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INTRODUCTION 介绍
这些准则旨在帮助纽卡斯尔商学院的学生所必需的论文，获得从业资格的准备。任何论文是工作的一个单件并没有无意过分地限制学生在办法;因此，这份文件只能在准则的形式。该准则应仔细阅读。他们表明完成成功的论文所需的步骤。
These guidelines are intended to help students of the Newcastle Business School in the preparation of the dissertation necessary to obtain their qualification. Any dissertation is an individual piece of work and there is no intention to unduly restrict students in their approach; therefore this document can only be in the form of guidelines. The Guidelines should be read carefully. They indicate the steps required to complete a successful dissertation.
Dissertation Purpose:论文目的：
本论文是个人作品的呈现有关正在审议的研究领域的文献进行全面和严格审查。这之后是由使用合适的数据分析方法分析了附着在大学伦理规章提供数据（无论是伯或仲）一个精心设计的数据收集方法的实现。从这个分析的结果被用来尝试回答原来的研究问题。 “合成”的概念是中央的论文过程 - 这是理论问题与发现，从实际数据采集分析相结合的能力。这里的关键点：
The dissertation is an essential component in allowing students to meet the goals that underpin their programme. It consists of an individual student led investigation into an applied business problem or issue selected by the student. The dissertation is an individual piece of work that presents a thorough and critical review of literature relevant to the research area under consideration. This is followed by the implementation of a carefully designed data collection method that adheres to the University Ethics Regulations which provides data (either primary or secondary) that is analysed using suitable data analysis methods. The findings from this analysis are used to try and answer the original research questions. The concept of ‘synthesis’ is central to the dissertation process – this is the ability to combine theoretical issues with findings from the analysis of practical data collection. Here are the key points:
1. To produce an individual academic piece of work, target length is 10,000 words.
2. The dissertation needs to be business or management related. For those students on specialist courses it has to be subject related.
3. The dissertation needs to have an academic focus/objective which allows you to review (comparing and contrasting difference views) of academic literature (journal articles) as well as trade and professional bodies publications i.e. not just standard text books.
4. You will need to conduct research. This will take different forms depending on the objectives you have set, the findings from your literature review and the resources available to you. For example, you may conduct a quantitative survey (but few students will have access to the necessary resources – the finance required and the labour involved for a large scale survey), qualitative research for instance, a small number of in depth interviews either within one organisation or across different organisations) or you make take someone else’s data (with due acknowledgement) and re-analyse the data and derive findings from this analysis. You will be rewarded for how well you interpret your data.
5. You will need to compare and contrast your findings with your literature review.
6. Draw conclusions from your literature review, any other secondary data used and your research findings. These conclusions need to relate back to the objectives you have set at the start of the dissertation
Dissertation Process:
The dissertation begins with taught workshop sessions in the first 3 weeks of Semester 1 which will provide information on the dissertation process, selecting a topic, reviewing literature and obtaining data in an ethical manner. Please refer to the NX0314 TLP for details and also examine the teaching materials for these workshops that are available on the eLP site. The workshops are taught by staff with an interest in your subject pathways (for example your Programme Leader) and aim to be opportunities for you to discuss the development of your topic with a member of staff and your peers. After these three workshops, students are required to submit a Dissertation Supervisor Allocation and Research Proposal From to the Administration Office. Once a supervisor has been assigned, students can meet with their supervisor a maximum of 6 times to discuss progress, these meetings should take place once a month.
In Semesters 1 and 2 there will also be lectures by library staff to help you to undertake your literature review as effectively as possible and lectures in quantitative and qualitative techniques to help you to formulate appropriate methods to collect and analyse your data (Please see the TLP for details). There is also a workshop session in Semester 2 that will demonstrate how to use the Turnitin software to produce originality reports for your work.
TOPIC SELECTION
Selection of a suitable dissertation topic rests with the student. The student cannot be required by a member of staff to undertake a topic that is not acceptable to the student. Ideas for topics can be gleaned from many sources. Work placement experiences, aspired career paths, course work and readings are just a few. Use the workshop sessions to explore possible topics. Copies of previous UG dissertations are available for inspection via the eLP, these dissertations achieved a mark of at least 70%.
Your dissertation should describe an original piece of work undertaken by yourself. The topic needs to be related to business or management or to the specific named degree the student is studying. It is the student's responsibility to verify that the title and the approach of the dissertation are original. However, a student may not claim exclusive rights to a topic area.
Students can assume that the topic as initially conceived may evolve as the dissertation progresses. By ‘evolve’ it is meant that the particular aspect of the topic which becomes central to the dissertation may well change in one direction or another as the dissertation progresses. This evolution or “fine tuning” of a topic is quite usual and should be expected. The goal is to find a topic which is general enough to be significant, but specific enough to become focused. A common problem is to have the scope of the work too wide so that the work is not sufficiently focussed to allow successful completion with the resources available.
Topic Changes
Any major change of topic must be made with care and must be discussed with the dissertation Supervisor. A change of topic will not result in a change of supervisor, and a student may find that significant variation to the topic may compromise the ability of the supervisor to give advice. The topic change does not need to be notified to anyone beyond the dissertation supervisor.
COMPONENTS OF THE DISSERTATION
Title
The title should be succinct yet clearly specify the content of the report. This should be descriptive and explicit rather than poetic or implicit. It should be agreed and finalised as part of the final draft. It may be different from the original proposed title.
Acknowledgements
The student may wish to thank those people who have been particularly helpful in the preparation of the dissertation. Consideration of persons external to the Newcastle Business School is particularly appropriate. Facetious acknowledgements are not acceptable.
