ECM610: Dissertation

Module code: ECM610

Module provider: Economics; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 60

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Minyan Zhu, email: minyan.zhu@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: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 9 July 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to apply the concepts and methods covered in the other master’s modules in a coherent and informative fashion as it relates to investigating an economic problem. Students must demonstrate the ability to clearly define a research issue, develop an appropriate research design, properly structure a coherent research proposal, provide thorough and succinct analysis of the relevant theoretical and empirical literature, collect appropriate data if needed, provide a systematic, objective and carefully structured analysis of the information collected, draw relevant conclusions from the analysis and relating these to the existing literature, and demonstrate the originality of their research.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Identify and motivate a research question(s);
2. Critically evaluate the relevant literature;
3. Apply relevant theoretical frameworks for analysing their research question(s);
4. Motivate and apply appropriate research methods to address their chosen research question(s);
5. Analyse and synthesise their research findings.

Module content

Students will be required to, in consultation with their supervisor, produce an original dissertation that conforms to current economic standards. This will require students to produce an acceptable proposal of their ideas and subsequently to produce written work of sufficient quality to demonstrate their ability to apply their economic knowledge in a new and original manner to an appropriate economic topic or question.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will combine a taught component and independent research, which will be carried out with the support and guidance of a dissertation supervisor. The taught component will involve a series of short workshops which will provide students with the knowledge and tools required to carry out an independent research project. Once they start working on their individual research projects, students will be expected to consult with their dissertation supervisors over the course of the academic year. Students will be required to read a significant amount of journal articles, and to undertake research using the library, online and other sources.

Study hours

At least 12 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 50% 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.

Reassessment

Additional costs