| CODE | GDS5008 | ||||||
| TITLE | Dissertation | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 30 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Gender and Sexualities | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The dissertation is a major component of the Master of Gender, Society and Culture. The candidate will work on her/his own research project, and will be guided by the appointed supervisor/tutor, who will have appropriate expertise in the area of research. Students will be expected to select a specific research area and view it through a gender and/or feminist lens. Students will be guided to undertake research that offers a valid contribution to knowledge and is related to key gender themes, theories and practices. Students will focus their study on a limited interest area, developing their research, investigative and reporting skills which will culminate in a study addressing a topic from a gender perspective. This will strengthen and enhance the students area of specialisation whilst increasing broader knowledge. Students will be assisted by tutors, in order to formulate a research question/s for their dissertation; evaluate the existing literature pertaining to the research question; formulate a research design that permits the collection of data and analysis of data collected, using appropriate methodological techniques; synthesize the findings and make recommendations from the results of the research. Students will be required to defend their dissertation during an oral examination. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims to facilitate students in: - Demonstrating a deeper understanding and knowledge of the subject under examination following a thorough review of existing literature and research. - Demonstrating an ability to plan, manage and conduct appropriate research in the field. - Analysing and interpreting findings, and giving meaning to identified trends, phenomena and findings. - Documenting, demonstrating and disseminating findings with other researchers through well planned, presented and explained relevant documentation. - Presenting a dissertation that respects academic rigour and standards. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Formulate a research proposal; - Evaluate the existing literature that bears on the selected research question; - Develop a research design that is appropriate for the research focus; - Conduct fieldwork using skills such as: interview, focus group, observation etc; - Collect data that is relevant to the research questions; - Analyse the data collected using appropriate methodological techniques; - Synthesise the findings generated by analysis; - Make recommendations from the results of the research. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Design and conduct research; - Write for publication (academic paper / position paper / policy document etc.); - Formulate a research question on a relevant topic; - Formulate a research design that permits the collection of data and observations with which to answer the research question; - Critique and synthesise research. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Boden, R., Epstein, D. and Kenway, J. (2007) Building your Academic Career, London: Sage. - Boden, R., Kenway, J. and Epstein, D. (2007) Getting Started on Research, London: Sage. - Epstein, D., Kenway, J. and Boden, R. (2007) Writing for Publication, London: Sage. - Graff, G. and C. Birkenstein, (2014). They Say, I Say, The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York and London:Norton and Co. - S.N. Hesse-Biber (2014). Feminist Research Practice. A primer. London: Sage Publications Ltd. - Kamler, B, and Thomson P, (2006) Helping Doctoral Students Write; Pedagogies for Supervison. London: Routledge. - Kamler, B, and Thomson P, (2012) Writing for Peer Reviewed Journals: Strategies for getting published. London: Routledge. - Kenway J., Epstein, D. and Boden, R. (2007) Building Networks, London: Sage. - Weston, A. 2009, A Rulebook for Arguments, Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Dissertation and Tutorials | ||||||
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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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