1 Module Guide Research Methods for Business and Management BBS-5-RME School of Business Academic Year 2016-17 Level 5 2 Table of Contents 1. Module Details ................................................................................................. 3 2. Short Description ............................................................................................. 3 3. Aims of the Module .......................................................................................... 4 4. Learning Outcomes .......................................................................................... 4 4.1 Knowledge and Understanding ............................................................................................. 4 4.2 Intellectual Skills.................................................................................................................... 4 4.3 Practical Skills ....................................................................................................................... 4 4.4 Transferable Skills................................................................................................................. 4 5. Assessment of the Module ................................................................................... 5 6. Feedback ......................................................................................................... 8 7. Introduction to Studying the Module ................................................................. 9 7.1 Overview of the Main Content ............................................................................................... 9 7.2 Overview of Types of Classes .............................................................................................. 9 7.3 Importance of Student Self-Managed Learning Time ........................................................... 9 7.4 Employability ......................................................................................................................... 9 8. The Programme of Teaching, Learning and Assessment .............................. 10 8.1 Schedule of Lectures for Full Time Students .......................................................................... 11 9. STUDENT EVALUATION .............................................................................. 13 10. Learning Resources ................................................................................... 14 10.1 Core Materials .................................................................................................................... 14 10.2 Optional Materials .............................................................................................................. 14 10.3 Additional resource - Websites ........................................................................................... 14 Appendices ............................................................................................................ 14 Attachment 1 - The Research Proposal …………..…………………………………………….. 15 Attachment 2 - Critiquing an Academic Research Paper……………………………………………16 Attachment 3 - Student Guidance on Plagiarism……………………………………………………..17 Attachment 4 - Statement on Plagiarism………………………………………………………………22 Attachment 5 - Seminar Learning Materials………………………………………..23 3 1. MODULE DETAILS Module Title: Research Methods for Business and Management Module Level: 5 Module Reference Number: BBS-5-RME Credit Value: 20 Student Study Hours: 200 Contact Hours: 48 Private Study Hours: 152 Pre-requisite Learning (If applicable): None Co-requisite Modules (If applicable): None Course(s): BA (Hons) Business Studies BA (Hons) Business Administration HND Business Studies BA (Hons) Business PT Year and Semester Year 2 Semester 2 Module Coordinator: Mrs Avril S Scott MC Contact Details (Tel, Email, Room) Ext: 6991, [email protected] , Room LR315 Teaching Team & Contact Details : Teaching Team Rey Bowen [email protected] Ralph Gharibi [email protected] Damien Moss [email protected] Subject Area: Business Summary of Assessment Method: 100% coursework 2. SHORT DESCRIPTION Students studying business and management studies are required to undertake a dissertation in their final year as part of their degree program. This module serves as an introduction to the research process, and imparts the necessary knowledge and skills required for students to undertake a small-scale business research project. The research topic selected must have a business or management focus and may serve as preliminary exploration for the level 6 dissertation. The module also serves as a vehicle for personal development and support. 4 3. AIMS OF THE MODULE The aims of the module are:  to prepare students to undertake a business or management focussed research project;  to help students acquire knowledge and develop information handling skills that will enable them to plan and execute their final year dissertation and prepare them for transition into the work environment. The module considers this process in the context of individual development. 4. LEARNING OUTCOMES 4.1 Knowledge and Understanding  Understand different theoretical research frameworks and methodologies and be able to select appropriately;  Understand and carry out the process of research and identify ethical issues, risks and resource implications. 4.2 Intellectual Skills  Identify and define the boundary for a business research project;  Select, evaluate and justify an appropriate methodology for the project;  Reflect on and evaluate one’s own strengths and weaknesses with respect to conducting business research and develop strategies to improve personal performance;  Evaluate research findings in the context of established theory and research questions. 4.3 Practical Skills  Use technology to locate information from different sources;  Apply alternative theoretical frameworks to the research;  Communicate research findings using an appropriate format. 4.4 Transferable Skills  Analytical and critical thinking;  Information acquisition, presentation and modelling;  The application and use of information technology;  Report writing and communication. 5 5. ASSESSMENT OF THE MODULE The module will be assessed through a 100% coursework portfolio consisting of: a. Research Proposal of 1000 words b. Research Study of 2000 words c. Critique of an academic paper of 1000 words d. Review of research methods and strategies of 1000 words e. Reflective Diary of 1000 words f. Turn-It-In report to accompany the portfolio g. Signed Statement of Plagiarism. The portfolio cannot be accepted without all of the components being submitted. a. Research Proposal 1000 words, 20% The central theme of the research proposal must be appropriate to your course of study and final year pathway if you have one. For example students studying small business development may choose a research problem relevant to small businesses. Those on the BIS pathway next year may choose a topic relevant to business IS, and so on. The proposal must be a planning document outlining the study to be conducted during the semester. It will include:  Introduction A clear definition of the research problem Research aims and objectives List of research questions to be answered Background to the study  Theory Identify the subject area the study relates to within business and management. Identify one theory with reference that relates to the topic of the research proposal.  Methodology Outline the proposed research strategy and research methods to be used. What primary and secondary data would you like to collect and how would you like to collect it? Are there any ethical issues around the data collection and storage to consider?  Project Plan Provide a table listing the tasks required to complete the portfolio and the timescales for each. List also any resources needed.  Reference list 6 b. Research Study 2000 words, 30% This section of the portfolio is where the proposal in part (a) is put into action and the research is carried out and results are collected, analysed and presented in the research study report. It will include:  Data Collection Explain which research strategies were used and the research methods applied to your study. Discuss any ethical issues. Explain in detail how you collected all your data, and any problems you had with this data collection. Discuss both primary and secondary data.  Research Results Analyse and present the findings of your data collection. You may wish to use graphs and tables for quantitative data if appropriate, or more likely, simply discuss your findings and what they mean.  Conclusions How do the results answer your research questions set at the beginning of the semester? Discuss how your aims and objectives have been met, or not. If not, why not? What are your main conclusions and what can be learnt from the study?  Bibliography This contains references but also lists any other sources of information and materials used. c. Critique of an academic paper 1000 words, 15% In this task, you are required to select one academic journal paper (see below) from any journal of your choice, e.g. human resources, management, management science, information systems, accounting, finance, law and marketing. The paper must be relevant to your research topic and the subject area you are trying to address with this study. Read the paper critically and then write the critique. Write your critique in the form of an essay following this structure:  Section 1: Précis or summary of the paper,  Section 2: Main critique  Section 3: Conclusion. Use Attachment 2: “Critiquing An Academic Research Paper – A Guide” to help you in writing the critique. For this module and the coursework, an academic journal paper is taken to mean one written by a scholar for the academic community. The paper is usually research-based and the subject of the research may focus on an aspect of business or management e.g. finance, accounting, marketing, management science, human resources, production, operations and information systems. The paper is at least 10 pages long, excluding references/bibliography. The content of the paper will include: 1. A problem, a concern, an issue, an unsatisfactory situation or a gap in knowledge that the scholar wants to address; 7 2. a theory (hypotheses, concepts) philosophy, paradigm or model that underpins the study; 3. a discussion of methodologies, data collection and analysis techniques that the scholar employed; 4. conclusion, contribution, recommendation and reflexivity; 5. references/ bibliography. Note: Please include in your portfolio, the original paper/article that you critiqued. d. Review of research methods and strategies 1000 words, 25% In this task you are to write a short paragraph explaining each of the following terms and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each one; Survey, action research, case study, ethnography, grounded theory, experimentation, quantitative methods, qualitative methods and mixed methods. e. Reflective Diary 1000 words, 10% In this section you will write about your reflections. This task requires that you think back on the module from the beginning to the end of the semester; reflect on all your experiences and what you have been involved with – lectures, seminars, lab sessions, knowledge, topics, group work and discussions, individual work, talking to colleagues, lecturers and seminar tutors. Write a short essay: 1. about your strengths and weaknesses as a potential ‘business student researcher’ with respect to knowledge, skills and abilities. 