BM9718 / LD9718 / AT9718: Research Methods and Analytics for Business

Practice

Module Code: BM9718 / LD9718 / AT9718

Module Title: Research Methods and Analytics for Business Practice

Distributed on: Teaching Week 1/2

Weighting: This coursework accounts for 100% of the total mark for this module

Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA) applies - please note that assignments will need to
Submission of
be submitted electronically by the given deadline via Turnitin. The Turnitin link will be made
Assessment:
available on the module’s eLP (Blackboard) site.

Assignment 001 (70%) – A 2,000 word extended research proposal synopsis.

Hand in Dates Submission deadline is 12pm Monday 17/05/2021
& Weightings:
Assignment 002 (30%) – Poster presentation in week 10 of teaching week.
Submission deadline is 6pm Friday 30/04/2021

General Information

Further information about general assessment criteria, ARNA regulations, referencing and plagiarism can be found on the e-
Learning Portal (Blackboard) site for the module. Students are advised to read and follow this information.

Module Learning Outcomes (MLOs)

At the end of the module the student will:

1. An understanding of the value of research methods in completing a Masters’ dissertation, consultancy project or
management enquiry. [MLO1]
2. Skills of data collection and analysis relevant to their chosen research topic. [MLO2]
3. Reflect on your own ethical values. [MLO3]

Assessment Overview

Assignment 001 (70%): Research proposal - This is an individual 2,000 word extended research proposal synopsis. A
comprehensive illustration of the proposed project in any of Masters’ dissertation, consultancy project or management
enquiry.

Assignment 002 (30%): Poster presentation- This is an individual assignment (poster presentation): the poster presentation
must include a brief illustration of the proposed project in any of Masters’ dissertation, consultancy project or management
enquiry.

Assignment 001: (70%)

Using a range of available professional and academic tools, building on the contents of your poster presentation. you are required
to complete your 2,000-word extended research proposal synopsis. A comprehensive illustration of the proposed project in any of
Masters’ dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. Your research proposal must include comprehensive
elements of the following:

A. Intro / overview giving background and context in relation to your dissertation, consultancy project or management
enquiry. [20%]-400
B. Delivery of a summarised literature review and research gaps. [30%]-600
C. Delivery of the research method adopted in your dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. [30%]-
600
D. A conclusion providing an overall summary of the key points made and a summing up of your dissertation,
consultancy project or management enquiry. [20%]-400

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Assignment 002: Outline Brief (30%)

Using a range of available professional and academic tools, you will showcase your poster presentation in week 10, which must
include the following elements:

A. Intro / overview giving background and context in relation to your dissertation, consultancy project or management
enquiry. [10%]-100
B. Delivery of a summarised literature review and research gaps. [20%]-200
C. Delivery of the research method adopted in your dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. [20%]-
200
D. A conclusion providing an overall summary of the key points made and a summing up of your dissertation,
consultancy project or management enquiry. [10%]-100
E. Critical appraisal of poster design, layout and content. [40%]

Word limits and penalties for assignments

The word count is to be declared on the front page of your assignment and the assignment cover sheet. The word count
does not include:
• Title and Contents page
• Reference list • Appendices • Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations

• Glossary • Bibliography • Quotes from interviews and

focus groups

Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith,
2011 p.123)] are included in the word count.
If the assignment is within +10% of the stated word limit no penalty will apply.
If the word limit of the individual report exceeds the +10% limit, 10% of the mark provisionally awarded to the assignment will
be deducted. For example: if the assignment is worth 70 marks but is above the word limit by more than 10%, a penalty of 7
marks will be imposed, giving a final mark of 63.
If the word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARNA regulations this will be regarded as academic
misconduct.

Submission of Assessment & Feedback:

Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA) applies: please note assignments will need to be submitted electronically by the
given deadline via Turnitin. The Turnitin link will be made available on the module’s eLP (Blackboard) site.

Summative Feedback - you will be provided with a mark and feedback on your performance, which will include any actions
to be taken to improve performance. This will be returned to you via the same system used for submission of the assignment
i.e. EMA system.
Formative Feedback – all teams should take note of the formative feedback provided during the workshops / seminars
throughout the semester in order to feed forward into the final summative presentation and report.

Late submission of work

Where coursework is submitted without approval, after the published hand-in deadline, the following penalties will apply.

For coursework submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval, 10% of the
total marks available for the assessment (i.e.100%) shall be deducted from the assessment mark.

