UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Content and Structure of your Dissertation
Brief, Guidelines and Marking Criteria
Writing your Dissertation
Use your work throughout this module, and the provided structure below for your research project. As you
draft each part of your project report, continue to review your work to ensure that the content is clear and accessible, and your writing style is appropriate. Be prepared to read your draft material very carefully and repeatedly to seek to improve its clarity and style. Where possible, re-read and amend drafts of a section or chapter when your mind is fresh. The structure you devise, related to your research approach and research strategy, will have implications for how you discuss the role of literature, theory, methods, findings, and conclusions in your project report. As you produce your draft, continue to evaluate how well these elements fit together without overlapping in your report. If any parts of your research are not clear, you will need to continue to re-draft the report.
As the draft of your report develops, ensure that you distinguish between describing events, outlining
methods, reporting findings, and interpreting and theorizing about what you found. This will be important irrespective of the structure you use so that your readers may distinguish between these elements in your work. Give your report the reader-friendly test to ensure that your style is easy to read, and the content is clear and free from avoidable errors.
Content and Indicative Structure of your Dissertation
The purpose of this section is to provide you with an overview of the type of structure and form to be used when preparing your Dissertation along with the approximate words’ breakdown.
The words limit of your Dissertation is 6500 (+/- 10%) words (not including appendices and references).
Text Layout:
? Font: Times New Roman ? Size: 12
? Line spacing: 1 ½
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Cover Page
1. Institution and Department
2.Title of the Dissertation
3.Student’s Name
4.Tutor’s Name
Abstract (300 words)
The Dissertation should contain an abstract of up to 300 words. A good abstract is difficult to write and can only be completed after the full Dissertation has been written. It represents a brief summary of the aim, objectives, and results of the dissertation research. By summarizing the results of the research, it allows other people to get an idea of what was accomplished without having to read through the whole Dissertation. Other scholars can read an abstract to decide if looking at the full work will be worthwhile. The typical questions an abstract should answer are the following:
? What is the project about and what have been its goals and objectives? ? How the project was carried out?
? What have been the outcomes and achievements of the project?
o Keywords
Acknowledgments
A brief statement should be written which acknowledges all assistance received in writing the Dissertation.
Table of Contents
The contents page should list the chapter headings, appendices, references, and the pages on which they can be found. A separate listing should be given for lists of figures and tables. You will find this easier to create if you know how to generate these lists using the indexing and style functions within Microsoft Word (References Table of Contents). For more information, kindly request assistance from your tutor.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
List of Tables (if any)
The list of tables is the same format as the table of contents.
List of Charts (if any)
The list of charts is the same format as the table of contents.
Abbreviations
Summarizes all-important abbreviations used in the text.
Introduction (750 words, ± 10%)
The Introduction to the Dissertation should set out the background to the research study and address the following areas:
? Case background - The context in which the research took place ? Significance of investigation
? A clear statement of the problem ? Research Questions
? A clear statement of the aim and objectives that the project is going to address ? The reasons why this study was carried out
? A brief summary of the research and the tools to be used ? The way the project is to be organized
Literature review (2500 words, ± 10%)
The literature review is presented in the form of a classification, a comparison and a critical analysis of that
material which is germane to a full understanding of your research study. Such published material may be drawn from all, or a combination of, textbooks, journal articles, conference papers, reports and case studies. The most important source of academic literature are journal articles and you should ensure that you are familiar with the most recent publications in journals relevant to your subject area. It is expected that your final Dissertation will cite between 25 to 30 relevant and credible references. You must use the APA-style reference system in both the body of the text and your Reference section.
The several points that should be addressed in a literature review are:
? What do we already know in the immediate area/topic researched?
? What are the characteristics of the key concepts and theories developed?
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
? What are the relationships between these key concepts and theories to your project topic? ? Why study the research problem further?
? What contribution does your research aim to make to knowledge?
Remember that your literature review should lead and justify the research objectives and questions of your Dissertation.
Research Methodology/Design (1000 words, ± 10%)
You should begin the Research Methodology chapter by stating, again, the research objectives of the project. In this chapter, you have the opportunity to justify to the reader the process by which the research questions, which were derived by an analysis of the relevant literature were answered. The chapter on research methodology must, argue for, and justify each, decision that is taken when arriving at how the research is to be organized. Make sure that you mention as a subchapter in your Dissertation the ethical issues. There are several approaches used in the research methodology and design. For your research in this course, remember that you can use ONLY secondary data to produce your methodology.
