China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 0

China Studies Project Handbook 2019-2020

PAGE

PREFACE 1

I. Introduction 3

II. Schedule 4

III. Assessment 5

IV. Guidelines for Supervisors 6

V. Guidelines for Students 7-10

VII. Checklist for Project Requirements 11

VIII. Appendices :
(A) Sample Cover

(B) Sample Title Page

(C) Sample Page of Acceptance

(D) Sample Acknowledgement Page

(E) Honours Project Release Form

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 1

This Handbook is used as a source of reference and a guide for preparing the China
Studies Project. It describes the general requirements of the Economics Concentration,
China Studies.

This Handbook is under constant review and is subject to changes at the discretion of
the Department of Economics. Suggestions for revisions for Economics Concentration
should be directed to the Department of Economics at WLB530.

Previous honour projects have been uploaded to the library website at HKBU Honours
Project Database and can be seen via following link:

http://libproject.hkbu.edu.hk/was40/advancesearch?channelid=27228

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 2

B.SOC.SC. (Hons) – Economics Concentration, China Studies Project Handbook

I. Introduction

The Project plays a very important part in the China Studies Course. It offers an
opportunity for the exercise of individual initiative and for the development of
the ability to pull together into an integrated whole of what has been learnt in the
various subjects.

Topic selection for the Project will take place towards the end of the third year,
under the guidance of a staff member. The latter will serve as the supervisor for
the project.

The Project must be focused on an aspect of China for which the Concentration
discipline has provided adequate trainings. The Project should be written in
English. The length of the project, in general, should be within 10,000-12,000
words, inclusive of footnotes and bibliography.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 3

II. Schedule (2019-2020): Economics Concentration, China Studies

1. General briefing and indication of research Early Sept 2020

areas by students

2. Assignment and announcement of mid-Sept 2020

supervisors

3. Initial meeting with supervisors Within two weeks after

the announcement of
supervisors.

4. Preliminary literature review and/or From Oct to Dec 2020

information search

5. Regular meetings and written/verbal progress From Oct 2020 to the

reports with the supervisors, and individual end of Apr 2021
research activities

6. Confirmation of project title, and submission 4 Jan 2021

of proposal*

7. Last day for voluntary submission of draft 9 Apr 2021

reports to supervisor

8. Submission of final report*/** 29 April 2021

9. Oral Presentation Within one week after

second semester final
examinations

* To ensure the originality of the project proposals and final reports, students
are required to submit the project proposal/final reports through the tunitin of
the Moodle system.
** Students should submit three hard copies of the Final Project Reports, a CD
disc containing the soft copy of the Final Project in pdf format and a hard
copy of completed Honours Project Release Form (Appendix I) to the
Department of Economics (WLB530) by 5:00 pm of 29 April 2021.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 4

III. Assessment

To ensure proper monitoring of the project, both the supervisor and another staff
member shall assess it. In case of disagreement, a third examiner - preferably an
outsider - shall be called upon to resolve the issue. While the various
Concentrations will have discipline-specific criteria, the following considerations
are nevertheless applicable for all Concentrations :

A. Topic selection and problem definition :

(a) Conceptualization of issue
(b) Operationalization of variables
(c) Reliability and validity of measurements
(d) Theoretical and practical contribution to the field

B. Bibliographical and or empirical thoroughness :

(a) Adequate acknowledgment of sources
(b) Effective use of primary sources
(c) Effective use of secondary sources
(d) Representativeness of evidence chosen and or sampling considerations
(e) Adequate citation of sources

C. Approach and argument :

(a) Independent approach interpretation
(b) Logically developed argument
(c) Adequate analysis of the data
(d) Critical evaluation of the evidence
(e) Accurate presentation of the findings, limitations and recommendations

D. Communication skills :
(a) Neatness of presentation
(b) Fluency of communication
(c) Coherence and clarity
(d) Presentation style (grammar, spelling, format, etc.)

E. Project process :
(a) Initiative, originality and creativity
(b) Conscientiousness and diligence
(c) Progression of the research, discipline of the work schedule

The final product of the project (Project Report and Oral Presentation) will
account for 80% of the total project grade and the project process (E above)
(Project Proposal submission and Progress Report to Supervisor) for the
remaining 20%. The relative weights for A through D may vary from
Concentration to Concentration. Please enquire your Concentration for the
specifics.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 5

IV. Guidelines for Supervisors

1. The Supervisors are expected to meet their students individually or in the

form of small group tutorial at least once every two weeks and to supervise
the progress of the students’ projects throughout the period.

