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Module Specifications

Archived Version 2022 - 2023

Module Title
Module Code
School

Online Module Resources

NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description

This module aims to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and skills of understanding and conducting a comprehensive literature review. It enables students to critically reflect,evaluate and synthesise from a variety of sources in academic literature. This provides students with literature review skills that are academic, rigorous and valid in an education and/or training context. In addition students are required to research and present a detailed project proposal and a rationale for the proposed methodology.

Learning Outcomes

1. Conduct a comprehensive Literature Review within one or more of the following themes in education and/ or training - equality, access, inclusion, values, identity, intercultural learning, technology-enabled learning
2. Search, select and identify suitable sources of literature (policy documents/journals/books) within the research theme under investigation.
3. Analyse and evaluate relevant literature to student's area of professional development in the future.
4. Record, organise and classify literature resources
5. Critically reflect and synthesise material from a broad context of sources in the literature review.
6. Demonstrate the ability to write a literature review using a broad variety of literature and policy documents as part of a literature review chapter for a research project.
7. Consider the arguments and critique the debate within academic literature/theory and relate this to current practice in an education and or training context.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture24No Description
Group work24No Description
Independent Study48No Description
Independent Study100No Description
Online activity24No Description
Online activity30No Description
Total Workload: 250

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

Theme 1
Overview on how to conduct a Literature Review

Theme 2
Creating an Audit Trail of Literature Review sources

Theme 3
Comparing and Contrasting Literature Review sources

Theme 4
Identifying gaps in research/ literature

Theme 5
Critical Writing and critical review of literature sources

Theme 6
Connecting Literature Review to overall Research process

Theme 7
Develop a Project Proposal

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment% Examination Weight%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable
Indicative Reading List

  • Zina O'Leary,: 0, The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 978-1-84860-010-2
  • Judith Bell: 2010, Doing your research project, Open University Press / McGraw Hill, Maidenhead, 978-0335235827
  • Gina Wisker: 2009, The undergraduate research handbook, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 978-0230520974
  • Uwe Flick,: 0, An Introduction to Qualitative Research, 978-1-84787-323-1
  • Jennifer Mason: 0, Qualitative researching, 0 7619 7428 8
  • David Silverman: 0, Doing qualitative research, 1412901979
  • Chris Hart: 1998, Doing a literature review, SAGE, London, 0 7619 5974 2
Other Resources

11002, Youtube, Writing your research proposal, 0, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyoU4BwTHmo,
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