Undergraduate Module Descriptor

LAW3047: Dissertation

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

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

You MUST define your dissertation title at the end of your second year and fill in the form that is sent to you by email. You are expected to use the summer months to do some background reading, but no written work is expected of you. No supervision takes place over the summer. 

You are expected to confirm your (revised and refined) title at the start of term 1 of your final year. The allocation of supervisors is confirmed by the module convenor at the start of term. 

This module is essentially facilitated through individual supervision, which is expected to take place regularly throughout terms 1 and 2 following a schedule discussed and agreed between you (the supervisee) and your supervisor. 

In addition, three one-hour sessions will provide you with general support and guidance, including in relation to the above comparative dimensions. 

A room is booked every fortnight for all students registered on this module to meet and discuss their research and progress during the term - you are strongly encouraged to participate in these research discussion meetings. 

ELE is used to provide you with materials and to enable the module convenor to communicate with you throughout the duration of the module. 

You will have to keep a 'learning log' to reflect on your research as it progresses. This is a formative part of the module (ie non-assessed) and you are encouraged to write regular entries in your journal each week to monitor and reflect on how your research is developing. As a rough guide you may wish to write one page of reflective notes per week. You and your supervisor may wish to discuss this during supervision meetings. 

NOTE: If you think that as part of your research you will need to carry out interviews, issue questionnaries or undertake any other form of interaction with people, you MUST discuss this with your supervisor with regard to research ethics. Any such research may only go ahead with express approval from the module convenor.

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
92910

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity6Individual Supervision meetings - length and frequency to be agreed with supervisor but a minimum of approx. 3 hours of contact are expected each term.
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity3Three 1 hour group training sessions on research preparation, skills and legal academic writing.
Guided Independent Study 291Guided independent study - the precise nature of individual independent research, drafting and writing up will vary according to your research paper and your needs, but as an indicative guide this work may include:- learning log (12 hours); attending and participating in student research discussion meetings (12 hours); identifying and locating research materials (20 hours); carrying out research, reading and taking notes (123 hours); drafting and writing up (124 hours)

Online Resources

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

There will be one joint ELE page with the Comparative Dissertation LAW3047A

Other Learning Resources

ELE - http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/