Module: Dissertation 2 & Research Tutorials

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Dissertation 2 & Research Tutorials
Module Code	ECE1010 (ITS: EC407)
Faculty	DCU Institute of Education	School	Language, Literacy & ECE
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	15

Description

This module will support students in carrying out the research project planned in Dissertation 1. Students will meet with their supervisor in a small-group session (10 students) once a week. The aim of this module is to ensure that students start, advance and complete their dissertation work. The final report will be due before Easter of their final year. Students will draw up a timetable to guide their work. The various stages of the research will be pre-empted by discussions at the seminars and key issues related to each stage will be addressed. Students will raise issues and report on their progress periodically. Ethical dilemmas will be discussed along with issues related to access, data collection and analysis and the presentation of findings. Students will be given individual guidance and feedback throughout.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1DBC9A70-C28E-0001-9539-E000B4E81F94
2. Explain the rationale for the research study
5. 1
6. 1DBC9A70-C47E-0001-FA2C-18361F109030
7. Draw up a timetable in order to ensure completion of a research study within a finite period
10. 2
11. 1DBC9A70-C6F3-0001-D272-43907200D280
12. Carry out a literature review and locate the study within the available literature
15. 3
16. 1DBC9A70-CA69-0001-1FE8-EFE05E401055
17. Justify the selection of a particular research methodology and specific methods with reference to the research question and collect data related to that question
20. 4
21. 1DBC9A70-CE59-0001-F4E9-13F314F06450
22. Manage ethical dilemmas that arise in the course of the study.
25. 5
26. 1DBC9A70-D0A1-0001-10BD-1CE618E0139E
27. Distil findings, present them clearly and convincingly and draw appropriate conclusions from the findings
30. 6

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Tutorial	24	No Description
Assessment Feedback	101	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20237	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Sinéad McNally	Module Teacher	Geraldine French, Grainne McKenna, Marlene Mccormack, Sandra O'Neill

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Exhibition Evaluation	10, 000 Words - Beginning April Final Semester	80%	Sem 1 End
Presentation	This will focus on discrete aspects of the project Weekly for weeks 2-6 of Semester 2	20%	Every Week

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

1
• The format of a research report

2
• The research timetable

3
• The importance of your question

4
• Reading and writing for the literature review

5
• Carrying out fieldwork

6
• Ethical awareness

7
• Analysing the data

8
• Presenting the findings and discussion of these

9
• Hazards: e.g. Plagiarism, Referencing, Record keeping

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Alison Clark: 2011, Listening to Young Children, 2nd, National Children's Bureau Enterprises Ltd, London, 83, 1907969268
Deborah Harcourt (Editor), Bob Perry (Editor), Tim Waller (Editor): 2011, Researching Young Children's Perspectives, 1st, 11, Routledge, 224, 041560494X
Guy Roberts-Holmes: 2011, Doing Your Early Years Research Project, 2nd, 10, Sage Publications Ltd, London, 232, 1849205205
Glenda Mac Naughton and Patrick Hughes: 2008, Doing action research in early childhood studies, 1st, 16, Open University Press 2009, Maidenhead, 208, 0335228623
[edited by] Glenda Mac Naughton, Sharne A. Rolfe, Iram Siraj-Blatchford: 2001, Doing early childhood research, 1st, 17, Open University Press, 2001., Buckingham [England], 304, 0335209025

Articles:

Beauchamp, G. & Haughtoin, C.: 2012, Ethics in studying early years, In I. Palaiologou (Ed.) Ethical practice in early childhood (pp. 147-161). London, UK: Sage, 521446
2014: What is research with children and young people?, In A. Clark, R. Flewitt, M. Hammersley, & M. Robb, (Eds.) Understanding research with children and young people (pp. 34-49). London, UK: Sage, 521447, 1
Ethical research with children and vulnerable groups: In I. Palaiologou (Ed.) Ethical practice in early childhood (pp. 64-82). London, UK: Sage, 521448, 1, Stephenson, A
In E. Johansson, & E. J. White (2011). Educational research with our youngest: Voices of infants and toddlers (pp. 135-156). London, UK: Springer: 521449, 2, Clark, A., Flewitt, R., Hammersley, M., & Robb, M. (Eds.), 0
521450: 2, Ellis, C. & Beauchamp, G., 2012, Ethics in researching children with special educational needs, In I. Palaiologou (Ed.) Ethical practice in early childhood (47-63). London, UK: Sage,
2: Flewitt, R., 2014, Interviews, In A. Clark, R. Flewitt, M. Hammersley, & M. Robb, (Eds.) Understanding research with children and young people (pp. 136-153). London, UK: Sage,
Montgomery, H.: 2014, Participant observation, In A. Clark R. Flewitt, M. Hammersley, & M. Robb, (Eds.) Understanding research with children and young people (pp. 122-135). London, UK: Sage,

Other Resources

None