2. on how you feel your weaknesses can be improved and also how your strengths can be extended. 3. on how you questioned the way you learn, illustrate how you explored the rationale for and the effects of what you did, 4. to demonstrate how you brought in and used new ideas and approaches and evaluate their effects. 5. what you have learnt on this module, why these are important to you and how you would have done things differently. 6. Include any PDP exercises completed during the seminars and during independent study time. f. Turn-it-in Report The final part of the portfolio is the Turn-it-in report. All students are required to submit their completed portfolio to the Turn-it-in system via the Moodle link and print out the report that is generated. Submit this with your proposal. g. Statement of Plagiarism The statement of plagiarism can be found in Attachment 4 and needs to be signed and submitted with the portfolio. All the work in the portfolio must be the students own unless clearly referenced to another source. Guidance on the Department’s plagiarism policy can be found in Attachment 3. 8 5.1 Portfolio Submission The first draft of the Research Proposal is due week 6, Monday 6th March 2017. This is to be submitted to your seminar tutor in the seminar for feedback before the Easter break. The completed Research Portfolio is due week 12, Thursday 11th May 2017. This is to be submitted online to Moodle and Turnitin in the usual way. Part time students will submit the coursework to deadlines provided by the tutor. Please Note That: 1) Your work must be submitted by the date and time shown above. 2) Work submitted up to two weeks late will be given a maximum mark of 40% unless a successful claim for extenuating circumstances is made. 3) Work submitted more than two weeks late will not be marked. 4) Work must have a signed Statement on Plagiarism. 5) Work that is suspected of being plagiarised will be investigated following university regulations. All submissions will be checked via Turnitin. 6) You must clearly write your tutor’s name on the coursework submission sheet. 7) Please note that if you fail to attach the original paper you critiqued, you will be awarded 0 mark for this section of the Portfolio. 8) You will be awarded 0 mark if you fail to attach sample completed questionnaires or qualitative interview transcripts. (The rest of the questionnaire may be kept by you; they may be required later when necessary by the marker). 6. FEEDBACK Feedback on your portfolio will normally be provided by your seminar tutor. The feedback session is to be held on Monday 12th June 2017, just after the exams have finished. Students are strongly recommended not to leave before this date as feedback cannot be given via email or over the summer break. Arrangements about the rooms and times will be confirmed during the semester. A dissertation guidance session may also be held on 13th June for all students progressing onto the final year dissertation in the following academic year. 9 7. INTRODUCTION TO STUDYING THE MODULE 7.1 Overview of the Main Content  Introduction to business research  Search and research strategies  Theoretical framework  Access and manipulation of databases in the context of the Internet  Review of scholarly publishing  Research methods for business - Quantitative & Qualitative  Presentation of research findings – analysis, tables, diagrams, charts  Research report production 7.2 Overview of Types of Classes For Full-Time students, the contact teaching and learning time is 4 hours per week. This comprises of a 2 hour lecture and a 2 hour seminar session including an hour to be used for personal skills development. For Part-Time students, the contact teaching and learning is 8 hours every other week. This comprises of 2 hours lecture and 4 hours seminar and 2 hours of personal skills development. A combination of the following teaching and learning approaches will be used:  formal lectures  tutor-led and student-led seminars  case study  online materials and library searching  IT laboratory sessions. These will facilitate critical reflective and analytical discussion, exchange and communication of different views within the group. 7.3 Importance of Student Self-Managed Learning Time In addition to class time, the inclusion of a large private study component is intended to encourage and support research activities and self-managed time. A key feature of this module is independent learning and as such there is expected to be a significant amount of relevant personal reading and thinking. Much of this should be about the particular choice of research questions. Also important will be the consideration of the selection of the most appropriate theory and research techniques and methods to use in order to address your research questions. 7.4 Employability We live in an information rich environment and the ability to conduct a theoretically sound and well-structured exploration of the environment is a highly desirable skill. This module brings together many of the key graduate skills developed elsewhere on the course including those of analytical thinking, numeracy, communication, logical thinking and problem solving. These skills will be further developed and tested in the level 6 dissertation and can genuinely be called skills for life-long learning. 10 8. THE PROGRAMME OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT The schedule of lectures and seminars is laid out below. There will be a two hour lecture; in some weeks this may include an hour for personal skills development and an opportunity for students to work on their Personal Development Planning. The seminars for fulltime students will have two hours of directed study with the seminar tutors and group discussions based on the relevant lecture topics. This time may also be used to hold individual discussions with the seminar tutors as required. Feedback and Dissertation Guidance – Informal feedback is regularly provided in seminars each week on the students work and progress. There may be a special feedback and guidance sessions for all of the students to attend at the end of the semester. This has been provisionally set for Monday 12th June 2017. You will attend with your normal seminar tutor in the morning who will give back your portfolio with provisional mark and feedback. If you do not attend this session there is no guarantee that you will receive any feedback over the summer as staff are on holiday. In the afternoon there may be a session for all the students in the lecture theatre, (room to be confirmed) to receive guidance on how to move forward onto the very important dissertation stage of your studies. In the past students have found this very thought provoking and a useful way to start preparing for final year studies over the summer. Semester 2 Timetable: Lecture: Monday 12 – 2pm Lodge Avril Scott Seminars: Monday 10am – 12pm LR234 Rey Bowen LR226 Damien Moss LR227 Ralph Gharibi LR220 Avril Scott Mondays 2 – 4pm LR227 Avril Scott LR230 Ralph Gharibi LR234 Damian Moss 11 8.1 Schedule of Lectures for Full Time Students Week 1 Introduction to research; nature of business and management research Week 2 Formulating and clarifying the research topic; research questions and objectives Week 3 The research problem and literature search Week 4 Theory and research Week 5 Critically reviewing the literature Week 6 Research strategy; primary and secondary data; reliability and validity Research Topic due in by Monday 6th March 2017 Week 7 Qualitative research and questionnaire design Week 8 Ethical issues and access to data Week 9 Quantitative research and analysing quantitative data Easter break from Monday 3rd April to Friday 21st April 2017 Week 10 Writing the research proposal Week 11 No classes (bank holiday Monday 1st May 2017) Week 12 Week 13 Research proposal and the final year dissertation Submission of Coursework: Thursday 11th May 2017 No classes Monday 12th June 2017: Feedback Sessions and Dissertation Guidance Note: The sequence of lectures may change depending upon circumstances. 12 Schedule of Seminars for Full-Time Students: Week 1 Exploring research approaches 2 Brainstorming exercise: What is research? What is business and management research? 3 Searching for business information using online resources. 4 5 Developing research problems Theory and research and the research framework. 6 Reviewing literature and referencing correctly. 7 Research questions and research approaches. 8 Data collection and questionnaires. 9 Issues related to ethics. 10 Quantitative data analysis & Reviewing research portfolios 11 Bank holiday 12 Tutor Q&A and Submission of research portfolio [Note: Students are required to provide a memory stick to be used for saving exercises carried out in the seminars]. 8.2 Lecture Schedule for Part-Time Students Week 1 Introduction to research; nature of business and management research (Saunders Ch 1) Formulating and clarifying the research topic, research questions, objectives; research proposal and sample proposal (Saunders Ch 2) Week 2 Literature search using the Library Web site; Case study: Theory and research (Saunders Ch 2) Week 3 Critically reviewing the literature (Saunders Ch 3;) Example of academic paper and critique Research strategy; primary and secondary data; reliability and validity (Saunders Ch 5); Research ethical issues (Saunders Ch 6), Collecting primary data using questionnaire (Saunders Ch 11) Week 4 Analysing quantitative data (Saunders Ch 12) 13 Week 5 Proposal for Final Year Dissertation; Collecting primary data using qualitative methods (Saunders Ch 10) Analysing qualitative data (Saunders Ch 13) Week 6 Preparation of Research Portfolio Schedule of Seminars for Part-Time students: Week 1 Exploring research approaches. Brainstorming exercise: What is research? What is business and management research? Sample research topics; describing problem situations; writing down research questions based on the problem situation. 2 Searching for business information. Theory and research and the research framework. 3 Reviewing literature and referencing correctly. Research questions and research approaches. 4 5 6 Issues related to ethics. Data collection and questionnaires. Quantitative data analysis Reviewing research portfolios. Preparation of research portfolio – tutorial support. Note: The sequence of lectures may change depending upon circumstances. [Note: Students are required to provide a memory stick to be used for saving exercises carried out in the seminars] 9. STUDENT EVALUATION The percentage of respondents rating the components either “Acceptable” or “Very Acceptable” are all above the 70% threshold. In addition, 71% or respondents indicated that the module held their attention either “To a Large Extent” or “Totally”. In terms of what students found most useful about the module, the highest response was for the module guide (64%) and the second highest was for the assessment (60%). More detail in the previous cohorts feedback can be obtained on request. 