research project proposal

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Module assignment specification Coursework

1 Module information

1.1 Module title

Research methods

1.2 Module code

KB7030

1.3 Assignment title and weighting

Examination 40% weighting

Coursework 60% weighting

1.4 Module tutor

Dr Allan Osborne

1.5 Assignment author

Dr Allan Osborne

1.6 Academic Year

Semester 2 2017/18

2 Dates and mechanisms for assignment submission and feedback

2.1 Summative assessment overview

You will be summatively assessed by one examination, i.e., an online test, towards the end of the module and one

item of coursework, which will be a Research Project Proposal. This assignment specification will describe the

requirements of the coursework.

2.2 Date assignment specification issued

1000 (GMT) Wednesday 17 January 2018

2.3 Mechanism for dissemination of assignment specification

The assignment specification will be disseminated to you via the module assessment area of the Blackboard course

and will be presented to you during seminar 1.

2.4 Date and time of submission

You will be required to submit the coursework by end-of-day (GMT) on Friday 27 April 2018.

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2.5 Mechanism for submission of work

You will submit your coursework using turnitinUK in the module assessment area of the Blackboard course.

2.6 Date when marks will be returned

You will receive your unconfirmed, moderated mark for the examination no later than end-of-day (BST) on Tuesday

29 May 2018.

2.7 Mechanism for return of marks

You will receive your unconfirmed, internally moderated mark for the Research Project Proposal via the grade mark

facility in turnitinUK in the module assessment area of the Blackboard course.

3 Assignment details: Research Project Proposal

The Mechanical and Construction Engineering Education Trust (MACEET) was established in 1992 as an

independent charity to support education and research in the disciplines of engineering, construction, and project

management. Over the past 25 years it has provided support and encouragement to a number of researchers seeking

to support engineering, construction, and project management as a scholarly and professional discipline. For 2017-

18, its silver jubilee year, the trustees of MACEET wish to take the opportunity to commission a research project

that will point the way forward for new and exciting research in one of the disciplines.

The trustees are looking for approaches to the research project that are theoretically constructed on the heritage of

recently published research. Furthermore, the successful research project needs to be innovative and imaginative

and not necessarily constrained by conventional wisdom in terms of the solutions published from previous research.

The trustees wish to see this as an opportunity to support exciting, new research that is derived from current

knowledge that will influence the future direction of research and knowledge sharing in engineering, construction,

and project management.

3.1 MACEET research project

The project will seek to identify and analyse the most effective responses the academic community can make to the

challenge of specifying new, exciting research in the areas of engineering, construction, and project management

that is theoretically and methodologically derived from existing research published in the following research

publication journals during the limited period of 2010 to 2017:

1. MSc Construction Project Management and BIM - Construction Management and Economics 2. MSc Engineering Management - Journal of Management in Engineering 3. MSc Mechanical Engineering - Journal of Mechanical Design 4. MSc Project Management – International Journal of Project Management 5. MSc Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technologies - Environmental Science and Technology

Based on the requirements specified by MACEET, the aims of the Research Project Proposal are:

 To identify specific areas of research activity that have been published in one of the research journals listed above (you should select a journal that is based on the title of your named University award) and to carefully

select one journal article that encapsulates a novel contribution to the discipline that is of most interest to you.

 To critically evaluate and deconstruct the theoretical and methodological framework of the selected journal article. This forensic examination must give detailed and careful consideration of the study’s research goals; the

rationale for the study; the theoretical framework; the research design; research data collection and analysis

methods; and conclusions and recommendations arising from the study. Consideration must also be given to any

theoretical or methodological assumptions or irregularities that limit the study’s application.

 To propose a new, original, and exciting research project that fully recognizes its theoretical and methodological heritage and that builds upon the findings of the forensic examination of the above.

Given the range of activities undertaken by engineering, construction, and project management professionals

worldwide, it is not expected that the MACEET research project will seek to assess all of the areas in which

researchers can contribute to knowledge. Rather, the intention is the MACEET research project will focus on a

single area of professional practice/existing knowledge. Those bidding for the MACEET research project must

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provide a full and detailed critical evaluation and justification of the specific area they have identified as being

worthy of further investigation, focusing on:

 the potential for making a meaningful contribution to engineering, construction, and project management knowledge; and

 the potential for making a valuable recommendation to engineering, construction, and project management professional practice.

