AC70051E: Dissertation | University of West London

Table of contents

• Key team contact details    
• Module content    
• Learning materials    
• Maintaining Academic Honesty and Integrity    
• Meeting Deadlines    
• Getting Support
• Preparing for your Assessment    
• Summative Assessments    
• Summative Assessment 1    
• Glossary and Acronyms    
• Appendix – Research ethics and integrity    
• Research ethics guidance for students    
• Easy steps to ethical approval    

Module Content

The dissertation is a 60 credits module. You need to obtain at least an overall mark of 50% to pass the module. A demanding module, it reinforces your independent learning skills by enabling you to explore your chosen topic theoretically and empirically. In some ways the dissertation is similar to other modules because it will assess your ability to produce an evidence-based discussion on a relevant finance/accounting topic. But the dissertation module also differs from other modules because it requires you to carry out your own independent research. It expects you to be independent and apply your learning throughout the course and further readings. Consequently, you will be assessed on what you know about your chosen topic and how it can be studied empirically, as well as how you analyse and present your findings of your research.

The aims of the module are:

• To undertake a substantial postgraduate, in-depth research project, and thereby to achieve the following aims: to recognise, organise, and address an issue(s) of an organisation(s), a sector(s) or a country(ies)
• To integrate and apply knowledge across different subjects and areas, particularly those that students have learned during the course
• To gain practical experience in selecting and using alternative research techniques
• To gain experience in handling and resolving practical problems of executing research methods
• To develop critical thinking, analytical and reflective skills
• To evaluate evidence and draw up conclusion, and to present a dissertation.

This module is not a taught module in the same way that any of the other modules are taught. As can be seen from the aims of this module, the idea is that the student researches and writes an independent research dissertation. However, each student will be allocated to an individual supervisor, who will be responsible for guiding him or her through the research process. However, although the supervisor will guide you through the process, it is not the role of the supervisor to tell you what to do step by step. They can, however, provide their expert opinion on what you proposed to do and direct you in the right direction if needed. The supervisor will not proofread your dissertation before final submission. It is, however, a good idea that you provide written work regularly for your supervisor to comment on so that he/she know you are on the right track and provide a timely opinion.

The subject librarian will also be leading support sessions (s) on the use of the library for research, and referencing skills, including how to compile a bibliography. Additional supporting sessions (s) on data analysis will also be arranged.

As previously mentioned, students will carry out an independent research project with the guidance of their allocated supervisor. They are expected to present a 15,000-word, +/-10%, dissertation for formal assessment towards the end of the semester.

Note, remember to refer to your Course Handbook for a detailed outline of how this module forms part of your course.

Expectations

Specific expectations students can have of tutors:

• guide students about the Dissertation process.
• Provide an opinion on any research ethics issues.
• discuss with students and point out the direction to resolve any problems related to the dissertation.
• formal comment on the draft of the dissertation once, either chapter by chapter or as a whole.

Specific Expectations tutors will have of Students:

• Students meet the supervisor at least 3 times throughout the dissertation process.
• keep in contact with the supervisor and update their progress and problems encountered.
• Provide a draft of the dissertation (either chapter by chapter or a whole dissertation) to the supervisor to comment on, and give a reasonable time to the supervisor to read. For example, there is no point in sending a draft to the supervisor to comment on the night before the submission deadline. Please note that the supervisor will read and comment on the draft ONCE only.

Learning Materials

The reading list for this module is available on Blackboard in the module area and online by searching for reading lists. This shows real-time availability of books in the library and provides direct links to digital items, recommended by your lecturer.

Remember to log into Blackboard daily to receive all the latest news and support available at your module sites!
Subject guides (libraryguides) are also available to help you find relevant information for assignments, with contact details of the Subject Librarian for your School.

Maintaining Academic Honesty and Integrity

Academic Integrity means avoiding plagiarism and cheating and owning your own work; the use of essay mills and AI content is also considered academic misconduct. This is when you submit a piece of work that is not completely your own, but which you are presenting as your own without acknowledging the author or properly referencing the source. All your work must demonstrate Academic Integrity; it must be an honest and fair submission, complying with all the requirements of the assessment. Failure to meet these standards of behaviour and practice is academic misconduct, which can result in penalties being applied under the Academic Offences Regulations. You can get support with your academic writing by speaking to our Study support team.

Meeting Deadlines

You should always try your best to submit your work on time. You can submit coursework up to 10 calendar days late without penalty if you request an extension before the submission deadline. Without an extension, the maximum mark you will be able to get for that work will be the pass mark.

Getting Support

There may be times when you experience circumstances outside of your control, and talking to your Module Leader and other support services available to you in the university will help keep you on track with your studies. You can access information on support services and further guidance at our Support for current students page.

If your circumstances mean that you are not able to submit at all or are unable to attend an in-person assessment, like an exam or in-class test, then you can request mitigation for the assessment. Approved mitigation means that you can have another attempt without penalty if you fail an assessment or do not submit.

