Dissertation
The Dissertation is a long
research essay of 12,000-15,000 words on a topic in Italian
literature, history, cultural studies or linguistics. It is
written over two semesters and counts for 24 points.
Students should approach
members of Italian Studies to discuss various possibilities for
their dissertation. They should not be surprised if it takes
some time to narrow down the topic. However, preliminary
discussions will usually begin by talking "around"
various topics before a final decision is made on a topic and
on the final choice of a supervisor.
Click here to view a list of recent dissertation topics in Italian
Studies.
Italian Studies staff are available to supervise Honours dissertations in the following areas:
-
Dr Marinella
Caruso - Linguistics, Italian Language acquisition,
Italian language in Australia
-
A/Professor John
Kinder - Sociolinguistics, Italian language and
dialects
-
Mr Luciano
Pinto - Dante and the Middle Ages, Italian theatre, the
Settecento, modern Italian literature (narrative and
poetry), opera and Italian cinema
-
Professor Lorenzo
Polizzotto - Italian history, social and cultural issues from the
Renaissance and to present day Italy.
Writing the dissertation
Your supervisor will help you
to identify a topic, plan and carry out research, organize
material, structure the argument and formulate findings.
In first semester your
supervisor will help you to approach the task of writing a
dissertation, and assist you in developing your topic and in
presenting it in a scholarly way.
Meetings with your supervisor
to discuss the particular problems of your dissertation take
place on a regular basis (weekly or fortnightly, in most cases)
from the beginning of semester one. Students and supervisors
should agree on a time during the first week of semester.
The Honours dissertation is to
be submitted by the end of the second teaching semester (for
full-time students). It is important that work begin early and
be continued throughout the year, so that submission can take
place by the due date. The dissertation is examined by two
academics (and not by the supervisor), and will be submitted to
outside benchmarking.
If you are interested in
Honours and would like further information please contact the
Honours Coordinator: Prof. Lorenzo Polizzotto
Room: 2.01
Phone: 6488 2156
Fax: 6488 2181
Email: lpolizzo@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Dissertation presentation
The Title page must contain this statement and follow this format:
Thesis submitted in European Languages and Studies (Italian Studies) at the University of Western Australia in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours.
Name of Candidate:
Supervised by:
Year:
On the second page of the dissertation, before the Table of Contents, you must insert the declaration that the work contained in the dissertation is your own, and duly sign it:
"This dissertation contains no material which has been accepted for any award of any other degree or diploma in any University, and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text of the dissertation." Download the 2009 Honours booklet | 