It should be noted that, while the intention is to focus on a specific area of activity/knowledge, it is very much the

desire of the Trustees that the successful Research Project Proposal could take a global perspective.

3.2 Information to be supplied

The MACEET Research Project Proposal shall provide the following data within the submission that is outlined in

Section 3.6 Research Project Proposal structure below:

 Detailed forensic examination of one research article published in one of the journals listed is Section 3.1 MACEET research project above;

 Evaluation and justification of the research design and method to be adopted during the MACEET research project;

 Procedure or method statement of the MACEET research project, which includes a critical evaluation and justification of the proposed research instruments and data analysis techniques; and

 Expanded literature review, which supplements the material provided as a result of the forensically examined research article. The literature review must include fresh and up-to-date literature sources derived from

Northumbria University’s library search tool (material derived from the web, Google Scholar, etc. will not be

accepted).

3.3 Research Project Proposal submission

You are required to submit your Research Project Proposal using the turnitinUK tool in the Blackboard course.

Your summative assessment feedback will be released to you using the grade mark facility in turnitinUK. The quick

mark and rubric score card tools will be used to provide consistent summative assessment feedback for all students

enrolled on the module.

You will also be given a single opportunity to submit your draft Research Project Proposal using the revision

opportunity of the turnitinUK tool in the Blackboard course. Your ability to make use of the revision opportunity of

the turnitinUK tool will cease at end-of-day on Friday 13 April 2018. The result of this submission will provide you

with formative feedback with respect to your ability to cite accurately and avoid potential academic misconduct

because of plagiarism. This submission will therefore not be summatively assessed.

The Research Project Proposal will be designed to unite your tutor-guided and self-directed independent learning to

demonstrate your achievement of specific module learning outcomes, i.e., MLOs 3, 4, and 5.

3.4 Research Project Proposal design

Crotty (1998) has suggested that when designing a research proposal, a researcher must consider four fundamental

elements of inquiry which illustrate the interrelated levels of the decisions that he/she must make during this

process. These four elements of inquiry include:

3.4.1 What epistemology informs the research?

Crotty is suggesting in this question that the researcher considers the theory of knowledge embedded in the

theoretical perspective of the intended study, e.g., objectivism, subjectivism, etc.?

3.4.2 What theoretical perspective lies behind the methodology in the research question?

Crotty is suggesting in this question that the researcher considers the philosophical stance behind the chosen

methodology, e.g., positivism and postpositivism, interpretivisim, critical theory, etc.

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3.4.3 What methodology governs the selection of research method(s)?

Crotty is suggesting in this question that the researcher considers the strategy that links the research method to the

outcomes of the study, e.g., experimental research, survey research, ethnography, etc.

3.4.4 What research method(s) does the researcher intend to use during the study?

Crotty is suggesting in this question that the researcher considers the techniques and procedures that he/she will use

to gather primary data, e.g., questionnaire, interview, focus group, observation, etc.

3.5 Assignment tasks

Using Crotty’s four elements of inquiry, you (the researcher) are required to generate a research question and to

design a research project that would enable you to answer your question. Your research question must be

constructively aligned to the ethos of your master’s programme of study. You should write a Research Project

Proposal which captures this process and includes an evaluation of the techniques that could be used.

The Research Project Proposal should be written in an academically acceptable format in which all bibliographic

citations in the running text and references listed in the bibliography are fully referenced using the Cite Them Right

version of the Harvard referencing system. The absolute word limit for the Research Project Proposal is 2000 words

(see Section 3.6 Research Project Proposal structure below).

3.6 Research Project Proposal structure

Rudestam and Newton (2007) have provided the following outline of key issues for researchers to consider when

structuring and writing a Research Project Proposal.

3.6.1 Literature review

The literature review is a systematic investigation of the subject, aimed at uncovering new information and/or

interpreting relations among the subject’s variables. It is normal practice for the literature review to include an

analytical account of the relevant literature and to carefully summarize any relevant secondary data. It must also

include an appropriate rationale for the study.

1. The classic, definitive or most influential pieces of research in this area are . . . 2. The study relates to the larger, ongoing dialogue that exists within the scholarly literature by . . . 3. The study contributes to the existing knowledge base by . . .