14 10. LEARNING RESOURCES 10.1 Core Materials 1) Saunders, M; Lewis, P. & A. Thornhill, (2015) Research Methods for Business Students, 7th Edition, Pearson Education Limited Website to accompany textbook previous edition: http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_saunders_resmethbus_6/ e-Book available via Moodle Blumberg B. (2011) Business Research Methods, 3rd European Edition, McGraw Hill. 10.2 Optional Materials 1) Bryman A. & Bell, E. ( 2003) Business Research Methods – Chapter 19 – Qualitative Data Analysis, Oxford university Press, Oxford. 2) Blumberg, B. et al (2008) Business Research Methods. McGraw Hill, London 3) Cameron & Price (2009) Business Research Methods. CIPD, London. 4) Wilson, J. (2010) Essentials of Business Research, Sage, London. 5) Pallant, L. (2007) SPSS Survival Manual Open University Press 6) Coakes, S. J., Steed, L. G. & Ong, C. (2009) SPSS Analysis Without Anguish, Ver. 16 for Windows, John Wiley , Chichester . 7) Zikmund, W. Business Research Methods, Dryden Press, Harcourt College Publishers, London, 2000 8) Hart, C.; Doing a Literature Review. Sage London 2000 9) Gahan, C. & Hannibal M. Doing Qualitative Research Using QSR NUD.IST. Sage London 1999. 10) Walliman, N.: Your Research Project, Sage 10.3 Additional resource - Websites www.theory.org.uk www.lisa.sbu.ac.uk/quest 10.4 Additional resources - Journals/Daily Newspapers Management Today Professional Manager Accounting, Organisation and Society Harvard Business Review International Journal of Accounting Education and research Financial times Guardian 15 Attachment 1: ALSO USEFUL FOR PREPARATORY WORK DURING THE SUMMER PERIOD Structure for the Research Proposal Introduction 1. Write the title of the research 2. Write a brief discussion of the background to the research 3. Describe the problem situation that you want to investigate 4. Write three research questions that you want to find answers to. 5. Write the objectives of the study 6. Why do you think this study is important? Theory 7. Identify the subject areas the study comes from and identify one theory that underpins it. Discuss the theoretical framework (hypotheses/proposition) that you will use to guide the study? Provide reasons why you want to use this framework. Methodology 8. Write a brief outline of the research methods that you hope to use to help you conduct the study; Give your reasons why you want to use these methods 9. Briefly explain the data collection techniques you want to use; give your reasons for choosing these techniques. What primary and secondary data are you hoping to collect? 10. Are there any ethical issues and how do you hope to address them? 11. Briefly explain the data analysis techniques you want to use; give your reasons. Will your data be mainly qualitative or quantitative? 12. Briefly comment on the contributions this study hopes to make. Project Plan 13. Provide a table that shows resources, timescales, tasks to be carried out to complete the study. [Hint: You may use MS Excel or MS Project]. 14. Reference list 16 Attachment 2 Critiquing an Academic Research Paper – A Guide 1. Does the abstract adequately summarise the article? 2. Does the introduction fully set the context for the research? 3. Is there an adequate overview of relevant literature in the area? 4. Are the terms adequately defined? 5. Are the limitations and or strengths of existing studies discussed? 6. Is a critical or descriptive perspective adopted? 7. Are there any gaps or oversights? 8. Is the sample size large enough for any conclusions to be valid? 9. Are the research methods clearly described? 10. Are data gathering and analysis techniques and tools transparent and visible? 11. Is it clear what data sets are being used? 12. Do we learn a sufficient amount about the context in which the research was conducted? 13. Is the writing style clear or is there evidence of vagueness and or repetition? 14. How successful is the paper in demonstrating an ability to move beyond description and critically analyse data? 15. How easy is it to follow the thread of the argument? Is it coherent, well-structured or muddled? 16. Are there any unsupported statements/assertions? 17. Is the data related back to existing research in the area? 18. Are any quotations included supported by sufficient commentary? 19. Is a reflexive approach to both methods and data adopted? 20. Are other possible interpretations recognised? 21. Does the paper develop new theoretical insights or add constructively to existing theory? 22. How well does the paper look at interactions? 23. Is use made of tests of statistical significance? 24. Are the statistics mainly descriptive rather than confirmatory? 25. Are there any exaggerated claims? 26. What do you like about the paper? Why? 27. What do you dislike about the paper? Why? 28. Are the interpretations consistent with the result? 29. How well is the interpretation of the results linked to the theoretical background? 30. How strong is the conclusion? 31. Does the study show anything new, innovative or or particular interest? 32. If a theoretical or a philosophical perspective is employed, what is this perspective? 33. Is this consistent with the problem, methodology, data collection and the analytical techniques? 17 Attachment 3 Student Guidance on Plagiarism School of Business September 2014 18 The Division of Business and Enterprise Statement on Plagiarism Plagiarism In recent years plagiarism has been seen by all universities in the UK, Europe, the USA and elsewhere as a growing problem, and a serious issue. London South Bank University and The Department of Business take a determined approach to reduce the problem of plagiarism at all levels. Plagiarism and its dangers Students often get into trouble with the Academic Integrity Authorities of the University because they either; a). Do not understand what plagiarism is, or b).They fail to see that they have committed plagiarism by not being careful in how they approach and present their academic work. It is not difficult to avoid plagiarism, by taking a little care, and being aware of the rules and regulations of the University. The problem is made more difficult because the internet and electronic forms of information and data often make it seem that information is freely available for all of us to use; just like a railway timetable. However, all academic and other forms of information must have been written by someone, or created by some institution, company, or government body. This is what makes academic copying so dangerous. It appears to be OK and acceptable. But it is not, and can lead the student into serious disciplinary problems with the University authorities. What is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is the practice of representing another person’s work as the student’s own, without acknowledgment of the source. Examples of plagiarism include:-  Including in a student’s own work more than a single actual phrase from the work of another person without use of quotation marks and acknowledgement of the source  Summarising another person’s work by changing a few words, or altering the format or order of presentation, without proper acknowledgement  Using the ideas of another person, or data gathered by another person, in assessed work presented as the student’s own, without acknowledgement of the source  Copying the work of another source (e.g. a book or article, or the work of another current or past student at LSBU or elsewhere)  Using and presenting as the student’s own work, material prepared by another person and stored on a computer disk or downloaded from the Internet  Using large amounts of another person’s work, and placing an internet address at the end of the piece, and thinking that it is properly referenced. It is not.  Using work you have presented elsewhere, and reproducing it in another assignment as new work. 19 Why Do Students Plagiarise? Experience has shown that students plagiarise for 3 types of reasons. 1. Type A = a student who uses material for a coursework assignment and has not bothered to find out or consider if there is a risk of plagiarising. They are careless. 2. Type B = a lazy student, or a student who leaves assignments to the last minute, and sees the internet as an easy vehicle for doing coursework. 3. Type C = A student who has poor English, and plagiarises to improve his English language, and pass the coursework Help to Avoid Plagiarism The University provides materials and assistance to help students avoid the pitfalls of plagiarism. With this large amount of material available, it is no defence for a student to say ‘I didn’t know, or understand that I was plagiarising’. All students should read the following university materials. The Library has several very good simple help sheets ‘how to guides’ on the subject.  Library How to Guide 04, Plagiarism, gives a clear definitive view and help on the subject. It is at: http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/library/helpsheets/hs4.PDF  Library How to Guide 30, How to Do Your Referencing Using the Harvard System, is a first class guide on referencing, including electronic references. It is at: https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/assets/documents/library/h2g-library-30.pdf  Library How to Guide 11, Copyright for students, is a clear guide on copyright issues for students, containing useful guidelines on many referencing issues. It is at: https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/assets/documents/library/h2g-library-11.pdf  The Student Handbook has a section on Plagiarism. It is at: https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/assets/documents/regulations/student-handbook.pdf  Academic Assistant has a good website looking at Plagiarism, Referencing and Quotations. It is at: http://www.blc.lsbu.ac.uk/aa/aa/Communication/Writing%20Skills/R%26Q(68)/R %26Q_2Plagiarism(68).html  How to Avoid Plagiarism is tackled at the interesting Purdue University webpage at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/  Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes can appear boring, but they are very important, and oversee much of what we do, so are very important. They govern the legal position on plagiarism. Chapter 3 is particularly important. They are at: https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/staff/services/registry/handbook/manuals/academicregulations-2012-13-final-approved-11-7-12.pdf  The procedures for investigating allegations of academic misconduct are detailed in Student Codes of Practice 4 (SCP4). It is at: https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/assets/documents/regulations/scp4.pdf  There is also a range of books in the library on the subject of plagiarism.  Pears, R., and Shields, G., (2008). Cite them right: the essential guide to referencing and plagiarism. 