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Dissertation Guidelines

for MSc Programmes

2016-2017

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

MSc PROGRAMMES

DISSERTATION GUIDELINES

. DISSERTATION REQUIREMENT AND ASSESSMENT

All MSc candidates must undertake a dissertation to complete their degree. This dissertation is normally written in the summer leading up to the end of the course. You must achieve a minimum mark of 50% in your dissertation and an average of at least 50% across all course modules to be awarded the degree of MSc.

. OBJECTIVE OF DISSERTATION

The purpose of the MSc dissertation is to provide you with the opportunity to undertake independent research in a topic appropriate to the title of the degree for which you are registered. In undertaking the dissertation, you should look to draw on and extend material covered in the course. Normally dissertations should have a significant empirical component (whether quantitative or qualitative) aimed at providing further understanding of key theoretical concepts. The typical dissertation is likely to be structured around a review of the relevant literature, an outline of methodology and a presentation and analysis of empirical results. However, this does not preclude the use of alternative formats for the dissertation. Your personal tutor or the Course Director can provide further guidance on the suitability of dissertation topics.

. CHOICE OF TOPIC

You are encouraged to begin thinking about a suitable topic for your dissertation as soon as possible and this should be appropriate to the title of the degree for which you are registered. Some members of staff will put forward dissertation topics in relation to areas in which they are specifically interested and a list will be placed on the MOODLE; others will normally be available to supervise projects which fall broadly within their subject area.

In general, the dissertation would be expected to include both conceptual and practical analysis. While it is possible to prepare a dissertation based exclusively on conceptual analysis or one which relies purely on desk research, you should understand that dissertations of this nature depend upon thorough analysis and criticism and are by no means an easy option.

To complete a dissertation successfully you must check that the topic is realistic in terms of the time available for completion, the scope of the problem and the availability of information and other resources. It is important at an early stage to define the specific issues to be addressed, the research methods that you expect to adopt and the specific resources required to complete the work. Please note that is not the policy of the Business School to fund dissertation costs.

. RESEARCH ETHICS

Where a particular topic requires primary research (e.g., interviews, questionnaires, focus groups) involving human participants or their data, you must receive ethical approval for your project before the research can start. There are three standard research protocols (procedures) that have been pre-approved by the School Research Ethics Committee – one for interviews and/or focus groups, one for web-based surveys, and one for company-based projects. Copies of these protocols are available on MOODLE and at the back of this booklet.

If your proposed research fits the criteria for these standard protocols, you may (with your supervisor’s agreement) use the advance approval granted to these protocols rather than submit your own individual application. If your project does not fit either protocol, you will have to apply for ethical approval for your individual project.

You will be asked to specify on the ‘Agreed Dissertation Proposal Form’ whether your project requires ethical approval, and if so, whether you will be using one of the pre-approved protocols or applying for individual project approval. On your final Dissertation Submission Form, you must confirm the protocol you used (if any) and that you completed your research in line with the agreed ethical guidance.

Further information on research ethics can be obtained from your supervisor. The school’s Research Ethics Officer, Adam Golberg ([email protected]), can also assist in cases where individual ethical approval might be required, but your supervisor is your primary contact for advice on research ethics issues.

The process of ethical review and approval is an important part of safeguarding participants, but at least as important is for researchers to be aware of ethical issues when planning and carrying out their research. The following additional guidance is adapted from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Framework for Research Ethics (2012).

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-esrc/information/research-ethics.aspx

There are six key principles of ethical research that the ESRC expects to be addressed whenever applicable:

The six key principles:

1. Research should be designed, reviewed and undertaken to ensure integrity, quality and transparency.

2. Research staff [including students undertaking research] and participants must normally be informed fully about the purpose, methods and intended possible uses of the research, what their participation in the research entails and what risks, if any, are involved.

3. The confidentiality of information supplied by research participants and the anonymity of respondents must be respected.

4. Research participants must take part voluntarily, free from any coercion.

5. Harm to research participants must be avoided in all instances.

6. The independence of research must be clear, and any conflicts of interest or partiality must be explicit.

To implement these principles:

· The responsibility for conduct of the research in line with relevant principles rests with the principal investigator (for MSc dissertations the principal investigator is the MSc student) and the research / employing organisation.

· Risks should be minimised.

· Research should be designed in a way that the dignity and autonomy of research participants is protected and respected at all times.

