Methodology
Evonth
BBS301TMA2019ConsultancyHandbook.pdf
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BBS301 Applying Mixed Methods Research to Business
Consultancy Project Handbook
Kaplan
Teaching Period: May Trimester 2019
This information should be read in conjunction with the UILG and the online learning materials, which can be found on your MyUnits page.
Unit coordinator: Associate Professor Antonia Girardi Business School College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences
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© Published by Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, May 2019.
This unit was originally written by Dr Elaine Teh, October 2015 Revised by Dr Antonia Girardi and Dr Megan Paul, February 2016 Revised by Dr Antonia Girardi and Dr Jessie Smart, July 2016 and February 2017, Revised
by Dr Jessie Smart1, June 2017, Revised by Dr Antonia Girardi November 2018.
This publication is copyright. Except as permitted by the Copyright Act no part of it may in
any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any other means be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
1 With many thanks to Alexander Dawson for his contributions to the group work and group
assessment resources for this unit.
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Contents Contact details ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Consultancy Project Handbook ............................................................................................................. 5
Consultancy and research ....................................................................................................................... 5
The Brief ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
Project Phases and Assessment ............................................................................................................ 6
Phase 1: Problem discovery and definition (group work) ......................................................................... 7
Phase 2: Review the literature (individual assessment) ............................................................................. 7
Phase 3: Planning the research design (group assessment) ................................................................... 10
Phase 4: Data gathering (group work) ............................................................................................................. 11
Phase 5: Data processing and analysis (group work) ................................................................................ 11
Phase 6: Drawing conclusions and preparing report (group assessment) ....................................... 11
Appendices ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Appendix A - Sample Group Contract ................................................................................................15
Appendix B - Group Activity Record ..................................................................................................16
Appendix C - Individual activity record ...........................................................................................18
Appendix D - Group and Individual Activity Record Instructions ..........................................20
Appendix E - Tips for handling group work ....................................................................................21
Appendix F - Marking Guide for Systematic Literature Review ..............................................23
Appendix G - Marking Guide for Group Project Methodology ..................................................26
Appendix H - Marking Guide for Group Presentation .................................................................30
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Contact details
Unit Coordinator’s contact details
Name: Associate Professor Antonia Girardi
Email: [email protected]
Local Teaching Staff contact details
You will be notified who your local teaching staff will be at the beginning of the teaching
period. They will provide you with their contact details directly.
Administrative contact details
If you cannot get in touch with your unit coordinator, please contact:
Business School, College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences
Tel: +618 9360 2705
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Consultancy Project Handbook The trimester-long Consultancy Project is a multi-stage assessment. The research project
is broken up into several phases over the trimester, and upon completion, the project will be
worth 100% of your final grade. As this is a multi-stage assessment, each part builds on the
previous component. You must read all the instructions carefully, as only reading the
instructions for the assessed activities will result in an incomplete understanding of the
project and most likely, poor marks.
Below is the project brief and an overview of each phase of the project, including those
components that are assessed. This handbook should be read in conjunction with the
Learning Guide, where you will find supporting resources and learning activities for each
phase of the project.
Consultancy and research Consulting is a term that includes virtually any form of advice-giving in a business setting.
Consultants are hired advisers to organisations (clients) in areas such as information
systems and software solutions, human resources, corporate communications, mobile
communications, financial services, and e-commerce. Consultants tackle a wide variety of
business problems and provide solutions for their clients. Client companies hire consultants
when they are up against problems that require expertise beyond what their staff can
provide, or when they need the fresh perspective of an outsider.
For consultants, this means constantly being exposed to the greatest challenges companies
face: how to integrate staff and work processes after an acquisition, how to restructure after
bankruptcy, where to set up manufacturing facilities abroad, how to attract and retain the
right employees. Depending on the size and chosen strategy of the firm, these problems
can be as straightforward as researching a new market or as complex as rethinking the
client's entire organisation. No matter what the project is, consultants must engage in
research, whether they are advising a client to acquire a company worth hundreds of
millions of dollars or to reduce the size of its workforce by thousands of employees.
In this project, you have taken on the role of the consultant, and it is your job to investigate
a problem put forward by your client and come up with a range of recommendations. To
complete your project, you will be required to undertake six crucial phases of the
business research process model. While the outcomes of only some of these steps will
be submitted as part of the formal assessment, all steps will need to be undertaken to
complete the research project. Read the following carefully before you embark on the
project.
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The Brief Founded in 1984, ShopHere has grown from a single market stall to a national, multi-
channel retailer. ShopHere sells high-quality products across 95 stores in Australia and
through an e-commerce platform. In light of recent high-profile events, such as the Rana
Plaza collapse in Bangladesh and the Uzbekistani cotton labour scandal, and subsequent
consumer boycotts and public outcry, ShopHere has made a deliberate decision to move to
ethically sourced products, particularly in their clothing lines, in order to meet the needs of
the more ‘ethical consumer’.