025.324 PEA  Neville, C., (2007). The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism. 808.027 NEV 20  Menager-Beeley, R., and Paulos, L., (2006). Understanding plagiarism: a student guide to writing your own work. 808.066 MEN  Neville, C., (2010).The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism. 808.027 NEV  Tissington, P., Hasel, M., and Matthiesen, J., (2009). How to write successful business and management essays. 808.06665 TIS Why do Universities get so upset about Plagiarism? Consider two students. One has worked very hard in the library for nine months on a dissertation. The other has ‘cut and pasted’ large amounts of material from the web and ‘wrote’ a dissertation in a few days. Should both get the same mark? It is because plagiarism is a form of cheating for personal advantage that the department and university take a strong line on exposing students who plagiarise and copy other people’s work. What if I am Caught Plagiarising? Plagiarism is a form of serious academic misconduct and is not allowed. Where plagiarism appears to have taken place, the case will be reported to Michael Wood, the Academic Integrity Co-ordinator for the Business Studies Department. A preliminary investigation is undertaken to determine whether there is a case to answer over an allegation of plagiarism. If there is a case to answer, a full investigation takes place by the university, in which the student will be given the opportunity to explain their actions, and the evidence is presented. Taking into account the explanation given by the student, a decision on the case is made either at department level, or at a specially convened, independent University Academic Misconduct Panel which will then inform the Examination Board the appropriate penalty. Where plagiarism has occurred, it may result in the student failing the module without the opportunity to be re-assessed. In extreme cases, a student may be deemed to have failed all units of the course and be asked to terminate their studies and leave the university.  Plagiarism is very serious  There are very strict university rules that apply to all aspects of plagiarism  Punishment is severe, with significant financial and personal costs to the student  The investigation and judicial process is very thorough, and so necessarily takes time. The university uses a range of detection systems, including the JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) computer based system, Turnitin, and other computer based systems.  You cannot progress or graduate until the full process is completed. It may take 3-6 months  In the past this has meant that students have missed the graduation ceremony with parents and friends  Even if you are found innocent, you may easily miss an academic year and not graduate with your friends 21 Student Requirements on Courses and Modules All students must submit their coursework themselves to the Turnitin system for checking. This can easily be done through the Blackboard site for each module, which also has full instructions on how to undertake this simple task. The Business Studies Department requires students to submit a copy of all coursework in electronic form, and a paper print out of the first two pages of the Turnitin Report. These need to be attached to the back of the coursework when it is handed in to L105. Work cannot be marked without this. No Turnitin submission = 0%. Students may also be required to submit to a viva voce interview and investigation to demonstrate that their work is authentic and original. Students often ask what Turnitin figure is acceptable. This is a bit like asking how much shoplifting is allowed before penalties apply. There is no fixed similarity percentage (%) that is acceptable. Students have in the past been in trouble for 10%, and others have had no problems at 25%. It depends how the similarity arose. If the work is properly referenced (not just a webpage added at the end of a copied piece of text), or consists of cited quotations, or diagrammes then it is a correct part of the academic work. Do not believe that 15%, or 20%, or 25% is OK. It is not. Remember One simple guarantee that you are not plagiarising is not to show your work to your class tutor with your Turnitin Report and ask, “Am I doing something silly here. Am I at risk of being caught plagiarising?” They will give you guidance and advice. 22 Attachment 4 STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM Name………………………………………………………………………………………. Course…………………………………………………………………………………….. Module………………………………………………………………………………………… Title of Coursework:…………………………………………………………………….. I, the undersigned, confirm that I have read and understood the statement about plagiarism which is outlined in the students handbook and module guide. I testify that the work that I have submitted accompanying this sheet is wholly my own, and that any quotations or section of text taken from the published or unpublished work of any other person is duly and fully acknowledged therein. Signed……………………………………………………………………………. Date submitted ………………………………………………………………… 23 Attachment 5 Seminar Learning Materials Seminar – week 1 Learning Objective: to recognise the variety of research approaches that could be adopted in exploring seemingly simple research ideas; to begin a skills audit and decide how you can further develop your person research skills. Task 1 (20 mins): Familiarise yourself with the module guide and pay particular attention to: 1. The learning outcomes; 2. The schedule of lectures and seminars; 3. The assessment; You should start thinking now about which topic you want to research for the assessment so that you can start putting together the proposal as we go through the series of lectures. Task 2 (40 mins): In groups of four, discuss each of the research problems described below which explore gender differences. See if you can come up with a plan as to how you would conduct the research in each case. What data might you collect and how would you go about collecting it? What sources of information could be used to find relevant information? Project 1: Gender differences in same sex best friends. How do ‘best’ friends resolve conflicts and arguments between them? Project 2: Portrayal of gender roles in the media. Are there stereotypes of gender roles in television advertising? Project 3: Gender differences in stress and coping. Are there gender differences in eating habits when stressed? Project 4: Gender differences in spatial abilities. Are there gender differences in ability to navigate a car between two locations without satellite navigation? Task 3: (30 mins): Each group to feed back their suggestions and then compare approaches and look for possible problems or issues. 24 Task 4: (start in class, continue in your own time) Complete the form “Knowing where you are starting from” to identify what your current strengths and weaknesses are. Now complete the online questionnaire “VAK learning styles” and identify what type of learner you think you are. Read about that type of learning style. Do you think it reflects you accurately? In Business Skills you have just developed your Personal Development Plan (PDP). Reflect on that now before you do the final activity here. Identify three things that you feel you need to improve to enable you to get the best possible mark in this module. Enter these on the “Personal Development Plan”. You will need to add to this as you progress through the module and then reflect on it when you complete the research portfolio assessment. This template has been devised by the AUA (Association of University Administrators). Moodle All of the learning materials and the module guide are available on the Moodle site. Please log in to Moodle and make sure you can access the RMBM Moodle site. If you can’t please get assistance from the School Office LR105. Task 5: (in your own time this week) Spend time considering potential research areas for your own research project for the coursework and discuss with your tutor. Consider subjects of interest from your course or elsewhere and the sources of information you might want to use. 25 Knowing where you are starting from Start by knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. Think about each area in relation to your past learning and complete the following checklist. How good are you at… Strong in this area Quite good, room to improve Poor at this Need to know more about this Sticking to the task in hand Organising your time Making notes from reading Taking notes in lectures Reading around your lecture topics Rapid or skim reading Deep reading Identifying and summarising key points from discussions and text Planning assignments Asking for help and advice to clarify your understanding or improve your skills Writing assignments Formulating a logical argument Evaluating your own work critically Attributing and referencing correctly Meeting deadlines Taking part in group discussions Presenting your work in seminars Accepting feedback from others Now look at the areas that you have identified as weak or where you lack knowledge and make notes about how you can improve or what you could do to gain the knowledge or skill. Ask your tutor for help or advice about improving weak areas. 26 VAK Learning Styles Self-Assessment Questionnaire Circle or tick the answer that most represents how you generally behave. (It’s best to complete the questionnaire before reading the accompanying explanation.) 1. When I operate new equipment I generally: a) read the instructions first b) listen to an explanation from someone who has used it before c) go ahead and have a go, I can figure it out as I use it 2. When I need directions for travelling I usually: a) look at a map b) ask for spoken directions c) follow my nose and maybe use a compass 3. When I cook a new dish, I like to: a) follow a written recipe b) call a friend for an explanation c) follow my instincts, testing as I cook 4. If I am teaching someone something new, I tend to: a) write instructions down for them b) give them a verbal explanation c) demonstrate first and then let them have a go 5. I tend to say: a) watch how I do it b) listen to me explain c) you have a go 6. During my free time I most enjoy: a) going to museums and galleries b) listening to music and talking to my friends c) playing sport or doing DIY 7. When I go shopping for clothes, I tend to: a) imagine what they would look like on b) discuss them with the shop staff c) try them on and test them out 8. When I am choosing a holiday I usually: a) read lots of brochures b) listen to recommendations from friends c) imagine what it would be like to be there 9. If I was buying a new car, I would: a) read reviews in newspapers and magazines b) discuss what I need with my friends c) test-drive lots of different types 27 10. When I am learning a new skill, I am most comfortable: a) watching what the teacher is doing b) talking through with the teacher exactly what I’m supposed to do c) giving it a try myself and work it out as I go 11. If I am choosing food off a menu, I tend to: a) imagine what the food will look like b) talk through the options in my head