5. SUPERVISION ARRANGEMENTS

When you have decided on the subject area of your dissertation you should submit an Initial Dissertation Proposal Form with attachment (see page 12 of these notes) to a Student Service Centre. Please ensure that you sign this form before submitting it. You should submit this form to a Student Service Centre no later than Thursday 23rd March 2017. Please note that the form MUST be submitted by this date if your dissertation is to be allocated to a supervisor by the dates given below. If you do not submit the form by this date there will inevitably be a delay in the allocation of your dissertation to a supervisor. If you have applied for a Dissertation Placement, you are still required to submit an Initial Dissertation Proposal to ensure there are no delays should you be unsuccessful in your application. There is a box for you to tick on the Initial Proposal Form so that we can easily identify if you have applied for one of the available placements.

Your dissertation project will be assigned to a supervisor and you will be notified of the name of your supervisor by Student Services no later than Friday 5th May 2017. It is then your responsibility to make the initial contact with your supervisor within one week of this date and develop a lengthier proposal to the satisfaction of the supervisor before proceeding with your work. The agreed proposal should then be attached to the Agreed Dissertation Proposal Form (see page 14 of these notes) which should be signed by the student, countersigned by the supervisor and submitted to the Student Service Centre no later than Thursday 15th June 2017.

While the dissertation is an individual piece of work, the supervisor may undertake the following:

(i) to offer guidance in the specification of the dissertation topic and the formulation of the problem as well as providing some suggestions for preliminary reading;

(ii) to offer assistance in outlining an appropriate structure for the dissertation and to review the outline structure of the dissertation;

(iii) to help in relation to any specific problems encountered in the course of the research and discuss ideas of possible approaches with you; and

Contact between students and their academic supervisor normally takes place via face-to-face meetings and/or telephone, video conferencing and email. Students are encouraged to initiate contact and can expect access to their supervisors’ equivalent to at least four meetings over the course of the dissertation.

Following each meeting, your supervisor may ask you to sign a record of what was discussed and agreed.

It is not the job of the supervisor to read each and every draft of your work, nor to correct English grammar or spelling. Normally, a supervisor will only read the complete dissertation report after the work has been submitted by you for marking. Normally, the supervisor will also be the first marker of your dissertation. Please understand that most supervisors have research, teaching, conference and management commitments over the summer period. It is not normally anticipated that there will be regular contact during this period, so it is important to organise your work to ensure that the dissertation structure and method have been agreed early on. In the event of an emergency, you should contact your supervisor through the Student Service Centre.

It is your responsibility to maintain contact with your Supervisor, and to notify the Student Service Centre should you experience any difficulty maintaining contact with them. You should also ensure that you are able to access your University email account during the summer period as your Supervisor or Student Services may wish to contact you concerning your dissertation. Should you have difficulty doing this you should inform both your Supervisor and the Student Service Centre.

6. Company Based Dissertations

a) Background

Nottingham University Business School runs a Company Based Dissertation scheme with the aim of helping eligible MSc students gain exposure to real business issues. Using our links with companies, government organisations and charities, we offer a unique opportunity for successful candidates to connect with a business and focus on a short-term research project over the summer period under the supervision of academic staff and company representatives.

b) What does the company based dissertation involve?

Successful candidates will usually work on a project proposed by the sponsoring organisation. The project involves an investigation of a practical business problem. Drawing on the expertise of both the academic and the company supervisors, the student will explore the company’s business problem and propose possible solutions. The project will form a basis of the MSc dissertation that the student submits to the School on or before the normal deadline. It should be noted that the company based dissertation must meet the same standards of academic rigour as set out in the guidelines for assessment in this document.

Students can expect to receive reasonable expenses for travel and subsistence costs undertaken during the course of the project. If the company allows the student to be based at the university, the student is expected to communicate frequently with their sponsoring organisation to ensure that the project meets the company’s expectations.

c) The Selection Process

Maintaining good relationships with organisations which are part of the company based dissertation scheme is extremely important to the Business School. Consequently, we only allow students who meet certain requirements to apply for the company based dissertation. Applicants must have a Semester 1 average of more than 60%. Comment by Hall Jenny: Has a decision been made and approved to modify the 60% rule?

Given the professional nature of these opportunities your attendance and engagement in the MSc Advanced Career Leaders Programme will also be taken into account when considering applications. In particular we recommend:

· CVs/cover letters session

· Interviews session

· Behaviours for Success (Semester two)

Project briefs will be advertised in Semester 2 with the deadline for applications normally in February. Once candidates have been shortlisted, interviews will be carried out involving academic supervisors and representatives from the companies. The interviews usually take place in March.

d) How to Apply

Projects will be advertised via MOODLE as and when they are confirmed, however this would normally be in January/February 2017.