2. The Supervisors should leave their students ample scope to demonstrate their
ability to work and think independently.

3. The role of the Supervisor is to help their students to narrow their proposed
topics to a manageable size, to develop and clarify their views if necessary,
to advise their students on the use of various library resources, to ensure that
their students are provided with sufficient resources to complete their projects,
and to ensure that their students are working through their projects at an
appropriate pace.

4. A formal research proposal is required to be submitted on 3 January 2020.

5. If the member of staff wants to be on sabbatical leave during the period,

necessary arrangement should be made between the Supervisor, the student
and the Concentration Coordinator.

6. Logistics :

(i) Teaching staff will supervise Projects of the four Concentrations :

Staff of Economics Department - Economics Concentration
Staff of Geography Department - Geography Concentration
Staff of History Department - History Concentration
Staff of Sociology Department - Sociology Concentration

(ii) Teaching staff for each Concentration will be asked to indicate their
areas of research/teaching interest and expertise.

(iii) Students for each Concentration will be asked to indicate their

interested research areas.

(iv) Pairing of students and Supervisors will be made internally within each
Concentration.

(v) The final Project Report should be submitted on 29 April 2020. For
late submissions without prior approval of the supervisor and the
Economics Concentration Co-ordinator, the following points should be
observed:
a. Three marks will be deducted per calendar day when the report is
submitted later than the deadline.
b. Project must be submitted within two weeks after the official
deadline, beyond which the student will receive an “F” grade for the
course.

(vi) A record of meetings with the students may be useful for future
reference.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 6

V. Guidelines for Students

1. The Project is a 6-unit Level IV year subject and should be completed by the
end of the academic year.

2. Each student should :

(i) work independently;
(ii) implement the project plan and monitor its development;
(iii) report to the Supervisor on the progress of the project at least once a
month; and
(iv) observe all the deadlines set for various purposes by his or her
Concentration as well as by the China Studies Course.

3. Note that proper acknowledgment of sources of information or ideas is

extremely important. Students are reminded to observe at all times the
standards of conduct as stated in the University Calendar/Bulletin and to
bear in mind that “any act of dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating,
will be brought before the Student Affairs Committee for action which may
lead to suspension or dismissal”.

4. The university is very serious about plagiarism. Offenders may subject to

heavy punishment. For a guideline on plagiarism, please refer to the
Handbook “How to Avoid Plagiarism” provided by the Academic Registry
(downloadable from http://buar2.hkbu.edu.hk/curr/avoid_plagiarism/)

5. Preparation of Final Report

(i) As far as practical all Projects should be word-processed on the

computer for easy revision. Use the best quality paper and printer
available.

(ii) All Projects must be typed on A-4 paper.

(iii) All typed Projects are to be double-spaced.

(iv) Margins are to be 3 cm for left and right margins and 2.5 cm for top
and bottom margins.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 7

 (vi) 3 bound copies of the Final Project Report, a CD disc containing the
soft copy of the Final Project in pdf format and a hard copy of
completed Honours Project Release Form (Appendix K) have to be
submitted to the Department of Economics (WLB530) at Shaw
Campus by 5:00 p.m. of 29 April, 2021.

(vii) 3 sets of standard covers (see samples) will be provided for all students
by the Department of Economics, one cover for each of the 3 copies
submitted. An email will be sent when these are available for collection.

(viii) The order of the materials included should be as follows (see samples
attached) :

1. Standard Cover (provided by Department of Economics)

2. Standard Title Page
3. Standard Page of Acceptance
4. Acknowledgement Page (if applicable, see samples included)
5. Table of Contents/Outline/Abstract
6. Text
7. Notes (if used)
8. Appendix (if needed)
9. List of Works cited/Bibliography (whichever applicable)

Note that the title page is counted but not numbered. If the title requires
2 or more lines, single-space the lines and centre the lines. Do not use
a period after a centred title.

Acknowledgements page is useful if one wishes to acknowledge

assistance or support of public bodies such as libraries and government
offices, or individuals.

Content Endnotes, if used, should be placed on separate pages

following the main text. Remember that endnotes are not to be
confused with documentation notes nor footnotes. In practice, endnotes
are not often used and students are encouraged to include all important
points in the main text or the footnotes. Endnotes may be useful,
however, in cases when the student wishes to provide the reader with a
quotation in its original language.

Appendix or Appendices may be the appropriate place for tables, charts

and illustrations, questionnaire data, statistics, and the like if you feel
they are too big or disruptive to include in the text. If possible, place
each appendix on a new page and number it. If there is only one
appendix included in the Project, simply put down “Appendix” on the
sheet.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 8

 (ix) Binding of the final Project should be done by the students. Project
should be stapled (before they are submitted) at standard places at the
left margin for Projects.

