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These Guidance Notes relate to the following four Masters Programmes1: MA Professional Development MA Health and Wellbeing MSc Infection Control MSc Medical Device De-contamination
Faculty Post Graduate Examination Board June 20, 2011 Final Submission Date Friday May 20, 2011
The MSc Chartered Teacher is not included as that operates under the University of Strathclyde Dissertation regulations, though the general advice contained within this handbook will also be useful to CT Dissertation candidates.
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Contents
The Nature of the Dissertation The Dissertation Learning Outcomes General Assessment Criteria Supervisor Roles Student-Supervisor Relations Ethical Approval The Scope of your Dissertation Essential Parts of the Dissertation Presentation of the Dissertation Anonymity and Confidentiality Submission of the Dissertation Assessment APPENDIX 1 Example Dissertation Feedback sheet APPENDIX 2 Declaration of Originality Form Reading Lists
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11. The clarity and appropriateness of the writing style and the use of appropriate formats (e.g. for footnotes, page numbering, line spacing, referencing, appendices, etc.)
Supervisor Roles
There will normally be two supervisors for each dissertation candidate. Once a supervisor has been allocated you should contact him/her as soon as possible. What you can expect from your 1st supervisor The first supervisors main role is an academic supervisor in that they support you in achieving your goals i.e. constructing your dissertation proposal / firming up your ideas / defining a manageable focus and research questions for your topic / assisting you to decide on appropriate methods and techniques / guiding you on an appropriate structure for your dissertation and by providing constructive comment on the content, presentation and quality of selected draft chapters. They will make sure you are aware of the manner in which to undertake your dissertation, assist with ethics committee applications, undertake any reporting requirements that will need to be, ensure you understand the marking criteria, assist with resources and the finding of these if necessary and take part in regular communications between yourself, the dissertation module tutor and programme leader as and when appropriate. The first supervisor's role may also include ensuring adequate cover is put in place if your first supervisor leaves, is on sabbatical or becomes ill. What you can expect from your 2nd supervisor The second supervisor's main role is to support the first supervisor by being an expert in the field of study in which you are undertaking your dissertation. In some cases, your second supervisor will be actively involved in your supervision e.g. assist in particular academic aspects of your work, in a similar manner to your first supervisor. In other cases, there may not be the same degree of day-to-day involvement.
Student-Supervisor Relations
In the first instance it is the responsibility of your Dissertation tutor, after discussion with you, to agree the second supervisor of the dissertation. Thereafter, the responsibility rests with you to contact your supervisors and agree appropriate support. As a rough guideline, you could expect to contact approximately 1 hour per fortnight, though this will vary considerably according to the stage you are at in your work.
Should you become dissatisfied with either supervisor for any reason and cannot resolve the matter directly with him or her, please contact your Dissertation Tutor in the first instance, or if your supervisor is also your tutor, then contact your Masters programme leader. If there are still matters
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unresolved you should contact the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Health and Education, Ian Leslie. It is also a good idea to consult Masters Dissertations previously submitted to the Faculty. In the first instance please contact the Programme Leader. UHI is also in the throes of considering archive arrangements for all submitted Masters Dissertations.
