BUS7095 Business and Management Research Project Assignment Brief Research Paper 2024-25

Assessment Task : Proposal and draft ethics form

Things to include:

The proposal should include: title, introduction (background, problem statement, aim, objectives, research questions), literature review, methodology/method, schedule (Gantt chart and narrative), reference
list 

Ethics form should be completed according to the planned type of research. For primary data collection a consent form and a participant information sheet should also be included. A company request letter may also be required. For secondary data collection a data source form should be completed.

Completion of this assessment will address the following learning outcomes:

1. To formulate, design, and justify a business and management research project, including its aims, scope and objectives.
2. To identify and appraise ethical challenges relating to the research design. Secure ethical approval for the research project and ensure that it is conducted in line with BCU policies and the norms of business and management research.
3. To self-manage the development of the research, using rigorous research and project management techniques, and critically appraise the work undertaken, to facilitate improvements in personal research and project practice.
4. To critically evaluate and synthesise current business and management theory, which is at the forefront of the academic discipline, and is relevant for the course, pathway and the particular topic, case or organisation under investigation.
5. To assemble and source valid business data which will support the requirements of the project aims, scope and objectives.
6. To professionally present the outcomes of the project, including drawing appropriate, original, evidence-based conclusions. Provide recommendations and guidance for business decision-making in the chosen discipline or pathway

1.Assessment Overview

Rationale

The aim of the research paper is to provide you with an opportunity to further your intellectual and personal development by undertaking a significant practical unit of activity, having an educational value, and at a level commensurate with the award of a Master’s degree.

The Business and Management Research Project is a major element of your degree where you have the freedom to select what to study or investigate. Because of this, it can be one of the most valuable learning experiences you could ever go through. Most students, for instance, have used the research paper not only to develop a detailed study of a topic that interests them, but also to learn about themselves and to produce a research paper which fully demonstrates their intellectual and personal capabilities.

A subsidiary benefit of the Business and Management Research Project is that it provides tangible evidence of your abilities and can improve your employment and promotion opportunities.

Option 1 and Option 2

The key difference between Option 1 and 2 is use of primary data in addition to secondary data:

Option 1 consists of a research paper which includes a relevant literature review, primary data collection and analysis.

Option 2 consists of a research paper which includes secondary research ONLY. This can be achieved in two different ways. Firstly, it might involve analysing data available in the public domain. This means that it should follow the standard structure of a research paper with a data analysis chapter after the literature review and methodology chapters if a separate source of secondary data (apart from published literature) has been analysed. Secondly, it might involve a secondary review of published literature. The findings of an extended literature review might be presented over several chapters as a systematic review of published literature, which replaces the normal data analysis chapter. The methodology chapter should then act as a protocol for the systematic review and precede it.

To pass this module, you must achieve a final overall mark of at least 50%. Failure to achieve a pass after the second attempt will result in the student being withdrawn from the course.

2.The Nature of the Business and Management Research Project

Required task

This Module is worth 60 credits and is assessed using a proposal and draft ethics form, and a final report (research paper). The proposal and draft ethics form should be submitted as single electronic files via Moodle by 9am on Monday 1st July 2024. The final report should be submitted as a single electronic file via Moodle by midday on Wednesday 4th September 2024.

Word count

The maximum word count for the proposal is 2,000 words. The maximum wordcount for the final report is 6,000 words. Penalties are only applied on submissions over 10% longer than these maximum figures. The preliminary and appendix parts of these submissions are not included in the wordcount. For the proposal, the wordcount can be calculated by counting the number of words from the start of the introduction to the end of the schedule. There is no wordcount limit for the ethics form, but there is some recommended guidance. For the final report the wordcount can be calculated by counting the number of words from the start of the introduction to the end of the reflective chapter (immediately before the reference list appendices). Tables should be presented in text format as they are included in the wordcount. Figures should be presented in image format and are not included in the wordcount.

The word limit is for your coursework assignment, and does not cover material submitted as an appendix. Material submitted as an appendix provides background for your coursework, but it will not be marked unless specified in the brief. Also, it is important that you cross-refer between the main text of your assignment and any appendices, in order to demonstrate the linkage, and that the appendices do not constitute additional material unrelated to that included in the body of your assignment. If you do not refer to this work in an Appendix, then this included work will not be marked.

Your reference list will not be included in the wordcount, but your in-text citations used in the main body of the assignment (e.g. “Smith and Jones (2010) identified that…”) will be included.

