Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM876: Dissertation Skills

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The aims of this module are to equip you with the professional skills needed to conduct an extended piece of research and writing. You will have the time and guidance to engage deeply with core debates across the sub-disciplines of politics, equipping you well with practical skills and contributing to your intellectual development. On successful completion of this module you should be a confident and independent researcher.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. design an individual research programme, incorporating appropriate social science research methods. 2. collate and analyse subject-specific information from a range of appropriate sources
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. develop the skills requisite to conducting an extended piece of academic writing, including: devising a research question, proposal and literature review; organizing and summarizing key literatures, debates, ideas and controversies. 4. locate your own research in key disciplinary debates, controversies and developments.
Personal and Key Skills	5. use IT for information retrieval and presentation.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

1. Elements of a research proposal

2. Devising a research question

3. Planning and writing a literature review

4. Deciding on your approach/methodology

5. Workshopping your ideas

6. Refining the proposal

7. The writing process

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
14	136	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	14	7 x 2 hour lectures
Guided independent study	40	reading in preparation for the lectures
Guided independent study	16	web-based research
Guided independent study	80	writing of research proposal and literature review

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

http://www.ex.ac.uk/gradschool/skill_sessions_descript.htm