MA Handbook 2011-12 (1) - Queen's University Belfast

The dissertation
The following notes apply to all MA students excepting Creative Writing students.
Students who have attained a pass mark (50%) for the taught modules may proceed to a
dissertation, which constitutes the last two modules of the MA programme, researched during the
summer months of the MA year.
Deadline: Friday, 14 th September, 2012
Word count: 15,000 words (inclusive of bibliography and notes)
How you should prepare for the dissertation
The MA dissertation is an independent research project, which offers you an exciting opportunity to
choose what to study and write about in a dissertation which accounts for a third of the MA award.
You are not entirely on your own, of course. You will be assigned a supervisor who will advise you
about the scope of your topic, the organisation of your material, the list of books and articles you
should consult, and who will read drafts of your dissertation prior to submission. The dissertation
should test your skills in working independently on a research project, and the supervisor is there
simply to advise on the direction of your studies. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that
your dissertation meets the required standards for submission, and for acting on the advice given to
you by your supervisor. You will have a set number of meetings with your supervisor. Three or four
meetings are common. The first will be an opportunity to discuss what topic you wish to research,
the viability and scope of your research topic, and what problems you might anticipate in completing
it. The last meeting will be a chance to review the draft which you will have submitted to your
supervisor prior to the formal submission. Try to use the time with your supervisor wisely. Prepare in
advance for the meeting, making a list of all the questions or problems you wish to discuss.
Supervision takes place over the summer months when academics are frequently attending
conferences, working on or writing up research and, at some point, taking some summer leave. In
the first meeting with your supervisor you will agree a schedule for submitting draft chapters which
can take these factors into consideration.
Choice of topic: Scope and methodology, topics and approaches: these factors can vary widely. Past
MA dissertations submitted as part of your MA programme give some indication of the potential
variety. If you are uncertain how to shape your interests into a coherent, realistic dissertation topic,
you should make contact with a relevant member of staff, who will be happy to advise.
Supervisor: Usually a member of staff on the teaching team of your specific MA programme, and
someone whose own research interests intersect to some degree with the topic of your dissertation.
Meetings or correspondence with your supervisor will take place June-­‐August, by arrangement on an
individual basis.
Format and layout (those in square brackets are optional):
Title-­‐page
[Acknowledgements]
Table of contents (keyed to page numbers at beginning of each chapter)
Introduction
Chapters (usually 3 or 4)
Conclusion
Bibliography
[Appendices]
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