Writing a Masters dissertation provides the opportunity for you to explore a topic of interest at greater length and in more depth than any academic assignment you will have undertaken to date. As such, it can be both an exciting and daunting experience. This module addresses what is involved in writing a dissertation and helps you to plan your research, prepare your dissertation proposal, and begin writing. It also provides a forum to share ideas with other students and to discuss any questions you might have about the process of researching and writing an extended piece of work.
Total Contact Hours: 15
Private Study Hours: 585
Total Study Hours: 600
Main assessment methods:
Dissertation (15,000 words) – 100%
Reassessment methods:
Like-for-like
The module is inevitably geared to students' own hugely divergent areas of interest and there can be no universal reading list. It is expected that they will read widely in areas appropriate to their own projects, and feel welcome to consult any of the staff in the School of English (especially their dissertation supervisor) – in the pursuit of particular reading suggestions for a specific project.
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate their skills and understanding of literary studies in a focused and sustained piece of work;
2 Demonstrate their high-level conceptual, structural and analytic critical skills and sustain an argument over a substantial piece of work;
3 Situate their research and writing within existing critical fields and relate their work to current themes and debates;
4 Demonstrate independence and the ability to take responsibility for the development of their own research and writing.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate the ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses to address problems across a range of literary topics;
2 Demonstrate the ability to interpret arguments, marshal information from published sources, interpret materials from archives, critically evaluate own research and that of others;
3 Demonstrate the ability to use appropriate technology to retrieve, analyse and present information;
4 Demonstrate the ability to work in a self-motived and independent fashion; manage time and workload in order to meet personal targets and imposed deadlines;9.5 Demonstrate an understanding of how to use constructive informal feedback from staff and peers and assess own progress to enhance performance and personal skills;
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