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2-3 Problem Statement
2-4 Research proposal
The research proposal clearly outlines the objectives of your research project; it http://www.ukassignment.org/gjswgl/ provides the problem statement, a first review of the related literature, research question(s) and the proposed methodology. The aim is to enable students to clarify: what they intend to achieve and how they are going to achieve their project. The research proposal for the dissertation project should not exceed 1500 words. This may be on the same oron a different topic than the research proposal submitted as part of the Research Methods andCritical Thinking course.
2-5 Confidentiality
2-6 Timeline
*before 15 September SKEMA reserves the right to organize an oral defence
2-7 Assessment
Assessment will refer to:
Identification and presentation of a management problem;A sound literature-based foundation of the research report, including the consistent use of
available and relevant theories;The choice of adequate methodology and thorough completion of the research process;Well justified results and discussion supported by the literature;A quality written report.
The student should use theoretical know-how acquired in the MSc program in different courses and apply this know-how by demonstrating its relevance to solve a managerial problem. Generalization is not necessary, the relevance and applicability of the know-how related to a particular case is more important. Efficiency (i.e. achieving the above within the required time and resources) is an important criterion.
Details of the assessment criteria are provided on a separate document.
2-8The dissertation will be graded as follows:
When a student is given an FX, the supervisor will guide the student through extra work until the dissertation becomes acceptable by the end of December. When a student is given an F, he/she fails for the program and will not graduate this year. He or she will have to redo the dissertation the following year. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Should instances of plagiarism be identified in your work,the resulting grade will automatically be F, with the resulting impact on graduation and without possibility of appeal . Dissertations will systematically be sent to the URKUND
website to track plagiarism.
3- Writing the report
3-1 Section one: organization of the report
The project includes the following materials and sections, in the sequence indicated:
Title page
Keywords and abstract (150 words) in English (and possibly French)
Preface and/or dedication and/or acknowledgments
Table of contents
Executive summary (2 or 3 pages)
List of tables
List of figures
Body of text
Reference list
Appendix or appendices (if any)
The recommended length of the report is 15,000 words or about 70 pages written with
double space (excluding appendices, tables and figures).
3.1.1 Keywords and abstract
Along with the report students should also submit a one-page abstract containing the following
information:
3.1.2 Title page
The title page should conform to the appropriate format as specified in Appendix 2a. The title and subtitle must be exact as previously approved.
3.1.3 Preface
The preface is used primarily to mention matters of background necessary for an understanding of the subject that does not logically fit into the text. It is customary to include a brief expression of the author's appreciation of help and guidance received in the research. The preface is not the same as an introduction, which is a part of the main body of the thesis.
3.1.4 Table of contents
The table of contents contains the headings and subheadings of the chapters and sections of the thesis with the numbers of the pages on which these chapters and sections begin.All headings should correspond exactly in wording, arrangement, punctuation, and capitalization with the headings as they appear in the body of the dissertation.The number of the page on which the division begins in the text of the thesis is given in the table of contents. Double spacing is used except for over-run lines, which are single-spaced. For an example of the layout see 2b.
3.1.5 Executive summary
After writing up the final draft you need to write an executive summary which should be placed up front, just after the table of contents. In this summary you have to summarise the whole report; problem, method and findings. This summary should not exceed 3 pages.
3.1.6 List of tables, figures
If the report contains charts, figures, maps, tables, photographs, or other types of material, each series of these should be listed separately in an appropriate list on the page or pages immediately following the table of contents. Each such list should appear on a separate page. In format, such lists should follow the general style of the table contents. Tables, figures, etc. should be numbered according to their chapter and position in the chapter. Thus figure 2.10 is the tenth figure in chapter two.
3.1.7 Body of the text
The report properly begins with the first page of the first chapter section. Each chapter or section should represent an important division of the thesis. Each chapter should have a title identifying the subject contained therein. Typically, a thesis contains the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Methodology
4. Results
5. Discussion and Implications
3.1.8 References
The References section should typically contain only the works consulted and found relevant and thus cited by the author in the report. The inclusion of an irrelevant item is as much a defect as the exclusion of a relevant one. Each item should be a full reference in the standard order specified in Appendix 2c of these notes. All references should be listed in alphabetical order (and numerical order for several references of the same author).
3.1.9 Appendices
The main purpose of an appendix is to keep the text of the report from being interrupted or cluttered with supplementary, minor and illustrative materials. The text of pertinent documents, very lengthy quotations, excerpts from diaries, transcripts of minutes, forms of documents, copies of sample questionnaires, and the like, may be included as appendices if they are pertinent to the subject matter of the dissertation and they cannot appropriately be incorporated into the body of the text. Appendices should appear immediately following the body of the text. Each appendix should start on a separate page. Appendices should be designated sequentially as I, Appendix II, etc. and they should appear in the order that they are referred to in the text. Whenever possible and appropriate, the source of material in the appendix should be given.
3.1.10 References
When referring in the text of the research project to items in the bibliography the author's name and the date of publication should be cited:
e.g. "Surveys conducted by Smith (1988) showed ...."
or "A recent study (Smith, 1988, p. 17), has shown ..."
