L7 Research Project & Advanced Research Project

Module Handbook

Contents Page

Section A: Introduction to the Module 3

Section B: The Research Proposal 11

Section C: The Dissertation Structure 12

Section D: The Journal Article 19

Section E: Supervision 23

Section F: Submission 24

Section G: Recommended Reading 26

Section A: Introduction to the Module

Overview

Module Leaders:

PG Psychology	Dr Tom Lockhart
UG Psychology	James Bartlett
Computing	Stuart Hutchison
Healthcare Management	Dr Imose Itua
PG Business	Sophie Ward
UG Business	Dr Wilson Ozuem
Law	Dr Debbie Lister
Criminology	Dr Christina Thorne
Graphic Design	Cavell Ord-Shrimpton
Apprenticeship	Sophie Ward

Level: 7 (Masters)

Credits: 60

Learning Hours: 600

Aims

The ‘Research Project’ is an essential part of the process of achieving Master’s level. It provides you with the opportunity to work independently to develop your ability to make critical and evaluative judgements. It is expected that this will provide an opportunity to integrate the course with practice, developing the ability to be an effective reflective practitioner. By completing a Research Proposal, you should demonstrate that you are able to produce work that is relevant in practice and has an academic standing at Master’s level. This is your opportunity to apply what you have learned from your programme into your area of interest or your workplace, so ensure that it is a piece of work you invest your time and effort into and you should be proud of the outcome.

Module Learning Outcomes

Psychology programmes:

	On successful completion of this module the student will be expected to be able to:
Knowledge and understanding	1. Demonstrate a critical understanding and depth of knowledge of the core areas of psychology and the ability to assess their relevance in the understanding of the contemporary world 2. Identify, research, critically summarise and apply key concepts in psychology to a range of psychological issues 3. Evaluate and apply different methodological approaches to the study of mental life and behaviour 4. Conduct an independent research project at a postgraduate level with a reflective understanding of ethical issues in human participation in research
Intellectual, practical, affective and transferable skills	5. Critically distinguish between different research approaches in psychology and their application, based on relevant theoretical, philosophical, practical, statistical, and methodological reasoning 6. Assimilate data and evidence to support a reasoned argument to explain some aspect of human mental life and behaviour 7. Display competence in the execution of an individual research project and the critical evaluation of its value in addressing some aspect of theory and research method in psychology 8. Develop personal skills to increase the effectiveness of their work and time management strategies 9. Demonstrate competence in the planning and execution of research to a professional and ethical standard, act autonomously, and demonstrate originality 10. Communicate arguments, evidence, and statistical information thorough essays and reports in an effective way that is in accordance with discipline-relevant publication guidelines 11. Use CIT to analyse and communicate data in an effective way and in a variety of settings 12. Undertake independent, ethically sound research through the acquisition of skills relevant to the context of human behaviour
Graduate attributes	13. Discipline Expertise: Knowledge and understanding of chosen field. Possess a range of skills to operate within this sector, have a keen awareness of current developments in working practice being well positioned to respond to change.

HRM programmes:

	On successful completion of this module the student will be expected to be able to:
Knowledge and understanding	1. Select, evaluate and apply critical management thinking to an organisational issue or problem which is clearly linked to the subject specialism of the programme being studied 2. Review literature and methodologies to design and carry out an appropriate research activity 3. Compare and contrast the relative merits of different research methods and their relevance to different situations. 4. Identify and resolve complex management issues in a logical and critical manner,
Intellectual, practical, affective and transferable skills	5. Critically reflect to support enhanced learning, self-awareness and interaction with others. 6. Work independently, taking responsibility for the research / publication process and where necessary the self-learning of new skills. 7. Demonstrate effective planning, and project management to develop and present a persuasive business report. 8. Undertake personal development including the awareness of an ethical and socially responsibility dimensions to the research process. 9. Draw realistic and appropriate conclusions and make recommendations based on costed options. 10. Demonstrate that all the Learning Outcomes of the CIPD Developing Skills for Business Leaders (7SBL) have been met. The 7SBL Learning Outcomes are that students will be able to: 1) Manage themselves more effectively at work or in another professional context. 2) Manage interpersonal relationships at work more effectively. 3) Make sound and justifiable decisions and solve problems more effectively. 4) Lead and influence others more effectively. 5) Interpret financial information and manage financial resources. 6) Demonstrate enhanced IT proficiency. 7) Demonstrate an essential people management skill-set. 8) Demonstrate competence in postgraduate study skills.
Graduate attributes *If applicable*	Discipline Expertise 11. Knowledge and understanding of chosen field. Possess a range of skills to operate within this sector, have a keen awareness of current developments in working practice being well positioned to respond to change.

