Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE CMT5040

 
TITLE Dissertation

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 80

 
DEPARTMENT Communication Therapy

 
DESCRIPTION Students need to engage in a research based dissertation. A student’s dissertation will be composed of a literature review, data collection, results and analysis, and discussion. The research study will be reported in a rigorous manner by means of writing a manuscript. The literature review, methodology, the results and analysis will be presented, and the relevant discussion and conclusions, including the limitations of the study and the recommendations for further research, will be included. Students may select a topic related to the area outlined in the title of this Master course by research. The need for the study must be justified. Demonstration that the intended work is novel and that it contributes to knowledge must be made.

Study-unit Aims:

The aim of the research based dissertation is to provide the students with an opportunity to engage in a research exercise under the supervision of an appointed academic supervisor. This will allow students to develop and enhance their scientific research skills in order to:
- Identify a gap in the research;
- Prepare and refine a research question;
- Write up a proposal;
- Carry out a review of the literature;
- Select optimal research methods and designs;
- Analyse and evaluate the scientific findings objectively in the light of current literature;
- Report the findings of the research;
- Engage in activities related to dissemination of findings.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Critically review related scientific literature;
- Identify a gap in the literature;
- Successfully compile a research proposal;
- Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the chosen research topic;
- Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the chosen method/s of data collection and data analysis;
- Appreciate effective ways of presenting research results and findings;
- Critically appraise research findings adequately.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

Intellectual skills
- Evaluate and demonstrate the relevance of other researchers’ findings to the presented work;
- Demonstrate an appreciation of ethical issues in research within this field and respond to them appropriately;
- Critically evaluate the chosen methodological approach and the results obtained;
- Present, defend and debate findings.

Practical skills
- Plan and design a research project;
- Manage a research project, taking into consideration ethical issues, time-planning and budgeting, if relevant;
- Effectively organise the collected research data;
- Present information in a structured, accurate and logical manner;
- Produce a potentially publishable piece of scientific writing.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Bowling A. (2009) Research methods in health, (3nd edition) Buckingham; Open University Press.
- Bryman A (2008) Social Research Methods (3rd Edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Bland M. (2000) An introduction to medical statistics (3rd edition), Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Creswell, J. W. (2009) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method approaches (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
- Greenhalgh T. (2006) How to read a paper (3nd Edition), London: BMJ Publishing.
- Mason J. (2002) Qualitative Researching London: Sage.
- Oppenheim A.N. (2000) Questionnaire Design, interviewing and attitude measurement. Continuum Publishing Group, Washington.
- Patton, M.Q. (2002) Qualitative research and evaluation methods, (3rd edition), London: Sage.
- Polgar S. and Thomas SA. (2007) Introduction to research in the health sciences (5th edition), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (6th Ed.). (2009). Washington DC: APA.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES **September Assessment Session: Students who fail to obtain an overall pass mark will be re-examined in the Dissertation. However, the resit availability for the Oral Examination is at the discretion of the Board of Examiners.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Dissertation

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Dissertation and Oral Examination (See Add. Notes) ** 100%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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