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Dissertation

Module description

The dissertation gives you the opportunity to pursue a programme of independent research of your determination in agreement with the relevant staff and should be an original and theoretically informed study. You can choose a dissertation which reflects your interest in the subject and which attempts to address current debates in your field of research.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to nurture further your skills in formulating appropriate research questions, developing a research agenda, planning and conducting a research programme, analysis and evaluation of self-generated results and communicating the corpus within a set deadline.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Collect, collate and prioritise disparate sources as appropriate
• 2. Independently select appropriate methodologies to research problems in geography
• 3. Analyse and integrate primary and secondary data in a coherent manner

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Identify and evaluate approaches to problem-solving in a highly specialised context
• 5. Present a clearly structured, well-written and appropriately illustrated dissertation
• 6. Draw valid conclusions based on an ability to synthesise and prioritise relevant data
• 7. Confidently apply understanding of concepts and theories to the research problem
• 8. Approach systematically accuracy, precision and uncertainty in their research with a high degree of autonomy

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 9. Research a topic as an independent worker
• 10. Adapt your knowledge to the often complex, unpredictable and specialised demands of the research process
• 11. Reflect on the research process and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your approach

Syllabus plan

Autumn term:

• Attendance at Human Geography Departmental research seminars

Spring Term:

• Attendance at Human Geography Department research seminars

Summer term:

• Attendance at Human Geography Department research seminars
• Initial feedback meeting with dissertation advisor
• At least two further supervisory meetings (as required)

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to resubmit the original assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

 Basic reading:

• Thematic Reading:  Varies depending on individual research topic
• Sword, H. 2012. Stylish Academic Writing. Harvard University Press.
• Kitchin, R. & Tate, N. 2000. Conducting Research in Human Geography. Routledge.

Key words search

Dissertation, independent research, communication