Project Handbook

2017 – 2018 Academic Year

THE DOSSIER
You are required to keep a dossier for your research project, which consists of all key documentation
that you use throughout the process of completing your project. Specifically, the dossier includes:

 copies of journal articles you reference within your project

 copies of book references (chapter and page numbers), magazine articles, newspaper clippings
and so on that you cite within your project
 all rough drafts relating to your research
 copies of correspondence (including e-mails) relating to your research
 notes of any important face-to-face or telephone conversations
 drafts of questionnaires, interview guides, or other data collection tools
 all raw data (including completed questionnaires or interview transcripts) that you collect
 all documentation related to the analysis of your data
 interview recordings (if applicable)

Do not throw anything relevant away; keeping a dossier is evidence of your work throughout the year,
and such evidence may be required during assessment of your project.

VIVA
If you fail to meet any requirements of the project, or do not contact your project supervisor, you may
be asked to submit your dossier (see above) as part of a formal viva. This is a face-to-face interview
conducted by a panel in which you will have to explain and discuss the sources, legitimacy and
originality of your research.

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RESEARCH PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The research project gives you the valuable experience of carrying out an in-depth investigation. The
project involves identifying a suitable topic for investigation, reviewing existing literature about the topic,
understanding the current state of affairs regarding your topic, and conducting research that is
appropriate to the time and resources available. To accomplish these objectives you will need to apply
the theory of research methods to the actual practice of research.

Your project should demonstrate that you can:

 design and conduct an original research investigation on a clearly defined topic of your choice

 identify key concepts involved in your project

 focus on a clearly defined topic

 review and analyse existing literature on the topic

 formulate and test a hypothesis or pose a research question

 make use of appropriate research tools to collect and analyse data

 evaluate and collate the information obtained

 discuss your findings in detail and draw appropriate conclusions

 communicate your findings in an appropriate written format

 suggest ideas for further research on the particular topic

There are different ways that you can approach a topic:

Hypothesis approach – here you make a statement that is then either supported or disproved by the
evidence that your research produces (example: ‘passengers will be willing to accept a low-cost
customer service approach on long-haul flights’).

Question approach – here the research topic is phrased as a question (example: ‘will passengers be
willing to accept a low-cost customer service approach on long-haul flights?’).

Exploratory approach – the two approaches above have fairly predictable outcomes (such as ‘yes,
they will’ or ‘no, they won’t’ or ‘they may to some extent depending on certain factors’) but with some
types of research you may have little idea what the outcomes will be and so a more open-ended
investigation/exploration is needed (example: ‘an investigation into aspects of customer service that
passengers feel are vital to the quality of their on-board experience’ – here, you won’t know what the
outcomes are until you carry out the research).

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CRITERIA FOR A SUITABLE TOPIC
Studies should be relevant to your degree programme. Note that you are not expected to produce
research on topics that have never before been investigated but you should produce findings that build
upon existing knowledge.

A suitable topic for your project must be:

 relevant – the topic chosen must clearly lie within your chosen course of study (aviation or
tourism)

 specific – there must be a clearly defined issue, problem or hypothesis proposed

 analytical – your topic area cannot be a purely descriptive piece of work; your project must
involve interpretation, critical awareness and evaluation

 realistic – your project objectives must be achievable in terms of time and resources such as
money, contacts and access to organisations. Resist the temptation to be over-ambitious. Your
project supervisor can discuss these issues with you and advise you accordingly.

IDENTIFYING A SUITABLE TOPIC

A suitable research topic can be identified in two ways:

1) Identification of a ‘knowledge gap’ – through reading about your chosen subject area you can
identify what is already known about the subject and then you can identify questions or issues
on which you can carry out research in order to generate some new information about the
subject.

2) A practical problem – as a result of your personal experience of work-related issues or

problems you have observed within your chosen industry, you may wish to develop a suitable
research topic based on such an issue or problem.

Whatever your initial ideas for a project, it is most likely that you will have to narrow the subject area.
Your project must have one main aim. Discuss your ideas with your supervisor to ensure that your
proposed topic is focused and realistic.

