Analysis of the Changing Hotel Industry in China with special reference to Service Quality

Welcome to BS4322 Research Project. This booklet will give you a brief introduction to the course, details of your assignments, timetables and important dates, and some more useful information you may need during the module. Having spent time considering a research topic in semester 1, you should now have finalised:

· A topic in which you have an interest and wish to research in more depth

· A way to investigate this topic (i.e. a methodology)

· A route to produce your research (i.e. a Conventional Project or a Practice-based Project)

· A tentative time plan for undertaking your project with identified milestones.

Using the skills and knowledge learnt in Research Methods, you are now ready to progress with these research ideas in BS4322 Research Project.

The Research Project module aims to provide you with “the opportunity to undertake a piece of independent in-depth research on a topical issue relevant to your main course discipline, and apply the associated research skills including analysis, critical evaluation, reflection, problem−solving, logical argument and communication”.

On completion of Research Project you will have the skills and knowledge to:

· Undertake a comprehensive literature review of the topic area and produce a concise and critical evaluation of the salient aspects

· Demonstrate understanding of primary and/or secondary research techniques, and show application of these to collect and rigorously analyse data

· Present appropriate and relevant conclusions, reflecting on their significance and potential application in theory and practice.

This will be demonstrated with the production of an extended piece of writing documenting an original piece of research that you choose to undertake. The Research Project is assessed as a stand-alone piece of work that represents 100% of a double-credit module (i.e. 30 credits).

By this point you will have decided which route you are pursuing for the Research Project – either a Conventional Research Project or a Practice-Based Research Project (see table below for details).

You will be undertaking a research project rather than a traditional academic dissertation. Therefore, your Research Project report is similar in format to a scholarly journal article, both in structure and word count. However, as all subject journals are slightly different, there is no prescribed method or structure for the Research Project and you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with key journals in your field and consult with your supervisor on an appropriate format for your project.

Despite their differences, there are still some general expectations and requirements of a Research Project report, with most projects including the following major sections:

Abstract

· brief summary of the scope and findings of the Research Project

Table of Contents

Table of Tables, Figures, etc. (if appropriate)

Glossary of Terms (if appropriate)

Introduction

· background to the problem, context, rationale, contribution, aim, objectives, and structure of the Research Project.

Main Text

· organised in a way relevant to the topic and approach, the main body should contain:

· Knowledge of the literature and theory related to the discipline (shown through use and analysis of existing literature and theory in a critical manner)

· A statement of methodological process

· Presentation of data and/or of analysis as appropriate

· An assessment of the material in the main body of the text, demonstrating your contribution to theory and practice, recommendations for further research and limitations.

The main text should be presented using section headings, and be clearly paragraphed and spaced for ease of reading.

References

· All sources of information must be acknowledged in RGU Harvard referencing style.

Abstract

· brief summary of the scope and findings of the Research Project

Table of Contents

Table of Tables, Figures, etc. (if appropriate)

Glossary of Terms (if appropriate)

Introduction

· background to the problem, context, rationale, contribution, aim, objectives, and structure of Research Project.

Main Text

· organised in a way relevant to the topic and approach, the main body should contain:

· Knowledge of the literature and theory related to the discipline (shown through use and analysis of existing literature and theory in a critical manner)

· A statement of methodological process

· A brief accompanying reflective overview of outputs

Output

· The nature of these outputs will be agreed on by you, your supervisor and the module team

Conventional Research Project reports should be 8,000 words +/- 10% in length. Practice-based Projects should be 3,000-4,000 words in length with additional practice-based outputs.

A title page, abstract/executive summary, contents page, lists of tables and figures, glossary, reference list, bibliography and appendices are not part of the word count.

Everything in the main body of text, including headings, sub-headings, citations and direct quotes, is included in the word count. 

Anything considered essential for the marker to read should be in the main body of text. Anything considered as supplementary or supporting material should be in the appendices. ​Regarding tables in the main body of text:

· A table containing mainly numeric content would not be considered part of the word count.

· A table containing mainly text content would be considered part of the word count.

To Note:

· Title – the title should not exceed 25 words.

· Abstract – papers must include a 200-250 word abstract which provides a brief summary of the scope and findings of the Research Project.

· Keywords – the paper should provide up to 6 key words which describe the main issues in the paper.

· Table of contents, tables, figures – tables and figures should be numbered, captioned and introduced in the main body of text,

· Glossary – papers should be written in a simple, accessible style. Any acronyms or jargon which cannot be avoided should be fully explained in the text or an accompanying glossary.

Formatting should be as follows:

· Font: Verdana

· Size: 11pt.

· Spacing: 1.5 lines

· Margins: Normal

· Text: Justified

· Printing: Single-sided A4

· Page Numbering: Bottom, right hand side (starting after the title page)

Where possible, only headings and sub-headings should be used. More than three levels of section heading should be avoided.

· Headings should be left-justified, 12 point BOLD Verdana

· Sub-headings should be left-justified, 12 point italicised Verdana

· Further headings should be left-justified 12 point Verdana

Tables and figures must be numbered and captioned within the main body text.

An announcement will be made via email and on the Moodle page closer to the hand-in date regarding where the Assessment Team will collect the printed Research Project reports.

· Students are required to:

· Produce TWO printed copies of the final Research Project for submission.

· Submit an electronic copy of the Research Project report to the assignment dropbox in Moodle

· Practice-based Research Projects – the practice-based output should be submitted with the printed report on a portable storage medium such as a USB stick. Discuss output formats with your supervisor before submission

· Keep copies of all evidence of all primary research carried out, this should include any pilot questionnaire, interview schedules, electronic copies of completed questionnaires, interview transcripts, video evidence, audio tapes/files, Excel files etc. Students should be able to submit this material upon request. Non-submission of this information could result in failure.