Applicants must submit:

· A copy of their CV

· A covering letter indicating:

· The title of project

· Reasons why the project is of interest to the applicant

· The skills and experience the applicant possesses that make him/her suitable for the project

· The proposed research methods

An applicant may apply for more than one project but the application must be made separately.

e) Arranging Your Own Company Based Dissertation

It is possible for students to arrange to work on a company based dissertation by themselves and this route is actively encouraged if students have particular topics of interest or specific business they would like to partner with. To do this, the student must:

· Inform their prospective MSc dissertation supervisor as well as the MSc Dissertation Co-ordinator

· Ensure that the proposed project is agreed with the supervisor in the normal way prior to undertaking the study

· Stay in contact with the supervisor throughout the dissertation period

Support is provided through the Postgraduate Careers Team regarding how to approach businesses and how to design a project. If you are interested in arranging your own Company Based Dissertation please book an appointment with them to discuss it further.

7. OUTLINE OF YOUR FULL DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

You should provide an outline of your dissertation proposal for the first meeting with your assigned supervisor. Here are some of the issues that you might wish to consider:

Title. Why have you selected this topic? What particular knowledge or skills do you have to complete this project? Why is this topic interesting to you? What particular question(s) are you trying to answer by carrying out this work?

What has already been written about the topic? What theoretical framework can you follow for this work? Where do you expect to find information about previous research into this topic? What sources of information might there be practical / empirical aspects of this topic?

Information requirements. What is the nature of the information and evidence that you will need to complete this work? How do you expect to obtain such information and evidence?

Research methodology and assumptions. What approach do you expect to take to provide you with evidence on which to support your eventual conclusions? What assumptions underlie your approach?

Description of proposed chapters. Can you put together a description of the expected chapters of your dissertation and justify the logic of the proposed structure?

An outline could be written up in the form of an introductory chapter to the dissertation. Whatever your approach, the outline of your full dissertation proposal is a critical stage at the end of which both you and your supervisor should be convinced as to the feasibility and suitability of the dissertation.

However, many dissertations change shape as the research proceeds. Although the agreed outline of your full dissertation proposal forms the basis of an agreement between the supervisor and student as to the viability of the proposed dissertation, the details remain flexible providing you consult with your supervisor as to the nature of proposed changes.

8. PRESENTATION AND LENGTH OF YOUR DISSERTATION

Length

The length of your dissertation should not be more than 12,000 – 15,000 words depending on your programme of study, excluding your references. Discuss this with your supervisor as some dissertations, particularly those with a high quantitative element, may be of a shorter length. It should be typed (11 or 12 point font), double or one and a half spaced on A4 paper with margins of approximately 2.5 centimetres (1 inch). The dissertation should be single sided and pages should be numbered straight through, not on a chapter by chapter basis.

Binding

Dissertations should either be hard bound in a black binder with gold lettering, or soft bound using a comb spine. Please note that it is not compulsory for students to submit a hard bound version. Whilst students can choose to submit via this method it is not required as part of the assessment regulations and a bound version that is heat sealed or spiral cone bound is also acceptable.

If you choose to hard bind your dissertation the front cover of the dissertation should contain:

University of Nottingham

Title of Dissertation

Author's Name

Name of MSc degree

The spine of the hard bound copies should read:

MSc Author's Name Year

For soft bound copies of the dissertation the first page should be a title page, formatted as shown below:

─────────────────────────────────────────

Full Title of the Dissertation

Author's Name

Year of Publication

A Dissertation presented in part consideration for the degree of "Title of MSc Degree".

─────────────────────────────────────────

The title page should be followed by a one page summary, the table of contents and the acknowledgements (if any).

Chapter Structure and Appendices

A clear chapter structure is important to reinforce the line of argument; appendices can be used for the presentation of certain types of factual material, mathematical/statistical proofs, survey results etc., since where to include these in the text would distract from the general argument.

References

All work done by other people - either published or unpublished - must be acknowledged and clearly referenced, as should the source of any published data, diagrams or photographs. Failure to do so may constitute the academic offence of plagiarism.

