MD3B2-30 Dissertation project
Introductory description
The module offers students the opportunity to work independently, under limited supervision, on an area of health and medical science of their choice. Students will learn to take responsibility for the direction and management of a research project through to completion and submission. There is no specific syllabus for this module. The topic of the dissertation will depend on the mutual interests of the student and the student's chosen supervisor.
During this module, students will gain hands-on experience of formulating appropriate research questions, planning and undertaking a project, analysing data, peer review and writing their project in form of a paper. The paper will be in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal and will demonstrate knowledge and appraisal of a wide range of relevant literature and show that this has been applied to the design, execution and reporting of the project. There will be online material on key skills relevant to dissertation planning and oral presentation.
Module aims
This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of a topic area of
interest and obtain practical experience of the process and skills required to undertake an extended supervised research project.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The module offers students the opportunity to work independently, under limited supervision, on an area
of health and medical science of their choice. They will learn to take responsibility for the direction and
management of a research project through to completion and submission. There is no specific syllabus for
this module. The topic of the dissertation will depend on the mutual interests of the student and the
student's chosen supervisor. During this module the students will gain hands on experience of formulating
appropriate research questions, planning and undertaking a project, analysing data, peer review and
writing their project in form of a paper. The paper will be in a format suitable for publication in a peer
reviewed academic journal and will demonstrate knowledge and appraisal of a wide range of relevant
literature and show that this has been applied to the design, execution and reporting of the project. There
will be online material on key skills relevant to dissertation planning and oral presentation
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- To work independently to plan, manage and complete a cohesive project
- To develop practical and cognitive skills of analysis and synthesis in the context of investigation within the field of health, biomedical and medical sciences
- To evaluate and communicate complex project information using written and oral formats
- To critically appraise own findings and their relevance within the project scope
- To demonstrate responsible research behaviour
- To become immersed in complex disciplinary language, engage with interdisciplinary approaches and identify professional limit
Indicative reading list
Each project will focus on a different research question. Therefore, the bibliography will depend on the
topic and nature of the research project and will be guided by the allocated supervisor. The bibliography
below is to help students to organise and write their project dissertation.
- Ecker and Skelly (2010) Conducting a winning literature search. Evid Based Spine Care J. 1(1):9-14.
- Joyner R.L., Rouse W.A. and Glatthorn, A.A. (2013) Writing the winning thesis or dissertation: a
step-by-step guide. 4th edition. Corwin Press. - Rudestam K.E. (2007) Surviving your dissertation: a comprehensive guide to content and process.
3
rd edition. SAGE Publications, Inc. - Ballenger B.P. (2007) The curious researcher: a guide to writing research papers. 5th edition. New
York: Pearson Longman. - University of Warwick Undergraduate Skills Programme Workshops:
https://warwick.ac.uk/services/skills/events/ugworkshops/
Research element
To develop practical and cognitive skills of analysis and synthesis in the context of investigation within the fields of health, biomedical and medical sciences
Subject specific skills
Developed practical and cognitive skills of analysis and synthesis in the context of investigation within the fields of health, biomedical and medical sciences.
To become immersed in complex disciplinary language, engage with interdisciplinary approaches and identify professional limits.
Transferable skills
The transferable skills gained from the completion of this module include, ability to gather and interpret information, ability to analyze data, oral communication skills, ability to make decisions and solve problems, written communication skills, ability to learn quickly, ability to manage a project, and creativity/innovative thinking.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 5 sessions of 1 hour (2%) |
| Tutorials | 6 sessions of 30 minutes (1%) |
| Project supervision | 10 sessions of 1 hour (3%) |
| Private study | 192 hours (64%) |
| Assessment | 90 hours (30%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
Students would be expected to engage in 192 hours of self-directed learning (90 hours for assessments) outside other learning and teaching activities outlined above.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation thesis produced to journal article format | 70% | 63 hours | Yes (extension) |
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| Poster presentation and defending the project | 30% | 27 hours | No |
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Feedback on assessment
The poster and report will be marked using standardised rubrics. Feedback to the students (including individualised feedback) in line with WMS assessment criteria will be given to the students. Further verbal feedback will be available to students on request.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 3 of UMDA-B990 Undergraduate Health and Medical Sciences
- Year 3 of UMDA-B992 Undergraduate Health and Medical Sciences (with Summer Term Study Abroad)