All other programmes:

	On successful completion of this module the student will be expected to be able to:
Knowledge and understanding	1. Select, evaluate and apply critical management thinking to an organisational issue or problem which is clearly linked to the subject specialism of the programme being studied 2. Review literature and methodologies to design and carry out an appropriate research activity 3. Compare and contrast the relative merits of different research methods and their relevance to different situations. 4. Identify and resolve complex management issues in a logical and critical manner,
Intellectual, practical, affective and transferable skills	5. Critically reflect to support enhanced learning, self-awareness and interaction with others. 6. Work independently, taking responsibility for the research / publication process and where necessary the self-learning of new skills. 7. Demonstrate effective planning, and project management to develop and present a persuasive business report. 8. Undertake personal development including the awareness of an ethical and socially responsibility dimensions to the research process.
Graduate attributes *If applicable*	Discipline Expertise 9. Knowledge and understanding of chosen field. Possess a range of skills to operate within this sector, have a keen awareness of current developments in working practice being well positioned to respond to change.

To achieve the module learning outcomes, you are required to produce the following by programme:

Psychology programmes:

A Research Proposal (suggested 1,200 words, pass/fail)
A Dissertation (12,000 words, worth 100% of the final grade)

HRM programmes:

A Research Proposal (suggested 1,200-2000 words, pass/fail)
Skills for Business Leadership Portfolio (2,000 words, pass/fail)
A Dissertation (15,000 words, worth 100% of the final grade)

All other programmes:

A Research Proposal (suggested 1,200-2000 words, pass/fail)
A Dissertation (15,000 words, worth 100% of the final grade)

A Research Proposal (suggested 1,200-2000 words, pass/fail)
A Journal Paper (5000 words, worth 80% of the final overall grade) to be submitted for peer-review to a journal in the chosen journal’s format) followed by a 20-minute VIVA VOCE examination (worth 20% of the final overall grade).

Please note that the Module Specification no longer states a word count for the Proposal, so the above is only a suggestion. The student CANNOT be penalized if they exceed the suggested wordcount.

Module Delivery

The Research Project Module is divided into 10 separate lessons covering the following topics:

Lesson 01: Selecting a Research Topic

Lesson 02: Supervision and Feedback

Lesson 03: Conducting a Literature Review

Lesson 04: Creating an Ethical Research Proposal

Lesson 05: Additional Research Techniques

Lesson 06: Developing Your Research Methods

Lesson 07: Planning and Conducting Your Research

Lesson 08: Writing and Introduction

Lesson 09: Interpreting and Critically Evaluating Your Results

Lesson 10: Writing the Report

The module lessons combine academic research and practical advice and will be a valuable resource for you as you make progress towards developing your proposal and completing your Dissertation.

Please note the following steps carefully:

Step One: Complete Lesson Materials

You will spend the first few weeks on the module working your way through the various lessons and completing the range of activities that are included within the materials. These activities are not part of the assessment process for the module, but they will help you develop your understanding of the research process and assist you developing your ideas.

The module lesson materials will therefore be available to you throughout your experience on the module. In addition, a wide range of texts and articles are available to you on the EBSCO and EBook Central databases that you can access via iLearn.

Step Two:

Prepare a Research Working Title

Once you have worked your way through the lessons you now need to consider your ideas/area of interest for your research project/Dissertation title and submit this on the Dissertation Working Title Form to the relevant Module Leader (listed on page 3). From the information on this form the Module Leader will allocate a Supervisor, with expertise in your area of interest, to work with you towards completion of the research project/Dissertation.

Step Three:

Prepare a Research Proposal

The module leader will contact you by e-mail when the Supervisor has been appointed. Please see Section E for more information on working with your Supervisor.

The Proposal should be submitted to your Supervisor. Section B of this document provides detailed information on the proposal stage.

Step Four:

Complete Ethics Form

Ethical approval is also needed from your Supervisor prior to the recruitment of participants.

No recruitment or data collection must be carried out until you receive formal notification that your study has been approved by the ethics panel.

