Apply through UCAS
- UCAS course code
- Q1Q3
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Dissertation
| Unit code | LELA30000 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 40 |
| Unit level | Level 3 |
| Teaching period(s) | Full year |
| Offered by | Linguistics & English Language |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course unit is a guided research module, in which the student submits a 12,000-word dissertation on a subject of their own choosing. A dissertation supervisor provides guidance as to research methods, writing skills and analysis of data. The student is expected to identify and develop a dissertation topic appropriate to the scale of the project, which is focused into a specific research question providing scope to explore the most sophisticated kind of evaluative and critical issues. Thus, this course unit affords the student the opportunity to design and undertake their own research with an expectation to study independently and producing a significant result. The first three lectures will address important training issues and the technical aspects of writing a dissertation.
Aims
The student is expected to identify and develop a dissertation topic appropriate to the scale of the project, which is focused on a specific research question providing scope to explore the most sophisticated kind of evaluative and critical issues. Thus, this course unit affords the student the opportunity to design and undertake a research project and will involve significant independent research
Knowledge and understanding
Students will increase their knowledge and understanding of the chosen research area.
Intellectual skills
After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- Develop an extended written argument of depth and complexity
- Evaluate and synthesizing a substantial body of primary research literature
- Most student will collect, describe, and analyse substantial data sets using the appropriate methodologies and theoretical framework
Practical skills
- Designing and managing an independent research project;
- Identify and access relevant primary sources and critical literature
- Present a 12,000-word piece of writing with a standard of scholarly presentation of the material produced appropriate to Level 3 study.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
On successful completion of the course the student will have acquired:
- the ability to communicate a coherent and critical argument of depth and complexity in written form
- in the event that group work is appropriate, the ability to work with peer group support and share the research experience;
- the ability to engage in significant independent research and design a large research project.
Employability skills
- Other
- This course is especially relevant to students who plan to pursue a career that involves research skills. It prepares students for postgraduate study, but the skills acquired will also be relevant for careers that involve non-academic types of research, for example, journalism or law. The experience of managing a project independently will be an asset for many careers across different sectors
Assessment methods
| Dissertation | 100% |
| Expanded Research Proposal | NA (formative) |
| Dissertation-specific piece | NA (formative) |
| One draft chapter | NA (formative) |
Feedback methods
Formative- Feedback in this module will consist of comments made by your supervisor during individual or group meetings throughout the academic year. You will receive written and/or oral feedback on the assessed pieces of coursework as agreed with your supervisor, e.g. via Turnitin or using the more traditional feedback form, in a face-to-face meeting, etc. Please note that different arrangements may be made by different supervisors.
Summative- Individual written feedback will be provided in Turnitin on the dissertation.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 3 |
| Project supervision | 5 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 392 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Richard Zimmermann | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
Enrolment procedure: Students must submit their dissertation topic proposal form to the discipline area Undergraduate Support Officer in June preceding the academic year in which they want to start work on their dissertation (normally
the second year). It is expected that students will have already thought about a potential topic before beginning the course module. Only students who average at least 60% in their second year will be allowed to register for a dissertation (special provisions will be made for students who take first sits during the August resit period). Students are allowed to submit a first and reserve proposal, which must be clearly marked as such. Students have to specify a potential supervisor for each proposal. Each member of staff provides a list of areas in which they are willing to supervise. The course convenor will coordinate distribution of proposals and allocation of supervisors. Staff consider the proposals they have received, and decide which of them they wish to accept, interviewing students if necessary. Students whose dissertation proposals are
rejected will have to register for other course units. In cases in which a supervisor has more than one student, there may be a group-work component to the course unit. Any such groups will normally be 3-6 students, who may meet to discuss research findings and review each other's work, under the guidance of their supervisor. Additionally, students will have one
to one meetings with their supervisor. Supervision by a member of staff as appropriate.