Module MATH51460: Dissertation

Department: Mathematical Sciences

MATH51460: Dissertation

Prerequisites

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To assist students to develop creative and critical thinking, the ability to assemble material from several sources and to write an extended report.
• To produce a dissertation that gives a coherent account of the topic, presented in an original, well organised and appropriate manner.

Content

• Students decide which module from their chosen stream they would like to follow up with a dissertation. They then consult, initially with the lecturer of that module, to agree a suitable topic for the dissertation. Students wishing to investigate a topic following on from another module they have taken, outside the module list for their chosen stream, may be allowed to do so provided a member of staff is willing to supervise them.

Learning Outcomes

• specialist knowledge of the chosen dissertation topic, including an appreciation of the development of that topic, its situation with respect to related topics and the directions in which that topic could lead.

• presentation of a body of mathematical knowledge in an interesting, innovative and comprehensible manner.
• construction of illustrative examples and, possibly, production of original investigations.

• the ability to read and digest several sources
• the ability to tackle material critically and communicate thoughts on it effectively.
• the ability to make a report with appropriate chapters, sections, numbering, and references with reference lists, contents pages and acknowledgements of others' work in an appropriate format.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The student will research and write a dissertation on an advanced topic, under the guidance of his/her supervisor and the guidance notes provided.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

The student will produce work (for example, plans, lists of sources, drafts, reference lists, sample calculations, etc.) for the comments of the supervisor.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University