Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA3196: Independent Research

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Research proposal outline1000 words1-2, 3-4Written

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Research proposal with literature review1008000 words1-2, 3-4, 5-7Written

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Research proposal with literature review (8000 words)Research proposal with literature review (8000 words)1-2, 3-4, 5-7January assessment period in the following year (as August/September submission)

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Basic reading:

Atkinson, P. A. (et al.) (2007), Handbook of Ethnography, Sage

Brady, H. E. and Collier, D. (2004), Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards, Rowman and Littlefield

Burnham, P.,Gilland, K.,Grant, W.and Layton-Henry,Z.(2004), Research Methods in Politics, Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

Burton, D.(ed) (2000), Research Training for Social Scientists, SAGE.

Creswell, J.W. (2008), Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches, Sage

DiYanni, R. (2007), Writing about the Humanities (3rd ed.), Prentice Hall

Dunleavy, P. (2003), Authoring a PhD, Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

King, G, Keohane, R.O.and Verba,S. (1994), Designing Social Inquiry, Princeton University Press.

Silverman, D. (ed) (2004), Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice, SAGE

Storey, W.K. (2008), Writing History. A Guide for Students (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press

Turabian, K. (1996), A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.