Bolton Business Schoo PROJECT HANDBOOK A (Honours) Business Studies
BA (Honours) Marketing

CED April 2008
AIB April 2008

Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Assessment Methods 3
3. Submission Dates 3
4. Module Specifications 3
5. Project Workshops 3
6. Project Planning 4
7. The Project Outline 4
8. The Project Proposal 5
9. The Project Log Book 6
10. The Project Report – Outline 7
11. Project Report – Assessment 8
12. Project Report – Presentation Guidelines 10
13. Project Report – Submission 14
14. Examples of Projects 15
15. Roles and Responsibilities 15
16. Communication Protocols 16
17. Bibliography 17

Appendix 1: WebCT 18
Appendix 2: Research Timescale and Key Dates 20
Appendix 3: Project Outline Proforma 21
Appendix 4: Example of Project Proposal 22
Appendix 5: Business/Marketing Project: Project Proposal 25
Feedback Sheet
Appendix 6: Plagiarism (TurnitinUK) 26
Appendix 7: Academic Writing and Referencing 31
Appendix 8: Marking Table 32
Appendix 9: Examples of Bad Practice 34
Appendix 10: Sample Bibliography – Harvard Style 36
1. Introduction

留學(xué)生dissertation網(wǎng)odule is designed to give the learners the opportunity to pursue a piece of individual research under the supervision of a tutor. The project topic, which will be selected by the learner, must
• Be relevant to programme of study
• Be academically rigorous
• Be a unique piece of work
• Address a specific question or issue
• Be approved by a tutor
• Require familiarity with a range of business data, research sources and appropriate methodologies
• Require a critical evaluation of theories, principles, concepts and models

You will be expected to demonstrate an awareness of relevant theoretical models and contemporary literature relevant to their chosen area of study. They will be required to demonstrate creativity in identifying, stating and restating the problem in terms of the literature and models available. You will be expected to demonstrate a high degree of analytical and critical ability in the application of theoretical frameworks and literature, resulting in the synthesis of appropriate conclusions (and recommendations).

The project is a key part of your degree it is given the same credit value as your other modules.

The research materials which you may use are conventionally classified as:

Class 1 Materials drawn from original sources and primary data (empirical)
Class 2 Journal and related academic articles, publications of professional bodies
Class 3 Textbook publications

The Report should be based to a large extent on either Class 1 or Class 2 materials#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

This handbook will guide you through most of the key aspects of the Project, additional guidance will be provided at your Project Workshop. The module is supported by text books and an online learning environment (WebCT).
2. Assessment Methods

The Project will be assessed in the following way.

Description Mark %
Project Proposal
10
Logbook record of meetings and activities
10
Final Project Report (7,000 – 10,000 words)
80
3. Submission Dates

Your Deadlines Date
Project Workshop Date:
Deadline for Project Proposal:
Deadline for Submission of Project Report:

4. Module Specifications

The module specifications are available on a website at the University. Please use the following link:

http://www.bolton.ac.uk/academicaffairs/view_modulelist.asp?sort=code

You will need to look for the “Business Studies Project” (BST3100) and “Marketing Project” (MKT3100)

5. The Project Workshops

Before commencing your project, you will be required to attend 2 workshops. The workshops will assist your understanding of the project requirements.

The project workshops information will include the following:

• How to identify a problem or issue as a research topic for the project, selecting a title/research topic
• Project Proposals
• How to ground research through relevant theory(ies)
• Approaches to Research
• Literature Reviews
• Using Athens
• Methodology
• Framing Research Questions and Objectives
• Access and research ethics
• Time management and action planning
• How to undertake secondary and primary research
• Sampling
• Questionnaires, interviews, data collection
• Harvard Referencing
• Plagiarism (TurnitinUK)
• How to analyse and evaluate research data and write up findings
• How to develop conclusions and recommendations
• Communicating with Bolton Staff
• The log book
• WebCT (see Appendix 1)

The primary purpose of the project workshops will be to develop your individual project outline (proposed title, research objectives & questions).

 

6. Project Planning

Planning your project is the key to success. You will therefore need to break down the individual tasks required (see Appendix 2).

 

7. The Project Outline

A project outline will be completed by the end of the Project Workshop. The purpose of the outline is to allow the Workshop Tutor to access your initial intentions to provide early feedback (see Appendix 3).

The choice of the research topic is a matter for negotiation between you and the Workshop Tutor.

You should then continue to work to develop a Project Proposal to expand on your Project Outline.

#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

 

 

8. The Project Proposal

4 weeks after your Project Workshop you will need submit a HARD PAPER COPY of your Project Proposal to the local office and submit an electronic copy into the TurnitinUK website.

The purpose of the project proposal is to encourage you to organise your ideas into a clear statement of your research intent. The proposal should follow the following format:

• Title – Clearly conveys the purpose of your Report.

• Background –This section should be used to provide justification for your choice of research topic. It should also be used to demonstrate your knowledge of relevant literature and to clarify where your proposed research fits into the research already carried out in this area.

• Research questions and objectives – a clear statement of what it is that your research seeks to achieve, with a short list of research questions.

• Method – (Research Methodology) a statement of precisely how you intend to achieve your research objectives and a rationale for your choice of method

• Timescale - – you should identify the target dates (date and month) for completion each stage or activity for your Project Report (See Appendix 2)

• Resources – a statement of the resources that are required to enable you to complete your project

• References – literature sources that have been referred to in the background section. Including academic journals. The majority of secondary sources must be from refereed academic journals. One of the references must be obtained using Athens.