PRESENTATION FORMAT
The following list outlines the essential sections of your completed project:
 Title Page
 Acknowledgements
 Abstract
 Contents
 Introduction
 Literature Review
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  Methods
 Results Note: where purely qualitative research is undertaken these sections may
 Discussion be combined in a ‘Findings and Discussion’ chapter
 Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Work
 References
 Appendices

The following notes explain in greater detail what should be included within each section. Please note
that all suggested section lengths are approximate and are for guidance only.

Title Page
The title page must contain:
 The title of the project (preferably 12 words or fewer – it is recommended that the research
hypothesis or question is not used as the title of the research)
 Your full name
 The qualification to which the project relates, using the proper wording
 The month and year of submission
See Appendix ‘A’ for a sample copy of the title page.

Acknowledgements
Here you have the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the people who have assisted you in the
development and presentation of your project. Avoid creating long and very personal lists of everyone
you can think of.

Abstract
This should be on a separate page in single-spaced text. This should be the last section written. It is a
concise summary (in approximately 250 words) of your entire project. It should include the following
elements:

 the purpose of your research (what you set out to do)

 a brief rationale for performing the research (why you did it)
 the methods employed (how you did it)
 key findings of the investigation (what you found)
 how the research has contributed to current knowledge (the significance of your findings)

Contents
This should include an outline of the project in list form, setting out in sequence the sections and sub-
sections with their page numbers clearly indicated. You should number the preliminary pages (Abstract,
Contents and any prefaces) with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). The main pages of
text (starting with the Introduction) are numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.). Keep the

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contents page clear and concise; its sole purpose is to help the reader to find their way easily around
your text and readily locate particular sections.

1. Introduction
This is the first major section of the project and its purpose is to:
 introduce the reader to your topic
 provide a brief rationale for the research (why you did it)
 identify the present problem, question or hypothesis that your study attempts to address
 identify the boundaries of the research (what is to be included in your study)
 where appropriate, identify clearly the location of the research using maps, site plans,
photographs and so on
 provide some background literature to clarify the key findings from previous research

You should give a brief but to-the-point review of the topic, its importance, and how previous research
relates to it. The chapter should have a concluding paragraph which leads into the literature review that
follows.

The suggested length of this section is approximately 750 – 1000 words.

It may sometimes be helpful to present figures (such as maps, photographs, illustrations) in the text. It
is important to follow the guidelines below when presenting figures in the text.

Presenting figures in the text

Follow these guidelines:
 all figures should be introduced in the text before they are presented
 figures must be clearly separated from other material by being placed in a box (see Fig 1.1)
 all figures must have a title and be numbered in sequential order (see Fig 1.1)
 when presenting figures, the title goes below the figure (see Fig 1.1)
 when presenting tables, the title goes above the figure (see page 14 for an example)
 the use of three-dimensional graphs is to be avoided (because they generally distort the visual
interpretation of data) unless you feel they are essential
 all figures, especially maps and plans, should be adapted for purpose rather than merely
imported from Internet sources or hard copy sources such as atlases or textbooks
 all photographs and illustrations must have an explanatory caption below them to focus the
reader’s attention on the key points shown (see Fig 1.2)

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Figure 1.1: Ryanair’s Norwegian route map
Source: In2norway (2011)

Figure 1.2: Heathrow Airport – on the left is runway 27L and running parallel to this is runway 27R
Source: BAA (2011)

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2. Literature Review
The literature review is an examination of background knowledge in relation to your research topic. You
will need to read widely – textbooks and journal articles are particularly important but you may also use
appropriate electronic sources. You are expected to identify the commonalities and differences
between different sources. A literature review is not simply a summary of individual sources; it must
take an overview of the literature and discuss the different views that exist regarding the topic and
concepts involved in your project.

This section should be a systematic, up-to-date and fully referenced survey of available and relevant
information. There is probably a great amount of literature on your topic; you must communicate
relevant material from this into a coherent argument. You should try to summarise points in your own
words – paraphrase – and avoid excessive use of quotations. You should proceed from the general
to the specific, starting first with core texts in your subject area and moving from these to specialist
subject texts written by experts in the field, and concluding with the most up-to-date information you
can find. If appropriate, you may wish to include material such as diagrams of theoretical models or
other relevant illustrations that relate to issues that you discuss.

