MS933 Dissertation

Dissertation for MRes

This module gives you the opportunity to carry out an independent, original research project on a health or care topic of your choice. You will design and conduct your study using advanced research methods and present your findings in the form of a dissertation.

Following initial seminars to help you develop your research ideas, you will be supported by an expert supervisor, with regular meetings and feedback on your work. In further seminars you will receive feedback on your work from peers and the module lead, and support in developing your research skills.

By the end of the module, you will have produced a substantial piece of independent research, gaining valuable experience in designing, conducting, and communicating health and care related research.

What does the dissertation involve?

Your dissertation is a great opportunity to advance knowledge in the field of health and/or care. You will produce a written 20,000 word dissertation and have the chance to present it to an expert academic panel through a viva-voce at the end of the module. We encourage students to publish from their dissertation, and many students use their dissertation to support with PhD proposal development or future research planning.

Projects can be primary research or evidence review or secondary data analysis.

During your MRes Dissertation module you will have access to:

• Interdisciplinary supervisory support by academics from different disciplinary backgrounds including co-supervision where appropriate
• International links: Academics at Warwick Medical School have extensive networks of international collaborators and embedding MRes Dissertations within their international research programmes is encouraged.
• Practice and industry relationships at Warwick Medical School to support fieldwork and site access, research impact and knowledge mobilisation
• Seminar sessions to support your dissertation progress and development of key skills
• Optional tailored training with e.g. Information Specialists. Patient and Public Involvement Experts, Research Methodologists.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

• Develop an appropriate research proposal and protocol that complies with ethical principles and addresses a research question within health and care sciences
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in the critical evaluation and synthesis of research evidence relevant to the chosen research topic
• Produce and communicate an extended critical appraisal of the current literature, using appropriate quality assessment processes, to evaluate the limitations of research evidence and justify the need for the proposed research
• Demonstrate advanced skills in planning, information gathering and data interpretation and synthesis for research enquiry
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of different research methodologies and how these might be applied to health and care related research
• Have the knowledge and skills to independently design, plan, conduct, and complete a significant piece of research
• Have the knowledge and skills to independently complete a significant piece of academic writing
• Advance health-related knowledge through an original piece of research
• Deploy advanced research methodology within an original piece of research