An ethics approval form needs to be submitted by you and is assessed on a pass/fail basis. In the event of the Proposal not being approved, you are required to re-design and resubmit based on your Supervisor’s recommendations. Recruitment and data collection can then start as soon as the approval is granted. You should send your completed Arden University Ethics Form to your Supervisor (for first sign-off), provided that your Supervisor is satisfied that your proposed project is viable and the form is completed to the required standard they will send on to the module leader (for second sign-off) and, if necessary, to the ethics panel for ethical approval. Once the Proposal has been approved you can then start your data collection for your project.

Step Five:

Formative Feedback of Dissertation Chapters

Whilst collecting data your Dissertation will be taking shape. To make sure you are on the right track throughout the writing process you will share chapters with your Supervisor allowing for a formative feedback opportunity which will help the final submission to take shape.

Step Six:

Dissertation Submission

The deadline for submission of the final Dissertation should be agreed with your Supervisor, being mindful of the timing of your registration on the programme.

Section B: The Research Proposal

Research Proposal Contents

Research Proposal:

The second key output for this module, after the Research Project Working Title form, is the Research Proposal which you are required to produce for your research project, in a field relating to the subject of your qualification. This is a gatekeeping stage for your final Dissertation. You will work with your appointed Supervisor to complete your Proposal by the agreed deadline. Your Proposal should cover all of the following areas.

Rationale

This should contain an explanation of the problem/issue and justification as to why it is important. There should also be a series of precisely written objectives, to include observable outcomes, that flow from this section.

You should also demonstrate your knowledge of relevant literature by identifying key debates to clearly show how this will inform your research.

Method, Data & Ethics

This section must include an explanation of fundamental issues in methodology followed by a full description of the methodological approach to be adopted in the proposed research. Your data collection method should be justified. You should explore issues of validity, reliability and generalisability of the Research Proposal and make reference to ethical issues.

In addition, you should also discuss relevant practical issues relating to the research to be undertaken. For example, the possible need to obtain organisational consent as well as the timescales involved in completing your project. A more detailed project plan should be appended.

References

You must include references in support of your Proposal, which should be used in accordance with the appropriate convention for your programme:

APA standards for Psychology.
OSCOLA for Law
Arden University Harvard for all other programmes.

A Project Plan

A project plan, which outlines the proposed timescale for completion of your Dissertation including significant activities, should also be attached to the Proposal. We understand that the timescales shown in the plan may change but it is important to give consideration and to set out your proposed timescales at this early stage of the process.

Submission of your Proposal for Marking

Your Proposal must be emailed to your Supervisor. The Supervisor will review the Proposal and grade it as a pass or fail, they will notify you of the pass/fail via e-mail. When you have achieved the pass grade for the Proposal, you will then move on to the Dissertation stage of the module. You cannot submit your Dissertation without your Proposal being approved.

Section C: The Dissertation Structure

Helpful guidelines on developing your Dissertation are contained within the lesson materials and a summary is provided here:

Structure and content

The Dissertation itself is made up of a number of chapters each of which serves a specific purpose. All of the chapters are tied together by the threads of the research question and should represent a coherent and complete picture of the work undertaken. The Overall Length of the Dissertation (excluding formatting pages and appendices) must not exceed 15,000 words (or 12,000 words for Psychology programmes). Let’s consider the key chapters in the following sub-sections,

Formatting

The Dissertation takes the form of a formal academic report including a title page (stating the student name and ID number, course title, Dissertation title and word count), declaration, acknowledgements, 300-word abstract with 5 key words listed, a contents page and a list of tables and figures. These set the shape for the rest of the report and do not form part of the word count. The declaration should include three signatures, where appropriate, from the student showing that it is i) their own work, ii) that the work is not confidential, iii) agreeing for Arden to store and use the work as a reference.

Introduction

As the first chapter of the Dissertation this is probably the one that you will revisit last before submitting. The purpose of the chapter is to set out and justify the study that you have undertaken in the wider social context. Crucially, the whole Dissertation document should be written in the past tense, the idea being that the write up has been undertaken after the research has been completed. The introduction chapter should lead the author from an introduction to the topic through to presentation of the objectives and structure of the Dissertation. Key terms should be introduced and defined, and justification provided from different perspectives. If the study is based upon a specific organisation or context then it will require introducing and justification will need to be provided for conducting the study. The value of the study will also need to be considered. A typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

Background – an overview of the topic and its merit as a research topic
Rationale – justification for the study
Case study – if relevant, an overview of the organisation or study context
Objectives and research questions
Dissertation structure

Expected word count: 2,500 words (2,000 for Psychology programmes)

The Introduction section should include the research question(s) that was/were asked in order to address the objectives. A common error is not giving the Introduction section the time required to ensure that it is well referenced and clearly justifies the study.

