pg. 1 February 2017 Assignment Brief QCF Unit 8 Research Project Unit level 5 Unit code K/601/0941 Term Start Date 27/02/2017 Hand out date 27/02/2017 Submission Deadlines Part 1 - 07/05/2017 Part 2 – 13/08/2017 Lectures & Formative Assessments 20 Weeks Guided learning hours 60 Module Leader Dalton Vincent pg. 2 February 2017 Assignment brief (PART 1) Assignment title Consumer behaviour Submission deadline 07/05/2017 The assignment has been split into 2 parts with Part 1 focusing on assessing learner’s knowledge and ability towards producing a research project proposal and Part 2 focusing on research implementation and presentation. The purpose of the assignment is to assess learners’ skills of independent enquiry and critical analysis by undertaking a sustained research investigation of direct relevance to student’s higher education programme and professional development. This part of the assignment will be focusing on assessing your knowledge and ability towards producing a research project proposal. Research theme – Consumer behaviour You will need to select one topic from the list below for your research topic, you will review key literatures and sources about your research topic and produce a research project proposal. Research Topics 1. Does consumer loyalty and rewards schemes actually works? 2. Consumer loneliness: How does it affect choice and loyalty 3. Does social media affect consumer choices LO1 (AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3, AC1.4 and AC1.5) Task 1 You are to; 1.1. Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications. In this question, you need just write an ‘Outline’ (list of main topics that you are going to discuss). pg. 3 February 2017 1.2. Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection. In other word, you need to discuss the influential factors that determine which ‘research project’ should be selected. 1.3. Undertake/write a critical review of key references about ‘your research topic’ and ‘influential factors for choosing the topic. In addition, you should write positive and negative aspects of your chosen books, journals, or the Internet sources; and support your argument by citing from valid academic sources. 1.4. Produce/write a research project specification. Write a brief entitled ‘Research Project Proposal: An investigation into ‘YOUR TOPIC’. You need to write approximately 3 lines for each section of this Research Project Proposal (the length of this proposal should be approximately two pages). 1.5. Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification. Your plan can be presented in tabular or graphic form (Gantt chart) to show what the main activities/ stages of your research are, and how long each activity would take to complete Submitting your assignment You will submit Assignment Part 1 as a patch work (to be combined at the end) for formative feedback on the Formative Submission link. Your class tutor will grade and approve your proposal for you to carry out the research. Unless your proposal is approved YOU CANNOT carry out the research in Part 2. pg. 4 February 2017 Assignment brief (PART 2) Assignment title Research Implementation Submission deadline 13/08/2017 This section would assess your knowledge and capabilities to conduct a supervised research project in the field of business. While some of the tasks would evaluate your understanding of research process and practice, the other tasks are designed to assess your ability to present research findings. LO2 (AC2.1, AC2.2 and AC2.3) Information for task 2 This task focus is on ‘Research Implementation’. Research Planning (Part 1) should be followed by the intention to implement the research project within agreed procedures as they are planned in the Research Proposal Task 2 You are to; 2.1. Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis. You should explain (A) what are the resources required to carry out your research? (B) What is the relationship between ‘research resources’ and the ‘research question or hypothesis’? 2.2. Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures. In this question, you need to design and distribute a ‘Questionnaire’ among at least 20 respondents to collect data on your research topic (put your questionnaire at the end of your assignment as an appendix). 2.3. Record and collate required data. Record the collected data from participants in the form of a frequency table that shows the aggregation for each question. You can use graphs or a frequency table. pg. 5 February 2017 LO3 (AC3.1, AC3.2 and AC3.3) Information for Task 3 After conducting research and collecting data (from Task 1) you need to analyse and evaluate these data to make sense of them that is the central point to this task. Task 3 You are required to; 3.1. Use appropriate ‘research evaluation techniques’. Which types of evaluation (formative or summative) is more appropriate for your research? Why? 3.2. Interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original research specification by using ‘Frequency’ and/or ‘Percentage’ calculations. 