Assignment Sheet
Course Code & Title: Business Research Methods
Lecturer: Ruth Rios-Morales, PhD Semester : 2009.1. Research Proposal Assignment
You are required to write a research proposal that describes and justifies the research you will do for your dissertation. This assignment should aim to:
· Demonstrate that student has grasped current research topics in business and commerce in the within the Hospitality domain or education and training.
· Demonstrate a personal perspective upon research activities and processes.
· Develop a research topic of personal value and significance.
· Ability to write a research proposal.
Your proposal should be about 2000 words long and it will be marked on the following basis:
Criteria Graduate skills assessed Weighting
Presentation, English, word processing etc. Presentation 10% 10%
Literature review Knowledge 30%
Analysis 10%
Synthesis and creativity 10% 50%
Aims and objectives (clarity, conciseness, credibility) Synthesis and creativity 5%
Application 5% 10%
Methodology (description and justification of what and how you will do) Analysis 10%
Synthesis and creativity 10% 20%
Timescale (timing and organisation of your proposed research activities Application 10% 10%
Overall grade(NB You must pass the proposal with at least C+ to pass the course) 100% 100%
Please see Level M Graduate Skills and Benchmark Performance Bands (pag.3)
Notes:
Presentation: Your sections must be presented, in the correct order. Under this heading we shall consider the quality of word processing, English usage/ grammar, expression.
Literature review: should be concise, coherently argued, show evidence of reading (both in its content and in its structure/style) and lead from a more general background into the proposal itself.
Aims and objectives: should state the research question clearly (i.e. what you want to find out) and break this down into a number of different areas to be investigated.
Methodology: should explain how you intend to investigate your research question (your aim) and how you will fulfill each of your objectives. You should say why you chose this methodology, and how you expect it to answer your research question/ fulfill your objectives. Why is it likely to be better than other possible methods?
Time scale: should indicate realistically when each research activity will be carried out and how different activities may integrate together.
Deliverable date: 7th of September 2009 - 17h00-Reception
Format: – 12 pt 1.5 spacing – Times New Roman or Arial – justified.
Important note:
Your literature review should be about 1000 words long and it should aim to:
Set the scene for clear research aims and objectives.
Include a wide variety of current and relevant academic literature.
Support your claims and assertions with evidence (i.e. references to other authors’ work).
Integrate quoted material properly into sentences.
How a coherent argument, with clear transitions from paragraph to paragraph and section to section.
Structure the topics you cover strictly into paragraphs that.
Show clear evidence of your own evaluation and critical analysis
For this exercise it is absolutely essential that you understand issues of plagiarism, the difference between paraphrasing and quoting, and copyright requirements relating to quotes, tables and figures. Your work must be properly referenced; for this course it is very important that you can reference in your text and correctly prepare an end list of references.
You are also strongly advised to look at the way the authors of published articles write and reference their work, and to follow these models as closely as you can.
Remember, work that does not fulfil these requirements will automatically be referred for resubmission.
Level M Graduate Skills and Benchmark Performance Bands:
Graduate skill assessed Below standard 70 – 79% 80 – 89% 90 – 100%
Knowledge
30% Inadequate facts or concepts collected. Limited in scope and very descriptive in style. Knowledge irrelevant for purpose. Develops and demonstrates a limited depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working towards current limits of theoretical research or understanding. Develops and demonstrates great depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working at current limits of theoretical research or understanding. Develops and demonstrates an excellent depth of knowledge in a complex and specialized area or interdisciplinary area and/ or applied areas where they are working at current limits of theoretical research or understanding to challenge contemporary thinking or paradigms.
Analysis
20% Data has not been sufficiently well analyzed to draw appropriate conclusions. Argumentation and discussion is very limited or shows a lack of understanding of the evidence collected. Demonstrates limited ability to deal with complexity and scope in the knowledge base where the applications of paradigms, concepts and theory have not been sufficiently developed. Limited selection of tools and techniques for problem solving. Deals with some levels of complexity and applies concepts, theory and paradigms. Clearly recognizes lacunae and/ or contradictions in the knowledge base and makes appropriate selection of tools and techniques for problem solving. Deals with complexity and applies a wide range of concepts and theory where lacunae and/ or contradictions in the knowledge base have been clearly identified and discussed. Makes appropriate selection of tools and innovative techniques for problem solving.
Synthesis and Creativity
25% Unable to find, categorize idea and rely information in an acceptable way for this level. Synthesizes some information/ ideas and creates a more limited redefinition of existing knowledge with limited scope to new situations. Autonomously synthesizes information/ ideas and creates responses that expand or redefine existing knowledge and/ or develop new approaches to new situations. Autonomously synthesizes information/ ideas and creates responses that challenge existing knowledge and/ or develop innovative solutions to new situations.
Application
15%
Lacks originality in the application of knowledge in professional level context. Applies a very limited range of professional skills and shows no understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied. Demonstrates some originality in the application of knowledge in professional level context. Applies a limited range of professional skills and shows some understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied. Demonstrates originality in the application of knowledge in a variety of professional level contexts. Applies a range of professional skills and reflects on current practice. Shows an understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied, to inform judgments to the development of practice. Demonstrates originality in the application of knowledge in a wide and often unpredictable variety of professional level contexts. Applies a significant range of complex professional skills, practices and techniques and reflects on and subsequently modified practice. Shows an understanding of how the outcomes of work in the area may be applied, to inform judgments and make original contributions to the development of practice.
Presentation
10%
Does not meet a number of key requirements and fails to follow an acceptable style. Often unclear and untidy Organized and coherently structured work. Presents ideas to facilitate comprehension in an orderly manner with acceptable referencing and minor errors of detail. Work coherently and comprehensively organized and structured. Presents ideas with considerable attention to detail which facilitates effortless comprehension in an orderly manner and accurate referencing. Presented work with exceptional clarity that demonstrates ability to attend to all detailed aspects of organization and structure of discussion and all supporting evidence. The work has the qualities consistent with published material.
Based on the letter marking bands (e.g. A, B, C and so forth), Glion graduate skills (e.g. Knowledge, Analysis, Creativity, etc) are used to design, assess and grade student performance. The Academic Grading Policy (section 6.7) for Graduates should also be taken into account when designing and grading assessment as should the following performance bands:
Distinction: 90 and above (A- and above)
Pass: 70 - 74 (C+)
Fail: less that 70 (U, D-, D, D+, C-, C)
Graduate skills are used to calculate the students overall grade based on your graduate skill weightings.
Please see the Project Outline and Assignment Feedback sheet for further details. A copy of the Dissertation Module (Advanced Level) Feedback Sheet is also given in Appendix.
Written feedback is also important and space is given in the Assignment Feedback sheets.