Module Information
- Professor Leonard Victor Scott
- Dr Ayla Gol
- Mrs Berit Bliesemann Deguevara
- Professor Howard Campbell Craig
- Dr Jean-Francois Pierre Bridoux
- Dr Madeline Carr
- Mr Charalampos Efstathopoulos
- Professor Colin John McInnes
- Mr James Robert Vaughan
- Dr Jennifer Gayle Mathers
- Professor Ian Clark
- Mr Jan Ruzicka
- Dr Alistair Johannes Ken Shepherd
- Mr Einion Dafydd
- Dr Huw Charles Bennett
- Dr Kristan David Stoddart
- Dr Patrick Benedict Finney
- Dr Brieg Tomos Powel
- Dr Claudia Katrin Hillebrand
- Dr Elin Royles
- Professor Andrew Linklater
- Professor Milja Helena Kurki
- Dr Owain David Williams
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 13 x 1 hour workshops on Dissertation related topics |
| Other | Introductory Dissertation Fair: 2 hours [at the start of Semester One] 6 x 1 hour individual session with academic staff advisor |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Dissertation 1 x 12,000 words | 85% |
| Semester Assessment | Research Proposal 1 x 2,500 | 15% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Identify and demonstrate knowledge of a range of relevant research methods and techniques in organizing their research inquiry
2. Demonstrate referencing and bibliographic skills
3. Formulate a research question suitable for an independent inquiry
4. Analyze and critically evaluate scholarship in the chosen field of study.
5. Structure an argument in a coherent and convincing manner displaying a wide range of accurate knowledge and understanding of key issues.
6. Write a dissertation in compliance with the substantive as well as formal requirements.
Brief description
The module gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their substantive knowledge in the chosen subject area. It enables students to develop necessary skills and write a dissertation. The module offers general knowledge of research methods, methodologies and theoretical frameworks to enable students to undertake independent research inquiry.
Content
2. Dissertation Fair
3. Choosing a topic
4. How to build a bibliography using a range of resource tools
5. Introduction to methods
6. Introduction to source
7. Preparing the research proposal and the literature review
8. Peer mentoring group session
9. Methods cafe
10. Sources cafe
11. Structure and argument
12. Presentng written work
13. Peer mentoring group session
14. Open meeting to answer student questions
Aims
This module offers final year students a one-year opportunity to study a specific topic related to their degree scheme in greater detail. It equips students with the knowledge of research methods, basic research and presentation skills necessary for the completion of their dissertations. It also allows students to demonstrate their initiative, their ability to work independently and their ability to construct a coherent argument over some length.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | n/a |
| Communication | Students will learn how to present their ideas both verbally and in writing and how to assert themselves to advantage. They will understand the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to the best advantage. They will learn to be clear and direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. Students will be encouraged to critique various scholarships available in the chosen field of inquiry or to assess any knowledge 'gaps' in the field and how they could be ¿filled¿. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but in the context of using feedback from the allocated advisor on early coursework to improve and focus their subsequent work. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and to exercise their own initiative, including searching for sources, compiling reading lists, and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their written work. The need to submit two pieces of assessed work by the required deadline will focus students¿ attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as Web of Science and OCLC). |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The discussions in particular will help to develop students¿ verbal and presentation skills. Learning about the process of planning and undertaking research, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing dissertation and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills |
| Problem solving | Independent dissertation work and problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module; the submission of written work will require that the student develops independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; construct theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | The submission of two written works (research proposal and a dissertation) will reflect the independent research skills of the student. The need to locate appropriate research resources and write up the results will also facilitate research skills. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students have the opportunity to develop, practise and test a wide range of subject specific skills that help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas of the modules undertaken previously, as well as to develop better and deeper understanding of the subject researched. These subject specific skills include: - Collect and understand a wide range of data relating to the chosen research question; - Ability to critique and evaluate competing perspectives - Demonstrate subject specific research techniques - Apply a range of methodologies to complex political problems - Formulate own understanding and appreciation of the chosen question |
| Team work | Students wil be placed into small peer mentoring groups to discuss the process of researching and working a dissertation, to provide students with mutual support |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6