This will provide students with the opportunity to carry out an extended piece of independent analytical research and to produce a more developed and lengthier piece of academic writing than previously attempted in their other undergraduate courses.

4 x one hour sessions as scheduled in MyCampus (of which 1 hour will be demonstration; and one hour will be an Autonomous Learning Group)

3 x 45min individual meetings arranged with supervisor.

None

None

Prospectus (400 words) + Annotated Bibliography (1,250 words) - 10%

Dissertation: 10,000 words, inclusive of foot or endnotes but exclusive of appendices and bibliography - 90%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ help students select and define an individual research project on an agreed topic of literary investigation within the field of Scottish literature;

■ develop students' advance planning and time management skills for a programme of independent research; 

■ foster the capacity for independent research and writing; 

■ enhance students' perspectives on their graduate employability.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ establish an in-depth knowledge of a particular topic in terms of text and context

■ plan for, and carry out, an efficient programme of well managed independent research;

■ clarify crucial terms of discussion and incorporate the views of published critics in their argument;

■ compose a sustained argument in an extended piece of analytical prose;

■ synthesize and write up independent research findings and material.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.