4000 words essay

The module has been developed to be delivered to students via independent learning with tutor support for up to 4 hrs per student within the recognised teaching semester period only.

Any queries should be as follows:

· Anything to do with specific subject material should be referred to the your supervisor through e-mail

· Anything to do with your personal progression or the module in general (e.g. administration, learning difficulties) to the module tutor – Sarah Johnston.

· Anything to do with access to web ct please contact the IT help desk do not contact the module tutor for these issues since she will not be able to help you.

Formal sessions with your supervisor will be planned on the basis that students will have progressed their ‘investigations’ in accordance of the previous meeting ( or advice given over email communications), and will come prepared to engage in active exploration of the subject material.

Please read the following guidelines carefully

Guidance for students embarking on the investigative study

Rational

By the time a student graduates from this University there is an expectation that s/he will be skilled in independent study. It is because of this that we require every student on management programmes to take either a dissertation, or an investigative study module which is better known as the BM6199 or MS6199. Whilst both modules are designed to test students independent study skills, they are different in what they demand and it is crucial that any student entering their final year recognises these differences.

Differences

For the investigative study you will by this stage have been given a question and advised about how you might answer this question. The 6199 can be considered as an advanced essay based on a review of the key literatures and research evidence relating to the question. The module does not expect you to generate your own data, and so there is no empirical research to do, but as with the dissertation, you will need to research the literature widely and build your assignment making your own judgements along the way about how you do that. The module is one semester long and therefore you are encouraged to maintain regular contact with your tutor during this time. Remember it’s your tutor who will be marking your work and will be able therefore to give timely advise throughout the semester – but will not necessarily be available during non-teaching weeks.

Structuring your time

While it is part of the objectives of the module to develop your skills as an independent learner it is also recognised that launching straight into the module can be fairly daughting so the notes below have been constructed to help you get started. You will also hav the opportunity to attend a series of seminars at the beginning of the term to help with some general guidance. Remember your tutor is your first port of call and is there throughout the term to advise you. So maintaining regular contact is imperative for a successful outcome.

First step – attending meetings/ induction sessions

Attend the induction sessions which will run for the first 5 weeks and will give you general advice and a suggested structure for your assignment. You are also strongly advised to attend the learning centre induction for helping you develop appropriate skills for using search engines and conducting advanced searches. Contact your academic tutor assigned to you via email to arrange a meeting date. You need to do this as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary delays in getting started. Remember the deadline for submission is

Second step – first stage of researching

You are expected to attend the first meeting with your tutor with some thoughts/ understanding/ knowledge related to the essay title that you have chosen. Therefore it’s a good idea to start with a literature search (using appropriate library tools – Emerald, Google scholar, etc) to get you started BEFORE your first meeting with your tutor. This is essential so that you come to the first meeting with your tutor from an informed position and are therefore able to maximise the value of that first meeting. The points below might be worth noting here:

· What does the topic/ title mean to me? Have some ideas to present/discuss with your tutor!

· What knowledge do I currently have and where are the gaps? I can then check with my tutor that I am on the right lines!

· What are the significant theories/ models associated with the topic area that I might need to be familiar with? I can then ask my tutor to advise me of the relevance/ significance of those I am considering using!

· What is a potential structure I could use to answer the question as that question is set? Do I need advice on the balance between theory and other published empirical data?

· After having had a first stab at the literature what have I missed? Only once you are satisfied you have reflected on these issues and have some evidence should you seek advice.

The question

Always consider the question as that is set not as you would like it to be set! Possibly the most important thing to do at this stage is to read the question very carefully and think about its component parts- what does it require? Does it require explanation including definition of certain words or concepts? What theories are relevant? Does it ask for or require empirical data (numbers/ statistics/ facts) from published sources? What data is available? How reliable (and old) is it? Does it require an evaluation of alternative methods of explanation?

All of these aspects are important and usually required. That they are numerous indicates how important it is to consider the question and how complex your answer might be!!

It is also important to establish the deadline for handing in your completed draft at this first meeting. Remember your tutor is NOT expected to be contacted in non-teaching weeks or to read your draft during this period – you therefore MUST work within the semester teaching weeks and allow at least a week to 10 days for your tutor to respond.

Third step – second and subsequent meetings

I expect your tutor will help here with providing an agenda however if they don’t then be proactive by asking yourself the following questions:

· How is my research into the literature progressing? When do I know that I have got enough material? Ask for your tutor’s advice here, so go to the meetings with prompt notes. Remember though they can only read your final draft.

