ASSESSMENT 1 BRIEF
Subject Code and Title BRH606 Business Research for Hoteliers
Assessment Literature Review Matrix
Individual/Group Individual
Length 1,500 words (+/- 10%)
Learning Outcomes The Subject Learning Outcomes demonstrated by successful completion of the task below include:
a) Analyse the various approaches to business and social research, and the difference between primary and secondary research;
b) Critically review extant knowledge in a disciplinary area for the identification of researchable problems;
Submission Due by 11:55pm ACST/ACDT/AEST/AEDT Monday of Week 5
Weighting 20%
Total Marks 100 marks
Context
Literature review is an important step in the research process. It identifies, evaluates, and synthesises literature relevant to a particular topic or field of research. Literature tells us how knowledge has evolved, highlight what is already known, what is generally accepted, and what is emerging in the field of research. Literature review also enables us to identify gaps in knowledge which informs our research design.
This assessment is designed to assist you with developing your literature review. A literature review matrix allows you to organise, compare, contrast and keep track of research that have been conducted on a given topic over time. The matrix is subsequently used to synthesise and analyse literature that corresponds to your research problem, aim and questions. This assessment is an important milestone in the development of your research proposal (Assessment 3).
Task Instructions
This assessment requires you to complete a literature review matrix comprising four (4) academic articles and one (1) industry article related to your research topic. You are tasked to:
1. Identify, review and analyse four (4) academic articles and one (1) industry article relating to your research topic. The academic articles must be selected from high quality peer-reviewed journals.
2. Complete the Literature Review Matrix using the template provided on Blackboard. To do this, you are required to extract the following information from each article (note that industry articles might not present all the information below):
§ Author(s) and year of publication
§ Title of the article
§ Purpose of the study/Research problem
§ Research aim and question(s)/objective(s)
§ Concepts and definitions presented
§ Methods used for the study – research approach, research design, sampling technique, sample size, data collection method
§ Key findings
§ Conclusions
§ Contributions of the study (theoretical and practical implications)
§ Limitation of the study
§ Recommendations for future research
3. Using your own words, provide a synthesis and analysis of literature using information compiled in your literature review matrix. You are to identify similarities, differences and areas of agreement and disagreement between the five articles. This section should also identify research gap(s) that corresponds to the aim and objectives/questions of your research – these are unexplored or under-researched areas of a particular research topic. Finally, explain how information drawn from the literature fits into, or informs, the design of your research project.
When completing the above tasks, you are reminded to avoid copy and pasting sentences or sections from articles as this would result in a breach of academic integrity (i.e. plagiarism).
The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or link to the five (5) articles which you have chosen must be presented in the appendix of your submission.
Suggested Assessment Structure:
1. TUA Individual Assessment Coversheet
2. Literature Review Matrix (approx. 1000 words)
3. Literature Review Analysis and Synthesis (approx. 500 words)
4. Reference List (not included in wordcount) – Provide full references for your chosen articles.
5. Appendix (not included in wordcount) – Provide the DOI or link to each of the article presented in the literature review matrix.
Referencing
All referencing must be in accordance with the Academic Writing Guide: APA 7th Edition on SharePoint.
It is essential that you use appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research. Please see more information on referencing here in the Academic Writing Guide found via the Academic Skills website.
Submission Instructions
1. Typed and formatted following the suggested assessment structure presented above.
2. To be submitted as a Microsoft Word file to Turnitin on Blackboard in Week 5, Monday, no later than 11.55pm.
3. The total wordcount, excluding references and appendix, must be within +/-10% of the assessment word count. Penalties will apply when word count restrictions are not met.
4. All referencing must be in accordance with the Academic Writing Guide: APA 7th Edition.
5. A Torrens University Australia Individual Assignment Cover Sheet is to be attached to your submission.
6. See marking rubric attached at the end of this document. You do not need to attach this rubric to your submission.
Academic Integrity
All students are responsible for ensuring that all work submitted is their own and is appropriately referenced and academically written according to the Academic Writing Guide. Students also need to have read and be aware of Torrens University Australia Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure and subsequent penalties for academic misconduct. These are viewable online.