As you write you should develop a clear structure, commenting on themes and concepts as you go.
Your literature review should lead the reader somewhere, so that he or she knows:
 what is already known about the topic
 what could be added to current knowledge and understanding
 how your research will help to add to current knowledge and understanding
Remember that your findings are intended to build on what is already known – you are not expected to
research into areas that have never previously been investigated.

The suggested length of this section is approximately 2500 - 3000 words.

3. Methods (including research design)

You must use research methods literature to create and write your methodology.

After you have developed your research plan with your supervisor, you will have an overview of the
whole research process. The methodology chapter will explain what methods you used and also why
you used them. During the methodology process you will design your data collection tool(s) (such as
questionnaire, interview guide or literature search). Questions that you are proposing to ask must be
informed by the material dealt with in the literature review. You must include logical justification for your
methodology approach supported by cited research literature. You must not distribute or use
primary data collection tools (such as questionnaires) until they have been approved by your
supervisor.

Specifically, you should comment on the following:

 purpose of your investigation

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  choice of research approach (qualitative, quantitative, or both; justification for the approach
adopted)
 sampling methodology (the type of sample you selected is described and justified; justification
of how the sample was contacted; how many were contacted; response rate, and so on)
 method(s) of data collection (justification for the method(s) used and reasoning behind the
content/format of particular questions)
 administration (comment on how you organised the research and why you did it this way)
 analysis of data obtained (what approaches you used to represent information gathered from
your research)

If you have used only secondary research in your project then you will need to discuss the
structure and content of this section with your supervisor.

Write this section in the past tense. It should read as though you have already completed the research
even though you may draft it before you actually conduct the research!

The suggested length of this section is approximately 1500 – 2000 words.

Recommended reading for research methods

The references list below contains just a few of the available titles. Many useful sources are available
from the Buckinghamshire New University Learning Resource Centre (in the Gateway building). Other
sources such as digital text books, digital journal articles and Google Scholar may also be used. Your
understanding of research will improve with wider reading and perhaps even ownership of one or two
key research theory texts. Some suitable texts are shown below with additional notes to help in your
initial selection.

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4. Results
(Where primary research has not been undertaken and secondary research only has been carried out,
or where only qualitative research has been undertaken, a more appropriate heading is ‘Findings’ – this
is often combined with the Discussion as a ‘Findings and Discussion’ section. Your supervisor can
provide guidance as to how to approach a ‘Findings and Discussion’ section.)

Projects involving primary research

In the Results section you must present an analysis of the primary data you have collected, but with
no discussion of these results at this stage. Your aim should be to show a concise representation of
your data/findings. For quantitative data, you may use basic descriptive statistics (e.g. percentages,
means, standard deviation). However, you should also consider cross-tabulation (comparison between
results from different questions), since this can provide more in-depth treatment of your data. For
qualitative data, research methods lectures describe different ways you can analyse data (such as
coding, abstracting and comparing).

You should try to employ concise presentation strategies that are appropriate to the type(s) of data
being displayed. For instance, with quantitative data you are likely to make use of graphs, charts,
histograms and tables to present your analysed data. Raw data should not be reported in the main text,
but may be included in the appendices if appropriate. Qualitative data analysis techniques include
grouping, summarising, pattern-analysis, flowcharts and perceptual maps (see Punch, 1998;
Silverman, 2000). It is acceptable for qualitative work to be presented in a combined ‘Findings and
Discussion’ chapter (talk to your supervisor about this).

Presenting data in figures and tables:

 any figure or table should be introduced in the text before it is presented
 all figures and tables must be clearly separated from the text, and each other, by being placed
within a box
 all figures and tables must have a title and be numbered in sequential order
 the use of three-dimensional graphs is to be avoided (because they generally distort the visual
interpretation of data)
 when presenting tables, the title is placed above the table
 when presenting figures, the title is placed below the figure

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Avoid basic errors; for example, note several things that are wrong with the graph below:

 There should be a full and proper title explaining the graph

 What does the ‘x’ (horizontal) axis represent and likewise the ‘y’ (vertical) axis?
 What units are represented on the x and y axes (numbers? percentages? kg? km?)?
 Presentation: why the ‘join-the-dots’ approach? Would a bar chart be more appropriate?
 Too small! Ideally, you should aim for two such figures to a page

Examples of presentation of QUANTITATIVE data:

Example 1:
As shown in Table 1.1, overall there was a slight increase in fear of flying (3.6 - 5%) across all age
groups from 2010/11 to 2011/12. There was a statistically significant increase of 5% (p = 0.03) in the
16-19 yr age group.

