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SPRT3172: Dissertation

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Type Open
Level 3
Credits 40
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Sport and Exercise Sciences

Prerequisites

  • Contemporary Research in Sport and Exercise Sciences (SPRT2432)

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To give students the opportunity to undertake an extended piece of research in a specialist area of exercise sciences.

Content

  • A dissertation on a topic within a specialist area of sport and exercise sciences, identified by the student and approved on behalf of the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies and the Board of Examiners.
  • A log book to document and reflect on research conduct.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Having completed the dissertation, students will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an ability to formulate informed questions relating to their chosen area of research;
  • Display a critical understanding of appropriate methodological and theoretical concepts relevant to their chosen area of research;
  • Demonstrate an ability to communicate research in written form, in a style appropriate to their chosen method and specialist area.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Having completed the dissertation students will be able to demonstrate a capacity to:
  • Plan and devise a research project to investigating defined question(s);
  • Survey and appraise literature relevant to the aims and objectives of the research project;
  • Demonstrate theoretical and methodological expertise in response to addressing the aims and objectives of the research project;

Key Skills:

  • Having completed the dissertation, students will be able to demonstrate a capacity to:
  • Conduct a piece of independent research in a scholarly manner.
  • Evaluate arguments and evidence;
  • Analyse data;
  • Communicate research findings and their implications effectively and commensurate with the style of their chosen specialist area;
  • Demonstrate high standards in research conduct.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The module encourages independent planning and management of learning, culminating in production of a dissertation within a selected specialist area of sport or exercise sciences;
  • Students are offered four hours of general dissertation workshops to recap key themes;
  • Individual and / or small group (where appropriate) supervision, for up to a total of 4 hours, occurs with an allocated supervisor;
  • Assessment is based upon a 6000 to 8000 word dissertation; This word-count band reflects variations in research reporting styles across different disciplines and methods represented within the field of sport and exercises sciences.
  • Research conduct will be assessed with reference to a student-submitted log book documenting and reflecting on their research conduct.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Workshops32 in Term 1; 1 in Term 22 x 1 hr and 1 x 2 hr4Yes
Tutorial sessions with allocated dissertation supervisorTo be determinedBy arrangement with supervisorTo be determined4Yes
Preparation and Reading392 
Total400 

Summative Assessment

Component: DissertationComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Dissertation 6,000 - 8,000 words90 
Research conductLog book (word count N/A), 750 word critical reflection piece as Appendix10 

Formative Assessment

Optional submission of one chapter.

More information

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