Ethical Approval
All dissertations must receive ethical approval from UHI Ethics Committee and you are strongly encouraged to read the document Research Ethics Framework: Ethical Approval: Policy, Principles and Processes (ed August 2010) in the first instance. Following from the reading of this document you will be required to complete the forms REC-1 Student and REC1-D Student. It is your responsibility, with the support of your supervisor, to gain such approval. Additional help can be requested from Karen Furness UHI Research Ethics Officer and she can be contacted at karen.furness@uhi.ac.uk on 01463 279349. All the UHI forms that need to be completed can be found through the UHI website at http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/research/research-ethics In addition, if you are in any way considering the recruitment of staff or patients through the NHS then you will have to complete at the same time as completing the UHI approval process the ethics approval process through Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) which is a collaborative initiative supported by the NHS and others. In order to do this you must apply through the website http://www.myresearchproject.org.uk
helpful both in deciding and defending your research approach, and in criticising it). Obviously we cannot prescribe how long your list of references should be. Remember that you are not expected to provide an over-extended list, given what we have already said about the nature of the dissertation. There is no need to include a separate bibliography in which you list those books which you claim have influenced your thinking, but which were not sufficiently important for you to refer to directly. It is very possible that you will wish to refer to previous work that you have written in earlier parts of your Masters programme. You may draw on and build on this work but must do so in such a way that does not involve selfplagiarism. You need to treat your previous work as you would any other text. For example, you might need to summarise key points or quote from it. In which case, you would adopt the usual referencing conventions to refer to it. Surveys If your research exercise involves a survey by questionnaire it should be planned so that (a) your questionnaire is piloted, (b) you ensure a reasonable response rate and (c) you end up having to analyse not more than, say, twenty-five or thirty completed questionnaires. Interviews If your research involves what you claim are lengthy, in-depth interviews then you should normally conduct no more than a limited number of such interviews. If the interviews are short or highly structured, you should do proportionately more. Interviews should normally be fully transcribed so that the examiners can judge the quality of your data analysis. The time to transcribe and analyse interviews should not be under-estimated. Observational studies Whatever type of observation you plan to do, try to ensure a dry run so that you become thoroughly familiar with the technique and any schedule involved. A dry-run and a limited number of observation sessions of, say, an hour each would be an acceptable amount of activity for the dissertation. Case studies The boundaries of case studies must be defined with care. Remembering that one characteristic of case study research is its deployment of a diversity of research methods, it is likely that a multi-site case study will be beyond the bounds of what is reasonable for the dissertation. Other types of study Research exercises using historical and philosophical methods and discourse analysis should be similarly limited in scope. For example, in a historical study the period to be studied should be a short one and the research questions should be very precisely formulated.
2. It is essential that you review the experience of doing the research exercise. There must be a section within your dissertation in which you reflect critically on what you did and how. With the benefit of hindsight, what might you have done differently that might have been more effective? This section can also cover your views of what further research is needed. 3. It is important that you reflect critically on the impact that this research has on your own practice. What is the significance of this research for you? How has this work contributed to your own development? What impacts will this work have upon your future professional practice and the context in which you work? 4. Your dissertation must have a one-page (max) abstract. This is a very important part of your dissertation. Remember that some readers will look at your abstract and nothing else. It should cover the most important points relating to aims, methods and conclusions. 5. The dissertation should conclude with a list of references. You should adopt the Harvard convention for referencing and ensure that this convention is applied consistently. A separate Guide to Referencing can be found at: http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/libraries/how-to/how-to 6. It is not strictly necessary to have an appendix (or appendices). In other words, it is perfectly possible for a dissertation to be satisfactory without one. You may, however, find this a useful inclusion, but it must be possible to read the dissertation without referring to material in the appendix. Nothing should be put in an appendix which is necessary to understanding of the main text. Appropriate material for an appendix includes, for example, raw figures and detailed tables, a copy of a questionnaire (in the form originally used), transcripts of interviews, a copy of a crucial policy statement, and so on. Bulky appendix material may be submitted separately and unbound.
7. The first four pages of your dissertation should be as follows:Title page Title in full (14 pitch, upper-case, bold) Name in full Dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of (complete as appropriate) UHI Millennium Institute Date Acknowledgements Please make sure that all who have helped you are mentioned. (People outside the University should also be thanked by letter and told something of the findings of your research). Abstract As described above. Table of Contents This should show the title of each chapter and sub-sections within chapters, together with page numbers. The list of references and appendix should be included and page-referenced.
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reading the next-to-final version of your text and then making necessary corrections. Sometimes its helpful to have the document also proof-read by a friend or colleague.