References to the work of others should be made in the text, citing author and date, for example: 'Tellis (1986) argues that ...'. A comprehensive bibliography, with references sorted alphabetically should be included at the end of the dissertation. It is important that these references should be accurate and include all the information required to enable a reader to find the references cited. We recommend that you follow the Harvard system for referencing. This entails the author(s) name(s) cited in the text (as above) and a list of references giving full detail of the source at the end of the dissertation in the form shown below. Where possible the use of footnotes should be avoided when referencing.

The following formats in the list of references should be acceptable:

For a journal paper: Tellis, G J (1986), 'Beyond the Many Faces of Price: An Integration of Pricing Strategies', Journal of Marketing, vol. 50, pp. 145-60.

For a book: Kotler, P (1980), Marketing Management Analysis, Planning and Control, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

For a chapter in an edited book:

Fenn P and Hodges R (1997), 'Long-tail liabilities and Claims Management in the NHS', in Baldwin R (ed.), Law and Uncertainty: Risks and Legal Processes, Kluwer Law International, London.

For a conference paper: Knight, J A G and Lebrecht, H M (1979), 'Tool control and distribution and work-holding requirements in flexible manufacture', Proceedings of the second Joint Polytechnic Symposium on Manufacturing Engineering, Coventry, Guilford, IPC, pp. 14-24.

More detailed statements on referencing systems and practices are available in University Libraries.

Footnotes

While the use of footnotes is not generally encouraged, they may be used to highlight important points that would otherwise break the flow of the text. They should be identified numerically and presented at the foot of the page to which they refer. Endnotes should not be used.

Diagrams and tables

Diagrams and tables should normally be included in the text as close as possible to the point at which they are discussed. All diagrams (figures) and tables should be consecutively numbered. In the case of dissertations that contain an unusually large number of diagrams, it may be preferable to group these diagrams at the end of the relevant chapters or in an appendix.

Dissertations containing information that is commercially sensitive

There is provision for dissertations considered commercially sensitive to be classified as confidential. In these circumstances they are not placed upon public record for a number of years. Please discuss this with your supervisor if you consider that this may affect your dissertation.

9. WORKING TOWARDS COMPLETION

It is strongly recommended that you plan your workload so to be completing your dissertation at least 2 weeks before the actual deadline. There are at least two good reasons for following this practice: (a) it is likely that you will have had little prior experience in managing a project of this magnitude, and therefore you may have a tendency to underestimate how much time each stage of your research will take; (b) many accommodation contracts terminate about two weeks prior to the deadline so you will probably wish to avoid the disruption which would be caused by having to relocate over this period. We know from experience that with a reasonable level of organisation students should be able to complete two weeks prior to deadline quite comfortably.

10. SUBMITTING YOUR COMPLETED DISSERTATION

The submission deadline is Thursday 14th September 2017 at 3.00pm. Submissions made later than this date will be subject to a mark deduction of 5 marks for every working day late, unless valid documentary evidence in support of an extenuating circumstance claim is supplied to the Student Support Officer prior to the deadline date (please see Section 12). Whether or not you have valid extenuating circumstances, it will not normally be possible for any dissertation submitted later than the deadline to be examined in time for December graduation.

Two copies of the dissertation are required. One hard or soft bound and one in electronic format. The hard, printed copy should be handed in to the Student Service Centre. When submitting the printed copy of your dissertation you will also need to submit the dissertation submission form, which can be found on page 16 of this booklet, additional copies will also be available on MOODLE. Please note that a bound version is a version that has been bound in some way i.e. spiral bound/ heat sealed or hard back bound. Loose or stapled sheets are not acceptable.

The electronic copy must be submitted on-line at the following web-address. Full details on how to upload your work will also be provided at this address:

http://edissertations.nottingham.ac.uk/deposit.html

It is important that when you upload your work, that the drop down option for whom the dissertation will be visible and to is selected as ‘registered users only’.

(NB, if your dissertation is confidential then please instead choose the option ‘repository staff only’- please see the section below on ‘Confidential Dissertations’ for more information).

Students will be regarded as having fulfilled the submission requirements only when both hard copy and electronic copies have been received.

Students may also post their dissertations to the Service Centre on the address as below. However, dissertations MUST BE RECEIVED by the submission date. Therefore if you are posting your dissertation please allow enough time for it to arrive in the UK. It is recommended that you use Recorded Delivery or a Tracked Courier Service if posting your dissertation. No allowances will be made for submissions that arrive late in the Service Centre due to postage times and late arrivals may therefore be penalised.

