Dissertation
| Module title | Dissertation |
|---|---|
| Module code | ARA3106 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Nahyan Fancy (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
The dissertation is a substantial individual research project, which provides you with the opportunity to engage in in-depth and sustained research on a subject of interest. You should choose your topic in consultation with a supervisor from the Institute.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This project aims to allow you to acquire knowledge of a particular subject, to benefit from one-to-one tuition from a specialist in the field, and to develop their research skills. These include the ability to collate, assess, analyse and order material from relevant types of sources, and the ability to communicate ideas, arguments and findings in academic prose.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Acquire knowledge of the issues which form the subject matter of the dissertation
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 2. Acquire knowledge of relevant literature in the field.
- 3. Collate, analyse and assess material from a range of sources, including primary sources (where relevant).
- 4. Understand and use relevant terminology, and to handle different approaches in the field.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Develop the capacity to work independently and to organise your own time to produce a substantial piece of research to a deadline.
- 6. Collate and critique material to produce a coherent, well-planned, well-presented and well-argued piece of academic research.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 293 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 3 hours | Module convenor introduces the module at the start of term to give students an overview of their task ahead, and milestones for submission. They also offer early support for choosing a topic subject and to gradually shape it into a research question leading to the writing of the research proposal. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 4 hours | Tutorials with supervisor. These tutorials are meant, initially, to establish the viability of the planned research, and to provide advice on its focus and direction, and then to provide advice on different aspects of the ongoing work and to monitor the students' progress |
| Guided Independent study | 293 hours | Private study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation proposal including bibliography | 2 pages minimum | 1-6 | Written and verbal feedback |
| Final draft of dissertation to supervisor by end of Spring term). | 10,000 words | 1-6 | Written and verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | 100 | 10,000 words | 1-6 | Written and verbal |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | Dissertation (10,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
This will depend on the topic chosen. See also:
Mauch, J. and Birch, J. Guide to the Successful Thesis and Dissertation, New York, 1993.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2006 |
| Last revision date | 10/02/2012 |
