YBR7005M Research Methods and Techniques in Business Assessment 2 Brief 2026 | YSJU

Module details 

Assessment description 

You are required to produce a research report for an academic audience. This report should include your analysis of secondary data. The dataset will be made available to you during the course of the module, which will be communicated via email. It will be uploaded to Moodle and located under ‘Assessment’.

Your report should include the following:

• A short abstract, summarising the very key points of the report.
• Research question and objectives
• Research background and literature review. Justify the need for this research. If you plan to test hypotheses, these should be derived from your literature review.
• Research methodology. Detail should be provided about the data collection procedures. Include your assessment of whether this research was ethical.
• Results. You should demonstrate your ability to perform correct statistical analysis. This should include descriptive statistics and at least one instance of inferential statistics.
• Discussion of the results. Reflect on validity of this research and its contribution to knowledge.

All of these contents are included in the word count.

You should submit your report as a Microsoft Word document.

Learning outcomes

You must successfully achieve the following learning outcomes to pass this assessment:

7.1 Demonstrate critical understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies across Business and Management, including how onto-epistemic themes shape research design, methods, and the analysis and presentation of data.
7.2 Critically evaluate and systematically apply qualitative and/or quantitative forms of enquiry through an original and independent piece of advanced business and management research.
7.3 Identify, explore, and interpret research methodologies as they apply generally to Business and specifically to your project.
7.6 Demonstrate the academic skills appropriate to level 7, including the development of standards of presentation to sustain arguments in professional and academic domains, as part of a community of reflective practice.

Advice and guidance

It is important that your report be underpinned by relevant academic theory, concepts and models, where appropriate. These should be referenced throughout.

Referencing: please use the CiteThemRight (Harvard) referencing style for referencing in the reference list and for in-text citations. The University's Harvard Referencing Guide can provide you with instructions on how to use this in your work. Alternatively, by using your York St John login, you can also use the 'Cite Them Right' website as a referencing guide.

The reference list and the title page/cover sheet are not included in the word count.
Assessment at York St John University is regulated by the Code of Practice for Assessment. Your markers will adhere to it in their marking decisions.

Generative AI use: Tier 1 — AI use prohibited

The use of generative AI tools is not permitted in this assessment. You must complete all parts of the work independently. 

You are not permitted to use any generative AI for any of the following:

• Generating ideas and arguments
• Writing text or code
• Reviewing literature
• Editing and proofreading
• Drafting
• Data analysis
• Editing, including structuring

This assessment assesses your individual understanding, critical thinking, and ability to express your knowledge in your own words. Generative AI use would compromise these learning outcomes.

Academic integrity

Use of AI tools for any part of this assessment will constitute academic misconduct. This includes using AI to paraphrase or generate content. Any unauthorised use may be subject to investigation under the University’s Code of Practice for Assessment Policy, Section 27 Academic

Misconduct Policy

If you need further clarification, please speak to your module leader, Dr Kane Needham k.needham@yorksj.ac.uk
All hyperlinks above were correct as at 6 January 2026. Any subsequent changes to the University’s website will not be reflected in this document. Should these hyperlinks lead to an error page, please use the Student Hub and the University’s website to find the relevant pages.

How is this assessment marked?

Your work will be marked according to the assessment instructions provided within this document and the selected learning outcomes (LOs) (see above). 

Furthermore, this assessment is marked using the assessment marking criteria or a similar rubric that aligns with the University’s generic assessment descriptors (see below).[ A rubric is a type of scoring guide that markers use to set out specific components and expectations for an assignment for their students. It is then used to guide the marking they undertake. ] This is to ensure all assessment decisions are comparable regardless of the discipline or mode of assessment. 

Please note that you must meet the required baseline standards (50 – 59%) which will include the LOs and minimum expectations of the assessment. Further still, you must ensure you meet the requirements of each grade boundary to progress to the next, i.e., you should demonstrate your learning through the standards of the Pass, Merit and Distinction to reach a Distinction (70 – 84%). These standards are designed to scaffold and build your learning to achieve your fullest potential in each criterion being assessed.

Marking criteria

Pass grade bands (100 – 50) (Learning outcomes must be met)
Fail grade bands (49 – 0) (Learning outcomes are not met)