Research Within Other Modules and the Project

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project
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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Contents
• 1) Why Research Is Important
• 2) Research in the Taught Modules
• 3) Research Activities in the Project Module
• 4) Is there Life after your Masters?

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Remember Why Research Is Important (as detailed
  in Lecture 1a) QAA says so!
• The UK government body, the Quality Assurance
  Agency for Higher Education (known as the QAA),
  has a mission to promote public confidence that
  quality of provision and standards of awards in
  higher education are being safeguarded and
  enhanced.
• As part of its efforts to ensure educational
  standards, the QAA has been responsible for
  defining
• - A framework for higher education
  qualifications in England, Wales and Northern
  Ireland and (separately) in Scotland.
• - Subject benchmark statements which provide a
  means for the academic community to describe the
  nature and characteristics of courses in a
  specific subject area.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project
Descriptors for a qualification at Masters (M)
level (taken from www.qaa.ac.uk) Masters
degrees are awarded to students who have
demonstrated (i)   a systematic understanding
of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current
problems and/or new insights, much of which is
at, or informed by, the forefront of their
academic discipline, field of study, or area of
professional practice (ii)  a comprehensive
understanding of techniques applicable to their
own research or advanced scholarship (iii) 
originality in the application of knowledge,
together with a practical understanding of how
established techniques of research and enquiry
are used to create and interpret knowledge in the
discipline (iv) conceptual understanding that
enables the student to evaluate critically
current research and advanced scholarship in the
discipline and to evaluate methodologies and
develop critiques of them and, where
appropriate, to propose new hypotheses
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Research Within Other Modules and the Project
Typically holders of the qualifications will be
able to a)  deal with complex issues both
systematically and creatively, make sound
judgements in the absence of complete data, and
communicate their conclusions clearly to
specialists and non-specialists audiences - b) 
demonstrate self-direction and originality in
tackling and solving problems, and act
autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
at a professional or equivalent level - c) 
continue to advance their knowledge and
understanding, and to develop new skills to a
high level and will have - d)  the qualities and
transferable skills necessary for employment
requiring - the exercise of initiative and
personal responsibility decision making in
complex and unpredictable situations and the
independent learning ability required for
continuing professional development
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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• 2. Research in the Taught Modules
• In the taught modules students need to
  demonstrate
• systematic understanding
• critical awareness and evaluation
• Plus
• Knowledge of topics at the forefront of the
  discipline
• Which means that students must be able to
  undertake literature based research and
  critical evaluation, methodology, originalityA
  Project is . Legs of the table

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• 3. Research Activities in the Project Module
• 3.1 Producing a Project Proposal
• 3.2 In Depth Research Investigation

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• 3.1 Producing a Proposal for a Research Project
  (Recap of what we covered in Lecture 7)
• Topics
• Selecting a research topic
• Producing a research proposal
• For additional information see
• How to research by Blaxter, Hughes and Tight,
  Chapter 2

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Selecting a Research Topic
• Blaxter, Hughes and Tight highlight twelve issues
  to bear in mind when choosing a research topic
• 1. How much choice you have
• 2. Your motivation
• 3. Regulations and Expectations
• 4. Your subject or field of study
• 5. Previous examples of research projects
  (papers)
• 6. The size of the Topic focus!

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Selecting a Research Topic
• Blaxter, Hughes and Tight highlight twelve issues
  to bear in mind when choosing a research topic
  (continued)

• 7. The time you have available
• 8. The cost of research
• 9. The resources you have available
• 10. Your need for Support
• 11. Access issues data!
• 12. Methods for Researching

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Selecting a Research Topic
• Remember
• Nearly everything will take longer than you
  expect
• There are always some problems
• So
• Be realistic (multiply by two!)
• Try and keep things as simple and straightforward
  as possible

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Produce a Project proposal or
• Terms of Reference
• For our projects these usually consist of four
  sections that address -
• Background and Overview
• Objectives
• Resources
• Constraints
• Plus you will expected to produce an outline set
  of plans that detail how you expect to carry out
  the project.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Terms of Reference
• You will need to detail
• Stages,
• Order of activities,
• Deliverables,
• And Times 
• Normally this is done by means of a Schedule and
  a Gantt chart