Critical evaluation of secondary data (1200 words, ± 10%)
This chapter presents the evidence and/or results of secondary research which you have undertaken. Depending upon your subject area this can be in the form of detailed quantitative or qualitative models, hypothesis testing to some basic analysis using basic descriptive statistics. The main part of the chapter is the presentation of the data that you obtained. This data must be organized in a logical and coherently ordered whole so that your thought processes and interpretation are clear to the reader.
Graphs, diagrams, pie-charts, etc. are all useful ways of presenting research results; they are an imaginative way of ‘breaking up’ solid blocks of text – they let a little ‘light’ into the body of the text as long as they are relevant and illustrate your points. Keep your review to those items which are relevant to your research question(s) and not just everything you found out.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Conclusions & Recommendations (750 words, ± 10%)
Here you will bring together the work of the Dissertation by showing how the initial research plan has been addressed in such a way that conclusions may be formed from the evidence of the Dissertation. No new material or references should be placed here. The conclusions should make a statement on the extent to which each of the aims and objectives has been met. You should bring back your research questions and state clearly your understanding of those questions. Be careful not to make claims that are not substantiated from the evidence you have presented in earlier chapters.
Additionally, you should include a short subsection on any suggestions for further research for colleagues who might wish to research this area in the future. There should also be a short statement of the limitations of the research.
Reference List (APA Referencing Style)
The reference section is the section of all the documents you have cited in your Dissertation and it is found at
the end of the body of your work, but before your appendices. In this section, if you refer to work by another author (including theories, models, measurement scales, or diagrams) you must cite the original author and source. References are included within the text to enable any reader who is interested to be able to find the complete details of the work you have drawn upon.
The University requires that you use the APA System of referencing, both within the body of your work and
also within your reference list at the end of your work. These are listed in alphabetical order. The reference section is useful to those marking your work to see the scope of your reading in the preparation of your project. It is also useful for future readers to access your cited references.
Appendices
Appendices may be used to provide relevant supporting evidence for reference but should only be used if
necessary. You may wish to include in appendices, evidence that confirms the originality of your work or to illustrate points of the principle set out in the main text, questionnaires, and interview guidelines.
Note: All the abovementioned chapters should start on a new page
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
The following points should be noted for this part of the assessment:
? This is an individual assessment, not a group task.
? Your project should be submitted on the due date (i.e., Sunday of Week 12) by 11.59 p.m. (23.59 hours) VLE (UTC) time at the latest. To submit your assignment, please use the submission link titled “Assessment Point - Dissertation” that is located in Week 12 on the VLE page of your module.
? Literature should be sourced from a range of journal articles and textbooks. A limited range of readings will be made available.
? The word count is 6500 words +/- 10%. This does not include the reference list and any appendices the assignment may include.
? Accurate referencing of sources is crucial in this coursework. The referencing system used in this module is the APA Reference system. Please make sure you are familiar with this. Marks will be deducted for inaccurate referencing.
? Academic Integrity: Students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity bycompleting their own work, assignments, and other assessment exercises. Submission of work from another person, whether it is from printed sources or someone other than the student; previously graded papers; papers submitted without proper citations; or submitting the same paper to multiple courses without the knowledge of all instructors involved can result in a failing grade. Incidents involving academic dishonesty will be reported to university officials for appropriate sanctions. Furthermore, students must always submit work that represents their original words or ideas. If any words or ideas used in an assignment or assessment submission do not represent the student’s original words or ideas, all relevant sources must be cited along with the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require citation include, but are not limited to, all hard copy or electronic publications, whether copyrighted or not and all verbal or visual communication when the content of such communication clearly originates from an identifiable source.
? The assessment must be submitted electronically via “Turnitin.”
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Marking criteria
Your assignment will be assessed using the Writing Rubric located below of the Marking Criteria shell
as shown in the next pages.
Element & Weight Marking (%)
Introduction, Content, and Research Objectives (15%)
Guiding questions:
• Is the research topic or problem clearly stated and shown to be worth investigating? • Has appropriate background information been provided with special terms and
concepts defined?