The assignment should be no more than three sides of A4, Arial 12. Not double spaced.

An example of a Project Proposal and the required format is provided in Appendix 4.

留學(xué)生dissertation網(wǎng)You should submit a hard copy of the Project Proposal to the local office. You should also upload a copy into TurnitinUK. A ‘revision’ area will be created to receive the document. The assessment process will take two weeks. (see Appendix 5 for the Feedback Proforma and Appendix 6 for Turnitin notes).

9. The Project Logbook

You should use the logbook to record each activity that you undertake whilst you are completing your project and to record the outcomes of contact that you have with your supervisor and study group. The logbook must be handed in with the final version of your Project Report.

Your log book starts at the time of the Project Workshop.

The format of the logbook may vary from student to student. It is expected that the logbook will include the following:

• date of each activity
• brief details of each activity / meeting
• names and contact details of any individuals / organisations that assisted you during the course of the project
• details of any problems or significant issues encountered #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
• details of how such problems / issues were resolved

A columnar format may be adopted:

Date Activity Contact Problems encountered or significant issues arising Resolution of problems or issues
July 18 Met with coordinator during Workshop to discuss outline project proposal Project Tutor (Bolton) Objectives require clarification Objectives rewritten and agreed with coordinator
The log book MUST include copies of communication between you and your supervisor (e-mail, WebCT, other electronic messages)

10. The Project Report – Outline

The project should be 7,000 - 10,000 words in length (excluding quotations and footnotes).

Report Structure (see Section 11 for further details):
The structure of the report should be in the following general format:

• Title page
• Declaration (Signed by student)
• Abstract (one page)
• Acknowledgements
• Contents page
• List of tables
• List of figures

Chapter 1: Introduction - description of the problem/situation, project objectives (approx 500 words)

Chapter 2: Literature review (approx 3,000 words)

Chapter 3: Methodology – description, discussion and justification of the methodology used (approx 2,500 words)

Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis - critical analysis (approx 2,000 words)

Chapter 5: Conclusions (approx 1,500 words)

Chapter 6: Recommendations (approx 500 words)

• Bibliography
• Glossary of terms
• Word count (Sum of words from 1.Introduction to 6. Recommendations)
• Appendices (Including blank and completed copies of research documents, questionnaires, interview questions, raw data tables)

You should also include:
• A copy of your Project Proposal and feedback from supervisor
• A copy of your Log book
• The first page of your TurnitinUK receipt

Please note: You should put concepts and ideas in your own words. Only use quotations and extracts when they are critical to the project. We would expect to see a TurnitinUK percentage of less than 15% with appropriate referencing.

The majority of the credit will be awarded for your own ‘original work’. (see Appendix 7 for guidance on academic writing and referencing)
11. Project Report - Assessment

The project will be assessed by the project supervisor. A sample of projects will be second marked and moderated by the External Examiner.

The Final Project Report will be assessed using the following assessment criteria as a guideline

• Construct an appropriate research design for the investigation of the problem/issue
• Carry out an extensive literature search and critically evaluate existing research related to the area under investigation
• Produce an appropriate literature review and conceptual framework
• Apply appropriate concepts to the research design and evaluate findings#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
• Relate theory to policy and practice in a specific organisational context
• Produce a comprehensive analysis of the findings
• Produce relevant conclusions and recommendations
• Produce a well written report with correct use of English, appropriate use of references and clear presentation
• Critique strengths and weaknesses in carrying out the research process

These are mapped onto the feedback sheet and are graded as follows:

Excellent: 70%+
Competent: 60-69%
Satisfactory: 50-59%
Adequate: 40-49%
Inadequate: Less than 40%

Mapping of Assessment Criteria to the Grading Sheet

Assessment Areas
Aim of investigation & literature review [secondary research]

(35 marks) Primary research methodology – design implementation and justification
(25 marks) Quality of analysis, conclusions and recommendations & relationship to literature

(30 marks) Quality of presentation and format

(10 marks)
Carry out an extensive literature search and critically evaluate existing research related to the area under investigation. Construct an appropriate research design for the investigation of the problem/issue Apply appropriate concepts to the research design and evaluate findings Produce a well written report with correct use of English, appropriate use of references and clear presentation
Produce an appropriate literature review and conceptual framework Relate theory to policy and practice in a specific organizational context.
Produce a comprehensive analysis of the findings
Critique strengths and weaknesses in carrying out the research process
Produce relevant conclusions and recommendations

See Appendix 8 for an example of the tutors’ Project Report assessment sheet.

See Appendix 9 for examples of bad practice identified in recent submissions.

12. Project Report - Presentation Guidelines

The following guidelines should be used in preparing your written report in order that all projects conform to a similar style and structure.

• The report should be typed on A4 white paper, single sided and be doubled spaced.

• The left hand margin should be not less than 40mm and the right hand margin not less than 20mm.

• All pages should be numbered at the centre of the bottom page.

• Use Arial font 12

Title Page:
The front title page of the project must carry the University’s name, the title of the project, the author's full name, student number, declaration and title of the course. See below:

PROJECT TITLE

STUDENT NAMEStudent Number

Bolton Business School
University of Bolton – March 2009

Project submitted in part fulfilment of the
留學(xué)生dissertation網(wǎng)BA (Honours) Marketing

The title page should create an accurate impression of the content of the project. The project title should communicate concisely the main thrust of the work. Examples:#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

Assessment of Capital Budgeting Strategies in the Construction Industry

Case Study of Resource Management in a Secondary School

Declaration:
You must add a declaration to confirm the originality of your project.

