NBS8289 - Research Methods Summative Assessment, Newcastle University

Assignment Brief

In your response, you must draw on and cite at least two methodological journal articles and one empirical journal article on a topic relevant for your programme of study: 

• Methodological journals include Organizational Research Methods, Journal of Mixed Methods Research and Qualitative Research (see the module's 'Library Reading list', 'Journals - Methodology and Methods' section for more journal titles) 
• Articles that report academic research projects are to be considered as empirical; examples of journals that include such articles are vast, but include The International Journal of Human Resource Management; Journal of International Business Studies; Work, Employment and Society; Organization Studies; and Human Resource Management Journal. For more journal titles that relate to your programme of study see the 'Module Handbook' or draw on empirical journal articles used in other modules on the programme 
• To assist you in accessing articles and constructing your essay, the Library have produced this excellent blog > ‘Finding empirical and methodological articles’ In completing your Assessment, you must engage with recent research - that is: Methodological articles that have been published in the past 10 years 
• Empirical articles that have a publication date in the last 7 years 

Approaching the Assessment:  

• You choose how to address the Assessment brief and we do not wish to be prescriptive, but you might start by considering the approach to data collection that most interests you (this could be the approach that you are likely to use in your future studies). 
• Then, search methodological journals to source articles that discuss your chosen approach. Read the articles to acquire knowledge of the data collection approach; for example, what are its strengths, weaknesses, when is it useful, what are the potential problems etc. Note: you would not simply describe the strengths and weaknesses etc. of the approach to data collection in your response; rather, this broad knowledge gives you a foundation to build on. 
• Next, search for empirical articles that use your chosen approach to data collection and consider what issues (things) the author(s) took into account when collecting their data. When you have read a number of empirical studies and understood the research project - its aims, processes and claims - then you can apply and integrate your knowledge from the methodological journal articles with the lessons from the empirical article(s) to address the Assessment brief.