For clarity: a late piece of work that would have scored 65%, 55% or 45% had it been handed in on time will be awarded
55%, 45% or 35% respectively as 10% of the total available marks will have been deducted.

The Penalty does not apply to Pass/Fail Modules, i.e. there will be no penalty for late submission if assessments on
Pass/Fail are submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline.

Coursework submitted more than 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval will be
regarded as not having been completed. A mark of zero will be awarded for the assessment and the module will be
failed, irrespective of the overall module mark.

For clarity: if the original hand-in time on a working day is 12noon the 24-hour late submission allowance will end at 12noon
on the next working day
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These provisions apply to all assessments, including those assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives:

This assessment will contribute directly to the following Postgraduate programme goals and objectives.

Goal One: To develop the skills necessary for employment and career progression

1. Demonstrate awareness of their personal strengths and weaknesses and the ability to engage in
continuing self-development

2. Demonstrate the development of inter-personal and intra-personal skills.

3. Demonstrate competence in contemporary analytical and ICT applications

Goal Two: Be culturally and ethically aware

1. Demonstrate their ability to work in culturally diverse groups and teams and make an
appropriate personal contribution to team effectiveness

X 2. Reflect on their own ethical values.

3. Understand the wider impact of individual or organisational decision making on social and
environmental contexts

Goal Three: Have developed leadership and management capability

1. Analyse and communicate complex issues effectively

2. Demonstrate decision making, problem solving and project management skills

Goal Four: Have developed and applied knowledge of international business and management theory

1. Acquire, interpret and apply knowledge of international business, management and

organisational functions.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of innovative and contemporary research on the
business and management community
3. Acquire, interpret and apply specialist functional knowledge in relation to their programme of
study (specialist programmes only)

Goal Five: Have developed a range of research skills and project capabilities

X 1. Plan and complete a major individual piece of research on a contemporary business,

management or leadership topic.
X 2. Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis in the application of research methods to the
exploration of contemporary business and management issues.

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Assignment 001 Marking Scheme & Feedback

Performance Area* 0-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89% 90-100%

Student Standard Not Met 1 Standard Not Met 2 Meets Standard 1 Meets Standard 2 Exceeds Standard 1 Exceeds Standard 2 Exceeds Standard 3
Demonstrates
(A) – Intro / overview Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate Good Very good Excellent Outstanding
giving background introduction/overview introduction/overview introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview,
and context in is given. The rationale is given. The rationale providing some providing a clear providing a great providing an excellent providing an
relation to your for the chosen project for the selected project rationale for the rationale for the rationale for the rationale for the exemplary rationale for
dissertation, lacks clarity and there lacks clarity and there chosen project, chosen project, chosen project, chosen project, with the chosen project,
consultancy project are great difficulties are difficulties in sufficient clarity. The sufficient clarity, with sufficient clarity, with excellent evaluative with outstanding
or management in understanding the understanding the evaluative and some good evaluative evaluative and and contextual links. evaluative and
enquiry. [20%] direction of the direction of the project. contextual links could and contextual links contextual links contextual links.
project. be stronger. provided. provided.

Outcome - A 0-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-20

(B) Delivery of a Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate presentation Good presentation of Very good Excellent presentation Outstanding
summarised literature presentation of critical presentation of critical of critical evaluation of critical evaluation of presentation of critical of critical evaluation of presentation of critical
review and research evaluation of evaluation of literature, with enough literature, with good evaluation of literature, with evaluation of
gaps. [30%] literature, with no literature, with little identification of quality identification of literature, with great exceptional literature, with
identification of identification of contribution to contribution to identification of identification of remarkable
contribution to contribution to research. research. contribution to contribution to identification of
research. research. research. research. contribution to
research.
Outcome - B 0-11 12-14 15-17 18-20 21-23 24-26 27-30
(C) Delivery of the Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate Good understanding of Very good Excellent Outstanding
research method understanding of understanding of understanding of research method and understanding of understanding of understanding of
adopted in your research method and research method and research method and appropriate prove research method and research method and research method and
dissertation, consultancy inability to limited prove sufficient prove connecting with data great prove connecting exceptional prove remarkable prove
project or management with data connecting with data connecting with data
prove the connection connecting with data connecting with data
enquiry. [30%]
with data

