TGMDIS: Dissertation

Module code: TGMDIS

Module provider: Typography; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 100

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Professor Gerry Leonidas, email: g.leonidas@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Fiona Ross, email: f.g.e.ross@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: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module develops students' abilities to plan, research, and write up a major research-based output.  

It combines tutorials and workshops on fundamental skills with substantial self-directed elements, to enable students to identify appropriate topics, formulate research questions, develop and apply the appropriate methodology, and produce a scholarly piece of work that engages critically with a subject relating to typography and graphic communication, or typeface design.  

The module places particular emphasis on locating and analysing primary sources, and applying appropriate analytical methods to material evidence and digital artefacts.     

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Write clearly, and present illustrated written work to a satisfactory standard. 
2. Evidence independent judgement through research, academic writing and the organisation of supporting material. 
3. Draw on broad historical, theoretical and technical perspectives in specified areas of Typography & Graphic Communication, or Typeface Design. 
4. Identify and explain the main currents of thought, and engage critically with current discourse, policy, research and practice in Typography & Graphic Communication, or Typeface Design. 
5. Locate, critically review and evaluate published literature and primary sources relating to a specific research topic.  
6. Use illustrations to explain and reinforce an argument in written work. 

Module content

In Semester 1 (Semester 3 for PPTZTYPDESDS) preliminary teaching sessions will provide students with guidance on:

• identifying the characteristics of good dissertations
• searching effectively for published and unpublished sources of information and exploring relevant contacts
• efficient methods for note-taking and recording bibliographical details
• literature reviews and bibliographic referencing
• drafting, presenting, revising and finalising a topic proposal
• choice of appropriate methods of enquiry (working with primary source materials, conducting interviews, and engaging in empirical studies)
• describing and analysing primary archival material or digital artefacts
• writing and presenting the dissertation

In Semester 2 (Semester 4 for PPTZTYPDESDS), students choose their dissertation topic in consultation with teaching staff and they submit a topic proposal.

Once the topic proposals have been agreed by the Programme Director, work on developing dissertations will be mainly self-directed, though supported by tutorials with individually assigned dissertation supervisors. Students will be expected to agree a work plan with their assigned supervisor and show the development of their writing in drafts for discussion at pre-arranged supervision tutorials across Semester 2 (4) and over the Summer.

The module approaches the development of academic writing skills with recognition of the diversity of training and education in this area globally. It therefore places particular emphasis on developing in students an understanding of the Department’s approach to academic writing at Masters level, and introducing concepts of research at higher degree level.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Although work will be mainly in the form of self-directed independent study, the module begins, in Semester 1 (Semester 3 for PPTZTYPDESDS), with a series of teaching seminars and workshops on key research and writing skills. As part of this process, students prepare draft outlines and proposals for their selected topic, on which they receive staff feedback. In Semester 2, the topic proposals are approved and these provide the basis for tutorial meetings with the students’ assigned supervisors. Supervisors will use the tutorials to monitor students' progress. Over Semester 2 (Semester 4 for PPTZTYPDESDS) and the Summer, contact hours between students and supervisors will be determined by a process of discussion and agreement between student and supervisor. 

Study hours

At least 21 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.

Students take part in seminars and workshops that provide an opportunity for feedback on their draft proposals. Once supervisors are assigned, students receive feedback on interim work at mutually arranged points leading up to the submission of the final work. 

Reassessment

Additional costs