There is a range of material that can be used in the literature review. For example, books and academic journal articles are the most commonly used. When selecting information sources, it is important to consider the relative value of the source. Peer reviewed sources such as books and journals are much more valuable than organisational websites, for example. In some cases, news articles may be an important source of information. The most valuable sources of information are journal articles and wherever possible should constitute the bulk of the research sources you use. Once sufficient sources have been gathered there are considerations to be made. The relevance of the source should be considered. If it is not relevant, abandon it. If there are two sources, one of which is better, then use the better source. Once you have gathered sufficient information for a well referenced, balanced approach, you should conclude your argument. It is easy to become bogged down working on the literature review so take a tactical approach and know when to say enough is enough. A typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the chapter
Topics – the number of titles of these will vary depending on your area of study
Summary – the chapter needs summarising to conclude where your research fits within the existing literature
Questions – what question(s) you aim to answer or explore in your Dissertation
Expected word count: 3,000 words (2,500 for Psychology programmes)

If the chapter is overly descriptive then you cannot expect to achieve more than a pass. A widely referenced literature review that critically evaluates the literature will score better marks. The literature review must be critical, identifying the relevant theoretical ideas, concepts, debates and issues in the relevant field.

Methodology and Method

The methodology chapter serves two purposes and it is important to include both in order to achieve a good mark. Methodology is the study of undertaking research. An engagement with the philosophy of research and the associated approaches is important to demonstrate your understanding of research at a fundamental level. Crucially, this is not just a review of different methods, it is where the selected philosophies, ontology and approaches are identified and justified. Once again, a balance between reviewing approaches and justifying those used must be struck.

The second purpose is to demonstrate, critique and justify the actual methods used. In this section, the research questions can be used to structure the critique of research methods. The methods used to answer each question should be presented, critiqued, justified and the approach to employing them, analysed. This activity is termed the operationalisation of methodology, the aim being to show the reader how to replicate the study, the issues that were encountered and why certain methods were used. A typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the chapter
Philosophical assumptions – an appreciation of research philosophy. Crucially, the selected approach should be identified and justified.
Research questions – each question should be used as a subheading. In each case the methods selected should be critiqued and justified. The information relevant to populations, sampling methods, deployment plans, the design of instruments and limitations can be included on a question by question basis.
Validity and Reliability – this can be considered on a question by question basis or in a section on its own. A consideration is made of how the method addresses the needs of the question and how replicable they are.
Data Selection and Collection – a detailed breakdown of how and why data was collected and the associated practical challenges.
Ethics and Bias – a consideration of the relevant ethical issues and any bias that may be inherent within the study or the subsequent analysis with thought given to validity, reliability and generalisability. Again, this can be considered on a question by question basis or in a section on its own.
Limitations – discuss any relevant limitations to the methods selected.

Expected Word Count: 3,000 words (2,500 for Psychology programmes)

The chapter must be well referenced containing sources that go beyond the use of books. Excellent analysis and justification of the actual approaches used is crucial in achieving good marks.

Results and Discussion

This chapter is where the results of the primary investigation are presented, analysed and discussed. The chapter must go beyond simply presenting the results. The analysis of the data and research is essential. If a quantitative approach has been taken, then variables can be tested against one another to show relationships within the data set. Qualitative data can be coded and discussed by themes to characterise the trends which underpin the observed data. Essentially, the gathered results need to be compared to the findings of established literature to demonstrate either similarities or differences. Tight links to the literature is important in discussing the meaning of the results.

Presenting the findings needs to be a priority in this chapter. Selecting appropriate methods needs to be considered carefully. Graphs should only be used where they add value to the work and make a visual impact. Where graphs are included, different graph types must be used correctly for the data being presented and the information presented must be clear. A typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the chapter. Signposts to where the research questions are addressed by the primary research should be included.
Response rates – overview the rate of response from primary research methods. Demographic information can be included here. Importantly, the results must be linked to information about the population under study to show that the results are representative.
Results – the findings are presented with suitable discussion and analysis with links to established literature. Ensure you clarify why statistical analysis is inferential or descriptive in this context characterising trends which have arisen. When using qualitative data ensure that quotes are presented with appropriate contextual analysis.
Summary – summarise the chapter with key findings and link to the research question.