Address to post dissertations to:

A32, Exchange Building

The University of Nottingham

Jubilee Campus

Wollaton Road

Nottingham

NG8 1BB

ENGLAND

11. CONFIDENTIALITY

If you are using sensitive information, obtained from a company that you have been in contact with, they may ask you not to place your finished dissertation in the public domain without their authorisation. The University has a standard confidentiality agreement that can be used in such instances, which will require the signatures of both the student and the company.

You will also need to indicate when you submit your dissertation that there is a confidentiality agreement in place, and that your work must not be available to the public domain.

Please see the Jubilee Campus Student Services team to obtain a copy of the Confidentiality Agreement, and stickers to put on both copies of your dissertation to identify its status.

For CONFIDENTIAL DISSERTATIONS i.e. subject to a Confidentiality Agreement, please email a copy of your dissertation to the: [email protected]. Your eDissertation will be stored confidentially by the Student Services Administrator. Do not deposit a confidential dissertation on to the eDissertations website

12. EXTENSIONS

Please refer to the University Quality Manual at

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/assessment/extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-procedures.aspx (in particular Sections, 1.5 and 1.6) to see what constitute allowable extenuating circumstances. In addition, to those listed in the Quality Manual, the School will also consider applications for an extension on the following grounds: where a student has accepted an offer of long-term full time employment and where the employment contract begins prior to 17th September; where a student is required to undertake more than two reassessments during the Summer period. In either case, it would be advisable to discuss this with a Student Welfare Manager, as soon as possible.

Please note that extensions cannot be awarded for computer failure or loss, loss or damage to storage media, problems and delays collecting data and so on. So keep plenty of backups and stay organised!

13. GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT OF MSc DISSERTATIONS

Assessment Criteria

The assessment of the dissertation will be based on the academic quality of the work. Particular attention will be paid to the ability to integrate conceptual and empirical material, the depth of understanding of the literature, the appropriateness of the methodology and the suitability of methods of analysis.

In addition, the following factors will be taken into consideration:

(i) the extent of self-organisation and ability demonstrated by the student;

(ii) the effectiveness, quality of work produced and the extent to which the objectives of the project were met;

(iii) the organisation and structure of the project;

(iv) the quality of referencing, appendices, figures and programs where relevant;

(v) the quality of the project as a source of clear, concise, interesting information.

The supervisor gives marks out of 100 based on the quality of the dissertation.

Level of pass guidelines

The Postgraduate taught programme marking scheme used within the Business School may be significantly different to that you have experience of elsewhere. As a consequence, you should not be alarmed if you are awarded marks in the 50s or 60s, as these are perfectly respectable grades.

The complete range of marking standards and associated classifications is as follows:

Classification Mark/Comments

Distinction 80+ Outstanding piece of work

All major and minor objectives achieved

Excellent comprehension and informed criticism and analysis

Evidence of outstanding work beyond question and some originality

Free from errors and showing advanced analytical skills

Distinction 70-79 Excellent piece of work

All major and some minor objectives achieved

Very good comprehension and analysis of the issues involved

Excellent familiarity with the source material

No major errors and only occasional minor errors

Merit 60-69 Careful and clear piece of work

Most major objectives achieved

Good understanding of the topic

Good grasp and analysis of major issues

No major errors though some minor errors

Pass 50-59 Middle of the range piece of work

Basic question answered with relevant analysis

Discusses and understands most relevant issues

Material a bit thin and/or poorly focused

Possible major and some minor errors

Fail 30-49 A failed piece of work

Poor understanding of the chosen subject area.

Not a full analysis of the problem/topic

Shows some understanding of the general field

Inadequate reading/research/preparation

Major errors

Fail 0-29 A badly failed piece of work

Very poor arguments and analysis

Completely inadequate reading/research/preparation

Generally unsound

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

MSc PROGRAMMES 2016/17

INITIAL DISSERTATION PROPOSAL FORM

Name: ………………………….

Contact Details (Email and Telephone number): ……………………………………………

MSc degree registered for:

Main discipline of Dissertation (please tick one only as the most appropriate):

	Accounting
	Finance
	Corporate Social Responsibility
	Entrepreneurship / Innovation
	Economics
	Marketing (including Travel and Tourism)
	Operations Management/Information Systems
	Organisational Behaviour / Human Resource Management
	Risk, Insurance & Banking
	Strategy
	Other (please specify)

If you have also applied for one of the Placement Projects, please tick this box

Please note that the central focus of your chosen Dissertation topic should reflect the named degree you are registered for.