They are now sourcing much of their cotton for their clothes from ethically traded and
sustainably produced crops and have banned the use of fur within their products. They
have also begun to implement processes to improve working conditions in their factories
and ensure a living wage. They have many other products, such as cosmetics, accessories,
and homewares, which are sourced ethically and sustainably, respecting the environments
from which they are gathered and the people involved in all stages of the supply chain.
However, some investors are questioning the viability of this strategy as they do not yet see
a significant increase in revenue. They question the existence of a viable target market of
‘ethical consumers’.
The company has hired you as a consultant to conduct some research and deliver a series
of recommendations. They wish to find out more about this target market of ‘ethical
consumers'. To justify the intended business strategy, they want to know if people who say
they are concerned about the ethics of consumption, actually turn these concerns into
purchasing decisions. They also want to find out more about the viability of, and strategies
for, increasing this target market.
You will need to present substantial evidence using primary and secondary research to
back up your claims and recommendations, as the results from your research may impact
the direction of ShopHere in the future.
Project Phases and Assessment You are to complete a research project in response to the brief above. This research project
will be self-guided, meaning that the steps you are to undertake to carry out the project
have mostly been decided for you.
The consultancy project is made up of six phases. You will be placed in small groups in the
first class, and you will work with this group on the project throughout the trimester.
It is essential to read the information included in this handbook carefully.
• Phase 1: Problem discovery and definition (group work to inform the systematic
review)
• Phase 2: Review the literature (Systematic Literature Review - individual
assessment)
• Phase 3: Planning the research design (Part 1 - group assessment)
• Phase 4: Data gathering (group work)
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• Phase 5: Data processing and analysis (group work)
• Phase 6: Drawing conclusions and preparing report (Part 2 - group assessment)
Phase 1: Problem discovery and definition (group work) For this phase, you will work with your group to define ShopHere’s management dilemma
and the scope and direction of your research.
For this phase, you will need to:
Complete a preliminary exploration of the broad topic of the project, as defined by the
consultancy project brief, familiarising yourself with terms and concepts.
Draft a working title, a research aim, research objectives and research questions,
based on the project brief and your preliminary exploration of the topic. This will be
facilitated in class and will inform the direction of the systemic literature review.
Phase 2: Review the literature (individual assessment) For this phase, you will complete a systematic literature review as an exploratory
research technique. The systematic literature review is your first assignment and will be
submitted individually.
Systematic literature review
1500 words (30%)
Individual submission
The main purpose of the literature review is to determine what has already been written
about your topic. Reviewing the literature is an important part of the research process. If we
are to research a topic systematically, we need to build upon what others have already
learned. We need to know the current state of knowledge, critically engage with the
literature and identify gaps in knowledge in order shed light on the management dilemma
being faced by the client.
You will use this assignment to help you to design your research project and to analyse and
interpret your data later in the trimester. If you are unsure of what you should be focusing
on regarding the research agenda, you should read through the information in the previous
sections again. You have been given a consultancy brief, and you should use this to direct
your engagement with the literature.
A systematic literature review is a particular style of a literature review. The systematic
review process, as the name suggests, is methodical in nature, with the reviewer following a
prescribed set of steps to search the literature and identify relevant material for review.
These steps are made explicit in the write-up of the review. Due to limitations regarding
time and scope, for this assessment, the systematic review process has been simplified.
Learning activities designed to address the purpose and importance of the literature review
should be referred to when completing this section of the project. A marking guide for the
systematic review is also available on LMS and in this document.
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It is crucial that your search process is systematic and replicable and that your review
includes all the elements specified in these instructions.
The steps that you need to complete are outlined below.
1. Read an example systematic review
Read the following publication for an example of a systematic literature review. Pay
particular attention to how the sections which outline the approach followed (pp. 135-7)
and the themes found in the literature (pp. 140-4) are written. Remember that your
systematic review will be a simplified and much shortened version of a complete review
such as this.
Riebe, L. Girardi, A. and Whitsed, C. (2017). “Teaching Teamwork in Australian University
Business Disciplines: Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review.” Issues in Educational
Research. 27(1): 134-150.
2. Review learning materials relating to literature reviews
Read, watch and complete any readings, videos or learning activities that have been
provided to help you to complete your systematic literature review.
3. Generate search terms
Develop a list of search terms (including different combinations of words) to use when
completing your systematic search for literature. Make sure to keep a record of the
searches you complete once you begin looking for literature to include. Remember that this
process needs to be systematic and replicable.
4. Begin searching for articles
Begin to search for literature using your search terms and the following inclusion and
exclusion criteria below. Download all articles which seem relevant and store these in a
folder on your computer (refer to the flowchart on page 137 of the Riebe et al. (2017) article
for an example of the literature selection process).