· How do I use what I have got, to develop a coherent, structured answer? There is no blueprint or model answer however some structures might be more successful than others? Address the structure issue with your tutor so be prepared and take along an essay plan.

· Revisit the moodle site and the slides the module tutor used which give an indication of the different sections that should provide an overall guide to a structure.

· Ask yourself three things:

1. Have I addressed/ discussed relevant material (e.g. relevant theories/models/ knowledge)?

2. Have I explained which ones were most significant and why?

3. Have I transferred this knowledge to the topic under consideration – or in other words applied this theory in the context of the topic under discussion?

Fourth step – completing up to a draft stage

Your tutor’s advice is invaluable at this stage, however some points are listed below for you to use as a checklist.

The introduction

· Have I written a clear introduction which sets out my approach to the question, (the question analysed); have I addressed my intentions (your interpretations of the question); have I explained how I am going to develop my argument and established the boundaries of the discussion; and finally have I indicated the likely conclusions?

The core of the question

· Have I supported all my arguments with reference to the literature (both in terms of direct quotations and when paraphrasing)? Remember this is a literature review therefore all your arguments should be supported with reference to relevant literature. The support should come from theory as well as published empirical studies (where appropriate). Theories (or pieces of evidence) which have addressed the same type of issues have been reviewed.

· Have I followed the structure outlined in my introduction? Do the paragraphs link together in a logically, coherent manner and if not have I provided appropriate linkages so the reader is clear why I have moved from one issue to another?

The conclusions

· Have I written a set of conclusions which clearly derives from my argument (drawing all the strands together) and answers the question? This is not simply a repetition of the statement contained in the question! It could include your own assessment and might indicate aspects for further consideration BUT it must not introduce new material.

Final stage – discussion of my draft

As Module tutor I can confirm that there is a correlation between those students who do not hand in completed drafts and poor performance which might have led to a fail or refer. So you need to take this stage seriously and recognise that handing in a completed draft can give you timely advice in order to make any appropriate changes before the deadline for completion. You will need to discuss the deadline for drafts with your tutor as there is no formal deadline. However you should note that your tutor is a busy person with many other commitments therefore it is important that you establish the deadline for the draft in your first meeting. I would recommend that this should be by week 7 at the latest. This will allow your tutor a week or so to review it and provide feedback to you and give you time to make adjustments in light of your tutor’s recommendation before the final deadline.

Good luck!

4 Assessment Brief Pro Forma

5. The requirements for the assessment

You are required to select a question from a list generated by the Course team and to answer that question by:

1. Critically evaluating the published literature, relating to the chosen title

2. Reflecting upon the alternative approaches adopted in the literature and commenting on their relative strengths and weaknesses

3. Analysing the issue/ question in light of the literature and related knowledge

4. Synthesising ideas from a range of sources into appropriate conclusions

5. Evaluating alternatives and make recommendations where appropriate

The question must be selected from the list below via the email instructions from Sophie Lee and returned to her by the date set:

Special Instructions

· Students must put the name of their advisor on the Module Assignment Form not the Module tutor.

· You must submit your assignment with a disk or USB stick with a copy of your assignment

· Students must discuss with their advisor a date by which a draft of their BM 6199 will be submitted in order to receive feedback. Advisors will read one full draft only and provide written comments.

Assessment criteria

The assignment will be marked in line with the attached undergraduate grade descriptors for level II/III.

Markers will be looking for the following of evidence for a PASS:

The ability to

· Produce a reasoned well written essay which addresses the issues highlighted in the question

· Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant academic and applied literature pertinent to the chosen topic

· Identify the key components of the argument

Pieces of work that are merely descriptive will be awarded low marks.

Higher marks will be awarded as per the grade descriptor grid to students who:

· demonstrate a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the relevant literature and an ability to synthesise the issues raised by the question

· display highly developed skills of analysis and critical evaluation

· demonstrate an ability to integrate theory and practice in an innovative/original manner

6. Special instructions

Failure to attend tutorials with your advisor will clearly impact on your ability to optimise your learning and assessment results. If you find that you have to miss a tutorial it is essential that every effort is made to notify the tutor first and in cases of valid mitigating circumstances then the tutor will rearrange an alternative time. In the event of you not being able to supply appropriate mitigating circumstances then it is at the discretion of the tutor whether an alternative time is offered.

Referencing

All parts of the assessment must follow academic conventions for acknowledging academic sources where appropriate.

See University of Gloucestershire links below for how to reference.