The dissertation is an extended piece of independent research into an area of the student's own interest resulting in a report of 12,000 words. Students will build skills enabling them to identify and explore the appropriate secondary literature (and primary source material, where appropriate), and to interrogate these sources effectively. Students will receive tuition in collating, ordering and referencing their research. Students will complete a sustained piece of academic research drawing on primary and secondary source materials. This module enables students to develop the analytical elements of research and present their research findings professionally. The main focus of supervision will be on assisting the student to structure their core argument effectively, present convincing analysis of the evidence used to sustain their argument, and to prepare a clear introduction and conclusion to the dissertation.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Design and undertake a literature and material sources review and have completed a thorough review of the available secondary literature and relevance to his/her own dissertation topic;
Organise and present data in a professional way (accurate referencing, complete bibliography, clear tables and illustrations);
Test the quality of sources and identify sources which provide relevant evidence to sustain the argument pursued in the dissertation topic;