Assignment Brief Academic Year 2023-24

Module code BAM-7030: Independent Module leader: Matthew Tong

and title: Professional Project

Assignment CWF1: Assignment 1 Recorded Assessment Formative

No. and type: Research Proposal Presentation weighting:

Submission Before 18.00 UK Time 15th Target feedback Week beginning the 8th of April
time and date: March 2024 time and date:

Assignment task

Produce a 1000-word PPT research proposal (+ or – 10%) and record a 10-minute summarised recording
of its key aspects.
Your proposal must include:
-Title – derives from the aim of your research and contains key concepts
-Rationale – explain why you have chosen this topic and briefly summarise the existing literature on the
topic
-Aim of your research-In one sentence explain what you intend to find out. (ideally you will have one aim
only)
-Objectives of your research –Objectives should have a strong logical connection with the aim and they
should point to the data you need.
-Methodology
-Approach-explain what approach to research you intend to use and why (making reference to
research methods manuals)
-Design -explain what design you intend to use and why (making reference to research methods
manuals)
-Methods-explain what method(s) of research you intend to use and why. (Making reference to
research methods manuals).
-Participants-explain who your participants will be the sampling method (sample size and the
size of the population). For qualitative research explain what criteria you will be using to select your
participants.
-Validity and reliability-explain what measures you will be taking to enhance the validity and
reliability of your research. (If a qualitative approach is employed you need to explain what measures you
will be taking to ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of your research.
-Data analysis-explain briefly how you intend to analyse your data.
-Ethical considerations-explain what ethical issues you might have to tackle.
-Data analysis-explain briefly how you intend to analyse your data.

Internal approval: Name, Date

1
 - References-List using Harvard standard the sources used to support your proposal.
Key points for presentations
Inviting opening (including introductory points).
- Clear and concise messages delivered all the way through (speak, don't read – use verbal key-
points designed to prompt your memorized material, and do not speak in a fast manner)
- Strong visuals (that are aesthetically pleasing and inviting).
- Effective storytelling (use examples, illustrations and may be even humour).
- Confident delivery (be yourself, positive and passionate about your delivery).
- Memorable closing (good and punch-lining conclusive comments).

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your
achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

LO1-Define and contextualise the research issue and specify appropriate aim, objectives and research
questions.

LO2- Critically evaluate and analyse theories and concepts relevant to the chosen topic to be researched
in the form of a literature review.

LO3-Appraise research methodologies to specify, design, justify and execute appropriate and effective
research.

LO5-Produce a completed piece of research which is accessible and coherent to the reader.

Referencing and presentational requirements

Please reference your work according to the Harvard style as defined in Cite Them Right Online
(http://www.citethemrightonline.com). This information is also available in book form: Pears, R. and
Shields, G. (2019) Cite them right: the essential reference guide. 11th edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan. Copies are available via the University library.

Submission details

This assignment should be submitted electronically. Please use the relevant submission point in the
Submit your work area in your Blackboard module shell
Please ensure that your work has been saved in an appropriate file format. Turnitin will only accept the
following file types: Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint, PostScript, PDF, HTML, RTF, OpenOffice
(ODT), Hangul (HWP), Google Docs, or plain text. Your file must also contain at least 20 words of text,
consist of fewer than 400 pages and be less than 40MB in size.

2
• You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you do submit
your work more than once, your earlier submission will be replaced by the most recent version.
• Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which
will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this receipt for
future reference, along with the original electronic copy of your assignment

Academic integrity

Academic integrity means taking responsibility for your own work.

When you submit an assignment, you are effectively making a declaration that it is
your own work and that you have acknowledged the contribution of others and their
ideas in its development (for example, by referencing them appropriately).
For further information and guidance, please see the University website: https://www.bucks.ac.uk/current-
students/registry-helpdesk-and-academic-advice/academic-integrity-and-misconduct
You are also expected to take responsibility for maintaining and managing confidentiality issues in your
work. You should maintain and respect confidentiality in relation to the protection of personal, technical
and/or commercial information of a sensitive nature in their assessed work, whatever the format.
Confidentiality issues will vary from subject to subject and you are encouraged to seek advice from your
course team if you are unclear about requirements in your context. For further information and guidance,
please see the University website: https://www.bucks.ac.uk/academic-confidentiality

3
Assessment Criteria Academic Year 2022-23

Fail Fail Pass Pass Pass Pass

0-39 (F) – 40-49 E – 50-59 (D) 60-69 (C) 70-79 (B) 80-100 (A/A*)
Fail Fail
Not successful Below required Satisfactory Good Very Good Excellent/outstanding
standard

