44-703569-DF Research Methods Level 7 Assessment 1: Essay 2025

Assessed Module Learning Outcomes of 44-703569-DF:

• LO 1 Critically analyse and evaluate published research, key issues and trends
• LO 2 Appreciate and evaluate the nature of quantitative and qualitative research perspectives and associated methods
• LO 4 Understand the principal issues involved in the development and application of selected research techniques and in the interpretation of research findings to enable the transfer knowledge and understanding of the subject through independent research

44-703569-DF Assessment 1 – Understanding the literature review process

In the first workshop, your tutors will introduce a research topic for your strand. Once you have selected a theme from that broad topic, you will then need to identify 6 journal articles which directly relate to that theme, these sources should ideally no more than 5 years old.

Using your selected sources as the focus of your essay, you will need to answer ALL of the following:

• Discuss the purpose of a literature review – this discussion must be informed and supported by your wider reading from a range of relevant research methods books, journal articles etc
• Briefly outline the subject matter/main focus of the 6 journal articles.
• Describe the research methods used and how these may influence the results with particular consideration of aspects such as location of the research, sample size, sample characteristics (age, social status, gender). Discuss how this influences the research output.

These can be addressed using the following format.

Section 1: Introduction 100 words. This introduces the reader to what the essay will discuss.

Section 2: Describe the purpose of a literature review, approx. 350 words. (This will need to be referenced to research methods texts).

Section 3: Brief summary of the contents of the articles, approx. 350 words. (reference to research methods texts and the articles you have found).

Section 4: A critical analysis of the methods used. Approx.500 words. This should describe the methods used with particular consideration of aspects such as location of the research, sample size, sample characteristics (age, social status, gender) and discuss how these influence the research output. 450 words. (reference to research methods texts and the articles you have found).

Section 5: Conclusion, what can you conclude from the types of research you have found in the area you looked at? What are the gaps and how would a literature review inform future research? Approx. 200 words.

Make sure that you answer all of the above points within the 1,500 words (+/- 10%). Please note that this assessment is not requiring you to write a literature review on the topic, if you only do this you are not answering the assessment brief and risk failing the assessment.

Research methods books etc are vital reading for this module and the assessments. You are required to support your work with citations throughout and provide a reference list at the end of your work. Referencing - Please use the APA 7 referencing System. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.