You are required to declare the number of words used in your assignment. There is no fixed penalty for exceeding the word count, but your marker will not consider any work after the
+10% word count tolerance has been reached within the allocation of marks. You may therefore be penalised for a failure to be concise and for failing to submit your work within the word count specified.

Definition

A research paper is a scholarly inquiry into a problem or issue, involving a systematic approach to the gathering and analysis of data, leading to the production of a structured report. The following characteristics are common to most research papers, and indicate how research papers differ from other coursework.

Choice of topic

It is usual to give you some discretion in the choice of topic for the research paper and in the approach to be adopted. You will need to ensure that your research paper is related to your course. Please see Section 3 below for more details.

Independence

You will be expected to act with independence and initiative, making decisions and carrying out your research work for an extended period of time under the guidance of your assigned class tutor.

Unpredictability

Neither you nor the module teaching team knows all the relevant inputs and problems, and the outcome is not predetermined. There is no ‘approved answer’, it is your task to produce an answer of your own that demands approval by its marshalling of evidence and the logic of its argument.

These three aspects – choice, independence and unpredictability can mean that research papers are on the one hand more rewarding, but on the other more demanding, than normal coursework.

Integration

This is the fourth factor. Research papers often require you to integrate a variety of knowledge and skills when tackling a problem, and to carry through a sequence of stages. This is true even when research papers are very specialised in subject matter.

In general, how you set about the research paper and what you learn in the process are as important as the result you achieve. You can sometimes learn more about an approach when things go wrong than when everything goes according to plan, and provided you can point to the lessons you have learned, you will still get good marks.

Planning your research paper

This will entail the following:

• Selecting a topic for investigation. This process will be explained in the first week of the semester.
• Writing a proposal. This will include establishing the precise focus of your study by deciding on the title, aim and objectives of the research paper and formulating the research question(s) to be investigated and devising a timetable to ensure that all stages, including writing of the research paper will be completed on time.
• Drawing up an initial research paper outline in line with the aims and objectives of the research paper.

3.The Choice of Research Paper Topic

Your topic may change as your research develops but the topic of your final report must be consistent with your approved ethics request form.

Your topic should also comply with the following conditions. Firstly, it should be:

• Relevant to business, defined broadly;
• Consistent with your course
• Clearly focused so as to facilitate an in-depth approach, subject to the availability of adequate sources and to your own knowledge;
• Of value and interest to you, to some community of practice (who are your target audience) and for your personal development.

Case studies, i.e. worked illustrative examples, are only acceptable if they are situated within a wider context and involve primary data collection and analysis (i.e. they are Option 1, not Option 2). This is to avoid the risk of plagiarism of other people’s work.

Historical retrospective write-ups, such as “How Coca Cola made it big in India” are not acceptable. Industry reports such as “The Indian Diamond industry” or “Thailand’s auto spares industry” are also not acceptable.

It is important here not to restrict yourself by assuming that all research papers are of a similar type. You are free to select any aspect of the business world related to your course for your investigation.

Your research can be specific to one company, one industry or one sector, and you are required to focus on one or more subjects in your course. Your chosen area should allow you to develop an in-depth analysis.

Advice on choosing a topic

The following list of suggestions may help you in your search for a topic:

Suggestions from the Taught Modules

What topics, issues, subjects etc. have particularly captured your interest from your taught modules? Use these as a base for examining what is going on in your organisation, if you are employed.

Current Events

What are the problems, significant issues, etc., that are currently evident from your study and knowledge of business, whether in the UK or in your own country.

Your Career Interests

What sort of role will you be aiming for when you finish your course? Can the research paper help prepare you for this? What developments would it be worthwhile examining in depth? The research paper may give you an advantage over other graduates applying for these types of jobs or promotions.

Your Own Interests

But perhaps, most importantly, you should choose a topic from within a business area in which you have a high personal interest. The reason for this is quite simple: It is often one’s own interest in a topic which sustains the motivation to see the research paper through to a successful completion.

In order to get started you obviously need some initial ideas as to what is to be the broad subject matter of the research paper. It can also be equally sensible to start by considering what is feasible in the light of the data to which you can get access. You should never be rigid in your proposals. There are all sorts of ways you can set about refining the initial idea into a definite research paper.

