Dissertation (DRAM080)

StaffProfessor Heike Roms - Lecturer
Credit Value60
ECTS Value30
NQF Level7
Pre-requisitesNone
Co-requisitesNone
Duration of Module Term 2: 11 weeks; Term 3: 7 weeks;

Module aims

The module aims to:

  • provide an opportunity for you to pursue a single research topic in depth
  • demonstrate evidence of research achievement at master's level

ILO: Module-specific skills

  • 1. Evidence an advanced understanding of your chosen area of research, drawing on up to date academic scholarship, and reflecting on past and contemporary performance contexts
  • 2. Demonstrate a sophisticated, up-to-date and critical understanding of the contexts in which you are undertaking your research (for example, contemporary pedagogic issues, contemporary professional performance, or current academic scholarship)
  • 3. Evidence the synthesis of acquired knowledge across the programme into a focused project

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

  • 4. Demonstrate the ability to define a research topic (academic and/or practical)
  • 5. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the area under investigation, employing relevant conceptual frameworks and creative processes to the topic
  • 6. Devise and sustain a complex process of independent research into the field of theatre and performance
  • 7. Demonstrate an ability to construct concise, structured, analytical academic argument and critique of complex ideas

ILO: Personal and key skills

  • 8. Demonstrate an ability to construct concise, structured, analytical academic argument and critique of complex ideas
  • 9. Organise a complex process of independent, advanced research
  • 10. Express and communicate complex ideas, clearly and concisely, in written form at a high level of competence

Syllabus plan

The Dissertation builds on your work in Terms 1 and 2 of your studies, in particular DRAM150 Researching Theatre and Performance, which you will complete with a proposal for your dissertation; an overview of your field of research interest; and an annotated bibliography related to key publications for your dissertation project.

You will:

  • agree with the module convenor your chosen submission route (Option A: fully written dissertation; Option B: performance and written critical reflection; Option D: workshops and written critical reflection; or Option D: placement and written critical reflection). Performance, workshops and placements may take place face-to-face or on a digital platform.
  • be allocated a supervisor for your project, based on your proposal; and agree a research programme with your supervisor. You will have up to 8 x 30-minute supervision meetings, during which your supervisor will advise on the direction of your research. This may include visits to rehearsals, workshops or placements where appropriate and feasible. You will submit a substantive chapter of your writing and/or a rehearsal or workshop to the supervisor for formative feedback.
  • follow 6x 1-hour skills training workshops in dissertation project planning, writing skills and formatting.

Students following the Option B: performance and written critical reflection submission route will be assessed for the performance part of their dissertation project during a public performance platform, usually held in June/July of each year..

Submission of Option A: fully written dissertation; the written component of Option B: performance and written critical reflection; Option C: workshops (in full documentation) and written critical reflection; or Option D: placement (in full documentation) and written critical reflection will take place at the end of the study year (August).

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
105900

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled learning and teaching 4Up to 8 individual tutorials (supervision meetings) of approx. 30 mins; must include at least 2 tutorials for written component of dissertation; and for practice options must include visit to rehearsal of performance or placement or workshop where possible
Scheduled learning and teaching 6Group skills training workshops; 6 x 1 hours
Guided independent study590Research reading and preparation of dissertation; may include viewing, archival research, studio experiments, placement activities, fieldwork, self-directed group and solo workshops or seminars as relevant to project.

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Writing sample: research questions150 wordsWritten or oral
Writing sample: paraphrasing and summarizing theory300 wordsWritten or oral
Writing sample: Exploring writing styles600 wordsWritten or oral
Writing sample: Ethics statement300 wordsWritten or oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Option A: Fully written dissertation (15,000 words)2515 000 words (100% credit)1-10Written
Option B: Performance of practice or performance script or performance presentation based on research plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflection2520 minutes presentation (live or online) and 7,500 words (50% practice, 50% written)1-10Written and oral
Option C: Series of workshops or teaching plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflection25No fewer than 2 workshops, no more than 6 workshops and 7,500 words (50% practice, 50% written)1-10Written
Option D: Research-based placement plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflection25No less than 2 weeks, no more than 6 weeks and 7,500 words (50% practice, 50% written)1-10Written
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Option A: Fully written dissertation (15,000 words)Fully written dissertation1-10Referral/Deferral period
Option B: Performance of practice or performance script or performance presentation based on research plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflectionPerformance practice as original assessment plus accompanying written critical reflection written dissertation (7,500 words); or fully written dissertation of 15,000 words1-10Referral/Deferral period
Option C: Series of workshops or teaching plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflectionSeries of workshops or teaching plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflection; or fully written dissertation of 15,000 words1-10Referral/Deferral period
Option D: Research-based placement plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflectionResearch-based placement plus 7,500 words accompanying written critical reflection; or fully written dissertation of 15,000 words1-10Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Resoures will be dependent on individual research project; but may include:

