To produce a preliminary and preparatory piece of work based on the student's area of research.
To define the scope, methodology and boundaries of the student's research project.
To develop the student's skills of critical writing through the development of a coherent and appropriate academic voice.

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge of and engagement with the existing scholarship within the proposed area of research.

(LO2) Students will be able to demonstrate a coherent methodology appropriate to the area of research.

(LO3) Students will begin to make an original contribution to the area of research through detailed engagement with primary and/or secondary sources as appropriate.

(LO4) Students will demonstrate strong communication skills in written work through the development of an appropriate and coherent academic voice.

(S1) Students will gain written communication skills in the area of academic writing (including reference skills and academic integrity)

(S2) Students will gain critical thinking and problem-solving skills, incl. critical analysis, problem identification, evaluation, creative thinking, synthesis

(S3) Students will gain information skills – incl. Information accessing, using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.), critical reading, evaluation

(S4) Students will gain self-management/organisational skills, incl. managing time and workloads, meeting deadlines, initiative, readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

The specific academic content will vary according to the individual research project and will be determined by the student in collaboration with his or her supervisor(s). There will be 12 one-hour individual tutorials throughout semester 2.

Teaching method/description: teaching on this module consists of 12 individual one-hour tutorials with the student's supervisor (or supervisory team in cases of co-supervision), scheduled weekly throughout semester 2. During the sessions, students will discuss aims and how to make the best use of self-directed learning hours.