Independent project based on secondary research
Independent project based on secondary research
*UK INDEPENDENT PROJECT BASED ON ONLY SECONDARY RESEARCH. PEER REVIEW
* (NO SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH, You must NOT use a systematic literature) ONLY SECONDARY RESEARECH. IS ALL ABOUT THE UK
ON THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL YOU MUST USE ONLY SECONDARY RESEARECH.
CHOOSEN METHOD FOR THE PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIVE LITREATURE REVIEW
IS MORE ON SOCIAL CARE
TOPIC
What are the social factors impacting on young peoples abuse of alcohol in the UK?
Some good titles of independent projects in the previous years
How Does Domestic Violence Impact on Childrens Emotional Behaviour between the Ages of 3 to 12 Years?
Mental Health in Prison Environment- Is mental illness among adult offenders an underlying issue in society?
How could professionals support children with autism to better communicate?
How can primary schools better support the mental health needs of disadvantaged children?
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding
critical awareness and application of theoretical and methodological perspectives relevant to an investigation of our chosen research topic
2Demonstrate the following skills and abilities
Synthesise, evaluate and defend the findings of your research and communicate the results in a focused, logically organised, appropriately concluded format and referenced according to the format and standard of the Harvard system
Assessment details
Assessment 1 A 1500 word UK Research Proposal: WE NEED TO WAIT FOR FEEDBACK ON THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL BEFOR WE CAN EXPAND TO 7000 WORDS.
Assessment 2 A 7000 word Independent Project
Threshold expectations
In order to pass Assessment 1 you will need to:
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the most appropriate theoretical perspectives which can be adopted to study your chosen topic;
Refine and develop the research question identified to produce an answerable question with a clear focus, set aims and objectives and discusses relevant ethical considerations.
Produce a systematic strategy for deciding what to search for, with clear inclusion and exclusion criteria, to identify the most relevant literature and then implement it.
Propose and justify a potentially appropriate method and methodology to collect secondary and or primary data that could address the research question within prescribed resource parameters.
Discuss how such data might be analysed and in what ways the findings might be useful.
In order to pass Assessment 2 you will need to:
Produce a 7,000 word Research Project that is focused, logically structured, convincingly conclusive, referenced according to the format and standard of the Harvard system and that applies critical knowledge of relevant theoretical frameworks with evidence of critical appraisal and synthesis.
Produce a comprehensive literature section/paper of the chosen area which displays a critical grasp of the findings and theoretical frameworks of that literature.
Selecting appropriate methods, providing a rationale for their selection, applying these methods, presenting the data obtained in an appropriate format, evaluating the limitations of the chosen methods, addressing and resolving ethical issues and drawing conclusions from the data.
The independent project gives you an opportunity to develop a research proposal, consider the ethical implications of your project and to undertake an in-depth focused research project relevant to your course and to your individual personal and professional interests. It will take the form of
Substantive literature review
To complete the full 45 credits the Independent Project is constructed as a semester one and a semester two unit.
taught sessions and these will focus on:
Developing your question & thinking about what evidence is going to be relevant.
Developing themes
Ethical considerations.
Deciding on methodology
Conducting literature searches on your topic.
How to structure a research proposal
How to structure the Independent Project,
How to develop discussion, conclusions & recommendations.
SECTION B
Recommended Reading
Core reading
Bryman, A. (2015) Social research methods, 5th edn., Oxford: Oxford University Press
Guided reading
Aveyard, H. (2014) Doing a literature review in health and social care: a practical guide, 3rd edn., Maidenhead: Open University Press
Aveyard, H., Sharp, P. & Woolliams, M. (2015) A beginner's guide to critical thinking and writing in health and social care, 2nd edn., Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Bell, J. & Waters, S. (2014) Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education, health and social science, 6th edn., Maidenhead: Open University Press
Neuendorf, K.A. (2016) The content analysis guidebook, 2nd edn., Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Thomas, G. (2013) How to do your research project: a guide of students in education and applied social science, 2nd edn., London: Sage.
Schreier, M. (2012) Qualitative content analysis in practice, London: Sage
Wodak, R. & Krzyzanowski, M. (eds.) (2008) Qualitative discourse analysis in the social sciences, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Independent reading
Regarding the substantive topic of the dissertation, students (with guidance from their supervisor) will
identify their own resources. You can draw on journals such as
Journals:
Age and Ageing
Ageing & Society
BMJ (British Medical Journal)
British Journal of Sociology
Critical Social Policy
Disability and Society
Diversity in Health and Care
Ethnicity and Health
Feminist Review
Gender & Society
Health and social care in the community
Health, risk & society
Journal of Gender Studies
Journal of Mens Health
Journal of Public Health
Journal of Public Mental Health
Journal of Social Issues
International Journal of Mens Health
Social Science and Medicine
Sociology of Health and Illness
Sociological Research Online
Sociology: The Journal of The British Sociological Association
Sociological Review
Reading: Research proposals a practical guide pg. 3-13, 33-44
Social Research methods By Brymans Chapter six Ethics and politics in social research.
Exercise: SPIDER translate your research proposal into this
Take home task: write a reflection of what you did in level 5 research and what you intend to do now.
