Module SOCI40060: Dissertation (MCP and MYWP)

Department: Applied Social Sciences

SOCI40060: Dissertation (MCP and MYWP)

Prerequisites

• Practitioner Research module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• to provide an opportunity to explore an aspect of policy and/or practice relevant to community practice, using appropriate research methods;
• to deepen the student's knowledge and understanding of the topic or issue, acquire an understanding of the process of applied research and develop a repertoire of research skills.

Content

• the focus for the dissertation will be decided in consultation with an assigned supervisor, reflecting the student's professional interest in community practice;
• the student will have previously written a relevant research proposal to meet the requirement of pre-requisite module in Practitioner Research This proposal will be discussed with the supervisor to assess the feasibility of the of the project;
• the supervisor will provide specific advise relating to: a) critical analysis of existing research literature, b) research design, c) research techniques, d) practical methods, e) analysis and presentation of the findings, f) discussion of their implications for policy and practice.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of specialist subject area that is the focus of the dissertation.

• Ability to define a set of research/evaluation questions about policy and/or practice in the light of relevant research and informed by relevant theory;
• Ability to conduct a literature review of material relevant to the chosen topic;
• Ability to apply appropriate principles of ethical conduct in practice;
• Ability to select and execute the appropriate research and evaluation methods for investigating a substantive topic;
• Ability to conduct an independent piece of research and/or evaluation on a scale that can be managed by one person over a time span of four months full-time equivalent;
• Ability to write a dissertation that demonstrates independent and critical thought and analytical ability;
• Ability to write a dissertation in a form that meets the general academic criteria for structure and bibliographic citation;
• Ability to write a dissertation that demonstrates the capacity to draw inferences from research evidence that are supported by that evidence;
• Ability to relate research findings to policy and practice in a specialist field of study.

• An ability to work autonomously;
• An ability to research using different sources;
• Data management skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• the learning outcomes will be met through individual and group tutorials, independent study and the preparation with supervision of a dissertation. Individual tutorials with a supervisor will offer guidance on design, methods, literature, writing up. Group tutorials with other students will enable sharing ideas on methods and design, troubleshooting on issues of common concern, mutual support. Independent study will involve the student planning a programme of activity, including reading literature, designing research, collecting and analysing data, interpretation and writing up. Assessment is entirely by written Dissertation.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Students will be given verbal feedback by their supervisors in each tutorial session and annotated comments on written work, including two draft chapters of the dissertation, normally the methodology and the discussion chapters.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University