The aims of this module are twofold:
First, to provide students with the opportunity to independently carry out an in-depth inquiry to investigate a research question(s) of their choice, producing a coherent review of the relevant literature, a logical discussion and a clearly communicated set of conclusions in the form of a dissertation.
Second, to prepare students to become ‘research-minded’ practitioners in order that they have the capacity to undertake research in practice settings and/or take a lead role in supervising others in such work.
Lecture 0, Seminar/Reading Group 0, Skills Workshop 6
* Criminology MA * International Social Policy MA * Methods of Social Research MA * Sociology MA Political Sociology MA * 'Two-year Masters' versions of the appropriate programmes above
12,000 words Dissertation at 100%
Reassessment Method: Single instrument100% written assessment (12,000 words) - dissertation
Biggam, J (2017) Succeeding with your master's dissertation (4th edn), London, McGraw-Hill education : Open University Press Burnett, J (2009), Doing your social science dissertation, Sage Furseth, I and Everett, E (2013), Doing your master's dissertation, Sage Hart, C (2005), Doing your master's dissertation, Sage Meloy, J (2002), Writing the qualitative dissertation, Lawrence Erlbaum Rudestam, K and Newton R (2015), Surviving your dissertation : a comprehensive Guide to Content and process (4th edn), Los Angeles, Sage Publications
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate the capacity to formulate a research question, to produce a research proposal, and to plan and execute a piece of independent research using primary and/or secondary data sources or other research publications.
Demonstrate advanced knowledge of theoretical approaches in social sciences – in particular sociology, criminology and social policy - to evaluate their application to the chosen research topic and questions.
Identify research strategies and methods and/or research publications, and illustrate their use in gaining knowledge in social sciences, including sociology, criminology and social policy.
Demonstrate the critical ability to undertake investigations of social questions, issues and problems.
Demonstrate originality in the critical analysis of research data and literature relevant to the chosen topic area
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