LT901-7-FY-CO:
Dissertation Preparation: Postgraduate Research and Writing Skills
2023/24
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
20
29 March 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LT995
MA W80012 Creative Writing,
MA Q20212 Film and Literature,
MA QV2312 Film Studies,
MA Q20012 Literature,
MA W81112 Scriptwriting (Theatre and Digital Media),
MA W8F912 Wild Writing: Literature, Landscape and the Environment,
MA T72012 American Literatures,
MA W81212 Theatre Practice,
MA QW3012 Literature and Creative Writing,
MA Q20E12 Modern and Contemporary Literature,
MA P50012 International Journalism,
MA P3P312 Documentary Film,
MPHDQV2K48 Film Studies,
PHD QV2K48 Film Studies,
MPHDQ22K48 Literature,
PHD Q22K48 Literature,
MLITQ392 Creative Writing,
MLITQ391 Literature,
MLITQ393 Literature and Creative Writing,
MLITQ394 Drama and Scriptwriting
This module prepares postgraduate students to explore and select research topics and equips them for their creative or non-creative dissertations.
The dissertation is a crucial component of all these MA schemes and this module enables students to use methodologies, major concepts, and approaches to pursue independent research in literary and cultural issues, as well as the chance to develop their creative practice in terms of the different modes of research that inform a creative dissertation.
This module will also expand the students' understanding of research from other primary and secondary textual and digital sources to include archives and experiential research. This module will show students how research can shape and guide multiple outputs and will demonstrate potential pathways from the genesis to delivery and dissemination of creative and/or critical projects.
The course is also recommended to first-year LiFTS PhD & MA by Dissertation students undertaking a creative project as the main component of their doctorate.
1. To introduce students to the various research methods involved in creative practice.
2. To help students through the conception and execution of their dissertation.
3. To enable each student to identify their research interests and provide each student with the skills to effectively organise and express the arguments and points of view key to the research field selected.
4. To provide students with structured inspiration and preparation that will orientate their expectations and working practices for future creative projects.
5. To gain experience in workshop sessions that promote exchange, questioning, experimentation and discussion.
6. To assist the student in accessing and connecting individual creativity to the creativity of the works under study.
Embarking upon a dissertation project should be an exciting challenge that fosters personal growth and expression as well as critical and analytical disciplines.
After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the research methods relating to their dissertation subject and to post-graduate study in general.
2. Critically evaluate the pertinence of particular research methods in relation to their own creative practice and/or area of study.
3. Feel confident in accessing library research resources, including online resources to support research and referencing for their dissertation.
4. Understand how to use various resources and methodologies, such as archives, field work and experimental strategies, and the benefits that they offer in supporting new and original research.
5. Understand how to write, evaluate and structure arguments relating to their subject.
6. Ability to address theoretical, stylistic and editing issues in critical writing relating to their research topics.
In the Autumn term, students consider what constitutes research and increase their skills in library, online and archival research. Development of bibliographies and managing references are also addressed in a workshop environment. Skills in structuring research questions, dissertation proposals and critical writing are the focus of other workshops where discussion is emphasised. The module's elements focus on how to explore different approaches to studying and analysing the issues posed by texts and developed in research questions.
Lecturers engaged with artistic practices will also be invited to speak on the notion of research as a creative endeavour, and how creative practice can constitute research in itself. This will be of value to all MA students in enriching their understanding of independent enquiry and advanced exploratory study.
The Spring term will offer guidance on critical articulation of research positionally, in academia and creative practice, to specifically support Critical Commentaries of creative dissertations, and to foster the intellectual modes in each research project.
Fortnightly 2 hour seminar/lectures over both Autumn and Spring terms plus one three hour research skills session in the Spring term.
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Hall, S. (2001) ‘Foucault: Power, knowledge and discourse’, in Discourse theory and practice: a reader. London: SAGE, pp. 72–80.
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Smith, L.T. (2012)
Decolonizing methodologies: research and indigenous peoples. 2nd ed. London: Zed Books. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1426837.
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Mitra, R. (no date) ‘Unmaking Contact: Choreographic Touch at the Intersections of Race, Caste, and Gender’,
Dance Research, 53.3 (2022). Available at:
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/S0149767721000358.
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Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G. and Williams, J.M. (2008)
The craft of research. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=272563.
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Da Sousa Correa, D. and Owens, W.R. (2010)
The handbook to literary research. 2nd ed. London: Routledge. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9780203873335.
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Paul Grimstad (2014) ‘Against Research: Literary Studies and the Trouble with Discourse’,
American Literary History, 26(4), pp. 647–663. Available at:
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/562199.
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Nelson, R. (2013b)
Practice as research in the arts: principles, protocols, pedagogies, resistances. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Available at:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137282910.
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Estelle Barrett and Barbara Bolt (eds) (2010)
Practice as Research: approaches to creative arts enquiry. London: I.B. Tauris. Available at:
https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/92738.
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Iser, W. (1972) ‘The Reading Process: A Phenomenological Approach’,
New Literary History, 3(2). Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/468316.
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Holland, N.N. (1975) ‘Unity Identity Text Self’,
PMLA, 90(5). Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/461467.
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Stanley E. Fish (1976) ‘Interpreting the “Variorum”’,
Critical Inquiry, 2, pp. 465–485. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1342862.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Formative assignment: Annotated Bibliography (2,000 words) |
|
0% |
| Coursework |
Dissertation Proposal (for Supervisor allocation) |
|
0% |
| Coursework |
Dissertation Plan/Outline or Creative Project Research Dossier (4,000 words) |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr James Canton, email: jcanto@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Holly Pester, email: hpester@essex.ac.uk.
Various
LiFTS General Office - email liftstt@essex.ac.uk.
Telephone 01206 872626
No
No
Yes
Dr Andrew Birtwistle
Canterbury Christ Church University
Reader in Film and Sound
Dr Will Norman
University of Kent
Reader in American Literature and Culture
Dr Lorna Burns
University of St Andrews
Senior Lecturer in Postcolonial Literatures
Dr Christina Papagiannouli
University of South Wales
Research Fellow
Dr Tim Atkins
University of Roehampton
Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing
Available via Moodle
Of 24 hours, 20 (83.3%) hours available to students:
4 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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