Supervisors will discuss your ideas, plans, and reading with you. They will offer constructive criticism and suggestions and give general guidance on the development of your research, the timetabling and organisation of your work. Supervisors will help you to overcome genuine problems (i.e. those not of your making) in gaining access to ideas, information and data, and in the production of the Research Project report.

Supervisors will not meet unreasonable requests from students. A Supervisor’s advice will normally cover major points of substance and may not cover all points in detail; they cannot be expected to be actively researching each student’s chosen topic – the ultimate responsibility for the Research Project is the student’s and not that of the Supervisor.

· Students will meet with supervisors in a group setting (approximately five other students).

· Students will be grouped around similarities in research (e.g. theory, subject area, methods). Supervisors are responsible for allocating students to groups, and they will communicate with you when you should attend supervision sessions.

· Meetings will be timetabled for one hour every other week (1, 3, 5, 7, 9).

· During group sessions students are expected to interact with other students as well as the supervisor.

· The exact format of the meetings will vary from supervisor-to-supervisor and group to group.

· There will also be a one hour drop in session timetabled every other week (2, 4, 6, 8, 10).

· If you have any questions or concerns about your research, please email your supervisor directly.

· If you require to speak with your supervisor on a one-to-one basis, please arrange this directly with your supervisor,

· Administrative queries or urgent problems can be addressed to the module coordinator (Dr Elliot Pirie e.pirie2@rgu.ac.uk)

· Supervisors will read one complete draft of the project report and provide constructive criticisms and suggestions for improvement to the content

· Draft reading should be actioned based on dialogue between student and supervisor (e.g. chapter by chapter, one complete draft)

· Supervisors may point out errors of spelling, punctuation, grammar and presentation and will expect you to stop making them. They will not proof read your Research Project report for you.

· Although in “draft” form, work should be clearly presented

· Drafts should be page numbered to help the supervisor get an idea of length

· Please email your work to your supervisor. Supervisors will endeavour to read work as quickly as possible, however be patient as they will work on a “first come first served” basis

· Anything submitted less than two weeks before the final submission date is unlikely to be read – it is not feasible for supervisors to read, make comments and return work in time for you to make the necessary adjustments.

· To accept that the organisation and production of your Research Project is your responsibility and yours alone

· To attend classes and supervisions as timetabled

· To engage with your group mates to benefit from peer motivation, encouragement, support and learning

· To conduct your research in a professional and, whenever appropriate, confidential manner

· To produce all drafts in a timely manner and arrange appropriate draft deadlines

· To respond to constructive criticism made by your supervisor in a professional and constructive fashion, remembering that any criticisms are of the work and not of you

· To report to and discuss with your supervisor any problems in searching for information and in gathering data so problems can be identified and addressed as quickly as possible and delays minimised

· To contact the Module Coordinator immediately about any problem that cannot be genuinely resolved by recourse to your supervisor, in the knowledge that any confidential information reported to them will remain confidential unless you specify otherwise

· Finally, if contact with your supervisor and/or Module Coordinator appears to be genuinely unlikely to lead to the resolution of a problem relating to your project, to contact as soon as possible your Course Leader, so that the problem can be solved in an amicable, constructive, decisive and timely fashion

· Each Research Project will be independently assessed by two internal markers (your supervisor and another member of staff) using the learning outcomes detailed in the Module Unit Descriptor (see Appendix A) and the Research Project Marking Scheme (see Appendix B)

· The two markers will agree a mark and the feedback that will be given to you

· A representative sample of Research Projects for each course is selected by the module coordinator and scrutinised by subject-specific external examiner

· As this is a final year module, marks will not be published until after the Academic Board

Summary of Marking (Conventional and Practice-Based)

Module Pass Mark = Grade D (40%)

Following confirmation by the Assessment Board of the Research Project, those with a grade of A or B may be lodged with the University Library.

“Plagiarism is the practice of presenting the thoughts, writings or other output of another or others as original, without acknowledgement of their source(s). All material used to support a piece of work, whether a printed publication or from electronic media, should be appropriately identified and referenced and should not normally be copied directly unless as an acknowledged quote. Text translated into the words of the individual student should in all cases acknowledge the source.” For further information please see:

· The penalty for late submission of a piece of coursework, without valid reason, is that the coursework will be regarded as a non-submission (NS) and one of your assessment opportunities will be lost.

· Up to 1 Grade Point deduction may occur for:

· Substantial deviation from the word length (+/- 10%)

· Poor spelling and grammar

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As well as the criteria explicitly highlighted above, the research project will also be assessed on presentation, writing style, and referencing. These criteria will be applied to each section (e.g. introduction, literature review etc.) and will therefore strengthen or weaken each section in turn. Please ensure that you pay close attention to these and ensure they are implemented across the research project. As guidance, please see the table below to see exactly what you should be achieving relative to each grade band.

Presentation / Writing Style / Referencing

Excellent use of language with a clear, academic tone used throughout. Appropriate, professional and consistent presentation. Referencing cites a variety of relevant sources in the correct format.

A clear and professional tone is used with clear and consistent presentation. The referencing cites a number of sources in the correct format.

For the most, the writing style is clear and presentation is appropriate with occasional mild inconsistencies. The referencing cites some of sources, generally in the correct format.

Language used in unprofessional causing some confusion. Presentation has a number of flaws leading to misinterpretation, while referencing is limited with multiple formatting issues.

Structure and writing style are inconsistent and at times incoherent. Presentation is inappropriate and poorly constructed whilst referencing is extremely limited / non-existent.

Very unsatisfactory use of language, non-existent/incorrect referencing and detrimental structure.