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Course Study Guide

201112

Thematic Independent Studies

- RESE 1081

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Contents
WELCOME............................................................................................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE........................................................................................................ 4
AIMS...................................................................................................................................................... 4
LEARNING OUTCOMES............................................................................................................................. 4
Knowledge and understanding of:
......................................................................................................................................................... 4
5.1 SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT.............................................................................................................. 6
Essay 1
......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Essay 2............................................................................................................................................ 8
Reflective Report.............................................................................................................................. 8
Viva................................................................................................................................................ 10
BLANK. .................................................................................11

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Welcome
For returning students, welcome back from your break!
For new direct entry students, welcome to study at the University of Greenwich Business
School and a particular welcome to the course Thematic Independent Studies (RESE 1031).
This course is designed to allow you to demonstrate what you have learnt from the minimum
of two years of academic study you would already have completed in Higher Education.
The whole ethos of the course is about providing an opportunity for you to demonstrate your
capacity as an independent researcher. This course will be challenging but will (hopefully)
turn out to be one of the most valuable learning experiences you ever have in Higher
Education. It is not often universities invite you to decide your own focus of inquiry so please
take this opportunity to enjoy yourself and to produce work you are proud of. However, no
primary research or any work involving human interaction should be conducted. Only
secondary research, which consists of reviewing existing resources such as books, journal
articles, published data in the form of charts, diagrams, surveys, etc, should be used when
developing your essays.
A lot of the questions you might have about this course will be addressed later in this
handbook but if you have any queries about the running of this course please dont hesitate to
me at college

Ian / Gopi

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Introduction to the Course

The thematic independent study allows student the opportunity to cap off their degrees with a
major project of self directed study through investigation and critical evaluation of an aspect or
aspects of academic knowledge. The course also promotes the students acquisition of synoptic
and analytic views of their degree studies. The key outcomes of the course are two extended
essays on the same or related topics and a reflective commentary. The essays will draw on
relevant literature and secondary data but will not involve primary research. Students will also be
asked to defend one of their essays through a viva voce examination. As a theme of the school's
PPD (personal and professional development) initiative, it also contains a requirement for
reflective self assessment and provides the venue for personal tutoring.
All sessions are led by your Personal Tutor.

Aims
This course has two aims:

Allow students to undertake a major piece of independent or (semi-) self-directed study.

Provide a venue for students to demonstrate their mastery of a topic or topics (within a
theme) of their choice (in the form of two essays).

Unlike a traditional dissertation, this course will not involve original research in the form of
collecting primary data.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of:

Formulate a research question which challenges or explores academic knowledge.

Locate appropriate secondary data to address the research question.
Analyse and re-interpret secondary data.
Formulate a relevant argument which is cognisant of secondary data.
Utilise an argument to critically address a research question.
Structure presentation in a logical way, which reflects the research and analysis
undertaken.

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Reading
This course has the following recommended (but not required) text:
Author

Date

Title

Publisher/ ISBN

Stott, R
Smith, A &
Rylance, R

2001

Making your case. A practical guide to essay

writing

Longman/Pearson, ISBN
0582382440.

Further reading and useful websites

The following books are also recommended to supplement and reinforce the learning from the
course:

Soles, Derek, 2005 The academic essay : how to plan, draft, revise, and write essays,
Bishops Lydeard : Studymates1 ISBN: 842850652
Zemach, Dorothy E., 2005 Academic writing : from paragraph to essay, Oxford : Macmillan
ISBN: 9781405086066
Greetham, Bryan, 2008 How to write better essays, Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN: 9780230224803
Mounsey, Chris, 2002 Essays and dissertations, Oxford : Oxford University Press ISBN:
0198605056
Clanchy, John, 1992 How to write essays : a practical guide for students , Melbourne :
Longman Cheshire ISBN: 0582874971

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5.1 Summary of assessment

Assessment Title

Weight Pass
Mark

Essay One:
Outline topic and scope literature
(4000 words)

Due Date

See in
35%

40%

50%

40%

Essay Two:
Extends essay one by deepening levels of
analysis and critique (5000 words)

