Dissertation

The subject of your dissertation may well arise from an interest gained through one or more of your modules. The dissertation should present an argument developed over a structure of chapters, e.g. an introduction, two to four expository chapters, and a conclusion. The dissertation must be prefaced with a 300-word abstract. The research need not be original (that is the requirement for a PhD) but your argument and treatment of secondary and/or theoretical sources should be. There are some copies of past MA dissertations available for inspection: Call in at Reception on Floor 1 of Jessop West to see what is available

Except for students on the Creative Writing MA and for students taking the part-practice option on the Theatre and Performance MA (see below), the dissertation should be 15,000 words, including quotations, but excluding the title-page, abstract, contents page, bibliography, notes (which should be for referencing purposes only), and any appendices. If you are, for instance, quoting extensively in a foreign language and are providing translations, you can exclude the translations from the word-count. The title page should include i) the title of your dissertation, ii) your name and student number, iii) the title of the degree for which it is submitted (e.g. MA in English Literature), iv) the date (e.g. August 2022). Two physical copies must be handed in at reception, and another copy of the dissertation must also be submitted via the online Turnitin system.

Creative Writing MA dissertation

The dissertation, worth 60 credits, will be 80% creative and 20% critical reflection on your own work/genre/relevant literary tradition, prepared for by the work done in both CW modules. The word count for fiction will be: 12,000 words of creative work, 4,000 words of which may already have been workshopped or submitted; 3,000-5,000 word critical essay. For poetry, 20-30 poems, or equivalent (roughly up to 600 lines), fifteen of which may have already been workshopped or submitted; 3,000 words critical essay. Mixed portfolios are welcome. For work previously submitted, we would like students to submit drafts to show the changes and developments made to the material. This dissertation should be prefaced with a 300-word abstract which can take the form of a blurb, to explain the contents and approach of your writing.

Theatre and Performance MA dissertation

Students on this programme may choose to submit either the 15,000-word dissertation, or to submit a shorter dissertation (normally 9,000 words) accompanied by an integrated research practice component. The dissertation with research practice will be treated as a coherent submission and awarded a single grade. The examiners will expect to see an integration of written and practice elements, as well as evidence that the creative work has been used to advance the research questions that drive the thesis. Students who wish to pursue the dissertation with research practice must have this decision approved by supervisors and must adhere to the presentation schedule set out by Theatre Workshop staff.

Dissertation Proposal

Jane Lowe will circulate a proforma at the end of January, on which you will record the title and topic of your planned dissertation. You must use this for your proposal, and it will guide you through the structure required. Feel free to consult with any staff member about your proposal. You should submit your dissertation proposal of between 250-500 words to Jane, via email (englishpgt@sheffield.ac.uk) no later than (date to be confirmed). There will also be a research training workshop, preparing you for writing a dissertation proposal. The date for this will be confirmed at the beginning of the year. You will be given guidelines for the Dissertation, which give information on how to approach the process of completing this major piece of work. We usually assign each MA student a mentor during the time of writing the dissertation, chosen from among our PhD students, and they are available to give informal advice about this process.

Your Supervisor

You will be appointed a supervisor from our staff who has relevant expertise in relation to your topic and who is able to undertake supervisions during the summer: note that staffing patterns mean that you may not be assigned the person with whom you discussed your proposal. You should normally expect to see your supervisor 3 times between June and August, at first to discuss the thesis plan, and at the end to show her/him a draft. It is a good idea to work out a timetable with the supervisor, as either of you may be out of Sheffield at some point during the summer.

Presentation

Dissertations must be typed in a plain 12pt text (e.g. Times New Roman) in double-spacing. Make sure you have a wide left-hand margin (of at least 4 cms or 1.5 inches) for binding purposes; the top, bottom and right-hand margins can be set at 2.5 cms or 1 inch. You should make sure the pages are numbered. The formal presentation of the thesis is very important, particularly in the eyes of the external examiner; if you don’t plan to follow the MHRA Style Guide, you must be very careful to be consistent in your reference system, bibliography and notes. More detailed guidelines will be circulated in semester two.

Final stages

You should prepare TWO COPIES of the dissertation, bound in a strong fashion (Comb binding, Wiro binding and Velo binding are all acceptable). You can use the University Printing Services or local stationers Carsons and Pinders offer a good service. You should be aware this can take a few days and you should factor this time into your planning, as well you must submit a copy via Turnitin.

The results are generally known by late October/early November; we will contact you to advise when you can collect your dissertation and feedback.

All PGT students will be issued with digital transcripts at the end of November/early December, via the Sheffield Authorised Records (ShARe) system.

The department cannot confirm your final award. This will be released as detailed and only when all marks have been ratified by the Faculty.

Deadline:

All dissertations must be given in to the office by noon on (To be confirmed); our normal assessment procedures and penalties apply. If a dissertation fails for reasons of late submission, you may be asked to resubmit an entirely new dissertation on a different topic; this decision is at the discretion of the exam board. A resubmission under these circumstances will generally require an extension to period of study. Late submissions affect when students graduate which means that, in some cases, students submitting late work cannot graduate in January with the rest of the cohort.