or with my partner c) imagine what the food will taste like 12. When I listen to a band, I can’t help: a) watching the band members and other people in the audience b) listening to the lyrics and the beats c) moving in time with the music 13. When I concentrate, I most often: a) focus on the words or the pictures in front of me b) discuss the problem and the possible solutions in my head c) move around a lot, fiddle with pens and pencils and touch things 14. I choose household furnishings because I like: a) their colours and how they look b) the descriptions the sales-people give me c) their textures and what it feels like to touch them 15. My first memory is of: a) looking at something b) being spoken to c) doing something 16. When I am anxious, I: a) visualise the worst-case scenarios b) talk over in my head what worries me most c) can’t sit still, fiddle and move around constantly 17. I feel especially connected to other people because of: a) how they look b) what they say to me c) how they make me feel 18. When I have to revise for an exam, I generally: a) write lots of revision notes and diagrams b) talk over my notes, alone or with other people c) imagine making the movement or creating the formula 19. If I am explaining to someone I tend to: a) show them what I mean b) explain to them in different ways until they understand c) encourage them to try and talk them through my idea as they do it 28 20. I really love: a) watching films, photography, looking at art or people watching b) listening to music, the radio or talking to friends c) taking part in sporting activities, eating fine foods and wines or dancing 21. Most of my free time is spent: a) watching television b) talking to friends c) doing physical activity or making things 22. When I first contact a new person, I usually: a) arrange a face to face meeting b) talk to them on the telephone c) try to get together whilst doing something else, such as an activity or a meal 23. I first notice how people: a) look and dress b) sound and speak c) stand and move 24. If I am angry, I tend to: a) keep replaying in my mind what it is that has upset me b) raise my voice and tell people how I feel c) stamp about, slam doors and physically demonstrate my anger 25. I find it easiest to remember: a) faces b) names c) things I have done 26. I think that you can tell if someone is lying if: a) they avoid looking at you b) their voices changes c) they give me funny vibes 27. When I meet an old friend: a) I say “it’s great to see you!” b) I say “it’s great to hear from you!” c) I give them a hug or a handshake 28. I remember things best by: a) writing notes or keeping printed details b) saying them aloud or repeating words and key points in my head c) doing and practising the activity or imagining it being done 29. If I have to complain about faulty goods, I am most comfortable: a) writing a letter b) complaining over the phone c) taking the item back to the store or posting it to head office 29 30. I tend to say: a) I see what you mean b) I hear what you are saying c) I know how you feel Now add up how many A’s, B’s and C’s you selected. A’s = B’s = C’s = Continue with the explanations… If you chose mostly A’s you have a VISUAL learning style. If you chose mostly B’s you have an AUDITORY learning style. If you chose mostly C’s you have a KINAESTHETIC learning style. Some people find that their learning style may be a blend of two or three styles, in this case read about the styles that apply to you in the explanation below. When you have identified your learning style(s), read the learning styles explanations and consider how this might help you to identify learning and development that best meets your preference(s). Now see the VAK Learning Styles Explanation. VAK Learning Styles Explanation The VAK learning styles model suggests that most people can be divided into one of three preferred styles of learning. These three styles are as follows, (and there is no right or wrong learning style):  Someone with a Visual learning style has a preference for seen or observed things, including pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, flip-chart, etc. These people will use phrases such as ‘show me’, ‘let’s have a look at that’ and will be best able to perform a new task after reading the instructions or watching someone else do it first. These are the people who will work from lists and written directions and instructions.  Someone with an Auditory learning style has a preference for the transfer of information through listening: to the spoken word, of self or others, of sounds and noises. These people will use phrases such as ‘tell me’, ‘let’s talk it over’ and will be best able to perform a new task after listening to instructions from an expert. These are the people who are happy being given spoken instructions over the telephone, and can remember all the words to songs that they hear! 30  Someone with a Kinaesthetic learning style has a preference for physical experience - touching, feeling, holding, doing, practical hands-on experiences. These people will use phrases such as ‘let me try’, ‘how do you feel?’ and will be best able to perform a new task by going ahead and trying it out, learning as they go. These are the people who like to experiment, hands-on, and never look at the instructions first! People commonly have a main preferred learning style, but this will be part of a blend of all three. Some people have a very strong preference; other people have a more even mixture of two or less commonly, three styles. When you know your preferred learning style(s) you understand the type of learning that best suits you. This enables you to choose the types of learning that work best for you. There is no right or wrong learning style. The point is that there are types of learning that are right for your own preferred learning style. Please note that this is not a scientifically validated testing instrument – it is a free assessment tool designed to give a broad indication of preferred learning style(s). 31 Personal Development Plan Name: ______________________________________ Course: _____________________________ Objectives: What do I want to be able to do or do better? Success criteria: How will I recognise success? How will I review and measure my improvement? Actions: What methods will I use to achieve my learning objectives? Implementation: How will I practice and apply what I learn? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Research Methods for Business and Management Seminar – week 2 Learning Objective: to explore some research questions and practice deciding on the appropriate scope of research questions. To select research topics and questions for the assessment project and to extend the Personal Development Plan. Task 1 (20 mins): Discuss as a whole group whether the two research questions below are researchable. If not, then why not and if so then what would need to be explored? Question 1: Does McDonald's or Burger King make a better burger? Question 2: Is there a link between hours of television viewing or gaming and violent behaviour in children aged 8-14? Task 2 (30 mins): In small groups, discuss each set of research questions below and decide which of the three options in each case seems appropriate as a research question. For those that you reject, try to explain why you think they are unsuitable. Set 1: Question A: What marketing strategies does the Coca-Cola company currently apply? Question B: What is the Coca-Cola company's future marketing plan? Question C: What marketing strategies has the Coca-Cola company used in the past? Set 2: Question D: What are the 14 different disease-causing genes that were discovered in 1994? Question E: What is the importance of genetic research in our lives? Question F: How might the discovery of a genetic basis for obesity change the way in which we treat obese persons, both medically and socially? RMBM Page 33 Set 3: Question G: Is online marketing effective? Question H: Are social media appropriate for marketing educational courses? Question I: The theory of marketing is not appropriate for online marketing. Set 4 Question J: Do children sent to day care or preschool start school with more developed skills? Question K: Do children sent to day care or preschool start school with more highly developed language skills? Question L: Do children sent to day care or preschool start school with larger vocabularies? Task 3: (30 mins): Each group to feed back their thoughts and criticisms of the research questions. RMBM Page 34 Task 4: (40 mins) It is sometimes said that establishing facts is less appropriate for a research topic than looking at causes or opinions and views. For each of the facts in the following table write down three related research questions that might make for an interesting piece of research. Fact Possible Relevant Research Questions University applications for courses in Creative Arts and Design have shown a decrease of 16% in 2012. 1. 2. 3. 69% of homes in the UK have at least one computer. 1. 2. 3. 70% of sports coaches are male. 1. 2. 3. The average1 age of a Facebook user is about 22 years old. 1. 2. 3. Task 5: Personal Development Planning (Remaining time): Complete the form on the next page to help you with identifying a topic and framing possible research questions for your research project. If you already have a topic then just complete the form for that one topic. If not then think about two or three ideas to discuss with your tutor. If you have not decided on a topic by the end of the class then specify action in your Personal Development Plan that will allow you to have identified a topic and three potential research questions by week 3. If you have got a topic and research questions then enter into your Personal Development Plan the actions you will take to move your research forward over the next week. 1 As reported by Facebook and using the median as a measure of average. RMBM Page 35 Which modules on your course interest you? (List 2 modules) Pick up to three topics that you would like to research for each module. For each topic list a general research idea. (List 3 things) Module 1: 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. Module 2: 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. Which research idea is your first choice? Which research idea is your second choice? Which research idea is your third choice? How does your first choice relate to or connect to your course? How does your second choice relate to or connect to your course? How does your third choice relate to or connect to your course? Write down a main research question for your first choice. Write down a main research question for your second choice. Write down a main research question for your third choice. Considering all of the above which would you like to follow up as your research project? RMBM Page 36 Seminar – week 3 Learning Objective: to explore the role that theory plays in the research process and how theoretical considerations can help with establishing a clear framework for the research process. Task 1 – groups of four (20 mins): For the following