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Faculty Board of Studies. Any late submissions should include a separate written statement, giving reasons. Such statements will be considered at the Examiners Meeting. Costs In accordance with normal practice, the Faculty of Health and Education are unable to meet incidental costs incurred by students in the course of the research and the costs of binding. Extensions Normally the dissertation should be submitted by end May in the academic year in which you matriculate and receive supervision. Extensions of time are granted from time to time when an appropriate justification of good cause can be made for this. If you are considering an extension you must first discuss it with your supervisor and if s/he supports you, then you should submit a written request to your Masters Programme Leader. Dissertations submitted after 30th September will not be examined until the following year.
Assessment
The dissertation is reviewed by a relevant member of your Masters Programme Leader, or other relevant external, and assessed by your supervisor / tutor. There may be opportunities for your dissertation topic to be formatively developed through peer review of an oral presentation of the study outline and a summary of interim findings. For students registered for solely on-line delivery, presentations via Skype (or equivalent) may be arranged. All assessed work is also double blind marked by another academic member of your Masters programme team. (A specialist supervisor in case of MSc IC and MSc MDD.) The marking scheme for the programme is based on UHIs Taught Postgraduate Academic Standards and Quality Regulations which can be found through the UHI website by following this link:
http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/search?SearchableText=taught+postgraduate+regulations
Feedback After the announcement of the awards you can make an appointment with your supervisor / tutor who will discuss with you feedback from the assessors. Referral and re-submission In certain circumstances the examiners may refer a thesis for re-submission in the following year. If further supervision is required, UHI may require the student to pay additional fees.
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APPENDIX 1
Example Dissertation Feedback sheet Dissertation in The dissertation will be assessed by your tutor and an internal second marker The two Medical MSc Dissertations have a specialist marker. Name of author: Assessor/reviewer:
Criteria Identification of an issue of strategic importance on the basis of critical review of literature, professional context of practice, and/or personal experience Development of appropriate researchable questions to investigate issue identified Development of a coherent, appropriate and well-justified research design to investigate these questions Adoption and implementation of an ethical approach to research Systematic analysis of research data congruent with research design and questions Critical discussion of findings that addresses research process, theory and/or practice Proportionate, valid and appropriate conclusions Critical reflection on decisions made in the research process and consideration of the research outcomes as a basis for identifying areas for potential future research Critical reflection on how the research process and the outcomes of the dissertation have impacted/will impact personally on future practice. Professional presentation and referencing according to Harvard principles How will the research be disseminated General comments Any changes required before submission of bound copy Recommended grade
Date:
Comments on achievement of criteria in dissertation
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APPENDIX 2
This form must be completed and signed and submitted with all assignments. Please complete the information below (using BLOCK CAPITALS).