Students also must keep a copy of all submitted material and any assessment drafts.
Assessment Rubric
Assessment Attributes Fail
(Yet to achieve minimum standard) 0-49% Pass
(Functional)
50-64% Credit
(Proficient) 65-74% Distinction
(Advanced)
75-84% High Distinction
(Exceptional)
85-100%
QUALITY OF RESEARCH
Quality and relevance of articles selected
20%
Demonstrates a lack of research skills.
Did not meet assessment requirements with regard to quantity and quality of articles.
Articles selected are not relevant to the research topic. Demonstrates satisfactory research skills.
Met the assessment requirements with regard to quantity of articles.
Selected articles are not always of high quality or relevant to the research topic. Demonstrates good research skills.
Met the assessment requirements in terms of quantity and quality of articles.
Selected articles are relevant to the research topic. Shows clear evidence of research skills.
Met the assessment requirements in terms of quantity and quality of articles.
Selected articles are highly relevant to the research topic. Shows clear evidence of research skills, exceeding the given requirements.
Exceed the assessment requirements in terms of quantity and quality of articles.
Selected articles are highly relevant to the research topic.
QUALITY OF LITERATURE
REVIEW MATRIX
(including understanding
of research methods)
30% Demonstrates no
understanding of theory and the literature review process.
Does not identify relevant information from the articles. Demonstrates limited understanding of theory and the literature review process.
Does not always identify all relevant information from the articles. Demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of theory and the literature review process.
Identifies all relevant information from the articles. Demonstrates a good understanding of theory and the literature review process.
Accurately identifies and details all relevant information from the articles. Consistently demonstrates a critical and advanced understanding of theory and the literature review process.
Accurately identifies and meticulously details all relevant information from the articles.
ANALYSIS AND
SYNTHESIS
(including identification of research gaps)
30% Demonstrates limited synthesis and analysis of literature.
Does not identify any research gaps. Demonstrates satisfactory analysis and synthesis of literature, however, this is at times generic or superficial.
Identifies some research gaps, however these are not always clear and applicable to one’s research.
Demonstrates good analysis and synthesis of literature. The ways in which the literature relates to one’s own research is discussed.
Identifies research gaps that are clear and applicable to one’s research.
Demonstrates critical and well-developed analysis and synthesis of literature. The ways in which the literature relates to, and informs one’s own research is discussed.
Accurately identifies research gaps that are clear and applicable to one’s research. Demonstrates critical and advanced analysis and synthesis of existing knowledge. Insights on how the literature relates to, and informs one’s own research is detailed.
Accurately positions the literature against one’s own research to identify clear and relevant research gaps.
BRH606 Assessment 1 Brief Literature Review Matrix Page 4 of 5
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
20%
Difficult to understand for audience, no logical/clear structure, poor flow of ideas, argument lacks supporting evidence.
Audience cannot follow the line of reasoning.
Information, arguments and evidence are presented in a way that is not always clear and logical.
Line of reasoning is often difficult to follow.
Information, arguments and evidence are well presented, mostly clear flow of ideas and arguments.
Line of reasoning is easy to follow.
Information, arguments and evidence are very well presented; the presentation is logical, clear and well supported by evidence.
Engages and sustains audience’s interest in the topic through a good line of reasoning
Expertly presented; the presentation is logical, persuasive, and well supported by evidence, demonstrating a clear flow of ideas and arguments.
Engages and sustains audience’s interest in the topic through an excellent line of reasoning
Effective use of diverse presentation aids, including graphics.
The following Subject Learning Outcomes are addressed in this assessment
SLO a) Analyse the various approaches to business and social research, and the difference between primary and secondary research
SLO b) Critically review extant knowledge in a disciplinary area for the identification of researchable problems
BRH606 Assessment 1 Brief Literature Review Matrix Page 5 of 5