Please attach a typed A4 page detailing all the following:

1. The proposed title of your dissertation

2. One or more research questions (ones that you think are realistically answerable by research) together with an explanation of why you think these questions are worth trying to answer.

3. Proposed research method(s) (and why you have chosen this (these).

4. Five academic sources that have influenced your choice of dissertation topic.

5. Confirmation of access, if needed

6. What contribution – however modest – you hope to make to our understanding of management or business.

Significant resources required (please note it is your responsibility to investigate this and to ensure that the necessary resources are available to you in order to complete the project):

Your Signature: ………………………………………...... Date: …………………………………

This form must be returned to the Student Service Centre no later than Thursday 23rd March 2017

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

MSc PROGRAMMES 2016/17

AGREED DISSERTATION PROPOSAL FORM

Name: …………………..............................................................................................

MSc degree registered for:

Assigned Supervisor of Dissertation:

Proposed Title of Dissertation:

Does your dissertation require ethical review? Y/N

If so, please enter the name of the pre-approved protocol, or enter ‘individual project review’

Please note that the central focus of the Dissertation topic should reflect the student’s named degree and should only be agreed and signed if the dissertation topic meets this requirement.

PLEASE ATTACH YOUR AGREED OUTLINE OF YOUR FULL DISSERTATION PROPOSAL (APPROX. 500 – 1,000 words)

Supervisor: …………………………………………………….(Signature) (date)

Course member Signature: ………………. ………………. Date: ……………………………..

This form must be returned via the Student Service Centre no later than Thursday 15th June 2017

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

MSc PROGRAMMES 2016-2017

DISSERTATION SUBMISSION FORM

Please complete the below and return this form when you submit your dissertation. Copies of this form are also available on MOODLE.

SECTION 1 Student to Complete

Last Name	First Name
Student ID	Degree

Dissertation Title
Supervisor	Date Work Handed in

Signed ___________________________________________________

I have read the section relating to Plagiarism in the University’s Regulations and confirm that the attached dissertation is my own work. If ethical approval was required for the project, I confirm that I carried out the research in accordance with a pre-approved protocol or in accordance with the protocol agreed by the School Research Ethics Committee. I also understand that if I submit my work late, for each working day, or part day, work is submitted late, 5 marks will be deducted from the final marks unless an extension form has been authorised and is attached, e.g. a mark of 42 minus 5 changes to 37.

SECTION 2 Student to Complete

a) This information is required to help us complete information about your dissertation research:

Have you spent any time overseas (i.e. apart from in the UK) undertaking research relating to your dissertation, e.g. collecting data? (Please tick)

YES NO

If ‘yes’ in which country did you complete your research in:

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

How long did you spend in the above country in order to complete your research? (Even if it is your home country please specify the research time period):

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b) Is your research based within a company (ie. either a placement Project/Internship organised by the Business School or alternatively arranged by yourself)

YES NO

If ‘yes’ please state the name of the company and the country in which it was based.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

c) Did your research require ethical review?

If yes, please state the name of the pre-approved research protocol that you used, or enter the reference number for the individual project approval.

SECTION 3 Office use only

Date Received

Received after Deadline Yes / No

Does Student have Extenuating Circumstances Yes / No

Is evidence attached Yes / No

Please return this form at the same time you submit your dissertation.

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

PRE-APPROVED TEMPLATE:

UNDERGRADUATE, MASTERS, AND MBA STUDENT PROJECTS BASED IN A COMPANY OR ORGANISATION

Nottingham University Business School’s Research Ethics Committee (REC) has approved the following research protocol for use as part of student research projects. Any student projects that meet the conditions below and which follow the protocol set out need not apply for further ethical approval. The responsibility for ensuring that the project meets the conditions and uses the protocol that has been pre-approved rests with the student carrying out the research and the supervisor/module coordinator as appropriate.

Student projects which do not fit the conditions of this or one of the other pre-approved protocols may still be undertaken, but will need individual ethical approval from the School REC before the project starts. This takes an average of two weeks, and this time should be factored in when planning the project.

Permitted topics under this protocol:

Working on a particular task or project on behalf of a company[footnoteRef:1] [1: The term ‘company’ should be understood throughout this document to also include charitable organisations, social enterprises, public sector bodies etc.]