Table 1.1: Fear of flying by age groups

2010/11 2011/12
Age Statistically
Group Number % Number % % change Significant
16-19 yr 61 32.8% 52 37.8% 5.0% Yes
20-24 yr 50 26.7% 49 31.4% 4.7% No
25-29 yr 54 23.3% 56 26.9% 3.6% No
Note: statistically significant at p < 0.05.

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Example 2:

As highlighted in Table 1.2, there were 26% more Austrian tourists compared to Italian tourists that
visited London during the time period in question. However, most of the Italian tourists reported staying
for the longer duration of two weeks.

Table 1.2: Nationality and length of stay of visitors to London

Question Measure Category %
Q6 Nationality Austrians 63
Italians 37
Q7 Duration
One week Austrians 55
Italians 22
Two weeks Austrians 40
Italians 75
Other Austrians 5
Italians 3

Example 3:

Respondents by host city

1
12% 12%
2
12% 10% 3
4
5
13%
17% 6
7
11%
13%
8

1 = Bloemfontein 2 = Johannesburg 3 = Pretoria 4 = Rustenberg

5 = Nelspruit 6 = Durban 7 = Cape Town 8 = Port Elizabeth

Figure 1.3: Distribution of survey respondents among cities hosting World Cup games
The respondents were not evenly distributed among the various cities, ranging from 10% (Rustenberg)
to 17% (Durban).

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Example 4:

Numbers of
employees

Figure 1.4: Distribution of tourism-related employee numbers in Lancashire

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Examples of presentation of QUALITATIVE data:
Example 1:
Table 1.3 provides a thematic comparison of airline pilot responses to issues in relation to the ‘glass
cockpit’. An emerging theme of ‘situational awareness’ was reported. Situational awareness was
defined as “the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the
comprehension of their meaning and a projection of their status in the near future” (Endsley, 1988
p258).

Table 1.3: Situational awareness as a theme

Interviewee Response to Theme Code

question on
negative
impacts of the
glass cockpit
One Crew members Lack of NIA
can become situational
spatially awareness
disoriented
Two Crews are led Complacency NIA
into a false
sense of security

Pilots become Lack of

bored and less situational
attentive awareness

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Example 2:

Analysis of the themes arising from the interview transcripts led to a consensus on five super-themes
that were common across transcripts. These super-themes are displayed in Figure 1.4 which shows
how ‘public information’ and ‘personal experiences’ feed into people’s belief-forming processes and
how these ‘beliefs’ are manifested in ‘lifestyle’ and ‘motivational behaviours’. Previous life experiences
and control beliefs concerning personal health were key themes influencing dietary attitudes and
behaviours. Lack of food/health information and access to healthy foods were not significant factors.
Although money was limiting, this in itself did not appear to prevent students from eating
appropriately.

‘I'd like to know how they come to it
[the five-a-day message] you know if
that is true I think that it is brilliant’
‘There are bits and pieces [of health
information] that come on the telly
sometimes but I don't really pay a lot
of attention to be honest.’
’I suppose, like having a stroke, because
one of my relatives now died a couple of
months ago, so that is in the mind and
my next door neighbour had a stroke’
‘It's healthy [referring to diet] because I
was brought up by my mother who was a
very good cook’

PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSONAL

EXPERIENCES

BELIEFS
DIETARY – HEALTH - ENVIRONMENT

LIFESTYLE
‘... at the moment [my diet is]
wickedly poor, very poor cause I'm
busy at the moment, I don't really
have time to cook’
‘I am much healthier than I was last
year. …cause I'm actually working for
a living ‘again…’
MOTIVATION
‘…try to include in your diet five portions
but no one does do that a day’
‘At this precise moment in time, [diet] not
as healthy as it has been, but I would say
very healthy compared to an average and
what I hear with friends tell me they eat –
I think it is very healthy’

Figure 1.4: Super-themes identified into individual belief-forming processes.