Criterion 1. Context 0 – 3.9 4 – 4.9 5 – 5.9 6 – 6.9 7 – 7.9 8 – 10

and rationale for
research 10% The presentation The presentation The presentation contains The presentation proposal The presentation shows a very The presentation shows an
weighting shows a poor definition shows a marginally and satisfactory definition of contains a good definition of good definition of the research excellent definition of research
of the contextual poor definition of the the research problem. It the research problem. Basic problem. Demonstrates clear problem. Demonstrates
research problem. contextual research demonstrates only a level of understanding of the understanding of the topic, excellent understanding of the
Very limited problem. There is superficial understanding of topic, with some reference to and reference to theory. It topic, objectivity and reference
understanding of the limited understanding theory which is limited. theory. It also provides small provides some additional to theory. It provides
topic. Provides no of the topic area and it Provides limited additional amount of additional contextual research material. appropriate level of additional
additional contextual provides little additional contextual research material contextual research material. contextual research material.
research material contextual research
material.
Criterion 2. Use of 0 – 7.8 8 – 9.8 10 – 11.8 12 – 13.8 14 – 15.8 16 – 20
literature sources
20% weighting The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation
demonstrates demonstrates a demonstrates an acceptable demonstrates a good selection demonstrates a very good demonstrates an excellent
inadequate level of marginal failure in the level of appropriate literature and analysis of the literature selection and analysis of level of source selection and
sources & analysis. level of adequate sources and analysis. sources required from a good literature sources required analysis from a wide range of
sources & analysis range of scholarly and from a very good range of appropriate scholarly and
Based on irrelevant possibly some professional scholarly and professional
sources professional sources. Clear
sources. sources ability to critically assess the
sources and to develop
original arguments.
Criterion 3. 0 – 7.8 8 – 9.8 10– 11.8 12 – 13.8 14 – 15.8 16 – 20
Formulation of
research aims and The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation
objectives 20% demonstrates demonstrates very demonstrates an adequate demonstrates a good level of demonstrates a very good demonstrates an excellent
weighting inadequate levels of limited levels of level of creativity towards creativity toward the design of level of creativity toward the level of creativity towards the
creativity towards the creativity towards the design of aim statement that your aim and objectives design of your aim and design of your aim and
aims and objectives aim and objectives has some links to the statement and has clear links objectives statement and clear objectives statement and it
with no links to the statement with weak rationale and problem to the rationale and problem links to the rationale and has clear links to the rationale

4
Assessment Criteria Academic Year 2022-23

rationale and problem links to the rationale statement. Research statement. The research problem statement. The and problem statement. The
statement. and problem statement. questions demonstrate some questions demonstrate a good research questions research questions
level of synthesis and level of synthesis and demonstrate a very good level demonstrate a high level of
creativity ins structuring the creativity in structuring the of synthesis and creativity in synthesis and creativity in
scope of the research scope of the research. structuring the scope of the structuring the scope of the
research. research with increasing levels
of originality.
Criterion 4. 0 – 11.7 16 – 19.6 15 – 17.7 18 – 20.7 21 – 23.7 24– 40
Methodology 30% The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation evaluates The presentation excellently
weighting displays a marginal demonstrates an adequate demonstrates a good very well your primary evaluates your primary
The presentation attempt to evaluate and primary research design and evaluation of primary research research design and its research design and its
displays only a weak reflect on areas of its implications but uses poor design and its implications, implications using appropriate implications, using appropriate
evaluation and is not research theory. or inappropriate methods. using appropriate examples examples and theory. examples and methods that
reflective or based on and theory. increase in theoretic
theory. underpinning.

Criterion 5 0-7.8 8 – 9.8 10– 11.8 12 – 13.8 14 – 15.8 16 – 20

Transferable skills
(20%)
The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation The presentation
This should include demonstrates limited or demonstrates demonstrates a satisfactory demonstrates a good demonstrates a very good demonstrates an excellent
evidence of: no ability to: insufficient ability to: ability to: consistent and confident ability ability to: ability to:
to:
Written, verbal and -communicate -communicate -communicate information, -communicate information, -communicate information,
electronic ideas, problems and solutions -communicate information,
information, ideas, information, ideas, ideas, problems and solutions ideas, problems and solutions
communication accurately and reliably ideas, problems and solutions
problems and solutions problems and solutions accurately and reliably utilising accurately and reliably utilising
utilising relevant accurately and reliably utilising
Personal motivation, accurately and reliably accurately and reliably communication skills relevant communication skills relevant communication skills relevant communication skills
organisation, and time- utilising relevant utilising relevant
management communication skills communication skills -an ability to manage their -an ability to their learning and -an ability to manage their -an ability to manage their
learning and work with work with minimal or no learning and work with minimal learning and work with minimal
Personal development / -manage their learning -an ability to manage or no supervision. or no supervision.
minimal or no supervision. supervision.
reflection on own work
and work with minimal their learning and work
or no supervision. with minimal or no - act with Initiative in decision- - act with Initiative in decision- -act with Initiative in decision- -act with Initiative in decision-
supervision. making to take full making to take full making to take full making to take full
- act with Initiative in responsibility for achieving responsibility for achieving responsibility for achieving responsibility for achieving
decision-making and to - act with Initiative in personal and/or group personal and/or group personal and/or group personal and/or group
take full responsibility decision-making to take outcomes and/or outputs outcomes and/or outputs outcomes and/or outputs outcomes and/or outputs
for achieving personal full responsibility for
and/or group outcomes achieving personal

5
Assessment Criteria Academic Year 2022-23

and/or outputs. and/or group outcomes

and/or outputs