(a) where the company has defined a project and offered it as an opportunity for a student to undertake; or

(b) where the student is already employed by the company and agreed a project with a relevant manager.

The project will be of value to the company, while at the same time creating the opportunity for the student to meet the requirements of their academic programme. The project will be undertaken under the auspices of the company, which may or may not include a full or part time placement at the company’s premises. The company will provide access to the people and data necessary for the successful completion of the project.

This approval only covers projects which raise no particular ethical issues in terms of their aims, outcomes, and methods.

Permitted Methods:

Discussions with company employees and a smaller number of people external to the company as required to successful complete the project. These interactions will be similar in nature to normal interactions between work colleagues, and not similar to formal interviews or focus groups undertaken as part of a research project. Conventional research projects typically involve participant information sheets and consent forms prior to interviews, but you are not required to use them if the conventions underpinning your conversations are those of work or project colleagues rather than of researcher and research participant/interviewee.

If the company project requires extensive interviewing of people who are external to the company, you should consider using the ‘interviews’ student project protocol instead of this one.

Permitted Research Participants:

This approval does not cover discussions or interviews with the following:

· Research or projects based in the NHS

· Children (under 18)

· Adults with learning disabilities whose ability to consent is impaired

· Anyone else who might be considered vulnerable

Advice to Students: Managing conflicts of role and conflicts of interest

Projects of this kind require the student to undertake something of a balancing act, and students and supervisors need to think in advance about the most appropriate way to handle potential conflicts and confusions of role and of interest. You must always be clear about your role, your relationship to the company, and the uses to which you and the company plan to put your work.

You must not – though act or omission – allow yourself to be thought of as an employee or representative of the company if that is not the case. This is the case whether you are talking to someone within or outside the company. It is easy to be careless and give this impression by accident.

You must not – through act or omission – allow the project to be thought of as a student project undertaken for educational purposes only if another use is intended by you or the company. You must be clear about who will see your work, and what it will be used for. If you are an employee of the company concerned, and/or if you will be producing a report for the company as well as for your degree, you must make this clear to everyone you have contact with for the purposes of the project – whether internal or external to the company.

Please remember that many people will go out of their way to help students with their research and with their projects because they believe in the value of education and self-improvement. Some will recall the cooperation they received as students and will want to return the favour, or will consider it their duty to play their part in developing and training the next generation of professionals in their field. Please remember that student projects are possible because of this goodwill.

One way in which confusion may be avoided is through the use of a project information sheet. This can be used by you or by the project supervisor within the company as a quick way to explain the project and your role. If you do not work for the company, you must produce and use a suitable document which must be agreed with your academic supervisor and with the project supervisor. If you are employed by the company concerned, you should give serious consideration to using an information sheet if the project is not part of your usual role. A possible template is included in this document as annex 1.

Confidentiality and anonymity

Companies - For assessment and verification reasons, the company with which you undertake the project has to be named in your dissertation. However, if the company requests it, you can apply to have your dissertation kept confidential for a certain length of time and not be made available online. You – and perhaps your supervisor as well - may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. It is the responsibility of the student to find out if the company requires any of these additional confidentiality measures to be taken before the project starts.

Interviewees - A report prepared for the company may need to name employed individuals (but not others). However there is normally no need to name individuals in the academic work – referring to them as ‘Person A’ etc. is fine. You will need to be clear (in advance) to people that you talk to in the course of your project about what will happen to the information that they give you, and whether or not they will be named.

Student Project Information Sheet

This information sheet is designed to give you full details of my project and its goals. If you have any questions that are not answered by this information sheet, please ask.

[project title]

[paragraph about your course]

[paragraph about you and your relationship with the company]

[project details – including purpose, goals, and outputs]

Contact details:

[Your name and contact details]

[Supervisor/module coordinator’s name and contact details]

[Company supervisor’s name, job title, and contact details]

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

PRE-APPROVED TEMPLATE:

UNDERGRADUATE, MASTERS, AND MBA STUDENT PROJECTS INVOLVING INTERNET SURVEYS

Student projects which do not fit the conditions of this or one of the other pre-approved protocols may still be undertaken, but will need individual ethical approval from the School REC before the project starts. This takes an average of two weeks, so you should factor in this time into your project planning.

This protocol can be used for projects with the following characteristics:

Permitted Methods:

An internet survey conducted with the aim of collecting data for a student project.

Participant information (template attached as annex 1) must be included on the front page of the survey, and again on the final page of the survey. You should translate the participant information form into the appropriate language if research participants are not fluent in English.