Abstract
The purpose of the abstract is to summarise the entire dissertation, including a description of the problem, the student’s contributions, and conclusions. Four keywords are required.
Declarations and Word Count
A declaration page signed by the student MUST be included. See Appendix E of this document for the Declaration. Please do not forget to sign the Declaration.
Introduction
The purpose of this section is to contextualise the study. This means that the significance or importance of the subject is set out. If there is no apparent importance to the study to any external reader, the topic may not be appropriate. Personal interest may inspire selection of the dissertation topic, but ultimately, its importance to others should be specified. This can often be done by positioning the dissertation in relation to other work that has been published either as an advancement, continuation, compilation or verification. This section should also tell the reader how the topic will be unfolded and the order of forthcoming material.
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Literature review
This is a critical review of existing knowledge using citations and quotations to set out the current thinking in the research area under consideration. The referencing should be carried out in the correct format (see Referencing section). It should conclude with a summary of the main points that helps to link into the methods chapter.
Research Methods
This is a detailed explanation of how data was collected or obtained. All aspects of the data collection process should be described, regardless of whether primary or secondary data was used. Ethical considerations (see ‘Research Ethics’) and Data Protection issues (Appendix B) should also be discussed where appropriate. Quotations and citations from research methods literature should be used to support your discussion. It should give a brief indication of what data analysis methods were applied. Focus on what you actually did: don’t spend effort writing about alternative methods that have no relevance to your study. Please note that discussion of the philosophical aspects of research methods (for example Positivism and Interpretivism) is not necessary and should not be included.
Findings and Discussion
This chapter will present the results of your analysis and what you have discovered as you have worked towards your research objectives. For quantitative studies it is expected that some form of software is used to manipulate the data (for example Excel or SPSS). Even when secondary data is used for your study, you must apply some form of analysis technique to generate new findings. As you consider what you have found out, you should relate this back to the literature review and try to put your own findings back in the context of the work of others.
Conclusion
This section summarises the relations between the body of knowledge and the case or new finding. It should present the case for the dissertation’s success in meeting its goals, as well as any shortcomings and limitations that apply. It may suggest further work or study needed on the topic, as well as ways the new work can be used or applied in other cases. If the student has developed any strong personal opinions about the subject this is the place where such content is appropriate.
Appendices
Often the concepts of the study can be clarified in graphic form, or data presented in tabular form. Normally, this material should be entered into the text at or near the place it is referred to in the text. As a general rule, if figures, tables, charts or quotes are less than a full page and can be conveniently included in the text, you will want to do so, since reference to appendices is awkward for the reader. Where such material would be inconvenient to include in the text itself, it can be included in an appendix. All such material should be titled and sequentially numbered. Tabular material presented in landscape format, should be bound with the top of the table to the spine. Appendices are labelled alphabetically.
Other items that should be placed in the appendices are a personal statement of learning and any Ethics forms (such as Informed Consent and Organisational consent forms).
SUPERVISOR ALLOCATION FORM AND DISSERTATION PROPOSAL
After the three workshop session, students are required to submit a supervisor allocation form and dissertation proposal (500 words) which will inform the allocation / appointment of an appropriate supervisor and give supervisors the opportunity to assess the viability of the research topic. The supervisor allocation and proposal form is available from the Administration Office and a copy is available for reference from the eLP. The proposal is not marked, but formative feedback will be given on the ideas you present in the proposal to help you with your dissertation. The submission date for the proposal will be available on the eLP.
Undergraduate Dissertation Proposal Instructions
This information tells you how to structure your 500 word Research Proposal using 5 sections.
Section 1: Researchable Topic Area and Objectives
You should explain what you intend to research and list around 3 research objectives. This should be what you aim to discover, try to keep these realistic given the timescale you have.
Section 2: Literature Review
You should identify and discuss the academic theories and some current research relevant to your researchable topic area. You should use around 6 sources (texts, journal articles etc) and reference these use the correct reference formatting style. There should be a full reference list for any sources used, put this list in Section 5.
Section 3: Proposed research methods
Identify what data you will use to achieve your research objectives and how you will obtain this data. Consider any ethical issues that may arise - if your study involves people, indicate how your research will follow the University’s Ethical Policies and Procedures (for example individual consent and / or organisational consent).
Section 4: Timetable for your research
Give a month by month indication of when you are going to work on various parts of your dissertation. Present this as a table:
Month Dissertation Activity (parts)
November Literature review (for example)
December … etc
…etc
Section 5: Reference List
In the correct format (APA style).
Submit your Research Proposal along with your Supervisor Allocation form to the Administration Office by the date posted on the eLP.
SUPERVISION
This section gives guidance on nature of the student/supervisor relationship and it expected that all staff and students will adhere to these.
It is the student's responsibility to make and continue regular contact with the supervisor. If a supervisor does not respond to student messages within a week then students should contact the Administration Office. It is essential to maintain regular contact with your supervisor. Regular contact helps to ensure that your supervisor is better aware of your progress and the sources of your materials as your dissertation develops. Students should be aware that any dissertation which is produced with minimal or zero contact with supervisor will inevitably be scrutinised with extra care with respect to the origin of the work.
The total number of hours allocated to staff/supervisor meetings is 2 hours. Supervision is nominally six 20 minute meetings but can be arranged differently, for shorter or longer periods, at the request of the student and agreed through negotiation between student and supervisor. It is strongly recommended that students try to spread out their meetings and have one meeting a month. Staff cannot and will not compensate for failure of the student to use meetings early in the dissertation period by providing meetings compressed into the final stages of the dissertation period. Staff are often busy and students must be proactive in organising meetings in a timely manner to ensure that they receive the support they need. Students are, save for exceptional circumstances, supervised during the teaching periods of their programmes. No guarantees are available regarding supervision occurring out of teaching periods (for example over the Christmas/New Year break and the Easter break).
