DISSERTATION (MRES TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING STUDIES) - 2024/5

Module Overview

This module allows students to specialise in an aspect of the programme which is of particular interest to them by writing- up a substantial dissertation text of 16000 words (excluding data appendices and bibliography). This project will be based on thorough research on a specific Translation Studies issue. Successful completion of the module requires frequent, close collaboration with a supervisor, as well as excellent planning and organisation skills.

Module provider

Literature & Languages

Module Leader

ASIMAKOULAS Dimitris (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 120

ECTS Credits: 60

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Academic writing tutorials


• Proposal planning sessions


• Dissertation preparation workshops


• Finalised dissertation proposal


• One-to-one dissertation supervision and review meetings


• Independent research on chosen topic

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of theoretical models (and the ability to use this subject-specific knowledge in new contexts and original research), the ability to analyse and interpret translation phenomena, the ability to select methodological pathways that help answer specific research questions and the ability to synthesise information in a principled, lucid and scholarly manner.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• An MRes Dissertation of 16,000 words (100% weighting)

 

Formative assessment

Students will discuss the development of their research topic in structured meetings (see learning and teaching methods above) with a supervisor designated to them by the Programme Leader. Whilst these meetings take place throughout the course, a number of them are directly linked to a Semester 1 module on research methods. The assessment strategy in this research methods module entails writing-up a project proposal.

Feedback

Students will receive written feedback on their dissertation proposals and on their dissertations, as well as oral or written feedback on agreed drafts submitted to their supervisors.

Module aims

• The module aims to: guide students along the elaboration of an appropriate research topic, ideally a topic that has already been identified in their taught modules (especially their research topics/methodology modules)
• encourage students to discuss the topic critically
• enable students to sharpen the focus and develop the data-related components of their research projects, so that the project becomes substantial enough yet manageable given the scope, time and resources envisaged for an MRes dissertation
• provide an opportunity for students to develop their topic independently and discuss it with a supervisor
• guide strudents along the production of an extended piece of academic work
• enable students to synthesise the skills and knowledge which they have acquired throughout the academic year

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

* equip students with the ability to apply critical thinking and conduct independent research in a field that is rapidly evolving and affected by digital technologies, through using systematically collected data and applying these to real translation and/or interpreting scenarios
* equip students with the ability to evaluate authentic translation products for research purposes and/or socio-cultural appropriacy evaluation purposes
* develop time-management and interpersonal skills, which are essential for the delivery of academic projects but which are highly valued in the professional world
* equip students with the ability to communicate as experts in the field of translation studies, using metalanguage effectively and persuasively

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

* Independent research conducted over the duration of the year and the summer period (1180 hours)
* Contact hours consisting of structured meetings, workshops and tutorials; a break-down of these is as follows:

Semester 1

- academic writing tutorials (4 hours) initial meeting with academic (1 hour)
- debriefing meeting with academic (1 hour)
- feedback on proposal (2 hours)

Semester 2

- dissertation kick-off meeting (1 hr)
- dissertation preparation workshops (4 hours)
- progress review meetings with academic (3)

Summer writing-up

- structured supervisory meetings with supervisor (4 hours)

 

Issues in translation/interpreting will be discussed and students will be encouraged to participate actively, be it in tutorial sessions or individual one-to-one supervision sessions, drawing on their knowledge of other cultures and languages in order to identify and illustrate phenomena and principles related to translation. They will be encouraged to demonstrate application of the theories covered in modules taken throughout the year, to develop a methodological toolkit tailored to their project, to participate in group discussion (where appropriate), to present their findings to their supervisors and to respond to feedback provided; in this way they will be able to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and develop their own judgement and opinions. Extensive formative feedback will be provided in dedicated sessions (see above).

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: TRAM479

Other information

Surrey's Curriculum Framework is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

This module is the culmination of a student journey - through two compulsory modules on principles of translation and academic methods and two optional modules - into exploring the diversity of translation and interpreting phenomena in the world (Global and Cultural Capabilities); it is also the culmination of a journey into critical engagement with various paradigmatic turns in the field, from the cultural, to the socio-economic to the technological, as elaborated by theories developed in different parts of the world and in discussions of existing practice in a fast developing industries around the globe (Global and Cultural Capabilities). As such, the module allows students to demonstrate awareness of and respect for different models of translation in academia and the industry (Global and Cultural Capabilities, Employability). Throughout the supervision and writing up stages (which extend from Semester 1 and into the summer), each student will need to make frequent, strategic use of the VLE where they can access relevant academic writing materials, inspirational talks/podcasts and self-study suggestions so that they can develop their own project, which, depending on the topic, will systematize the creation of translation/interpreting solutions or critique existing translation/interpreting solutions (Digital Capabilities).

The module is suitable for MRes students who want to pursue a career in translation or in translation data analysis in the Language Services Industry more generally (Employability). With an overt focus on systematic research training, it also offers a solid foundation for further academic study, at doctoral level (Employability). Thus, the module helps students develop confidence in speaking as experts in their field and in developing their problem-solving skills in a supportive learning environment before venturing out into the professional world (Resourcefulness and Resilience). Students have opportunities to develop their critical thinking, their responsiveness to feedback and, more crucially, their resourcefulness in identifying and capturing language/translation data with a view to contributing to knowledge or finding a solution to a translation/interpreting challenge, be it on a conceptual level or on an empirical level (Resourcefulness and Resilience). Depending on the topic selected, students have the potential to demonstrate thorough knowledge of the grander narratives and pitfalls in translation activity, including the sustainability of translation resources (which may best serve future tasks), of individual views (translator visibility) and, ultimately, the sustainability of (unrepresented) cultures or languages (Sustainability). Finally, it helps them develop as critical, creative thinkers and effective communicators who excel in applying evidence-based, varied solutions to translation/interpreting problems and justifying those to others; it presents them with opportunities to demonstrate digitally informed solutions to translation problems concerning various units of translation, from the smaller (terms, individual words) to the more complex (long, specialized, or formally complex texts) (Digital Capabilities, Resourcefulness).

Programmes this module appears in

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 2024/5 academic year.