6BM997 Independent Research Project Assessment Brief T1 2025-26

6BM997 Assessment Brief 2025-26

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Critically explore existing evidence and identify a gap in understanding of a particular trend or issue in an area of business and management.
2. Identify and critically review literature and other appropriate contextual sources pertinent to the issue, theme, subject or trend.
3. Critically review, select, and apply relevant methods of data collection and analysis.
4. Critically reflect on the results of the research project in the context of its theoretical and practical value.

Description of the assessment

The module provides you with an excellent opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that you have acquired during the studies in the programme, as well as pursue your professional and academic interests. The module offers flexibility to pursue a business-related topic that is of interest to you or select from a pool of topics provided by the academic team.

As part of the research journey, you will learn to develop and justify research objectives, choose appropriate methodologies and methods to address those objectives, critically analyse existing concepts and theories, and collect and analyse data. You will reflect on the findings of a research

project that can demonstrate a contribution to the existing knowledge, as well as practical value and application.

The module facilitates the enhancement of critical analysis and a wide range of research skills, as well as provides students with an opportunity to enhance knowledge and understanding of a particular area in business and management.

Independent Research Project is a module that is different to any other module that you have studied in the programme so far. The focus of this module is on developing the ability to undertake independent research and, therefore, you will own the responsibility to drive the learning, research and analysis forward, with the support of a group tutor and, later, an allocated supervisor.

You will study over two trimesters, and during the course of the module, there will be several submissions and deadlines to adhere to, including submission of the Choice of Topic and an electronic Ethical Approval Form. The dissertation will be the final and only graded assignment.

Structure of the module

The module is delivered in two phases:

• Group taught phase (6 weeks) – managed by the Module Tutor
• Independent supervision phase (from week 7 till submission) – managed by the Supervisor

Key dates

Group taught phase

During this first phase, you are introduced to the core elements of independent research. You will be guided through the process of formulating a topic and a research question, aim and objectives, developing a research proposal, and preparing for ethical approval. During this phase, you should choose a topic and draft a research proposal to enable the appointment of a supervisor.

Supervision phase

In week 8, you will be allocated to a supervisor, and a list will be published on the module’s Blackboard to inform you of who your supervisor is. Do not delay in making contact with your supervisor to discuss your research, ideas and plans.

Students are allocated 6 hours of supervision. Approximately half of this time will be taken up in reviewing and providing feedback to your draft writings (e.g., draft research proposal and dissertation chapters), reviewing the Ethics Form (may require several submissions), and marking the dissertation. The remaining time can be booked for supervision meetings.

There are a number of important areas where you can expect support from your supervisor.

These include:

• Refining research aim/objectives;
• Guidance within a specialist knowledge in the area;
• Review of drafts;
• Review and feedback on the Ethics form.
• Confirmation and clearance of the Ethics form for the Ethics committee.
• Suggestions for data collection and analysis;
• Presentation of material and findings.

Review of Drafts

You must realise that the role of the supervisor involves considerable time and effort. Please give your supervisor plenty of time to read your written material and adhere to the agreed deadlines for each draf t piece of writing. Make sure that you are aware of any specific time(s) when your supervisor is away from the office and plan accordingly.

In summary, keep in contact with your supervisor and regularly keep them informed of the progress of your work. If you are falling behind schedule or simply not sure how to proceed with the next stage, contact your supervisor for support immediately.

Interim Deadlines

It is advised that you and your supervisor agree on the timeline to completion and pencil down the dates when you will catch up on the progress of your work (either by email, phone, MS Teams or a Skype call). You can use the table below as a guide and discuss provisional dates with your supervisor. Feel free to change the order of tasks in a way that will work best for you and your supervisor, bearing in mind key milestones, submission dates, holiday periods, and other circumstances, where applicable.

Assessment Content

In your dissertation, you will demonstrate the skills to define research aim and objectives, select appropriate methodology and methods, collect and analyse data, search and critically review literature, and present and discuss your research findings.

Dissertation Structure

Please adopt the following format in presenting your dissertation:

Title Page:

Include the full title of your research, your name, student ID, institution, course, and submission date. Make sure the title is clear, concise, and reflects the scope of your study. This page sets the first impression of your report, so maintain a professional layout.

Abstract:

Provide a summary of the research, highlighting the purpose, methodology, key findings, and conclusions. Keep it concise (usually 250-300 words) and self-contained, so readers/markers can understand the essence of your work without reading the full report. Avoid citations and detailed explanations.

Acknowledgements:

Recognise any external support that contributed to your research. Please do not include routine tutorial or course support here. Keep it sincere, professional, and concise.

Table of Contents:

List all chapters, sections, and subsections in order with corresponding page numbers. Ensure it reflects the final structure of your report and helps readers navigate easily. Maintain consistent formatting for clarity.

List of Tables:

Provide a numbered list of all tables included in your report with their titles and page numbers. This allows readers to quickly locate specific data presentations. Ensure numbering matches the tables in the text.

List of Figures/Illustrations:

List all figures, diagrams, charts, or illustrations with their titles and page numbers. This provides an overview of visual content and aids navigation. Number them consistently with their placement in the report.

Chapter 1: Introduction, Aims and Objectives

Introduce the research topic, context, and rationale for your study; define the scope of your study. Clearly state the research question(s), aims and specific objectives you intend to achieve. Ideally, you should not have more than 3-4 research objectives, stated as separate sentences. Provide a roadmap for the reader to understand the scope and direction of your research.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Critically review existing research relevant to your topic, identifying gaps your study will address. Synthesise findings to provide a theoretical framework for your research (if applicable). Highlight key trends and debates in the literature. The literature (sources) should preferably be from the last 5-7

years. Avoid consulting empirical literature that is more than 10 years old, unless, of course, you are referring to a theory or definition.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Explain the research design, methods, and procedures used to collect and analyse data. Include details of your sampling strategy (if applicable), the design considerations for your research instrument, any theoretical models and hypothesis statements (if applicable). Justify your choices and discuss any research risks and limitations, such as practical risks (e.g., access to participants, data reliability, time/resource constraints), ethical considerations (e.g., confidentiality, informed consent, ethics approval), mitigation strategies (how you minimised these risks), and details of reliability and validity (if applicable).