The quantitative and qualitative examples above are just a small selection of the presentation styles
available to you. It is essential that you discuss the content and structure of this section with your
supervisor. The suggested length of this section is approximately 1500-2000 words but is dependent
upon the type of data collected and the ways in which data are presented.

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5. Discussion
In this section you discuss and interpret your findings in relation to the material you examined in your
introduction and literature review sections. Most importantly, you must address whether your findings:

(a) Support or refute your hypothesis

or
(b) Answer your research question
or
(c) Add knowledge and understanding regarding the issue(s) under investigation

The discussion is the most important chapter of your project. Within it you evaluate your findings and
demonstrate your skills of analysis by discussing the issues in question. You must also demonstrate
synthesis – bringing issues and ideas together – by using knowledge gained from your research and
relating it to previous research that you examined in the literature review. You will derive conclusions
regarding the issue(s) under investigation.

When discussing the results of your primary research, you must use references to link your
interpretations of your findings to the original purpose of the study. You should refer only to the
literature that you have already included in the literature review section; you should not introduce
any literature sources that are not already referred to in the literature review chapter. Your supervisor
will be able to advise you more specifically on how to approach this task.

It is important that you present a balanced view in your discussion. Do not rely on only one or two
secondary sources to justify your conclusions.

Your discussion should also deal with any relevant methodological limitations and other considerations
in relation to your research. These issues should be presented at the beginning or the end of the
discussion.
For quantitative data, you should comment on the overall validity and reliability of the information
presented. Questions you may ask yourself include:

 how rigorous/controlled was the research approach?

 is the information statistically significant or is its reliability limited?
 was there any bias (for example, in selection of your subjects) at any stage of your research?

For qualitative data, you may address issues such as:

 the effects of researcher-participant relationships upon the research
 why the research was conducted
 the validity of analysis
 hidden agendas

The suggested length for this section is 3000 – 3500 words.

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6. Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Work
This is the final section of the main body of your dissertation. Conclusions follow naturally from the
discussion and should summarise the key findings that emerge from your analysis of the data
and your discussion.

Avoid using only bullet points in this section.

Be careful not to make unsubstantiated statements or present new interpretations of your findings. This
section should be a concise summary and critical evaluation of the significance of your research
findings as considered in your discussion section.

Suggestions for further work should indicate how the scope of your research could be extended. It is
likely that your research has raised many questions about the subject under investigation and you may
suggest further possible research into these questions. You may also make reference to any useful
business applications of your study.

The suggested length for this section is approximately 500 – 750 words.

7. Plagiarism, Collusion and Referencing

When writing up any academic assignment, and especially the research project, you will research other
people’s ideas, theories or data and you will refer to these sources in your own work. Failure to
adequately acknowledge sources in your text is plagiarism – a serious academic offence that can
lead to your project being failed.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking and using someone else’s thoughts and writings as one’s own.

Copying or paraphrasing from any source (whether textbook, journal, newspaper, electronic media,
Internet or the work of other students – published or unpublished) and presenting this for assessment
without acknowledgement is regarded as plagiarism. The University considers that the worse form is
‘major’ plagiarism:

Major plagiarism occurs when work submitted contains substantial work from another source
which is not attributed or which constitutes an attempt to deceive or otherwise gain advantage
by so doing. Significant elements of the work submitted would not meet the primary requirement
to be the original work of the student.

Note: appropriate citation and referencing are the only ways to avoid a charge of plagiarism.

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Collusion
The University requires all work submitted for the research project to be your own independently
prepared work. The project is stipulated as a piece of individual research and is not a collaborative task.
If you were to work with another student on a research project, the University will consider that to be
collusion.

Penalties
For major plagiarism or collusion a record of the offence and penalty is placed on your file and you will
be sent a formal letter of warning. The penalty may be a mark of 0% and no credits awarded for the
module or project with a consequent major impact on the final degree and classification awarded. You
may also be recommended for suspension or expulsion with no award being made. Full details of
academic offences and their associated punishments can be found in Document R8 on the
Buckinghamshire New University website.

