HST6560: Dissertation
60 credits (full year)
Dissertations Co-ordinator: Dr Tom Leng
Meetings :: Deadlines :: Word Limits :: Supervision :: Learning Outcomes :: Submission
Module Summary
Students undertake an individual research project, based on an identifiable collection of primary sources and present their findings in a dissertation of 15,000 words. The dissertation represents an original piece of independent research and should be based on a substantial primary source base and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the secondary literature. Through the dissertation students demonstrate their practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret historical knowledge. Students will work under the supervision of an expert member of staff who will provide guidance and regular tutorial support.
Module Aims
The dissertation aims to help students to identify an area of historical enquiry and an appropriate primary source collection to engage in independent historical research. It provides them with the opportunity to use the skills and methods learnt during the first part of the course and to apply their historical understanding to the investigation of questions of their own devising.
Meetings and Workshops
Introductory Meeting: 1-2pm, Wednesday 31st October 2012 SR B81 Richard Roberts Building
Workshop: 1-2pm, Wednesday 22nd May 2013 SR B59 Portobello Centre
Deadlines
Title Registration Form: 12pm, Wednesday 14th November 2012
Synopsis Form: 12pm, Wednesday 20th February 2013
Preliminary Bibliography: 12pm, Wednesday 13th March 2013
Dissertation: 12pm, Wednesday 4th September 2013
All deadlines are compulsory and must be met promptly.
Guidance on preparation and submission is found below.
Word Limits
Title Registration Form: no word limit
Synopsis Form: 1000 words
Preliminary Bibliography: no word limit
Dissertation: 15,000 words
Please note that the Dissertation is subject to standard word limit penalties (see Word Limit Penalties).
Supervision
In the first weeks of the academic year students should consider the area they wish to study for the dissertation and should arrange to speak with potential supervisors to discuss ideas. In Week 7 students are asked to confirm their research topic and supervisor. In their first meeting the student and supervisor should discuss the kind of support needed, and should arrange to meet regularly to discuss progress.
In Week 3 of the second semester, students are asked to submit a 2-page synopsis form that has been agreed with supervisors. This may include information on: sources, historiographical context, methodological and/or theoretical approach, outline of dissertation structure and research questions. By the end of the second semester students will normally have made good progress with the research and will continue writing the dissertation over the summer. Meetings may be less frequent, or virtual, during the summer vacation but students can expect their supervisor to read a draft of the dissertation and offer comments either via email or in person.
Title Registration Form
Submission
The title registration form should be submitted through MOLE as follows:
1. Log into MOLE and access the HST6560 Dissertation module
2. Click on the Forms folder and then the Title Form Submission link
3. Click on the Dissertation Title Form link for your supervisor
4. Enter the title in the box marked 'Submission', and click on 'Submit'
Please note that you will not receive a notification email once your dissertation title submission has been approved (or otherwise) by your supervisor, you should log back into MOLE and check your submission’s status.
Your form’s status (top right-hand side of the form) will show as follows:
- ‘Submitted’ – your form is waiting for approval from your supervisor.
- ‘Graded’ – your form has been approved by your supervisor. Comments from your tutor, if any, will be shown under ‘Most Recent Comments’ at the bottom of the form.
- ‘In Progress (Attempt #2)’ – your form has been returned to you for amendments to the submission.
- You should check for comments from your supervisor in the ‘Most Recent Comments’ section. Once you have amended your entry you should resubmit your form.
Synopsis Form
Submission
The synopsis form should be submitted digitally through MOLE as follows:
1. Complete and save the Dissertation Synopsis Form
2. Log into MOLE and access the HST6560 Dissertation module
3. Click on the Forms folder and then the Synopsis Form Upload link
4. Click on the Synopsis Form link for your supervisor
5. Enter the title in the box marked 'Submission'
6. Click ‘Add Attachments’, find your saved Synopsis Form and click ‘ok’
7. Click 'Submit'
Again, you will not receive a notification email once your synopsis form submission has been assessed, you should follow the above instructions to check its status.
Preliminary Bibliography
Preparation and Binding
You should include the following information in a header/footer:
- your name
- module code
- page numbers
Bibliographies should be stapled.
You should use the MA Dissertation Bibliography Feedback Form (not the standard MA Feedback Form) as a cover sheet on one copy of the bibliography.
Submission
The dissertation bibliography should be submitted in the usual manner for assessed work i.e. turnitin and two hardcopies. See Submission.
Bibliographies will be returned to you either directly from your supervisor or via the Postgraduate Secretary (you will be emailed once they are available).
Dissertation
Preparation and Binding
Dissertations will be marked anonymously; please do not put your name anywhere on your dissertation.
You should include the following information in a header/footer:
- your Registration Number
- module code
- page numbers
Your dissertation should also have a title page which includes the following information:
- your registration number
- the full title of the dissertation
- your supervisor's name
- your word count, and
- the following statement:
'A dissertation submitted in part-fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in [your degree], University of Sheffield, September 2013.'
An example of the title page is downloadable from the right-hand side of the page. Please note this is an example only, you can format your text different so long as all of the same information is included.
There is no Feedback Form for the dissertation but you should complete a Plagiarism Form, to certify that your dissertation is your own work and not the result of any collaboration, and submit this with your dissertation. This will be filed separately and should not be bound into your dissertation.
Binding - Your dissertation must be bound in a permanent and secure binding. There are two binding services available within the University: Print and Design Solutions or the Copy Shop in the Students Union. You are also welcome to use an external binding service.
Spiral/comb binding is not recommended, as it is not secure enough, but any kind of glued binding is fine: www.shef.ac.uk/cics/printanddesign/document-binding. Print and Design Solutions also offers a thesis binding service with ‘T3’ and ‘T4’ options available for dissertations. You are welcome to use this service but will find that it’s more expensive than some other options.
You are welcome to use soft or hard binding. There are no restrictions on the colour of the cover and it does not need to include the University logo.
Please note that it may take up to two days (or longer at particularly busy times) to bind your dissertation, so you should get in touch with your chosen print service in plenty of time to enquire about time scales.
Submission
The dissertation should be submitted in the usual manner for assessed work i.e. turnitin and two hardcopies but should be submitted in person to the History reception rather than submitted into the essay basket. See Submission.
All forms are available for download from the Download box (right hand side of this page), under Forms on the MA student home page here and through History Online Postgrad organisation in MOLE.