You could start by:

• Thinking of a title for the report of results;
• Considering your personal interests and aims; how could a research paper help realise these?
• Deciding on some particular outcome you wish to achieve, either in terms of organisational goals or your own personal objectives;
• Listing possible issues for investigation: these could take the form of a series of questions that the research would answer, or a series of hypotheses for testing;
• Finding out what research has already been conducted and what has been written on the subject of your choice, i.e. a review of the literature;
• Starting straight away with some exploratory research

The only starting point for defining your topic that is definitely not recommended is choosing the method of data collection or analysis. This is a secondary consideration that should be determined in the light of one’s research paper objectives once these have been set. Allowing a preference for a particular method of research to determine the nature and content of your research paper is, in our experience, a sure recipe for amassing mountains of data with no clear purpose or means of using them.

Please ask your assigned class tutor or one of your previous Module Leaders for additional advice if you are unsure about the suitability of your topic.

4.The Proposal

Students are required to produce a 2,000 word proposal for your chosen topic. This will be given a mark which will count as 20% of the overall project mark.

The proposal should be submitted electronically via Moodle by 9am on Monday 1st July 2024. The Proposal is a development of your initial research topic idea and will take the format of an Introduction (Background, Problem Statement, Aims and Objectives, Research Questions), Outline Literature Review, Outline Methodology/Method, Project Plan (Gantt chart or similar), Reference List and a Draft Ethics Request Form.

See Appendix 1 for more detailed requirements of Proposal.

5.The Research Project Plan

It is recommended that you should have a research project plan in the form of Gantt chart to guide you right from the outset. In addition to being a requirement for your proposal, the research paper plan is an outline of what you intend to do, chapter-by-chapter, and therefore should reflect the aims and objectives of your research paper.
There are several reasons for having a research paper plan:

• It provides a focus for your thoughts.
• It provides your assigned class tutor with an opportunity at an early stage of your work to make constructive comments and help guide the direction of your research
• The writing of a plan is the first formal stage of the writing process, and therefore helps build up your confidence.
• In many ways, the plan encourages you to come to terms with the reading, thinking and writing in a systematic and integrated way, with plenty of time left for changes.

Finally, the research paper plan generally provides a revision point in the development of your research paper in order to allow appropriate changes in the scope and even direction of your work as it progresses.

Your revised plan should be included as an appendix to your final report and scores towards your reflective account mark.

6.Keeping Records

Make a note of everything you read, including those you later discard:

• Ensure that when recording sources, author’s name and initials, date of publication, title, place of publication and publisher are included. (You may consider starting a card index or database from the outset).
• Make an accurate note of all quotations at the time you read them. Make clear what is a direct quotation and what is your paraphrase but putting quotation marks around quotes. Please see the BCU Harvard referencing webpages on citing: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/library/services-and-support/referencing/harvard/in-text- citations.
• Write down any verbal feedback you receive from your assigned class tutor.

7.Research Paper Structure and Format

All students must follow the following guidelines in submitting their final report:

• Front (Title) page – see below for details
• The second page should be your abstract
• The third page should be the table of contents giving page references for each chapter and section.
• The following pages should be the table of appendices, graphs and tables giving titles and page references.
• Next is the acknowledgement where your assigned tutor should be named (and anyone else you wish to thank).
• Chapter 1 should be a general introduction, giving the background to the research paper, the problem statement, the aim and objectives of the research paper, the research question(s). A discussion of the significance of the research should also be provided. This chapter can be expanded from your proposal.
• Other following chapters will constitute the main body of the research paper. The number of chapters and their sequence usually will vary depending on, among other things, the objectives of the research paper. There should always be a methodology chapter. One chapter may focus on a critical review of the published relevant literature relating to your research paper, although this may be several chapters long in the case of a systematic review of secondary data.
• The penultimate chapter should provide a summary of your major findings, a discussion of their significance and implications, conclusions, and limitations, possibly with recommendations for individuals, organisations and possible future research.
• The last chapter should contain your reflective account (see below).
• After this concluding chapter, you should give a list of all references you have used according to the BCU Harvard Referencing system (see https://www.bcu.ac.uk/library/services-and-support/referencing/harvard).
• Finally, you should provide your appendices. These should include your proposal, your approved ethics request form, your data collection instrument, your revised plan, examples of primary analysis of data transcripts, relevant statistical and qualitative software data, and supportive material which cannot be fitted into the main body of your report.

