MANG6129 Coursework 2011-12

MANG6129 Research Methods - Coursework 2011-12In this coursework, you need to develop two research proposals that are both based on the same topic. Then you should develop a critical evaluation in order to propose the most suitable approach (which might be one or the other, or indeed a combination depending on what you feel is most suitable).Choosing a research topic for your courseworkClearly, you are soon approaching the stage of needing to think about your dissertation. You may therefore base this coursework on your forthcoming dissertation topic. However, if you have not yet chosen a dissertation topic (and that is not a problem in terms of MANG6129), then you should use the following topic for this coursework:“An investigation into how students choose their accommodation whilst at the University of Southampton”. You have all been through the experience and so you should be able to design a good piece of research here!For this coursework, the actual choice of topic is rather arbitrary –the most important thing is to show us how much you have learnt about a range of possible approaches for conducting research (rather than insights into the actual topic itself). So, the choice of research topic for this coursework is yours and yours alone. If you have any questions or doubts about which topic to choose, then please just use the one stated above. We are not able to discuss the suitability of possible topics for your dissertation; you will be discussing this with your dissertation supervisor later on in the year.Having chosen a single research topic, you should complete the following parts (you may find it helpful to read some of the sections and guidance given in Saunders et al. (2009), especially pp.41- 45):Part 1 – Introduction (this should be common to both proposals and so only need be presented once)TitleBackground: a brief overview of the topic or problem, draw on some key pieces of topic-related literature, explain why researching the topic or problem is important. Overall research question(s) and objective(s): these should be clear, succinct and specific.Part 2 –A ‘q uantitative’ research proposalDesign a succinct research proposal for your chosen topic using a 'quantitative', deductive approach. See the marking guidelines for more details.Part 3 –A ‘q ualitative’ research proposalDesign a succinct research proposal for the same topic as Part 1, but this time using a 'qualitative', inductive approach. See the marking guidelines for more details.Part 4 – Critical evaluationGoing down through each layer of Saunders et al.‟s (2009) …Research Onion‟, w rite a critical evaluation of your two research proposals developed in parts 1 and 2 (drawing on a wide range of research methodology literature). As a result, you should conclude by stating what would be, based on your critique, the most suitable approach for your chosen research topic and why. This may be the quantitative or qualitative approach, or indeed a mixture of the two – you must decide and defend your choice.Timescale: provide a project timeline in the form of a Gantt chart that shows the key activities for your proposed research, along with projected timescales for each activity. We are expecting to see around 15 to 20 activities here, showing suitable linkages between tasks. For planning purposes, the start of your research on the Gantt chart should be no later than 1st June 2012 and finish no later than 14th September 2012 (ie. the typical time available for a full-time Master‟s dissertation).Resources: show a list of resources (financial and non-financial) that will be necessary in order for you to complete your research successfully.Finally, identify the key risks and any ethical issues you may face with your chosen approach.Important note: you do not actually have to collect or analyse any data for this coursework –this is just the proposal stage. Your report must though refer to the relevant concepts and literature covered during the lectures and your background reading. You are strongly advised to read the notes below that give you some helpful hints on writing and structuring your coursework. The general guidelines for marking this piece are given on the module‟s Blackboard site–this will give you an indication of the weighting applied to each part (which will also guide you in terms of the word count for each part).You should hand your combined report (with completed cover sheet) to the School reception by 3.30pm on Tuesday, 1st May 2012. You will also need to submit an electronic copy of your combined report via the module Blackboard site within the same timescales (for checking …academic integrity‟).There are penalties for late submission of either hardcopy or electronic versions. In the extremely rare event of an extension being required (for certified medical reasons for instance), you should complete the relevant form available from Management reception –your MANG6129 lecturers are not able to grant extensions.Some helpful hints for writing your coursework1. Structure your report. It really helps to make the structure obvious, so usenumbered section headings to break your report into discrete sections. Therefore, as well as a title page (including the module title, report title, your student ID number, and a table of contents), your report should contain section headings (and sub-headings), as well as a reference list.2. Start each part on a new page.3. You should use a …true type‟ font such as Times New Roman or Arial and a font size12. The text should be …justified‟, 1.5 line space, a 2.5cm border all round and asingle staple in the top left-hand corner. You should also include your student ID number and page number on each page (use the …page x of y‟ format). You should include a caption and title for every table or figure you may decide to include, along with a source (if you have not originally developed it). Ensure any figures or tables are clearly legible. Please pay careful attention to this format.4. The 4,000 word limit for this coursework is a maximum (rather than a target). Anytext that is beyond the maximum word count will not attract any marks.As always, you should aim to write with clarity, coherence and conciseness. Please consult the School of Management‟s policy on what is and is not included in the word count (available via …Management Net‟). You should include the word count at the end of your coursework submission, before your list of references.5. It is not acceptable to base your report on notes or bullet-point lists. These are finefor note-taking in lectures, but in this coursework you must use properly constructed sentences.6. Use an appropriate writing style. This means avoiding informalities like “haven‟t” and“isn‟t”, and avoid using slang unless you need to use it - in a quotation – to make a point. Do not use abbre viations such as “&” for “and”. Another good rule is to try to keep sentences as short as possible.7. Writing is a creative process and you should expect to write and re-write a number ofdrafts.8. References must be given using the Harvard method every time you mention atheory, or another person‟s idea(s)–see …Management Net‟ for a referencing guide.Do not be tempted to just liberally scatter the names of concepts or references throughout your report. Be selective and only include material that is relevant to your case. Avoid (over-)reliance on websites for your sources as they are rarely peer-reviewed and often contain errors. The reference list (ie. NOT a bibliography) should be sorted alphabetically by first author surname, do not separate out different types of sources (books, journals, etc) into different lists.9. Finally, this is an individual report, you should not collaborate in any way withanyone else or recycle any of your previous work/assignments… we would like to know how much you have learnt about research methods. Be sure to have read, understood and followed the guidelines on Academic Integrity that you can find in your student handbook or on the University‟s website.。