STUDENT DECLARATION:

The project which I have submitted is my own work and, with the exception of quotations (which are clearly marked and referenced), is written in my own words. I acknowledge that the work will be tested using the TurnitinUK software.

Students Signature: ....................................................................

Abstract
This is a summary of about 250-500 words describing the problem under investigation and aims of the study. It should briefly identify the main conclusions and recommendations.

Acknowledgements
This is a brief summary of the people and organisations you may wish to thank.

Contents Page
This should show the reader how the report is structured and how the author has developed their approach to the problem. The contents page should be presented in the following manner:

Contents
Page number
Declaration i
Abstract ii
Acknowledgements iii
Contents Page iv
List of Tables v
List of Figures v
1. Introduction incl. subsections 1.1, 1.2 etc 1
2. Literature Review incl. subsections 2.1, 2,2 etc 5
3. Methodology incl. subsections 3.1, 3.2 etc 18
4. Findings and Analysis incl. subsections 4.1, 4.2 etc 22
5. Conclusions incl. subsections 5.1, 5.2 etc 34
6. Recommendations incl. subsections 6.1, 6.2 etc 37
Bibliography
Glossary of Terms
Word Count (Sections 1-6)
Appendices
+ Copy of Project proposal and feedback from supervisor
Copy of Log Book
TurnitinUK receipt (first page)
 

 

List of Tables & Figures
http://www.ttc-switch.com/Thesis_Tips/Handbook/It is likely throughout the report that you will want to use tables or diagrams to present information. If these are directly related to your arguments it is better to include them in the main body rather than the appendices.

In such cases it is conventional to provide a special "content page" which identifies clearly where tables and figures are located.

Introduction
The introduction should set the context and tone for the rest of the Report. You should outline the reasons giving rise to the problem or issue by introducing the organisation and the topic under review to set in context your research.

It is vital you set clear objectives – what are you seeking to achieve by the end of the report.

These need to be relatively concise and precise.

Finally you need to give an outline description of how the structure of the report allows you to explore the problem.

Literature Review (and the development of a conceptual framework). #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
You will need to provide a discussion of the theories and conceptual models chosen and demonstrate in this section that you have carried out thorough review of the literature.

The review should critically examine the relevant literature and from this develop a conceptual and theoretical framework that will be used to analyse the situation under investigation.

Write selectively and focus on what is directly related to your project.

Methodology
This section should provide a critical discussion of the research methods and approaches considered and the justification of the research design developed.
The issue of triangulation and validity in the research design need to be covered in detail together with a critical discussion and evaluation of the design framework. Any limitations in the research design that emerged from the investigation should be acknowledged. The methodology should provide sufficient detail to allow your supervisor to assess the reliability and validity of your methods.

Findings and Analysis
The findings should be presented clearly and concisely, you should provide a discussion of your findings and analyse these using your chosen conceptual and theoretical framework to enable you to evaluate the problems and issues facing the organisation.

You should ensure that you have examined all the issues relevant to the topic and demonstrate that your arguments are drawn from your own research and linked to the academic concepts discussed previously in your literature review.

In addition you should include a discussion about the alternative courses of action available and their feasibility, desirability and acceptability to the organisation.

Conclusions
Your conclusions should naturally flow from your discussion and analysis of your findings. The conclusions should include a summary of your main findings which can be brought to bear on the defined objectives of the study.

These need to be referenced back to your Literature Review and Findings and Analysis.

Recommendations (optional)
The recommendations should flow from the conclusions. They should be feasible and practical, where costs are likely to be incurred there needs to be a justification of the likely benefits. In addition you need to consider and identify the possible human, political and managerial implications of any recommendations.
These need to be referenced back to your Conclusions.

Bibliography
References should be Harvard style – Guidance is available in the workshops and online from Learning Resources.

Glossary of Terms
Explain any key terms employed

Word count
Count of all words from the Introduction to the Recommendations (excluding tables and figures).

 

Appendices
In your appendices you should include
• A blank copy of your Questionnaire or Interview Questions
• A small sample of completed Questionnaires (up to 5) #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
• Tables of raw data
• Additional information which provides support to the discussion in the main body of the Report. They should be numbered and given titles, which indicate their content and be clearly referenced in the main body of the Report.

Additional Documents
• Project Logbook
• Project Proposal and feedback from supervisor
• Print out of first page of your TurnitinUK receipt

NOTE: You must keep all of your research materials (questionnaires etc). They may be requested by your supervisor, moderator or external examiner.

13. Project Report Submission:

One hard copy of the project should be handed in to your local office. In addition, an electronic copy will be subject to an online assessment for plagiarism using the TurnitinUK software. You can see details of the software and a demonstration (‘demo’) at the following website:

http://www.submit.ac.uk

You will be able to submit a test before you submit your final version. You are required to provide a print out of first page of your TurnitinUK receipt. See guidance to TurnitinUK in Appendix 6.

Please note: where information contained in a report is considered to be confidential to your employer, arrangements can be made to restrict access to a project.

References should be Harvard style – guidance is available in various pamphlets produced by LSD, available from the University library and online at:
http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Students/StudyResources/Library/HelpGuides/St udySkills/Harvard07.pdf

You will find an excellent and professional online guide to referencing in the BISSTO (Bolton Interactive Study Skills Tutorial Online) section of the University website at: http://data.bolton.ac.uk/bissto/
 

14. Examples of Projects

We do not keep an archive of electronic projects. However here is a link to a range of online projects. Note that they are not for business related topics.