5. Some advices on writing up the project.

There are many ways that you can write the project. Most of the academic
papers would involve discussion of the following issues.

1. Introduction.
Explain why you want to study the topics you have chosen and the
importance of the issue to the development of the Chinese economy.
You may also want to explain what hypothesis you would like to test
in your project.

2. Literature Review.
Outline what the previous studies have been done on the topics of
your project. You may also like to describe what methodology that the
previous studies have employed. Some students may want to point out
the limitations of the previous studies which lead you to carry out
your study.

3. Methodology.
Describe what methodology you would use for the analysis and why
the chosen methodology would achieve the objective of your study.

4. Data Sources.
Outline the sources of your data that would be used for the study.

5. Empirical Results.
Present your empirical results in a systematic manner. Also, you may
like to highlight some of the interesting observations and important
outcomes that can be obtained from your analysis.

6. Interpretation of the Results.

Interpret the result of your study. You may want to explain what
policy implications can be drawn from your analysis. You may also
want to explain why your results refute or accept the hypothesis you
have set at the beginning.

7. Conclusion.
You can highlight the main conclusions or lessons that you can obtain
from your study in this section.

References
Rozakis, L. (2007). Schaum’s quick guide to writing great research papers.
New York: McGraw-Hill.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 9

 Cash, Phyllis. (1988). How to develop and write a research paper. New York:
Arco.

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 10

VII. Checklist for Project Requirements

1. Have you got a Supervisor?

2. Have you got your Project proposal approved?

3. Have you met your Supervisor on a regular basis?

4. Is the length of your project acceptable by the Course?

5. Have you double-spaced your text?

6. Have you set the proper margins for your Project?

7. Are the materials included in the Project put in the proper order? (e.g. cover,
title page, acknowledgement page, etc.)

8. Have you properly acknowledged sources of information or ideas used in

your Project and /or on your Acknowledgements page?

9. Have you included a page of acceptance in each of the 3 bound copies

submitted?

10. Have you followed the specific requirements, if any, set by your
Concentration?

11. Does your title page meet the standard requirement?

12. Do you know the style manual required for your Concentration?

13. Have you made 3 copies of your Project?

14. Have you bound the 3 copies of the Project in the required way?

15. Have you kept a copy of your own Project for personal reference?

16. Have you filled in the Honours Project Release form (Appendix I)?

China Studies Project Handbook 2020-2021 11

 Appendix A
Sample Cover

香 港 浸 會 大 學
HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Title

中國研究社會科學學士(榮譽)學位課程
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES (HONS) DEGREE
IN
CHINA STUDIES

Economics Concentration

畢業論文
PROJECT
 Appendix B
Sample Title Page
9.5 cm

6 cm HONG KONG‘S REPLACEMENT AIRPORT 5 cm

AND SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS IN
THE 1990’s

BY

WONG MEI LI
STUDENT NO._______________

A PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES (HONOURS) DEGREE IN CHINA STUDIES

ECONOMICS CONCENTRATION

HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

APRIL 201X

3 cm
 Appendix C
Sample Page of Acceptance

HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

April 201X

We hereby recommend that the Project by Mr. X X X entitled “ X X X X X X ”

be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Social Sciences

(Honours) Degree in China Studies in Economics.

_________________________ __________________________

Dr. X X X Dr. X X X
Project Supervisor Second Examiner
 Appendix D
Sample Acknowledgement Page

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. XYZ for suggesting the research topic and
guiding me through the entire study. Thanks are also due to Miss ABC for her assistance
in the survey and to Mr. LMN for assisting me in computing works.

__________________________
Student’s signature

China Studies Degree Course

(Economics Concentration)

Hong Kong Baptist University

Date : _____________________
 Appendix E
Honours Project Release Form

HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Honours Project Release Form

Student Name: _________________________________

Student No.: ___________________________________

Honours Project Title: _________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Degree Program: ________________________________________

Year of the Honours Project : ______________________________

Declaration :

 I agree that the full text of my Honours Project may be consulted by any/all users
in electronic format online through Internet connection, and in print version for
onsite use at the University Library, for purposes of private study, educational use,
scholarship or research.

 I agree that the full text of my Honours Project may be consulted by CS students
in electronic format online through Internet connection for purposes of private
study, educational use, scholarship or research.

Signature of Author: ____________________________________

Date : _________________________________________________