Final report format

The following requirements must be adhered to in the format of the final report:

1)Your final report will automatically be checked by the Turnitin software. You may only upload a single file containing the whole of your research paper including your title page, abstract, table of contents, list of references and appendices.

2)The final report should be 6,000 words in length. The normal 10% “rule” applies so you may in fact submit up to 6,600 words without being penalised. The word limit

excludes the title page, abstract, contents list, reference list and appendices. You must declare the number of words at the end of the main body of your report. In addition, the maximum number of pages, including the title page, abstract, contents list, references, and appendices should not exceed 200.

3)The final report should word processed in Arial 11 point type. Larger fonts should be used for chapter and section headings. The document size should be A4.

4)The outside front sheet shall bear the title of the work in at least Arial 24 point type. The name and initials of the candidate, the qualification and the year of submission shall also be shown on the front.

5)One-and-a half spacing must be used in typescript except for indented quotations or footnotes where single space may be used (use these sparingly). All margins should be set at 2.5cm.

6)Pages shall be numbered consecutively through the main text including photographs and/ or diagrams which are included as whole pages.

7)The front (title) page shall give the following information:

• The full title of your research paper,
• The full name of the student and student ID number (8 digits),
• The statement: “This research paper is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the <insert your course name>”
• The Faculty and University title
• The month and year of submission
• The name of your assigned tutor
• The full name of your course
• The module code: BUS7095

8)The research paper must include a statement of the candidate’s objectives and must acknowledge published or other sources of material consulted (including an appropriate reference list) and any assistance received.

• There shall be an abstract (up to 500 words, but it is recommended to be between 150 and 300 words) included with the research paper immediately after the title page which provides a synopsis of the research paper, stating the nature and the scope of the work undertaken, the findings, and the contribution made to the knowledge of the subject area addressed.
• Diagrams should be self-explanatory (having adequate annotation and captions conforming to the BCU Harvard style) and should be located in close proximity after where they are first mentioned to the text. The research paper should be divided into appropriate chapter, sections and sub-sections.
• All specific claims made in the text should be backed up with research evidence, either in the form of a citation with associated reference in the reference list, or with evidence from primary or secondary data analysed in the research.

8.Critical Literature Review

A critical literature review involves:

• Reading, understanding and providing a written critical summary of what other people have written about your research paper area, related topics and methods of analysis.
• In a research paper, you will not be expected to produce a definitive account of the state of research in your selected topic.
• However, you will need to show evidence that you have read a certain amount of relevant literature and that you have some awareness of the current state of knowledge on the subject.

A literature review is not just an annotated bibliography. In other words, you are expected to do more than just write one paragraph summaries of a collection of research papers related to your research topic. In particular you should:

• Organise your review into themes
• Investigate topics within your themes in turn, providing evidence to justify any specific claims that you make
• Evaluate evidence, indicating where it is inconclusive or conflicting
• Place more emphasis on some sources than others using critical thinking in your decisions regarding the order your present them and the amount you write about them
• Include theory as well as empirical studies
• Attempt to answer deeper questions relating to your themes
• Conclude your review be summarising your findings and refocusing them on your research question(s) to justify investigating your gap in the research literature

A critical literature review is important because:

• It can provide ideas about approaches and methods which had not occurred to you,
  e.g. how to analyse and present data.
• It may help to develop a conceptual framework for the analysis and interpretation of data.
• It may also reveal other important issues or question which is worth addressing, but which had not occurred to you earlier.

If you are doing a systematic review (an Option 2 research paper where you are only analysing published literature) then you will need to expand your review into several chapters. It should also come after your methodology chapter. The recommended number of documents you review is about 60. For a normal literature review the recommended number of documents you review is about 30.

9.Methodology

The purpose of a methodology chapter is to provide a credible plan for carrying out your research within a theoretical context. It is a combination of the theory of undertaking research (known as methodology) and the practical application of this theory (known as method). It is usual practice to begin with your methodology then provide your method. This chapter should be written in a very different style to your literature review as your aim is to convince your reader that your plan is credible, rather than to educate your reader about methodological concepts (which they already understand) or discuss irrelevant alternative choices.

Note: For a systematic review style research paper the methodology chapter should come before the literature review and should act as a protocol for the review. This means it should contain a conceptual framework and detailed information on your data identification and selection strategy. Please refer to the sources in the reference list by Boland et al. (2017), Booth et al. (2016), Paul et al. (2021), and Tranfield et al. (2003).