• Are the research objectives (research questions or hypotheses) clear, relevant, coherent, and achievable?
• Do objectives etc. go beyond mere description; i.e., do they involve explanation, comparison, criticism or evaluation?
90% to 100% ? Significant contribution to knowledge.
? Theoretically or practically significant topic.
? Aim and research questions are original, clearly defined and perfectly aligned.
80% to 89% ? Useful contribution to knowledge.
? Interesting topic, relevant to management research.
? Aim and research questions are clearly defined and aligned.
70% to 79% ? Adds input to knowledge without necessarily making a significant contribution.
? Interesting topic, relevant to management research.
? Aim and research questions defined with sufficient clarity.
60% to 69% ? Marginal contribution to knowledge. ? Generally valid and relevant topic.
? Reasonably clearly stated aim and research questions, but with some shortcomings in clarity of purpose and associated objectives.
0% to 59% ? Does not make a contribution to knowledge. ? Poor selection and/or presentation of topic.
? Major weaknesses in the framing and presentation of aims and research questions; major inconsistencies about purpose and associated objectives.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Literature Review (25%)
Guiding questions:
• Has a comprehensive range of RELEVANT literature been used to discuss relevant concepts, models, and theories?
• Are the sources used up to date, and of sufficient academic weight?
• Does the dissertation give evidence of a critical attitude towards source material?
• Arethe keythemes and issues surrounding the research questions clearlydrawn from the literature?
• Have sources been acknowledged and referenced fairly and properly? Is the bibliography at the end of the dissertation complete and in the APAstyle?
90% to 100% ? Detailed and thorough literature review.
? Superlative analysis, synthesis and evaluation of material.
? Development of a coherent theoretical framework, potentiallyto the standard of publishable work.
80% to 89% ? Detailed and thorough literature review.
? Excellent analysis, synthesis and evaluation of material. ? Sound theoretical framework developed.
70% to 79% ? Suitable literature review demonstrating some level ofsynthesis of secondary sources.
? Generally sound theoretical framework.
60% to 69% ? Generally satisfactory literature review but with some flawsand omissions.
? Adequate analysis and evaluation of material, limited evidence of synthesis.
? Generally appropriate theoretical framework but is notcomplete and/or justified.
0% to 59% ? Unsatisfactory literature review.
? Rudimentary analysis and evaluation of material.
? Poor or inadequate theoretical basis for the research based upon incomplete and fragmented literature review.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Research Design and Methodology (15%)
Guiding questions:
Is there a clear rationale for the research design and methodology?
• Are the research methods fully described and the advantages and disadvantages of chosen methods discussed?
• Are any constraints or limitations identified? • Are data analysis methods discussed?
• Is there evidence of care and accuracy in the data collection process? Are reliability and validity issues addressed?
• Has the methodology been critically evaluated in retrospect?
90% to 100% ? Original approach to study.
? Exceptional design and execution, of high professional standard. ? Appropriate methodology clearly and logically justified.
80% to 89% ? Original approach to study.
? Careful design and execution. ? Appropriate methodology.
70% to 79% ? Appropriate approach to study.
? Adequately designed and executed study.
? Generally appropriate selection of methodological approachand research design; provides justification for the selected methodology and demonstrates understanding of limitations of research design.
60% to 69% ? Generally appropriate approach to study.
? Generally adequate design and execution but may containminor weaknesses in approach.
? Generally appropriate selection of methodological approachand research design with potential minor inconsistencies; provides justification for the selected methodology, although potentially incomplete and demonstrates some understanding of limitations of research design.
0% to 59% ? Unsatisfactory study design and execution.
? Inappropriate methodology and research design; fails to justify adoption of selected methodology. No evidence of understanding of limitations of research design. Does not align research question with methodological approach.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Critical Evaluation of Secondary Data (20%)
Guiding questions:
• Is all data presented relevant to aims and objectives?
• Is the analysis thorough and appropriate to the data collected, depending on the research methods used? For example:
o Do the appendices contain a data matrix, and details of analysis undertaken? Is analysis correctly performed and interpreted?
o Has the validity and reliability of the sources been addressed?
