ILMAEDN: Dissertation Writing for Economics (Postgraduate)

Module code: ILMAEDN

Module provider: International Study and Language Institute

Credits: 0

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr Daniel Devane, email: d.devane@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: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This non-credit bearing module focuses on the academic language and writing skills needed to write a postgraduate dissertation in Economics. It is primarily designed for Economics students whose first language is not English and who are studying Data and Decision Analysis (in Nanjing) [MSc], both at a distance in the Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST) and at the University of Reading. The module aims to support the transition to the UK HE context and academic culture by enhancing their academic skills and English self-confidence. This developmental enhancement has been designed to be transferrable to their credit-bearing Level 7 dissertation work, and thus help facilitate the students' assessment task and overall performance in their postgraduate Economics studies.  

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Distinguish between what is expected, structurally and linguistically, in the different elements of a dissertation, i.e., Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Method,Results, Discussion and Conclusion.
2. Recognise and respond to expectations concerning the dissertation research and writing process, with a specific focus on originality and academic integrity.
3. Use appropriate techniques to incorporate, synthesise, and comment on the views of others in a dissertation text.
4. Write a clear, focused, and effective postgraduate Economics dissertation text.

Module content

Classes will focus on the following aspects of dissertation writing: 

• Introduction: establishing the relevance of your research focus, identifying your research niche, and outlining the purpose and structure of your dissertation. 
• Literature Review: comparing/contrasting and synthesising the ideas of other scholars; establishing your own stance within an ongoing academic debate; integral and non-integral citation – conventions and use; verb tense and sentence grammar for reporting sources. 
• Methods: explaining and justifying methodological choices and describing research tools and processes; the passive voice and sequencing devices for describing procedures. 
• Results: describing and analysing research findings. 
• Discussion: interpreting and evaluating results and engaging with the wider scholarly debates related to your research project; modality and ‘boosting’ and ‘hedging’ language for strengthening or weakening claims. 
• Conclusion: identifying key research outcomes, and talking about implications, limitations, and potential future research. 
• Abstract: succinctly and accurately summarising the key points of your dissertation text. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will adopt an overall ‘genre’ approach, taking the social purpose of texts as the starting point to explicate organisation/structure and key discourse and language features.  

It takes a discipline-specific approach to language and literacy development using example student Economics texts and published Economics-specific sources in classroom tasks.  

Teaching and learning is facilitated in a generally task-based approach, through a combination of reflective and productive activities, guided analysis of texts and peer and tutor feedback. The guided analysis of texts involves 'noticing' of key organisational and linguistic features in context and exercises to practise the use of relevant language. 

Interactive tasks are regularly included and are appropriately scaffolded to build students’ confidence in participating in discussion. The in-person delivery of the module will be supported by digital tools in the classroom where appropriate (e.g. short interactive learning tasks and/or quizzes). 

Study hours

At least 0 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

There is no assessment on this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

There is no assessment on this module.

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.

Sessions will take a task-based approach, enabling students to receive feedback from the instructor and from other students during class discussions. 

Reassessment

Additional costs