3.3. Make recommendations and justify areas for further research. You can determine at least three new topics/areas for further research. LO4 (AC4.1) Information for task 4 The last task is about the importance of presenting findings of your research in a format and through proper media that can be understood by others. Task 4 You are required to; 4.1. You are present the results and recommendations of your research in a report format suitable for presentation to an organisation. pg. 6 February 2017 Submitting your assignment You will combine PART 1 and PART 2 of the assignment and submit a full assignment for summative assessment. The assignment should be in a word document and preferably using Arial font size 12 and 1.5 spacing. Your assignment should be uploaded on the Turnitin Assignment submission section. It is advisable to use the Turnitin Plagiarism checker before uploading the final piece of work. Good luck Evidence checklist Summary of evidence required by student Evidence presented 1.1 Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications Y/N 1.2 Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection Y/N 1.3 Undertake a critical review of key references Y/N 1.4 Produce a research project specification Y/N 1.5 Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification Y/N 2.1 Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis Y/N 2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures Y/N 2.3 Record and collate relevant data where appropriate Y/N 3.1 Use appropriate research evaluation techniques Y/N 3.2 Interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original research specification Y/N 3.3 Make recommendations in their research and link to research findings and justify areas for further consideration Y/N 4.1 Use an agreed format and appropriate media to present the outcomes of the research to an audience Y/N Additional Information References and appendices Y/N pg. 7 February 2017 Contextualisation grid to achieve higher grade Unit 8: Research Project Descriptors Indicative characteristics Contextualisation Merit Grade Descriptors: M1. Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions. Effective judgments have been made. An effective approach to study and research has been used. To achieve M1 you will make effective judgements (1.1, 1.2 and 1.3) Show that an effective approach to the study and research has been used (1.4 and 1.5) by undertaking critical review of key literatures M2. Select/ design and apply appropriate methods/ techniques. A range of methods and techniques have been applied. To achieve M2 you will use a range of methods and techniques (2.2) and see that the complex data has been synthesized and processed (2.3 and 3.1) M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings. Appropriate structure has been used. To achieve M3 you will present and communicate appropriate findings with appropriate structure (4.1). Distinction Grade Descriptors: D1. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusion. Realistic improvements have been proposed against defined characteristics Realistic improvements have been proposed against defined characteristic. Possible evidence areas could be in Task 3.3 pg. 8 February 2017 D2. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities. The importance of interdependence has been recognized. To achieve D2 you will have demonstrated autonomy across your assignment, with effective independent research and met the deadlines to submit all the tasks and achieve the unit assessment criteria and interdependence with each learning outcome has been demonstrated (You will be expected to undertake critical review of key literatures to a high standard). D3. Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking Ideas generate and decisions taken. Lateral thinking have been applied. Capacity for innovation and creative thought has been used. Receptiveness to new ideas has demonstrated. Your work demonstrates new ideas or suggestions towards the assigned tasks and your research shows some creative thinking and receptiveness to new ideas across the assignment making it look different and creative (3.3). Glossary of commonly used academic words. Account for Give reasons for: explain why something happens. Analyse Examine something in very close detail and from a number of angles. Identify the important points and chief features, and understand their relationships. Argue Present a case for and against a proposal or statement and present your own opinion at the end. pg. 9 February 2017 Compare Show how two or more things are similar. Contrast Look at two or more things and draw out differences. State whether the differences are significant. Critically evaluate Weigh arguments for and against something, assess the strength of evidence on both sides. Define Give the exact meaning of. Describe Give a detailed account of the main features or characteristics ... Discuss Write about the most important characteristics of something. Give arguments for and against, look at it from a variety of perspectives. Distinguish Identify the differences between two items. Evaluate Assess the worth or usefulness of something. Use evidence to support your opinion. Examine Look at something in detail. You may be expected to 'crit ically evaluate' it as well. Explain Make it clear why something happens or why it is the way it is. Identify Recognise name and briefly describe something. pg. 10 February 2017 Illustrate Use examples to further explain or justify something. Could be visual or verbal. Interpret Explain the meaning or significance of information or data that you are presenting. Justify Provide evidence that supports an argument or idea. Outline Give only the main points, show only the main structure. Prove Present evidence in a logical structure to support an argument for a point of view. Relate (Two meanings) 1. Show how ideas / theories/ events etc are linked or connected. 2. Tell a story. Explain something in a narrative fashion. Review Survey and comment on the key aspects of something or a range of things. State Give the main features clearly and simply. Summarise Draw out the main points, omitting detail and examples. To what extent… How far is something true, or contributes to a final outcome. Also how far is it not true? In academic writing the answer is usually somewhere in the middle. pg. 11 February 2017 Trace Describe the development of something; follow the order of different stages in an event or process. Adapted from Cottrell.S.(2003) The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke. Palgrave.