Coursework Information Sheet

To be supplied to students when they receive the coursework assignment task

Unit Co-ordinator

Dr Rodolphe Ocler
Unit Name

Research methods

Unit Code

APO 011-6
Title of Coursework

Assignment 1 : Literature-Evidence Review

% weighting of final unit grade

40

Feedback details

The university policy is that you will receive prompt feedback on your work within 10 working days
of the submission date. Exceptionally where this is not achievable (for example due to staff sickness)
you will be notified as soon as possible of the revised date and the reasons behind the change.

Submission Date

15 February 2018

Feedback Date

10 working days after the submission date

Details of how to access the feedback

BREO

Your task
Assessment 1 is made up of a research proposal and a completed ethics form.

The research proposal is a 1,600 word individual research plan based on your choice of
business related topic. You will need to complete the standard ethics form (provided on breo)
on the basis of your research proposal.

You are required to write a research plan which enables you to explore the business topic
further through primary and/or secondary research. You will extend your initial
understanding of your topic to elaborate your thinking in a deeper way.

You should assess the appropriateness of your initial research approach with the assistance of
the research methods/techniques you have learned during the class.

Your Research Proposal should address the following issues:

1. A research question and corresponding research objectives, based on the brief

provided and your initial literature review.

2. Choose and justify the research method(s) which is / are appropriate to address the
research question (including issues such as, type of data to be collected, how will the
data be collected, how will the data be used or analysed)

3. Discuss potential issues you may encounter during the research process, such as
accessibility to the data, time and resources needed to complete the research, validity
of the data, and potential ethical.

4. Comment on the potential use and benefits of the findings of this research.

The assignment should be 1600 words in length, (+/- 10%) and is worth 40% of your grade.
The word count does not include appendices, references, bibliography, or other supporting
material which are additional and do not contribute to your grade. 

Core learning outcomes

Assessment
On completion of this unit you should be able to:
number
1  Of the process by which appropriate theories, applications, methodologies
and evidence can be prepared to complete a self-initiated, autonomous and
critically comprehensive body of structured research activity which leads to
an analysis, synthesis and evaluation of evidence which is sufficient to 1,2
propose and design a comprehensive Major Project proposal.

2  To Critically use research methodologies and conventions; formulate research

questions, and propose, plan and complete research projects and
communicate their findings to a variety of audiences using appropriate theory,
media, and approaches towards analysis, syntheses, evaluation, and the 1,2
formulation of judgements and conclusions based on a body of defined
research.

Threshold standards

Assessment
In order to pass the assessment you will need to:
number

 State a topic that deals with an adequately stated research question, and provide a
rationale for it. Appreciate the analytical topic and understand the underlying issues
in the case of a project.
1
 Satisfactorily argue for a research design or an analytical plan capable of
addressing the research question while stating why others are not adopted.

 State the issues to be investigated, and outline the hypotheses to be tested or the
model to be fitted to empirical data obtained by the student or from an analysis of
empirical literature;

 Appreciate the theories and principles of business research methods used in the
selected article relevant to the research topic or the project.

 40% Weighting towards unit grade

 Please submit your assignment to BREO in the assessments section of the Breo unit site by the
stated deadline. You are allowed a single submission only so make sure you are happy with your
work and that you submit the correct document.
 Feedback will be provided through BREO within 10 working days.

You will need to present your analysis in a professional individual report of no more than 1600
words.