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Good research vs. poor research (Business Research (J Collis & R Hussey))
Criteria Good research Poor research

Research problem and Sharply focused. Unclear and unfocused

scope Related to academic debate.

Literature review Critical evaluation of relevant, up-to-date A list of items

literature. Relevance unclear
Linked to focused, feasible research questions. Little or no evaluation
Research questions missing,
impractical or unfocused
Methodology Cohesive design. Little appreciation of research design
Excellent review of research design options. No justification of choice
Linked to the literature. Not linked to the literature
Analysis and Clear findings discussed in an analytical manner Unclear findings, unrelated to research

discussion that generates new knowledge and insight. questions

Linked to the literature. Little or no attempt to discuss in
relation to literature review
Conclusions Conclusions clearly linked to research questions. Some conclusions but not linked to
Attention given to implications and limitations. research questions
Implications and limitations of results
not addressed
Referencing All sources cited in the text and full bibliographic Plagiarism through omission or
details listed at the end. inadequate referencing.
Communication Clear flow of ideas. Difficult to follow.
Appropriate spelling and grammar. Many spelling and grammar mistakes.

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Sample assessment criteria

NOTE This is just a sample.

At least ensure you validate your quality
Every examiner use own criteria.

Programme outcome 1:
Research problem, objectives Identify, assess, formulate

Excellent Good Reasonable Poor Verypoor

Researchproblemand Researchobjectives Researchobjectives Thereisaweaklink Problemnotclearly
specificobjectivesare arestated,withsome arestated,buttoo betweenobjectives defined.Objectives
Research clearlyandcoherently claritythatindicates manyortoofew,no andresearch statedornotatall,reader
problem statedandwordedina achievability.Problem clearrelationshipto problem.No donotclearlyunderstand
identifiedand waythatmakesitclear statedwithadequate problem.Problem argumentation whattheresearchis
defined howtheyrelatedand argumentation. stated,butwith providedon about.
theirsuitabilityfor inadequate researchproblem.
research. argumentation.

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Problem validation What is the Engineering Management problem?

Excellent Good Reasonable Poor Verypoor

Backgroundanda Adescriptionofthe Adescriptionofthe Mentionismadeto Noreferencehasbeen
descriptionofthe problemcontexthas problemcontexthas problemcontext, madetoproblemcontext,
problemcontexthas beengiven.Basic beengiven.Limited argumentnot noranyefforttovalidate
Backgroundand beenprovided. (adequate)argument argumentpresented presenttovalidate problem.
avalidationof Validationwasdone presentedtovalidate tovalidatethe theproblemin
theproblem usingfacts,dataand theproblem. problem. practise.
trendstoconfirmthe
problem.

Programme outcome 4 & 9:

Expert knowledge? Exercise judgement based
on knowledge and expertise
& learning strategies

Excellent Good Reasonable Poor Verypoor

Comprehensiveanalysis Reasonableanalysis Someanalysisand Descriptive Publisheddocuments
andsynthesisofcritical andsynthesisof synthesisofcritical summariesof summarised,butnot
pointsofknowledge, criticalpointsof pointsofknowledge, published linkedinanyeffectiveway
ideasandtheories, knowledge,ideasand ideasandtheories. documentswith totheaimsorobjectives
resultinginthemesthat theories.Themes Themesnotalways someimportance oftheresearchproblem
areconcise,unbiased, mostlyconcise, concise,unbiased,or orrelevance underinvestigation.
Literaturereview andrelevanttothe unbiased,and relevanttothe indicatedbutnot
researchproblem.Clear relevanttothe researchproblem. fullyexplained.
andlogicalflowofideas. researchproblem. Maylackclarityanda
Mostlyclearwitha logicalflowofideas.
logicalflowofideas.

