Assignment Brief

Submission Deadline Marks and Feedback

Before 10am on: 20 working days after deadline (L4, 5 and 7)
15 working days after deadline (L6)
20/05/2022 10 working days after deadline (block delivery)

17/06/2022

Key assignment details

Unit title & code
Assignment number and title
Assignment type
Weighting of assignment
Size or length of assessment
Unit learning outcomes
ASS110-2 Research 1: Collecting Data
One – A plan for primary data collection
PJ-PRO
100%
2,000 words
1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding:
Recognise and understand the different methods of collecting data in quantitative and
qualitative research approaches; the basis of selecting methods of data collection and
understand the ethics underpinning the collection of data.

2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities:

Able to choose a method of collecting data that is appropriate to answer a research question.
The ability to identify to ethical principles that underpin the respective methods of data
collection chosen.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Assessment 1 is a 2000 word primary data collection plan. You are expected to choose one of the five broad topic areas
provided, specify a social group, develop a specific research question for primary research relating to the chosen topic area,
discuss the methods of data collection and ethics, and create a topic guide, a discussion guide or a questionnaire (depending on
your choice of research methods).

The five topics areas are as follows (you must choose one and link the topic to a social group of your choice):
1. Social media
2. Education
3. Care (including health care, social care, formal care, informal care)
4. Mental health

ABT2020_V1
 5. Crime and Justice

Students must include the following sections in their data collection plan:
• Research question, background and rationale - a research question relating to the chosen topic area and a specific
social group, background and rationale (500 words)
• Method of data collection and ethics – you must choose one of three methods as your method of data collection:
semi-structured interviews, focus groups or a survey. You must discuss in detail your research approaches, the method you
chose, the rationale for choosing the method, sampling strategy and ethics (1,000 words).
• Data collection tools - a comprehensive topic guide (an interview guide) OR a focus group discussion guide OR a survey
questionnaire depending on your chosen method (500 words)

 You must use a minimum of 6 academic sources (ONLY peer-reviewed journal articles and academic books count).
You must use academic sources for both the background and rationale section and the methods and ethics section. For
the methods and ethics section, it is recommended that you use at least two books on social research methods.

 You are NOT expected to actually carry out primary research - this is just a plan for your (future/imaginary) primary
research. Any students claiming that they have actually met with participants and collected first-hand data receive a
fail mark as it involves a serious ethical breach (i.e. you cannot carry out any primary research without the approval
from the University Ethics Committee and this unit does NOT ask you to get the approval and do actual primary
research. You are just expected to PLAN and PROPOSE primary research).

 Choosing a topic area does not mean that you have to include the topic itself in your question. For example, if you
choose mental health, you do not have to include the term ‘mental health’ itself in your question. You can choose to
look at one aspect of mental health or a specific mental health condition, such as depression. As long as your question
is related to mental health and feasible, you can use the question.

 You are expected to develop a specific research question. You would have to specify a social group and you may also
have to add an extra variable related to your topic area in order to do this. For instance, if your topic area is social
media, your question can be ‘To what extent does the use of social media affect young people’s self-esteem?’. As you
can see from this question, there is a need to specify a social group (young people) and add another variable (self-
esteem) to narrow down the scope and develop a feasible research question.

 It is strongly recommended that you start developing your research question early and have your question confirmed
by the seminar tutor before starting working on your assignment.

 You must choose an appropriate research method (method of data collection) which allows you to collect the data you
need for answering your research question. Think about what would be the most appropriate method that can be used
to answer your question.

 You do NOT need to discuss methods of data analysis in this assignment.

 Ensure that you include your in-text references. In all cases, in-text references must match up with what appears in
your reference list. Every in-text citation should correspond to a reference on the list at the end (and vice versa).

 You must use the Harvard referencing system. The University officially advises students to use the following website for
referencing guidelines: https://www.citethemrightonline.com/
  No more than 5% of your work should be in the form of quotes.

