20091225 MBA Project Paper Guidebook Ver 1 5ed

ASSIGNMENT AND PROJECT PAPER GUIDEBOOK Writing and presenting the academic assignment and project paper for Masters Degree Students LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY Centre for Post Graduate Studies Document Number: 90-60-00

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Disclaimer and Copyright notices Version 1; 5th Edition © 2009 LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY The material provided in this document by the author and LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY (hereinafter referred to “LUCT”) is issued in confidence and must not be produced in whole or in part for any reason to any third party by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the author and LUCT. This document is issued with non-commercial confidence and to be used for educational purposes only. Although every effort is made to cite and or make reference to original copyright holders, the author and LUCT shall not be liable for any loss, expenses, damage or claim arising out of statements and or issues and expressly disclaims all responsibility for the material in this document and all liability to any person in relation to any action that person may take or fail to take in reliance, whether in whole or in part, on this document. Microsoft, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft Inc. LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY Innovasi 1-1, Jalan Teknokrat 1/1, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Document Number: 90-60-00 Document Revision Control

Date (dd/mm/yyyy) Version Number

Prepared by: (Name &

Signature)

Verified by: (Name &

Signature)

Approved by: (Name &

Signature)

Updated by: (Name &

Signature)

25/11/2007

4th Revision Initial draft 0 Creation and Proposal stage

Dr Ahmad Faisal

25/12/2009

5th Edition Version 1 Formalisation and Detailing of Assignment Report Writing

Dr Ahmad Faisal

© 2009 LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY Innovasi 1-1, Jalan Teknokrat 1/1, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Assignment and Project Paper Guidebook For Masters Degree Students

Document Number: 90-60-00 i Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

Contents

BACKGROUND INFORMATION.............................................................................. III How to use this guidebook........................................................................... iv Numbering Allocation.................................................................................... v

GUIDEBOOK EXPOSITION ....................................................................................1 Introduction...................................................................................................1 General Guidelines .......................................................................................3

PROCESSES AND FORMS ....................................................................................5 General Processes .......................................................................................5

Specific Assignment Question – Individual without case study ..................6 Specific Assignment Question – Individual with case study .......................7 Specific Assignment Question – Group without case study........................8 Specific Assignment Question – Group with case study.............................9

General Academic Project Papers..............................................................10 Idea Paper ................................................................................................12 Research Proposal ...................................................................................13 Research Problem and Goal...................................................................13 Relevance, Significance, and Literature Review.....................................13 Barriers and Issues.................................................................................13 Approach ................................................................................................14 Project Plan ............................................................................................14 Annotated Bibliography...........................................................................14 Reference List.........................................................................................14 Final Research Proposal ........................................................................14

Research Effort.........................................................................................16 Project Paper Drafting ..............................................................................17 Defence ....................................................................................................18

General Forms............................................................................................19 Assignment Submission Form..................................................................20 Research Proposal Form..........................................................................21 Final Project Paper Submission Form ......................................................23

GENERAL GUIDE – ASSIGNMENT REPORT ..........................................................26 Function of a Business Assignment Report ................................................26 The Structure of Business Assignment Reports .........................................27

PROJECT PAPER GENERAL FORMAT .................................................................35 Project Proposal .......................................................................................38 Sample Proposal Title Page ...................................................................40 Sample Proposal Abstract Page.............................................................41 Sample Final Project Paper Cover..........................................................42 Sample Project Paper Title Page............................................................43 Sample Project Paper Abstract Page .....................................................44

NOTES ON PLAGIARISM ....................................................................................45 Referencing ............................................................................................46

EXAMINERS’ EXPECTATIONS .............................................................................47

BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................50


Document Number: 90-60-00 ii Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