general research topics, think about how you might formulate some (perhaps three) linked research questions that you think would be worth answering. These should focus on just one aspect of either broad research area. Research Area 1 “The August 2011 riots and looting in London and some other UK cities have generated much debate about the reasons behind such behaviour. It is unclear why the spread so quickly or what the motivations of those that took part were. The response of the authorities seemed, at first, to be ineffective but since then those people found guilty of taking part in the disturbances have received tough sentences. It is unclear what effect this sentencing policy will have on future levels of crime or the individuals who took part.” Research Area 2 “The Perry Library is reviewing all its operations so that it can be viewed as the central information hub of the university for all students. It believes that its current policies are not fitfor-purpose and would like to know the extent to which students wish to engage with physical textbooks, multi-media resources, journals etc, the most effective and efficient use of the physical textbooks, and whether the university should be engaged in other social media as a means of delivering its services.” Write down your research questions. Task 2 – groups of four (20 mins): For your research questions in task 1 identify two, or if possible three, broad areas of theory that you have studied and illustrate how aspects of the theory might help you in answering your research questions. In particular, pay attention to the concepts and terminology used in the theory and also any theoretical relationships or other ‘facts’ that the theory might offer that would help. As a suggestion, think about the following list of subject areas and decide on a couple that would be able to generally underpin your research theoretically:  Economics  IT/social media  Business strategy  Marketing  Management science  HRM RMBM Page 37  Accounting and Finance  Educational Theory  Business Law Consider theories you have covered in other modules, this year and last year. Perhaps also check the website http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/ or http://www.vectorstudy.com/management-theories for examples of specific theoretical developments in management. Or look at other journals you found in last week’s exercise. Task 3: (15 mins): Feed back the research questions and the possible areas of theory. This does not have to be detailed – just some general ideas will be enough for this exercise although if examples can be cited then so much the better. Task 4: (20 min): Excel skills – find and open the Excel file from the Moodle site. There is some data on phone apps usage. Use the data to create some graphs. How can the data be sorted and presented in different graphs to make it more easily understood. Remember to include axis and data labels and a title. Type a paragraph of text explaining what your best graph shows. Task 5: (Remaining time): Continue sketching out your research proposal. Check your topic, title, objectives and the research questions with your tutor and be prepared to have the proposal completed within the next two weeks. If you identify weaknesses in your work then enter these on your PDP grid and specify how you intend to overcome these weaknesses. RMBM Page 38 Seminar – week 4 Research Techniques using the Library Web Site Learning Objective: to be able to use the library website and searchable databases to access printed resources and to begin building a selection of relevant research literature for the assessment project. Different types of search tools and business information sources The main search tools for subject information are the library catalogue, electronic databases (E-resources) and the web. The library catalogue will help you find books (including some E-books) pamphlets, reference sources e.g. dictionaries, and print or electronic journals if you know the title. You cannot search within the content of books via the catalogue (with the exception of e-books). The E-resources or databases will help you find journal articles by topic from hundreds of different titles when searched by keyword(s). The full text of articles you find will not always be available online – most business journal databases are a mixture of full text articles and abstracts, depending upon the journals’ publishers. Journals vary in content and it is often important to distinguish between the scholarly or academic research articles published in business research journals, e.g. Harvard Business Review, and the more ephemeral ‘news-type’ articles published in business magazines, e.g. Business Week. The web has a vast potential as an information source, but it is not always easy to search and there is little quality control – you will not find expensive market research reports or many quality academic journal articles freely available. Task 1- Exploring the library web site for premium business information Business databases are your key tools for finding quality articles from academic or scholarly journals. You need to access these via the library web site; because they are subscription databases they are only available to LSBU students, staff and researchers.  Go to the library web site, www.library.lsbu.ac.uk Or via my.lsbu.ac.uk  Login if required. Select the ‘Library and Academic’ tab and select ‘Library’ from the pull down menu.  Scroll down and view the menu on the left hand side. Note there is a link to ‘How to Guides’ to help in using the library system. You may wish to use these later or at home when searching for information. RMBM Page 39  Click on the Business Resources and then Business Studies in the menu on the left. A list of Journal Databases is presented, showing which subject areas they cover.  Scroll down and you will see other resources available such as Newspaper Collections, Company reports, Marketing research and e-Books. Other types of information as well as journal articles are contained in databases, e.g. company financial information, market research reports, country statistics. Task 2 – Searching by a topic  Click on the Business Source Complete link from the list of databases.  Click on >> Business Source Complete again in the centre of the page.  Do a keyword search for “credit crunch”. This will produce over 6,000 results so then use the left side menu to limit results as follows.  Click on the Geography heading and limit to Great Britain.  Click on Academic journals on the side menu to limit to refereed or scholarly (peer reviewed) journals. You should end up with a list of entries for approximately 50 items.  Open the pdf version, by clicking ‘PDF Full Text’ at the bottom of the entry of item 20 in your list “Trust in UK financial services: A longitudinal analysis.” This could now be printed or saved by right clicking the mouse.  Display the abstract, by clicking on the title of article 2 on your list, “StakeholderDefined Corporate Responsibility for a Pre-Credit-Crunch Financial Service Company: Lessons for How Good Reputations are Won and Lost”. Task 3 - Finding journal articles from references Not all journal articles on databases such as Business Source Complete will appear in full text on the screen. If there is no link to the full text of an article you want, you will need to try and find it from another source. Search 1:  Load Business Source Complete. RMBM Page 40  Search for “Ehrenberg, Andrew” as an author (use the drop down menu to specify the text is an author name).  Click on the title of the 19th article listed: Do Brands Lack Personality, by Romaniuk, Jenni; Ehrenberg, Andrew. Marketing Theory, Sept 2012, Vol 12, Issue 3.  You will see an abstract but there is no full text available.  Click on Link to Full Text.  This should take you to Sage Journals and on the menu bar to the right hand side of the article click ‘Full Text PDF link’. You can then right click the article to save it.  If this search does not find the journal you want then you would need to request an inter-library loan to obtain a copy of the article. Search 2:  Do another search for an author, “Brewster, Chris”.  You should get well over 100 hits – look at the 4th item. How far do cultural differences explain the differences between nations? Implications for HRM.  Click on Link to full text.  This should take you automatically to another platform where you can access the full text.  You can then save the article by right clicking the mouse, if you wish. Task 4 – Finding Journals  Go to the list of databases and select Emerald  Then click the Emerald link at the top of the page.  Select the ‘Journals and Books’ tab.  Use the subjects listed on the right hand side to search for the Journals listed below. For each Journal you will see a list of recent popular articles on the right and in the centre a list of the volumes and issues to select and browse. RMBM Page 41  Choose a Journal of your choice from the list here and save at least one article of interest.  Read and make one page of notes summarising the article. List of Journals to find (with the subject area in brackets) 1. Journal of Accounting and Organisational Change (Accounting) 2. Journal of Risk Finance (Finance) 3. Journal of Knowledge Management (Information & Knowledge Management) 4. International Journal of Social Economics (Economics) 5. Direct Marketing: An International Journal (Marketing) 6. Journal of Modelling in Management (Management Science) 7. International Journal of Web Information Systems (Information & KM) 8. Career Development International (HR & OB) 9. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development (Strategy) 10. Social Enterprise Journal (Strategy) Task 5 – Find ‘How to Guides’ Plagiarism and Referencing – help sheets are available on the library web site. Use the “How to Guides” link on the left of the library home page and then scroll down to “How to do your referencing - Harvard system” and “Plagiarism”. Task 6 – Building your bibliography (remaining time) Use the searching methods you have learned about to start searching for literature that is relevant to the topic you have chosen for your research and more specifically that might help answer your research questions. If you have any difficulties with this then add them to the list of objectives on your PDP Grid and decide how you are going to overcome them and by when. RMBM Page 42 Seminar – week 5 Learning Objectives: to review research articles and literature reviews, to begin selecting appropriate literature for your research topic, know how to reference the sources correctly and then summarise your findings. Critique an academic paper. Task 1 In small groups select two articles from Moodle; one from the literature review folder and one from the research articles folder in week 5 materials. For both articles discuss and note the answer to each of these questions and compare the research article and the literature review. 1. Identify where each section of the article starts and ends and broadly identify the content of each, ie, introduction, literature or theory, methodology, results or findings, conclusions. Is the structure of the two articles the same, if not, how are they different? 