Introductory description

N/A.

Module aims

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.

All students must take the non-credit-bearing module Introduction to Research Methods in Term 1. This module introduces students to the basic issues and procedures of literary research, including the writing process, how to construct a bibliography, finding both print and electronic resources, and writing research proposals.
As part of the Introduction to Research Methods course students will take part in a dissertation proposal writing workshop. This will help them to think about how to frame their proposals. Students will be encouraged to look at the areas of expertise covered by staff and to use staff office hours to discuss ideas with relevant specialists and potential supervisors before finalizing their proposals. MA in Literary Translation Studies must also take part in an additional, subject-specific dissertation proposal writing workshop.
Dissertation proposals — of 500-words in length — must be submitted to the relevant MA convenor by the end of Week 9 of Term 1. The convenor will ensure that each proposed project:

• is intellectually viable;
• is achievable within the stipulated time and word limits;
• is feasible given the resources;
• falls within the expertise of members of academic staff who are available to supervise it. Projects falling short of one or more of these criteria will be discussed with the student and reformulated. The convenor will then be responsible for assigning each project to a supervisor. Students will be assigned a supervisor by the end of Week 1 of Term 2, and advised to begin work on their dissertation research immediately.
  In Term 2 each student should have two meetings with their supervisor: the first will be an introductory meeting and the second should take place before the dissertation progress report is due.
  The Dissertation Progress Report includes the following:
• Dissertation Progress Report form
• title and chapter breakdown
• an abstract of 1000 words
• a bibliography
  This Dissertation Progress Report must be submitted to the Postgraduate Programmes Officer by the end of Week 9 of Term 2. The progress reports will be reviewed by the MA Convenor, who will contact the students in the event of any problems.
  During Term 3 each student should meet with their supervisor on three occasions (spread evenly across the term). The supervisor is permitted to read one rough draft of a dissertation, which must be sent to them by the end of Term 3.
  Students receive five supervisions for their MA dissertations, two in Term 2 and three in Term 3. Supervisions are generally around 45-60 minutes in length, but the initial two meetings may be shorter.
  Face-to-face supervision of dissertations concludes at the end of term 3. Over the summer months of July and August, email contact is at the supervisor's discretion.
  Dissertations are due in September. Dissertation calendar
  TERM 1
• Week 6: dissertation proposal writing workshop
• End of Week 9: proposal due
  TERM 2
• 2 meetings with supervisor
• End of Week 9: Dissertation Progress Report due
  TERM 3
• 3 meetings with supervisor
• End of Term 3: deadline for sending a draft to supervisor.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Plan and execute a research project in the field of literary studies or literary translation studies.
• Develop a specialised insight into their select topic.
• Engage analytically with key debates and major theoretical concepts in their chosen field of literary studies or literary translations studies.
• Demonstrate an understanding and awareness of research methodology, including any relevant ethical considerations.
• Locate, assess and critically analyse relevant sources of information.
• Organise, edit and present materials relating to a selected range of primary and secondary texts.
• Demonstrate writing and referencing skills appropriate to postgraduate level.

Indicative reading list

Biggam, John. Succeeding with your Master's Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Handbook. Berkshire: Open University Press, 2015.
Blair, Lorrie. Writing a Graduate Thesis or Dissertation. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2016. Bowers, Jennifer, and Peggy Keeran. Literary Research and the British Renaissance and Early
Modern Period: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press,
2010.
Christenberry, H. Faye, and Angela Courtney. Literary Research and the Literatures of Australia and New Zealand: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2011.
Christenberry, H. Faye, Angela Courtney, Liorah Golomb, and Melissa S. Van Vuuren. Literary Research and Postcolonial Literatures in English: Strategies and Sources. Scarecrow Press, 2012.
Courtney, Angela. Literary Research and the Era of American Nationalism and Romanticism: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2008.
Eliot, Simon, and W.R. Owens. A Handbook to Literary Research. London: Routledge, 1998.
Everett, Euris Larry, and Inger Furseth. Doing Your Master's Dissertation: From Start to Finish. London and Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2013.
Harner, James L. Literary Research Guide: An Annotated Listing of Reference Sources in English Literary Studies. Modern Language Association of America, 2008.
Keeran, Peggy, and Jennifer Bowers. Literary Research and the British Romantic Era: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2005.
Keeran, Peggy, and Jennifer Bowers. Literary Research and the British Eighteenth Century: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2013.
Kershaw, Baz, and Helen Nicholson, eds. Research Methods in Theatre and Performance. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010.
Lewis, Alison M. Literary Research and British Modernism: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2010.
Matthews, J. Greg. Literary Research and Irish Literature: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2009.
Matuozzi, Robert N., and Elizabeth B. Lindsay. Literary Research and American Modernism Era: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2008.
McCafferty, Bridgit, and Arianne Hartsell-Gundy. Literary Research and British Postmodernism: Strategies and Sources. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
Reznowski, Gabriella Natasha. Literary Research and Canadian Literature: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2011.
Saldanha, G., and O'Brien, S. Research Methodologies in Translation Studies. London: Routledge, 2014.
Stein, Linda L., and Peter J. Lehu. Literary Research and the American Realism and Naturalism
Period: Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2009. Van Vuuren, Melissa S. Literary Research and the Victorian and Edwardian Ages, 1830-1910:
Strategies and Sources. Lanham, Toronto and Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2011.
Williams, J., and Chesterman, A. The Map: A Beginner's Guide to Doing Research in Translation Studies. London: Routledge, 2014.
Witsell, Emily. Literary Research and American Postmodernism: Strategies and Sources. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.

Subject specific skills

Develop a specialised insight into their selected topic.

Transferable skills

Engage analytically with key debates and major theoretical concepts in their chosen field of literary studies or literary translation studies.
Demonstrate an understanding and awareness of research methodology, including any relevant ethical considerations.
Locate, assess and critically analyse relevant sources of information.
Organise, edit and present materials relating to a selected range of primary and secondary texts.
Demonstrate writing and referencing skills appropriate to postgraduate level.