Salford University UK: Building Studies students:
http://intranet.scpm.salford.ac.uk/studentintranet/

Brunel University UK:
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sed/sedcourse/pg/design/desbrand/dissertations

15. Roles and Responsibilities

Workshop Tutor

• Updates project Handbook and Workshop learning materials
• Provides the workshop
• Manages class lists
• Requests/establishes WebCT page
• Determines TurnitinUK passwords
• Gives initial feedback during the Workshop on the Project Outline
• Monitors the distribution of project supervisors
• Demonstrates use of Athens

Student
• Prepares a Project Outline
• Submits a Project Proposal
• Communicates with the relevant supervisor and study group at regular intervals to
o monitor the progress of your project
o seek advice and exchange ideas#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
o clarify points

• Maintains records of communications and study group meetings in a project logbook.
• Arranges meetings with the study group to discuss progress
• Considers ethical issues
• Seeks advice and review feedback through WebCT (Appendix 1)
• Asks clear and specific questions
• Should not expect the supervisor to read an extended draft or express an ‘opinion’ on a section of your report
• Submits a hard copy of Project Report by the deadline and e-copy to TurnitinUK

Project Supervisor
• Grades the project proposal (10%) using the standard feedback sheet
• Provides ongoing feedback to students within 4 working days (excluding public holidays)
• Accesses WebCT on a regular basis
• Marks final Project report, second marking and provide sample for External Examiner(s)

16. Communication Protocols
You will be required to maintain good contact with your supervisor and study group.

Any generic e-mail (MS Outlook, Hotmail etc):

Format: Module, Intake, Location, Name, Student Number, Theme/Issue

Example: BST3003DL, Intake 23, Hong Kong, Chow CL “James”, 0304567, Project Proposal query

 

Using WebCT mail:

Format: Module, Intake, Location, Name, Student Number, Title

Example: BST3003DL, Intake 23, Hong Kong, Chow CL “James”, 0304567, Project Proposal

 

Using WebCT discussion threads you can be less detailed

Format: Title

Example: Issues from feedback on my Project Proposal
 

17. Bibliography

Bryman, A. (2007) Business Research Methods 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Collins, J. and Hussey, R. (2003) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students (2nd ed.)Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; Palgrave Macmillan (e-book accessible via library catalogue)

Fisher, C and Buglear, J. (2004) Researching and Writing a Dissertation for Business Students, Harlow : Prentice Hall/Financial Times (e-book accessible via library catalogue)

Rudd, D. (2002) Preparing for Dissertations and Projects. Online. Available: http://www.bolton.ac.uk/
learning/pdf_docs/dissertations.pdf

Saunders, M. (2006) Research Methods for Business Students 4th ed. Harlow: Financial Times Hall

Thomas, A. B. (2004) Research Skills for Management Studies, London: Routledge, 2004. (e-book accessible via library catalogue)

Appendix 1: WebCT

WebCT (World Wide Web Course Tools) is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) - a web based, integrated set of tools and functions for teaching and learning.
It provides an online source of course materials and a range of communication tools.

How to access WebCT?

You will need to locate the University’s website:

http://www.bolton.ac.uk/

Then follow “Current Students” and “WebCT”. Bookmark the WebCT page. Using your Bolton username and password “Log in to my WebCT”.#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

Your username is the first part of your Bolton e-mail eg ….xyz2bns

Your password will be your date of birth (six numbers) ….ddmmyy

You will see titles for each of your active WebCT modules.

WebCT Tools

There are a range of WebCT tools.

• Learning Materials
• Assessment Materials
• Discussions
• Chat
• Etc….
ou are advised to look at each of them on the screen. Most of them are fairly easy to use.

WebCT Communication

Please note that the tutors will access the on a regular basis, but you should not expect immediate replies. You should expect 3-5 working days.

1. Discussions

WebCT allows members of the group (staff and students) to share discussions. Each new topic should be given a new ‘thread’. The messages can be seen by any student on the module. Discussion messages can also hold attachments. The significant benefit of the discussions is that messages are asynchronous, i.e. the individuals are able to use the time between postings to develop/consider their response.

Private discussion areas can be created to allow communication between the student and their supervisor.

2. Mail

Used to send e-mail messages to individuals, groups or all members of the course. Should be used for ‘private’ messages. Will also carry attachments. Messages are asynchronous. The WebCT mail does not operate outside of WebCT.

4. Chat

Synchronous communication. The chat tool allows the course or groups of students to meet together in a ‘chat room’. The chat is recorded. You need to appoint a chair and follow a protocol to maintain some degree of control over the flow of chat messages.

Chat Protocols:

Ged? (I want to talk)
?Ged ( Ged you can talk now)
Hello… (three full-stops means “I am still talking”)
end. (one full-stop means that I have finished)
Appendix 2: Research Timescale and Key Dates

Target date Task to be achieved Work to be submitted
Date (s)________ • Agree initial PROJECT OUTLINE with Workshop tutor

Date (s)________
• Submit your PROJECT PROPOSAL to local office for forwarding to Bolton
PROJECT PROPOSAL

Date (s)________

Date (s) ________

Date (s) ________
• Continue work on project
• Receive feedback from Bolton on your PROJECT PROPOSAL three weeks from submission date
• Complete the first draft of Final Project Report

Date (s) ________

Date (s) ________

Date (s) ________
• Revise work to produce final draft
• Write up Final Project Report
• Produce Final Project Report in finished form and bind
• Submit Final Project Report to local office for onward forwarding to Bolton
• Submit final e-copy (single file) to TurnitinUK #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
Final Project Report by Submission Date to local office.
 