2. Does the abstract adequately summarise the article? 3. Does the introduction fully set the context for the research? 4. Is there an adequate overview of relevant literature in the area? 5. Are the terms adequately defined? 6. Are the limitations and or strengths of existing studies discussed? 7. Are the research methods clearly described? 8. Are data gathering and analysis techniques and tools transparent and visible? 9. Are there any unsupported statements/assertions? 10. Is the data related back to existing research in the area? 11. Are the interpretations consistent with the result? 12. How well is the interpretation of the results linked to the theoretical background? RMBM Page 43 13. How strong is the conclusion? 14. Does the study show anything new, innovative or of particular interest? 15. What do you like about the paper? Why? 16. What do you dislike about the paper? Why? Discuss your views on these questions in your groups and be ready to feedback to the whole class. Task 2 Use the library search facilities (covered in week 4) to identify 5 pieces of literature that you think might be relevant to your research topic. This might be similar work that has been done by other researchers or possibly discussion of theory that you feel is relevant to your topic. For each of these find out how to reference it correctly using the Harvard referencing style and write down the references or start to build a citation list using references in MS Word. Task 3 For each of the materials you have identified answer the following questions: 1. How relevant is it to your topic of interest? 2. How current is the material? If it is a paper or article then ideally it should have been published within the last 10 years. If the material is online then is it dated? Do not cite facts or statistics that are not clearly dated. 3. Is the article peer reviewed? See what the journal or magazine says about the material it publishes. This indicates how much weight can be placed on the article. 4. What can you say about the author’s authority/credibility? 5. Who is the publisher? For papers and books is the publisher commercial or academic? For websites is the site .edu, .gov, .org, .com or .net? 6. Does the article come with a bibliography or further references? This gives you an idea whether the author has referred to other sources and helps to validate the content of the article. RMBM Page 44 If it does then have a look through these and identify any other pieces of literature that you think might be worth following up. This is one way to expand your knowledge and begin generating a strong list of references. 7. Write down one key idea that comes out of each piece of literature that will be useful for your research. If there are more then list these. If there is not even one then that literature is of no use to you! Task 4 Critique of an article. For one of the pieces of literature discussed in task 2 write a critique. This is an activity you need to do as part of your final portfolio. Read the article critically and write a critique, a review of the main points of the paper and your opinions of it. Write your critique in the form of an essay following this structure:  Section 1: Précis or summary of the paper,  Section 2: Main critique  Section 3: Conclusion. From the module handbook use Attachment 2: “Critiquing An Academic Research Paper – A Guide” to help you in writing the critique. Pg 16. The critique for your final portfolio should be based on a proper academic research article. More guidelines as to what you are required to do for the portfolio can be found on pages 10 and 11 of the module handbook. Task 4: (remaining time): Discuss the draft of your project proposal with your tutor. You need to submit a proposal to your tutor next week. See the guidelines on pages 10 and 15 of the module guide. The module guide lists what you need to include in your proposal. RMBM Page 45 Seminar – week 6 Learning Objective: To understand how different research questions make different assumptions about the nature of data and also to explore threats to research credibility. This session will also focus on your research proposal and you need to submit your draft proposal to your tutor. Task 1 (20-30 mins): Which Research Approach Might You Use? For each of the research questions below, decide on the subject area the topic comes from, the research strategy that could be used, what data should be collected, and from whom. How should the data be collected? Use the research onion on page three to help guide your thinking. You can discuss these in small groups or think about them individually. Project 1: How does a clothing company, such as Top Shop, use social media to communicate with its customers? Project 2: How do students manage their debt from student fees and living expenses? Project 3: How do flexible working policies help working parents achieve a better work life balance? Project 4: What are the problems faced by market traders in gaining new customers in a local market? Feedback your answers in class discussion. Task 2 (20-30 mins): Identifying Issues of Research Credibility For each of the situations below, decide how the credibility of the research might be compromised and what you might do to overcome the problems identified: Problem 1: You are conducting research to find out how much academic work students do in their own time away from the university. You decide to interview 10 of your own students and to make sure they participate you pick the 10 students you like best and who you think will be most likely to take part. What threat to research credibility is there? How could you prevent it? Problem 2: Your survey of personality and aggressive tendencies is 300 questions long and takes participants a couple of hours to complete. What threat to research credibility is there? How could you prevent it? Problem 3: In an attempt to get a better understanding of the student experience at University, the senior managers at the University of Southwark each shadow a student RMBM Page 46 and follow them round for a week attending their classes etc. to get a picture of what they experience. What threat to research credibility is there? How could you prevent it? Feedback your answers in class discussion. Task 3: (remaining time): Continue to work on your proposals or search for literature. You need to submit to your tutor your draft research proposal in hard copy. Your tutor will then give you some feedback over the next two weeks. Unless your tutor has approved your proposal you cannot start the research part of the assignment. Your proposal will not be marked at this stage so can continue to make improvements to it up to the final hand-in date (see the module guide). RMBM Page 47 The Research Onion, Saunders et al. 2015. Examples of Two Contrasting Philosophical Positions. Positivism – the belief that ‘truth’ is out there waiting to be discovered and the use of statistical, experimental and other numerical data, to describe the actions and phenomena we observe, and the correlations and interactions between them. This is generally labelled the ‘scientific’ approach. Interpretivism - Unlike natural objects, human beings can change their behaviour so interpretivists argue that if we want to understand the actions we observe, we have to explore the reasons and meanings which that action has for the people who took them. So there is no ‘truth’ other than that expressed and believed by the individuals we observe. Each individual may have their own ‘truth’. The researcher must interpret it. Take the example of crime. A positivist would argue that researchers can simply measure crime using quantitative methods and identify patterns and correlations. An interpretivist would argue that sociologists need to understand what people mean by crime, how they come to categorize certain actions as ‘criminal’ and then investigate who comes to be seen as criminal in a particular society and why. RMBM Page 48 Seminar – week 7 Learning Objective: To critique the design, content and validity of a simple questionnaire. Task 1 – Individual exercise – critiquing a questionnaire2 Attached is a questionnaire which was designed to elicit the opinions of visitors to a sports centre regarding the centre’s restaurant facilities. The questionnaire was designed to be distributed to customers as they arrived at the sports centre. Study the attached questionnaire and produce a list of all the problems that you identify with the questionnaire. Where appropriate, you should also make suggestions for how the questions could be rewritten. The section below on ‘10 Tips to better Questionnaire Design’ might be helpful. Task 2 – Your data collection Begin to think about your own data collection process and if you are using a questionnaire then draft this out or begin to refine it if you have already started. If you are undertaking structured or semi-structured interviews then you should start to think about the questions you will ask and how you will analyse the responses that you get back. In all data collection you must remember that the data you are collecting is meant to help you answer your research questions so this always need to be in your mind as you design the questions you will ask. 2 With grateful thanks to Derek Barnsley of the University of Bedfordshire for the use of this material. RMBM Page 49 Sapphire Sports Club Improving our catering services is a job to which we give high priority. We would appreciate a moment of your time to fill in this questionnaire. Name PLEASE TICK Age Under 25 26 - 35 36 - 45 Over 45 Sex Marital Status What Kind of transport do you use to get to Sports Club? Car Motor Cycle Bicycle Bus Train Foot How often do you visit the club? What are your main reasons for visiting the Club? If we were to offer reduced membership fees, do you think that any of your family or friends might be interested in joining the sports club in the near future or are any other things that we could offer to tempt them to join? Do you think that the restaurant area is large enough? Yes No Is the ambience conducive to your relaxation? Yes No How many times have you visited the restaurant over the last five years? RMBM Page 50 On those occasions which meal did you eat? Breakfast Dinner Supper Snack How much are you prepared to spend in the restaurant? Under £5 £5 - £20 £20 - £50 Over £50 How much do you think we should increase prices by next year? 5% 10% 15% 20% Do you have any special dietary requirements? Yes No Like what? If there was more choice on the menu, would you visit the restaurant more often? Yes No Please give your impressions of the following Very Good Good Satisfactory Bad Speed of Service Quality of Service Food Temperature Taste Comfort Décor Noise Level Overall, How satisfied are you? Completely Mostly Partly Not at All Did the restaurant meet your expectations? Yes No Please indicate below any other comment or suggestions you may have to help us to improve our service to you, the customer. RMBM Page 51 10 Tips to Better Questionnaire Design One may think that designing a questionnaire is easy (it's just a list of questions, right?). While some of us are able to "nail it" on the first draft, others struggle with wording, question order and other aspects of questionnaire design. Proper questionnaire construction is one of the most important steps in achieving a successful research project. Good design will aid in increasing the willingness of respondents to complete the survey, as well as improving the accuracy of data collected. The following guidelines and tips will help you to create the most effective data collection tool possible.  