Expected Word Count: 3,500 words (2,500 for Psychology programmes)

A descriptive presentation of the results will not achieve any more than a pass. Where links to literature are made and variables are tested against one another, higher marks will be achieved. Appropriate statistical testing, where valid, will improve the marks achieved. The highest marks will be attributed to Dissertations pushing the boundaries of what is published in the literature.

Conclusions

Like the introduction, this chapter is often overlooked and not given enough care. The conclusion chapter is essential in tying together the threads that have been woven throughout the work bridging the literature review with the results and discussions section. It relates directly to the beginning of the Dissertation and shows what was found in the process of addressing the objectives and answering the questions that were initially set. This chapter also provides the opportunity to reflect on process as well as look forward to where the work could be taken next with appropriate insight (e.g. costings for implementation of recommended actions).

Crucially, the research questions that were set in the introduction and discussed again in the methodology chapter must be addressed directly here to demonstrate how they were answered and what was found. This chapter also allows the opportunity to evaluate where the Dissertation fits within the literature. The conclusions chapter is not the opportunity to introduce new things. A typical structure for this chapter would be as below.

A strong set of conclusions that contain all of the listed elements are needed in order to achieve a good mark. Justification as to how this work is independent and developmental, rather than just a patchwork of the work, thoughts and interpretations of others’ which is stitched together by a few threads of the your own making. Many, otherwise strong Dissertations, have fallen apart in this chapter, leading to a lower mark.

Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the chapter
General conclusions – overview the key findings and their implications
Research question conclusions – taking each research question separately clearly demonstrate what has been found in answering them. It is also important to point out what was not found.
Recommendations – based upon the findings, recommend courses of action to provide direct benefit. If linked to a specific case study these could be organisational recommendations. If considering a topic in a more abstract way these could be generalised recommendations that have a wider scope. Wider application beyond the confines of the original research focus could also be made here.
Errors and limitations – a final opportunity to recognise the things that may have limited the work undertaken. These build upon those discussed in the methodology as they may include practical limitations encountered along the way or flaws in approaches that only became apparent later on.
Recommendations for further study – themes may emerge from the study that warrant further investigation. Outline what these are and how they may be addressed in the future.

Expected Word Count: 3,000 words (2,500 for Psychology programmes)

References and Appendices

A good reference list is essential in achieving a good mark. The list should only contain references that are directly cited within the text. The required approach must be taken as specified in the study skills area. As with all other assessments, a bibliography is not required. Ensure your referencing conforms to the relevant framework listed in section B.

Appendices are opportunities to include supporting documentation such as a copy of a survey or interview schedule that the reader can be directed to. If appendices are used, they must be referred to in the main body of the work. Marks cannot be awarded for work contained in appendices, but these can assist in the understanding for arguments and discussions made within the Dissertation.

Presentation

There are marks available for presentation. When considering this the marker will look at the use of language, the overall structure and coherence of the document and the referencing. A consistent use of font size and spacing is essential.

References must be used as required by the appropriate referencing convention and spelling and grammatical errors should not be present in the final document. With some care these are easy marks to add to your overall score.

DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Presentation: structure, language, grammar, visuals, logic and coherence and appropriate and systematic use of the appropriate referencing system will be form part of each sections assessment.

A clear statement of the purpose of the Dissertation: The objectives of the research should be clearly stated and explained where appropriate. The rationale for the investigation is justified in terms of academic/ organisational importance	20%
Critical review of the literature: Provide an evaluation and interpretation of relevant earlier work and where appropriate develop a conceptual framework that draws together the key literature(s) / ideas	20%
State what methods were considered, what was selected and why. In doing so you should: · justify the approach adopted including decisions surrounding the collection of primary/secondary data (where appropriate) · consider the appropriateness of the approach within constraints present · Detail with justification the overall sampling strategy adopted · Detail how the data was analysed · Address issues of validity, reliability and generalisability	20%
Data presentation: Detailed and logical presentation and analysis of the data	20%
Conclusion and recommendations: – analysis of findings with reference to purpose of study; issues from the literature review. Practical application (recommendations). Recommendations should include a detailed analysis of implementation issues and costings (financial and other relevant costs). Detailed consideration of the limitations of the study and a future research agenda including the application of alternative research designs	20%