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
a) Limit your search to the database ProQuest.
b) Limit your search to articles published between 2017 and 2018. If you cannot find
relevant literature within this timeframe, you should expand your search backwards
by one year at a time.
c) Articles must be empirical, peer-reviewed and written in English.
5. Screen articles
Scan the articles titles and abstracts and discard those articles you deem irrelevant or
unsuitable for your review.
6. Read and assess articles for suitability
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Read the remaining articles and exclude any additional articles that you find to be irrelevant
or unsuitable for your review. Your final review should include at least ten articles in total.
7. Prepare a summary table
Take extensive notes and prepare a summary table of the articles you have decided to
include. See Table 1 on page 138 of Riebe et al. (2017) as an example. In addition to the
categories included by Riebe et al. (2017), include columns for results/findings, argument
and any other information you think will be useful. Information in the summary table should
be paraphrased wherever possible, with any direct quotes indicated with quotation marks
and page numbers.
Note that this step will take time, so make sure to get started as soon as possible. If done
well, a good summary table and notes will be invaluable when you are writing up your
review, and later in the teaching period when you are analysing your data and writing the
final report.
8. Write your systematic review
You are now ready to write up your systematic literature review. Use your summary table to
help you to write up a critical analysis of the articles you have chosen.
Your literature review must contain the following:
Introduction: A succinct introduction which includes your project aim, objectives and
research questions and outlines the purpose and focus of the review.
Description of search process: A clear description of the search process used to conduct
your systematic review. Your search process should be clear and replicable. If appropriate,
use diagrams to illustrate your search process.
Critical analysis of the literature: This section should be organised by themes (see Riebe
et al. 2017 to see how this should be written). This should make up most of your word
count. Do not discuss each article individually (this is not an annotated bibliography)
but rather synthesise the literature by comparing and contrasting the different articles,
critically assessing their content, interpreting meaning and implications and drawing
conclusions. A literature review is more than just description.
Implications and Conclusion: A succinct conclusion which identifies gaps in the literature.
A reference list: Include full bibliographic detail of the articles you have included in your
review. This is not included in your word count.
A summary table: This is not included in your word count.
See Appendix F Marking Guide for Systematic Literature Review for the marking criteria for
the systematic literature review.
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Resources to assist you in completing your systematic literature review
Blumberg, B., Cooper, D. and Schindler, P. (2014). “Literature Review.” In Business
Research Methods. 4th ed. 88-119. London: McGraw-Hill Education.
Creswell, J. (2014). “Review of Literature.” In Research Design. 4th ed. 25-50. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Jackson, P. (2015). “Reviewing the Literature.” In
Management and Business Research. 5th ed. 13-44. Thousand Oaks: Sage
Publications.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Jackson, P. (2015). “Writing up the Literature Review.”
In Management and Business Research. 5th ed. 305-308.
Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Meriam Library (2010). Evaluating Information – Applying the CRAAP Test. Chico:
California State University.
Phase 3: Planning the research design (group assessment) With the support of your instructor, you will work with your group to design your mixed
methods research project and produce a methodology and research tools to use to
collect data. This phase is your second assignment and Part 1 of the group assessment.
Part 1: Methodology and research tools (30%)
Group submission
1500 words plus research tools
There are two main elements to complete and submit for this assessment:
a) Methodology (1500 words)
b) Research tools and associated documentation (no word limit)
To complete this assessment, you will need to reflect on what you found out through your
literature reviews to re-define your project aim, objectives and research questions to design
an achievable project, involving the collection of data through appropriate qualitative (e.g.
focus groups) and quantitative data (e.g. survey) collection tools.
In this phase, it is important to consider the limitations and scope of your project. What is
achievable regarding data collection in terms of these limitations (e.g. time and what has
been specified above)? How will you transcribe, enter and organise your data in preparation
for analysis? How long will this take?
Your project must:
• Be mixed methods in design
• Collect and use both qualitative and quantitative data
• Use a convenience sample of friends and family (n=10 min for each group member)
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Your methodology should:
• Include your project aim, objectives and research questions
• Describe and justify your mixed methods research design, identifying the type of
design and describe the mixing, timing and weighting of the study
• Show an understanding of and care for research ethics
• Describe your method, including a description and justification of sampling design
and the tools you will use to collect data
• Describe and justify how you will organise and analyse your data
• Provide a discussion of the known and possible limitations
• Be fully referenced. This is important. You should be drawing on the academic
literature when describing and justifying your research design
You must also submit:
• The tools you will use to collect data (e.g. a focus group schedule and a short
survey)
• Consent and information documentation for data collection
See Appendix G for the marking criteria for this assessment.
Phase 4: Data gathering (group work) You are to work with your group to collect data using the tool(s) you developed in the
previous phase. You are to do this in your own time, drawing on a convenience sample of
friends and family as participants (with their permission).
Phase 5: Data processing and analysis (group work) In your groups, you will collate and organise (transcribe, enter, edit, code, etc.) and analyse
the data you have collected.
