| Unit name | Research Skills |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODLM0021 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Paul Earlie |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit introduces you to the knowledge, skills and techniques required to complete an extended, autonomous piece of research: the MA dissertation. Tutors with a wide range of research expertise from across the School of Modern Languages will guide you through the process of conceiving and planning a dissertation topic that will make a meaningful contribution to your chosen area of specialism, from formulating your initial research questions to developing a distinctive methodology adapted to the aims and needs of your individual project. The unit builds on knowledge and skills you have already acquired on the MA programme while also introducing you to a range of new contexts, including the impact of research beyond the university, public engagement, and—for those who do not wish to pursue further doctoral research—the relevance of competencies acquired on the MA programme to non-academic professional contexts.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit provides you with a space to reflect on and develop core competencies acquired on the MA programme at the same time that it equips you with knowledge and practical skills required for completion of a successful MA dissertation. A suite of formative and summative tasks are designed to build your confidence and autonomy as a researcher and allow you manage the transition from unit coursework to the more extended dissertation project. Through an individual reflective learning log, you will identify areas of existing strength and/or opportunities for your own development while reviewing the applicability of knowledge and skills acquired on the MA programme to non-academic, e.g. professional, settings.
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1) conceive and plan an extended project of research with the potential to make demonstrable contribution to a specific area, or areas, of academic scholarship;
2) refine a methodological approach appropriate to the chosen discipline(s) and to the project’s goals;
3) present research findings in a logical and persuasive way in line with scholarly and/or disciplinary norms;
4) reflect critically on knowledge and skills already acquired on the programme and identify areas of opportunity for ongoing and future development, in academic and non-academic contexts.
Teaching on the unit takes the form of a weekly 2-hr seminar. Learning takes the form of: plenary sessions, student-led workshops, and problem-based asynchronous tasks. The unit is designed to be responsive to, and tailored, towards individual student needs, with formal and informal feedback on individual research project proposals and the research portfolio throughout the unit. Students also complete a reflective learning log to identify areas of existing strength and opportunities for further personal and professional development.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Outline dissertation proposal (provisional title, abstract, key research questions, and illustrative bibliography) (1000 words); [ILO 3]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):*
A research project portfolio of up to 24000 words [ILOs 1, 2, 4] to be shared with your dissertation supervisor, consisting of, e.g., a methodological summary, a critical review of scholarship and/or annotated bibliography, a project plan, etc.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODLM0021).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