In addition to the supervision meetings, staff will be able to answer other questions by email/telephone providing these are brief; staff will not be able to engage in lengthy and detailed email discussions regarding your dissertation – substantial issues should be dealt with at the meetings. It is up to the student and their supervisor to agree a way of working that is acceptable to both parties and is within the guidelines provided above. Establishing and maintaining a good working relationship with your supervisor is an important part of your dissertation and the value of this should not be underestimated. Your supervisor should be your main point of contact for your dissertation but this does not prohibit you from approaching other staff for help with specific queries. Please keep your supervisor informed if you have received advice from other members of staff.
Change of Supervisor
Once you have received the name of your supervisor, please do not request a change of supervisor since this is only permitted in exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of the Dissertation Coordinator. An example would be if a member of staff is absent from work due to illness – in this case a replacement supervisor may be allocated.
If you are experiencing difficulties with your supervision then please see an academic facilitator to discuss the matter, who will then contact the Dissertation Coordinator if necessary.
Remote Supervision
Individual students are normally expected to work on their dissertation within reasonable proximity of Newcastle Business School under the direct guidance of their Supervisor. However, in exceptional circumstances, ‘remote’ supervision may be necessary. This is usually due to personal, workplace or family circumstances. This arrangement is negotiated in advance between the student, the Programme Leader and the Supervisor. It may be accommodated within the process using a range of communication techniques. Please note, that where such arrangements are made, it is still necessary that the student and the supervisor have at least one substantive face to face meeting within the process. Students should ensure that they have adequate access to library, internet and e-mail facilities, if working remotely on their dissertation.#p#分页标题#e#
Supervisor expectations
General
1. Students will treat the supervisor and their colleagues with respect.
2. Students will take responsibility for their own dissertation. It does not belong to the supervisor or to their colleagues.
Meetings
1. Students will attend all pre-arranged meetings or provide at least 24 hours notice of non-attendance.
2. Students will attend meetings with personal writing and note-taking equipment.
3. Students will make a report on their progress at each meeting, working steadily through the dissertation period.
Other Support
1. Students are responsible for their own dissertation. Students will recognise that the supervisor will advise but will not instruct.
2. Students will set their own direction. The supervisor’s role is to help the student achieve their own objectives but to ensure that the dissertation belongs to the student; the supervisor will not intervene in the direction or objectives of the dissertation.
3. Students will only contact the supervisor on substantive issues, after having exhausted other legitimate avenues to rectify their query (eg Libraries).
4. Students will provide written work in draft form by the dates and with the content agreed from time to time. Adequate time, usually one week, should be allowed between the submission of written work and a meeting to discuss it, though this may be varied by mutual consent.
5. Students will present written work only when agreed with the supervisor.
6. Students will recognise that the supervisor’s support will primarily concern process i.e. how the dissertation is undertaken, rather than the detailed content of the dissertation that may fall outside the supervisor’s area of specific knowledge.
7. Students will not ask the supervisor whether their dissertation will pass, or what mark it may achieve.
Student expectations
General
1. The supervisor will treat all students with respect.
2. The supervisor will support the student’s dissertation but always recognise that the dissertation belongs to the Student.
3. The supervisor will give a similar level of support to all students, recognising that students vary in the legitimate demands they may make upon supervisors.
Meetings
1. Supervisors will respond to students’ requests for a meeting within five working days, such requests will normally be made using e-mail.
2. The supervisor and student will meet usually about six times and normally for up to 20 minutes per meeting. The student will discuss their progress and the supervisor will answer any reasonable question the student raises. If the supervisor is unable to answer a reasonable question, s/he will contact the student with the answer no more than a week after the meeting.
3. The supervisor will attend all pre-arranged meetings or provide at least 24 hours notice of non-attendance, giving the students alternative dates for the meeting.
4. The supervisor will be fully prepared for all meetings, having considered any submitted student work.
Other Support
1. The supervisor will give the best guidance s/he can in assisting the student to achieve their objective.
2. The supervisor will not intervene in the direction or objectives of the dissertation and will not allow any previous disagreement on this to damage the quality of advice s/he gives.
3. The supervisor will consider all submitted written work usually no later than one week from the date of submission.
4. The supervisor will review a maximum of one draft chapter and will not review a complete draft. In reviewing a draft chapter, the supervisor will provide general comments regarding the writing style, referencing and content but will not give a word-by-word appraisal of the draft.
The Dissertation Logbook
This is a dated, chronological record of your dissertation progress. The Logbook is available via the eLP and you will be provided with a printed copy of the Logbook. It should contain the following:
• Date and times of meetings with your supervisor
• Agenda
• Questions
• Notes of discussion
• Action plan
• Date of next meeting
The Logbook is to be submitted with your dissertation since it provides evidence of how well you have managed the dissertation process. It will also enable the supervisor to give better information to prospective employers regarding your organisational and time management skills. It will also enable you to write a more informative reflective statement to accompany your submission.
You should keep all your ‘working papers’ as your work progresses since you may be asked to submit them – see Working papers.
PRESENTATION AND FORMAT GUIDE
Page Layout
Pages should be numbered in sequence at the top right hand corner, starting with and including the title page.