Phase 6: Drawing conclusions and preparing report (group assessment) For this last phase of the research project, you will work with your group to deliver an oral
presentation on your findings and your finished project. Presentations should be 15 minutes
long. This is Part 2 of the Group Assessment and the final assignment for the unit.
Part 2A: Presentation (30%)
Group submission
15-minute oral presentation, plus a one-page executive summary, an A4 handout and
a reference list. Record and upload presentation as unlisted YouTube channel (provide
link with your submission of the summary)
In-class, Session 6/7
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There are four elements to complete and submit for this assessment:
a) 15-minute presentation
b) A one-page executive summary
c) An A4 handout
d) Upload recorded presentation onto unlisted YouTube Channel by the end of the
session. You will not be required to edit this video. Please watch this video (not
prepared for this class) about how to set up and upload the video
https://youtu.be/00IH3gtIkko . For more information click this link
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/57407 which is especially useful if
your video is longer than 15 minutes.
Your presentation must: • Be presented in professional English business language
• Have accompanying visual aids such as PowerPoint slides
• Include an introduction and an outline of the presentation
• Report on your results and analysis
• Discuss your analysis, with clear reference to the literature
• Include recommendations for the client
• Be fully referenced
The written component consists of three parts:
• An executive summary of one-page (including the link to your YoubTube Channel)
• A hand-out (double-sided, A4) that includes a summary of relevant literature, main
presentation points and recommendations
• A list of references
Part 2b: Multi-source assessment (10%)
Group and individual submission
Group and individual activity logs
Information about group and individual activity logs
Record sheets and instructions for this component are provided in the Appendices of this
document and on LMS. These logs are used to help track and reward individual efforts
within the group. You must note what is being delivered and by when – avoid vague and
ambiguous descriptions as you need to be clear about what is required. Keep records of all
activities relating to the project, whether during workshops or in meetings outside of class-
time.
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Please avoid the temptation to collude on entries for these records as the penalties are
harsh. These records must be submitted during Session 6 unless otherwise notified.
These, in conjunction with other sources, are used to inform the multi-source assessment of
Part 2 of the Group Project. You should print/photocopy as many Group and Individual
Activity sheets as you need to keep track of your work and your groups, and follow the
instructions provided with these resources carefully.
How this assignment will be assessed
Your final grade for this part of this assessment (Group Project Part 2) will be derived from
multiple sources.
1. The instructor’s assessment of the group output (i.e. the mark given for the
presentation itself) will make up 20% of your final grade.
2. A further 10% will be an individual mark, based on factors such as your presentation
skills.
3. The final 10% ‘multi-source assessment’ component will be based on two sources of
data: a) Group and individual activity records; and b) instructor observations.
This multi-source format for assessment will help your instructor determine whether an
increase, maintenance or reduction in marks is required.
In the end, you will be given a mark out of 10 for the final component. As a general rule,
your instructor will not vary this by more than +/-20% from the aggregate mark for the group
assessment in percentage terms unless equity demands it should be. In other words,
those that go above and beyond for the group can get more, while those that hold the group
back unduly or shirk may be penalised.
Lastly, students should view this as part of an aggregate group work mark, meaning that
you should take this mark and add it to all other marks for group assessment to get a total
mark for group work. Viewing the mark in this way helps to define its role in restoring equity
in team-based assessment and overcome the tendency for self-serving estimations of
contributions.
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Appendices
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Appendix A - Sample Group Contract
These rules define our group norms. They define how we as a team wish to operate and
work together. The undersigned, agree to abide by these rules:
• We will strive to attain a ____ grade by applying ourselves to the best of our abilities.
• We will be punctual in our attendance of team meetings and commitments to the group. All
members must also advise in advance of their availability for meetings and of any failure to
deliver agreed outputs.
• If a group member is having trouble with their task & is in danger of not meeting commitments
concerning deadlines, then this matter should be addressed immediately with the group as
early as possible.
• All members agree to complete their action items/task at a time agreed to by the group.
• All members agree to bring their work outputs to class so their work can be discussed and
used.
• We agree to maintain and regularly update all activity records with accurate information.
• We will brainstorm when problem-solving and endeavour to reach decisions objectively. All
ideas will be considered on their relative merits, and group member's opinions should be heard
and respected.
• Group members agree to avoid actively networking before group meetings with a view to
establishing a dominant discourse on a contentious issue where there is disagreement. We aim
to keep an open mind when exploring opportunities and must, therefore, use networking to
understand differences and explore solutions.
• We agree to address problems civilly and if they cannot be resolved, consult our unit facilitator
to settle irreconcilable differences or disagreements.
• We will acknowledge the sincere efforts of team-mates in task and team roles.
• We agree not to denigrate or ridicule those who are human enough to have made a mistake or
were wrong. We move on and get the job done and respect those that do in kind.
