Assessment Brief: Learning Outcomes and Criteria

Learning Outcomes Assessed:

LO1: Identify an appropriate research topic and formulate appropriate objectives

LO3: Produce a critical literature review and research methodology

LO4: Undertake primary research and critically appraise the results

LO5: Synthesise research findings and make informed judgements in the light of these

Assessment Brief:

This assessment satisfies the learning outcomes as specified in module guide.

Specific Assessment Criteria

85%+: Your dissertation will be of exceptional quality where you demonstrate exceptional knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of exceptional quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very high standard indeed.

70% - 84%: Your dissertation will be of excellent quality where you demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of excellent quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very high standard indeed.

60% - 69%: Your dissertation will be of very good quality where you demonstrate a very good knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject areaand excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of very good quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very good standard. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require some or limited development.

50 – 59%: Your dissertation will be of good quality where you demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and good research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of good quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a good standard. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require some development.

40% - 49%: Your dissertation will demonstrate a satisfactory awareness of academic models and concepts relating to academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and satisfactory research skills and abilities. There will be some omissions of expected content and the analysis of relevant models and concepts is likely to be cursory. There will probably be significant problems with any combination of the dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require extensive development.

Borderline Fail 35-40%: Your dissertation will demonstrate limited awareness of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and a deficit of research skills and abilities. You are likely to offer limited analysis of relevant models and concepts and there will probably be significant omissions of expected content. In addition, there will probably be very significant problems with any combination of the dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require very extensive development. Only the most obvious issues are addressed at a superficial level and in unchallenging terms.  

Fail ≤34%: Your dissertation will demonstrate a lack of basic knowledge of either theory or research practice for this level, with little or no evidence of understanding or research skills. Arguments are likely to be severely limited and the work will lack clarity with sparse conclusions.

Dissertation Presentation Guidelines

The following guidelines should be used in preparing your written document in order that all dissertations conform to a similar style and structure.

Technical Specification

· The dissertation should be typed on A4 white paper, be double spaced, and on one side of the paper only.

· All pages should be numbered at the centre of the bottom of the page.

· Photographs and other illustrative material should be scanned – adhesive tape etc. is unacceptable.

Binding

The dissertation may be bound using either:

· Plastic spiral spine;

· Staple and tape;

· Hardbound.

Length

The dissertation should be 8,000 words in length (excluding cover page, contents page, tables, figures, reference list and appendices).

Word Count. You are expected to revise and edit your dissertation to remain within +/- 10% of the allocated word limit for that piece of work. In order to ensure that word counts can easily be checked you should include:

A note of the word count, as performed by your word processing package, should be included in the dissertation. A deduction is made for all tables, figures, appendices and bibliography, which DO NOT count towards the overall word limit.

It is likely to be an exceptional piece of work that covers the dissertation requirements fully in much less than the set word count less 10%.