 

Please note that the Final Project Report will not be accepted unless the Project Proposal and Logbook are included in the final document.


PROJECT OUTLINE PROFORMA

Student Name:

Programme:

Working Title:

Key words (These are derived from the title and indicate where you will start your
literature search)

Overall Research Objectives (these should be specific and achievable)

1.
2
3.

Secondary Research Sources (class II and III):

 

 

Primary Research
Proposed Primary Research Method/s:

Proposed Sample

Proposed Method of Analysis:

 

 

Appendix 4: Example of a Project Proposal
(Maximum 3 sides)

 

 

Bolton Business School

BUSINESS PROJECT or MARKETING PROJECT

BOLTON STUDENT NUMBER ****

STUDENT e-mail ****

COUNTRY AND INTAKE ****

TITLE
An investigation into the adoption of Activity-Based Costing to improve cost control at “XYX” Company Limited, Food Processors.

BACKGROUND
Activity-based costing (ABC) has come to prominence in recent years as an attractive alternative to traditional costing systems. Activity-based costing is a method purported to solve many of the limitations of traditional costing systems which mainly uses direct labour hours as a basis to allocate overhead costs. This basis can systematically distort product costs in advanced manufacturing environments where overhead costs are a significant portion of overall costs.

The literature review indicates that virtually all of the research relating to the design of costing systems over the past two decades has concentrated on studying ABC systems. Since the early 1990's many different streams of research have emerged. One stream has been mainly descriptive concentrating on the characteristics and applications of ABC systems and the extent of ABC usage (Innes and Mitchell, 1995, Innes et al., 2000 and Friedman and Lyne, 1995). A second stream has adopted a contingency theory framework surveying practice to examine empirically the antecedents of adoption and non-adoption of ABC (Bjornenak, 1997, Krumwiede, 1998 and Malmi, 1999). A more recent theme has examined the organisational factors influencing success and failure of ABC systems (Malmi, 1999). Finally, some researchers have recently undertaken studies that have examined whether there is an association between using ABC and an improvement in financial performance (Cagwin and Bouwman, 2002,).

As ZYX currently uses traditional costing systems, the author intends to use the theoretical framework that examines whether there is an association between using ABC and an improvement in cost control.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Project are:#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

• To examine the nature of modern ABC techniques, drawing from the key outcomes of recent research and published sources.
• To conduct a comparative analysis of the product costs under the traditional and ABC methods at “ZYX” to ascertain the decision usefulness of cost information generated by each method.
• To draw conclusions and recommendations regarding the applicability of ABC for improving the cost control at “ZYX” Company Limited.

METHODOLOGY
The philosophy will be objective and the research strategies will be highly structured. The author will first conduct a review of the literature relating to whether there is an association between using ABC and an improvement in financial performance in order to develop the academic grounding and clarify the author’s research questions. The author will focus on recent academic journal articles.

The author feels that the deductive approach will be appropriate and the intention is to establish a set of hypothesis based on the outcomes of the literature review. The author will proceed next to carry out primary research in XYZ Company Limited to ascertain the decision usefulness of cost information generated by traditional and ABC methods and assess the extent to which ABC improves cost control of the company. An ABC simulation model will be applied to trace the product costs using ABC to enable a comparison with the traditional costing system. Towards the end of the longitudinal research period, a questionnaire will be developed with questions based on hypotheses generated in the literature review and outcomes from the simulation. The questionnaire will be distributed to a sample (size to be agreed) of managers across the company. Statistics and qualitative data analysis will be used. Justifications for the primary research methodology will be discussed and limitations to the research will be explored.

The author accepts that the project will require careful planning and control.

TIMESCALE
Provide a list of specific dates for significant events. Need to consider holidays and other demands on your time. Appendix 2 provides only a basic framework.

RESOURCES
The researcher is aware that for the collection of primary and secondary data several resources are required. Access to the author’s organisation ZYX Company Limited has been negotiated and granted. The facilities required to gather secondary data and its accessibility will be uncomplicated given it is comfortably accessible on-line from the university library. The author is fully aware of the necessary requirements to undertake this investigation and possesses the means to conduct it.

REFERENCES

See Appendix 10 for a sample bibliography.

****Include at least one refereed academic journal article from Athens***
 

 

Business/Marketing Project:
Project Proposal Feedback Sheet

Student number: Centre: xx, Intake: xxxxx#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

Mark: / 100

Supervisor: Tutor , [email protected] Date: Month 2008

Title

5% Clear and informative, linked to academic theory and to an organisation or business sector.

Background

15% Explain reason for selecting topic. Evidence of initial literature review. Introduce academic theory with accurate references.
Research questions and objectives

30% List of objectives or questions, progressive working from theory towards conclusions from research activity. Must be focused. Need to examine the literature (secondary), seek feedback from practice (primary) and draw conclusions/recommendations.

Method
30% Explain research strategy. Justify selection of research tools and tactics. Must include primary research with details of sample size. Critical and reflective comments?

Timescale and resources

10% Must provide specific dates for each element of the project.
Resources …. Arranged ethical access to the respondents for primary data?
References and bibliography

10% Must provide FULL Harvard references for the materials used in the Background. Refereed academic journals? At least one reference obtained using Athens.