3.6.2 Purpose statement

This is a statement of the question being examined in the study in its most general form. It orients both the

researcher and the reviewer to the central intent of the study, and from it, all other aspects of the research will

generally follow.

1. The intellectual problem the research will address is . . . 2. The research project will aim to accomplish . . .

3.6.3 Research question and/or hypothesis

These are a series of signposts that narrow the purpose statement and establish the central direction of the study.

This results in the researcher stipulating a specific exploratory question that will be addressed throughout the work

or a substantive prediction that will be tested during the analysis.

1. The independent and dependent variables that will be investigated by the research are . . . 2. The independent and dependent variables relate to each other . . .

3.6.4 Research methodology

This is the strategy of inquiry that will inform the research procedures for the study. This should include an

evaluation of the relevance of qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approaches to the study. The presentation

of the research design strategy should be simple and logical, with clear definitions of terms, study parameters,

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inclusion criteria etc. Be certain that the research design is appropriate for the research question and that the data

generated will answer this question. Avoid sweeping, controversial assumptions. Critique the study design.

1. The approach adopted during the research project is . . . 2. This approach is the most appropriate for the study because . . . 3. An alternative to the chosen research approach is . . .

3.6.5 Research procedure(s)

This is the method to be adopted for conducting the research and gathering the primary and/or secondary data. The

chosen procedures will depend on the nature of the investigation and the type of data and information that are

available and are required. The methods being used should be described in sufficient detail to enable the reviewer to

clearly understand how the study is to proceed, including an explanation of how the data will be sorted and

interrogated. Be certain that the proposed data will be adequate to address the research question. Where applicable,

use established instruments.

1. The reasons why the chosen method is appropriate for the research question/hypothesis are . . . 2. The potential weaknesses of the chosen method include . . . 3. Prior studies that have been carried out that use the proposed method include . . .

4 Further information

4.1 Module learning outcomes (MLOs) assessed by the Research Project Proposal

On completion of the coursework, i.e., Research Project Proposal, you will be able to:

4.1.1 Intellectual/professional skills and abilities

3. Critically review the literature and engage with what others have written through evaluative discourse. 4. Plan and execute a research project and formulate research questions.

4.1.2 Personal values attributes

5. Develop and exhibit the professional and research ethics characteristics of a Northumbria University postgraduate student.

4.2 Assessment criteria

The coursework will be marked according to the following four criteria:

4.2.1 Conceptualization (30% weighting)

1. Does the title reflect the focus, nature and purpose of the study? Does it include key variables? Are the key variables correctly chosen and in the proper order?

2. Has the proposal defined a clear purpose for the research? What is the major problem or issue to be investigated? Is the problem or issue clearly defined and is it related to appropriate, good quality literature

sources? Does the problem recognize the appropriate boundaries of the literature?

3. How clearly are the key theoretical concepts defined and explained? What types of literature sources are used to define and explain them? Have critical judgements been made about what literature should be excluded in order

to create tightly focused theoretical concepts? Are the identified concepts appropriate to the study? Does a

relationship exist between them and is it correctly constructed?

4.2.2 Theoretical framework (30% weighting)

Strategies will generally include a research hypothesis or question; they may occasionally include both.

1. Is there an interesting and novel research question? Does it justify the position for the argument or investigation? Does it relate to the key theoretical concepts?

2. Has a research hypothesis been clearly defined? Is the hypothesis structured using key theoretical concepts? Are the key concepts correctly chosen and in the proper order? Does the hypothesis express the right

relationship between the stated theoretical concepts?

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4.2.3 Research design: methodology and procedure (30% weighting)

1. Does the strategy demonstrate an awareness of the methodological approaches that can be brought to bear on the object(s) of analysis? Which research approach is to be adopted? Is the approach appropriate? Why was this

approach chosen? How is the approach to be implemented?

2. What type of fieldwork research tool is to be used? Is the tool appropriate? How is the tool to be used? Why was this tool chosen over all others appropriate to the study? Has any consideration been given to the ethical

issues surrounding the acquisition of data?

3. Does the research design adequately control for extraneous variables, i.e., to what extent have any external factors, which might influence the study, been considered? Has any attempt been made to consider bias? Have

the sample size and requirements for valid results been considered?

