This module supports students in conducting a rigourous and ethically-sound MSc-level research project in the students’ topic area of choice within their course remit. Following ethical approval for their research project, under the supervision of an academic member of staff within sport and exercise, students will independently manage and execute their research project. More specifically, this will involve developing relationships to organise data collection, collect suitable quantitative and/or qualitative data, input data appropriately, apply suitable quantitative or qualitative analysis techniques on their data, interpret the outcomes of analysis, critical evaluate the outcomes of the research in terms of theory, literature, and practice. Students are expected to meet regularly (online) with their allocated supervisor. These activities will lead to the production of a journal research article. Following submission of the journal article, all students will undertake a 30-minute viva voce (online) of their research project. Students will additionally develop a range of interpersonal skills and competencies including written and verbal communication, project management, leadership, relationship building and maintaining.

The assessment consists of a write up of an empirical study, and a viva voce in sport and exercise psychology in the form of:

• A journal article (word length determined by journal selected)
• A viva voce (30 minutes held online via MS teams)

These two elements are assessed together, and are worth 100% of the module grade. This assessment assesses LO's 1-4.

Additional assessment details (including formative feedback / assessment):
Students will receive formative assessment and feedback via verbal feedback identifying strengths, limitations and guidance for improvement on plans submitted for their dissertation project. Students will also have regular meetings with dissertation supervisors who will provide ongoing feedback and guidance throughout the development and conduct of their research project and written formative feedback on one full dissertation draft (except the Discussion section).

Students are supported to undertake and complete their MSc research project under the supervision of an academic member of staff. Students will primary work independently to execute their research project. They will agree with their allocated supervisor to meet up/review progress online as appropriate throughout the process. Students will be required to access additional support material independently with a focus on their research area of interest. Students will use the collaborative discussion boards to further reflect on and analyse their own work, and the work of their peers to facilitate learning. The assessment set within the module will allow students to demonstrate understanding and critical analysis skills via content and task related activities drawn from the module topic areas, with a particular focus on producing a rigourous and ethically-sound research journal article. Students will receive formative feedback throughout the module comprising feedback from their allocated supervisor (e.g., on a draft of the thesis excluding the Discussion section), as well as through conversations during online meetings.

1. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of appropriate research literature, and generate a suitable research question(s).

Analysis
Application
Knowledge & Understanding
Learning
Enquiry
Problem Solving

2. Conduct a methodologically rigorous and ethically suitable piece of research in your course specific area.
Analysis
Application
Knowledge & Understanding
Enquiry
Problem Solving

3. Demonstrate competency in appropriately applying quantitative and/or qualitative methods to collect and analyse data, or conduct a quantitative systematic review of literature.

Analysis
Reflection
Knowledge & Understanding
Enquiry
Problem Solving

4. Critically evaluate the outcomes of the research project, and produce a research journal article, along with defending the research project in a viva voce examination.
Analysis
Application
Knowledge & Understanding
Enquiry
Problem Solving
Communication
Reflection
Learning

Access to an appropriate PC, with accompanying software including Office 365 (MS Teams, One-Drive, Word, PowerPoint et al.), Adobe, and Java software.
Access to appropriate reading materials, which can be accesses through the Staffordshire University library resource page for sport and Exercise.
SPSS for quantitative projects (note SPSS does not work on Chromebooks).
This module is delivered via Blackboard, with support via MS teams.

There is no core text for this module.

This module supports students in conducting a rigorous and ethically-sound MSc-level research project in the students’ topic area of choice within their course remit. Students will independently manage and execute their research project, under the supervision of an allocated member of staff. These activities will lead to the production of a written journal article (as chosen by the student), followed by a 30-minute viva voce.