If you request an extension or mitigation before the deadline, you can choose to self-certify, without providing evidence, so long as you have a valid reason. You can only self-certify three assessments per academic year. If you have used all your self-certification opportunities or requested mitigation after the deadline, you will need to provide evidence of your exceptional circumstances for your request to be granted.
Your Students’ Union Advice Team will be able to support you through the process.

Preparing for your Assessment

A key part of your learning will be preparation for your summative assessment. You will be provided feedback on your formative assessments, and this will help you to better understand what is required of you when you submit your summative assessment. Please see below guidance on your formative assessment and how to access your feedback.

This module (and ALL Learning Outcomes) is assessed by a single written dissertation of 15,000 (+/- 10%) words. In some cases, a viva will be conducted to help the examiners understand your dissertation better. 

Assessment Support

Summative Assessments

Summative Assessment 1

Submitting feedback & grades online using Blackboard

Main objectives of the Assessment

What is meant by a Dissertation?

A dissertation involves the student working independently but under supervision to research a defined topic. This is done by the student undertaking a combination of library and other secondary data and information search. The data is then analysed and used to conclude. The whole research is written up in the form of a Dissertation. As an academic degree Dissertation, it is expected that the research is supported by the relevant academic literature.

Supervision of the Research Project (Dissertation)

Each student will be allocated to a supervisor by the Module leader. The Dissertation is primarily a student-centred process with guidance and support from the supervisor. Students should meet with their supervisor regularly. The meetings with supervisors are intended to:

(i) ensure that the aims of the project and the assessment criteria are being addressed;

(ii) avoid students going in the wrong direction or doing something of no added value;

(iii) provide help and support if students are at an impasse;

(iv) Challenge students to refine their ideas and work through questioning and discussion.

At all times, it remains the student’s responsibility to ensure that his/her dissertation is progressing satisfactorily. It is not the supervisor’s role to keep checking on the students. It is also not the project supervisor’s role to edit the student’s dissertation draft.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the supervisor when they have problems and need guidance. Supervisors will also arrange regular meetings to see his/her supervisees, and to discuss through other channels, e.g. emails, phone, Teams and so on. It is up to the supervisors and students to arrange and agree the suitable communication channels

Students are advised to submit a draft of their Dissertation in sufficient time to their supervisor for comment. The supervisor will only read and comment on draft ONCE.

Assessment Criteria and Dissertation Structure

The following is a guideline for the structure of the dissertation, which is also the marking criteria and matches the expected learning outcomes. Variation of the structure is acceptable, but please discuss with your supervisor and obtain approval from your supervisor. The word limit is 15,000 words +/- 10%, every word counts, but excluding appendices and reference list. The rough guide of the number of words in each section is indicated below. Please note that some flexibility is available and therefore, for example, do not worry if you need more room for the Analysis section and need to cut down the number of words used in the Conclusion section.

Title Page

The following information should be presented in this order, with all text centred:

a) the Dissertation Title
b) Your full name and student number
c) the words “submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of - insert the title of your course”
d) University of West London
e) the month and year of submission

Acknowledgement

It is not necessary to acknowledge members of staff unless you wish to do so. However, assistance from individuals and organisations outside the University must be acknowledged.

Abstract (About 300 words)

State concisely the main aims of your research, what you have done and your findings.

Table of Contents Page

List in sequence, with page numbers, all sections of the dissertation from Abstract to Appendices.

Introduction (about 2,500 words)

A clear introduction to your dissertation -- consisting of appropriate background information, rationale for the research/investigation needed, research aims, objectives and research questions/hypothesis, methods employed, findings and the structure of the remaining chapters/sections.

Literature Review (about 3,500 words)

A review of the relevant literature on the topic, the development of your own ideas based on the critique of the literature, and how this leads to the research hypotheses and empirical work that you plan to undertake. The literature review should try and encompass arguments that both complement and contradict the research aim set in the introduction.

Data and Methodology (about 3,000 words)

A clear explanation of the methods used, including sampling, data sources, empirical models and variables involved and clearly defined. Your methods should be capable of being replicated by other researchers based on what you described. There is no need to submit the raw data. However, you need to present the summary statistics of the data. You also need to keep the full set of data, and the examiners may request to see it and to test-run the data analysis themselves to verify your work.

Results, Analysis and Discussion (about 4,000 words)
Presentation and analysis of the results, which address your own research questions. Significant features of the results must be clearly indicated and discussed.

Conclusion & Suggested future research (about 1,500 words)
Evaluation and summary of your research, assessment of your contributions and discussion of the broader implications of the findings, and limitations which may lead to future research.

References

List all the references which appear in the text in alphabetical order by the authors’ surnames. You need to use the Harvard referencing system.