Arden University Generic Level 7 Assessment Criteria

Level 7 is characterised by an expectation of students’ expertise in their specialism. Students are semi-autonomous, demonstrating independence in the negotiation of assessment tasks (including the major project) and the ability to evaluate, challenge, modify and develop theory and practice. Students are expected to demonstrate an ability to isolate and focus on the significant features of problems and to offer synthetic and coherent solutions, with some students producing original or innovative work in their specialism that is potentially worthy of publication by Arden University. A clear appreciation of ethical considerations (as appropriate) is also a prerequisite.
Grade	Mark Band	Generic Assessment Criteria
Distinction	70%+	Excellent analysis of key issues and concepts. Excellent development of conceptual structures and argument, making consistent use of scholarly conventions. Excellent research skills, independence of thought, an extremely high level of intellectual rigour and consistency, exceptional expressive / professional skills, and substantial creativity and originality. Excellent academic/intellectual skills. Work pushes the boundaries of the discipline and demonstrates an awareness of relevant ethical considerations. Work may be considered for publication by Arden university
Merit	60-69%	Very good level of competence demonstrated. High level of theory application. Very good analysis of key issues and concepts. Development of conceptual structures and argument making consistent use of scholarly conventions. Some evidence of original thought and a general awareness of relevant ethical considerations
Pass	50-59%	A satisfactory to good performance. Basic knowledge of key issues and concepts. Generally descriptive, with restricted analysis of existing scholarly material and little argument development. Use of scholarly conventions inconsistent. The work lacks original thought. Some awareness of relevant ethical considerations. Satisfactory professional skills (where appropriate).
Marginal Fail	40-49%	Limited research skills impede use of learning resources and problem solving. Significant problems with structure / accuracy in expression. Very weak academic / intellectual / professional skills. Limited use of scholarly conventions. Errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall.

Section D: The Journal Article

Before starting this section here are reminders from Section One:

The Journal Article option is only available to those students enrolled on programmes not including Psychology or HRM who have achieved an average grade profile of Merit or above in their first six modules and whose Proposal meets the requirements of the Research Committee.

If you are not sure about your average grade profile, please contact the support team at Dissertations@arden.ac.uk.

NOTE: Your option to choose the Journal Article route will be reviewed on the appointment of your Supervisor. It may be that upon further discussion that the Dissertation route may be the best option.

Please also note that if you are registered on to a specialist pathway programme, for example, Finance, Computing, Marketing etc. then your Research Project Journal Article should be focused substantially in the area of that specialism.

Journal Article Content Guidelines

The structure of your Journal Article is very much dependant on the agreed approach to your research and on the requirements of the journal you have selected for your article.

It’s therefore important that you read and understand the guidelines provided for your chosen Journal before you start creating a structure for the article.

For example, the results from your research and the subsequent discussion of your findings, including engagement with literature, can often be integrated within a Journal Article, rather than presented in separate sections as can happen with a Dissertation.

Some articles may require a specified literature review while others will have little in the way of results but a more developed discussion section.

Some journals may not require a detailed Methodology section whereas others may be more heavily focused on this area.

Following the specific guidelines from the Journal is therefore key for this part of the assessment.

Please also see the Journal Article Assessment Criteria on Page 24 that can also be used as a guide to the content of your article.

VIVA Procedure

The Viva activity contributes 10% of the total mark for the Research Project and is therefore an important final stage of the process for those of you who opt to create a Journal Article.

It is likely that the following individuals will be involved in the Viva process:

A Secretariat / Chair – to chair the meeting and to take minutes.
Your Supervisor
A second research active academic

The process for the Viva will be as follows:

A private meeting will be held between the two academics mentioned above, to compare notes and develop the questions that will be used in your Viva meeting.

The Chair of the meeting will direct the questioning to you during the event and prompt the academics to ask a range of question related to your research approach, the practical implementation of your research and the research outcomes.

Your responses will be noted.

Following the Viva meeting, the academics will discuss your responses, the notes made on the discussion and agreement of the grade. This will create the feedback for you, for this part of the process.

Please see Section F ‘Submission’ and ‘Assessment Criteria for Level 7’ on page 18, for further information.

