MSc Dissertation Introduction

A brief guide to the dissertation Importance of dissertation within MSc degree The project proposal Dissertation supervisor Dissertation Workbook The Dissertation Report Student's Deadline Help and Supervision

Importance dissertation in MSc degree

Dissertation is the most important aspect of the MSc Programme
MSc Degree is not awarded without a successful completion of MSc dissertation.

Equivalent to 4 units of study or the third of MSc Programme Major project - research, development- is done by student It maps the future direction that student will be taking for your career or further post graduate studies It is natural path to MPh or PhD research study for some students

 Stage 1

MSc Dissertation Process

Identify subject area of interest Design a suitable project specification Register your project and supervisor online <http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/bcimmsc/>

Stage 2
Meet your supervisor regularly Produce a plan of work for:
Research; Practical and experimental Development; Write-up

Keep an up to date workbook Hand a draft version to you supervisor by the deadlines

Stage 3
Submit:
Your final project online Two hard copies of final version + workbook by the deadlines

The Dissertation Proposal

Identify MSc Dissertation subject Interest
Suggest your own project Attempt company project:
Consult placement officer
Think carefully about the project subject area and the theme

Attempt university based project:

Consult placement officer/ Project coordinator/ Research centers, groups and individual lecturers

Discuss your project idea and supervision with:

Research Method Unit team Project coordinator

Register your project proposal online before the deadline <15 May 2013>

Appendix 1: MSc Dissertation Proposal Form

online submission only

YOUR DETAILS:
First Name: Family Name: Course Title: Student No: Contact details: email address: Phone number:

Title of your dissertation:

Main area of the dissertation (Key words to describe your projects)

Industry Supervisor <if any>: University Supervisor Second Supervisor (if any)

Dissertation proposal Research Method Unit Assignment A self-contained description of the proposed project - the case for support.
The case for support should be presented in six parts as described below:
Part-1: Aims and objectives. - 1 side A4 Part-2: Method of approach. - 1 side A4 Part-3: Resource required or to be used. - half side of A4 Part-4: Evidence of analysis from literature search and identified as appropriate approaches to the problem specified. - 2 sides A4 Part-5: Key references. 1 side A4 Part-6: Diagrammatic Plan for dissertation plan. - 1 side A4

Dissertation proposal Research Method Unit Assignment A self-contained description of the proposed project - the case for support.
The case for support should be presented in six parts as described below:
Part-1: Aims and objectives. - 1 side A4 Part-2: Method of approach. - 1 side A4 Part-3: Resource required or to be used. - half side of A4 Part-4: Evidence of analysis from literature search and identified as appropriate approaches to the problem specified. - 2 sides A4 Part-5: Key references. 1 side A4 Part-6: Diagrammatic Plan for dissertation plan. - 1 side A4

CHECKLIST FOR ETHICS REVIEWS

You need to submit the CHECKLIST FOR ETHICS REVIEWS FORM
Ethics review form is available from: www.scism.lsbu.ac.uk/banissi/mscdissertation/BIF_7_PRO-Module Guide2012_13.pdf

Dissertation supervisor
In choose a dissertation supervisor
Try to match your dissertation subject area to supervisor interest by:
Search expertise at university from the site: http://pve.cos.com/752/search Consult school/ university, Research centre and MSc dissertation web-site Contact potential supervisors well in advance Consult MSc project coordinator if in doubt Discuss your ideas with potential supervisor and take on board their suggestions Ask for ideas from potential supervisors Prepare project proposal that is agreeable both to you and to your supervisor

Register your project proposal and select your supervisor online at: <http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/bcimmsc/> You should keep a copy of all documentation in the form of log book.

If you cannot find supervisor consult project coordinator well before the deadlines during MSc Project Surgery Hour( at least two weeks before the deadline) and you will be assigned a supervisor)

Project PROCESS
Meet your supervisor regularly - face to face consultation is the best Produce a detail plan of work for:

Research - papers, journals, previous projects, internet and so on. Practical and experimental Development - need to support theoretical understanding of your practical work. Write-up - it should reflect what you have been doing - any form of copying will be considered as of not your work and could result in failing your dissertation quotation and inclusion of diagrams must be clearly referenced- if in doubt, consult your project supervisor.
Workbook is to record your activities during project- essential.
Need to be submitted for assessment Its content should reflect what you have in final dissertation, it is one way showing that the work submitted is of your own Its contents to be reflect your activities as it happens and you write as project progresses and not it at the end of the project to satisfy requirements.