Margins and headings: the specifications are 38mm (11/2”) left margin, 31 mm (11/4”) on the other three sides. The page number should be above the top margin line. The right margin should be unjustified (left ragged), since the spacing between words used to make the right margin even inhibits readability greatly, while adding little aesthetically. Headers and footers are to be used with discretion. Please do NOT include your name in any header or footer.
Tables and charts should be numbered in sequence by chapter, eg Table 3.1 is the first table in Chapter 3. Each figure should be properly referenced and accompanied by a descriptive title that completely explains the contents of the figure.
It is not acceptable to insert photocopies of tables into the body of the dissertation. Tables should be word processed into the dissertation. In broad terms this principle also applies to diagrams – no photocopies from books etc. There will, of course, be occasions when a photocopy of a table or a diagram is specifically required in order to illustrate points peculiar to the original. Use of such photocopies must be cleared with the supervisor. Similar principles apply to the appendices with regard to tables and diagrams. It is recognised that there will be circumstances (eg a dissertation on advertising) where photocopies are necessary. Another example might be a sample of a completed questionnaire. The dissertation must be word- processed, and final copy must be printed single sided on A4 paper. Spacing may either be set at double or one and a half line spacing, depending on the machine used. Spacing greater than double spacing is not acceptable. Direct quotations may be presented starting on a new line and in single spacing, indented both left and right. The body of the dissertation should be in font size 12 and Arial is the Newcastle Business School standard font face.
Both the draft and final copies of the dissertation must be produced in such a manner that the text is entirely legible. This means an image suitable for good reproduction from a photocopier.
Black printing is the norm. Colour printing must be used with discretion. There are no extra marks for colour. The University makes no guarantee as to the provision of colour printing facilities.
Writing Style
The level of writing must be appropriate to the level of the Bachelor’s degree. Specifically, acute attention should be paid to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and clarity of style. Also, it is the student’s responsibility to edit the text for typing errors, uncover all spelling errors, including dissertations that have been typed by another party. Note that a spell-check programme does not uncover all spelling errors e.g. principal and principle can be confused.#p#分页标题#e#
The library looks after study skills and students can get help from the enquiry desk points at CCE and City Campus libraries.
Dissertation Length
Undergraduate Dissertation word limit
Word Count
The word count is to be declared on the front page of your dissertation. The word count does not include:
• Title page • Reference list • Appendices (including reflective learning statement) • Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations
• Contents page • Bibliography • Glossary • Quotes from interviews and focus groups
• Declarations page • Acknowledgements • Abstract • End material
Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith, 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count.
If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARNA page 30 Section 3.4 this will be regarded as academic misconduct.
You are required to integrate ideas in a succinct way (i.e. without unnecessary description and context). This is a necessary skill.
Penalties
The acceptable length of this dissertation is between 9,000 and 11,000 words.
If your work is above this, the following penalty will apply: The final mark is reduced by 10% if the word length is exceeded by more than 10% over 10,000 (i.e. 11,001). For example a mark of 70% would be reduced to 63%.
Dissertations shorter than 9,000 words will not attract a specific penalty as it is anticipated their short nature will affect the overall quality anyway.
Structure of the Dissertation
You can refer to the eLP for examples of previous students’ dissertations to see the structure of the dissertation. The arrangement of the completed dissertation is in three stages; preliminaries, the body of work and end material.
Preliminaries
Front sheet/Title Page:
For layout see Appendix D to this guidebook
Declarations
See Appendix E
Abstract:
In no less than 200 and no more than 300 words – see Appendix F
Acknowledgements: Optional but recommended
Table of Contents:
Formatted as per example Appendix G
Glossary:
If your dissertation contains unfamiliar abbreviations or technical terms it is helpful to include a glossary at this point.
Body of Work
Presented as a series of chapters beginning with an Introduction and ending with a Conclusion.
End Material
References:
A list of specific works referred to directly in the text.
Bibliography: Optional
List of additional material consulted, but not directly cited in the text. Note the distinction between this section and ‘References’ – do not duplicate sources, they should be either in ‘References’ or ‘Bibliography’ but not both.
Appendices:
Designed for the optional inclusion of charts, graphs, additional data, photographs, maps, sample questionnaires/interview schedules etc. These must be bound in A4 format. It is not appropriate to include photocopies of journal articles or similar material.
Referencing
The intellectual work of others that is being summarised in the dissertation must be attributed to its source. It is assumed that all ideas, opinions, conclusions, specific wordings, quotations, conceptual structures and data, whether reproduced exactly or in paraphrase, which are not referenced to another source are the work of the student. If this is not the case, an act of plagiarism may have occurred, which is cause for disciplinary action at the programme or university level.
Plagiarism
Please pay particular attention to originality and the proper acknowledgement of your sources. It is important that the work you submit:
• Is original and your own work
• Gives proper acknowledgement to any work by others which is used in completing your dissertation
Originality means that the dissertation subject is presented in a way which differs from any other:
• Published works
• Study guides
• Dissertations of other students, past or present
This does not preclude the use of the same material from wider reading (to support it with examples, or relevant opinions and ideas, or to place it within the context of existing knowledge). In fact, credit is specifically given for references in the assessment scheme. It does mean, however, that the sources of any such material MUST be identified.
You should ensure that:
• Words or phrases taken verbatim from published works are placed in quotation marks and the source acknowledged.
• Quotations take the form of brief relevant extracts.
Where lengthier use of a published work is appropriate, you may summarise or paraphrase an author’s words, but the source of the summary or paraphrase must again be fully acknowledged by textual reference.
Unacknowledged use of the work of others (plagiarism) is regarded as dishonest practice and will be dealt with on that basis, as per the University’s Regulations.
