AD3DIS: Dissertation (BSc International Development, and BSc Joint Hons with International Development)

Module code: AD3DIS

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 40

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2 / Summer / Semester 1 / Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Henny Osbahr, email: h.osbahr@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will help you to develop your research skills. Through your dissertation project you will develop a detailed understanding of a specific subject area of your choice. In the delivery and presentation of your dissertation, you will have the opportunity to produce and showcase an extended piece of work covering core thinking and practice in international development, and reflecting the skills that you have learned throughout the course of your studies. Students will develop skills of independent study and research as well as of problem solving and written communication. The module aims to improve the following research skills:  

1. To be able to identify a suitable research topic, with clear aims and hypotheses;  
2. To be able to plan and conduct research, gather relevant and appropriate data; 
3. To be able to critically review and synthesise information, analysing and discussing the results;  
4. To be able to use IT and, where relevant, statistical skills developed earlier in your programme in the delivery and presentation of the dissertation. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Manage a project from conception to completion including identifying an appropriate topic, following instructions including and editing/formatting details and managing the process within the required timeframe.   
2. Critically evaluate literature from a range of relevant sources and use this to develop research questions and hypotheses for the project.  
3. Identify, appraise and select appropriate research methods, using qualitative and/or quantitative methods to collect data where relevant and critically analyse the results/outcome, using statistical tests where appropriate.  
4. Present and discuss the outcome of the project in the form of a written dissertation, using appropriate use of IT and acknowledging sources using the Harvard referencing system 

Module 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. Part 2 students identify broad topics of interest and work on a Research Plan with an allocated supervisor through their spring and summer semester. At this stage, it is suggested that a topic is agreed upon, a title chosen and a plan drawn up, as well as an initial scoping of literature conducted.  

Further preparatory information directly related to the dissertation is then given in a series of support session in the autumn semester in the final year. At the same time, students continue to work with their supervisor through their final autumn and spring semesters to develop their written dissertation. it is suggested that the literature review is carried out, research is carried out, chapters constructed, with a discussion and conclusion added. A draft version of chapters should be produced, which can be read once by the supervisor for feedback, and the student must then complete the dissertation on their own. In the spring semester of the final year, a poster of the research is prepared by the student to communicate a summary of their topic and findings.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

It is expected that a dissertation will take 400 hours of student effort. In the spring semester of Part 2, students will be expected to start work on their dissertation with an allocated supervisor. As part of this there will an introductory timetabled seminar, offering guidance on starting the Research Plan and literature searching. In the summer term, Part 2 students are expected to submit a Research Plan, which is a justification of their research topic, including a brief review of relevant literature, their planned approach to the research, and the research questions of the proposed study. Students are expected to meet with their supervisors on at least two occasions in each semester during their final year to develop their dissertation document. Students will otherwise work under their own initiative. They are supported with a series of timetabled sessions in the autumn semester of their final year. At the end of the spring semester final year students are expected to produce a summary poster on their research topic. The poster should include the aim/objectives of their research and/or research questions, their research hypothesis/hypotheses, the framing ideas/literature summary, the methods used and initial insights associated with their study. The final dissertation is submitted online in the early summer.  

Students will be introduced to the dissertation in the summer semester of Part 2. 

Study hours

At least 10 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Feedback from supervisors on written work, which can be incorporated into final documents. 
• Poster presentation to peers and staff with feedback, which can be incorporated into final poster submission.  

Reassessment

Additional costs