• All members agree to the three strikes, and you are out rule. These serious transgressions of
our group contract should be recorded, and problems brought to the unit facilitator's attention
before evoking this rule.
• ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Name: ………………...….. Signature: ……....…….……..... Date: ……………….….…
Name: ………………...….. Signature: ……....…….……..... Date: ……………….….…
Name: ………………...….. Signature: ……....…….……..... Date: ……………….….…
Name: ………………...….. Signature: ……....…….……..... Date: ……………….….…
Name: ………………...….. Signature: ……....…….……..... Date: ……………….….…
Note: Group members are free to adapt this contract or draw up their own
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Appendix B - Group Activity Record
Complete one (or more as required) of these forms for each workshop or out of class
meeting and be sure to use this as a means of keeping accountability for action items.
Meeting date: ………………..……. Team Name: ………………..……..……….
Do any past performance failures require attention? (Note individual/s & what problems
are):
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Member Name Signature Agreed Action Items DUE
YOU are accountable for the action items you agree to do on this TEAM RECORD. So, if a
person is ABSENT, note their names and if they have forwarded an apology and ideas or
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an agreed work schedule for this case. You should also note who will contact them to
inform them of any work allocation or infringements. See section below for details on
managing this record and problems in groups.
SUBMIT COMPLETED SHEETS IN SESSION 6
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Appendix C - Individual activity record
Name: ………………..……..……………………..
Add items to this list progressively as they are allocated to you – make sure the description
and due date are clear. Add the date delivered when you deliver work on the action item.
Action item or
self-initiated* Descriptions Date
delivered
*Note#1: Note here if the item was an assigned action item from the group or a self-initiated
delivery as a result of a discovery etc.
Note#2: Ensure you account for all work done and separate the different items with a
horizontal line.
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Note#3: Photocopy as many sheets as needed and submit these with group activity records
in Workshop 11.
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Appendix D - Group and Individual Activity Record Instructions
Group Activity Record (TEAM RECORD) • Your GROUP/TEAM uses this to record the action items assigned to each group
member.
• Ensure a due date is included which ideally should be collaboratively set so that all
goals and delivery dates are clarified.
• Use this to ensure workloads are kept relatively even.
• Use items to help define the initial agenda for any meeting (i.e.: report on what’s
done).
• New items/work done by members can be raised but ensure this is not at the
expense of defined objectives unless absolutely warranted (ideally this should be
approved by the group beforehand).
• Absentees from meetings must be noted, and it should be recorded if the person
concerned has forwarded an apology with any work items required/due.
• Ensure failures to deliver on action items or violations of your group contract are
noted here – See Tips for Handling Problems below on HOW TO APPLY STRIKES.
• Make sure that one person notes what each is doing on this sheet and submit via
LMS with your assessment.
•
Individual Activity Record • Each individual records action items THEY are responsible for on this sheet and
when it is due.
• Note when these items are completed on the sheet and ensure you have evidence
of completion at team focus meetings (or forward them with an apology if you can’t
attend).
• You may naturally discover things that you work on but were not part of your
original allocation. Ensure these extra work items are noted here, and if
incorporated in the team report they should be noted on the Group Activity Record
(The TEAM record).
• Do not neglect allocated work tasks for self-appointed ones unless you have
provided justification to your team.
• Copy additional sheets as required and feel free to do your own electronic version.
• Submit these completed sheets via LMS with your assessment.
•
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Appendix E - Tips for handling group work
Maintain activity records for group and individual work allocations that define what is
wanted by members and when it must be done. You need
to be explicit, and always consider capabilities, roles and equity in the allocation of
workloads.
The ‘three strikes and you are out provision’ is a provision that, if any group member
fails three times to either complete actions documented by activity records or breaches
other terms of the group contract without adequate explanation, then they are
AUTOMATICALLY excluded from the group. They and your tutor must be advised when
each strike occurs.
Defined work process and dispute resolution: Define how you want to work together
and resolve any disagreement re your group contract? Ensure you have mechanisms in
place to define how you wish to work together and to assist members who are unhappy with
group output/behaviour or are having genuine difficulties.
Document poor behaviour and be open about problems: When a group member fails to
do as they have agreed to do without adequate explanation, document that problem on
activity records and apply a strike. Group members MUST sign off on this and be open with
all parties about what is being recorded and why.
Harness the power of groups: Be careful not to misconstrue genuine difficulties as a
failure to perform. If a member is in need of assistance to improve output, then there is a
mutual obligation to communicate problems and to provide help if possible. Functional
groups provide an environment where members learn from one another so they may both
grow and help assist their group (e.g. getting a strong researcher to help develop a weaker
one): the stuff of teamwork.
Take action IMMEDIATELY: Act immediately to remedy poor behaviour, a failure to comply
with the group contract/task allocations or provide extra assistance for those facing genuine
difficulties.