Format of references
You must use the correct referencing system and that is the APA system. The APA method of referencing uses the author's name and the date of the publication. In-text citations give brief details of the work you are referring to in your text. References are listed at the end of the text in alphabetical order by the author's name. The general format of an electronic journal reference in the APA style is shown below:
Coutu, D. (2009). Why Teams Don't Work. Harvard Business Review, 87(5), 98-105. Retrieved 29th April 2012 from EBSCO http://searchebscohost.com
Author/s name and initials are listed first, followed by year of publication in brackets. Then there is the title of article and the journal where the article appears, which is in italics. Then state the volume and issue number (in brackets) along with the pages where article can be located. Finally add the date the article was retrieved and then the name of the database, followed by the web address. Wherever possible use the homepage URL rather than the full and extended web address.
For further information on why it is important to reference accurately go to the Referencing and Plagiarism topic in Skills Plus available from the Library website:
www.northumbria.ac.uk/skillsplus
You will find other useful help guides on Skills Plus to help you with the skills involved in writing your dissertation.
For further information on the APA style of referencing see the Concise Rules of APA style and the APA website http://www.apastyle.org/learn
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RESEARCH ETHICS
If your dissertation involves primary data collection (eg questionnaires or interviews) then you MUST abide by the University regulations regarding research ethics. If your dissertation uses only publicly available secondary data then ethical issues should not occur. Either way, you must discuss what data will be used in your dissertation with your supervisor who will be able to advise on the ethics process.
There is a wealth of information of the University and Faculty Ethics policies available on the University web pages and the eLP that you can access. There is a summary of the process on the NX0314 eLP site under ‘Research Ethics’ where you will find the relevant forms that need to be completed. There is a 15point checklist here to help you through the process. The ‘Research Ethics’ folder also contains information on where to find the more detailed research ethics policies.
Summary of the research ethics process for the dissertation
All students who are collecting primary data must show their supervisor their completed "Faculty Student Ethical Issues Form" and ask the supervisor to sign it. Occasionally, a supervisor may have concerns over the proposed research and then it may be necessary to forward the form to the School Research Ethics Committee.
For any primary research that involves specific organisations (or identifies specific organisations) then permission from an appropriate organisation manager must be acquired before research is conducted. Students must use the "Faculty Organisational Informed Consent Form". Whenever qualitative research is undertaken then a "Faculty Individual Informed Consent Form" must also be obtained from each research participant in advance of data collection. These forms are available from the NX0314 eLP site.
If students wish to collect data from other students (or staff) from within the Faculty of Business and Law then the "Faculty Organisational Informed Consent Form" needs to be forwarded to School Research Ethics Committee for approval (students should submit forms to the Administrative Office). It is important for students requesting consent for their research to specify which sub-samples of their colleagues will be approached and why these have been selected as a sample.
If dissertation students wish to approach students from other faculties they must seek approval from the Ethics Committee in the relevant School / Faculty after having discussed the research with their supervisor.
The ethics procedures you have followed should be described in the ‘Methods’ section of your dissertation and the following ethics documents should be included in the Appendices of the final dissertation:
1. The original version of the "Faculty Student Ethical Issues Form" signed by both student and supervisor.
2. An example of the "Faculty Individual Informed Consent Form" that has been used - unsigned and anonymised (the original, signed versions are kept with your working papers).
3. An example of the "Faculty Organisational Informed Consent Form" that has been used - unsigned and anonymised (the original, signed versions are kept with your working papers).
SUBMISSION AND BINDING
Dissertations must be submitted by the dates posted on the eLP. Your submission date will depend on your Programme of study. You must submit two printed copies of your work along with an electronic copy either on CD or a USB device (see below). Remember that prior to submission you must have submitted your final dissertation to the Turnitin software (see Appendix C).
All dissertations are bound in standard Business School covers. Students are required to submit two copies, one of which becomes University property. One copy will be returned to students. Details of the submission and binding procedure will be posted on the eLP.
Electronic copy of your work
A USB stick or CD containing a complete copy of the body of the dissertation (appendices may be omitted as may diagrams within the body of the dissertation) is to be submitted along with the dissertation. The title page of the dissertation must be the first page on the disk. Non submission of an electronic copy, or submission of a corrupt or blank CD/USB will be regarded as an Academic Irregularity.
Computer programmes are available which detect changes in grammar and style. The University uses such programmes as an aid in detecting plagiarism. Evidence from such programmes will be used in any disciplinary action taken by the University in cases of alleged plagiarism.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is regarded as an exceptional procedure and must be agreed with the dissertation Supervisor and declared on the Logbook front cover.
Extensions to submission dates
An extension to the published submission dates may be granted for valid personal extenuating circumstances by the Academic Facilitators. Extensions are granted only for substantive reasons such as illness, family difficulties or other personal circumstances. Where appropriate, written medical/professional evidence must be provided by the student to support the claim for an extension. Please make contact with the Academic Facilitators as soon as possible and well before the published submission date. Please note that difficulties such as losing your work accompanied by failure to keep a back-up copy or short term pressures of work are not substantive reasons and extensions will not be given in such cases.
Extensions are limited to two weeks. If you need a longer extension than this you will need to complete a PECs form and submit it to the Administration office as early as possible – Academic Facilitators will help you with this.
Late submission approval applies to the submission of the dissertation only. It does not entitle the student to additional supervision. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange supervision within the original time period as far as possible.
If, for any reason, a supervisor cannot provide supervision (for example due to illness), then for periods up to two weeks an extension will be granted to compensate for the lost time. If a supervisor is absent for more than two weeks then alternative supervision will be arranged.
