Business Research Analysis
Deepak Baid
additional_files.zipAdditional Files/BM0421_assignment_support-1.ppt
Business Research Analysis
BM0421
Week 12 - Assignment Guidance
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Part A - Overview
The word limit of 1,250 words refer to the body of the assignment.
You are required to present a copy of the questionnaire and its coding plan in an appendix to your assignment.
The words in the body of the assignment relate to the critical justification of the questionnaire and coding plan presented, as well as other supporting documents.
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Part A – Hints!
Write in “applied terms” by making reference to the case scenario, avoid writing in a theoretical style.
Credit will be given to additional referencing to research methods texts in support of the arguments you are making.
Think about issues relating to flow, structure, coding, question types, presentation, instructions in your justification.
Do NOT go out and collect data with your questionnaire!
Part B- Overview
The word limit of 1,750 words refers to the body of the assignment.
Any useful graphs and tables should be in the body of this report, not hidden away in the appendices!
The assignment requires you to show how you have selected the relevant graphs, tables, summary statistics and hypothesis tests, so simply submitting Excel or SPSS output with no discussion will result in few or no marks being awarded to this part of the assignment.
Part B is a practical application to a problem, so unlike your essay type subjects and Part A, does not require additional referencing.
Part B – Statistical Analysis
You are required to justify the selection of presentation techniques, summary statistics and hypothesis tests in terms of data types, sample sizes, assumptions that can or cannot be made etc.
For your hypothesis tests, present fully and if significance is found, do provide indication as to why!
Use graphs and tables sparingly within your presentation, sometimes you may be asked specifically, if so, present accordingly, otherwise use your judgement.
Part B – Statistical Analysis – Hints!
Look for key words such as difference (then consider numbers of samples, the relationship between them, sample size etc) or association (consider data types involved).
Present all findings, significant or otherwise!
Part B – Managerial Implications
These are not a repeat of your findings but applications of these findings in the decision making process, this is combined within the section containing the analysis and findings.
Apply your analysis and the case scenario to any findings and discussion, do not pluck ideas out of thin air or make very general observations about the problem.
All results can play a part in this process, significant or otherwise.
General Points I
This is an individual piece of work. Students are likely to discuss the analytical aspects of the assignment (OK – this is a positive part of the learning process), but any written results and recommendations should be undertaken without discussion and without electronically sharing of work.
General Points II
- Do not submit any disks, CDs or memory sticks or large appendices of un-annotated Excel/SPSS output, any meaningful output will be used within the body of your answer.
- Marking will involve writing on your assignments to provide feedback. Any student who puts individual sheets of paper in their own plastic wallet will have an assignment returned with little or no specific feedback!
Additional Files/BM0421_SEM2_2012_13-2.sav
Additional Files/Decision Flowchart-1.ppt
Decision Flowchart
Additional Files/searching for research method books BM0421-1.ppt
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Searching for books for your assignment
Click on the Library Catalogue
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Type in the title and the author (check your spelling)
Search
Type in the title
Tip: you don’t always need to type in the whole of
a long title
Try searching for the other books recommended on your reading list
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Be aware of publication dates and editions. Choose the correct one (where possible)
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Or identify your keywords from the task or question
- Research methods
- Business
- Questionnaire
- Quantitative methods
- Statistics
First you need to write down all the words that describe what you are looking for
Your keywords could be:
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Start searching…
Research methods is too broad a search as a keyword. It found over 900 results
Try searching as a Title or add more keywords
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Try Again…
Research methods as a title over 140 results
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Finding the most recent books
Click on the “Sort by” drop down menu and select “date”
Then click on the
‘Z-A’ button. The newest books will be listed at the top
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What next?
To get the best results you need to combine your search terms together to find information try:
- Business research methods
- Quantitative methods
- Quantitative methods AND business
- Business statistics
There are many more variations
Searching as keywords or titles will also have an effect on the results you find.
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Another example
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1. Check the Location
2. Write down the Shelfmark e.g. 658.00727/BER
3. Check whether it is available to borrow
Final Steps…
4. If this was the book you wanted and all the copies were on loan you could click on “Request” and fill in your Library details. You will emailed when the book is ready for you to collect.
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Another example
Click on ‘connect to full text’ to access the book online. You may be promoted for a username and password
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Find the book on the shelves…
- There is a guide when you first come into the Library that tells you which shelfmarks are on which floor
- The majority of the Business books are on levels 3, 4 and 5
- When you get to the floor look at the end the shelves to find out where the number is you are looking for.
- The books are shelved in chronological order and then alphabetically by the letters e.g. 658/PAL comes after 658/PEL
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Now try it out for yourself!
- Access the Library Catalogue via the Library home page www.northumbria.ac.uk/library or from the designated PCs on each floor of the Library
Remember if you have any questions…
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We can provide alternative formats of this presentation on request. Please email [email protected]
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