In disputes/debates discuss issues and don’t denigrate: When endeavouring to deal
with the inevitable disputes YOU MUST deal with the specific behaviour/task issue/s only.
Remember differences of opinion are both natural and essential in stimulating creativity in
groups so long as it does not degenerate into dysfunctional conflict.
If your group is not working out after all efforts exhausted, you can always leave your
group to join another or attempt an alternative individual assessment. See your tutor early if
this looks likely as other strategies need to be explored.
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Appendix F - Marking Guide for Systematic Literature Review
80-100
Excellent (HD)
70-79 Very
good (D) 60-69 Good (C)
50-59 Acceptable (P) 49 Fail (N)
Technical approach to systematic
review
Outstanding
evidence of
systematic
review process,
all steps fulfilled,
clearly replicable
process,
evidence of
multiple searches
across the
databases
specified,
excellent search
terms with
thoughtful search
term
combinations.
Evidence of
very careful
reviewing, most
steps fulfilled,
clearly
replicable
process,
evidence of
multiple
searches across
databases,
good selection
of search terms
and search
combinations.
Evidence of
some systematic
reviewing,
possibly
incomplete but
using
appropriate
approaches.
Incomplete and
not systematic,
but adequate to
identify useful
and appropriate
literature.
Fails to identify appropriate
literature, little or
no evidence of
systematic
approach,
incomplete
review.
Synthesis and evaluation of
literature
Literature well
synthesised.
Excellent level of
critical evaluation
developed and
justified own
ideas, drawing
from the literature
to make
conclusions.
Literature well synthesised. Evidence of good analysis and critical evaluation of literature. Some evidence
of developing
own ideas and
drawing from
the literature to
make
conclusions.
Some attempt to synthesise literature. Some evidence of critical
evaluation of the
literature.
Limited
synthesis of the
literature.
Literature is
presented
uncritically, in a
purely
descriptive way.
Limited
understanding
is evident.
Literature not
synthesised.
Little or no
evidence of
having read
papers cited
completely.
Level of
understanding
Evidence of comprehensive and detailed understanding of
topic presented
with depth and
rigour.
Evidence of very good level of understanding
of the topic and
an awareness of
a variety of
ideas and
perspectives.
Evidence of a
good level of
factual and
conceptual
knowledge and
use of
appropriate
terminology.
Evidence of
limited
knowledge of
the topic. Some
use of
appropriate
terminology.
Lacks evidence
of knowledge
relevant to the
topic and
significantly
misuses
terminology.
Written
expression
Fluent and sophisticated writing style appropriate to document. Writing concise and direct. Grammar and
spelling errors
rare or absent.
Language is fluent. Grammar and spelling errors are minimal. The author often presents ideas in clear, lucid fashion,
making
Language is
mainly fluent.
May have
occasional
grammar or
spelling errors.
Although some
parts of the
review are clear
and
Meaning apparent, but language not always fluent. Makes some spelling or
grammatical
errors, but
writing readable.
Persistent writing problems. Needs significant
proofreading.
Frequent
ungrammatical
sentences,
spelling errors,
BBS 301 - Murdoch University 24
The author presents ideas in
an accessible
way with a sense
of reader's need
for variety,
examples, and
explanation.
difficult ideas
accessible and
explaining
concepts and
arguments
effectively.
persuasive,
some may be
hard to follow or
convoluted.
Needs better
proofreading.
Over relies on
quotation.
or convoluted
writing. Over
relies on
quotation.
Presentation and
structure
Polished and
imaginative
presentation.
Clear, logical &
engaging
structure
throughout the
review, with
effective
introduction &
conclusion.
Clever or
effective use of
structure, such
as cumulative
points, creative
development, or
other effective
writing strategy.
Strong, intriguing
introduction.
Very good presentation. Minor errors in consistency or formatting. Clear, logical structure throughout the review that is effectively initiated in the introduction and drawn to a conclusion. Effective use of paragraphs, sentence structure and overall outline.
Good presentation. Some errors in consistency and formatting. Shows organisation and coherence. Introduction and conclusion used effectively,
including
signalling the
primary contents
of review, but
may be overly
plodding.
Shows some attempt at presentation, but generally poor presentation. Shows some attempt to organise logically. Review does have basic sense of logic,
but may have
problem with
cohesion or
organization.
Introduction and
conclusion not
used effectively
or well
organized.
Shows no attempt to present appropriately. Significant errors and inconsistencies in presentation. Disorganised and incoherent. Movement between topics is
random.
Significant
material is off
topic or
irrelevant.
Paragraphs
poorly structured.
Integration of
cited material
Author embeds
quotations well
in his or her
own prose,
effectively
integrating
concepts. Cited
concepts used
effectively and
creatively.
Author embeds
quotations well in
his or her own
prose, integrating
concepts into the
review. Cited
concepts are well
understood and
used correctly.
