Dissertation (ALLT/ELT)

Module overview

The Masters dissertation gives you the opportunity to undertake an extended piece of independent research in Applied Linguistics or English Language Teaching, with guidance from a supervisor.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

relevant theoretical approaches applicable to your topic;
research design and techniques appropriate for your topic;
scholarly and policy debates relating to your topic.
the topic you have selected in your chosen field of study;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

design, implement and evaluate a small scale empirical research project in applied linguistics;
develop a sustained argument over an extended piece of work;
critically assess some previous work on your chosen subject;
demonstrate originality of thought and approach which moves beyond a simple synthesis of secondary materials.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

demonstrate specific, as well as general, research skills, such as information retrieval and library searches and the use of a range of empirical fieldwork techniques;
use information technology appropriately to support and present your research
compose under deadline conditions an extended piece of writing which is logically structured, coherently argued, and clearly written, supported by a detailed bibliography;

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

You learn primarily through research and independent study, accompanied by individual tutorials with your dissertation supervisor. In the early individual supervisions the scope of the project and design and methodology for investigation of the topic are agreed, and the structure of the finished dissertation is discussed. Later meetings require you to have prepared a section of the work and may focus on supervisor's feedback on draft sections of the dissertation. The tutorial supervision provides you with general and specific guidance and feedback on your theoretical framework, research design and fieldwork skills. In the written dissertation you will be expected to demonstrate the research skills and the intellectual ability required by the project.

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	588
Teaching	12
Total study time	600

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Brown, J D and Rodgers, T S (2002). Doing Second Language Research. Oxford University Press.

Bell, J (1999). Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers in education and social science. Open University Press.

Scholfield, P (1995). Quantifying Language. Multilingual Matters.

McDonough, J and McDonough, S (1997). Research Methods for English Language Teachers. Arnold.

Walliman, N (2001). Your Research Project: A step by step guide for the first-time researcher. SAGE Publications.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Assessments designed to provide informal, on-module feedback - feedback arising from oral presentations of work in progress - review of progress in regular individual supervisions - individual feedback on outline of dissertation and draft chapters.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Dissertation	100%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Dissertation	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Revised Dissertation	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External