Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Report (3000 words) | 40% |
| Semester Assessment | Research Proposal (2000 words) | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Report (3000 words) | 40% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Research Proposal (2000 words) | 60% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a practical understanding of how to create and manage an independent research project at postgraduate level.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the key challenges (methodological, practical, and ethical) in conducting independent research and understanding in the development of their own research proposal.
3. Devise and plan their own independent research project.
4. Communicate the key elements of their research proposal both orally (unassessed) and in written form (assessed).
Brief description
The module will be taught through an introductory workshop at the beginning of the term, followed by student engagement with online learning packages throughout the academic year. This will be supplemented by online group activity and one-to-one tutorial engagement. Packages will introduce students to readings in key areas; develop research skills; and guide students in developing individual research projects.
Aims
.
Content
The course will begin by clarifying what a dissertation is at Masters level, and then provide information regarding key aspects of research integrity such as ethical considerations, originality, social relevance, academic reliability and validity. Students will be guided through the process of writing a successful dissertation including selecting a field of research (formulating a topic and research question); working with sources (primary and secondary); managing data (quantitative or qualitative); research methodologies and philosophical approaches (both disciplinary and interdisciplinary); compiling a literature review; and submitting an ethics application.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | The module will facilitate peer-to-peer communication (students likely to be working as professionals in the creative industries already). It will also integrate communication between students and lecturers. Students may be initiating connections with professional individuals and organisations as part of developing their research proposal. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The interdisciplinary methods introduced in this module will encourage students to be open to adapting their thinking; the online tutorials will develop student’s resilience in accepting constructive criticism from peers; the skills offered will improve the student’s ability (and confidence) to operate independently in this particular academic terrain: research. |
| Information Technology | The online delivery of this module will enhance student ability to engage with online resources, online communication in an academic context, and multi-media elements. The module will develop a deeper digital literacy (e.g. deconstructing and decoding digital artefacts; multi-media textual analysis etc.). |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Research themes and methods are likely to connect to ‘real world’ issues. |
| Problem solving | Students are expected to be creative in their approach when developing their research proposal; this includes being open to utilising perhaps unfamiliar disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary methods of research. |
| Research skills | This module develops critical thinking in every aspect as students identify research questions and appropriate methods to explore them. |
| Subject Specific Skills | N/A |
| Team work | Students may be preparing to conduct research with/in communities, which will require co-ordinating with others. The online tutorials will mean engaging and co-ordinating with other students and lecturers. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7