Module POC3040 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POC3040: Dissertation
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
You will be allocated a dissertation supervisor from within the Politics department. You will be responsible for approaching the supervisor to set up meetings about their dissertation. You are allowed 4 supervision meetings of 1 hour at specified times throughout the year. Additionally you are expected to hand in work at various stages so that your supervisor can offer feedback. It is envisaged that the bulk of your time will be spent on private study, at the rate of 10 hours per week. Supervisors are allowed to see and comment on a detailed plan of the dissertation and up to 3,000 words of the final dissertation.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 288 | 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 activity | 4 | 4 x 1 hour individual supervision meetings with your supervisor, held throughout the year. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 8 | 4 x 2 hour dissertation skills sessions held throughout terms one and two. Example topics include research proposal design, research questions, literature reviews, structure and submission |
| Guided independent study | 288 | Around 10 hours per week should be spent on planning, conducting and writing up your dissertation. This will include: reading the literature and writing a literature review, collected primary data/sources and analysing them, writing up your research to the required standard. The module handbook outlines when work should be submitted to your supervisor for feedback. Your supervisor will help you plan your time and specific research activities necessary will vary according to research topic. |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
- ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
- Kanopy;
- podcasts;
- blogs and vlogs;
- cultural productions (songs; music videos; films; performances);
- policy briefs;
- annual reports from selected international organizations
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 assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster Presentation | 5 minutes | 1-9 | Oral |
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.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Proposal | 10 | 1,500 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
| Disseration | 90 | 10,000 words | 1-9 | Written feedback |
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 assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Proposal | Essay (1,500 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
| Dissertation | Dissertation (10,000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Non-submission of dissertations is non-condonable.
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:
Halperin, S., and Heath, O. (2012) Political research: methods and practical skills. Oxford: OUP
Harrison, L. (2013) Political research: an introduction. Abindon, Routledge.
Higgins, R. (1996). Approaches to research: a handbook for those writing a dissertation. London: Jessica Kinglsey Publishers.
Preece, R.A. (1994). Starting research: an introduction to academic research and dissertation writing. London: Pinter.
Silbergh, D. Doing dissertations in politics: a student guide. Psychology Press, 2001.
Smith, K., Todd M., and Waldman J. (2009) Doing your undergraduate social science dissertation. Abindon, Routledge
Swetnam, D. (2000). Writing your dissertation. Oxford: OUP.
