SASS Change Maker Research Dissertation Assignment

Assignment number and title  One – A  Research Proposal for your Dissertation

Assignment type CW-Ess

Weighting of assignment 20%

Size or length of assessment 1500 words

Unit learning outcomes

1.Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding:
How to conduct a sustained piece of individual research which, encompasses a critical understanding and appreciation of the processes required to ensure social research is conducted within an ethically appropriate framework
2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities:
Synthesise, evaluate and defend the findings of your research and communicate the results in a focused, logically organised, appropriately concluded format and referenced according to the format and standard of the Harvard system.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

You must create a power point presentation for your research proposal with 1500 words (+/-10%) in the notes sections which set out the research study you plan to undertake for your dissertation (assignment two and three). Your research proposal, through the combination of presentation and notes, needs to help whoever is reading it to understand why your research question is important, and how you will go about identifying/collecting evidence which, once analysed, should enable you to answer your research question.

Your presentation for your research proposal should include five slides, with notes, which focus on:
1. An introduction to your topic and the relevant background context (policy, data, existing research evidence and theory)
2. Your research question – it should be clear from your background context why this is an important research question. It can be helpful to develop a research question with aim(s) and objectives for the project. Your aim(s) will be where you intend to get to once you have completed the research project (this is likely to be that you have been able to answer your research question, and write up your dissertation). Your objectives will be the steps, or smaller pieces of work, along the way to this destination
3. Your research methods – setting out how you will identify/collect the evidence for your project – it is important to be specific about things like the search terms you will use, databases you will search, and how you will select your sources in a structured and robust way (as and where this is relevant to the research study proposed). It is also important to set out how you will analyse your sources – this is about how you will process the data you have identified/collected so as to be able to present findings and answer your research question
4. A discussion of the relevant ethical considerations which relate to your research project – this will be longer for any students completing primary research (although primary research is only an option for those who have attended the summer workshops and gained ethical approval before the new academic year)

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

Demonstrate a critical appreciation of what makes a suitable research question in order to produce a focused research proposal, identifying set aims and objectives, proposed methodology and relevant ethical considerations.

Evidence the ability to design a research study, which is robust, realistic and relevant to the course of study, in line with the principles of ethical conduct of social research and the requirements of an honours research dissertation.

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

This unit is all about supporting you to complete your undergraduate dissertation. Your dissertation is where you provide an account of the research project you have undertaken and this assignment requires you to set out the project you intend to complete. Much of the support you will receive with completing your research project and dissertation will be from your dissertation supervisor.
There will also be six weeks of content at the beginning of the unit which will be focused on providing you with the support you need to complete your research proposal. This content will also be relevant to the completion of your dissertation and will cover:
• What makes a good research proposal and developing a research question
• The research design options you can choose from: literature review, content analysis, discourse analysis, data analysis
• Setting out the background context
• Outlining your methods and ethics
• Including theory in your proposal
• Bringing it all together