Advertising/Marketing/PR Dissertation
MODULE CODE
CREDIT VALUE
Module Aims
Aim 1
This module enables students to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the research process, build research skills, and develop the capacity to apply qualitative and quantitative research methods and analyse results. The module will help students to understand and apply methods, evaluate existing research, and prepare them to undertake research for the report.It enables students to further develop their discipline-based knowledge and skills by undertaking research on a topic or issue relevant to their programme of study. The module provides students with the opportunity to plan and manage their own piece of research, integrating and applying knowledge from their programme of study. It enables them to demonstrate via an extended piece of written work their ability to collect, analyse and evaluate information and data and present findings
Module Content
The indicative syllabus includes:
• Role uses of theory, models and hypotheses in research.
• Research assumptions.
• Research ethics
• Searching and reviewing previous literature, information and source material
• Generating ideas for a research topic
• Developing a research proposal for dissertations and reports
• Developing research aims and objectives
• Research approaches: qualitative research; qualitative research; mixed methods.
• Research design strategies
• Data collection methods
• Sampling
• Negotiating access
• Analysing qualitative data
• Analysing quantitative data
• Validity, reliability and data veracity
• Drawing conclusions/ making recommendations
• Weekly, timetabled dissertation workshops covering the report process and stages.
• Working with an allocated dissertation supervisor to identify a live issue or business challenge deemed appropriate to the programme of study on which the student is registered.
• Identifying and undertaking a critical and analytical review of literature relevant to the topic or issue.
• Developing and defining the aim(s) and objectives of the research.
• Determining the research strategy to be adopted and identifying and developing the appropriate research methods to use to undertake the research.
• Consideration of ethical issues.
• Undertaking the research fieldwork or data collection.
• Analysing & synthesising the information/ data collected and formulating conclusions.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, a student will be able to:
Teaching Methods
At the start of the module a mix of formal taught input and practical exercises will be organised around block delivered interactive workshop sessions. There will be some formal input during which key concepts are introduced. Students will also be given exercises to complete to develop their practical research skills. This will include interviewing skills, using research software for collecting and analysing data, developing and conducting surveys, selecting and using sampling techniques, and understanding the ethical challenges that researchers can face. They will also be given the opportunity to evaluate existing research and to engage in discussion and debate about how research is planned and carried out, how choices are made by researchers, the use to which research is put and the challenges involved in conducting research.
For the remainder of the module students are supported in their research question by workshops and dissertation supervision.
Workshops
The workshops are designed to support the processes that students will be engaged in. Consequently semester 1 looks at students’ own learning styles and their interaction with their dissertation supervisor and the first stages of the dissertation process. In semester 2 the taught workshops shadow the final stages of the dissertation process right up to editing and submission.
The learning and teaching strategy offers students the opportunity to compare examples of samples of work and to use the assessment criteria to discriminate between good and poor practice.
Within the workshops students also get the opportunity to discuss challenges with their peers.
Dissertation Supervision
Students will also be expected to meet with their allocated supervisor and refine their research proposal and agree a schedule of meetings for the coming year.
The module will be supported by online material and students will be expected to use these resources regularly to reinforce workshop-based learning. The first assignment is a research proposal for their management report. Students review previous subject-specific research and use the knowledge they acquire from this exercise and from the module content to devise a research proposal. The second assignment comprises of a dissertation report.
Graduate Skills and Attributes: written and oral communication; planning and time management; decision making; data collection and analysis; evaluation; numeracy; research skills; problem solving; critical analysis and judgement; creativity and innovation; setting goals and action planning; adaptability/flexibility; research skills; synthesizing complex information; communication skills; evaluating information; numeracy; commercial awareness.
Assessment Methods
This module is assessed through a research proposal (20%) and a management report (80%).
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Compulsory