List of Tables TABLE 001: GUIDEBOOK CHAPTERS AND SUB-CHAPTERS BREAKDOWN V List of Figures FIGURE 001: DOCUMENT NUMBERING SYSTEM IV FIGURE 002: SOURCES OF ACADEMIC PAPER GENERATION 5 FIGURE 003: ACADEMIC RESEARCH PAPER/ PROJECT PAPER GENERATION 10 FIGURE 004: TYPICAL RESEARCH PROCESS 16 FIGURE 005: ASSIGNMENT REPORT SUBMISSION FORM 20 FIGURE 006(A): RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM (PAGE 1) 21 FIGURE 006(B): RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM (PAGE 2) 22 FIGURE 007(A): FINAL PROJECT PAPER SUBMISSION FORM (PAGE 1) 23 FIGURE 007(B): FINAL PROJECT PAPER SUBMISSION FORM (PAGE 2) 24 FIGURE 008: SAMPLE OF MAIN BODY LAYOUT. 37 FIGURE 009: EXAMPLE OF PROPOSAL TITLE PAGE 40 FIGURE 010: EXAMPLE OF PROPOSAL ABSTRACT PAGE 41 FIGURE 011: EXAMPLE OF FINAL PROJECT COVER 42 FIGURE 012: EXAMPLE OF FINAL PROJECT TITLE PAGE 43 FIGURE 013: EXAMPLE OF FINAL PROJECT ABSTRACT PAGE 44


Document Number: 90-60-00 iii Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

Background Information

The purpose of this guidebook is to assist, facilitate and guide LUCT’s Masters Degree students in documenting and presenting their assignments, proposed and final project papers. It is an attempt to compile and share some of the vast knowledge and ideas put forward by many experts in this subject and adapting to LUCT’s environment and requirements. The Academic Committee believes that this guidebook will serve as an important starting point for post-graduate students to prepare and present creative, innovative and quality academic documents. It also acts as an easy and mutually useful reference to supervisors and examiners.

The universally accepted standard technical terms commonly used in research discipline are retained while other terms peculiar to the research context are the prerogatives of the researcher. However, such freedom must be within the acceptable boundary of academic research.

This guidebook does not replace the necessary required reading text suggested by the faculty in each of the program. Students must read and understand the content of textbooks suggested.


How to use this guidebook

This guidebook is divided into chapters and sub-chapters according to the type of documentations required by the program. The breakdown of chapter commensurate to the academic documentation a student needs to produce1.

Figure 001: Document Numbering System

Document Number: 90-00-00 1Version: 0 (Initial Draft) Dated 5th November 2007


90 is where all assignments, project papers and thesis related documentations are filed, managed and controlled.

00 is Chapter number for the overall exposition of the titled document

00 is Sub-Chapter number for detail description of the chapter title. Page Number

Version Number and Date of issue. Always check and use the latest document.



90 is where all assignments, project papers and thesis related documentations are filed, managed and controlled.

00 is Chapter number for the overall exposition of the titled document

00 is Sub-Chapter number for detail description of the chapter title. Page Number

Version Number and Date of issue. Always check and use the latest document.

Illustrated in figure 001, Document Number 90 refers to the Faculty’s Master Document reference for all assignments and project papers related items.

Chapter 00 refers to overall description of the document; in the illustration, it will be the introduction and general explanation of the guidebook. In the case of this document, Chapter 60 refers to all descriptions and documentations related to MASTERS degree academic papers.

Sub-Chapter 00 refers to the detail description of the Chapter; may it be the overall processes of idea generation to the final academic document required to be produced by the students. It also describes the necessary procedures and forms that are required to be used accompanying the student’s academic document.

1 Subject to Faculty and Senate Approval

Document Number: 90-60-00 iv Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009


Document Number: 90-60-00 v Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

Numbering Allocation

Table 001 describes the numbering and location for each chapter and sub-chapter for the guidebook2.

