This Assignment Guide should be used with the Assignment Brief and the Research Proposal Template. Its purpose is to provide guidance on the best way to meet the task requirements in the assignment brief. It also gives an indication of what the marker will be looking for in the case study.
Please, use the Research Proposal Template to type in your information as required.
Start you research proposal with a strong title, which includes relevant key words, indicates your research approach and contains a research question.
The word count in the following guidelines is given approximately to help students keep the proportions withing the research proposal volume. Each section divided into subsections might require different word count, however, generally the biggest sections – Literature Review and Research Methodology, will require elaborated approach and more specific details.
Follow the structure and suggestions in the Research Proposal Template:
1. Introduction (250 words)
The introduction should draw from either industry or business reports or academic sources and include the following:
1.1. Background and Context.
Lead the reader into the topic and scope of your research, explain why this research has value and why it will be original, and why the research is required.
1.2. Problem Statement.
Describe the theoretical or practical research problem that you want to address.
What is already known about the problem? What is missing from current knowledge?
Briefly refer to 2-3 main policies/reports/frameworks that introduce the reader into the context and specify the contradiction/problem that still exists and needs solution. Here you will use relevant terminology: relate to the key concepts, theories and empirics (reports/statistics which reveal the problem)
1.3. Research Question(s).
State the specific question that you aim to answer.
One research question is enough for the undergraduate degree. However, these may be two or more related questions. The more specific questions you ask, the wider the scope of the research will be, usually at higher levels of scientific research.
1.4. Research Aim.
Make it clear what new insights you will contribute.
Formulate a clear research aim in one line, e.g.
• The aim of this study is to determine…
• This research aims to explore…
• This research aims to investigate…
1.5. Research Objectives.
Define research objectives (at least three). Justify a major approach you will take (general methodology to achieve these aims) Start using active verbs, e.g.
• To discover current research surrounding the topic of post-merger financial performance
• To evaluate the post-merger financial performance of target company
• To use financial statements to determine target company’s post-merger performance.
OR include specific detail HOW you will achieve these objectives, e.g.
• To measure …… using quantitative methods.
• To analyse … by means of …. analysis.
• To test (e.g. customer brand awareness).
DO NOT REPEAT THE VERBS!
2. Literature Review (800 words)
The literature review summarises, compares and critiques the most relevant scholarly sources on the topic. There are many different ways to structure a literature review, but it should explore:
There will be three main subtopics mentioned in the Literature Review, usually in the synthesised ways:
– Key Concepts, Theories and Studies (and include three topics there under headings).
– Key Debates and Controversies (optional for undergraduate research)
– Gap(s) in Existing Knowledge
Important: Students are free to organise their Literature review in one of two ways:
Students either divide the Literature review as suggested into subsections:
2.1. Key Concepts, Theories and Studies.
Compare, contrast, and establish the theories and concepts that will be most important for your project. These should be divided into topics.
2.1.1. Topic 1.
2.1.2. Topic 2.
2.1.3. Topic 3.
2.2. Key Debates and Controversies (optional for undergraduate research)
Identify points of conflict and situate your own position as for any controversies or conflict research/academic opinions you might find in the literature related to the research topic.
2.3. Gap(s) in Existing Knowledge
Show what is missing and how your project will fit in.
Alternatively, students may have three subsections, Topic 1; Topic 2; Topic 3, and include in each of them Key Concepts, Theories and Studies; Key Debates and Controversies (optional for undergraduate research) and Gap(s) in Existing Knowledge.
2.1. Topic 1 (including Key concepts, theories, debates, and a gap).
2.2. Topic 2 (including Key concepts, theories, debates, and a gap).
2.3. Topic 3 (including Key concepts, theories, debates, and a gap).
There must be at least three topics with 4-5 resources minimum for each of topic. The resources must be synthesised. Topics present key theories and concepts definitions, reflect previous research and analysis.
Generally, in your Literature Review you will:
– Compare and contrast the main theories, methods, and analyse the debates and controversies
– Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
– Show how your research fits in the previous research.
– How will you build on, challenge, or synthesise the work of others?
– Fill a gap in the existing body of research and explain why you consider your research idea innovative.
3. Research Methodology (800 words)
This section should explain your approach to the research and describe exactly what steps you will take to answer your questions:
3.1. Research Design.
Explain how you will design the research: qualitative/quantitative/mixed data research. Determine what kind of data you need to analyse, and which resources you will use, primary or secondary. Decide and justify if this will be a descriptive, correlational, or experimental research.
