Modules

Module title: Dissertation
SCQF level: 10:
SCQF credit value: 40.00
ECTS credit value: 20
Module code: ACC10133
Module leader: Patrick Harte
School The Business School
Subject area group: Accountancy Finance and Law
Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added
2018/9, Trimester 1, Blended, Edinburgh Napier University
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Blended
Location of delivery: CRAIGLOCKHAR
Partner: Edinburgh Napier University
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Patrick Harte
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Learning and Teaching
Lectures will be held within the first six weeks to describe and explain the dissertation process and workshops will also take place within the first 13 weeks to help students prepare an outline of their research, to develop their outline into a full research proposal, and to provide a more in depth understanding of research methods related to their planned research approach.

The general approach to teaching and learning is different from taught modules since students are allocated individual supervisors. Supervisors allocated to students do not present new knowledge to their students; they act as a facilitators in relation to the research process. Supervisors will be concerned, for example, with the development of the research topic, the suitability of research methods adopted for the dissertation and the extent to which students are making appropriate and timely progress in relation to their work.

Assessment Strategy
An dissertation outline is submitted early in the first semester. The dissertation outline, which is not assessed, is the starting point for a proposed area of research, related to the student’s programme of study. The outline is also used to allocate supervisors to students. Supervisors can advise on the initial feasibility of the proposed topic in terms of its breadth and depth. Students will then make a detailed appraisal of their proposed research by reading key references (including books, journals and electronic sources) to determine the current state of knowledge, considering ideas as to how their research should be undertaken and assessing its practicality.

Students will then submit a 2000 word full dissertation proposal (25%) in week 12 of the first semester and this assessment will address learning outcomes 1 - 5. The full proposal is a critical component since it provides a detailed “road-map” for the rest of this module. It will conform to the assessment guidelines to ensure all key areas are considered an

Formative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Summative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Lecture 8
Face To Face Practical classes and workshops 3
Face To Face Project Supervision 2
Online Guided independent study 10
Independent Learning Guided independent study 377
Total Study Hours400
Expected Total Study Hours for Module400


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Report 25 1 - 5 12 (TR1) HOURS= 0, WORDS= 2000
Dissertation 75 2,3,4,6 1 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 10000
Component 1 subtotal: 25
Component 2 subtotal: 75
Module subtotal: 100
2018/9, Trimester 2, Blended,
Occurrence: 002
Primary mode of delivery: Blended
Location of delivery: CRAIGLOCKHAR
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Patrick Harte
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Learning and Teaching
Lectures will be held within the first six weeks to describe and explain the dissertation process and workshops will also take place within the first 13 weeks to help students prepare an outline of their research, to develop their outline into a full research proposal, and to provide a more in depth understanding of research methods related to their planned research approach.

The general approach to teaching and learning is different from taught modules since students are allocated individual supervisors. Supervisors allocated to students do not present new knowledge to their students; they act as a facilitators in relation to the research process. Supervisors will be concerned, for example, with the development of the research topic, the suitability of research methods adopted for the dissertation and the extent to which students are making appropriate and timely progress in relation to their work.

Assessment Strategy
An dissertation outline is submitted early in the first semester. The dissertation outline, which is not assessed, is the starting point for a proposed area of research, related to the student’s programme of study. The outline is also used to allocate supervisors to students. Supervisors can advise on the initial feasibility of the proposed topic in terms of its breadth and depth. Students will then make a detailed appraisal of their proposed research by reading key references (including books, journals and electronic sources) to determine the current state of knowledge, considering ideas as to how their research should be undertaken and assessing its practicality.

Students will then submit a 2000 word full dissertation proposal (25%) in week 12 of the first semester and this assessment will address learning outcomes 1 - 5. The full proposal is a critical component since it provides a detailed “road-map” for the rest of this module. It will conform to the assessment guidelines to ensure all key areas are considered an

Formative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Summative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Lecture 8
Face To Face Practical classes and workshops 3
Face To Face Project Supervision 2
Online Guided independent study 10
Independent Learning Guided independent study 377
Total Study Hours400
Expected Total Study Hours for Module400


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Report 25 1 - 5 12 (TR1) HOURS= 0, WORDS= 2000
Dissertation 75 2,3,4,6 1 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 10000
Component 1 subtotal: 25
Component 2 subtotal: 75
Module subtotal: 100

Description of module content:

There will be a series of introductory lectures to explain the dissertation process. These will cover:
1. The research cycle; Choosing a research topic; How to develop research aims and objectives;
2. Library searching; The literature review process; Critique of the literature;
3. The differences between Primary research and Secondary research; Methods of data collection for both qualitative and quantitative research;
4. Analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data; Research integrity and ethics; The dissertation structure; Research in practice.

Students will plan their dissertations, read the literature, conduct the research, analyse the data collected and write up their findings.

There will also be several workshop sessions to cover:
1. Preparing the dissertation outline
2. Developing the outline into a full research proposal
3. A choice of research methods workshops e.g. library-based, surveys, interviews, case studies, quantitative data analysis, and qualitative data analysis.
Learning Outcomes for module:

On completion of this module, you will be able to:

LO1: Identify a topic for systematic investigation, analysis and evaluation
LO2: Establish a research aim and research objectives
LO3: Select and justify appropriate research methodologies
LO4: Critically assess literature relevant to the research to be undertaken
LO5: Prepare a research proposal
LO6: Collect, analyse and evaluate primary and/or secondary data and produce conclusions and recommendations

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
XL001117 (2018/19) : SOE10133 - UG Dissertation TR1 2018/9
 

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