Guide in PDF format

Master's Degree Dissertation

Code: 44755
Credits: 15

2026/2027

Degree programme	Type	Course
Archival Studies and Information Governance	TFE	2

Contact lecturer

Name :: Ariadna Morente Pagès
Email :: ariadna.morente@uab.cat

Teaching staff

: Anahí Casadesus De Mingo

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

None.

Objectives

The main goal of the course is to develop skills and abilities to work with the sources, methods and techniques of scientific research of archival science, which allow student to reflect in an integrated and transversal way on some aspect of Archives, Records Management and Information governance.

The training objectives are:

Deepen the study of a subject of Archives, Records Management and Information governance.
Know and apply the principles and methodologies of research: information search, data collection, data analysis, presentation of conclusions and writing skills.
Apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the Master's course autonomously.

Learning outcomes

(CA36) Generate new areas of knowledge from the documentary collections in an archive.
(CA37) Apply research results to real organisational settings.
(CA38) Propose projects and actions that are in keeping with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
(CA39) Apply correct non-sexist language when reporting conclusions and reflections both orally and in writing.
(KA46) Identify different instruments for integrated and transversal reflection on aspects of archival science and information governance.
(KA47) Recognise the typical research principles and methodologies of archival science.
(SA39) Determine relevant sources of information in the field of archival science.
(SA40) Interpret data collected on the field of archival science.
(SA41) Reflect critically on an archival or information governance issue.

The Master's Final Project (TFM) focuses on a topic related to archival science, records management or information governance and requires students to integrate and apply the knowledge, methodologies, competencies and skills acquired throughout the master's programme.

The TFM should enable students to explore a specific issue, field or object of study in depth, formulate appropriate project objectives, select and apply the most suitable methodology, critically analyse the available sources and information, and produce well-founded results and conclusions.

The project may have a research, applied or professional orientation, or may be developed through a Service-Learning (ApS) approach. In the latter case, the TFM is carried out in collaboration with an organisation or community and is based on a real need identified jointly, with the aim of producing a product, service or outcome that is useful to the organisation, while enabling the student to achieve the academic and competency-based objectives of the TFM.

The aim is for students to demonstrate their ability to integrate and connect, in a cross-disciplinary manner, the knowledge and competencies acquired throughout the master's programme, to apply them independently to situations, needs and challenges within the professional field, and to develop a project with academic, methodological and technical rigour.

The TFM is carried out under the direction and supervision of the master's teaching staff and culminates in its public presentation and defence before an assessment panel.

Learning activities and methodology

Title	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
Type: Autonomous
Write master's dissertation	362	14.48	CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, KA46, KA47, SA39, SA40, SA41
Type: Guided
Tutorials	12	0.48	CA39, SA41

The Master's Final Project (TFM) is carried out under the supervision of a director appointed by the School from among the teaching staff of the master's programme.

Where, due to the specific nature of the topic, it is considered appropriate for the project to be supervised by a specialist who is not a member of the master's teaching staff, a co-director from among the teaching staff of the master's programme must also be appointed to participate in the academic supervision of the project.

The TFM director and the student must hold at least four supervision meetings during the preparation of the project. Additional meetings may be held whenever the director considers them necessary to ensure appropriate academic supervision.

At the beginning of the course, students will be provided with specific guidelines for the preparation, supervision and submission of the TFM.

The TFM may be written in Catalan or Spanish.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translations, as well as as a resource or tool in the development of the project itself, when its use forms part of the objectives, methodology or development of the activity. This includes, for example, projects aimed at analysing the application of AI in a particular field, experimenting with these technologies, developing or configuring AI-based tools, or using them to process, analyse or interpret information.

In all cases, students must clearly identify how and for what purpose AI has been used, specify the tools employed and, when its use is relevant to the development of the project, include a critical reflection on how these technologies have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity.

Academic integrity

Any irregularity in an assessment activity, including academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) outside the uses authorised above, that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment activity.

If obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if several irregularities occur in assessment activities within the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.