  • Judith Ackroyd, Research Methods for Drama Education Stoke on Trent: Trentham, 2006.
  • Peter Barry, Beginning Theory Manchester: Manchester University Press 2002.
  • Martin Bauer and George Gaskell, Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound – A Practical Handbook. London: Sage, 2000.
  • Dawson, Kathryn and Daniel A. Kelin (eds) The Reflexive Teaching Artist: Collected Wisdom from the Drama/Theatre Field (Theatre in Education), Bristol: Intellect, 2014.
  • Peter Elbow, Writing with Power, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Nigel Fielding, Raymond M. Lee, Grant Blank, G. (eds), The Sage Handbook of Online Research Methods. London: Sage, 2008.
  • Mark Fortier, Theory/Theatre: An Introduction London: Routledge, 2016.
  • Baz Kershaw and Helen Nicholson (eds) Research Methods in Theatre and Performance, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2011.
  • Patricia Leavy, Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press, 2015.
  • Jane Mills and Melanie Birks (eds), Qualitative Methodology: A Practical Guide, Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications, 2014.
  • Robin Nelson, Practice as Research in the Arts: Principles, Protocols, Pedagogies, Resistance, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
  • Geoffrey Patriarche, et al.(eds), Audience Research Methodologies. Between Innovation and Consolidations. Abingdon: Routledge, 2014.
  • Patrice Pavis, Analyzing Performance: Theater, Dance, and Film, translated by David Williams, Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2006.
  • Gillian Rose, Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. 4th ed. London: Sage, 2016.
  • Soyini Madison, D., Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance, 3rd edition, Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2019.
  • Robert Yin, Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 5th ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2014.

Research bibliography to be researched by student according to chosen topic.

 

·        Judith Ackroyd, Research Methods for Drama Education Stoke on Trent: Trentham, 2006.

·        Peter Barry, Beginning Theory Manchester: Manchester University Press 2002.

·        Martin Bauer and George Gaskell, Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound – A Practical Handbook. London: Sage, 2000.

·        Dawson, Kathryn and Daniel A. Kelin (eds) The Reflexive Teaching Artist: Collected Wisdom from the Drama/Theatre Field (Theatre in Education), Bristol: Intellect, 2014.

·        Peter Elbow, Writing with Power, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

·        Nigel Fielding, Raymond M. Lee, Grant Blank, G. (eds), The Sage Handbook of Online Research Methods. London: Sage, 2008.

·        Mark Fortier, Theory/Theatre: An Introduction London: Routledge, 2016.

·        Baz Kershaw and Helen Nicholson (eds) Research Methods in Theatre and Performance, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2011.

·        Patricia Leavy, Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press, 2015.

·        Jane Mills and Melanie Birks (eds), Qualitative Methodology: A Practical Guide, Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications, 2014.

·        Robin Nelson, Practice as Research in the Arts: Principles, Protocols, Pedagogies, Resistance, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.

·        Geoffrey Patriarche, et al.(eds), Audience Research Methodologies. Between Innovation and Consolidations. Abingdon: Routledge, 2014.

·        Patrice Pavis, Analyzing Performance: Theater, Dance, and Film, translated by David Williams, Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2006.

·        Gillian Rose, Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials. 4th ed. London: Sage, 2016.

·        Soyini Madison, D., Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance, 3rd edition, Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2019.

·        Robert Yin, Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 5th ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2014.

 

  • Research bibliography to be researched by student according to chosen topic.

 

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

2010

Last revision date

19/02/2021

Key words search

Dissertation, theatre practice, research project, practice-as-research, independent research placement, independent workshop research, performance research