Table 001: Guidebook Chapters and Sub-Chapters breakdown

Main Chapter Sub-Chapter Description 90 60 00 Masters Degree Level (60) papers and exposition 10 General processes and forms 11 ~ 69 Reserved 70 Assignment Format and presentations 71 ~ 79 Reserved 80 Project Papers Format and presentations 81 ~ 89 Reserved 90 Examiners’ expectations

2 Subject to Faculty and Senate approval


Document Number: 90-60-00 1 Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

Guidebook Exposition Introduction

Masters degree students are required to write a well-articulated paper in the form of assignments reports and /or project papers as part fulfilment for them to graduate. The length of these papers varies in terms of length and number of words depending on the assignments the students are pursuing. Any intellectual or academic effort will go thorough a widely accepted phases, namely:

• Thinking or Conceptualising • Preparing the Project and or the Research Proposal • Conducting the actual Research • Writing the Project and or the Research Paper • Sharing the Project and or the Research Outcomes • Revising or Refining the Project and or the Research Paper • Submitting the final completed Project and or the Research Paper • Defending the Project and or the Research Paper • Submitting the final paper incorporating suggestions from the

defence

Indeed, students always asked the importance of such requirement and why they are frequently subjected to such despair. There are number of reasons as to why LUCT is pursuing this path. Although non-exhaustive, the list below represents why academic paper is crucial at LUCT.

• It the case of individual papers, it develops and enhances the individual student’s writing competencies.

• In the case of group assignment papers, it develops the team building and leadership skills within each individual student.

• It harnesses creative thinking amongst students that are much needed in the “real” business world.

• It provides the lecturers, supervisors, academic committee and examiners with an instrument for assessing students’ competency levels.



Producing an academic paper at LUCT is not as difficult as it seems. Students need only to conform to the LUCT’s requirements that are also the universally accepted general requirements of the academic world. It is in the best interest of the students to fully comprehend and understand these requirements to avoid unnecessary, costly and time-consuming revisions. Always bear in mind that, an academic paper is indeed an individual student’s product. The quality of such product will tell the customers, in this case the examiners and academic committee, the quality of the student. On the same premise, not limited to, the following are attributes of a good academic paper:

• The paper clearly demonstrates the student’s ability to undertake a research exercise. The output (academic paper) includes critical reviews of the literatures, applying appropriate research methods and tools in analysing the data and interpreting the results into useful information.

• The paper makes significant contribution to the academic knowledge as well as to the business practice.

• The paper is written using a concise and simple language that can be easily understood by the readers.

• The paper shows an overall coherence, between chapters and the connections between chapters and the ideas put forward; and clearly written in a smooth and logical manner.

• The format and layout of the paper conform to the LUCT’s requirements. It is well edited, thoroughly checked for spelling, grammatical and typographical errors.

• Text citations and references conform to the Harvard referencing style.



General Guidelines

The work must be in English unless a written permission is given to do otherwise. If the academic paper is written in languages other than English, it should be accompanied by a report from the supervisor on the contents and structure of the paper. However, a brief quotation in language other than English is permitted.

The length of academic paper for Masters Degree, excluding the front and back matters, is as follow:

• Assignments such as Case study Reports should be at least 5,000 words.

• Final Research Project Papers should be at least 10,000 words.

The work must be submitted in condition appropriate for preservation in LUCT’s library and there shall be no restriction whatsoever for the access to the academic paper.

All statements, citations and must be clearly indicated and properly referenced.

The work must be original and students are required to sign-off the declaration form attached at the front for the final submitted academic paper.

All work must be either type written or printed in letter-quality prints on a white A4 size paper of not less than 80 grams weight. The use of colour paper is only allowed as separators, if the student so wishes.

All assignment reports must be properly comb-bound using a black coloured comb spine, with clear hard plastic front cover and black coloured hard-paper back cover. All Final Project Paper must be in a “book bind” using black coloured hardcover for both front and back.


The type setting must be at least one and a half (1½) spacing for Case Study Reports, Research Proposals and Final Research Project Reports; using 12 points Arial fonts, with the following page set up:

• Left Margin 3.81cm or 1½” • Right Margin 2.54cm or 1” • Top and bottom spaces 2.54cm or 1”

For Microsoft word® users, these can be easily set from the File>Page Set up menu as shown in the image below.

Only single sided printing is allowed and pages must be consecutively numbered with proper table of contents, figures, tables.

It is crucial for all students to conform to all the requirements set and please refer to sub-chapter 50 of this document for more details on page layout and content placements requirements.