An extract from UHIs Statement on Plagiarism is attached. Please read carefully THEN read and sign the declaration below. I confirm that this assignment is my own work and that I have: Read and understood the guidance on plagiarism in UHIs Statement on Plagiarism to be found at http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/students/policies-andregulations/plagiarism-and-dishonesty-postgraduate Clearly referenced, in both the text and the bibliography or references, all sources used in the work Fully referenced (including page numbers) and used inverted commas for all text quoted from books, journals, web etc. Provided the sources for all tables, figures, data etc. that are not my own work Not made use of the work of any other student(s) past or present without acknowledgement Not sought or used the services of any professional agencies to produce this work In addition, I understand that any false claim in respect of this work will result in disciplinary action in accordance with University regulations
DECLARATION: I am aware of and understand UHIs policy on plagiarism and I certify that this assignment is my own work, except where indicated by referencing, and that I have followed the good academic practices noted above Signed: Date:
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Recommended Texts for Health and Education Faculty Dissertation Scheme MSc Chartered Teacher MA Professional Development MA Health and Wellbeing MSc Infection Control MSc Medical Device Decontamination PL Issy Grieve PL Ann Murray PL Rachel Tearse PL Russell Stuart PL Russell Stuart
Texts marked *** are newly published and as yet not available through UHI Catalogue General Texts
Bell, J. (2005). Doing your Research Project. (4 ed). Buckingham: Open University Press. . Available as an e-book Bell, J. (2010). Doing your Research Project. (5 ed). Buckingham: Open University Press. *** Bloor, M. Frankland, J. Thomas, M. and Robson,K. (2002)Focus Groups in Social Research London: Sage Publications Clegg, F. (1983) Simple Statistics: A Course Book for the Social Sciences. Cambridge University Press. Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook. (3 ed). Palgrave Macmillan. Creswell J.W. (2009) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications. Cryer, P. (2006) The Research Student's Guide to Success. (3 ed). Oxford, Oxford University Press. Denscombe, M. (2003). The Good Research Guide: For Small Scale Research Projects. Buckingham: Open University Press. Available as an e-book Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide. (4th ed). Buckingham: Open University Press. *** Field A (2003). Discovering Statistics: Using SPSS for Windows. (2nd ed). London, Sage Publications. Field A (2009). Discovering Statistics: Using SPSS for Windows. (3rd ed). London, Sage Publications. *** Gillham, B. (2000) Developing a Questionnaire. London, Continuum Books. Gillham, B. (2009) Developing a Questionnaire. (2 ed). London, Continuum Books. *** Gillham, B. (2000) Case Study Research Methods. London, Continuum Books. Gillham, B. (2000) The Research Interview. London, Continuum Books Gomm, R. Hammersley, M. Foster, P. (2000) Case Study Method. London, Sage Publications.
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Greenfield, T., (2002) Research Methods for Postgraduates. (2 ed). London, Arnold. Hart, C. (1998) Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Imagination. Sage Publications. Kvale, S. 1996. Interviews. London: Sage Publications. Mason, J. 2002. Qualitative Researching. London: Sage Publications. Maxwell, J. A. 2004. Qualitative Research Design. London: Sage Publications. Oppenheim, A. N. (2000) Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Pallant, J. (2001) SPSS Survival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis using the SPSS Program (Version 10) . Open University Press. Pallant, J. (2004) SPSS Survival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis using the SPSS Program (Version 12). Open University Press. Pallant, J. (2010) SPSS Survival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis using the th SPSS Program. (4 ed). Open University Press. *** Patton, M. Q. 2002. Qualitative Research & Evaluations Methods. London: Sage Publications. Punch, K. 2006 Developing Effective Research Proposals London: Sage Publications. Phillips, E. Pugh, D. (2005) How to Get a PhD: A Handbook for Student and their Supervisors. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Available as an e-book Preece, R (2000) Starting Researc: An Introduction to Academic Research and Dissertation Writing. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
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MA Health & Wellbeing / MSc Infection Control & MSc Medical Device Decontamination
Aveyard, H. (2007) Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. Berkshire, Open University Press. Available as an e-book Aveyard, H. (2010) Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. nd (2 ed). Berkshire, Open University Press. Bowlin A. & Ebrahim S. (2005) Handbook of Health Research Methods: Investigation, Measurement & Analysis. Berkshire, Open University Press. Gomm, R. & Davies, C. (2000) Using Evidence in Health and Social Care. London, Sage Publications. Gomm, R. Needham, G. & Bullman, A. (2000) Evaluating Research in Health and Social Care. London, Sage Publications. Greenhalgh, T. (2006) How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence Based Medicine. (3 ed) Oxford, Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Available as an e-book Neale, J. (2009) Research Methods for Health and Social Care. Palgrave, Macmillan.
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Polgar, S. & Thomas, S.A. (2008) Introduction to Research in the Health Sciences. London. Churchill Livingstone. Robson, C. (2002) Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and PractitionerResearchers. Oxford, Blackwells.
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