AP3A81: Dissertation

Module Provider:

Agriculture

Number of credits:

40 [20 ECTS credits]

Level:

H (Honours)

Terms in which taught:

Autumn, Spring and Summer

Module Convenor:

Dr J Park

Pre-requisites:

Co-requisites:

Modules excluded:

Module version for:

2007/8

Aims:
This module develops students' research skills (including identifying a suitable topic, aims and hypotheses, planning and conducting research, gathering, critically reviewing and synthesising information, analysing and discussing results) and provides detailed understanding of a specific subject area of their choice. Additionally, students should be able to use IT and statistical skills developed earlier in the course in the delivery and presentation of the dissertation.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module students will be able to

Additional outcomes:
Students will develop skills of independent study and research as well as of problem solving and written communication

Outline content:
Some of the teaching of the skills needed for this module is carried out within other modules and through projects and exercises earlier in the course. Individual staff members are placed as supervisors of dissertations. Through a series of one to one conversations over the summer, autumn and spring terms it is hoped that:

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
It is expected that a dissertation will take 400 hours of student effort. In Term 6 students will be expected to start work on the dissertation. As part of this there will an introductory seminar programme including one timetabled session in the library on literature searching. Additionally, students are expected to produce a poster outlining their proposed research topic, this will contribute 25 marks. Later in the year students are expected to make a 10-minute presentation outlining the aim, objectives, research hypothesis, methods and initial results associated with their dissertation. This will again account for 25 of the final 400 marks allocated to the dissertation. Additionally, students are expected to meet with their supervisors on at least two occasions in each of the three terms. Students will otherwise work under their own initiative. The final assessment marks will comprise 350 for the written dissertation.

Contact hours:

Assessment:
Coursework
1. Poster presentation in Summer term (25 marks)
2. Oral presentation outlining progress in the Autumn term (25 marks)
3. Two unbound copies and an electronic version (that must contain the whole project within one complete file for loading on to the JISC plagiarism detection software) guideline of 12,000 words to be submitted on the first day of the Summer term. This will be assessed by an Internal Marker and the Supervisor (350 marks) * (see note)

* For some degrees the 350 marks may consist of 50 marks for a literature review to be completed in the summer and 300 marks for the final dissertation document

Relative percentage of coursework: 100%

Penalties for late submission
Standard University rule applies: 10% marks deducted for work submitted up to one week late. Work submitted more than one week late will be awarded a zero mark.

Examinations
None

Reassessment arrangements:
By Coursework: Dissertation re-submission by the end of August

Requirements for a pass
A mark of 40% overall