Having made good decisions earlier in the process it is equally important that you make the most appropriate choices for the methodology section. At any level of academic research, success rests on choosing and implementing the most appropriate methods for gathering and analysing data. As a master’s student, you must clearly justify all the decisions you make in this chapter of your work and demonstrate that they are consistent with your aim and objectives. Your research paper markers will want to see that a rigorous methodology and method has been applied.

Methodology is a combination of philosophy, approach to theory generation, strategy and choice of methods (mono, multi or mixed). More information will be provided in the lectures.

Before you choose specific data collection methods consider the following:

What issue have I identified? What is the nature of the problem? What am I trying to understand?

Now ask yourself two more questions:

• What may I know (find out) about this?
• Where does the knowledge I wish to acquire lie, where does the answer lie and how do I actually go about acquiring it?

You are advised to start reading research methods texts such as (Samuels, 2023) and (Saunders et al., 2023) in order to understand the nature of your research so you can build up a convincing argument (also see reference list below).

Here is a list of questions you should address in this chapter:

• Are you intending to carry out primary research and collecting your own data or primary research using someone else’s data, or will you only evaluate other people’s research (secondary data analysis)? If it is the last of these then this chapter should come before your literature review and should provide a plan for your systematic identification, selection and analysis of literature (more information will be provided in the lectures).
• If you are carrying out a survey, you will need to consider population and sampling issues.
• You also need to decide on your data collection technique (questionnaire, focus group, observation or interview) and mode (face-to-face, telephone, postal or online).
• How will you demonstrate that your research is rigorous, acknowledge or eliminate bias, account for reliability and validity of your research and recognise any constraints and limitations?

Analysis is often a neglected part of the research. It is understandable that much effort goes into collecting data, but you also need to consider what you will do with the raw data once collected. You should discuss how you intend to make sense of your data, what techniques or mechanisms you might use to analyse the data.

10.Assigned Tutor and Student Roles and Expectations

Assigned tutor

All students are assigned a tutor who will probably be one of the tutors in their seminar class. Most interaction will take place verbally within the seminar classes, but you are also permitted to email your assigned tutor and you may receive some written feedback from them.

Student expectations:

• To obtain written or verbal feedback on one draft only, normally on a chapter-by- chapter basis of the final report.
• To receive feedback on a draft ethics request and, if necessary, revised ethics requests
• To give your assigned tutor a reasonable amount of time to review drafts (up to one week) and to respond to emails (about 2 to 3 working days) during term time.

Student responsibilities:

• Attend all the lectures
• Attend all the seminar classes
• Complete work on time as agreed with your assigned tutor
• Work independently
• Submit one draft of the proposal and each chapter of the final report
• Engage with the ethics process and ensure that the chosen research project has obtained ethics approval
• Be familiar with academic misconduct regulations with regard to plagiarism and the misuse of AI
• Comply with the submission requirements
• Ensure appropriate use of the BCU Harvard referencing system

The role of the assigned tutor

This includes:

• To help you to decide on a suitable research topic
• To help you draw up your individual research paper plan
• To assign some directed reading (but most of the literature search must be yours)
• To stimulate and enthuse you
• To provide a steady stream of interaction of ideas and guidance
• To help you develop a suitable methodology
• To review and approve your ethics request form
• For Option 1, to help you to improve your data collection instrument (e.g. questionnaire or interview questions)
• To support you in your data analysis
• To give you feedback on your draft submissions (once per chapter only).

Note: The responsibility for successfully completing the research paper on time remains solely with you, not with your assigned tutor.

Assigned tutor responsibilities:

• Make initial contact with assigned students in the first seminar
• Be familiar with module specification and assessment requirements
• Be familiar with relevant Moodle site
• Provide timely response to emails (see above)
• Provide timely feedback to draft material (see above)
• Be familiar with Turnitin procedures and reports
• Give reasonable notice regarding alternative cover arrangements
• Give detailed feedback for failed projects
• Be available for support for assigned re-sitting students

Note: Students who persistently fail to engage with the seminar classes will not be entitled to written feedback as this would create an additional burden on the assigned tutors who are available for 36 hours to provide verbal feedback to the students who attend.

11.Ethical Issues

It is important to ensure your research paper is conducted in an ethical manner. The following points offer a good checklist.

