University : MLA College UniLearnO is not sponsored or endorsed by this college or university.
Subject Code : MLA610
Country : Australia
Assignment Task

1. Introduction

The BSc (Hons) dissertation forms a significant part of the assessment for this module. You are encouraged to identify a suitable topic and explore your ideas with your supervisory team and plan your work programme as early as possible. Successful completion of your dissertation is a requirement of the award of your degree, and will be permanently stored in the University library for future reference, giving the opportunity for the next generation of students and industry professionals to use and potentially add to your research.

2. Aims and Learning Outcomes

The aims of this module are:
• To undertake a programme of scholarship in sustainable maritime operations
• Plan, execute and report on a programme of research appropriate to your aspirations and your current or chosen field of work within the maritime sphere
The Learning Outcomes are to:
1. Plan and manage a self-directed period of study
2. Demonstrate an ability to critically analyse current research and scholarship in the topic of choice
3. To undertake an Honours-level research project in a systematic way
4. Communicate your work effectively and professionally to a specialist and nonspecialist audience

3. Dissertation Subject Selection

Students are encouraged to devise their own subject for investigation, where possible. This could be closely associated with industry sponsors, or a relevant research project in the University or elsewhere. The choice of topic is one of the most critical stages of your dissertation: it is very difficult to produce a good dissertation out of a poor topic. If you are struggling to identify your own topic area, then please discuss this with your supervisory team at an early stage, and they can certainly assist you in developing an interesting subject for investigation. 

Whatever the subject, it should involve a measure of first hand research; it should not be merely a literature review. This does not mean that you must try to do something never attempted before. Scholarship is advanced by critically evaluating and building upon the work of others, and you should show an appreciation of this when you consider background material relevant to your topic.

Although your topic should be clear and specific, it is often best to start with your broad area of interest and then focus down to a precise question that will form the core of your work. The question or problem you decide on must also be practicable. Make sure that the data you require to address your chosen topic are available. If you intend to generate your own data make sure you have access to the necessary facilities and/or support, and ensure that sufficient data can be obtained within the time available.

Choosing where to work is also important. For many students, local-based projects will prove most practicable. Some students may, however, want to work abroad or at other locations. If you are considering a project abroad, you are advised to begin consulting with your supervisory team at the earliest possible stage. Health and Safety issues relating to your work will require careful consideration on your part.

While some students will want to devise their own project, many others will undertake a project defined by someone else, possibly in association with an employer or an external agency. Working on a project relevant to a company or agency can be very rewarding. You may be able to gain access to data or to sites that would otherwise be inaccessible and someone (other than your examiners) will be interested in your results.

Should you decide to undertake a listed project, especially one with an outside agency, it is important to remember that

• The project must be appropriate to your degree
• The project should be your own work, not that of someone else
• You may be required a write a report for the project sponsor, and providethem with a copy of your dissertation

4. The Literature

Although the problem that you have decided upon may be clear and precise, your work must not exist in isolation. Your dissertation is likely to benefit greatly by being related to broader issues. It is therefore essential that you are aware of, and that you show that you are aware of, the wider literature. The best way you can do this is to demonstrate that you understand the links between your study and the wider context in which it sits. Reading widely on a general question is also a good way of stimulating your ideas about a more specific question. Remember also that at the end of the dissertation you will need to evaluate your conclusions in the light of existing literature. However, do not review literature that is irrelevant to your topic and avoid reviewing ‘obvious’ material that can be found in any undergraduate textbook.

5. Data Collection

One outcome of your completed research project proposal should be a research method appropriate for the problem under investigation. The techniques you employ will determine the sort of data that you collect, and the answers you find will depend on the research philosophy you adopt. It is wise not to be overambitious in the number of different analytical tools you use; learning how to use them usually takes longer than you think. Preferably the techniques you use should be ones of which you already have some knowledge or background, through any taught element of your degree programme, or prior education or experience. If, for example, you want to employ a new technique for analysis stakeholder ideas (such as Delphi or Q methodology), you should have some demonstrable experience or knowledge of where or how the principles and practice of these techniques are outlined. You should not expect academic or other staff to spend time laying on special one-to-one practical tutorials with you, particularly as your supervisory team are likely to be displaced from you geographically.

When planning your data collection, it is essential that you give prior consideration to:

• Resource implications
• Safety considerations
• Any ethical issues. This is most important when collecting information
from participants in the form of surveys.

For each of these you are required to complete and have approved the necessary forms (e.g. risk assessment for safety). All of the necessary forms are located on the TLP. Completion of these is a required component of your assessed project proposal, and you will not be permitted to proceed with data collection unless these have been approved and deemed valid by your supervisory team.

You should note that funds to support field and laboratory work are not available from MLA College or Plymouth University, and you will therefore need to scale your plans for collecting data appropriately.

A pilot study can be invaluable in assessing the feasibility of your planned data collection, and help in identifying and ironing out practical problems. How many surveys can, or should, be completed, and in the time available? What questions can reasonably be asked? Including results of a pilot study in your dissertation write-up is often a good way of demonstrating that you have thought carefully about your research process. A pilot study is often best carried out in advance of the main period of data collection, although there may be exceptions. In the light of your pilot study, you may need to modify your original planned research design and methodology. You should consult with your supervisory team after a pilot study is complete, and before you embark on the main phase of data collection.

If your study involves fieldwork (i.e. it is not a desk-study), then careful prior planning is essential. You may want to make a preliminary reconnaissance visit in order to get a “feel” for your study area. It is also likely that you will need to organise permission to obtain access to sites (e.g. from landowners or local authorities) or to carry out work, or to speak to individuals in an official capacity,

and this should be sought well in advance. Success of fieldwork often depends on you adopting a professional, helpful and patient approach to those people with whom you will have contact. This is especially true where questionnaire surveys or interviews are carried out. If you do carry out a questionnaire survey, ethical clearance will be required, and a blank copy of your survey must be included in your dissertation, normally as an appendix.

 

This MLA610 Thesis Writing Assignment has been solved by our Thesis Writing Experts at onlineassignmentbank. Our Assignment Writing Experts are efficient to provide a fresh solution to this question. We are serving more than 10000+ Students in Australia, UK & US by helping them to score HD in their academics. Our Experts are well trained to follow all marking rubrics & referencing style.

Be it a used or new solution, the quality of the work submitted by our assignment experts remains unhampered. You may continue to expect the same or even better quality with the used and new assignment solution files respectively. There’s one thing to be noticed that you could choose one between the two and acquire an HD either way. You could choose a new assignment solution file to get yourself an exclusive, plagiarism (with free Turnitin file), expert quality assignment or order an old solution file that was considered worthy of the highest distinction.

  • Uploaded By : admin
  • Posted on : September 30th, 2018
  • Downloads : 0

Whatsapp Tap to ChatGet instant assistance