Non-submission without an approved extension
The Undergraduate dissertation is subject to the same University Regulations as any other module (or subject) and unauthorized late submission will result in a ZERO mark (0%).
WORKING PAPERS
As your work progresses, you will build up a collection of materials that you have used to put together your dissertation. You MUST retain these. Here are some examples of what your working papers may include.
From the literature review:
• Copies of academic journal articles
• Copies of specific parts of books (perhaps annotated) or professional publications
• Drafts of your literature review
• Sections of writing that you have done but not used in the final copy
• Printed web pages used in your research
From your analysis and results sections:
• Versions of questionnaires / questions for interviews
• Completed questionnaires/recorded or transcribed interviews or notes from interviews
• Attempts at analysis with corrections and annotation as you refine your ideas
• Excel/SPSS output
• Ethics forms
If your dissertation includes calculations, the working papers for those would be expected. And if your dissertation includes a survey or questionnaire, the original papers for those should be kept along with names and addresses of any firms or individuals involved. Keep all computer-based material on CD or USB memory stick. Production of “working papers” includes being able to produce the CD or USB memory stick.
These working papers must be retained by the student until formally notified of the award of their degree.
Please ensure you keep your working papers safe because you may be asked to submit them for examination when your dissertation is being marked. Therefore working papers must be accessible, so DO NOT pack them away in an inaccessible place such as luggage you are shipping home.#p#分页标题#e#
Request for working papers
A random sample of students will be selected and asked to submit their working papers with their dissertation. Individual supervisors may also request working papers for any of the students they are supervising. A student may receive a request to submit working papers just before or during the marking process. Failure by the student to produce an adequate set of working papers when requested will result in a fail grade of zero (0%) being awarded for their dissertation.
To facilitate this process it is the responsibility of ALL students to ensure the Administration Office has their correct e-mail and postal correspondence address.
Once the working papers have been examined by the assessor (normally the supervisor) any concerns will be followed up via an informal discussion with the student (preferably in person). Newcastle Business School will take all reasonable steps to arrange a mutually convenient time for the informal meeting to take place. If the student is not able to attend in person a telephone conversation may be possible. Failure by the student to take part in this meeting or failure to address and resolve the concerns will result in consideration of the case by an Academic Misconduct Panel. The award of the degree will be delayed until the matter is resolved.
MARKING
A standard marking form will be used that assesses the work against the Newcastle Business School Cross Comparative Benchmarks for Undergraduate and Masters Dissertations (Appendix A). The marking form is available from the eLP so that students can see the criteria against which their work will be judged. The marks available for the different sections of the dissertation are shown on the marking sheet.
The dissertation will be assessed independently by two academic members of staff; normally the supervisor and a second marker. A final mark is then agreed between the two markers. Occasionally, a dissertation may be assessed by a third marker. Additionally, a sample of dissertations is assessed by relevant external examiners.
Please remember that Supervisors will not disclose potential marks to students at any stage whilst the work is underway or being formally assessed (as stated in the ‘Expectations section of these guidelines). Students will receive their mark and a copy of the completed assessment sheet following the conclusion of the examination boards.
Failed Dissertations
In the unfortunate event that a dissertation does not reach the required standard, the student's overall performance will determine whether the work can be re-submitted. That decision is made by the Examination Board. Any student whose dissertation falls into this category will be advised by the Academic Facilitators. If a student is working to re-submit their work, supervision is limited to one 20 minute meeting with the supervisor.
APPENDICIES
APPENDIX A : NEWCASTLE BUSINESS SCHOOL CROSS COMPARATIVE BENCHMARKS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND MASTERS DISSERTATIONS
It is useful for you to understand Newcastle Business School benchmarks in relation to Masters Dissertations compared to Undergraduate Dissertations. The respective benchmarks are detailed below and the table illustrates the major criteria against which undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations are assessed. It is possible that individual students from either portfolio may exceed the benchmarks for their level of work and whilst such an outcome may be desirable it is not a pre-requisite for the achievement of a high mark. Students should be able to achieve a high mark by meeting the benchmarks for their level.
Benchmark Undergraduate requirement Postgraduate requirement
Dissertation subject matter A topic in business, management or economics (including named / specialist degrees). A topic in business, management or economics (including named / specialist degrees).
Research objectives Clearly defined objectives relating to the topic and based upon the literature in the field. Clearly defined objectives relating to the topic and based upon the literature in the field.
Research philosophy and methodological choices Not required. Must demonstrate an awareness of research philosophy at a broad level (e.g. positivism versus interpretivism) and select a justifiable and appropriate epistemological approach. The research methodology such be consistent with the philosophical stance and should be appropriate and justifiable considering the research objectives.
Selection and justification of appropriate Research methods Application of relevant theory to the data gathered to gain understanding of the value.
Must demonstrate an awareness of different research strategies (e.g. survey, case study etc.) and must justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of the strategy chosen.
Must demonstrate an awareness of different research methods (quantitative and / or qualitative) and justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of appropriate research methods for the dissertation topic.
Must explain the practical details of the conduct of the research and recognise limitations.
Primary research may or may not be conducted. Students may undertake primary research (quantitative or qualitative etc.) or they will need to undertake some re-analysis of existing material (e.g. quantitative – financial data, budgets, trade statistics, or qualitative – minutes of meetings, use of diaries and other archival materials etc.)
Ethical issues and compliance with University / School Guidelines need to be addressed. Application of relevant theory to the data gathered to gain understanding of the value.
Must demonstrate an awareness of different research strategies (e.g. survey, case study etc.) and must justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of the strategy chosen.