• Are the findings presented clearly and interestingly for the reader, with usefultables and charts embedded in the text and with the appendices being used appropriately for bulky and/or less interesting/essential data?
• Have the findings been discussed and evaluated?
• Have the findings of the research been compared and contrasted with findings, theories, models, and concepts derived from the literature review?
90% to 100% ? Appropriate data analysed using well-defined and clearly justified techniques.
? High quality analysis, demonstrating coherent and compelling interpretation of the data.
? Well-organised and strongly communicative presentation of results and analysis.
80% to 89% ? Appropriate data analysed using appropriate analytical techniques
? High quality analysis, demonstrating clear interpretation of the data.
? Well-organised and clear presentation of results and analysis.
70% to 79% ? Good effort to collect appropriate data.
? Relevant analysis and interpretation of data.
? Complete presentation of results and analysis.
60% to 69% ? Mainly appropriate data collection but potentially with some of the requisite data missing.
? Evidence of satisfactory data analysis but may contain some weaknesses.
? Useful presentation of results and analysis but may lack detail or clarity.
0% to 59% ? Inappropriate data or failure to collect the required data; little evidence of independent research.
? Insufficient or no analysis; inconsistencies in the analysis; inadequate or no presentation of results.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Conclusions and Recommendations (15%)
Guiding questions:
• Have the research objectives (research questions) been reviewed and addressed? • Do the conclusions and recommendations follow on from the findings? Are they
well-grounded in the evidence and arguments presented?
• Has the relevance of the conclusions for management been discussed?
• Are the conclusions and recommendations discussed in context, and are they more widely applicable?
90% to 100% ? High quality, thorough discussion; fully justified and logical conclusions and recommendations.
? Thorough understanding of the importance of the results in the context of the theoretical framework.
? Complete understanding of all material dealt with.
? Clear signs of independent critical ability and original thought in dealing with the critical issues.
80% to 89% ? Reflective discussion, defensible conclusions and recommendations.
? Thorough understanding of all material dealt with. ? Evidence of independent critical ability.
70% to 79% ? Logical discussion, clear conclusions and recommendations. ? Good understanding of most material dealt with.
? Ability to reflect upon weaknesses in approach.
60% to 69% ? Discussion generally logical but mainly superficial; conclusions flawed and recommendations weak or omitted.
? Generally good understanding of most material dealt with. ? Limited reflection upon weaknesses in approach.
0% to 59% ? Weak discussion; findings and conclusions inaccurate, inconsistent or incomplete; recommendations indefensible, unrelated to findings and conclusions or omitted.
? Superficial understanding of most material dealt with.
? Does not demonstrate evidence of independent critical ability. Does not reflect upon weaknesses in approach.
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UU- MBA711: Dissertation
Structure, and Writing (10%)
Guiding questions:
• Is the overall style and presentation of the dissertation in accordance with that specifiedinthedescriptions; i.e.,coverpages,titlepage,word count, spacing,chapter and section headings, pagination, appropriate font, bolding, italics
• Are all citations and references properly formatted in the appropriate referencing style?
• Is the title concise and appropriate?
• Is the abstract a concise (1 page) summary of the main aims, methodology,findings, and conclusions?
• Is the contents page clear, concise, and logically numbered? Are appendices, tables, and figures numbered and listed in the contents page?
• Are all appendices referred to in the text?
• Is the writing clear and in an appropriate academic style? • Is the standard of written English acceptable?
• Has the dissertation been spelling, and grammar checked?
90% to 100% ? Outstanding presentation.
? Exemplary use of academic English, sound and consistent writing style.
? As good a piece of work as could be expected at this stage of development; of a near publishable quality.
80% to 89% ? Excellent presentation.
? Very good use of academic English, sound and consistent writing style.
? Would require refocusing before reaching publishable state.
70% to 79% ? Good presentation.
? GooduseofacademicEnglish; clearandconsistentwritingstyle, though not of a publishable standard.
60% to 69% ? Satisfactory presentation.
? Reasonably good use of English; generally clear writing style with few weaknesses, though not of a publishable standard.
0% to 69% ? Unsatisfactory presentation.
? Generally poor use of English with significant errors and weaknesses that inhibit readability.
? Significantly below publishable standard.
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