• Discuss ethical issues in the collection and use of data with your assigned tutor
• Ensure that no harm can come to participants if you are collecting primary data
• Ensure that respondents understand that participation is voluntary and confidential
• Keep data confidential: do not share it with anyone else
• Be honest and open with respondents about the reasons for the research and report findings honestly and accurately
• Be honest about your own interest in the data
• Comply with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation

Note: Do not create fake data as this could lead to a Category A Academic Misconduct concern being raised against you which would mean a significant delay in obtaining your results even if you are found “not guilty”

All students are required to complete the Application for Ethical Approval form (even for secondary data only research papers). This blank form is available on the module Moodle site.

You are required to submit a draft form with your proposal. This may need to be modified according to the feedback you receive. You should continue this process until your assigned tutor agrees to sign your form.

You are not permitted to collect primary data until your form is approved. When your ethics request passes the approved version of the ethics form will be uploaded in the grading area on Moodle. Your signed form should also be included as an appendix to your final report also it goes towards your final mark.

If, at a later stage, you choose to change your topic or adapt it in a way that your ethics form no longer covers the research you are intending to carry out then you will need to reapply for ethics approval.

Any ethical requests not covered by the scope of the low-risk ethics form will need to be submitted to the BLSS Faculty Research Ethics Committee via this link: https://bcu.forms.ethicalreviewmanager.com/Account/Login. This is likely to lead to a delay in ethical approval so it should only be undertaken when absolutely necessary.

See Appendix 3 for more information.

12.Reflective account

You are required to provide a commentary and critical reflective analysis on the process of undertaking your research project. This counts as 10% of your final mark. It should include a self-reflection on professional development issues, identifying areas of strength and areas to improve upon related to research and project management.

Your account needs to go beyond an account of what you did and should include critical reflection on how you have developed as a researcher through doing your research paper and how you hope to apply and further develop your new ability in the future as a researcher or as a business or management professional, such as in the form of a development plan. You should use a model for structuring your critical reflection, such as the “what, so what, now what” model by Driscoll and Teh (2001).

You should also include your revised project plan (e.g. Gantt chart) within your final report as this counts towards this mark.

13.Turnitin and Avoiding Plagiarism and Misuse of AI

Turnitin is a document matching and AI detection software program. It does not measure plagiarism per se, but it can be used to compare your final report with published research,

websites and written work submitted to institutions through its database. Your Turnitin matching report will be assessed by your assigned tutor for plagiarism. The most common form of plagiarism is longer matches in the main body of your proposal or final report which do not have a citation. If less than 10% of your work is judged to have been plagiarised it will be handled by your markers. If more than 10% of your work is judged to have been plagiarised, only the original work will be marked, and this offence will be reported to Student Governance.

The same approach will be taken with detection of the use of AI software. If more than 10% of your work is judged to have been AI generated this will also lead to a Category B Academic Misconduct offence. In view of this, please do not use any AI software to assist you to create your work. Be very careful if using grammar checking software such as Grammarly or QuillBot as it is easy to use a large-language model feature inadvertently. Turnitin cannot differentiate it from full AI generation software, such as ChatGPT. For more information please refer to https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/Content/Document/Student-AI-Guidelines-Sep-23.

If either of these is a first offence, you will receive a warning and some retraining. For a second offence, if the level of plagiarism or AI use is judged as moderate your mark will be recorded as zero. For a third offence you will be referred to Student Governance for a full Academic Misconduct hearing which may lead to more serious penalties.

It is disciplinary offence to submit results based on fake data, submit the work of others as though it were your own, or to collude with others in the production of your work. All of the material in your proposal and final report, which is not of your own composition, must be attributed using the BCU Harvard referencing system (see https://www.bcu.ac.uk/library/services-and-support/referencing/harvard). It is vital that you learn how to summarise other people’s work in order to avoid plagiarism – please see the Centre for Academic Success Referencing and Plagiarism resources on this page: https://moodle.bcu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=78194.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a draft of your final report on the Turnitin checking site provided. It does not retain a copy of your work and you may use it as many times as you want. There is no set maximum percentage matching score to indicate plagiarism as it depends what part of your final report contributes to your overall matching score. You will receive training on this in the lectures. Please also refer to: https://moodle.bcu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=89803.

Students are warned that if it appears that they have attempted to subvert Turnitin, they may be referred for an investigation for Category A Academic Misconduct which could lead to a significant delay in obtaining their results even if they are found “not guilty”.

14.Final issues

It will be assumed that future students can have access to your work for reference unless you state clearly on the title page that your report is confidential. However, you would still be asked for permission.