For publications by two authors, both are given: e.g ."A recent study (Smith & Jones, 1988) showed ..."
For publications by three and more authors, the first author is given, followed by et al. A recent study (Smith et al., 1988) showed ..."
See further in the APA style guidebook or any other style agreed with your supervisor.
3-2 Major parts of the thesis
3.2.1 Introduction or background
The introduction describes the research problem and research question and lays out the reasoning behind it. This reasoning justifies the study.
The following is a useful guide for structuring the introduction:
What is the problem?
Why is the problem important? (Why is it important to conduct the study?)
What is known about the problem? (the theoretical base that underpins the research question)
How do you propose to study the problem? (the objectives of the study, the research question(s))
Why is it a good (credible) fit? (outline of methodology)
This background will provide the reader with the necessary information he/she needs in order to understand and comprehend the rest of the report. The research problem and objectives should be clearly presented and explained, together with all related issues. The organizational background should be presented in such a way that the reader understands what the dissertation is about, why the particular problem is being studied.
NB: The problem statement should be discussed thoroughly with the supervisor right from the beginning. Identification of a problem statement can only be done when a student has a thorough understanding of the problem or situation based on a theoretical perspective. It will typically differ from the arguments a manager might provide in explaining the causes of a problem.
Assessment criteria: Problem statement and research objectives crystal clear; strategic importance demonstrated, all issues entirely appropriate; the approach clearly described,appropriate and rigorous; organizational background interesting and relevantly stated.
3.2.2 Literature Review
This chapter reviews what has already been written in the field on the topic of the research. The literature cited should support the theoretical argument being made and demonstrate that the author has a grasp of the major ideas and findings that pertain to his or her topic.
This review should show in-depth and appropriate use of theory, with good evidence of originality. The argument should be logical and systematic and persuasive with direct relevance to objectives.#p#分页标题#e#
Assessment criteria: Appropriate use of theories and depth of literature review; scholarly and practitioner detail consistently high, with good evidence of originality; argument is logical,systematic and persuasive with direct relevance to objectives.
3.2.3 Methodology
This section presents the overall research design and the primary and secondary sources of data with arguments and justifications. While discussing the primary sources you have to explain how you have collected information, and sampling. In case of in-depth case studies, justify how the cases were selected and why. With respect to data collection, explain what you have done, how you have done it and why you have done it in this particular manner. You also have to explain which methods of data analysis have been used. Usually students deduct their own model of research based on the reviewed literature. This is in general a very complicated matter, which should be discussed in depth with the supervisor. If statistical methods are used, you need to explain why you used these particular methods. If qualitative methods are used, then explain how you have operationalized different concepts, what model(s) you are using, from where the models are coming and what type of conclusions could be drawn through this type of analysis.
Assessment criteria: Crystal clear and entirely justifiable, matches the research question; research design, method and techniques shown to be exactly appropriate to objectives; sampling appropriate and as complete as possible.
3.2.4 Findings
This section presents the results which drive the argument forward. You describe what you have found out from your data collection. This section often is a major part of the dissertation; the findings are presented in detail with supportive tables and figures. It is important to refer back to the research problem, research questions or hypotheses and present findings in accordance to the model, in a systematic, structured and logical manner. The findings, tables and figures shoul
follow a systematic and chronological order. The most important job here is to sort out irrelevant information and findings. How to arrange and present the findings of your study is a difficult issue, to be discussed with your supervisor. You may, however, follow the structure/model you decided to use and have explained in the methodology section.
Assessment criteria: Results drive the argument onwards, completely and fairly; contrary findings used to illuminate or extend the argument. Library-based projects provide crystal-clear rationale using published sources to support the argument seamlessly.
3.2.5 Discussion, conclusions and recommendations
In this section you evaluate facts discussed, but these evaluations should be made on the basis of your theoretical perspectives. It should be well organized, logical and fully supported by the evidence.
You should state your conclusions systematically for each research question or hypothesis. The best way is to refer back to your objectives or research questions and discuss whether you have provided conclusions for each of those or not. In case the data collected and analysis do not provide enough information or support required to draw conclusions you should clearly state so.
Recommendations for future research or implications for business executives should be based on the findings and conclusions. There should be a logical congruence between conclusions and implications or recommendations. In case you have drawn conclusions throughout the report, for example, while presenting your findings, these should be summarized and highlighted in this section. Recommendations, however, should only be given at the end of the report. Limitations
of the study should be clearly and thoroughly presented.
Assessment criteria: Well-organized, logical, fully supported by evidence, alternatives dealt with fully, conclusions clear and unambiguous, strategic implications critically considered;recommendations driven by conclusions; awareness of limitations.
3-3 SECTION 2: PRESENTATION
Assessment criteria: Well structured report, with clear and coherent development of argument ;written in attractive, engaging and compelling language, with style according to the brief;specialist terms defined; tables and illustrations http://www.ukassignment.org/gjswgl/ beautifully prepared and well allocated to mainbody of text..
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