Processes and Forms General Processes

Typically, there are three sources for generating an academic paper for MASTERS Degree students. As illustrated in figure 002 part [A], these sources can be in the form of:

• Specific assignment question given by the lecturers to students • Case study given by the lecturers or proposed by the students • Research proposals submitted by the students

Figure 002: Sources of Academic Paper generation

Academic Paper

Specific Assignment

Question

Case Study

Research Proposal

Academic Paper

Specific Assignment

Question

Case Study

Research Proposal

Specific Assignment

Question

Specific Case Study

Student draft Academic Paper

Academic Paper discussions

Academic Paper Submission draft

Academic Paper Submission & Acceptance [FORM]

Academic Paper Assessment and Grading by

examiner

• Discussions amongst students for group papers

• Discussion with supervisors for individual papers

• Group presentations

Usually provided for by the lecturers

Changes and Refinements

Specific Assignment

Question

Specific Case Study

Student draft Academic Paper

Academic Paper discussions

Academic Paper Submission draft

Academic Paper Submission & Acceptance [FORM]

Academic Paper Assessment and Grading by

examiner

• Discussions amongst students for group papers

• Discussion with supervisors for individual papers

• Group presentations

Usually provided for by the lecturers

Changes and Refinements

AA BB

Source: adapted from Faisal, 2005




Specific Assignment Question – Individual without case study

This section describes the typical process of producing an academic paper derived from a given specific assignment question without any given case study. Referring to figure 002 part [B], the typical processes are as follows:

• Students are encouraged to comprehend thoroughly the questions and desired outcomes. This can be discussed with the lecturer during the lecture or tutorial.

• Students are to draft the academic paper basing on their understanding of the topic in accordance to the format and layout requirements specified in sub-chapter 50 of this document.

• Students are not allowed to discuss the contents of the academic paper with their lecturers, unless provisions for doing so are allowed, subject to their agreement and availability.

• In the case for allowable student-lecturer discussion, any changes suggested by the lecturers must be incorporated into the submission draft.

• Once the submission draft is complete, students are to submit their assignments by the stipulated deadline. Be advised that students will be penalised for late submission.

• The academic papers must be prepared in accordance to the requirements stated in this guidebook accompanied by the relevant form.

• The assigned examiner will assess the academic papers and grade them accordingly.



Specific Assignment Question – Individual with case study

This section describes the typical process of producing an academic paper derived from a given specific assignment question with a given case study. Referring to figure 002 part [B], the typical processes are as follows:

• Students are encouraged to comprehend thoroughly the questions and desired outcomes, as some assignments not only require students to prepare an academic paper but may also an academic presentation as part of their grading.

• In case of a formal report, students are to draft the academic paper basing on their understanding of the topic in accordance to the format and layout requirements specified in sub-chapter 50 of this document.

• In the case of formal presentation, students are to prepare the academic presentation basing on their understanding of the topic in accordance to the format and layout requirements specified in sub-chapter 50 of this document.

• Students are not allowed to discuss the contents of the academic paper and /or the academic presentations with their lecturers, unless provisions for doing so are allowed, subject to their agreement and availability.

• In the case for allowable student-lecturer discussions, any changes suggested by the lecturers must be incorporated into the submission draft and /or presentation slides.

• Once the submission draft is complete, students are to submit their assignments by the stipulated deadline. Be advised that students will be penalised for late submission.

• The academic paper must be prepared in accordance to the requirements stated in this guidebook accompanied by the relevant form.

• In the case for academic presentations, students are to arrange for the academic presentation date with their lecturer and conduct the presentation preferably using Microsoft Powerpoint® by the stipulated deadline. Be advised that students will be penalised for not adhering to the agreed deadlines.

• The assigned examiner(s) will assess the academic papers, academic presentations and grade them accordingly.

Students are encouraged to attend any relevant case study analysis seminars or classes to enhance their skills.



Specific Assignment Question – Group without case study

This section describes the typical process of producing an academic paper derived from a given specific assignment question without any given case study to a group. Referring to figure 002 part [B], the typical processes are as follows:

• Groups are encouraged to comprehend thoroughly the questions and desired outcomes, as some assignments not only require groups to prepare an academic paper but may also an academic presentation as part of their grading. This can be discussed within the group and /or the lecturer during the lecture or tutorial.