Outcome – C 0-11 12-14 15-17 18-20 21-23 24-26 27-30

(D) A conclusion Clearly insufficient Insufficient conclusion Adequate conclusion Good conclusion Very good conclusion Excellent conclusion Outstanding
providing an overall conclusion with a very with a poor summary providing a providing a well- providing a very well- providing an explicit, conclusion providing
summary of the key poor summary of the of the key points and reasonable summary argued summary of argued summary of thoroughly argued an exemplary and fully
points made and a key points and references of the key points and the key points and the key points and summary of the key argued summary of
summing up of your references references references references points and references the key points and
dissertation, references
consultancy project or
management enquiry.
[20%]

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Outcome - D 0-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-20

Overall Mark Outcomes [A+B+C+D] =

Further Comments:

Assignment 002 Marking Scheme & Feedback

Performance Area* 0-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89% 90-100%

Student Standard Not Met 1 Standard Not Met Meets Standard 1 Meets Standard 2 Exceeds Standard 1 Exceeds Standard 2 Exceeds Standard 3
Demonstrates 2
(A) – Intro / overview Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate Good Very good Excellent Outstanding
giving background introduction/overview introduction/overvie introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview, introduction/overview,
and context in relation is given. The rationale w is given. The providing some providing a clear providing a great providing an excellent providing an
to your dissertation, for the chosen project rationale for the rationale for the rationale for the rationale for the rationale for the exemplary rationale for
consultancy project or lacks clarity and there selected project chosen project, chosen project, chosen project, chosen project, with the chosen project,
management enquiry. are great difficulties lacks clarity and sufficient clarity. The sufficient clarity, with sufficient clarity, with excellent evaluative with outstanding
[10%] in understanding the there are difficulties evaluative and some good evaluative evaluative and and contextual links. evaluative and
direction of the in understanding the contextual links could and contextual links contextual links contextual links.
project. direction of the be stronger. provided. provided.
project.
Outcome - A 0-3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10
(B) Delivery of a Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate Good presentation of Very good Excellent presentation Outstanding
summarised literature presentation of critical presentation of presentation of critical critical evaluation of presentation of critical of critical evaluation of presentation of critical
review and research evaluation of critical evaluation of evaluation of literature, with good evaluation of literature, with evaluation of
gaps. [20%] literature, with no literature, with little literature, with enough quality identification of literature, with great exceptional literature, with
identification of identification of identification of contribution to identification of identification of remarkable
contribution to contribution to contribution to research. contribution to contribution to identification of
research. research. research. research. research. contribution to
research.
Outcome - B 0-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-20

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 BM9718 / LD9718 / AT9718: Research Methods and Analytics for Business
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(C) Delivery of the Clearly insufficient Insufficient Adequate Good understanding of Very good Excellent Outstanding
research method adopted understanding of understanding of understanding of research method and understanding of understanding of understanding of
in your dissertation, research method and research method and research method and appropriate prove research method and research method and research method and
consultancy project or inability to limited prove sufficient prove connecting with data great prove connecting exceptional prove remarkable prove
management enquiry. with data connecting with data connecting with data
prove the connection connecting with data connecting with data
[20%]
with data

Outcome – C 0-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-20

Clearly insufficient Insufficient conclusion Adequate conclusion Good conclusion Very good conclusion Excellent conclusion Outstanding conclusion
(D) A conclusion
conclusion with a very with a poor summary of providing a reasonable providing a well- argued providing a very well- providing an explicit, providing an exemplary
providing an overall
poor summary of the key the key points and summary of the key summary of the key argued summary of the thoroughly argued and fully argued
summary of the key
points and references references points and references points and references key points and references summary of the key summary of the key
points made and a
points and references points and references
summing up of your
dissertation, consultancy
project or management
enquiry. [10%]

Outcome – D 0-3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10

(E) Critical appraisal of Clearly insufficient Insufficient evidence to Adequate evidence to Good evidence to Very good evidence to Excellent evidence to Outstanding evidence to
poster design, layout and evidence to demonstrate demonstrate contribution demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate
content contribution to the to the successful contribution to the contribution to the contribution to the contribution to the contribution to the
[40% ] successful completion of completion of the poster successful completion successful completion successful completion successful completion successful completion
(Evidence Poster) the poster presentation. presentation. of the poster of the poster of the poster of the poster of the poster
presentation. presentation. presentation. presentation. presentation.

Outcome - E 0-10 11-18 19-22 23-26 27-30 31-34 35-40

Overall Mark

Further Comments:

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