Quoted material
advances the
discussion and
author leads
into and out of
quoted material
effectively.
Author uses
concepts or
ideas correctly
from sources.
Quoted material generally appropriate although may be some lack of fit with
discussion.
Quoted material
not well
integrated into
the surrounding
text.
Quoted
material not
integrated or
poorly
integrated into
review. Quotes
do not say
what author
suggests.
Material not
embedded or
depended upon
too heavily.
BBS301 - Murdoch University 25
Referencing
Referencing consistently accurate. In-text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging
sources with
paraphrased as
well as quoted
material.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor errors in consistency or formatting. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging sources with
paraphrased as
well as quoted
material.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor errors in consistency or formatting. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging the sources of
material.
References meet minimal standards, include complete information, and Reference List is complete. Author includes too much information in paraphrase.
Little or no referencing. Errors or oversights in citations and Reference List.
Incomplete
reference
information. Use
of inappropriate
sources.
BBS 301 - Murdoch University 26
Appendix G - Marking Guide for Group Project Methodology
80-100
Excellent (HD)
70-79 Very
good (D) 60-69 Good (C)
50-59 Acceptable
(P) 49 Fail (N)
Aims and objectives
Aims and
objectives are
concisely
expressed.
Original and
highly relevant
research
questions are
clearly articulated.
Aims and
objectives are
well selected.
Clearly relevant
research
questions are
determined.
Aims and
objectives are
identified and
mostly
relevant to
project.
Relevant
research
questions
outlined, but
could be
tighter in their
focus.
Aims and
objectives
are described
in broad
terms only.
Research
questions
outlined but
lacking in
clarity or
focus.
Aims, objectives
or
hypotheses/rese
arch questions
are missing or
so poorly written
meaning is
unclear.
Methodology and ethics
Creative and highly appropriate methodology is clearly articulated and justified. Clear demonstration of deep understanding of
ethical concerns.
Methodology is well argued and justified. Very good level of understanding
of ethical
concerns.
Methodology is
explained and
appropriate for
the project.
Good level of
understanding
of ethical
concerns.
An
appropriate
methodology
is broadly
outlined, but
details are
not always
clear.
Shallow
understandin
g of ethical
concerns.
The methodology is either not appropriate for the project or is poorly articulated suggesting deficits in understanding. Very limited understanding of ethical concerns. Elements of methods or methodology
ethically
problematic.
Methods
Evidence of comprehensive and detailed understanding of the limitations and the strengths of the different methods selected.
Evidence of very good level of understanding of the limitations and the strengths of the different
methods
selected.
Evidence of a good level of knowledge of different
methods
selected and
use of
appropriate
terminology.
Evidence of limited knowledge of topic. Some use of
appropriate
terminology.
Lacks evidence of knowledge relevant to the topic and/or significantly
misuses
terminology.
BBS301 - Murdoch University 27
Research tools
Excellent research tools. Highly appropriate and well-designed supporting documentation . Research tools
clearly linked to
project aims.
Very well designed research tools. Appropriate and well-designed supporting documentation . Research tools
clearly linked to
project aims.
Well-designed
research tools
but some
minor changes
needed.
Appropriate
and well-
designed
supporting
documentation
but some
minor changes
needed. Research tools
and project
aims could be
linked more
clearly.
Major amendments to research
tool and
supporting
documentati
on needed.
Links
between
research
tools and the
aims of the
project not
well linked.
Research tools and supporting document badly designed and show a little to no understanding of project aims.
Written expression
Fluent and sophisticated writing style appropriate to document. Writing concise and direct. Grammar and spelling errors rare or absent. Author presents ideas in accessible way with sense of reader’s need for variety, examples,
and explanation.
Language fluent. Grammar and spelling errors are minimal. Author often presents ideas in clear, lucid fashion, making difficult ideas
accessible and
explaining
concepts and
arguments
effectively.
Language mainly fluent. May be occasional grammar or spelling errors. Although some
parts of the
review are
clear and
persuasive,
some may be
hard to follow
or convoluted.
Meaning apparent, but language not always fluent. Makes some spelling or
grammatical
errors, but
writing
generally
readable.
Needs better
proofreading.
Over relies on
quotation.
Persistent writing problems. Needs significant
proofreading.
Frequent
ungrammatical
sentences,
spelling errors,
or convoluted
writing. Over
relies on
quotation.
BBS 301 - Murdoch University 28
Presentation and
structure
Polished and imaginative presentation. Clear, logical & engaging structure throughout the review, with effective introduction & conclusion. Clever or effective use of structure, such as cumulative points, creative development, or other effective writing strategy.
Very good
presentation.
Minor errors in
consistency or
formatting.
Clear, logical
structure
throughout the
review that is
effectively
initiated in the
introduction and
drawn to a
conclusion.
Effective use of
paragraphs,
sentence
structure and
overall outline.