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Programme outcome 7:
Can the data be trusted? Engineering Management
research methods

Choiceofdataand Applicationofdata Choiceofdataand Choiceofdataand Poorchoiceofdataand

methodsofcollection andmethodsfor methodsfor methodsof methods,handled
clearlydescribed, collectingmotivated collectingthem collection incompletely,withlittle
includingextentofdatawellwithlinkto describedand somewhatvague evidenceoflinkto
Datacollection
gathering.Methods researchproblem. motivatedwithalinkandwithsome researchproblemand
andmethods
wellhandledand toresearchproblem. gapsinthe objectives.
convincinglyjustified material.
againsttheresearch
problemand

Programme outcome 5:
Logical results following from analysis? Data analysis and
interpretation

Approachtoanalysis Approachtoanalysis Explanationof Explanationof Approachtoanalysisnot

clearlyexplainedand explainedand analysisisbasic, analysisisbasic, clear,inappropriateto
appliedcoherentlyand appliedclearly, definitelinkingof withsome theaimsandobjectives,
convincingly.Relevant althoughnot resultstoevidence. indicationof oritsapplication
resultsclearlysetout completely Reliabilityanalysisis linkingresultsto incompleteor
andcompellingly convincingly. inconclusive. evidence. inappropriate.Findings
Dataanalysis supportedby However,resultsare Reliabilityanalysis bearlittleornorelation
andresults appropriateevidence. clearlysetoutand iseitherlackingor toevidence.
Reliabilityisassessed clearlysupportedby inconsistent.
clearlyand appropriate
comprehensively. evidence.The
reliabilityanalysis
andanalysisofthe
resultsareadequate.

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Research problem addressed?

Clearandconvincing Agoodsummaryof Reasonableattempt Littleevidenceof Noevidenceoflearning

summaryoflearning learninggained toprovidea learninganda andnoattemptto
gainedaboutresearch aboutresearch summaryoflearning limitedattempt answerresearch
Research
problemusingresults problemusingresultsgainedabout aboutresearch problemusingresults
problem
derivedinargumentto derivedinargument researchproblem problemusing derivedinargumentto
solution
substantiatelearning. tosubstantiate usingresultsderived resultsderivedin substantiatelearning.
argument
learning. inargumentto argumentto
substantiate substantiate
learning. learning.

Conclusions follow logically from results?

Conclusionsclearly Conclusionsstated, Attemptstodraw ConclusionsarenotConclusionsareeither

stated,relevantto whicharerelevantto conclusionsfrom sufficientlyinline missingorunconnected
researchproblemand researchproblemandresultsarenot withthe tothecontentor
objectives,logically objectivesandlinked entirelyconvincing. backgroundsectionobjectivesofthe
derivedfromthe toresults.Realistic Thereisstillabasic andobjectivesof research.
results.Adiscussionof proposalsforaction linktothe theresearch.
whatcanbestrongly followfrom conclusionsand
concludedandwhatis conclusions resultsandbasic
Conclusions morespeculative. feasibility.

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Programme outcome 6:
Professional communication Communicate effectively

Textcoherentand Goodsomeminor Someambiguous. Inappropriate Poorlanguage,many

scholarly.Widerange mistakes.Clear Inconsistency. casualuseof spellingandgrammar
ofacademicliterature. writingstyleand Inappropriateuseof languageandstyle.errors.
coherent.Goodrangelanguage.Spelling Multiplespelling Academicliteraturelack
ofacademic andgrammarerrors. andgrammar credibility.
literature. Limitedrangeof errors.Inadequate
Communication academicliterature. rangeofacademic
&References literature.

What is examiners looking for?

Clear, concise and well-defined research objectives and questions.

Literature review that provides context to and supports the research problem and statement.
Solid rationale for the choice in research design and methodology.
Logical analysis and presentation of the research results.
Logic, and some innovation, in the conclusions.
Lay-out, grammar, presentation: important for overall quality.

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Masters level

Creating
Generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing
things
Designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing
Evaluating
Justifying a decision or course of action
Checking, hypothesising, critiquing, experimenting,
judging
Analysing
Breaking information into parts to explore understandings
and relationships
Comparing, organising, deconstructing, interrogating,
finding
Applying
Using information in another familiar situation
Implementing, carrying out, using, executing
Understanding
Explaining ideas or concepts
Interpreting, summarising, paraphrasing, classifying,
explaining
Remembering
Recalling information
Recognising, listing, describing, retrieving, naming,
finding