3.2. Research Methods and Sources.
Describe the tools, procedures, participants and sources of the research. Specify when, where and how you will collect and select data. Justify chosen methods. State exactly what or who you will study and if you will collect data personally or use the databases. If the databases will be used, which ones and what data will be taken from there. State clearly how you will access the databases or the resources of information.
Include data analysis methods and justify them.
3.3. Sampling Design.
Describe the procedure and the sample of the participants of your research.
Outline the proposed sample group, including any specific criteria, e.g. age, sex, marital status/family size, income level, etc.
In case you collect primary data via the interview or questionnaire survey, make sure you explain this and make reference to Appendices where the Questionnaire must be enclosed.
3.4. Research Procedure and Ethical Considerations.
Indicate clearly what the involvement of the sample group will be in the research process. Address any ethical issues which might arise during the research, e.g. data protection, ownership of the research materials, etc. How will you plan for and deal with problems?
Specify how the consent of subjects will be obtained. Refer to Appendices where the Consent Form must be enclosed. Please include within this, a description of any information with which you intend to provide the subject. Indicate any potential risks to subjects and how you propose to minimise these. Mention policies and guidelines regulating data collection and data protection in the university and in the UK (there will be at least two documents). Include them in the reference list.
3.5. Practical considerations.
Give a balanced view of the chosen research methodology based on the literature (Pros and Cons of this approach). Address any potential obstacles, limitations, or practical issues. Clarify how you plan to deal with problems?
4. Implications and contributions to knowledge (150 words)
This section should emphasise why your proposed project is important and how it will contribute to practice or theory.
4.1. Practical Implications.
Explain if your research findings will help to improve a process, inform policy, or make a case for concrete change. State in one sentence who will benefit from your research findings /solution of the problem (the audience).
4.2. Theoretical Implications.
Explain if your research findings will help to strengthen a theory or model, challenge current assumptions, or create a basis for further research. How?
References.
Please reference your work according to the Canterbury Harvard style guidance which you can access on Moodle. Include at least 15 references here (These sources are highlighted in green throughout the template).
Please, include only the resources that you used for:
• contextualising your research topic,
• analysing the previous research in the Literature Review
• regulating your research procedures, especially Ethical Considerations.
Do NOT use bullet points or numbering!
Appendices are mandatory, though not included in the word count. The content of the appendices impacts the mark and is reflected in the grading rubrics. There are three appendices as specified in the Research Proposal Template:
Appendix A. Questionnaire
You will have to create a research questionnaire on one of the online platforms, e.g. Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, etc., then download it and present as Appendix A.
The survey will have different types of questions depending on the type of data you will need to collect. It is obligatory that developed questionnaire contains both closed and open questions. This may be one long survey, or two short (up to 10 questions) questionnaires. If you opt to have two questionnaires, name them Appendix A.1. Title, and Appendix A.2. Title.
Appendix B. Consent Form
You will develop the consent form or, alternatively, use the CCCU Consent Form with a proper reference.
Appendix C. Research Timeline
A nice way to lay out the timeline for your program is to use a Gantt diagram as shown in the Research Proposal Template. Alternatively, create your timeline in Excel. It is best to arrange the time divisions according to your particular timeline as described in the Research Methodology section, so if it works better for you to divide your months into weeks.
The sample in the Research Proposal Template must be replaced with an actual Gannt Chart created in Microsoft Office, which will reflect all stages of your research and relevant dates, starting with research proposal preparation (now) till project completion. In case you will use the research proposal for your degree paper in Level 6, you will be able to make changes and adapt the actual dates.
The dates must be realistic, and the tasks feasible withing the set time limits.
Academic Integrity
Our GBS and CCCU community is based on the shared values of honesty, fairness and responsibility. In your studies, it is vital that the work you present is your own so that CCCU can award you credit for your work. When you use any information from another person, or the internet (that can be words, ideas or images), you must acknowledge and credit the original work by using citations and references. There are serious consequences for continued malpractice which can result in your withdrawal from your course.
Please, get acquainted with the following documents to comply with the requirements on Academic Integrity, preventing and handling cases of Academic Misconduct:
• Student-Academic-Integrity-Policy (canterbury.ac.uk)
• Student-Academic-Misconduct-Procedures-staff-students (canterbury.ac.uk)
Learning Materials/Resources