This module provides an opportunity for students to work independently under supervision on a piece of written work substantial enough to constitute a capstone project. It offers an additional and optional opportunity for students to present the results of their research in a conference setting. Students will be able to exercise and deploy knowledge and skills acquired in earlier levels of their programmes in PASS by focussing in depth on a specific and discrete topic in dance, drama, film and television, media or music. Using both primary and secondary sources, students will be required to define and subsequently undertake a research project with the aim of producing a dissertation on an agreed topic. Students will be permitted to undertake research in inter-disciplinary areas such as dance on screen, music theatre or cyber theatre.
This module aims to allow students to:
On successful completion of the module students will be able to demonstrate:
In the early part of the module, students will be required to attend research skills seminars on constructing a proposal, on identifying primary and secondary sources, on editing and composition, on referencing and on research methods. Students will make an oral presentation of their dissertation proposal in week 6 or 7 of teaching block 1, and submit a written proposal for formative assessment in week 8. The skills required to prepare for the final assessment will be developed in formative activities throughout the module, notably through individual tutorials, group discussion, and feedback on in-class presentations. Preparation of the dissertation normally includes at least four tutorials with a supervisor, supplemented by email correspondence and small group tutorials where students have opted to do a conference presentation as part of the assessment.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 5 x 2 hour research skills seminars | 10 |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | oral presentations | 3 |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | supervisions, tutorials | 2 |
| Guided independent study | independent study | 285 |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The assessment strategy is designed to test the student's ability to meet the module's learning outcomes. The presentation of the dissertation proposal in week 6/7 will be formatively assessed. The written dissertation proposal (1,500 words) due in week 8 will be also be formatively assessed. The dissertation of 9,000 to 10,000 words will be summatively assessed. The dissertation will be slightly shorter (7000 words) where students have opted to do a 15 minute conference presentation as part of the summative assessment.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| The ability to search for and select relevant sources of information (Key Skills: Research and Information Literacy) | Formatively in the dissertation proposal; summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| The ability to organise effectively, agreeing and setting realistic targets and accessing support where appropriate. (Key Skills: Self Awareness) | Formatively in the dissertation proposal; summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| Expert engagement with and knowledge of a chosen topic | Summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| An in-depth knowledge of contemporary theory and research methodologies in relation to the chosen area of study | Formatively in the dissertation proposal; summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| The ability to work with complex ideas and justify judgements made through effective use of evidence (Key Skills: Creativity and Problem Solving) | Summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| Improved writing skills as well as an enhanced capacity to organise written arguments appropriately | Formatively in the dissertation proposal; summatively in the Dissertation proper |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Dissertation/Dissertation plus conference presentation | 100 |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS a requirement that the major category of assessment is passed in order to achieve an overall pass for the module
Bibliography will be developed by the individual student in consultation with academic staff.
Greetham, B. (2009) How To Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation. Basingstoke,Palgrave
Swetnam, D. and Swetnam,R. (2000) Writing Your Dissertation. London, How To Books
Walliman, N. (2004) Your Undergraduate Dissertation. London,Sage