Journal Article Assessment Criteria

Abstract/ Introduction and Justifications: Follows the approach as required by the chosen journal but this could include: An Abstract providing a summary of the article, as outlined in the article guidelines A clear statement of the purpose of the article The objectives of the research should be clearly stated and explained where appropriate. The rationale for the investigation is justified in terms of academic/ organisational importance	10%
Process: Follows the approach to Methodology as required by the chosen journal but this could include where the student: Justifies the methodology Justifies the decisions surrounding the collection of primary/secondary data (where appropriate) Considers the appropriateness of the approach and how it is implemented Details with justification the overall sampling strategy adopted Details how the data was analysed Addresses issues of validity, reliability and generalisability	10%
Results, Discussion and Engagement with Literature: Follows the approaches as required by the chosen journal but this could include: Critical review of the literature: Provide an evaluation and interpretation of relevant earlier work and where appropriate develop a conceptual framework that draws together the key literature(s) / ideas. Data Presentation: Detailed with logical presentation Analysis of findings with reference to purpose of study Developed discussion highlighting issues from and clear links to, the literature review.	40%
Conclusion and recommendations: Follows the approaches as required by the chosen journal but this could include: Summary of the work related to the initial aim/objectives Practical application (Recommendations) Recommendations should include a detailed analysis of implementation issues Detailed consideration of the limitations of the study and a future research agenda including the application of alternative research designs	10%
Academic Rigour: Structure, language, grammar, visuals, logic & coherence and appropriate and systematic use of the appropriate referencing system, according to Journal Article requirements.	15%

Contribution to Knowledge:

Follows the approaches as required by the chosen journal but this could include: Consideration given to identifying a gap in the current knowledge related to the subject matter
Reflection on how the work relates to the subject area and advances understanding
Consideration on how future research could build on this current research output

15%

Note: The Journal Article is worth 80% of the total marks for the module.

The remaining 20% is connected to the VIVA which will be assessed using the Assessment Criteria for this Level 7 module included on page 18.

Section E: Supervision

Each student should know that the Dissertation part of their degree requires significant thought and preparation. The student should be the driver here and initiate activity around the Dissertation and be reading and investigating their topic. Students should be able to work unaided in the main. This is an activity that is yours and for you alone to progress and be responsible for, with some advice from a Supervisor.

A Supervisor will be assigned to you based on the proposed area of investigation, once you have submitted the Working Title form. Your Supervisor will then work with you towards completion of the Proposal stage, Ethics Form and then for the Dissertation. Your Supervisor will provide you with feedback as to the project’s viability and discuss with you any amendments that need to be made before you can proceed. In order for this to happen you should ensure that your Supervisor has made contact with you within the FIRST week of being assigned to a Supervisor (your Module Leader will have emailed you both when you were assigned to your Supervisor).

Your Supervisor will discuss specific details of how the ‘working relationship’ will be implemented in practice. This is an ideal time to raise any concerns about the development of the initial Proposal and how the Dissertation or journal article process will work in practice. Further general guidance on the supervision process is detailed below.

The emphasis of the supervision will be upon:

Encouraging you to carry out a comprehensive review of relevant literature in support of your research and to formulate a Proposal and Dissertation based project commensurate with Master’s level of study.

Planning appropriate methodologies to underpin your research and to articulate your rationale for the methodology used.

Encouraging you to keep appropriate records of action/progress, such as reference sources, interview and contact logs.

Providing general support, direction and guidance as required throughout the research project process.

You will be required to conduct all stages of the project independently but with advice and guidance given by your academic Supervisor. Your Supervisor is an invaluable resource to you and every effort should be made to liaise with your Supervisor throughout the entire research process.

Section F: Submission

The conditions of a Master’s course require that you complete a substantial piece of independent research. Therefore, the responsibility for the final submission of the Proposal and thereafter, the Dissertation, is yours and not your Supervisor’s. Ultimately, you must be the judge of what the Proposal and the final Dissertation will contain. It is not the role of the Supervisor to provide detailed comments on drafts. While you can expect some feedback on drafts this will be of a general nature and will not be a detailed analysis of your submission. The Supervisor will not comment on amendments made in the light of this feedback.

The work is yours and not the Supervisors.

It is very important that your Supervisor is allowed sufficient time for the reading of drafts. You MUST NOT EXPECT your Supervisor to read work instantly when a deadline is near. Ideally, a full draft should be sent between two weeks and a month before the relevant deadline to allow time for changes and amendments – subject of course, to the Supervisor’s schedule.

Submission Arrangements:

Hand-In Date

The date for final submission of your Dissertation should be agreed with your Supervisor, there is the opportunity to submit approximately on the 15^th of every quarter from January. When you are ready to submit your Dissertation work for marking, you are required to upload an electronic copy of your Dissertation to iLearn. There is no need to submit a hard copy to Arden University.