4. Is a project plan for the proposed research investigation clearly presented in an appendix to the proposal? Is the project plan considered in the core text of the Research Project Proposal? Does the plan present key tasks that

will be executed during the research investigation, including the identification of milestone events? Are the

durations for each task realistic, given the research design, methodology and procedures?

4.2.4 Academic authority (10% weighting)

1. Is the strategy concisely and imaginatively written with a sense of academic authority? Does it construct and sustain a well-structured argument embedded in theory? Is the strategy accurate in terms of spelling, punctuation

and grammar?

2. Are the bibliographic citations in the running text correctly referenced using the Cite Them Right version of the Harvard referencing system? In the bibliography, are the references arranged in one alphabetical list? Are the

information elements of the bibliographic entries correctly arranged? Have any of the elements been omitted?

3. Is the project plan for the proposed research investigation clearly presented? Does the plan present key tasks that will be executed during the research investigation, including the identification of milestone events? Are the

durations for each task realistic?

4.3 Referencing style

The coursework should be written in an academically acceptable format in which all bibliographic citations in the

running text and references listed in the bibliography are fully referenced using the Cite Them Right version of the

Harvard referencing system.

4.4 Expected size of submission

The actual word count is to be declared on the front of the coursework. The absolute maximum word limit for the

coursework is 2000 words. The absolute maximum word limit includes the following elements:

 The main body of text

 In-text citations, e.g., (Smith, 2011)

 Direct quotations from primary or secondary source material

The following elements are excluded from the absolute maximum word limit stated above:

 The abstract (200 words are the absolute maximum word limit for the abstract)

 Keywords (6 keywords are the absolute maximum keywords limit)

 Title and contents pages

 Tables, figures, illustrations and footnotes

 Reference list

 Bibliography

 Appendices, including Project Plan [see Section 4.2.3 Research design: methodology and procedure (30% weighting) above]. The absolute maximum word limit for the Project Plan’s accompanying

description/explanation is 200 words.

 Glossary

 Footnotes

You will be penalised if your coursework exceeds the absolute maximum word limit according to the table of

penalties set out in the University’s policy on word limits, which is available to you via the University website. The

coursework does not include the ‘up to 10% over word limit’ allowance.

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5 Referral

The referral attempt opportunity will normally take place after the end-of-level progression and awards board

(PAB). If you pass the module following a referral attempt, you will be awarded the module pass mark for level 7

modules, i.e., 50%. If you become eligible to complete a referral attempt, but are subsequently unable to undertake

the opportunity when required, you will be permitted to re-sit the module at the next scheduled sitting of the module

assessment. This will normally entail suspension of your progression on your programme of study until such time

that you have successfully completed the level and become eligible to proceed.

When granted a referral attempt of the module, you will be required to complete and submit a new attempt, i.e., a re-

working, of the assessment tasks outlined in the module assessment specification, which is available to you within

the module assessment area of the Blackboard course. The date and time of submission for your referral attempt

will be confirmed to you by your programme support coordinator and not the module tutor.

6 Academic integrity statement

You must adhere to the university regulations on academic conduct. Formal inquiry proceedings will be instigated

if there is any suspicion of plagiarism or any other form of misconduct in your work. Refer to the University’s

Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards if you are unclear as to the meaning of these terms. The latest copy is

available to you on the University website at:

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/central/ar/qualitysupport/asspolicies/

7 Failure to submit

The University requires all students to submit assessed coursework by the deadline stated in the assessment brief.

Where coursework is submitted without approval after the published hand-in deadline, penalties will be applied as

defined in the University policy on the late submission of work. The latest copy is available to you on the

University website at:

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/arpdf/lateappr

8 Word limit policy

The latest information about the University’s word limit policy is available to you on the University website at:

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/arpdf/WordLimitsPolicyv2-2016

9 Group work policy

The latest information about the University’s group work policy is available to you on the University website at:

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/5007/arpdf/aq/groupworkpolicy

10 Academic misconduct policy

The latest information about the University’s academic misconduct policy is available to you on the University

website at:

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/worddocuments/ardocs/2124927/academicmisconductprocedure

11 Academic registry policy home page

The latest policy information issued by academic registry is available to you on the University website at:

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/central/ar/qualitysupport/asspolicies/

12 Anonymous marking

University policy requires that work be marked anonymously. To facilitate this, we request that only your student

number is included on work submitted for summative assessment.