IT412 DISSERTATION
In Year 4 students may opt to write a dissertation on an approved topic (for certain degree
courses it is a core module). The dissertation carries the same weighting in the overall
degree scheme as one taught module (30 CATS) and, if taken, replaces that module. It is
intended that the dissertation will provide an opportunity for students who have a strong
interest in a relevant area of Italian studies to pursue and develop this through guided
individual research on a relevant topic.
The dissertation in its final form must be submitted by Monday of the third week of the
Third Term of Year 4. It is to be no less than 8,000 and no more than 10,000 words in length
(including footnotes/endnotes but excluding bibliography), and is normally written in
English. Guidelines for the presentation of the dissertation are given in the departmental
guide to essay writing. The same penalties as for late submission of an assessed essay apply
to the dissertation.
Before you can be registered to write a dissertation in Year 4 you must first contact a
relevant member of the Italian academic staff to discuss your proposed topic. This must be
done BEFORE the end of the summer term of Year 3. It is also essential that, at this stage,
you submit a draft plan of your topic on the form provided by the department. This will
only be a rough outline, not a definitive version, but it is important for all parties that a plan
is submitted at this stage.
If, on the basis of earlier discussion and the draft plan, your proposed topic or a revised one
is considered appropriate, then your topic will be approved. You will be asked to produce
two pieces of written work to hand in by Friday of the first week of the first term of your
final year. These are:
i) a report of approx. 1500 words on the materials studied over the summer;
ii) a one-page dissertation plan, outlining key questions and themes, primary texts,
research methodology, core bibliography.
CONFIRMATION OF THE DISSERTATION AS AN OPTION CHOICE IN OCTOBER IS
CONDITIONAL UPON THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE ABOVE WORK BY THE
GIVEN DEADLINE.
Throughout Year 4 you will meet on an individual basis with your supervisor on average at
least twice a term (i.e. a total of 5/6 meetings in the year) in order to obtain guidance and
advice. It will generally be expected that you submit draft sections or chapters of the
dissertation prior to each meeting and you will receive feedback on this draft work.
Timetable for dissertation
Year 3 summer term (or before):
 contact with member of academic staff to discuss dissertation topic;
 submission of draft plan of dissertation topic for approval.
Year 4, term 1:
 week 1: submission of research report and dissertation plan;
 week 2: dissertation confirmed as option choice and supervisor confirmed;
 week 7: full, detailed plan of the dissertation to be submitted to supervisor.
The pattern of drafting and submission of work will vary according to the specific research
project, but we normally expect the dissertation to be developed along the following lines:
 term 1, week 10: first draft chapter/section to be submitted to supervisor;
 term 2, week 7: second draft chapter/section to be submitted to supervisor;
 term 2, week 10: third draft chapter/section to be submitted to supervisor;
 end of Easter vacation: full draft of dissertation to be submitted to supervisor.