Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

60.000 Credits or 30.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 3

Organiser: Dr Eben Muse

This dissertation module provides you with an opportunity to carry out a sustained critical or practice-based research project with the support of an individual supervisor within the context of an industrial partner's brief. You will be expected to provide the company partner yourself, (rather than be assigned one by the school). The company brief may include empirical research and/or practical application of expertise that you have developed. Any practical application will be expected to have an innovative aspect that you may investigate either through practice or in preparation for the work. The results of the project should be a report and any deliverable that will be provided to the business partner as well as being submitted for assessment. A supervisor will be identified based on the brief’s topic. You will meet with the supervisor on a regular basis during the semester.

You must identify a suitable partner and obtain a brief from them before the start of the module. You will provide a proposed response to the company brief early in the semester. This brief must be approved by the company partner. If it is not, you may continue the research independently but will need to transfer to a more relevant dissertation module. You will work independently to respond to the brief as outlined in your proposal, supported by a dissertation supervisor who will provide guidance and advice. At the end of the semester you will submit a project report and any deliverables to the company partner as well as for assessment.

threshold

50-59% A Pass (C) candidate’s work will show many of the following qualities: • A satisfactory level of knowledge, analysis and expression. • Some familiarity with, and understanding of, relevant theoretical issues. • Generally sound organisation of argument, with some critical ability. • Accurate expression. • Competent use of quotation and references.

good

60-69% A candidate’s work reaching Merit will show many of the following qualities: • An advanced level of factual knowledge. • Significant [substantial] knowledge of relevant theories and types of analysis. • Some evidence of original thought. • The ability to organise and argue effectively, make balanced judgements, and demonstrate critical thought. • Fluent and accurate expression. • Competent use of quotation and references.

excellent

70% and above Typically, the work of a candidate reaching Distinction will show many of the following qualities: • Thorough knowledge and understanding of relevant theories and types of analysis. • Thorough knowledge of a range of sources and the capacity to engage these critically. • Introduction and discussion of original ideas. • Relevant, well-organised and sophisticated argument. • High ratio of analysis to exposition. • Maturity, clarity and cogency of expression. • Excellent handling of quotation and references.

1. Recognise and apply disciplinary understanding and subject knowledge to business and organisational issues and priorities

2. Work independently to design and implement an effective, evidenced-based response to a brief.

3. Apply a range of research skills and methodologies appropriate publishing and related industries.

4. Embed a substantial piece of academic or practice-based research within an appropriate set of cultural, social, institutional, economic and/or critical frameworks.

Type	Name	Description	Weight
WRITTEN PLAN	Proposed response to brief	The initial response will provide an analysis of the brief’s requirements and contexts, including a brief review of relevant literature. It will define the deliverable to be provided in response to the brief, as well as outlining the proposed methodology. Any intellectual property rights issues will also be addressed.	20.00
REPORT	Project report and deliverable	The deliverables as agreed in the initial proposal may be a research report or a product deliverable plus written exegesis.	80.00

		Hours
Tutorial	Weekly tutorials for 12 weeks, one-on-one or in a group, the exact timing to be agreed between tutor and student. Electronic communication may be substituted for meetings, if both parties find this more convenient.	12
Individual Project	Working indpendently to brief provided by publishing business or organisation	588

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
• Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

• Extract and synthesise key information from written and/or spoken sources in English / Welsh and/or the target language. (Benchmark statement 5.14)
• The ability to organise and present ideas within the framework of a structured and reasoned argument in written and/or oral assignments and class discussions. (Benchmark statement 5.14)
• Competence in the planning and execution of essays, presentations and other written and project work; bibliographic skills, including the accurate citation of sources and consistent use of conventions and appropriate style in the presentation of scholarly work. (Benchmark statement 5.10, 5.14, 5.15)
• The ability to gather information, analyse, interpret and discuss different viewpoints and to place these in a wider socio-cultural and/or geo-historical and political and/or socio-linguistic context and to revise and re-evaluate judgements in light of those of the course leader, certain individuals or groups studied and/or fellow students. (Benchmark statement 5.13, 5.15 and 5.16)
• The ability to write and think under pressure and meet deadlines. (Benchmark statement 5.15)
• The ability to work creatively and flexibly both independently and/or as part of a team. (Benchmark statement 5.15).
• The ability and willingness to engage with and appreciate other cultures and to articulate to others (in written and verbal form) the contribution that the culture has made at a regional and global level. (Benchmark statement 5.7)
• The ability to comprehend, critically engage with and apply relevant theoretical concepts to materials being studied. (Benchmark statement 5.10)
• The ability to engage in analytical, evaluative and original thinking. (Benchmark statement 5.14)
• The ability to organise and present ideas and arguments in presentations, classroom discussions and debates. (Benchmark statement 5.14, 5.16)
• The ability to develop and manage an independent research project in English/Welsh. (Benchmark statement 5.10, 5.15, 5.16)

Resource implications for students

No additional resources are required.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/qxe-4095.html

Reading list

Core texts

Meese, J. (2018). Authors, Users, and Pirates: Copyright Law and Subjectivity. MIT Press.

Butcher, J., Drake, C., Leach, M. (2006). Butcher’s copy-editing: the Cambridge handbook for editors, copy-editors and proof-readers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ginna, P. (Ed.). (2017). What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Hall, F. (2013). The Business of Digital Publishing: An Introduction to the Digital Book and Journal Industries. London ; New York: Routledge.

Smith, K., & Bold, M. R. (2018). The Publishing Business: A Guide to Starting Out and Getting On (2nd Revised edition edition). London ; New York: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Compulsory in courses:

• Q3RS: MA Publishing and Book Culture year 1 (MA/PBC)