Employability Skills

This assessment covers the following employability skills, which you could demonstrate on your CV and at job interviews if you successfully pass the assessment:

• Communication
• Writing
• Presenting
• Non-Verbal
• Problem solving
• Take initiative and be self-motivating
• Critical thinking
• Planning and organisation skills
• Ability to learn and adapt
• Numeracy
• Valuing Diversity
• Enterprising
• Industry/commercial aware
• Reflective lifelong learners
• Digitally literate
• Creativity/lateral thinking
• Time management
• Project management
• Influencing
• Intellectual curiosity
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal
• Leadership
• Perseverance
• Confidence
• Global/cultural awareness
• Integrity and accountability
• Decision making

Glossary and Acronyms

Appendix – Research ethics and integrity

• The research ethics application form must be submitted via Blackboard Turnitin (or other channel if Blackboard is not available and informed by your Module Leader) and approved before collecting data.
• Carrying out research without Ethical Approval is treated as academic offence according to the University Academic Regulations.
• Make sure that you have discussed any possible ethical issues with your supervisor before submitting your application. The form requires your supervisor to sign off before you can submit.
• Ethics approval cannot be transferred to another project. If you change the research project for which ethics approval has been given, you will need to submit a whole new application for the new project.

Research Ethics Guidance for Students

What are ethics in research? Why does it matter?

All researchers, across all disciplines, should be mindful of ethical issues when planning, conducting, and reporting on their work. Doing so will ensure that the researcher respects the interests of all parties, mitigates risks to both participants and themself, and delivers research outcomes that are robust. 

‘Ethical approval’ is required for all research, whether that is a short questionnaire devised by an undergraduate student or a multi-million-pound project carried out by a group of professional researchers – read on…

Which types of research might raise ethical issues?

Typically, ethical issues would be raised by research that involves the following:

• human participants
• vulnerable individuals or groups
• any personal data
• any type of clinical/physical intervention
• work conducted in a sensitive or potentially dangerous location
• security-sensitive information

Accordingly, associated ethical issues require appropriate planning. Even interviewing people (including your peers or friends) or collecting their data can incur ethical issues, and you must ensure that you have appropriate safeguards in place to protect both their welfare and data. You must also ensure that you will be protected if your research (even potentially) places you in a dangerous or stressful place or situation. ‘Desk-based’ research centred on journal articles and books is unlikely to pose acute ethical issues, but even then, the way that the researcher might select the articles and report outcomes require care and consideration.

How will UWL help me to understand and apply research ethics?

First and foremost, the topic of research ethics will be addressed by your tutor or supervisor as part of your module. It may also be part of your recommended reading. Different disciplines conduct a range of research using a variety of approaches, so your teaching will cover the ethical issues that are most likely to apply to your subject. If you have any questions about the design or conduct of research that you are planning, then you should seek guidance from the tutor or supervisor.

Secondly, UWL operates a risk-assessment system, employing the easy-to-complete ‘Research ethics and integrity risk assessment’ form. You are required to complete a copy of the form before commencing your project. This helps the University to identify and improve research projects that might raise ethical issues. Just as importantly, it will help you work through the potential ethical dimensions of your research in a structured and step-by-step manner and ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place.

My research does NOT involve any of the above areas

You will still need to complete the form before commencing your project.

Easy Steps to Ethical Approval

Top Tips

Develop your project proposal to an advanced stage before attempting to fill in the form. It will require you to provide details.

Discuss the ethical issues around your research plans with your supervisor at the earliest possible stage, and certainly in advance of filling in the form. Try to find an approach that will not incur any issues in the first place. If you form a proposal and only discover that there are issues close to the submission deadline, you will be required to reframe your work and this will take extra time, or possibly even compromise your grades.

Submit the Form

To apply for ethics approval, you need to complete and submit the ‘Research ethics and integrity risk assessment form’ which can be found at tinyurl.com/u8zteb2f . This form is read-only, so click ‘Edit Document>Open in Desktop App’, then save a copy that you can edit for submission.

You should send the completed form along with relevant complimentary documents to your Supervisor/Module Leader/Tutor, who then needs to approve and sign it off.

Remember, the ethics application form must be submitted and approved before any research project starts and before any potential participants are approached. Failure to gain prior ethical approval is considered an academic offence.

At various points, you will be asked to provide complementary documents. Your application cannot be processed without these. You are advised to first complete the project outline. Make sure you include the following where your project utilises these research methods and instruments:

A. The completed ‘Research ethics and risk assessment’ form
B. A completed Project Proposal
C. A participant information sheet
D. An informed-consent form
E. A copy of interview questions and/or the questionnaires/data-collection-instruments you intend to use or, if you are not using such approaches, a statement of what will be used (as a Microsoft Word document, with your Application ID at the top)
F. A data management statement 

How it Works

1. The School/College Ethics Panel (SCREP) will review your application – normally within two weeks of submission
2. You and your supervisor will be informed of the outcome by email
3. Outcomes will be one of the following categories:

• Conditional approval subject to review and resubmission (you must make the changes specified by the panel before you can start)
• Provisional approval subject to additional information and resubmission (you can start your project, but you will need to provide further information at a date determined by the School/College Ethics Panel)
• Final approval (the approval is final, and you do not need to resubmit unless you make subsequent changes to the project)
• Rejection (you must discuss issues raised with your Supervisor)

Referral to the University Research Ethics Committee where risk is identified that requires such referral.

Marking Scheme