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Discussion

Present and analyse your findings, using tables, charts, or graphs where appropriate. For qualitative studies, you are expected to share anonymised snippets, excerpts from the interview transcripts or notes from focus group discussions. Interpret the results in the context of your research questions and literature review. Discuss any patterns, anomalies, or implications of the findings.

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations

Summarise the main findings and their significance in relation to your research objectives. Provide actionable recommendations and suggest directions for future research. Avoid introducing new data here.

References:

List all sources cited in your dissertation using a consistent referencing style, i.e., the Harvard Referencing style. Please ensure each entry is accurate and complete, including authors, title, publication, and date. Only include works directly referenced in the report.

Appendices:

Include supplementary material that supports but is not central to the main text, such as questionnaires, raw data, or additional diagrams. Clearly label each appendix and refer to them in the main body when necessary. Avoid including irrelevant or excessive material, and do not use this space to shift sections from the main body to save word length.

Assessment guidance

The markers will not only consider the technical merit of a dissertation, but also the logical development of the argument. Students need to demonstrate interpretative skills and show the ability to study a problem in depth, adopting a critical and analytical manner. Work that is descriptive, superficial and lacking direction will not be graded highly.

Assessment Criteria

Marking criteria are based on the structure of the dissertation, in particular:

1.Specification and Definition of the Project (10%*)

Title: The title is focused, summative and reflects the dissertation’s content.
Abstract: It should provide a summary of the dissertation. It should state the nature and purpose of the dissertation and outline the approach adopted. This should be short (250-300 words), self- contained, summative, objective, precise and easy to read.
Introduction: background information; an introduction to current research; an introduction to the organisation/industry/context. Demonstrate the relevance to the specific area(s) of knowledge and practice. Links to key academic and, where applicable, industry sources and debates (with references). Provide a clear rationale for the research project.
Aim(s): feasible, clear and manageable; original and has the potential to add insights to the field of study.
Objectives: focused, relevant, specific and support the aims (or main research question). Conform to the right format (action verbs).

2.Literature Review (20%)

Demonstrate the ability to search for, select, analyse and use the relevant literature. Critical assessment of literature. Awareness of the contribution of other researchers. Awareness of theories, models, and concepts. Relevance to aims and objectives.

• Provide a critical review of relevant academic literature
• Critique existing research and link it to aims/objectives
• Review key relevant academic theories
• Demonstrate relevance to contemporary/current debates
• Be current (not outdated sources)
• Be related to previously published and “recognised” work
• Be critical (sources that both support and oppose an argument)
• Be able to differentiate fact and opinion
• Be objective, unbiased, and coherent

3.Methodology (20%)

Choice and use of research methods are appropriate to the aims and objectives.
Sound justification provided, including evidence of secondary data supporting the choice of methods. A clear and concise account and justification for each of the following:

• Research design
• Research methods
• Data collection and analysis
• Ethical issues
• Reliability and validity of the study

4.Analysis and Discussion (20%)

Presentation of data, quality of interpretation and analysis. A clear relationship was made between aims and objectives, literature and findings. Demonstrates critical thought.

• Is the data appropriately presented (graphically or verbatim) and linked to the objectives?
• Is the data presentation factual or interpretative?
• Does the analysis answer the research questions?
• Does the analysis relate or is it linked to previous knowledge in the field?
• Is the analysis built from the findings?
• Is the analysis linked to the literature review?
• Is the research analytical or merely descriptive?
• Have the research objectives been met?

5.Conclusion and Recommendations (20%)

Aims and objectives are satisfied. Effective drawing out of key issues and findings.

Conclusions are:

• Drawn from the findings
• Linked to the literature
• Linked to aims and objectives

Recommendations are:

• Based on the findings and conclusions
• Feasible
  Reflection: limitations of the study are outlined, and directions for future research are discussed.

6.Presentation (10%)

Organisation and layout of material. Writing style, including spelling and grammar. Use of material. References and citations (Harvard Referencing style). Appropriate use of appendices. Flow and links between sections and chapters. Cohesive, well-structured.
*Please note that the percentage of the weight of each criterion in the overall mark is indicative; the dissertation is marked holistically, based on the merit of the research project overall.
For the grade descriptor, please see F3.2 Undergraduate marking scale in Assessment Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes.

Anonymous Marking

This assignment cannot be marked in line with the Anonymous Marking Policy requirements, as you are required to be assessed by your supervisor. Please ensure that in this assessment, you are identified by your name.

Assessment Regulations

The University’s regulations, policies and procedures for students define the framework within which teaching and assessment are conducted. Please make sure you are familiar with these regulations, policies and procedures.

Ethics Approval

All research projects at the University of Derby require ethical approval before fieldwork can begin;
you also need ethics approval even if you are only using secondary data.

Your research may be delayed if your application does not contain all the information needed.

If your data collection involves human participants (e.g. interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc.), you will be required to submit the following along with your ethics application:

1. Invitation letter
2. Participant information sheet
3. Informed consent form with privacy notice
4. Debriefing sheet

See blank templates: https://unimailderbyac.sharepoint.com/sites/BLSSResearchEthics/SitePages/Templates.aspx.

All these templates are also provided on the BB page of the module.

5.Sample(s) of the research instruments, e.g. questionnaire, interview schedule, etc.