FINAL COMMENTS
Resubmit with small changes, or select a new topic/title?
Appendix 6: Plagiarism (TurnitinUK)

TurnitinUK (online plagiarism support tool)

Introduction

“TurnitinUK is an online service hosted at www.submit.ac.uk that enables institutions and staff to carry out electronic comparison of students' work against electronic sources including other students' work. The service is based in the UK and accessed via standard web browsers. JISC hopes that this service will be a valuable support tool for institutions, staff and students in their efforts to prevent and detect plagiarism. (TurnitinUK Website, 2007)

You will need to obtain initial information from your tutor, then create a user profile, join the modules and finally upload your work.
TurnitinUK Website

The website: http://www.submit.ac.uk

Registering and Updating your User Profile
You will be scheduled into a TurnitinUK by your tutor. A mail message with instructions will be sent to your Bolton Webmail address by the software package. You will need to use the initial/temporary password and the e-mail to access TurnitinUK.

Note that you are advised to cut and paste the e-mail and temporary password into the software.

When you access the software for the first time please create a new password for yourself. Make a note of the password and keep it in a safe place.

You MUST NOT change the ‘names’ on the screen. Your real name should not be used and your profile should have:

First name = Bolton Username (e.g. xyz2bns )

Last name = Bolton Student Number (e.g. 0602463/1 )

Returning to TurnitinUK

You will need to go to www.submit.ac.uk and click on ‘user login’.

 #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

The software will need your full Bolton Webmail address and your new password.

Forgotten Your Password
http://www.ttc-switch.com/Thesis_Tips/Handbook/This is a common problem, and the solution is quite simple. First check that you have typed it in correctly, note that all passwords are case-sensitive.

If you can’t remember your password:

1. Select “User Login”

2. Follow the “Forgot your password? Click here. “. That will take you to a window which will ask you to enter the email address you used to create your user profile. That MUST be your University of Bolton Webmail address (e.g. [email protected] ).

 

3. Enter the answer to the secret question that you selected when you first created your profile.

4. If you do not remember your secret question and answer, then you will need to look for the link to have a password reset link emailed to you. The software will send a mail message with instructions. Note that you might need to copy and paste the link.

5. The email must be acknowledged within twenty-four hours.

6. Make a note of your password and keep it in a safe place!

Revision and Final Assignments
Normally, the software will give you one final assignment and at least one revision area. The revision area(s) will close before the final area opens. It is there for you to ‘test’ your work.

You will be able to overwrite your revision until the deadline; however you will only be able to submit once in the final assignment area. Please note that a resubmission into the revision area will delay the production of the similarity report by 24 hours.

Uploading Work to Your Modules
Only upload work relating to the specific module. Uploading work to a different module is likely to lead to a case of suspected unfair means, and you progression or graduation might be delayed.

You must check the title/module code to ensure that you upload work to the correct class. Also, check the submission dates for the Revision and Final Assignment areas. Do not wait until the last day to upload your work.

Go to www.submit.ac.uk - click on ‘user login’.

1. There is a practice ‘revision assignment’ area. Use this area to upload a draft copy that will not be compared to your final submission. You can overwrite the submission.

2. The ‘revision assignment’ area will close before the final Assignment area is opened.

3. PLEASE NOTE. You can only submit a single file and you cannot resubmit the final Assignment.

4. Select the ‘class name’ on your homepage

5. Click the ‘submit button’ next to assignment name in your class. Note the open and close dates.

 

6. Select ‘file upload’ from the menu ‘Submit a paper by’ (at the top of the submission box)

7. Enter the ‘submission title’ (title of assignment/coursework)#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#

8. Click the ‘browse’ button and locate the file

9. Click ‘submit’ (top right-hand corner)

10. Click ‘Yes, submit’

11. You will be given a ‘digital receipt’ by e-mail. You will need to hand in a hard copy of the first page of the receipt with your assignment.

Similarity Reports
The software does not look for plagiarism; instead it will highlight similarity between your work and other sources.

Look for the Similarity Report in your class portfolio. Click on the coloured box to open the report.

 

You should use the Revision submissions to ‘test’ you work.

You need to review the text and either check that quotes are fully referenced or remove text that should be shown in your own words. Note that a reference should still be shown for the original idea or concept.

Communication (asking for help)
DO NOT send e-mail messages to the TurnitinUK e-mail address. You MUST send messages to your module tutor. Please check the e-mail address before you reply to any messages relating to TurnitinUK.

 

 

Appendix 7: Academic Writing and Referencing.

All academic writing requires citation and a full list of the reference sources you have used at the end of your work. The purpose of citing your work is to demonstrate which aspects of the work are not original ideas by yourself and equally important, to ad support for any arguments you are making. Hence as an academic piece of writing, the following is not acceptable because the claims it makes are not supported by any other academic work.

In the mid 1970s, a combination of the effects of war, politics and economic policy affected the employment of the disabled population in many Western industrialised countries. One event which had the secondary consequence of increasing the numbers of disabled people unable to find work was the decision by OPEC (the association of major oil producers) to quadruple the price of crude oil and reduce output. These actions were taken due to the disenchantment of (primarily) Arab oil producers with the support given by many Western countries to Israel preceding and during the Arab/Israeli war of 1972.