Good presentation. Some errors in consistency and formatting. Shows organisation and coherence. Introduction and conclusion used effectively,
including
signalling the
primary
contents of
review, but may
be overly
plodding.
Shows some attempt at presentation, but generally poor presentation. Shows some attempt to organise in a logical manner. Review does have basic sense of
logic, but
may have
problem with
cohesion or
organization.
Introduction
and
conclusion
not used
effectively or
well
organized.
Shows no attempt to present appropriately. Significant errors and inconsistencies in presentation. Disorganised and incoherent. Movement between topics is random. Significant material is off topic or irrelevant. Paragraphs
poorly structured.
Integration of cited
material
Author embeds
quotations well in
his or her own
prose, effectively
integrating
concepts. Cited
concepts used
effectively and
creatively.
Author
embeds
quotations well
in his or her
own prose,
integrating
concepts into
the review.
Cited concepts
are well
understood
and used
correctly.
Quoted material
advances the
discussion and
author leads
into and out of
quoted material
effectively.
Author uses
concepts or
ideas correctly
from sources.
Quoted
material
generally
appropriate
although
may be
some lack of
fit with
discussion.
Quoted
material not
well
integrated
into the
surrounding
text.
Quoted
material not
integrated or
poorly
integrated into
review. Quotes
do not say
what author
suggests.
Material not
embedded or
depended
upon too
heavily.
BBS301 - Murdoch University 29
Referencing
Referencing consistently accurate. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging
sources with
paraphrased as
well as quoted
material.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor errors in consistency or formatting. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging
sources with
paraphrased as
well as quoted
material.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor errors in consistency or formatting. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate. Author efficiently
integrates
acknowledging
the sources of
material.
References meet minimal standards, include complete information, and Reference List is complete. Author includes too much information in paraphrase.
Little or no referencing. Errors or oversights
in citations and
Reference List.
Incomplete
reference
information. Use of
inappropriate
sources.
BBS 301 - Murdoch University 30
Appendix H - Marking Guide for Group Presentation
80-100 Excellent
(HD)
70-79 Very
good (D) 60-69 Good (C)
50-59 Acceptable (P)
49 Fail (N)
Visual
presentation Professional and polished presentation. No errors in spelling, grammar or
punctuation.
Information is
clear and
concise on
each slide and
in the handout.
Presentation
and handout
engaging with
significant
visual appeal.
Very good presentation but there are some minor errors in spelling, grammar and
punctuation.
Slides and
handout mostly
clear and
concise but
may have too
much
information.
Presentation
and handout
have significant
visual appeal.
Good presentation but there are consistent, but minor, errors in spelling, grammar and
presentation.
Slides and
handouts
sometimes
crowded or
sparse but
some effort at
maintaining a
good standard
of presentation
demonstrated.
Consistent and at times major errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Too much or too little information was contained on most slides and handout. Minimal effort made to make
slides appealing
or too much
going on.
Significant and persistent errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Needs significant
proofreading. No
visual appeal.
Analysis and
discussion Excellent skills in analysis and evaluation of data demonstrated when discussing the results and implications of the study. Consistently develops and justifies ideas
and
conclusions,
drawing
explicitly from
the literature.
Analysis and
discussion
demonstrates
an excellent
critical thinking.
Very good analysis and evaluation in discussion of results. Some evidence of drawing from the literature to develop and justify own ideas. Very good level of critical thinking demonstrated. Draws on useful points from the literature to develop and justify ideas
and conclusion.
Good level of
analysis and
evaluation in the
discussion of
results.
Sufficient level
of critical
thinking
demonstrated.
Some good
links with the
literature.
Results presented in a purely descriptive way. Analysis and discussion does not demonstrate a
sufficient level
of critical
thinking.
Limited linking
to the literature.
Insufficient and
shallow analysis
and discussion
of results. Little
or no evidence
of sufficiently
engaging with
the literature.
Recommendati
ons Creative,
relevant and
clearly
Very good
recommendati
ons with clear
Good
recommendati
ons with some
Some good
recommendati
ons may not be
Recommendati
ons show little
evidence of
BBS301 - Murdoch University 31
justified recommendati
ons which are
clearly linked to
the project
aims.
justification which are clearly linked to the projects aims.
attempt at justification. Links to aims of project may not be clearly articulated.
very well
justified or have
limited
relevance to
project aims.
careful thought
and have not
been justified.
Referencing Referencing consistently accurate. In- text citations & Reference List complete & appropriate.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor
errors in
consistency or
formatting. In-
text citations &
Reference List
complete &
appropriate.
Referencing mostly accurate but some minor
errors in
consistency or
formatting. In-
text citations &
Reference List
complete &
appropriate.
References meet minimal standards, include complete information, and Reference List is complete.
Little or no referencing. Errors or oversights in citations and Reference List.
Incomplete
reference
information. Use
of inappropriate
sources.
/---------- End of Document ----------\
