GPS8001 : Engaging with Research (G)
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Ingrid A. Medby
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Bethan Harries
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The module engages the students in a variety of the research-based teaching and learning activities in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. The primary aim of the module is to help students develop a viable dissertation topic, and to do this within the context of teaching and learning about wider practices in social research. Students will attend GPS Research Seminars, usually involving a combination of internal and external speakers, and will also have the opportunity of identifying online research events beyond the University to attend.
The module aims to:
-enable students to place their ideas within wider debates and literatures of the social sciences.
-enable collaborative learning opportunities.
-develop student awareness of the wider practice of social research, including the choice of research methodologies and techniques, the use of academic research in wider academic contexts, and the dissemination of research findings.
-expand student knowledge of knowledge cultures and environments beyond the academy, including the private, public, and voluntary sectors, and to develop awareness of research dissemination issues.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module has two interlinked components:
1. Participation in GPS Research Seminar Series and/or externally hosted seminars.
2. Individual tutorials with Module Leader and/or Personal Tutor to discuss research, assessments, and dissertation ideas.
Structured around participation in research seminars in Semester 1, students will become involved in the wider research culture and research environment at Newcastle University's School of Geography, Politics and Sociology; and they will have to opportunity to build and expand their knowledge networks. This will in turn help develop students' research skills and interests, while introducing them to the diversity that research and research communication can take.
The individual tutorials will further support students' own development of their ideas and research plans, building on what they have experienced in seminars and allowing further reflection.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 35:00 | 35:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Reading to directly prepare for selected research seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Attendance at research seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Drop-in surgery hour - with Module Leader |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Overview of module lecture |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
This module will facilitate students’ thinking about their own research interests and choices, leading towards the development of a dissertation idea later in their degree.
Research seminars will help students structure their thinking around research projects such as the dissertation in terms of identifying a suitable topic or theme for research, identifying relevant literatures and conceptual approaches, identifying suitable methodologies and data, and identifying suitable analytic frameworks for data analysis. Drop-in sessions will operate like supervision sessions and help students think through the refinement of their dissertation project ideas and assessment preparation process.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 1 | M | 100 | Pre-recorded presentation |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective log | 1 | M | Reflective log of seminars attended. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Students will be assessed through one 15 minute presentation, which asks them to reflect on learning from their engagement with the research seminars attended, and to provide detail as to how this has helped inform their own project ideas.
The module will also include a formative assessment component. Students will be asked to submit a summary document of seminars attended and include brief reflections.
Rationale:
The formative text will assess understanding of the research planning process and written communication skills, and it will help students in the process of developing their summative assessment.
The recorded PowerPoint presentation will assess comprehension of the research planning process and practice, and oral communication and presentation skills.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GPS8001's Timetable