Citation
Mentioning others in your writing is termed citing. The list of these authors’ works should be given at
the end of your text in the form of a references list.

Referencing
Proper referencing requires the preparation of a list of the sources you have used and cited in your
writing. It enables the reader to track down and read these sources if they so wish. This handbook
describes the Harvard referencing system; this is the standard system adopted by Buckinghamshire
New University. You need to be aware that there are several variations of the Harvard referencing
system (you may come across these when you are examining references/bibliographies in books and
journals) but you must follow the approach laid down by Buckinghamshire New University; failure to do
so will cost you valuable marks.

References List (and Bibliography)

The References List is used to show – in alphabetical order – all of the items you have made direct
reference to (by the author’s name and year of publication) in your text.

During the course of your reading you may have used material for extending your knowledge of the
subject, but to which you haven’t made specific reference in your writing; you should list these items
(alphabetically by author) in a bibliography. A bibliography should not repeat any of the sources shown
in the references list.

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ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
The project mark is composed of two elements of coursework: the research proposal, and the final
submission of the completed project. These sections and their marks allocations are summarised as
follows:

Marks allocation for initial submissions

Completion of research proposal 15%

Final submission 85%

Total Project Mark 100%

The final submission is assessed as follows:

Marks allocation for final submission

Abstract
5%

Introduction and Literature Review 30%

Methods 15%

Results (May be referred to as ‘Findings’ and may be

combined with the Discussion section where appropriate), 40%
Discussion, Conclusions and Suggestions for Further
Work

References, Integration, Presentation and Layout 10%

Final Submission 100%

Each research project is marked according to the marking criteria and marking guidelines (see
Appendix B) by two markers who work entirely independently. The first marker is your project
supervisor. The second marker is another member of the academic staff who has not been involved
directly in your project. This ensures that the two markers are able to make an objective assessment
of your work from an independent viewpoint, guided only by the marking criteria. Furthermore, the two

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markers work ‘blind’, each having no knowledge of the marks awarded by the other while marking is in
progress.

Once marking is completed, the first and second markers will meet to compare both the overall total
mark and the marks awarded for each section. If there is a discrepancy in the two markers’ grades they
will compare their marks for each section and determine where the differences lie. They will then
discuss the differences, agree on a mark for these sections, and recalculate the final mark for your
project.

In the event of the two markers being unable to agree closely, a third marker will become involved
who will act as an independent arbitrator. The third marker, if required, is allocated by the Head of
Department.

The process of project marking is extremely detailed, fair and impartial, and you can be assured that
the final mark is an accurate assessment of your research project. Some projects are also marked by
external examiners to assess quality assurance, fairness and consistency.

Project Structure:

Title  Short; concise; 12 words maximum

 Expresses the essence of your research in a single phrase

Abstract  Short; concise; 250 words maximum

 Defines the research area and specifies the project topic
 Outlines methodology
 Summarises findings; evaluates contribution made to knowledge

Introduction  Introduces subject; outlines background

 Sets out aims and reasons for the study
 Identifies boundaries and limitations

Literature  Uses literature to make a case for research

Review  Employs appropriate referencing (throughout the project)
 Shows evidence of analysis and evaluation
 Overall approach is rigorous and detailed
 Identifies themes and concepts clearly
 States a hypothesis or defines the research problem

Methods  Outlines research design clearly

 Comments where appropriate on quantitative vs qualitative
elements
 Discusses sampling methodology (size, type)
 Describes data collection procedure
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  Identifies and justifies data collection instruments/methods
used
 Describes data analysis methods used

Results  Presentation is clear and concise

(May be referred  Logical sequence of presentation
to as ‘Findings’ and  Appropriate choice of text, tables, graphs, diagrams, or data
may be combined summaries
with the Discussion  Interview transcripts condensed to essentials
section where  Colour employed tastefully and with restraint
appropriate)  Data in the results section presented without discussion

Discussion  Takes hypothesis or research problem as its starting point

 Discusses the findings in a logical sequence
 Links findings with the literature
 Evaluates the data in the context of the hypothesis or
problem statement
 Offers evaluation of the significance of the findings
 Discusses the validity of the methods employed
 Reaches conclusion as to the validity of the hypothesis or
the resolution of research problem

