Dissertation (SML3015)
| Staff | Dr Fiona Handyside - Convenor |
|---|---|
| Credit Value | 15 |
| ECTS Value | 7.5 |
| NQF Level | 6 |
| Pre-requisites | MLX 2001 (or equivalent) native-speaker competence plus a mean average mark of 58% across Level 2 modules relevant to the subject of the dissertation ( see below under Details of Learning and Teaching Methods) |
| Co-requisites | None |
| Duration of Module | Term 1: 11 weeks; Term 2: 11 weeks; |
Module aims
The module aims to enable students to operate independently and responsibly and to take a positive and active role in their learning, in the service of the production of a sustained piece of critical work. It allows the student to devise their own research questions and to pursue these lines of inquiry. Students will work under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the chosen subject.
- 2. Demonstrate a capacity for independent study and self-directed inquiry and research
- 3. Demonstrate an ability to identify and pursue appropriate, subject specific questions.
- 4. Demonstrate an ability to reflect on research methodologies and to draft, revise and edit written work accordingly.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 5. With guidance from the dissertation supervisor, apply and evaluate independently critical approaches to the material under analysis.
- 6. Argue at length and in detail about the subject matter of the dissertation (literary, linguistic, film etc), supporting the argument with evidence from primary sources and with opinions from secondary literature.
- 7. Use a range of critical terminology appropriate to the literary/linguistic/film topic, applying it to independently researched material.
- 8. Access and use critically printed and, where appropriate, electronic learning resources identified as useful by the dissertation supervisor; find independently and evaluate critically other relevant resources.
- 9. Analyse source material in the TL, showing awareness of its relation to the social, historical and generic context in which it was produced, and present the results in writing.
- 10. Use available library and electronic resources to investigate the dissertation topic
- 11. Using recommended bibliographical tools, present a critical bibliography giving a balanced overview of the topic.
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 12. Negotiate individual assessment tasks and/or topics with dissertation supervisor, identifying own areas of strength and interest.
- 13. Undertake independent research.
- 14. Manage own learning time and learning activities with minimal guidance from dissertation supervisor.
- 15. Adopt a critical approach to the selection and organisation of a large body of material in order to produce, to a deadline, a written argument of some complexity.
- 16. Present a cogent and sustained argument in writing in English on a subject of the students own choosing, and selecting appropriate methods of exposition.
- 17. Using bibliographical material provided, select, plan and carry out a programme of study leading to a dissertation on a chosen topic, to a specified length and deadline.
- 18. Demonstrate ability to combine a variety of IT skills in researching a topic
Syllabus plan
The Dissertation may be taken in either Term 1 or Term 2. It replaces one taught optional module in the relevant term. The schedule of tasks and supervision sessions normally looks like this:
Week 1 Submit to your supervisor a brief (one-side) outline of your planned topic, saying which primary material you intend to use, how you intend to go about the project, and any problems you envisage.
Week 2 Tutorial 1
Week 3 Submit to your supervisor a draft bibliography, stating the sources used to compile it (e.g. bibliographies in secondary literature, electronic bibliographies, Internet searches). Your bibliography should comprise sources available in the University Library, the electronic library, or free-to-access elsewhere.
Week 4 Tutorial 2
Week 6 Submit to your supervisor a one-side plan of the chapters of the dissertation.
Week 7 Tutorial 3
Week 9 Submit to your supervisor a draft of one section of the dissertation (of about 750 words).
Week 10 Tutorial 4
In between the supervision sessions you are expected to work independently.
Dissertations are regarded as examinable components and as such, feedback will not be available until after the exam board has met.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 148 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 2 | tutorials |
| Guided independent study | 148 | private study and research |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft Bibliography, Chapter Plan, Draft Section of Dissertation | 1-18 | Meetings with tutors to discuss formative dissertation tasks |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Dissertation | 100 | Dissertation of approximately 5000 words | 1-18 | Dissertation feedback sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Dissertation | Written Dissertation | 1-18 | referral/deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
as appropriate to chosen topic
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Available as distance learning?
Yes
Origin date
2010
Last revision date
2011