The extract above provides no evidence of where the facts claimed originate from and where a reader could go to check their validity. A fully cited and referenced version of the same extract is given below and is academically acceptable, the following is an example of how your work should be cited and always referenced:

In the mid 1970s, a combination of the effects of war, politics and economic policy affected the employment of the disabled population in many Western industrialised countries (Bell, 1993; Catalano and Kennedy, 1998). One event which had the secondary consequence of increasing the numbers of disabled people unable to find work was the decision by OPEC (the association of major oil producers) to quadruple the price of crude oil and reduce output (Turner, 2001). According to Turner “These actions were taken due to the disenchantment of (primarily) Arab oil producers with the support given by many Western countries to Israel preceding and during the Arab/Israeli war of 1972” (Turner, 2001, pp. 311-13). #p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
References.

Bell, E. (1993) Social policy and economic reality. (State sponsored health). OECD Observer, August-Sept 183 P14(4).

Catalano, R., and Kennedy, J. (1998) the effect of unemployment on disability caseloads in California. 'Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology', Vol.8, No.2, pp.137-144.

Turner, A. (2001) 'Just Capital: The Liberal Economy'. London:
Macmillan.

ns that I have finished)
Appendix 8 Marking Table
This marking table gives guidance to students, supervisors and markers.

Available marks Below 40 (F) Satisfactory, 40-49 (D) Good 50-59 (C) Very Good 60-69 (B) Exceptional 70+ (A)
Title/Topic 0-10 Absent focus; Problem statement severely underdeveloped; task unclear. Marginal focus; Relevance of topic explained; problem statement underdeveloped; task confused. Subject valid and relevant. Some shortcomings in clarity of purpose and associated objectives. Task definition could improve but clear & explicit. Subject valid and relevant. Appropriate rationale. Task clear and explicit. Scope for study appropriate. Focus maintained on issue. Clear statement of problem and associated objectives. Persuasive and comprehensive rationale. Task demanding.
Literature review 0-25 No attempt at critical comment. Serious gaps and omissions in literature. Confused thinking. No attempt at critical comment. Gaps and omissions in literature. Confused conceptual thinking. Limited use of academic journals. Satisfactory knowledge. Gaps and omissions in review. Some attempt at critical comment. Conceptual framework may be incomplete or inappropriate. Sound knowledge of topic. Some critical review. Conceptual framework underpins study. Clear review including majority of academic journal references. Full critical review of literature relevant to study. Comprehensive knowledge. Conceptual framework underpins study.
Methodology 0-25 Inappropriate data collection. Absent justification for selected methodology. Inappropriate methods selected. No understanding of methodology and implication. Little justification for selected methodology. Poor methods selected. Little understanding of methodology and implication. Some justification and rationale for methodology. Evidence of basic understanding of values and limitations of methodology.
Appropriate methodology selected but some application errors. Appropriate selection of and justification for methodology. Appropriate methods used. Clear rationale. More advanced understanding of limitations. Appropriate selection of and justification for methodology. Full understanding of values and limitations of method.
Findings. Use of Evidence 0-20 Logically inconsistent analysis. No evaluation of results or value of evidence. Limited analysis. No critical evaluation of results or value of evidence. Appropriate analysis but limited. Limited critical awareness results. Clear presentation of findings. Clear presentation of findings. Competent analysis. Evidence of ability to evaluate results. High level analysis using appropriate techniques. Critical competence. Strong evidence base.#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
Conclusions and/or recommendations. 0-10 Absent conclusions. Unsupported conclusions – evidential or logical or both. Weak, unsupported conclusions – evidential or logical or both. Clear presentation of conclusions related to evidence. Results mostly linked to objectives of study, and literature Logical conclusions predominantly based on evidence. Evidence of ability to critically evaluate. Results linked consistently to objectives and literature Clear presentation of fully justified findings. Logical conclusions based on research evidence. Critical competence.
Structure and presentation 0-10 Unacceptable layout in terms of structure and logical argument. Poor use of English. Numerous deficiencies in presentation. Poor layout in terms of structure and logical argument. Poor use of English. Some deficiencies in presentation. Generally good layout. Conforms to major specification. Mainly appropriate presentation. Clear expression mostly. Correct, clear English. Competent expression. Clear presentation. Excellent layout. Conforms to all technical specifications. Lucid style of expression in English. Appropriate and innovate presentation.
Overall impression 0-100 Additional comments for markers/Supervisors.

 

 

Marking Sheet
Proposal: (100%)
 

Student Bolton ID Number: ………………………………………………Intake ……….…..

Project Title/Area: ………………………………………………………………………………

Supervisor/Marker: …………………………………………………………Date……….……..
Log Book:(100%) Module Grade (10:10:80)

_________%

Comments Mark proposed
英國dissertation網(wǎng)Title/Topic
Clarity of objectives
Statement of the problem
Relevance/significance of study.
Rationale for study 10%
(0-10)
Literature Review
Relevance of sources (referencing, academic journals)
Depth of review. Critical awareness
Conceptual framework 25%
(0-25)
Methodology Correct use of appropriate method (link to Lit Review)
Date collection techniques/data sources
Critical awareness of limitations 25%
(0-25)
Findings. Use of Evidence
Valid evidence. Depth of analysis
Analysis techniques used properly
Critical awareness about results 20%
(0-20)
Conclusions and recommendations
Plausibility/soundness/produces answers to argued questions
Relevance to objectives, and lit review#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
Focus/consistency. Completeness 10%
(0-10)
Structure and Presentation
Structure, organisation. Clarity of expression. Use of referencing and bibliography. Use of tables and figures. Word count. Bibliography, proportion of academic journals 10%
(0-10)
Overall assessment
Competence as independent learner.
Readability, interest. Knowledge contribution. 100%
(0-100)
Adapted from: http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/landt/projects/projectreports/CHPM%20Postgraduate%20Dissertation%20Assessment%20grid.doc

Appendix 9: Examples of Bad Practice

The following comments represent a summary of the common errors arising from a review projects recently submitted for assessment. They are not exhaustive, but they should help to identify potential problems.

