MDD2RCI1: Completing your Research - Contribution and Impact

Module code: MDD2RCI1

Module provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour; Henley Business School

Credits: 0

Level: Doctoral level

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Jane McKenzie, email: jane.mckenzie@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students:

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module examines the process of finalising your doctoral research, demonstrating and communicating its contribution to both a domain of academic interest and to practice, and preparing for the viva. It considers what is involved in writing an impact statement.

The module aims to:

• Enhance the necessary critical thinking and synthesis skills to communicate doctoral research in both written and oral format 

• Offer guidance on what constitutes a contribution to knowledge that would be judged as worthy of a doctorate, and how to communicate that effectively

• Explore the structure of different types of thesis and they styles of written work in different research traditions, and judge how each part of the thesis supports the contribution to knowledge

• Show the important elements which are included in a convincing discussion chapter

• Judge the differential impact of alternative strategies for communicating research to academic and practitioner audiences

• Explain the purpose, value and potential format of an impact statement.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module it is expected that programme members will be able to demonstrate their ability to:

1. Critique the coherence of a complete piece of doctoral research in their domain of interest by 

•  Assessing the balance of reporting and critique and the extent to which it advances knowledge effectively
•  Reviewing the adequacy, trustworthiness and creativity of the research methodology in the light of the literature and research question
•  Discussing the strengths and limitations of the research relative to existing theory(ies) in their domain of interest
•  Evaluating the suitability and delivery of the overall structure of the written work and the communication of the findings

2. Explain succinctly and convincingly how their own research will contribute to theory and practice.

Module content

The module teaching is structured around two (two-day) workshops held in Year 2/3.

Key topics include:

• Genres of written communication

• Analytic and Synthetic thinking skills

• Key elements that demonstrate the research contribution 

• The nature and value of impact statements

• The structure and style of the two alternative types of thesis (monograph or three paper)

• Writing compelling arguments 

• What examiners will be looking for, when reviewing your thesis

• Planning the writing process and developing summary statements of content 

• Preparing for the oral examination process (viva voce).

The process of completing the required written work are designed to help  the programme member to practice the skills of synthesis and effective academic written communication.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching will involve a combination of lectures, group seminars, practical experiential learning and individual activities in the form of guided self-study. Pre-workshop briefings will give guidance as to the preparatory readings and exercises required to get the best from the teaching.

The workshop will be presented in hybrid format to allow for programme members studying at a distance.  However, they are encouraged to attend in person and extend their stay in order to devote concentrated time to writing-up their work and meeting with supervisors.

The contact hours are shown by semester in the table below for illustrative purposes only. The actual timing will vary depending on your cohort start date.

Study hours

At least 15 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

The work needs to satisfy the criteria specified in the assignment brief  - marked as pass (100)/revise (0).

Programme members need to pass BOTH assessment elements to pass the module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

This module is subject to the Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes policy, which can be found at:

https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties to work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar month 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; 
• where the piece of work is submitted more than one calendar month after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

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