Irrespective of the academic consequences described above, disciplinary proceedings may also be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title	Weight	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
Oral defence in presence of an examining board	70%	1	0.04	CA39
Written assignment	30%	0	0	CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, KA46, KA47, SA39, SA40, SA41

The Master's Final Project (TFM) is assessed as follows:

70% of the final grade is awarded by the assessment panel, before which the student must present and defend their project. The defence session will have a maximum duration of 60 minutes. The student will have between 20 and 30 minutes to present the TFM, after which the members of the assessment panel may ask any questions or make any observations or comments they consider appropriate.

The assessment panel will evaluate both the written project and its oral presentation and defence. With regard to the defence, particular attention will be paid to the clarity and structure of the presentation and discourse; the appropriate use of supporting resources; oral communication skills; the ability to provide well-reasoned and appropriate responses to the questions raised; knowledge and command of the subject; management of the available time; and the relevance and appropriateness of the topic and the contributions made.

In its overall assessment of the TFM, the panel will also take into account the report issued by the project director, where applicable.

30% of the final grade is awarded by the TFM director, who will assess both the completed project and the process followed by the student throughout its development, according to the following criteria:

A) Objectives, hypotheses and contribution of the project. Relevance and appropriateness of the topic; originality of the approach; clarity and coherence of the objectives, hypotheses or research questions, as applicable; and contribution of new knowledge or value to the field of study.

B) Methodology and sources. Appropriateness of the methodology in relation to the stated objectives; selection, quality and breadth of the sources and bibliography used; and rigour in the procedures used to collect and process data or information.

C) Content and results. Appropriateness of the theoretical framework; rigour and depth of the analysis; coherence between the objectives, methodology, results and conclusions; relevance of the results obtained; and quality of the project's contributions.

D) Formal aspects. Structure and organisation of the project; quality and accuracy of the writing; formal presentation; and appropriate use of notes, citations and bibliographic references in accordance with the established guidelines.

E) Development and supervision process. Ability to work independently; planning and organisation of the process; compliance with agreed deadlines and submissions; incorporation of the guidance received during supervision; and ability to identify and resolve difficulties arising during the development of the TFM.

Bibliography

Basics

BELL, J. 2002. Cómo hacer tu primer trabajo de investigación : guía para investigadores en educación y ciencias sociales. Barcelona : Gedisa Editorial.

COROMINA I POU, E., CASACUBERTA, X. y QUINTANA, D. 2000. El Treball de recerca : procés d’elaboració, memòria escrita, exposició oral i recursos. Vic : Eumo. ISBN 8476025963.

DUNLEAVY, P. 2003. Authoring a PhD : how to plan, draft, write, and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. Houndmills [etc.] : Palgrave Macmillan.

ECO, U. 2001. Cómo se hace una tesis : técnicas y procedimientos de estudio, investigación y escritura. Barcelona : Gedisa Editorial. ISBN 8474328969.

GÓMEZ, M. 2009. Introducción a la metodología de la investigación científica [Recurs electrònic]. 2a ed. Córdoba, Argentina : Brujas. ISBN 9781413571592. Accesible desde el catalogo de las bibliotecas de la UAB,

RIGO, A., GENESCÀ, G. y ALSIUS, S. 2000. Tesis i treballs : aspectes formals. Vic : Eumo. ISBN 8476023359.

Literature review

JESSON, J. (2011). Doing your literature review : traditional and systematic techniques / Jill K. Jesson ; with Lydia Matheson and Fiona M. Lacey. Los Angeles : SAGE.

RIDLEY, D. D. (2008). The Literature review : a step-by-step guide for students / Diana Ridley. Los Angeles : Sage.

El plagi i l’honestedat acadèmica. 2012. [tutorial en línia]. REBIUN: CRUE. (CI2, competencias informáticas e informacionales). Traducció d’un tutorial produït per la biblioteca de la Universitat de Sidney. <http://www.crue.org/tutorial_plagio_cat/>. (Versió en castellà disponible a: <http://www.crue.org/tutorial_plagio/>). [Consulta: 19 octubre 2018].

