Dissertation Preparation

Learning outcome 1: Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding:

Understanding of research design and comprehensive research question development to lead on to an independent dissertation project at level 6

Learning outcome 2: Demonstrate the following skills and abilities:

Comprehensive completion of a dissertation proposal including a critical literature review, method proposal and ethical documentation.

You must write a 2000-word research proposal. Your research proposal will underpin the project that you go on to complete at level 6. The document must identify a gap in the research literature to provide a sound academic rationale for conducting a research study in a particular area. You must provide a theoretical or conceptual background to your study, provide a clear research design, and propose methodologies that may be used in your project. You must also complete a draft ethics application.

Part 1: The 2000-word proposal

A literature review from key literary sources (academic peer-reviewed journals), offering a critical analysis of the selected information. The critical analysis of the literature will help you to identify gaps in current understating of a particular topic area. These gaps in understanding should help you formulate a justifiable rationale for your research proposal and develop a clear set of aims and hypotheses where appropriate.
A realistic study design, with suitable methodologies that link back to your original aim. The methodology should provide a detailed account of how you propose to conduct your research. Remember, this document is a research ‘proposal' in preparation for an independent project at level 6, therefore, the final methodology at level 6 may change. What you must demonstrate for this assessment is an ability to correctly identify and propose established research methodologies appropriate to your topic area.
A full reference list, using the standard University referencing format.

Part 2: Ethics Application Form (10% weighting)

In addition to the research proposal, you must also complete a draft ethics application, in preparation for the ethical process that you must go through at level 6. The process of gaining ethical approval is complex and time-consuming, and you cannot conduct an independent research project without ethical approval. Therefore, the more familiar you become with the specific requirements of an ethics document at level 5, the lower the likelihood of issues arising at level 6, when you formally submit to the Ethics Committee.

The draft ethics application must include:
A full draft ethics document; including relevant risk assessments, SOPs and appendices.
The ethics application and accompanying documentation do not contribute towards the research proposal word count.