Must demonstrate an awareness of different research methods (quantitative and / or qualitative) and justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of appropriate research methods for the dissertation topic which fit with the philosophy, methodology and strategy of the dissertation.
Must explain the practical details of the conduct of the research and recognise limitations.
Primary research may or may not be conducted. Students may undertake primary research (quantitative or qualitative etc.) or they will need to undertake some re-analysis of existing material (e.g. quantitative – financial data, budgets, trade statistics, or qualitative – minutes of meetings, used of diaries and other archival materials etc.)
Ethical issues and compliance with University / School Guidelines need to be addressed.
Benchmark Undergraduate requirement Postgraduate requirement
Literature review Discussion of relevant literature. A critical review involving the discussion of relevant theories, identifying the significant themes and comparing and contrasting of different perspectives. Explanation of role of the literature in the dissertation in broad terms by linkage to the research methods. Discussion of relevant literature, Critical review involving the in-depth discussion of relevant theories, identifying the significant themes and comparing and contrasting the different perspectives to a high level. Detailed explanation of role of the literature in the dissertation, for example by deriving statistical hypotheses to be tested or by generating interview schedules.
References An adequate range and number of journal articles and books are to be used / cited. All may not be current. Evidence of knowledge of current research, predominantly journals.
Referencing APA method of referencing APA method of referencing
Analysis and discussion of findings Discussion of the data in relation to the theories.
Displays competence in the subject matter and related theory.
Use of appropriate quantitative/qualitative analysis techniques. For quantitative studies this will include descriptive statistics and limited analysis of potential links between variables (using correlation, or a chi-squared test). #p#分页标题#e#
For qualitative studies, a description of the findings and a review of the process adopted. Findings to be compared between respondents and with the literature review.
Recognition of limitations. Discussion of the data in relation to the theories.
Displays a mastery of the subject matter and related theory.
Use of appropriate quantitative/qualitative analysis techniques. For quantitative studies this will include descriptive statistics and statistical testing of hypotheses derived from the research objectives.
For qualitative studies, analysis should be achieved by applying a justifiable qualitative technique (eg thematic analysis, coding, content analysis).
Recognition of limitations.
Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and supported by the data.
Conclusions are related to relevant prior research.
Conclusions relate back to objectives (in broad terms).
Suggestions for further research.
Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and supported by the data.
Conclusions are related to relevant prior research.
Conclusions include a detailed discussion of whether the research objectives have been met.
Conclusions raise further questions for investigation and suggestions for further research.
APPENDIX B
DATA PROTECTION
Introduction
Whenever research involves the processing of personal information relating to living individuals, students are required to ensure that it is done so in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA), which sets out a number of principles for processing personal information.
This document provides guidance and outlines the requirements to ensure students follow best practice when undertaking research as part of their studies.
Definitions
Data Subject – the individual to whom the data relates.
Processing – the collection, storage, use, retention and disclosure of personal data of living people.
Personal Data – any information that affects a person’s privacy such as:
• Information which is biographical in a significant sense
• Individuals as its focus rather than some other person or some transaction or event
Sensitive personal data is any information that affects a person’s safety such as:
• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious beliefs
• physical or mental health
• sexual life
• commission of offences or alleged offences
Students should only conduct research involving sensitive personal data where they have obtained the permission of their guidance tutor.
What are the rules I need to follow?
Researchers must make sure that personal data is only recorded and processed:
• with the express permission of the individual to which it relates
• for the purposes for which the person gave their permission
• and retained for as long as necessary to execute that purpose
These requirements are set out in the 8 Principals of the DPA. So long as you comply with these 8 principles, you should be compliant with the DPA.
1. Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully. Individuals should be clearly informed of exactly what the information will be used for and asked to sign a declaration that they are happy for you to process their information. This can be achieved using a consent form.
2. Personal data shall be obtained for the specific purpose of completing your research and not processed for any other reason.
3. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive. This means you should only ask for information relevant to completing the research at hand. Do not ask for more information than is necessary. Only ask for sensitive data if it is required to complete your research.
4. Personal data shall be accurate and kept up-to-date. This principle will only apply to long-term research where there is a requirement for ongoing use of personal data.
5. Personal data shall not be kept longer than necessary. Make sure that any personal data is disposed of when you complete your project.
6. Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of individuals under the Act. Anyone who supplies you with personal information has the right to withdraw consent to process at any time. If someone asks you not to process their information make sure you stop immediately.
7. Appropriate measures will be taken to make sure that personal data is kept secure, especially sensitive personal data. Do not leave work lying around for people to see. If you have work on data sticks or laptops, use a password to protect them where possible. If you can, store it on your University network drive instead of a computer at home. Be careful if you are carrying personal information around.
8. Personal data shall not be transferred outside the European Economic Area unless you have permission to do so and adequate security measures are in place. Do not publish information on websites unless you have permission.
APPENDIX C
How to submit your Dissertation to Turnitin
The following instructions cover the steps students should follow to submit a paper to Turnitin and view the originality report.
1. Log on to the eLearning Portal and click on the link to the module where the assignment has been posted (NX0314).
2. Click on the link on the left hand side of the page to go to the content area where the tutor has posted the assignment – it will be called Assignments or something similar (ASSESSMENTS).
3. Locate the necessary assignment and click the View/Complete link under the assignment title. NBS Dissertation submission: Revision 1 / Revision 2 / FINAL
Note: under the FINAL submission you must upload the whole of your Dissertation (including ALL references)
4. The submission page opens. The option to submit a paper by file upload is selected and your name appears.
Enter a ‘submission title’.
5. Click on Browse to locate the file then click Open.
6. Click upload. You see a message telling you that step 1 of 2 has been completed and that you will be directed to the next step in 3 seconds.