Title
Some are not related to an accounting theme. Often fail to identify the topic/theme, and the nature of the issue.

Introduction/Topic
Lack of justification for selecting topic
Lack of clear statement of research objectives
Topics often seek to resolve large and complicated problems – there is no need to solve a real business problem

Literature review
Lack of use of appropriate academic literature, over reliance on text books
Lack of clear referencing
Too much “cut and paste” – including chunks of published materials (with or without referencing)
Lack of depth – content is descriptive and lacks analysis
Lack of demonstration of relevance of literature to research objectives
Many examples of ‘topics’ which do not support the core theme of the project

Methodology
Lack of justification of methodology selected
Lack of evaluation of methodology selected
Lack of discussion of purpose of questionnaires / interviews
Questions need to relate to aspects identified during lit review and further thoughts
Lack of depth in the questionnaires (often superficial questions, not related to issues identified in secondary research
Respondents are often not in a position to provide a significant opinion
Lack of discussion / evaluation of content of questionnaires / interviews
Poor design of questionnaires or other instruments

Findings / analysis
Lack of structured reporting of findings from interviews / questionnaires etc (responses to each question should be reported and analysed)
Lack of link between findings from primary and secondary research

Conclusions / recommendations
They do not flow from body of work
General rather than specific to research undertaken
Fail to reveal anything that was not known at the commencement of the project
No reference back to the initial objectives (has the project achieved the objectives?)

Structure
Failure to follow standard format (font, pager numbers, tables)
Lack of referencing
Very poor referencing of quotations#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
Failure to produce a bibliography in the standard format
Many bibliography are “cut and paste”
‘Dated’ references (many projects have gaps for most recent 5 years)
Need to see current academic journal articles
Excessive number words (7-10,000)
Excessive additional paperwork (no need to attach journal articles, and ALL research questionnaires)

Log Books
Very sparse, lack of commentary and few examples of problems and resolutions

Appendix 10: Sample Bibliography – Harvard Style
Bate, P. (2000) Learners are born, says report. Independent, 16th January,
pp.5 and 7.
Bossons, P.J. (1988) The effects of personality and studying style on the success of distance learning students: a study of students' perceptions of success with one distance learning course. Ph.D. Brunel.
British Broadcasting Corporation (1991) BBC sound fx cd. Volume 8: comedy,
fantasy and humour: London, BBC. [sound recording: cd rom].
British Standards Institution (1993) BS 3375-part 2: 1993 Management services. Part 2: guide to method studies. Milton Keynes: BSI.
Cutler, T. and Williams, J. (1986) Low temperature fermentation
processes. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Glasbergen, P. and Groenenberg, R. (2001) Environmental partnerships in
sustainable energy. European Environment [Online], January/February, 11(1),
pp.1-13. Available from <http://www3.interscience.wiley.com>
[Accessed 12 August 2003].
Hawkridge, P. and McMahon, M. (2000) The management of
change. London: Sage.
Imperial Cancer Research Fund (2000) [Specific cancers] [Online] Available from <http://www.ICRFUK.org.> Accessed 2 December 2003.
Jones, I. (1995) Stress management. Cardiff: Univ. of Wales Press.
Kovacs, D.K. (2003) How to find good complementary and alternative medicine
information on the Web. Lis-link 13 November 2003 [Internet discussion list].
Available from <[email protected] > [Accessed 21 November 2003].
Lawrence, S. ([email protected]), 6 July 2003. Re: government office for Yorkshire and Humberside information. Email to F. Berry ([email protected]).
Leggatt, R. (1992) A history of photography from its beginnings till the 1920s
[Online]. Available from: < http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/ >
[Accessed 8 August 2003].
Lucas, K.B. and Lidstone, J.G. (2000) Ethical issues in teaching about research ethics. Evaluation and Research in Education, 14(1) pp. 53-64.
Matlock, J. et al. (2001) Electronic resources. London: CILIP.
Mickey Mouse. (2003) [Online image]. Available from:
<news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/ 2349379.stm>
M:\Mickey Mouse.jpg. [Accessed 5 November 2003].
Porter, M.A. (1993) The modification of method in researching postgraduate education. In: Burgess, R.G. ed. The research process in educational settings: ten case studies. London: Falmer Press, pp.17-28.#p#分頁標(biāo)題#e#
Preece, J. (1998) Social research: quality matters. London: Sage.
Rawcliffe, T. (2000) How to make quality count. London: Routledge.
Spence, B. ed. (1993) Secondary school management in the 1990s: challenge and change. 2nd ed. London: Independent Publishers.
Turner, B. (2001) The social construction of age. Ageing and Society 10(3), 2001,pp.21-24. [Online]. Available from ProQuest < http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb>
http://www.ttc-switch.com/Thesis_Tips/Handbook/Warren, A. et al. (1998) Computers and you. London: Computing Press.
Yol (1982) Directed by Yilmaz Guney. London: Artificial Eye [video:VHS].
Source:
http://data.bolton.ac.uk/bissto/infoskills/useinfo/cite/harvard/sample_bib.htm