ECONOMICS RESEARCH PROJECT - 2026/7

Module Overview

This is a guided research module where students identify and explore in detail a topic of their choice within the fields of Economics, then write a project on their chosen subject. The overall focus of the module is on: 

• learning to research independently, making best use of the digital resources available through the university library 
• drawing appropriate conclusions from analysis and investigation of text and data 

Teaching inputs guide students in their choice of topic and approach, and provide them with extended opportunities to develop resourceful approaches and relevant skills.  Engaging with in-class activities and online tasks in research, reading and academic writing throughout the semester will prepare students well for discipline specific writing and research challenges at higher levels of degree study and in the workplace.

Module provider

Economics

Module Leader

RICKMAN Neil (Economics)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 3

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

This module provides an opportunity for students to draw together strands from previous and concurrent Foundation Year modules and apply them to an area of their own interest within an Economics context.  

Key module content includes: 

 

• guided discussion of the nature, value and application of research for academic purposes, at work and in their personal lives.   
• guided development of subject-based research questions and research objectives 
• how to make best use of the university library catalogue to locate resources such as e-books and online academic and professional journal articles, to evaluate these resources critically and to make use of them for academic work.  
• development of academic reading and writing skills from those deployed at school and college level, to prepare students to read and write extended academic texts at Foundation year and higher levels of university study.   

With each student working to a topic of their own choosing over the course of the semester, there are particular challenges in managing time and resources independently, meaning that students need to demonstrate both resourcefulness and resilience as learners.  Individual support is built into the module to help students meet these challenges and develop the required attributes, in the form of two scheduled individual tutorial sessions, further ad hoc tutor advice sessions. Taking advantage of and learning from these support opportunities is a key part of an active approach to the module.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to:

The assessment strategy is designed to allow students to demonstrate the application of the skills developed and the knowledge gleaned so far on this module and from the programme as a whole, and in this way to demonstrate that they have successfully met the Learning Outcomes for this module. Students have the opportunity to interrogate data and make and communicate meaningful conclusions. The strategy requires students to demonstrate the ability to draw together different strands from across the course and, as a consequence, show awareness of the multidisciplinary nature of knowledge and the transferability of skills. 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

A research proposal (which addresses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6): this is an opportunity for students to show the extent and depth of their research to date, including their ideas for a project title, main research question, research objectives, a background section showing the intended direction of the final project supported by references to key sources, and a short annotated bibliography.  

 An extended essay or report (which addresses Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6): the final project will comprise the title, an abstract, a research question, 2/3 research objectives, the text divided into appropriate main sections, and a reference list. 

 

Formative assessment:

There will be important opportunities to develop relevant academic reading, writing and critical thinking skills, including techniques for avoiding plagiarism, via: 

• Completion of tasks during seminars with the opportunity for discussion and feedback, to develop skills relevant to completion of the research proposal ¿ in particular, critical reading, paraphrasing and summarising, using referencing conventions appropriately to avoid plagiarism. 
• Completion and submission of the summatively assessed research proposal around the midpoint of the semester (as detailed above).  Students will receive formal written individual formative feedback which they can use to guide development and completion of the final project. 

Feedback: 

Formative feedback and guidance by peers and tutors will be provided during seminar time.  In addition, students are encouraged to prepare carefully for individual meetings, to ensure that tutor feedback at those times is relevant to their needs at that point of their work in progress.  Students are welcome make use of module tutors¿ office hours and drop-in times for individual guidance and feedback.

Module aims

• Give students the opportunity to develop their independent digital research skills by focusing on a topic of interest, evaluating sources and conducting an in-depth investigation
• Allow students to develop their capacities of analysis and evaluation to help them present consistent and original argument for appraisal
• Support students in building confidence in relevant academic and organisational skills such as reading and note-making, academic writing, using sources of evidence to support an extended written discussion, planning and structuring written work, avoiding plagiarism through paraphrasing and referencing using accepted conventions, managing their own time over an extended period of study

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to enable students to conduct a piece of research in a context where they are advised and monitored on an ongoing basis in order to meet the learning outcomes. There will be regular opportunities for students to seek input as they develop confidence in their own ability to interrogate source material, draw conclusions and further their own knowledge. 

The learning and teaching methods include:

The learning and teaching methods include: 

 1.  Seminars:  

• Seminars are designed to break down preparation of the Research Proposal and final Research Project into manageable stages, which allow opportunities for in-class discussion, skills development and analysis of previous student work.   
• Several taught sessions are devoted to academic and organisational skills and attributes relevant to preparation of an independent project of this length, including: time management; critical reading and note-making; planning, drafting and editing written work; applying Harvard referencing conventions in their work; proofreading.   
• Peer feedback opportunities are included to help students develop confidence in their ideas and approaches, resilience and independence as learners.  
• Seminars include opportunities each week for students to consult tutors and peers regarding their own developing project ideas with scope for informal feedback on work in progress. 

2.  Formal guided individual reading and study activities, included in SurreyLearn.  These would typically include short videos to watch and make notes from, targeted resources for self-study, articles to read ahead of discussion in class, short writing activities. 

3.  Independent study is a hugely important and demanding element of this module, requiring considerable resourcefulness and independence on the part of the student.  The ability to manage and benefit from the extensive independent study time is a key skill in underpinning successful study over the subsequent degree programme, as well as a skill highly sought by graduate employers.  Week by week guidance in SurreyLearn is provided to scaffold this dimension of the module at all relevant stages, though it is important that students approach the independent study requirements of this task with a critical mindset and adapt the time available to their own priorities and study preferences. 

4. At appropriate points in the semester, teaching will be replaced by individual supervision in preparation for the submission of the research proposal and final report.

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: ECO0006

Other information

Other information

The School of Economics 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:

Resourcefulness and resilience. The students will develop their ability to independently search and identify relevant sources of information and to use these to complete a written assignment. The various forms of feedback will allow the students to identify their weaknesses and strengths and allow them to develop strategies for efficient learning.

Employability. Students will acquire knowledge and skills relevant to being able to discuss, debate and write about various economic and social issues and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of government policies in resolving these issues. These skills are useful in a workplace and specifically in policy related work.

Digital capabilities

Students will develop key digital skills in prompt engineering, AI-assisted research workflows, output verification and bias detection, fact-checking, and ethical analysis to assess the accuracy and limitations of AI-generated content. Overall, students gain the ability to treat AI as a powerful yet imperfect research partner while maintaining rigorous critical thinking in digital environments.

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 2026/7 academic year.