Header
sheet

BANNER
See in
BANNER

Viva Voce:
a student to demonstrate mastery of the
topic and the veracity of the submitted
assessment (10-20 minutes)

10%

40%

5%

40%

Reflective commentary:
Self-reflection upon personal development
(1000 words) addressing the questions
posed in reflective report proforma (TIS-R
v1.0)

See in
BANNER

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Essay 1
1. Write 4000 words (+ or - 10%) including the text of your essay but excluding the cover
page, reference list, footnotes and appendices.
2. Within the boundaries of your approved topic area (i.e. following you proposal), set
yourself an essay question which outlines your topic and generally introduces the
literature in the field.
3. Communicate with your essay question to your Supervisor and fine tune or proceed
according to his/ her advice.
4. Write your essay in an appropriate academic style and particularly ensure you use third
person narrative, Harvard style in-text citation and referencing.
5. Utilise at least 7 high quality academic-style resources (e.g. textbooks, books and
journals) and try to ensure that you use no or only a small number of internet sources.
6. Do not undertake primary research.
7. Do not copy any materials you use word for word unless you identify these sections
clearly as quotations.
8. If you paraphrase any materials you must identify the materials sources through in-text
referencing.
9. This is an individual essay please do not work closely with anyone else.
10. Submit your essay on the VLE for marking with the appropriate Banner header-sheet.
Essay One Marking Criteria:
Marks allocated
to criteria:

Criteria

20%

Focus
Does the essay set up a clear essay question to address? Does the
essay stay within and fulfil the topic parameters?

30%

Synthesis
Does the essay bring together the literature in a significant manner
that addresses an essay question?

30%

Soundness
Does the essay indicate a comprehensive understanding of the topic
area and literature discussed?

10%

Clarity of structure
Is the essay well organised and logically constructed to achieve
synthesis while being mindful of the needs of the reader?

10%

Mechanical Soundness
Is the essay clearly written, spell checked and grammatically sound
and referenced appropriately?

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Essay 2
1. Write 5000 words (+ or - 10%) including the text of your essay but excluding the cover
page, reference list, footnotes and appendices.
2. Within the boundaries of your approved topic area and developing from your first essay,
set yourself a second essay question which develops your own argument or position in
relation to the literature. Your position should analyse and in some way critique the
literature or discipline.
3. Communicate with your essay question to your Supervisor and fine tune or proceed
according to his/ her advice.
4. Write your essay in an appropriate academic style and particularly ensure you use third
person narrative, Harvard style in-text citation and referencing.
5. Utilise at least 10 high quality academic-style resources (e.g. textbooks, books and
journals) and try to ensure that you use no or only a small number of internet sources.
6. Do not undertake primary research.
7. Do not copy any materials you use word for word unless you identify these sections clearly
as quotations.
8. If you paraphrase any materials you must identify the materials sources through in-text
referencing.
9. This is an individual essay please do not work closely with anyone else.
10. Submit your essay on the VLE for marking with the appropriate Banner header-sheet.
Essay Two Marking Criteria:
Marks allocated
to criteria:
10%

30%

Criteria
Focus
Does the essay set up a clear essay question to address? Does the
essay stay within and fulfil the topic parameters?
Cogency and critique
Is the essay well reasoned and well-informed? i.e. does it have a
critically-reflective position or argument which shows insight into the
topic and the academic discipline?

20%

Synthesis
Does the essay bring together the literature in a significant manner that
addresses the essay question?

20%

Soundness
Does the essay indicate a comprehensive understanding of the topic,
literature, theory and evidence utilised?

10%

Clarity of structure
Is the essay well organised and logically constructed to achieve
synthesis while being mindful of the needs of the reader?

10%

Mechanical Soundness
Is the essay clearly written, spell checked and grammatically sound and
referenced appropriately?

Reflective Report
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1. Reflect your personal development this year.

