Overview

The aim of this dissertation module is to conduct a small-scale, yet significant piece of individual research to an advanced level and write a 12-15,000 word dissertation +/- 10% on it. The topics will vary depending on individual students choices but must be relevant to the degree programme that the student is registered on. Topics will include, but not be confined to, research in Linguistics, Bilingualism, Language Acquisition, Language Development, Language Technology and Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Most topics will involve the collection and analysis 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. Each student is assigned a member of staff whose research interests best and/or most closely connects with the topic as a supervisor. The supervisor will assist the student to focus the scope, methodology and content of their dissertation, as well as giving advice throughout the project. Under the guidance of the supervisor, students will focus and fine tune their research question, survey relevant literature, plan the project, decide on a methodology, consider the need for ethical approval and act accordingly, collect and analyse data (depending on the nature of the research) utilizing an appropriate analytic framework, and write up the project to form the dissertation which will address the research question in light of the findings. The dissertation will be a substantial piece of written work, employing the usual conventions in linguistic literature.

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.

Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; dedicated lab facilities for experiments, a direct brain activity measurement (ERP) and eye tracking systems, a professional grade sound isolation booth and high-end recording equipment setup, high-level statistical modelling and analysis software, behavioural experiment software systems, acoustic and phonetic analysis software, clinically-recognised standardised psychometric and language tests and a wide range of concordance software and specialised corpora for many languages.

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 Linguistics, Bilingualism, Language Acquisition, Language Development, and Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Most topics will involve the collection and analysis 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.

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

Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; dedicated lab facilities for experiments, a direct brain activity measurement (ERP) and eye tracking systems, a professional grade sound isolation booth and high-end recording equipment setup, high-level statistical modelling and analysis software, behavioural experiment software systems, acoustic and phonetic analysis software, clinically-recognised standardised psychometric and language tests and a wide range of concordance software and specialised corpora for many languages.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -C (50% - 60%): The student demonstrates the minimum acceptable level of understanding of the area they have chosen to research and achieved the minimum acceptable standard in all the learning outcomes. The answer must show some evidence of background study of sources, knowledge of the methodology used, the ability to interpret data and draw conclusions, and be relevant to the research topic chosen. Errors of spelling, grammar and punctuation must be minimal, so that the dissertation can be easily understood. -good -B (60% -70%) : Data and/or review of literature must be collected, organized, and analysed with care, and be free from misunderstanding and errors of content, be free from irrelevant material, and have few errors of spelling, grammar and punctuation. 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 study of a variety of primary sources. Assertions must be supported by reference to a theory and/or empirical research. The answer must show evidence of analytical thinking and 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 learning outcomes. -excellent -A (70% +): The student has revealed a thorough understanding of the area being researched, both in terms of content and theory. Data and/or review of literature must be evaluated critically and in detail, in a logical manner. The study must show evidence of being able to apply complex concepts clearly and accurately and display evidence of critical thought, clear and logical argument, and display communicative competence, free from irrelevant material and errors of spelling, grammar 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 learning outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

• Appraise, compare and evaluate existing literature through reflection on a number of pieces of written research.

• Assemble a relevant and valid body of evidence to support a research conclusion.

• Assess the limitations of the study.

• Compose a sustained and sophisticated argument in extended written form, subject to rigorous standards and conforming to the conventions of presentation found in linguistics

• Critically appraise and deploy differing methodologies by adopting and adapting the necessary approaches suitable to the topic being researched.

• Evaluate ethical issues and constraints applicable to research design and apply them in the planning and execution of a research study.

• Formulate, design and conduct sustained individual academic research of significant scope to investigate an identified research question.

• Work individually and with a high level of autonomy and responsibility in planning and executing the research.