Conclusions  Summarises key conclusions

 Presents a summary evaluation of their significance
 Makes suggestions for further work

References List  References checked for correct format

Presentation  Printed on A4 paper, 70-80gsm

Aspects  Stated margins observed throughout
 Front cover correctly titled
 Two copies identical in every respect
 Both copies bound in approved format
 Electronic copy submitted through ‘Turnitin’
 Main text not exceeding 10,000 words
 Appendices, if used, kept brief

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 APPENDIX A

STAFF GUIDELINES ON MARKING

These marking guidelines have been produced to assist markers in assessing the project and achieving
consistency in their marking.

In the process of researching and writing their projects, students have been asked to demonstrate a
focused approach regarding content, and that proper application of research design has taken place;
these requirements should be kept in mind when marking the project.

Our overall aim has been to encourage the students to produce a well-designed, concisely written and
appropriately presented piece of good quality research.

MARKING GUIDE

(a) Research Proposal Weighting:

15%

(b) Full project submission Weighting: 85%

Research Proposal Overall weighting 15% (but marked out of 100)

This should:

 Review and critique at least 15 literature sources in a systematic manner and demonstrate familiarity
with their content

 Identify the key concepts underpinning the proposal

 Validate the choice of topic and provide a rationale for undertaking the research

 Clearly set out the aims and objectives of the research

 Propose and justify initial thoughts on methodology to be adopted in undertaking the research

 Consider the feasibility of the research project

 Provide a references list including texts, journals and websites investigated for this proposal with
correct use of the Harvard referencing system

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Research project text: Overall weighting 85% (but marked out of 100)

Marks will be allocated as follows (see guidelines in the 2015-16 project handbook):

Abstract Mark: 5%

The abstract should:

 Be concise: 250 words maximum

 Define the research area, giving an indication of background, problems and issues of interest

 Clearly identify the specific project topic

 Outline the research method/approach adopted in the present study

 Summarise the findings

 Indicate what the project has achieved/contributed towards advancement of knowledge in the
field

Introduction and Literature Review Mark: 30%

These sections should:

 Introduce the subject briefly

 Outline the background/aims/reasons for the subject chosen

 Define the boundaries, limitations and constraints of the subject chosen

 Review and critique the available literature in a systematic manner and demonstrate familiarity
with its content

 Provide selective, thoughtful and insightful support for the student’s research, validate the
choice of topic, and define the parameters

 Proceed systematically from the general to the specific, from the older core literature to more
recent publications, and show substantial awareness of current developments within the
chosen field

 Employ an approach that is predominantly analytical and evaluative rather than descriptive.
In many instances, students may include a brief historical background to orientate the reader;
this should be concise, and used only as a platform from which to address more significant
conceptual issues. Extended descriptive writing is discouraged, and would be inappropriate
in the majority of cases.

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 Common themes and key concepts should be identified as the student’s research
progresses which will be used to set out a defined conceptual framework and to identify a clear
research problem

Methods Mark: 15%

This section should explain the practical aspects of the research design and offer both comment on
and justification for aspects within the following four areas:

 Choice of research approach selected (whether qualitative, quantitative, or combination) and

comments on research design

 Sampling methodology (size and type of sample utilised, with justification)

 Data collection procedures (type of instruments used e.g. questionnaire, interview) with
justification for the choice made

 Method of analysing / presenting data

Please note that students should reference their methodology using appropriate sources; that is, a
theoretical framework must be given. Students have complete freedom of choice as to which and how
many methodologies they employ; some may employ a single methodology only; some may use two
or more complementary methodologies to cross-validate their data.