You must follow the guidance notes on ethical research in the latest version of the course handbook (reproduced as annex 2).

You must store the data securely (password protection for electronic files) and anonymise the data as much as possible.

The research may not involve the data being used for any other purpose not specified in the consent form.

Permitted Topics:

This approval only covers research on non-sensitive topics. Topics considered sensitive include sexuality, drug use, illegal activities, and any other personal topics with the potential to cause offence or upset. You should include ‘prefer not to answer’ options on your survey for all questions of a personal or sensitive nature, such as age, salary, etc.

Permitted Research Participants:

This approval does not cover the participation of the following groups:

· NHS staff or patients

· Children (under 18s)

· Adults with learning disabilities whose ability to consent is impaired

[Appendix 1 – Template for information text]

Information for Participants

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the project. Your participation is voluntary, and you may change your mind about being involved, or decline to answer a particular question or questions at any time and without giving a reason.

This page is designed to give you full details of the project, its goals, and what you will be asked to do as part of the research

What is the project title?

Who is carrying out the project?

[Your name]

What is the project about?

[Please include a brief, straightforward summary of the objectives of the research

Who is being asked to take part, and why?

[Please include information about how and why participants have been identified / chosen. You should not name other participants]

What will participants be asked to do?

[Include details of all of the topics you will be asking questions about]

What will happen to the information I provide?

[include information about data storage/retention, as well as how the information provided will be used– extent of anonymity, will direct quotes be used, how will participants be referred to etc.]

What will be the outputs or outcomes?

[Give details of the assignment you will write as a result of the research as well as any other purpose for which it may be used.]

Contact details

[Your name, phone, email, postal address]

[Supervisor/module coordinator’s name, phone email, university postal address]

Complaints and governance procedure:

If you wish to complain about the way in which the research is being conducted or have any concerns about the research then in the first instance please contact the [Principal Investigator or supervisor] or the School’s Research Ethics Officer:

Adam Golberg (Email: [email protected])

[You should keep this information brief]

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

PRE-APPROVED TEMPLATE:

UNDERGRADUATE, MASTERS, AND MBA STUDENT PROJECTS INVOLVING INTERVIEWS

Student projects which do not fit the conditions of this or one of the other pre-approved protocols may still be undertaken, but will need individual ethical approval from the School REC before the project starts. This takes an average of two weeks, so you should factor in this time into your project planning.

This protocol can be used for projects with the following characteristics:

Permitted Methods:

Interviews or focus groups with research participants conducted with the aim of collecting data for a student project.

A participant information form (template attached as annex 1) must be completed and given to each research participant in advance of the interview and a copy left with them afterwards. You should translate the participant information form into the appropriate language if research participants are not fluent in English. You must store the data securely (password protection for electronic files) and anonymise the data as much as possible.

You must follow the guidance notes on ethical research in the latest version of the course handbook (reproduced as annex 2).

The research may not:

· Involve payment or other compensation to interviewees

· Involve the data being used for any other purpose not specified in the consent form

Permitted Topics:

This approval only covers research on non-sensitive topics. Topics considered sensitive include sexuality, drug use, illegal activities, and any other personal topics with the potential to cause offence or upset. If your research is commercially sensitive, you must complete a confidentiality agreement.

Permitted Research Participants:

This approval does not cover the participation of the following groups:

· NHS staff or patients

· Children (under 18s)

· Adults with learning disabilities whose ability to consent is impaired

[Appendix 1 – Participant Information Sheet]

Information for Participants

This information sheet is designed to give you full details of the project, its goals, and what you will be asked to do as part of the research. If you have any questions that are not answered by this information sheet, please ask.

What is the project title?

Who is carrying out the project?

[Your name]

What is the project about?

[Please include a brief, straightforward summary of the objectives of the research

Who is being asked to take part, and why?

[Please include information about how and why participants have been identified / chosen. You should not name other participants]

What will participants be asked to do?

[Include details of all of the topics you will be asking questions about]

What will happen to the information I provide?

What will be the outputs or outcomes?

[Give details of the assignment you will write as a result of the research as well as any other purpose for which it may be used.]

Contact details

[Your name, phone, email, postal address]

[Supervisor/module coordinator’s name, phone email, university postal address]

Complaints and governance procedure:

Adam Golberg ([email protected])

[This document should be no more than two sides of A4 at the absolute maximum]