DISSERTATION - 2020/1
Module code: TON3017
Module Overview
The module includes two aspects. The Literature Review is intended to give you experience in writing a literature review on a topic related to music informatics, the feedback on which will assist in writing the Dissertation. In addition, it will give you an opportunity to learn in detail about a specialised area of music informatics not normally covered in the remainder of the Programme. The Presentation gives you an opportunity to present this to the rest of the year so that fellow students can learn from your findings. The Dissertation is the culmination of the musical and technical components of the Programme, and will give you an opportunity to conduct research in a subject of your choosing related to music informatics to a depth not possible during other parts of the Programme.
Module provider
Music and Media
Module Leader
MASON Russell (Music & Med)
Number of Credits: 45
ECTS Credits: 22.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 6
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 398
Lecture Hours: 18
Seminar Hours: 24
Tutorial Hours: 10
Module Availability
Year long
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
• Level 4 Acoustics and Computer Audio Systems A & B • Level 4 Audio Engineering and Recording Techniques A & B • Level 4 Electronics and Audio Signal Processing A & B
Module content
Indicative content includes:
- An initial plenary session in which the purpose of the module will be outlined and advice given on planning and suitable topics.
- A plenary session where the content of the Literature Review will be agreed between you and the lecturer during Semester 1.
- Lectures on academic research, writing style, structuring reports, presentation skills, listening test design, and statistical analysis.
- The content of the Dissertation will be agreed between you and the module co-ordinator by the end of Week 8 of Semester 1.
- Regular tutorials with your dissertation supervisor.
The following topics will be covered in lectures:
- Research methods
- Technical writing skills
- Presentation skills
- Listening test design
- Statistical analysis
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Literature review | 25 |
| Coursework | Dissertation and presentation | 75 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate research skills in the form of a literature review, and technical writing and presentation skills in the form of a detailed dissertation.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
- Coursework 1 – Literature Review on a subject of your choosing. The literature review has a limit of 8 pages (addresses learning outcomes 1,2,5,6,7).
- Coursework 2 – Dissertation. A research-based dissertation on a different topic from that of your Literature Review, with a guide length of 10,000 to 15,000 words (addresses learning outcomes 1,2,4-12). The 20 minute presentation will be on the topic of the Dissertation and will be delivered to the class during Semester 2 (addresses learning outcome 3).
Practical and summative assessment are designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of your chosen specialist subject. Within the Dissertation element, the Dissertation will account for a total of 70% of your mark for the module, and the Presentation will account for 5% of your mark for the module.
Formative assessment
Formative feedback will be given for a Dissertation progress report submitted in Semester 1 (with a word limit of 2,000 words). This must include:
- A summary of the motivation for the dissertation
- A list of research questions with appropriate justification
- A brief summary of the literature review (answering some of the research questions)
- An outline experiment plan (including an explanation of how it will answer the remaining research questions)
- A time plan for the remainder of the dissertation
- An outline of the chapter and section layout of the final dissertation
Formative feedback will also be given to you as noted below.
Feedback
You will receive written feedback on your Literature Review and verbal feedback from tutors and fellow students on your presentation. Verbal and/or written feedback will also be given through tutorial supervision throughout the year.
Module aims
- Introduce methods of academic research
- Increase knowledge of a specialised area of engineering
- increase skills in academic writing
- Develop confidence in presenting ideas to other people
- Enable research on a technical topic of your choosing
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 001 | Independently research a previously unfamiliar topic in a detailed manner | KCT |
| 002 | Collate and discuss this research in a coherent form in a written literature review | KCT |
| 003 | Clearly communicate a summary of your research in the form of a presentation | KCPT |
| 004 | Clearly communicate a summary of your research in the form of a dissertation | KCPT |
| 005 | Write an abstract | C |
| 006 | Demonstrate your ability to search the published literature to obtain relevant references | KC |
| 007 | Research and write a detailed and precise reference list | C |
| 008 | Organise and structure a large-scale piece of written work employing an appropriate research methodology | KCT |
| 009 | Explain and analyse in detail aspects of a topic chosen in consultation with the module co-ordinator | KCP |
| 010 | Demonstrate significant scholarship in the area of your chosen subject | C |
| 011 | Write a dissertation in an academically satisfactory yet readable way | CPT |
| 012 | Demonstrate your propensity for postgraduate study | C |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: foster your independent technical and research skills across both semesters. By separating the content of the literature review and the dissertation, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in two different topic areas. You will be supported in your independent work through structured guidance in research, technical writing and presentations, as well as one-on-one tutorials. You will learn from each other’s presentations and the subsequent question and answer sessions, delivered during seminars inSemester 2.
The learning and teaching methods include:
• Nine two-hour lectures in Semester 1
• Eight three-hour seminars in Semester 2
• Tutorial supervision of on average ½ hour per fortnight
• Coursework assignments and feedback
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: TON3017
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music and Sound Recording (Tonmeister) BMus (Hons)(CORE) | Year-long | Core | Each unit of assessment must be passed at 40% to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.