Social research methods

BRYMAN, A. 2012. Social research methods. Oxford : Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199588053.

CRESWELL, J.W. 2013. Qualitative inquiry & research design : choosing among five approaches. 3rd ed. Los Angeles [etc.] : SAGE. ISBN 9781412995313 (cart.).

CRESWELL, J.W. 2014. Research design : qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks [etc.]: SAGE. ISBN 9781452226095 (cart.).

GERRING, J. 2014. Metodología de las ciencias sociales : un marco unificado. Madrid : Alianza. ISBN 9788420689807.

GHAURI, P. 2004. Designing and Conducting Case Studies in International Business Research. En: R. MORSCHAN-PICKKER y C. WELCH (eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for International Business. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton , MA, USA: Edward Elgar, pp. 109-124.

GÓMEZ, M. 2009. Introducción a la metodología de la investigación científica. 2a ed. Córdoba, Argentina : Brujas. Llibre electrònic disponible al catàleg UAB

HENNINK, M.M. 2013. Understanding focus group discussions. Oxford : Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780199383962.

RITCHIE, J., LEWIS, J., MCNAUGHTON NICHOLLS, C. y ORMSTON, R. 2014. Qualitative research practice : a guide for social science students and researchers. 2nd ed. Los Angeles; Sage. ISBN 9781446209110 (cart.).

THOMAS, G. (2011). How to do your case study : a guide for students and researchers. London : SAGE.

Archival research

BONAL-ZAZO, J.L. 2012. Paradigmas de investigación en Archivística. Estudos avançados en Arquivologia. Marilia: Oficina Universitaria ; Sâo Paulo: Cultura acadêmica, pp. 69-90.

CONDE VILLAVERDE, M.L. 2006. La investigación en los archivos: evolución de su contexto y contenido. Arbor: Ciencia, Pensamiento y Cutura.

COUTURE, C. 2000. La formation et la recherche en archivistique dans le monde: une étude comparative. S.l.: s.n.

MAURI, A. y PERPINYÀ, R. 2007. Formació i professionalització en el marc de la convergència europea. Lligall, no. 26, pp. 189-220.

MENDO CARMONA, C. 2004. Consideraciones sobre el método en Archivística. Documenta & Instrumenta, vol. 1, pp. 35-46. ISSN 1697-3798.

GILLILAND, A. , MCKEMMISH, S. y LAU, A.J. (eds) . 2016. Research in the archival multiverse. Clayton: Victoria Monash University Publishing.

GILLILAND, A. y MCKEMMISH, S. 2004. Building an Infrastructure for Archival Research. Archival Science, vol. 4, no. 3-4, pp. 149-197. ISSN 1389-0166. DOI 10.1007/s10502-006-6742-6.

GILLILAND, A. y MCKEMMISH, S. 2006. Nuevos métodos de investigación en archivística. Cartagena: Ayuntamiento.

GILLILAND, A.J. 2014. Conceptualizing 21st-Century Archives.pdf. S.l.: Society of American Archivists. ISBN 978-1-931666-68-8.

JAÉN GARCÍA, L.F. 2008. La formación archivística y la investigación. Revista Códice, vol. 4 (2), pp. 51-61.

PENTEADO, P. 2004. A Investigação em sistemas de arquivo organizacionais: algumas reflexões sobre o caso das Misericórdias de Portugal. Actas do Colóquio «Do documento à informação» e das Jornadas sobre Sistemas de Informação Municipal, pp. 141-163.

PICKARD, A.J. 2013. Research methods in information. S.l.: Facet. ISBN 9781856048132.

THOMASSEN, T. 2001. A First Introduction to Archival Science. Archival Science, no. 1, pp. 373-385.

Software

No specific software used.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching	Group	Language	Semester	Shift
(TFMm) Treball de fi de màster	1	Catalan	second semester	morning-mixed