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APPENDIX 1

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APPENDIX 2 Suggested Scope and Depth of Research

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Below are expectations for research for the PhD (Edu) Dissertation , the Masters Dissertation (Option 1) and the Masters Project (Option 2)
M Ed Option 1 Dissertation (18 credits) A dissertation is expected to cover a particular area of study in depth and to contribute to research in the field. Mere description or a study of perceptions of people in the field is not encouraged unless it is supported by some qualitative data. M Ed Option 2 Masters Project (6 credits) A research report is expected to cover a particular area of study and to contribute to research in the field. A study undertaken for Option 2 may be a smallscale study of a phenomenon or it may be a study of perceptions.

Area

PhD (Edu) Dissertation

Overview

A dissertation is expected to cover a particular area of study in depth and to contribute to research in the discipline.

A dissertation should demonstrate evidence of reading seminal work and recent contributions to body of research. The intended study should explore and address the existing gap in the area of research. A dissertation should examine contemporary issues in the field by presenting evidence of reading seminal work as well as recent contributions to research in an area.

The emphasis here is on a students detailed and in-depth understanding of the phenomenon investigated.

The emphasis here is more on a students understanding of the research process as well as the awareness of the limitations of his/her study rather than the in-depth understanding of the phenomenon investigated or the generalisability of his/her findings.

The emphasis here is on a students understanding of the research process as well as the awareness of the limitations of his /her study with some in-depth understanding of the phenomenon investigated or the possible generalisability of his/her findings.

Research Methodology Students may use various research methods: qualitative, quantitative or mixed method Students should demonstrate a high degree of rigour (e.g. justifying use of appropriate research design) in their work by applying all elements of relevant and appropriate methodology Students are required to demonstrate a high level of originality their research work. If the study employs a quantitative approach, it should rest on a sound theoretical framework and supported by past research. For a Dissertation using experiments or surveys, the analysis should include use of inferential statistics, e.g. ANOVA, t-tests or chi-square statistics at the very least. Students should explain the appropriateness of the statistical tests used and they are encouraged to provide evidence for the assumptions underlying each statistical procedure. Students should demonstrate the application of appropriate methodology. Students may adopt or adapt readymade or established instruments. However, some form of pilot tests to establish their validity and reliability is expected. Students may use various research methods: qualitative or quantitative

Students may use various research methods: qualitative, quantitative or mixed method

Students should demonstrate a high degree of rigour (e.g. justifying use of appropriate research design) in their work by applying all elements of relevant and appropriate methodology

Students are required to demonstrate a high level of originality their research work.

Quantitative Research

If the study employs a quantitative approach, it should rest on a sound theoretical framework and supported by past research.

If the study employs a quantitative approach, it should be supported by past research. For a research report using experiments or surveys, the analysis may just focus on detailed explanations of descriptive statistics (means, standard deviation, frequency, percentages, etc). However, the use of inferential statistics such as t-test and chi-square analysis is highly encouraged. Students should show some awareness of their understanding of the statistical assumptions when inferential statistics is used.

For a dissertation using experiments or surveys, the analysis should include use of inferential statistics, e.g. ANOVA, ttests or chi-square statistics at the very least. Students must explain the appropriateness of the statistical tests used and they must only use these tests after providing sufficient evidence for the assumptions underlying each statistical procedure.

In situations where these assumptions are not met, appropriate non-parametric tests should be used and the limitations of these tests must be discussed.

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Apart from reporting the significance of the findings, students are also required to discuss the practical importance by means of effect size and confidence intervals whenever appropriate.

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Qualitative Research If the study uses the qualitative approach, the theory building must be directed by a well developed conceptual framework. Qualitative studies should include rich thick description so that understandings of phenomena in the field are based on in-depth analyses of data.

If the study uses the qualitative approach, the theory building must be directed by a well developed conceptual framework.

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Qualitative studies should include rich thick description so that understandings of phenomena in the field are based on in-depth analyses of data. Qualitative studies should include rich thick description so that understandings of phenomena in the field are based on in-depth analyses of data. The use of appropriate qualitative data analysis approaches and techniques should be clearly explained.

The use of appropriate qualitative data analysis approaches and techniques should be clearly explained and justified with sound theories and/or past research. Proposal: 60-75 pages Dissertation: 120-150 pages (30,000 40,000 words) (Excluding tables, figures, references and appendices)

No. of Pages

Proposal: 75 150 pages Dissertation: 250 - 300 pages (70,000 80,000 words) (Excluding tables, figures, references and appendices)

Masters Project: 80-100 pages (20,000 25,000 words) (Excluding tables, figures, references and appendices)