Dissertation Submission Format

The Dissertation will be required to be presented in the following format following the structure outlined in section C:

Typed (word-processed) on 1 page of A4 using double spacing. The recommended font is Arial, size 12 for the main content and appreciating font sizes for sub-headers and headers etc.
All text should be justified, so that it is straight edged (like a book).
Any pages preceding those of the main text should be numbered at the centre of the foot of each page.
Make sure that your Dissertation reads well. Keep paragraphs short and use appropriate headings. Pay particular attention to grammar and sentence construction. Keep content clear, to the point and jargon free.

Figures and Tables should be clearly labelled, referenced sequentially as they appear in the text and produced via software packages. These should be ideally placed on a separate page or within the text but as close to the text at which it is referred to. Where appropriate, acknowledgement of the source should be presented on the page beneath the Figure/Table. Make sure that you include a Contents Page using appropriate and correct numbering.

Journal Article Submission Format

The Journal Article should be presented in the format that is required by the Journal you selected at the outset of the process. The Journal may specify specific guidelines on the spacing of text, font, font size etc. Please read the Journal’s guidelines carefully.

In the absence of any guidelines then please proceed as follows:

Typed (word-processed) on 1 page of A4 using double spacing. The recommended font is Arial, size 12 for the main content and appreciating font sizes for sub-headers and headers etc.
All text should be justified, so that it is straight edged (like a book).
Any pages preceding those of the main text should be numbered at the centre of the foot of each page.
Make sure that your Journal Article reads well. Keep paragraphs short and use appropriate headings. Pay particular attention to grammar and sentence construction. Keep content clear, to the point and jargon free.

You will be required to submit an electronic copy of your Journal Article to ilearn. There is no need to submit a hard copy to Arden University.

Make sure that your Journal Article submission contains:

A cover page, which details your full name, student number, course title, Journal Article title, registration number and enrolment date.
A fully signed copy of the required ‘Declaration & Statements Page’ (See Appendix Four).

Figures and Tables should also be presented as required by the Journal’s own guidelines. In the absence of any guidelines then please proceed as follows:

Figures and Tables should be clearly labelled, referenced sequentially as they appear in the text and produced via software packages.
These should be ideally placed on a separate page or within the text but as close to the text at which it is referred to.
Where appropriate, acknowledgement of the source should be presented on the page beneath the Figure/Table.

Re-submissions

The Dissertation and Journal Article may only be resubmitted once the grade has been confirmed by the External Examiner.
Dissertation and Journal Article resubmissions must be received no more than twelve months after the date of communication of the original result.

Section G: Recommended Reading

There is a range of texts on Research Methods available on the EBSCO and EBook Central online libraries. References are formatted according to the convention of the relevant programme. Please check the format is correct before using in your Dissertation or journal article. A selection follows:

Coolican, H., 2014. Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. 6^th Edition. London and New York: Psychology Press.

Dawson, C., 2009. Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone Understanding a Research Project. 4^th Edition. London: Constable & Robinson Ltd.

Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. 2015, Research Methods for Business Students (7th edition), Harlow: Pearson

In addition, MA HRM students should refer to the following text in relation to their portfolio submission.

Ressiner, S and Watson, G. 2014, Developing Skills for Business Leadership (2^nd Edition) Kogan Page

Anderson, V. 2013, Research Methods in Human Resource Management: Investigating a Business Issue, London: CIPD

Dagnino, G. 2015, Research Methods for Strategic Management, Routledge, London

Camm, D. 2012, Quantitative Methods for Business, Cenage learning (available on ebook Central)

Greetham, B. 2014, How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation (Palgrave Study Skills), Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Gupta, R, 2015 Qualitative Research in Management, Sage, London (available on Ebsco)

Hair, J. et al, 2014, Essentials of Business Research Methods, M. E. Sharpe, New York (available on Ebsco)

Smith, M. 2015, Research Methods in Accounting (3rd edition), London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Wilson, J. 2014, Essentials of Business Research: A Guide to Doing Your Research Project (2nd edition), London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Howitt, D., and Cramer, D., 2011. Introduction to Statistics in Psychology. 5^th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Matthews, N., and Ross, L., 2010. Research Methods: A Practical Guide for the Social Sciences. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Willig, C., 2014. Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology. 3^rd Edition. Maidenhead: Open University Press.