In exceptional cases you may be asked to attend a “viva voce” examination. This is an oral examination in which you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your understanding of your research paper research, perhaps in a way that has not been communicated effectively in your written work. This is particularly relevant to students who fail to engage adequately with the computer classes. These classes are designed to provide you with an opportunity to develop your proposal and final report in a supervised environment. If

your assigned tutor has concerns about whether you wrote your final report then they may recommend that you are asked to attend a viva in order to confirm that the research in your report is genuinely your own work.

The viva examinations are normally held before the Examination Board and may be conducted via MS Teams or similar software.

15.Arrangements for Resubmitting Students

Resubmitting Students

Students who fail to obtain at least the pass-mark of 50% overall will need to resubmit the element(s) for which they failed to score 50% (i.e. either proposal or final report or both). All the previously listed submission requirements apply to resubmitting students. The resubmission date is midday on Wednesday 4th December 2024. Resubmissions are made electronically using a different submission point on the same Moodle site.

Students who obtain an overall mark between 35% and 49% will be expected to resubmit a revised and improved version of the same topic. They will be entitled to ONE meeting with their assigned tutor to discuss the improvements required and may submit ONE draft of the improved version to their assigned tutor for comment (or equivalent remote support). These students are required to re-work their existing research paper and are entitled to attend a face-to-face or online tutorial for feedback on the failed research paper and a second face to face tutorial to obtain feedback on a revised draft prior to final submission (or equivalent remote support).

Students who obtain an overall mark of 34% or lower will be required to select a new topic or to significantly revise the original submission. They will be entitled to the same level of support as other resubmitting students (two meetings or equivalent remote support).

If you choose to change your topic or adapt it in such a way that your ethics form no longer covers the research you are intending to carry out then you will need to reapply for ethics approval, following the same process as already explained.

Appendix 1: Indicative Proposal Assessment Checklist and Marking Scheme
The wordcount is 2,000 measured from the start of the introduction to the end of the project plan.

• Title, Background and Problem statement (10%). A clear and critical understanding of your chosen topic. The topic must be both worthwhile and relevant as reflected by:
  oA clear and concise working title of an appropriate scope
  oA background section introducing distinct aspects of the chosen topic
  oA problem statement which combines and focuses the aspects introduced in the background onto the research topic, providing the rationale for the research aim (i.e. explaining why it is interesting, important, unique and achievable
• Aim, Objectives and Research Question (10%):
  oAims – usually one main aim, consistent with the title, written in the form of an action
  oObjectives – usually 3 to 7 more specific actions that aims, and refine the aim(s) into smaller parts; the sum of the objectives should indicate how the aim will be achieved
  oOne or more clear research questions, consistent with the title, aim and objectives
• Outline Literature Review (30%): A short review of literature relevant to your topic. The review should:
  oProvide proof of scholarship by using high quality academic sources
  oReflect your basic understanding of your topic
  oReflect your intellectual ability to construct critical arguments based on your reading of the relevant literature
• Outline Methodology (25%): A well-reasoned methodological approach in terms of:
  oThe scope of the research
  oThe choice of a research philosophy, approach and strategy
  oA basic understanding of methods and techniques to collect primary data (if appropriate). For example, if a questionnaire survey is to be used, this should include a description of your population, how you intend to select your sample and how you will distribute your questionnaires. If secondary data is being used there should be an emphasis on the identification and selection of secondary research data.
  oThe techniques proposed to be used to analyse the collected data
  oAny ethical concerns
• Project Plan (10%). A short narrative providing an appreciation of your research’s feasibility within the time frame available to you. A schedule using a Gantt chart or similar graphical device showing activities to be undertaken at specific times. Note: This should not simply be copied and pasted from the sample Gantt chart provided but demonstrate personalisation and interpretation.
• Completed ethics request form (10%) – signed by you but not by your assigned tutor; not included in the word count. If you are doing Option 1 you also need to complete a Participant Information Sheet and attached it as an appendix. If you are doing Option 2 you need to include a statement of your data source using the template provided.
• Structure, grammar, academic writing style, referencing and presentation (5%)
  The word limit excludes the title page, contents list, references, ethics request form and any other appendices.

Appendix 2: Indicative Final Report Assessment Checklist and Marking Scheme

The wordcount is 6,000 measured from the start of the introduction to the end of the reflective account.

