature) materials (MT). Continuous (=

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Study of the structure and properties of cast iron (MT).

Attributive forms should be used to name specific properties of objects, phenomena, or similar things, e.g.: The influence of internal combustion system designs on the toxicity of exhaust (=exhaust) gases (MT). The influence of variable (=variable) physical properties on the parameters of cogeneration cycles (MT). Study of an adaptive (=adaptive) suspension (?). Study of a programmable (=programmable) positioning system (TE).

Adjectives with the suffix -inis denoting a relation should be replaced by the genitive of the object, e.g.: Study of automotive information (=automobile information) systems and their components (TE). Study of high-frequency parasitic (=high-frequency parasitic) fields of automotive air conditioners (TE).

Titles also contain words with nonstandard meanings, e.g.: Legal work environment [the employee’s (=worker’s) perspective] (Ad). Study of the possibilities of ultrasonic tomography in restoring (=reconstructing) the distribution of ultrasound velocity (TE). Study of methods for restoring (=reconstructing, reproducing) the reflection function from a defect (TE).

Case errors and various usage inaccuracies are especially common, e.g.: Linear discriminant analyzer for medical diagnostics (=Linear discriminant analyzer for medical diagnostics) (D). Analysis of organizational conditions for the activities of private companies in Kaunas (=Analysis of organizational conditions for the activities of Kaunas private companies) (Ad). Study of the potential of gypsum waste for regeneration (=gypsum waste regeneration) into hemihydrate gypsum (Ch). Application of the maximum likelihood method to the evaluation of mechanical characteristics (=when evaluating mechanical characteristics) (MT). Comparison of methods for detecting certain impurities in spirits (=detecting impurities in spirits) (Ch). Formulation of a marketing strategy in a manufacturing company (=Formulation of a market research strategy for a manufacturing company) (V). A model for analyzing cash flow in a company (=A model for analyzing a company’s cash flow

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model) (V). Evaluation of the effectiveness of sponsorship programs in a bank (=Evaluation of the effectiveness of the bank’s sponsorship programs) (V). Improving advertising organization in a trading company (=Improving advertising for a trading company) (Ad). Evaluation of a company’s financial performance (=Evaluation of a company’s financial performance under conditions of inflation stabilization (V). Evaluation of the automatic turbine control system at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in the study of transient processes (=in the study of transient processes) (MT). Study and development of fault detection and diagnostic systems for typical computer network structures (=Fault detection and diagnostic systems for typical computer network structures) (IF).

Paraphrasing familiar truths—that a city begins with a market and a theatre with a cloakroom—we can say that the success of a scholarly work begins with its title. Therefore, not only linguists but also specialists (master’s students, their supervisors, and consultants) should correct such titles.

Faculty Name Abbreviations

Ad – Administration Ch – Chemical Technology D – Design and Technology EA – Electronics and Automation FM – Fundamental Sciences IF – Informatics MT – Mechanics SA – Civil Engineering and Architecture TE – Telecommunications and Electronics V – Management

Rita ŽILINSKIENĖ

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