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• 3.2 In Depth Research Investigation
• Each MSc project must contain a significant
  research element.
• To understand this we will consider a typical
  project module in MSc in Computer Based
  Information Systems Programme. But check your own
  project module guides.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Project module within the MSc in Computer Based
  Information Systems (CBIS) Programme
• The aim of the CBIS project module is
• To extend and develop the student's ability to
  analyse, specify, design, implement and document
  an effective computer-based information system
  which satisfies an organisational need.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Knowledge and Abilities (CBIS Projects)
• Upon successful completion of the module,
  students will have knowledge and abilities as
  follows
• Knowledge
• New area of computing, (practical and/or
  theoretical)
• Abilities
• 1. Can effectively scope a project and meet the
  stated objectives
• 2. Can assimilate and disseminate research
  relevant to the specific project area
• 3. Can use effective time management skills to
  meet the objectives
• 4. Can present the results of a project both
  verbally and in a written form

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• CBIS Project Terms of Reference
• At the commencement of the project a formal Terms
  of Reference will be drawn up by the student, in
  consultation with his/her designated client and
  supervisor.
• This proposal will be reviewed by a panel
  consisting of the Projects Tutor or Course Leader
  and Supervisor.
• This review will contribute to the mark for
  Planning and Conduct of the Project, which will
  be continuously assessed.
• As part of the review the student will be
  questioned about his or her ideas.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• CBIS Projects are assessed according to the
  following guide-lines for five aspects
• 1. Research (30)
• the scope of the project and the extent to which
  the methodical investigation of contemporary
  material has been incorporated into its
  development.
• 2. Success (20)
• the extent to which the deliverables (viz. the
  CBIS implemented and the written report) achieve
  the objectives stated in the agreed terms of
  reference

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• CBIS Projects are assessed according to the
  following guide-lines for five aspects
• 3. Dissertation (20)
• the quality and clarity of the written report
  which deals with the conduct and results of the
  project
• 4. Reviews/Control (15).
• demonstrating the ability to plan, monitor and
  maintain a viable work schedule
• 5. Presentation (15)
• the ability of the student to communicate
  verbally and with appropriate visual aids the
  conduct of the project and their command over
  the subject area

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• The Research aspect in CBIS projects
• Will typically comprise at least two chapters of
  the project's dissertation
• Will support the practical aspects of the project
• Must be passed in order for the project to be a
  pass overall.

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Assessment of the Research Element in a CBIS
  Project
• The extent to which the completed project
  achievement of the following aims
• To review and assess current theory and knowledge
• To relate review and assessment to practical
  elements of project
• To attain a level of expertise beyond that which
  is achieved in the taught part of the programme.
• Plus the assessor would consider
• The quality of References/Bibliography

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• Is there life after the Masters?
• Why research?
• Jobs
• All jobs analyse data, solutions, evaluate,
  communicate, manage time, communicate
• Research jobs
• Government bodies
• Blue Chip companies
• Academic
• Enjoyable!
• Dr. Who? Distinctiveness, premium, knowledge

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• PhD in-depth research to create new ideas,
  techniques, applications, systems
• Around 100 Research Students
• Computing intelligent systems, natural language
  engineering, human-computer systems, CAL,
  software engineering, electronic commerce,
  telecoms, maths modelling, statistics.
• Engineering control systems, automotive,
  materials, magnets, business processes

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Research Within Other Modules and the Project

• PhD Applications Chris. Bowerman
  DG231Chris.Bowerman_at_sunderland.ac.uk
• http//www.cet.sunderland.ac.uk/postgrad
• Good honours degree, English Profficiency
• Application form with proposal certificates
• Register, supervise, train, publish
• How much? How Long?
• PT UK 640, International 2940, 3.5-6 years
• FT UK 2940, International 7950, 2.5-4 years
• Bursaries