Repeat Assignment (August 2022) Research Methods
Lecturer: Dr M Waseem Akhtar
PLEASE NOTE:
Please provide your contact details (e mail and contact phone number) on the cover page of the submitted assignment. You might be asked to meet the lecturer. The purpose of this meeting is to determine the extent of your understanding of what you have submitted. Evidence of plagiarism will be investigated vigorously and may result in a zero grade.
So make sure that your assignment is to the point and that you understand fully what you present in your assignment.
If you have any questions or need more information to undertake this assignment, please send an email to the lecturer (Dr Waseem Akhtar) within four days of receiving this assignment brief. While engaging with the lecturer you must use the subject of the email as “Research Methods Repeat Assignment 2021”.
Assignment 1 (40% of the overall module) Research Paper
You are required to write a research paper that is not less than 1200 words and not more than 1400 words (excluding title and references). The purpose of this paper is to engage you an in depth research project – employing critical thinking – in the field of emerging disruptive innovations (technologies and products), their impact and the relevant future trends. As part of this assignment you are required to do literature review and are required to present your own / original views.
As discussed in the first few weeks in-class discussions, this is a broad field in which many exciting developments are occurring. The topic selection is up to you; however it should be in line with our in-class discussions. Be creative in your approach to your topic. If you are unsure, or have a question or need to further discuss this, please drop me an e mail.
Organize and format your paper carefully. Please give an abstract at the beginning. Include an introduction with a clear description of “what” is your topic. Do include the details that “why” you have selected this topic (motivation); discuss in detail the origin, history and impact of the selected technology, and the future trends. Along with the information gathered as part of the literature review and from your research, there should be a recognizable element of your original thoughts and views. Connect your ideas together with good transitions from paragraph to paragraph. Write
clearly and proofread carefully. At the end of the conclusion section, and before the bibliography, please indicate the word-count. Following is a suggested outline:
Title of the Paper
Author’s details (name, organization, e mail)
Abstract
- Introduction to the topic
- What is the technology under discussion?
- Why is it an important topic at this time?
(Is it currently a hot topic? Has it been a hot topic for some time? Is it a new technology / product that has just come on the scene? Do give information from the literature review and highlight your take on this. Make it sound interesting.)
- Give the reader an idea what this paper is about and how it is structured by stating: “This paper will…” and “next section presents…, section xx discusses …… then concluding remarks are presented in section ….”.
- Historical perspective on the topic
- What did your extensive research / literature review reveal about this topic?
- Where did this topic/technology/idea originate, and what is its history?
- Organize your review of the info so that you address several topics in an orderly fashion.
- Try to address the issue from both the consumers’/users’ and the producers’/developers’
point of view.
- Current perspectives on the topic
- What is going on right now with this issue/topic?
- Why should we be interested in this topic today?
- What are the positions of the competing interests?
- What are the forecasts for the future of the relevant technologies?
- Conclusion
- Brief restatement of the ideas and opinions presented
- Brief summary of what you found, and why it is important to study it References List / Bibliography
You can certainly use the Internet for your research, but remember that it is sometimes difficult to determine the credibility of the information on a website. Carefully cite the credible sources – books, academic, conference and journal papers and articles, and technical documents – by using a standard referencing systems (Harvard Referencing Systems is recommended). You must use at least
22 credible sources in writing your paper – more would be better. Please provide the word count of the paper at the end of the conclusion section.
Formatting guidelines:
Title: Use Calibri Font, size 14 bold
Name & Organization: use Calibri Font, Size 12 bold E mail: Font Lucinda Console, size 12
Abstract: Calibri Italic size 11, single line spacing All body text Calibri size 11, single line spacing Section Heading: Calibri size 12 bold
Note:
- Outline to perform self-assessment of your paper will be provided and discussed in the class. You are required to compete this form and submit it with the assignment. You have to write a brief reflective statement (400 words) about your paper evaluating it against the Universal Intellectual Standards.
- You are required to pass it through “Turn-it-in” on the Moodle and make sure that the
similarity index is less than 30.
- There will be two links on Moodle.
- RM Assignment 1: Turn-it-in Link
- Use this link to pass your writeup through Turn-it-in to check similarity index. Clearly specify this similarity index at the end of your paper.
- RM Assignment 1: Final Submission Link
·
- Use this link to submit the final assignment document. Please submit one document file that must include assignment submission sheet, research paper with bibliography, self- assessment and reflective statement, preferably in MS Word format; however, PDF files acceptable as well. Clearly specify final Turn-it-in similarity index just after conclusion at the end of your paper.
- PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT ZIPPED FILES.
Sc Research Methods Assignment 1 (Research Paper) Self-Assessment sheet
| No | Category | Marks Allocated | Marks Obtained | Comments (justify the marks) |
| 1 | Clarity (Idea) | 10 5 |
| 2 | Accuracy | 10 | ||
| 3 | Precision | 10 | ||
| 4 | Relevance | 5 | ||
| 5 | Depth | 20 | ||
| 6 | Breadth | 20 | ||
| 7 | Logic | 10 | ||
| 8 | Significance | 5 | ||
| 9 | Fairness | 5 | ||
| 10 | Total | 100 |
MSc Research Methods Assignment 1 (Research Paper)
Reflective Statement (approximately 400 words)
Assignment 2
Research / Project Proposal (60%)
You are required to submit a project proposal for your Research Project. This research proposal should not be less than 1400 words and must include:
- The proposal abstract
- What is your project proposal (idea, aims and goals)
- Why you want to do this research / develop this project (motivations)
- Background study and literature review (similar / relevant work done by others, similar / relevant ideas presented by others)
- What added / original value your project introduces
- An evidence of one survey and one brainstorming session to evaluate your idea. Please include the survey in the appendix. For brainstorming session, you need to describe the process that how it was conducted, the topics that were discussed, the issues that were raised. What themes came out of this brainstorming session (theme analysis).
- How would you do this research / develop this project (tools and technologies for product development, tools and techniques for fact finding, information gathering and feedback analysis etc, breakdown of activities, a provisional schedule preferably in the form of a GANT chart)
- Are there any ethical considerations to be addressed
- Business plan
- Conclusions and possible future directions
- Bibliography (referencing and citations of all reviewed litterateur and other sources of information)
- Include the “Check List”.
[Total 100 Marks]
You are required to submit your assignment onto Moodle. There will be two links for the submission: one for the softcopy of the text document, one file in word or PDF format (Please don’t zip it) and there will be a separate link for the video presentation.
Please note you are going to prepare this proposal for Research Methods module. You are not committing yourself to anything yet. You may decide to use this idea for your final project or you may change your mind and develop a different project proposal for your final project.
Check List
Elements of the Assignment Work
| Element & Activity | Check |
| Clearly articulated project idea Project idea aims & objectives. What it is; who is this for (users); what additional benefits & functionality it will provide. | |
| Literature Review Must include citations and bibliography. | |
| Review of the idea in the light of literature review. | |
| Quantitative Research Identify all stakeholders Description of the information do you intend to capture. Undertaking quantitative research by developing, conducting surveys and then reviewing the findings. | |
| Review of the idea in the light of quantitative research. | |
| Qualitative Research Plan, develop and conduct brainstorming sessions with stakeholders Perform theme analysis and present findings; discuss these findings. |
| Review of the idea in the light of qualitative research. | |
| Final Version of the Proposed Project Idea | |
| Are there any ethical considerations? | |
| How will you do this project? How will you Develop it? Work breakdown structure, timeline, GANT Chart | |
| Business Plan Costing and Resource Estimation Initial Investment Return of Investment |
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