1.Title, Abstract and Introduction (10%)

• Clear and concise title indicating a topic of appropriate scope
• Correctly structured abstract summarizing the entire research project
• Background section introducing and describing appropriate general areas related to the study
• Persuasive, coherent problem statement justifying the need, interest, viability and uniqueness of the chosen topic
• Clear statement of original aim, objectives and research question(s) of the project
• Discussion of the significance of the study

2.Literature Review (20%)

• Organisation of literature into appropriate themes
• Statement of purpose and scope of review
• Systematic identification and selection of relevant sources
• Inclusion of appropriate theoretical perspectives
• Understanding of selected sources (including their limitations)
• Critical analysis of selected sources
• Discussion of focused findings relating to the research topic, possibly leading to the development of a conceptual framework
• Conclusions justifying the need for the research study

3.Methodology (15%)

• Possible inclusion of a conceptual framework
• Justification for choice of methodology
• Appropriateness of methodology given stated objectives
• Specification and organisation of the methods employed
• Appropriateness of research methods
• For Option 1, development of a data collection instrument based on the literature review or derived from a conceptual framework
• For systematic review research papers, a protocol enabling the replication of the identification, selection and analysis of secondary published research data, such as choice of databases, keywords and inclusion and exclusion criteria
• For other Option 2 research papers and Option 1 research papers involving quantitative data collection, a discussion on the validity and reliability of the chosen data
• Details of approach to data collection, such as the chosen population and sampling technique
• Detail of proposed data analysis techniques
• Discussion of relevant ethical concerns
• Recognition of the advantages, constraints and limitations of methods chosen

4.Ethics Form (5%)

• Inclusion of a signed ethics form as an appendix (not included in word count).

5.Data Analysis and Discussion (20%)

• Use of the data/material to examine project objectives and hypotheses.
• Critical evaluation of material
• The depth and breadth of analysis
• Syntheses of analysis (primary and/or secondary research) with issues raised by the academic literature.
• Compares and contrasts different models in the analysis (robustness of analysis)
• Discussion of findings compared with the published literature
• Clarity of interpretation
• Logic of argument

6.Conclusion and Recommendations (10%)

• Statement of overall findings and conclusions.
• Conclusions and recommendations flow from analysis.
• Significance of findings and recommendations.

7.Reflective Account (10%)

• A theoretically-based commentary and reflective analysis on the process of undertaking the research project, including a self-reflection on professional development issues, identifying areas of strength and areas to improve upon.
• Inclusion of a revised project plan (e.g. Gantt chart)

8.Presentation and Referencing (10%)

In general, the structure and presentation of the Project Report should demonstrate:

• Logical organisation and clear structure of the report.
• Appropriate use of charts and tables.
• Quality of writing, clarity and use of appropriate language and terminologies.
• Clear chapter and section titles, page numbering, citing and referencing (using the BCU Harvard style).
• Free from errors of grammar and spelling.

BUS7095 Dissertation Indicative Marking Scheme

Appendix 3: Research Ethics Protocol

All students taking a business and management research project will have to complete the research ethics approval research ethics approval procedure. There are a few forms for you to fill out as a part of this process and these forms will have to be signed by you and your assigned tutor indicating that you have recognised and accounted for any ethical issues arising from your primary research. You must enclose these completed forms as an appendix. Your signed ethics form will be considered for approval once it is uploaded on the Moodle submission point.

Your form will be assessed along with your proposal. You will either receive a pass result on the Moodle upload point or feedback explaining why your request has failed and how it needs to be modified. You form is not approved until it has passed. You should not collect any primary data until your form passes.

Use a proportion of your time available with your assigned tutor to discuss your methodology and chosen methods and the ethical implications of these decisions before you seek approval. In the vast majority of cases, your assigned tutor will be able to sign your research ethics application. In the event that your assigned tutor is unable to sign a submission, it may be referred to the module leader or the Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences (BLSS) Research Ethics Committee. Please note that any substantial changes made during the progress of your research paper / project with regards to primary research may be subject to re-approval.

Vulnerable people

When compiling your research ideas about the population under study and sample participants that may be extracted from it, an important issue you need to consider is whether the sample contains vulnerable participants. Vulnerable participants can be considered as either:

• People under the age of 18; and / or
• People with: learning difficulties; receiving medical treatment or other forms of social care; and/or mental illness.

Full details of the ethics approval procedure and the forms required will be made available on Moodle.

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