1. Make sure each question is clear, reflects what you are asking and how you want it answered. For example, if you ask "What is your income?" the respondent will not know whether you mean weekly, monthly, annual or pre-tax. Instead, be specific and ask, "What was your total annual household income in 2009, before taxes?" Where beneficial, always include explicit instructions to the respondent. For example, when items are to be rank-ordered, provide instructions to use each number only once. Avoid ambiguous words or response categories such as 'regularly' or 'often'. Instead of "Do you regularly go to a gym?" ask "How many times per week..." Don't leave anything to interpretation by respondents.  2. Do not make the list of response choices too long and be sure they don't overlap. The more choices listed, the harder it will be for the respondent to evaluate them all. This is especially important when asking respondents to rank-order a list of items. Numeric ranges presented to respondents should be clear, without ambiguity and mutually exclusive. Avoid response choices such as 1-5, 5-10, 10-15, etc. If using ‘very good, good, average, poor, very poor’ categories, make sure there’s an equal number or positive and negative responses and a neutral one.  3. Do not use "emotional language" or leading questions. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, for example, "Should the mayor spend even more tax money trying to keep the streets in top shape?" Stay away from the use of leading questions such as, "You don't drink, do you?" or, "I assume you would agree that the fire department is full of heroes?" While most violations of this rule are not going to be as blatant as the above examples, it is always a good idea to have a second, impartial party review the questionnaire keeping this in mind. RMBM Page 52  4. Be sure each question asks about a single topic. For example, "Does your company offer pension and health insurance benefits?" would be problematic for a respondent whose company offers one but not the other. The logical response in this situation would be "no." Two simpler questions are easier to answer than one tricky one.  5. Avoid negatives - especially double negatives. For example, "Do you agree that it is not a good idea to not turn in your homework?" In this example, the respondent could be unsure if they should answer "yes" or "no," even if it is clear in their mind that turning in homework on time is a good idea. The use of the double negative causes confusion. Do not expect respondents to work hard thinking about a question's intent - do the thinking for them.  6. Avoid difficult questions that rely on memory. A respondent's memory becomes increasingly unreliable as the time frame increases. For example, instead of asking "Approximately how many times in the past year have you rented a movie from Blockbusters?" consider "How many times in the past month did you rent a movie from Blockbusters?" Or, ask about an average month and do the maths yourself.  7. Avoid difficult or personal questions or put toward the end of the questionnaire. Question placement can have a positive or negative effect on the quality of the data that is collected. Respondents will generally be more likely to answer personal or demographic questions once they have become more comfortable with the questionnaire. Also, sensitive questions may cause respondents to drop off before completing, so if these questions are at the end, you may be able to salvage the partial questionnaire and use any answers that they have already provided.  8. Always proof your questionnaire. Unclear instructions may leave the respondent confused as to what question they are supposed to answer next, possibly resulting in invalid or inaccurate data. Luckily, with increased usage of web-based surveys, this is not as much of an issue as traditional paper methodologies, since skip patterns are programmed in. RMBM Page 53  9. Consider ahead of time how to handle missing data. Not all respondents are willing or able to answer all questions. There are at least three ways of dealing with non-response choices such as "don't know," "not applicable," etc.: o Include only the desired response choices and allow respondents to skip questions to which they cannot or don't want to provide an answer. o Include "don't know," etc. as possible answers. o Use a filtering question, where the respondent is screened about the subject matter before the question is asked. This may be best for a follow-up question with a very long list of choices, or for a question of a more complicated nature. Any of these three options can be dealt with during the tabulation/analysis phase of the project; however, the last two will allow better discrimination between reasons as to why a question was not answered.  10. Keep the number of open-ended questions to a minimum. There are advantages and disadvantages to closed and open-ended question types. Keep these in mind when designing your questionnaire. In general, closed-ended questions are quick and easy to answer, help respondents provide desired information and make for straightforward tabulation and comparison of results. Open-ended questions allow for more top-of-mind or "outside-the-box" responses and may yield unanticipated results. The main downside of openended questions is that data analysis can become more complicated as coding will be required to quantify the results. Open-ended questions will also lengthen the questionnaire - an important consideration where time is at a premium. Questionnaire design is a learned skill and requires attention to more than just what questions are going to be asked. The types of questions, wording, answer choices provided and various other factors all contribute to creation of a quality survey instrument. These tips are intended to help you to design the best questionnaire possible and enable you to collect the most accurate data for your research project. RMBM Page 54 Seminar – week 8 Learning Objective: To help students improve the structure and content of their research portfolio by examining examples of the work of previous students. Task 1 On the Moodle site you will see examples of two research portfolios from previous students (both Task 1 and Task 2 must be submitted for marking). The documents are just the main body of each report and do not include the appendices which you will need to submit with your work. Read each report and decide how you would rate each one in terms of the following: i) Does the report follow the required structure (sections) for Task 1 and Task 2? ii) Does the critique of a journal paper include both strengths and weaknesses? iii) Has the research strategy and method been well justified? iv) How well is the data collection described and how well is the data presented and analysed? v) Are the conclusions fair? vi) Is the referencing complete and well formatted? vii) Has the actual research followed what was described in the proposal? If not is the difference explained? viii) Is the work generally well presented? Task 2 Excel Exercise This is to refresh your memory on calculating totals and percentages in Excel and producing suitable graphs from data. 1. Enter the data from the table below. Use the same formatting styles. You do not need to type the column letter headings or the row numbers. These are provided here as guidance. 2. In column G enter a formula that calculates the total overseas and domestic expenditures for each of the sectors. 3. Use formula to calculate the total expenditure in each of the Overseas, Domestic and Total columns. RMBM Page 55 4. Calculate the % expenditure for each of the sectors. E.g. for Accommodation, what is the % spend of the total overseas expenditure. 5. Use the data in column F (% total expenditure) to construct a Pie diagram showing all the information you think is relevant. 6. Use the data in column G (total expenditure) to construct a column chart showing all the information you think is relevant. 7. Save your worksheet. A B C D E F G 1 UK Tourist Expenditure Breakdown 2 3 Sector Overseas Domestic Total 4 % £m % £m % £m 5 Accommodation 2548 3975 6 Eating out 1775 2615 7 Shopping 2138 1440 8 Travel within UK 680 1885 9 Services etc 395 100 10 Entertainment 395 650 11 Total Task 3 Discuss with your seminar tutor the progress you have made with your own research and make sure that you are clear about what you will need to submit. Work on your research portfolio for the remainder of the time: a. Design the questions to be used in your primary data collection (this is your interviews, questionnaires or focus groups) if not already done. b. If you have collected data discuss with your tutor how best to collate and analyse it. c. Find a research article to use for task c of the portfolio, the critique. You can use one from those provided on the Moodle site (week 5) or find your own using the online library databases. You should be now have your aim and objectives pretty much sorted out. Don’t worry if your methodology is not finished yet. You can go back and edit this once you have actually collected your primary data. Remember that you cannot proceed to the dissertation at level 6 until you have passed this module. RMBM Page 56 Seminar – week 9 Learning Objective: To help students use Excel to collate & analyse questionnaire responses. Task 1 1. Students to fill in 1 copy of the Sapphire Sports Club Catering questionnaire we looked at the other week in the seminar on questionnaire design. 2. Set up a table in Excel to enter the questionnaire responses, as shown in the example by the tutor on the screen. 3. Students get into groups of about 6 students. Enter the responses from all 6 questionnaires in your group onto your spreadsheet. 4. Analyse and count the responses using the appropriate functions in excel. 5. Create 3 appropriate graphs representing some of the data collected. 6. Write up the results from your questionnaire in a Word file, summarising the responses from your group. Task 2 Discuss with your seminar tutor the progress you have made with your own research and make sure that you are clear about what you will need to submit. Work on your research portfolio for the remainder of the time. RMBM Page 57 Seminar – weeks 10 - 12 Task 1 Use this seminar to work on your own research portfolio, writing up the results from the primary data collection you conducted over the Easter break. Discuss the results and how to present the analysis with your seminar tutor. RMBM Page 58 Notes