Download the 2013 programme - Operation Wallacea

HOW TO SELECT AND COMPLETE
A DISSERTATION OR INDEPENDENT
RESEARCH PROJECT
This section describes the undergraduate dissertation or independent research project
topics where there is academic support on site and that can be developed into research
questions for dissertations or senior theses. About 25% of students use their time on site
to also gather data for their undergraduate or Masters level dissertations or theses. Doing
it this way means that you still have the benefit of working in some of these remote
environments but can also use your time over the summer to collect data for your degree
dissertation or senior thesis. Over the last couple of years 95% of the students doing
dissertations with Opwall have gained the top two grades for their dissertations and some
have even won the best dissertation for their year! Katherine Elsom from Cambridge
University won the 2011 RGS-IBG Biogeography Prize for the best national
undergraduate dissertation. Students from universities such as Oxford, Princeton,
Toronto, Manchester, Birmingham, Essex and many other universities have won the best
dissertation in their department for an Opwall based study.
The 100+ topics have been separated into subject areas (e.g. mammal ecology topics,
genetics topics etc.) and the topics within each subject area are often drawn from a range of
countries. Each of the topics describe an area of study from which students can develop
their own research questions. Thus, for any particular topic, a small number of students
can complete theses on different research questions. Some of the topic areas involve data
collected as part of the general monitoring effort. In such cases, the data-collection sites
and methods are fixed and the range of possible research questions is therefore limited.
However, it also means that the likely sample size of the data collected is large, allowing a
variety of research questions to be addressed using the data. Other subject areas, which are
not part of the general monitoring effort, allow a much larger range of possible research
questions and flexibility in the planning of the work. The main constraints for these
projects are logistical (vehicles, safety guard cover, dive launches etc.).
38
DISSERTATION TOPICS
HOW DO I SELECT A SUITABLE DISSERTATION TOPIC?
The first stage is to decide which topic area is of most interest and then go to the relevant
subject area in the brochure. There are brief descriptions of each topic for that subject area
and on the Opwall website (www.opwall.com) you can watch a short video describing the
topics in more detail; a reading list is also available on-line.
Opwall academics will be available from September to December to consult and help
narrow down your choices. Once you have some initial ideas of your proposed research
question you need to consult with your university tutor/advisor to check that you are able
to complete an off site dissertation/senior thesis as part of your degree and that you have
had their input on your initial ideas.
HOW DO I PREPARE WELL BEFORE COMING OUT TO THE SITE?
Once you have selected your preferred topic and booked on to the expedition, you need to
start preparing a draft research proposal that needs to be submitted by 28th February 2013
to our Senior Dissertation Advisor (dissertations@opwall.com). The research plan should
contain the following sections:
● A project title.
● Review of current literature relevant to your project, rationale for your project and the
specific aims and hypotheses of your research.
● Proposed data collection method.
● How the data will be analysed.
● Equipment requirements (many items could be borrowed from your university).
● Reference list.
At this stage you also need to talk to your university tutor/advisor to identify who your
internal university supervisor for the research project will be. You will also be sent a
dissertation assessment form that will need to be signed by your university supervisor.
Once we have received this form and the draft research proposal, the Senior Dissertation
Advisor and your Opwall field supervisor will contact you with comments on the draft and