Overview

Topics vary depending on individual students choices and degree programme. They relate to a wide array of issues in linguistics but must be relevant to the degree programme that the student is registered on. Topics will include, but not be confined to, research in Cognitive Linguistics, Bilingualism, Language Acquisition, Language Development, and Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Most topics will involve the collection and analyse of data, but the possibility of utilising exiting data or doing an extended literature review is not precluded if relevant to the topic and agreed with the supervisor. The School makes every effort to supervise the topic of the students' choice, however, on the rare occasions that the School does not have the capacity to supervise a topic, students will be advised to choose a new topic.

The only summative assessment for the module is the dissertation itself, however, variou tasks and exercises are included in the module to aid students in developing their skills to masters level before writing up the dissertation.

Only students wishing to collect data involving children or vulnerable adults will need a DBS check (see below).

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -C (50%): The student can demonstrate a minimum level of understanding of the area they have chosen to research; and has achieved the minimum acceptable standard of understanding and/or knowledge in all the LOs. The answer must show evidence of some background study of sources. The answer must be relevant to the research topic chosen. -good -B: Data and/or review of literature must be collected, organized, and analysed with care, and be free from misunderstanding and errors of content, and is free from irrelevant material and an appreciation must be shown of some of the problems involved with collecting data and/or preparing a review of literature.The answer must show a better-than-average standard of knowledge and understanding. The answer must show evidence of background of primary sources. Assertions must be supported by reference to a theory and/or empirical research. The answer must show evidence of analytical thinking.The answer must have a coherent structure that is adhered to in the most part; relationships between successive parts must be generally easy to follow. Students will have achieved an above average understanding and/or knowledge in all LOs. -excellent -A: The student has revealed a thorough understanding of the area they have chosen to research, both in terms of content and theory - Data and/or review of literature must be evaluated critically in a logical manner; is able to apply concepts clearly and accurately; display evidence of critical thought; clear, logical argument; and display communicative competence, free from irrelevant material and errors of spelling and punctuation. The research must have an originality of exposition and understanding; the author’s own thinking should be readily apparent. The research must show a clear line structure in which each successive stage is explicitly linked and the reader is explicitly told why these parts are relevant to the study. The research must show clear evidence of extensive reading of primary sources. Students will have achieved a thorough/excellent understanding and/or knowledge in all LOs.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to engage in a sustained piece of individual, academic research on a chosen topic to an advanced standard.

• Students will be able to evidence a sophisticated consideration of varying methodological approaches and to adopt the necessary approaches suitable to the topic being researched

• Students will be able to evidence a sophisticated understanding of ethical constraints on research collection and reports.

• Students will be able to evidence critical reading to an advanced standard that reflects on a number of pieces of written research in an appropriate and thorough manner.

• Students will be able to formulate a sophisticated practical research project of significant scope of their own.

• Students will be able to identify and utilise a relevant body of evidence to an advanced standard.

• Students will be able to produce a sustained and sophisticated argument in extended written form.