PLMRDN: Research and Dissertation

Module code: PLMRDN

Module provider: Clinical Language Sciences; Sch of Psych and CLS

Credits: 60

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Christos Pliatsikas, email: c.pliatsikas@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: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to develop high-level skills in critical evaluation and understanding of current research issues and methodologies within the field of Language Sciences. Moreover, this module aims to provide the students with an understanding and working knowledge of research methods, design, and statistical analysis and to help them apply this knowledge to the design, planning and implementation, administration and writing up of an independent research project (the dissertation) in a chosen area of Language Sciences or a related discipline. Students design the project with support from an assigned dissertation supervisor, and complete data collection and analysis. The outcome of the research project is written up as the student’s dissertation of 10-12,000 words. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate knowledge on how to design an independent research project, including critical evaluation of the relevant research literature, formulating hypotheses and research questions, choosing the appropriate methods and software for data analysis and reporting, and discussing the strengths and limitations of their work. 
2. Gain a broader understanding of the role of research in clinical practice and will be given insight into the area of ethics surrounding the research process, through the preparation of an ethics application 
3. Become critical consumers of the research literature, and demonstrate awareness of the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process and the theoretical and clinical implications of their research  
4. Develop their bibliographic and IT skills by writing up their dissertation and will have the opportunity to develop their academic writing skills and their record keeping skills 
5. Gain understanding of clinical audit and service evaluation, including methodology, governance and application to service delivery. 

Module content

The course focuses on two related areas. 

• One part of teaching focuses on developing knowledge of statistics and the application of this knowledge to the analysis of experimental data. Topics covered include data description and summary, probability & distributions, testing hypotheses, and inferential statistics (parametric and non-parametric). Instruction is provided in the use of statistical analysis software and students are given the opportunity for practical hands-on experience. 

• The other part covers broader issues surrounding research methods and design. The role of research in clinical practice is explored. Basic research methods and designs are reviewed and consideration is given to their applications across different contexts. The strengths and weaknesses of group studies versus single case experimental designs are explored. Data collection, organisation and analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, are explored. Ethical issues in planning and conducting a research project are discussed. The entire research process from the development of a topic to writing the report is explored. Emphasis is also placed on the critical reading and evaluation of research in the literature. 

Students are required to submit 5 choices for a dissertation supervisor. Allocations are then made, and students are then given support from their assigned supervisor to develop the research proposal and ethics coursework. It is the student’s responsibility to do necessary background research and information gathering for their proposed project, with the supervisor playing a supporting role. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

• Lectures and practical classes for research methods and statistics 
• Individual supervision with the assigned project supervisor. 

Study hours

At least 42 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.

Online quizzes on Blackboard to back up statistics lectures and lab classes.  

Short report / short answer questions summarising and critiquing selected journal articles and readings, reviewed at the beginning of the lecture on the following week. 

Students submit a draft of their dissertation up to a month before submission and receive structured feedback from their supervisor 

Reassessment

Additional costs