LO1: Define a research question and undertake a large independent research study, under supervision.
LO2: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of ethical and methodological issues that directly inform an independent research project.
LO3: Formulate a detailed and critical understanding of current and relevant literature, within esports.
LO4: Identify and critically evaluate appropriate empirical methods and data analysis techniques and apply these to a research question.
LO5: Communicate a comprehensive and critical understanding of relevant research methods, findings, and conclusions to a specialist audience.

Formative assessment
1000-word Research Proposal and Ethics Form Completion
Before starting their final year project, students will be required to complete a research proposal for the project and an ethics form. Both must be signed off by their supervisor prior to the project starting.

Assessment 1: Poster Presentation (25%)
Individual
Students will design and present a poster to their peers and invite guests, outlining their project, complete with rationale, methodology and relevant citations
LO1, LO5

Assessment 2: Independent Project (75%):
Written dissertation (6,000 words) or practice-led project (including 1,000 reflective report)
Individual
Students will complete either a written dissertation of 6,000 words or a practice-led project, which will include the delivery of some practical element, an event or a broadcast, for example, accompanied by a 1,000 reflective report evaluating the merits of the project. The dissertation's scope and the practice-led project's deliverables negotiated with the student’s supervisor.
LO2, LO3, LO4

As a capstone to the course, students will conduct a major project, driven by inquiry to innovate in a chosen esports area. Students will be given a strong degree of autonomy over their project topic and the format they wish to conduct it. Some students may choose to conduct a research project and write a dissertation, while others may seek to conduct an esports production or creative work (with an associated written exegesis explaining the work). Students are assessed individually and should have an individual goal they are seeking to achieve through their work, but can collaborate with other students on a broader, overarching project.

Before the start of this module, students should be prepared with potential project ideas and develop their independent research from the following module content:
- Designing a research question
- Literature review
- Methodological and ethical approaches
- Interpreting and reporting findings
- Poster presentations
- Writing up a project
- Critical Analysis of issues
- Feasibility
- Esports Enterprise
- Heightened Expectations in Esports
- Qualitative Research Methods

As a capstone to the course, students will conduct a major project, driven by inquiry to innovate in a chosen esports area. Students will be given a strong degree of autonomy over their project topic and the format they wish to conduct it. Some students may choose to conduct a research project and write a dissertation, while others may seek to conduct an esports production or creative work (with an associated written exegesis explaining the work). Students are assessed individually and should have an individual goal they are seeking to achieve through their work, but can collaborate with other students on a broader, overarching project.

The learning strategy for full-time on-campus requires students to commit to 400 learning hours (including assessments). Of this, there will be 24 hours of class/workshop support which will be a combination of whole class sessions and one-to-one supervision and seminar groups. 376 hours are allocated for independent and self-directed learning for students working alone or as part of a learning group.¿Students will be assigned a supervisor for the duration of the project.

Reitman, Jason & Anderson-Coto, Maria & Wu, Minerva & Lee, Je Seok & Steinkuehler, Constance. (2019). Esports Research: A Literature Review. Games and Culture. 15. 155541201984089. 10.1177/1555412019840892.

Bell, J. & Waters, S. (2018). Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-Time Researchers. 7th Edition. Open University Press.

Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Homan, R. (1991). The Ethics of Social Research. Longman.

Field, A., (2013). Discovering Statistics using IMB SPSS Statistics. 4th ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Kvale, S. (2007). Doing Interviews. London: Sage Publications.

Silverman, D. (2014). Interpreting Qualitative Data. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Creswell, J. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 3rd Ed. London: Sage Publications.

Greetham, B. (2014) How To Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation, London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hansen, A. & Machin, D. (2013) Media and Communication Research Methods, London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Jensen, K. B. (2012) A Handbook of Media and Communication Research, London: Routledge.

Lambert, M. (2012) A Beginners Guide to Doing Your Education Research Project, London: SAGE.

Sharp, J.A. (1996) The Management of a Student Research Project (2 ed), Aldershot Gower, ISBN: 056607706 X
Oliver, P. (1997) Research, Teach Yourself Books, NTC Publishing Group, ISBN: 0844200158
Huff, (1999), Writing for Scholarly Publication, Sage Publications, ISBN: 0761918051
MacArthur, C.A., Graham, S., and Fitzgerald, J. (2005), Handbook of Writing Research, The Guilford Press, ISBN: 1593851901
Marshall and Rossman, (1999) Designing Qualitative Research, Sage, Third Edition, ISBN: 0761913408
Cottrell, S. (2003), Skills for Success, Palgrave MacMillan, ISBN 1-4039-1132-0

VLE learning support material to be provided for independent /self-directed learning.
Module handbooks
Open Textbook Library
Esports Hub
Adobe Suite
Blackboard
Reading List
Henrion Media Stores