SPE8302 : Research Project (Masters Thesis)
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Professor Helen Stringer
- Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 3 Credit Value: | 60 |
| ECTS Credits: | 30.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide students with the experience of conducting an original piece of research in speech and language sciences that addresses a theoretically motivated and clinically practical research question examining a new or existing assessment or intervention.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Locate and critically appraise existing research pertinent to topic of interest;
2. Formulate answerable clinical research question(s) related to new or existing assessment or intervention practice;
3. Submit research proposal and obtain staff approval to conduct proposed investigation;
4. Submit application to relevant research ethics panels and obtain approval to conduct investigation;
5. Collect and analyse data related to research question(s), using appropriate statistical analyses where appropriate;
6. Interpret findings of investigation in light of existing research;
7. Write up the investigation in the form of a manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed research journal.
8. Present poster summarising research project at end-of-programme research conference
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 200:00 | 200:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Including Presentation of projects to rest of cohort (20 minutes) group discussion. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 391:00 | 391:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Scheduled on-line contact time | 6 | 0:30 | 3:00 | Supervision with project supervisor |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Introduction to projects, discussion of format and topics |
| Total | 600:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The student’s research and presentation skills, will be employed in the conduct of an original research investigation in the second and third year semesters of the programme, giving the student first-hand experience of all aspects of research from idea inception to formal presentation of research findings.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | 1 | M | 80 | maximum 40 double-spaced pages, in the form of an article to be submitted to a scientific journal |
| Poster | 1 | M | 20 | Poster presentation, 5 minute oral presentation (may be recorded) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Oral and written presentation skills related to the aims of the module.
Submission of a thesis up to 40 double-spaced sides (word count will vary depending on target journal) (written communication, problem solving, numeracy, computer literacy)
The poster presentation will be aimed at conference submission and will allow students to practice peer review. Students will give a 5 minute oral presentation to support their poster. (written communication, problem solving, numeracy, computer literacy, oral presentation)
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SPE8302's Timetable