Doctor of Philosophy in the Humanities and Social Sciences

This module prepares a student to contribute new knowledge to scholarship in the humanities or social sciences, such that they can conduct (in subsequent modules) a programme of original, publishable research that advances the state of knowledge in their chosen field.

The main goal of this module is the completion of a Research Plan. The module prepares students to embark upon a substantial, sustained, unified piece of research at the MQF 8 level. The module is taught by the proposed thesis supervisor as a form of preparation specific to the thesis and the requirements of its subject matter. The thesis supervisor must possess a research doctorate in the field and sub-field of the proposed dissertation, or failing that, recent peer-reviewed scholarship in that area that demonstrates academic expertise. Approval of the match between a doctoral student and supervisor will rest with the dean of the college, and must be reported to Woolf’s QAETAC committee.

This module is not a general introduction to research or research methodologies, but a practical preparation for students preparing to embark upon the thesis. Although these skills are highly transferable to other research domains, it remains the case that the purpose of the module is scoped to the needs of the specific thesis for which it prepares the student.

Because the module’s exact contents will vary according to the needs and interests of the student or small cohort undertaking doctoral studies, there is no fixed syllabus. Topics that might be covered include:

• Formulating and scoping research questions

• Research design

• Quantitative and qualitative methods

• Theoretical approaches, including the history of theoretical models in a specific discipline

• Ethics and research design

• Data protection

The module will also include some practical instruction in preparing the ‘Research Plan.’

The module results in a highly structured ‘Research Plan’ for embarking upon independent research at the MQF 8 level in the subsequent modules.

In order to provide context for the submission of the ‘Research Plan’ (which is the purpose of this phase of the module), the student will gain a proficient knowledge of relevant research methods and planning. Thus, in connection with the core learning outcomes resulting from the research plan, the student will additionally gain a proficient understanding of the wider context of research methods and evaluate the fittingness of the chosen method. In this phase a student must, under the guidance of their supervisor:

1. Propose his or her thesis topic

2. Identify a provisional title

3. Evaluate research methods and select the likeliest methodology for the proposed research

4. Write an abstract of the proposed research

5. Compose a provisional table of contents for the thesis

6. Compose an annotated bibliography

7. Write a literature survey covering the primary and secondary sources

8. Schedule a timeline to completion, including a work agreement that establishes mutually-agreed upon expectations with the supervisor for meetings, responses to student work, and any other relevant practices.

The thesis supervisor finally prepares the student for external examination of the ‘Research Plan’.

By the end of the first year, if not earlier, the Research Plan is submitted as a digital portfolio containing six elements:

1. Provisional thesis title

2. Abstract, including proposed methodology

3. Expanded table of contents

4. Literature survey

5. Annotated bibliography

6. Timeline to completion

The Research Plan provides students with a clear framework to guide their research question, a structure into which they can fit their scholarly research, and a pathway to the completion of the thesis. The Research Plan also formally specifies the discipline the student is studying; this discipline must also be the supervisor’s scholarly field. During the module, students meet with their supervisor twice per month.

The student’s attention is directed to literature on the topic of the proposed thesis, and thus methodological research guidance, beyond the oral instruction of the student’s supervisor, will be provided within the domain of study specific to the student’s thesis. This will vary considerably, depending upon the topic of the thesis, and it forms a natural component of the literature survey. (Thus, it is neither appropriate nor possible to list here the bibliographic references that will be needed by the student. We have, however, provided valuable works of general research guidance and reference, and works to aid the student in evaluating the best research method for the thesis.) Although the nature of the training will vary by discipline and by the focus on human subjects, the supervisor will include scholarly ethics as a topic during this period.

The ‘Research Plan’ is submitted to be examined by an academic in the same field, selected by the thesis supervisor with the approval of the college dean (for the role of college deans, see Woolf’s MFHEA-approved Policy of Quality Assurance). The examining academic must possess a research doctorate.

Advanced Research Progress and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed (2-4 chapters or equivalent). This module operationalizes the work agreement made in the previous one.

Although students may request twice-weekly meetings early in the writing process, it is expected (and students typically prefer) not to meet more than twice per month thereafter. This allows the student time to develop their independent research and writing. As the student advances in independence and confidence in their research, and under the discretion of their supervisor, they may reduce their supervisory meetings to 1 time per month (not inclusive of ‘Work in Progress’ seminars). The schedule of proposed meetings should be adjusted appropriately for students on a part-time schedule.

Under the supervision of their supervisor, and through regular submissions and synchronous feedback sessions, students hone and strengthen their ability to conduct innovative, original research at the very forefront of an academic discipline.

While the focus of year one was on preparing the ‘Research Proposal’, the focus of year two is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.

In addition, supervisors in year two will facilitate the student’s participation in the broader scholarly community, whether through presenting in the ‘Work in Progress’ seminar for graduate students and scholars, or through recommended and invited academic conferences.

Entering the third year of doctoral studies, students will have a well-defined research topic, a clear structure organising their research, a firm grasp of the relevant literature, a practical timeline in which to conduct their research, and a substantial body of drafted thesis chapters or sections (equivalent to 2-4 chapters).

In this module, the aims of the methodology module are fulfilled and the research of the past two years is brought into one overarching argument. The exact length of the thesis will vary by method and discipline, but ordinarily will not exceed 80,00-100,000 words, exclusive of any appendices.

The thesis will constitute a substantial, original, independent piece of research, which is clearly articulated in relation to the primary evidence and secondary literature, and which is organised in relation to the plan first envisaged in the methodology module.

Regular supervision meetings keep the student on-course with the timeline agreed in the methodology module. Supervisory meetings concentrate on a pre- submitted piece of research in a pattern that continues until the first draft of the thesis is complete.

Although students may request twice-weekly meetings early in the writing process in module two, it is expected (and students typically prefer) not to meet more than once or twice per month by this stage of the thesis. This allows the student time to develop their independent research and writing.

All full-time students must meet with their supervisor at least once per month.

After the completion of the first draft, meetings focus on the harmonisation of the parts, adjustments to the overall argument, and the supervisor seeks to ensure that the student guides the thesis with a single, coherent line of enquiry.

The final meetings with the student focus on polishing the editorial aspects of the thesis, and helping the student prepare for examination.

While there is not a formal requirement that a piece of the thesis will have been published already, the thesis should contain publishable work, and the student should graduate with a clear plan of revision toward publication (e.g., a series of articles, direct publication, or recasting the argument as a book for a more general audience).