Results, Discussion, Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Work Mark: 40%

Students should present their original findings, without comment or discussion, using appropriate
means of presentation. The following elements should all be present:

 Concise presentation with findings displayed in appropriate format and in logical sequence

 Sensible choice of presentation mode (whether textual, tabular, or graphical), in relation to the
types of data presented

 Figures and tables should bear a sequential number, a title and, where appropriate, brief
accompanying notes to aid readers in their interpretation of the figures

 Good organisation of the content to display the findings to best effect, such as appropriate use
of tabulation in quantitative studies, or use of grouping, summarising and quotation in qualitative
studies. In reporting ethnographic findings, where the intention is to convey the essence of
felt experience, sections may make use of personal pronouns

 Colour, if used, should be employed with restraint; appropriate and clearly differentiated shading
in greyscale can often be more effective

The discussion should be a detailed treatment of the findings in the light of the hypothesis or the
statement of the research problem. It is neither possible nor desirable to be more prescriptive, since

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individual research projects may vary in both content and approach but still have equal merit. However,
the following key elements should all be present:

 The effective linking of the discussion to the stated hypothesis or initial research statement

 The systematic discussion of each element of the findings in a logical sequence

 The effective analysis of problem areas and detailed discussion of their component parts

 Links with the conceptual framework as set out in the Introduction / Literature Review and further
development of these (making use of current literature) in the discussion

 Interpretation of the findings which does not extend beyond the validity of the data; some
realistic comments on limitations of findings should be included here or elsewhere in the
project as appropriate

 A realistic evaluation of the significance of the findings overall

 A concluding statement, indicating whether or not the hypothesis is supported or refuted, in

whole or in part, or the research issue effectively addressed

The conclusions should:

 Summarise the key findings of the discussion from which conclusions should follow logically

 Comment on the hypothesis/question

 Evaluate the significance of the overall study (internal and external validity)

The suggestions for further work may include:

 Proposals for further research in areas not practical to include in the project

 Proposals for further research emerging from the student’s current findings

 Business applications of the research

References, Integration, Presentation and Layout Mark: 10%

Students must follow the guidelines specified by BNU regulations and outlined in the project
handbook. Marks awarded for this section should consider:

 The consistent use of correct reference format for books, journals and other media sources
(throughout the text and in the references list)

 The quality/reliability of references with regard to their sources (e.g. journals, books,
magazine and newspaper articles), dates of publication and variety of authors/sources

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 An overview of the entire project should assess how well the different sections interrelate and
whether the student has achieved a significant degree of synthesis

 The general presentation and layout of the project should be considered

 The use of grammar, including sentence structure, spelling and punctuation should be
noted

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APPENDIX B

USEFUL PHRASES FOR ACADEMIC WRITING

Some of the phrases shown below may be of use to you when writing.

1. Introduction
 The purpose / aim of this assignment / dissertation is to summarise and discuss ...
 The purpose of this assignment/dissertation is to give an account of / to outline / to explore the
development of ...
 The main concern of this assignment / dissertation is to show how ...
 This assignment examines the extent to which ...
 This assignment will examine / consider / discuss / outline / present / describe ....

2. Introducing Indirect Quotations

 As Johnson (2001) points out ...
 Johnson (2001) draws attention to ...
 Johnson (2001) makes the point that ...
 According to Johnson (2001), ...
 Johnson and Smith (2003) suggest / state / argue that ...

3. Referring to Other Parts of Your Material

 As mentioned above ...
 In the next section the phenomenon will be analysed in greater detail ...
 The rest of the assignment / chapter will be devoted to an analysis of ...
 This aspect of the problem is discussed in more detail in Section ...
 As was pointed out in Section ...
 As these comments show ...

4. Referring to Tables and Charts

 Figure XX illustrates this point.
 Figure XX shows ...
 The following table summarizes ...
 As the above chart / as the table below / suggests, ...

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5. Structuring Your Argument
 The following points need to be made ...
 The process / phenomenon has the following characteristics ...
 Another interesting matter is ...
 Another example is ...
 It is clear that...
 It is necessary / important / useful / interesting to note / point out / highlight / emphasise that ...
 On the one hand …; on the other hand
 Although it might be concluded / argued ...
 While it is generally agreed that ...
 There exists a contradiction between ... and ...
 According to those in favour of / advocates of ...
 According to those opposed to / critics of ...

6. Summarizing / Concluding
 In conclusion ...
 To conclude, the key points are …
 To sum up, ...
 It is clear from the above that …
 The aim of this dissertation was to ...
 The main concern of this dissertation has been to illustrate the effects of ...
 The main conclusion of this dissertation is that ...
 This dissertation has attempted to illustrate ...

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