Assessment item 3
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Masters Research Dissertation
Value: 100%
Due Date: 11-Oct-2019
Return Date: 01-Nov-2019
Length: 15,000 words
Submission method options: EASTS (online)
Task
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Completion of a 15,000 word dissertation.
Take care to address the marking criteria as you structure and write your dissertation.
Rationale
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This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
• be able to undertake independent research in the fields of Social Work/Human Services practice and Social Policy Analysis
• be able to demonstrate skills of writing, data anlysis, policy analysis and critical thinking necessary to produce publishable research
Mandatory requirement to demonstrate the student's ability to undertake a piece of research and to write it up in the form of a dissertation.
Marking criteria and standards
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Criteria for evaluating a SWK500 Masters Dissertation
While certain specific will vary according to the nature of the research undertaken, the general criteria for evaluation of these are as follows:
Criteria Weighting:
1. Evidence of conceptual understanding, theoretical sophistication and awareness of alternative or competing paradigms. 20%
2. Logical argument. 10%
3. Methodological rigour in terms of:
- Clarity in formulating the research problem;
- Justification of choice of methodology;
- Capacity to operationalise the research question/s;
- Assessment of the quality of the data;
- Awareness of ethical issues;
- Collection, processing and analysis of data;
- Use of results to answer the research question/s. 20%
4. Ability to relate the research findings to the field of study and to draw implications for social policy and/or social work/human services practice. 25%
5. Creativity and originality. 15%
6. Presentation 10%
Markers may provide separate marks for each criteria or they may choose to award an overall, 'global' mark for the dissertation.