 You must write in your own words. You are reminded that plagiarism of any type will be penalised and result in a fail.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

• Demonstrate knowledge of data collection methods for qualitative and/or quantitative research.
• Use a combination of a research topic and a social group to formulate a research question and develop a data
collection plan.
• Identify a method of data collection that is appropriate to answer the research question and discuss ethical
implications

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

Students are expected to read the assignment brief carefully (especially the rubric in the ‘Marks and Feedback’ section) and complete
this section

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?
This unit allows you to engage and explore data collection methods in groups in the classroom setting. There will be exercises
involving creating a short topic guide or a questionnaire in the class. You will also learn about the basics of social research in
the scheduled sessions, including steps involved in developing a research question. The formation of a research question, the
discussion of the methods of data collection and the development of a topic guide or a questionnaire are the three key tasks
you are required to do for this assignment.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.
 70%+ (Ist Class) 60-69% (2:1) 50-59% (2:2) 40-49% (3rd 35-39% (Fail) 0-34% (Fail)
Class)
Threshold
Standard
A clear, feasible A clear, A feasible A research Research Research question
research feasible research question question not identified
question is research question is related to the identified is not and/or no
defined based on question is defined based topic area is feasible and/or rationale provided
1 excellent defined based on partial identified but not related to
Research understanding of on good understanding the question is the topic area
question and the topic area. understanding of the topic. too descriptive, chosen. Little
rationale There is a strong of the topic Rationale too broad or rationale has
(20%) rationale for the area. A good provided is not vague. been provided or
question. rationale has entirely Rationale rationale not
been convincing. provided is not convincing.
provided. entirely
convincing.
The chosen The chosen The chosen An appropriate The method The method
method is method is method is method has chosen is not chosen is not
appropriate and appropriate. appropriate to been chosen appropriate. appropriate and
well matched to Good answer the but only basic Work there is a lack of
the research understanding question but understanding demonstrates understanding of
approaches and of the method only basic of the method limited the research
2 the research itself but only understanding demonstrated. understanding of approaches and
Method of question. Ethical partial of the research There is a lack the method and the method
data implications are understanding approaches and of discussion of research chosen. Little
collection thoroughly of research research research approaches. discussion of
and ethics considered. approaches is methods is approaches. Ethical issues ethics.
(30%) Methodologically demonstrated. demonstrated. Some ethical incorrectly
robust and will Some key Some ethical issues are identified.
enable the ethical issues are identified but
research implications considered. not all of them
question to be are are identified
answered. considered. correctly.

3 The guide or The guide or The guide or There is a mix The guide or No interview
Data questionnaire questionnaire questionnaire of questions or questionnaire guide, discussion
collection contains contains contains topics that are developed is not guide or
tools (25%) appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate for questionnaire
questions/topics questions or questions/topic and useful for the method developed OR the
that match the topics in s for the chosen the intended chosen and not guide/questionnai
chosen method general but a method but date collection helpful in re developed is
and allows the minority of would only and the ones collecting the too short and
effective them are not allow the that are not data needed to cannot be used
collection of the relevant or collection of appropriate. It answer the for the collection
data required to not data that would would be question. of meaningful
answer the contributing partially answer difficult to data.
 research to answering the question. answer the
question. the research Some key question using
question. questions/ the data
topics missing. collected.
6 or more 6 or more 5 or more 4 or more 3 academic 2 or less academic
academic academic academic academic sources are used sources are used
sources are used sources are sources and sources and (in total, 5 or OR less than 4
and the sources used. Sources other credible other credible more sources sources used in
4 are referenced are referenced sources are sources are used). There are total. In-text
according to the according to used (in total, 6 used (in total, 6 referencing references hardly
Referencing
Harvard style the Harvard or more or more mistakes exist OR in-text
and the use
both in the style but there sources used). sources used). throughout. The references do not
of
reference list are occasional Some A clear attempt reference list is match sources in
appropriate
and the text of referencing referencing has been made not in the the reference list.
academic
the work. mistakes. mistakes but to reference Harvard style. References are
sources
the sources are according to not in the Harvard
(15%) referenced the Harvard style. Evidence of
according to style but there poor academic
the Harvard are a number of practice.
style. referencing
mistakes.
The work is both The work is The student’s The student’s Expression is Student’s work is
highly literate largely written writing is writing is often unclear incomprehensible
and articulate; in clear and comprehensible generally and meanings . It is difficult to
the student effective but the comprehensibl may not be follow the
communicates English, student’s ideas e but the work satisfactorily student’s writing.
5
her/his ideas however there are not is poorly communicated.
effectively. may be a small communicated structured and There are regular
Grammar,
Sentences are number of effectively in written. There errors of
spelling,
clear, accurate poor choices some parts due are grammar,
written
and expressive. of words and to grammatical grammatical spelling and
expression
There are very phrasing and mistakes or the and spelling punctuation that
(10%) few grammatical some way work is errors and poor should have
or spelling uncorrected written. choice of words been addressed
errors. errors. and phrasing in by this stage.
many places.