2. Write 1000 words which summarises your personal development this year and which
addresses the specific questions outlined in the proforma document (see the appendices
of this document).
3. You may write your reflection in first person narrative, and although you need not include
any academic content, if you do, please use Harvard style in-text citation and referencing.
4. Submit your reflective commentary on VLE for marking with the appropriate Banner
header-sheet.
Reflective Commentary Marking Criteria:
Marks
allocated
to criteria:
30%

30%
40%

Criteria
Self evaluation
Does the student demonstrate some capability in identifying his/her personal
strengths and weaknesses?
Self development
Does the student discuss developments in his/her own technical academic skills
over the course of the year?
Insight
Does the student engage in self questioning reflection?

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Viva
As mentioned above, one of the two essays you write will need to be defended in a viva. A
viva involves you providing an explanation or justification of one of your written essays.
Students will be randomly selected for vivas either Essay 1 in Term 2 or Essay 2 in Term 3.
A viva will be an opportunity to allow you to explain your thinking in an essay but it also allows
staff to ascertain whether you wrote the work you have handed in. It is not an inquisition and
you will not be dealt with roughly or harshly. The meeting will take around 10-20 minutes and
you are not expected to prepare beyond reading your own essay over.
During the viva, staff will ask you questions based on what you have written on one of your
essays i.e.
1
2
3
4
5

- Why you said something

- Why a theorist you discuss says something
- Whether data you have included is generalisable
- How you located some data or why you used it
- How you picked your topic

The degree with which you are convincing in your engagement in the topic may (or may not)
influence the grade of your essay up or down (usually by up to 10 marks).
Please note that sometimes there may be a requirement that the external examiner attend
your viva or that it be audio taped so that it can feed into the quality assurance mechanisms
for the course.
Viva Marking Criteria:

Marks
allocated
to criteria:

70+

60-69
50-59

40-49

Criteria

In depth knowledge and a thorough understanding of ALL aspects (topic,

literature, theory) which allows questions to be answered accurately and
fluently. The discussion was extended with confidence into difficult or
unfamiliar areas.
In depth knowledge and a thorough understanding of MOST aspects, with
some ability to extend the discussion into difficult or unfamiliar areas.
Knowledge and understanding of most aspects in depth, with the ability to
extend the discussion so as to make relevant links between topic, literature,
or theory.
Adequate knowledge and understanding of most aspects, with SOME ability
to extend the discussion so as to make relevant links between topic,
literature, or theory.

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Blank.

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Mind Map Template Essay 1

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Research Log Essay 1

Database

Time
Spent

Results
Search Terms

Swetswise

1 and a
half hour

Recruitment &
selection

Business
Source
Premiere

half an
hour

customer service,
customer loyalty,
customer feedback

(# of
records)

Evaluation of material
(how/what will it contribute to
your essay or support your
argument?)

Too many
articles
found for
topics

Quick review, used topics to

narrow down search terms

60+ articles

Will help find ideas for essay

and question

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Mind Map Template Essay 2

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Research Log Essay 2

Database

Time
Spent

Results
Search Terms

Swetswise

1 and a
half hour

Recruitment &
selection

Business
Source
Premiere

half an
hour

customer service,
customer loyalty,
customer feedback

(# of
records)

Evaluation of material
(how/what will it contribute to
your essay or support your
argument?)

Too many
articles
found for
topics

Quick review, used topics to

narrow down search terms

60+ articles

Will help find ideas for essay

and question

Google
Scholar

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Reflective Report Proforma

Section 1

Give the title and explain the aim of essay 1 (maximum 80 words)

Summarise the feedback you received on essay 1 (maximum 100 words)

If you had your viva in the mid-year round, analyse your performance in
the viva process (maximum 150 words)

Section 2

Give the title and explain the aim of essay 2 (maximum 80 words)

Explain how essay 2 builds on essay 1 (maximum 150 words)

If you are awaiting your viva - what do you expect the panel to ask you
and why? (maximum 150 words)

Section 3

Reflecting on the Thematic Independent Studies course what have you

done well and what could you have done better? (maximum 250 words)

Reflecting on the course what have you learnt about your research
skills? Do not reflect on your topic, as that was already discussed in
Sections 1 and 2 (maximum 250 words)

Section 4

Attach your mind maps and research logs for both Essay one and Essay
two.

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