7. A preview of the document is presented. Make sure the correct file has been submitted. If not choose ‘return to upload page’ and browse for the correct file. If correct click submit.
8. A digital receipt is displayed. It includes the first page of your submitted document. Confirmation of receipt is also sent to you via email.
9. Click on ‘go to portfolio’. This brings you to the assignment inbox page where you can view the originality report if your tutor has given you permission to do so.#p#分页标题#e#
How to view the originality report (student instructions)
1. Click on ‘go to portfolio’ in the digital receipt or on the View/Complete link in the content area where you submitted your work.
2. Click on ‘Show details’.
3. The page expands to reveal the link to the originality report (if available). The link appears as a coloured square next to a percentage. The percentage indicates the amount of text in your document that matches the sources searched by Turnitin. This figure may include bibliographic and quoted material.
Click on the percentage to open the originality report (see next page).
4. If the link to the report appears greyed out initially, right click on the web page and choose ‘Refresh’ from the shortcut menu then click on ‘Show details’ again. If the report is still unavailable, try again later.
Your tutor may not have given you permission to view the originality report.
Some assignments don’t allow you to view the report until the assignment Due Date.
Although the report is usually generated straight away, it can take up to 24 hours when systems are busy. There is always a 24 hour delay for repeat submissions.
Students can view the originality reports under Revision 1 or Revision 2. The FINAL submission cannot be viewed by the student.
Source: eLP Help Guide (Northumbria University 31.10.11)
APPENDIX D
Title page
Note: Please follow this format so that the information will be visible through the
window in the front cover.
Please ensure your family name is in
BLOCK CAPITALS
STUDENT No 00/123456
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment
of the requirements of the
BA (HONS) Name of Degree Programme
of Northumbria University
APPENDIX E
Declarations
DECLARATIONS
I declare the following:-
(1) that the material contained in this dissertation is the end result of my own work and that due acknowledgement has been given in the bibliography and references to ALL sources be they printed, electronic or personal.
(2) the Word Count of this Dissertation is ...................................
(3) that unless this dissertation has been confirmed as confidential, I agree to an entire electronic copy or sections of the dissertation to being placed on Blackboard, if deemed appropriate, to allow future students the opportunity to see examples of past dissertations. I understand that if displayed on Blackboard it would be made available for no longer than five years and that students would be able to print off copies or download. The authorship would remain anonymous.
(4) I agree to my dissertation being submitted to a plagiarism detection service, where it will be stored in a database and compared against work submitted from this or any other School or from other institutions using the service. In the event of the service detecting a high degree of similarity between content within the service this will be reported back to my supervisor and second marker, who may decide to undertake further investigation which may ultimately lead to disciplinary actions, should instances of plagiarism be detected.
(5) I have read the University Policy Statement on Ethics in Research and Consultancy and the Policy for Informed Consent in Research and Consultancy and I declare that ethical issues have been considered and taken into account in this research.
(6) I have read the University Policy Statement on Data Protection in Research and Consultancy and I declare that the data collected for use in this dissertation has been properly safeguarded and will be destroyed once the dissertation or subsequent research activity has been concluded. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to destroy the information with due regard to confidentiality.
SIGNED: ..........................................................
DATE: ................................................................
APPENDIX F
Specimen Abstract
STUDENT NAME Jennifer HALL
DEGREE BA (Hons) Business Studies
DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR Keith Smith
DISSERTATION TITLE Vehicle Emissions: - A Boots Case Study
DATE 2011
KEYWORDS VEHICLE-EMISSIONS
BOOTS-THE-CHEMIST
ENVIRONMENT
BEST-PRACTICE
ABSTRACT
Lorries fulfil a social need as they replenish retail outlets with the goods humans need for survival. Despite this, concern has been mounting over the effects vehicle emissions impose on individuals and the environment. This dissertation examines these effects and identifies the practices organisations should be implementing to minimise the adverse impact of their fleet.
The examination of vehicle emissions concentrates on health effects as it has been claimed that pollutants increase the number of hospital admissions, incidence of asthma and deaths. A strong correlation has also been discovered between emissions and global warming, therefore this issue will be addressed. Global warming is expected to bring severe weather events, droughts, floods and increase sea temperatures. Food supplies and health will also be at risk from the warming. Overall, the report confirms that the expressed concern over vehicle emissions is justified.
This study examines the initiatives Boots the Chemist (BTC) has implemented to reduce the volume of emissions released. In order to assess how environmentally sound BTC’s logistic operation is, the study ascertained best practice by interviewing Jonathan James of the Freight Transport Association (FTA). Jonathan James describes BTC as the ‘leaders’ in environmental practice. However, this study discovers that to gain this title they should reduce their dependency on road.
The research into environmental practice led to the development of an environmental best practice model. It became evident during the analysis that adopting the best practices does not ensure an environmentally sound operation as the procedures are dependent on people.
NB When key words are two words they MUST be hyphenated. This is because the data processing system used for indexing NBS dissertations can only read words which are (nominally) single words.
APPENDIX G
List of contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title page
Declaration and Word Count
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Contents Page
List of figures (if appropriate)
Glossary (if appropriate)
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
• List chapter sub-headings here....
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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
• List chapter sub-headings here....
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODS
• List chapter sub-headings here....
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
• List chapter sub-headings here....
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS
• List chapter sub-headings here....
References
Bibliography (optional)
Appendices A - Short Statement of Learning
B
C
Last Page ø
ø It is useful to specify the last page so that the reader may ensure that no pages have been omitted in error.
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