The Dissertation
Main component to be assessed are: Before the final version, a draft version must be given to your supervisor for comments and feed back - allow plenty of time for this Instruction how to format and layout the final version is given in the unit guide. Submission online + 2 copies required to hand in. Make an extra copy for yourself and future reference. It must be handed on or before the deadlines Exceptional cases for deferral/extension may be considered well before submission deadline by your course director <you need to make application well before the submission date> Examination board needs to approve all deferrals you may be also asked to pay further fee for the deferral/extension.

Appendix I:

PDP Personal Development Planning Reflective statements as part of project work. Preparation of a proposal in respect of the dissertation and completion of the dissertation. Provide the means by which selfreflection, evaluation and planned development is supported (e.g. paperbased or electronic learning log/diary).

Academic Misconduct & Plagiarism

http://www.lisa.sbu.ac.uk/helpsheets/hs4.pdf http://cise.sbu.ac.uk/plagposter/ The dissertation that you produce is expected to be written using your own original words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters. If you do use extracts from non-original sources you should indicate exactly, by using quotation marks and indentation, which parts are non-original. The exact source of the non-original material must be clearly given, using a standard reference convention, every time it is cited. http://www.lisa.lsbu.ac.uk/006_services/student/ReferencingStudents.htm The extracts from non-original material that you use should be relatively short and largely factual. They should be used to support your arguments not to replace them. If you feel that you need to include large extracts of non-original material; they should be included in an appendix (where they will be given non academic credit.) Paraphrasing is where a summary of the content of non-original material is presented as original material. If this is a true summary, using your own words and phrases, this is probably acceptable. If it is a near transcription, that is phrases from the non-original source are included and/or the ideas from the non-original source are directly included and/or the citations or examples from the non-original source are included; then this is probably unacceptable.

Dissertation Assessment
Three aspect of project is examined
scheme at the unit guide>:
<See marking

Project Planning and development (Marks Awarded - MAX. 25%) Dissertation - Contents (Marks Awarded - MAX. 50% Dissertation - Report (Marks Awarded - MAX. 25%)

At least two independent examiners To pass:

Minimum pass mark of 50% is required for each component:

Moderation are required if:

there is a big disparity of marks from two examiners for the contents and presentation Border line cases, where two examiners of differing opinion whether a project is a fail/pass or distinction/pass

MSc Project Deadlines - StudentCourse Start Date

Sep-12 Sep-12 Jan-13 Jan-13 Sep-12 Sep-12 Jan-13 Jan-13 Dissertation proposal submission* 15 May 2013

Mode Full-time Part-time Full-time Part-time Full-time Top-Up Part-time Top-Up Full-time Top-Up Part-time Top-Up

Progress to Draft Dissertation Submission** Dissertatio n 1st Monday in November 2013 Jul-13 51 May 2014 1st Tuesday in April 2015 Jul-14 15 Jan 2014 1st Monday in July 2014 Mar-14 15 Jan 2015 1st Monday in November 2015 Mar-15 15 Jan 2013 1st Monday in June 2013 Mar-13 15 May 2013 1st Tuesday in April 2014 Jul-13 15 May 2013 1st Monday in November 2013 Jul-13 15 Jan 2014 1st Monday in November 2014 Mar-14

Final Dissertation Submission*** 1st Monday in December 2013 1st Tuesday in May 2015 1st Monday in July 2014 1st Monday in December 2015 1st Monday in July 2013 1st Tuesday in May 2014 1st Monday in December 2013 1st Monday in December 2014

MSc Project Deadlines - Student Dissertation proposal submission dates:

You obtain your supervisors approval before starting your Dissertation. You need to register your Dissertation before the deadline using online Dissertation registration at the site: http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/bcimmsc
Full Time & Part-time students submit their dissertation proposals + Checklist for Ethics Review Form completed and signed by the supervisor.

{Important notice: After you have your result in July ~ Once you received your module results - you can only continue with your dissertation if you completed and passed all the taught units} Dissertation draft submission dates:
You submit the draft of final version of your dissertation to your supervisor directly by the deadlines

Final dissertation submission dates:

Please follow submission instruction: http://www.scism.lsbu.ac.uk/banissi/Msc_diss/submission.htm and ensure that dissertation submitted by deadlines:

Help and Supervision

Weekly project surgery hour:
Wednesday 12:00-1:00, Room N309

Regular pre-planned arrangement from your supervisor Consultation with other staff Project Site will have latest:
Blackboard
http://www.scism.lsbu.ac.uk/banissi/mscdissertation/