• Groups are encouraged to organise themselves as early as possible to discuss the procedures, roles and responsibilities of each member, especially the “scriber” to note the relevant discussion’s contents. This is to avoid future disappointments.

• Draft the academic paper basing on the group’s understanding of the topic in accordance to the format and layout requirements specified in sub-chapter 50 of this document.

• In the case of formal presentation, groups are to prepare the academic presentation basing on their understanding of the topic in accordance to the format and layout requirements specified in sub-chapter 50 of this document.

• Groups are not allowed to discuss the contents of the academic paper with their lecturers, unless provisions for doing so are allowed, subject to their agreement and availability.

• In the case for allowable group-lecturer discussion, any changes suggested by the lecturers must be incorporated into the submission draft.

• Once the submission draft is complete, groups are to submit their group’s assignment by the stipulated deadline. Be advised that groups will be penalised for late submission.

• The submission draft must be prepared in accordance to the requirements stated in this guidebook accompanied by the relevant form.

• In the case for academic presentations, groups are to arrange for the academic presentation date with their lecturer and conduct the presentation preferably using Microsoft Powerpoint® by the stipulated deadline. Be advised that students will be penalised for not adhering to the agreed deadlines.

• The assigned examiner(s) will assess the academic papers and /or academic presentations and grade them accordingly.



Specific Assignment Question – Group with case study

This section describes the typical process of producing an academic paper derived from a given specific assignment question with a given case study to a group. Referring to figure 002 part [B], the typical processes is similar to earlier discussed Specific Assignment Question – Group without case study. In both cases, groups are encouraged to attend any relevant case study analysis seminars or classes to enhance their skills.


General Academic Project Papers

In the case of academic papers arising from research proposals, the processes are more rigorous. Illustrated in figure 003 is a typical process in general. Students must refer to the detail descriptions in this guidebook and familiarise themselves thoroughly with the full requirements and restrictions.

Figure 003: Academic Research Paper/ Project Paper generation

Research Exercise

Academic Paper

Specific Assignment

Question

Case Study

Research Proposal

Identify potential research area

Discuss potential research area with supervisor

Draft research proposal in consultation with supervisor

Submit research proposal Submission Draft to Principal lecturer for recommendations

using FORM

Submit research proposal Submission Draft to Academic

Committee.

Proceed with research project and complete the Academic

paper

Research proposal Submission Draft completed

R1

Minor changesRefine Proposal Paper

Major changesRedo Proposal Paper

R2

a

a

No Changes

Rejected or Major changesRedo Proposal Paper

Accepted with Minor changes.Refine Proposal Paper

Accepted with No changes.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO

OBSERVATIONBroad area of

research interest identified



PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION

Research problem delineated

PROBLEM DEFINITION


THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Variables clearly identified and

labelled



labelled

GENERATION OF HYPOTHESIS


DEDUCTIONHypothesis

substantiated?Research question

answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

DATA COLLECTION,


Report writingReport writing

Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions

IMPLEMENTATION if action research. Corrective actions –problemsREFINEMENT of theory if Pure research, a.k.a. Basic or Fundamental research – purpose: building the body of knowledge (8)


Research design aspect

Defence

Submission Paper

[FORM]

Project Paper Draft

Refinement

Submission Paper

Review

Academic Review

Academic Research/ Project Paper Main Processes

Research Exercise Sub-Processes

Research Proposal Sub-Processes

Final Paper

Source: adapted from Faisal, 2005; Sekaran, 2003 and Welman & Kruger, 1999.

Research Exercise

Academic Paper

Specific Assignment

Question

Case Study

Research Proposal





using FORM


Committee.


paper


R1



R2

a

a

No Changes




SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO





PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION


PROBLEM DEFINITION




labelled



labelled



DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,


DATA COLLECTION,



Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions




Defence

Submission Paper

[FORM]

Project Paper Draft

Refinement

Submission Paper

Review

Academic Review




Final Paper Research Exercise

Academic Paper

Specific Assignment

Question

Case Study

Research Proposal





using FORM


Committee.


paper


R1



R2

a

a

No Changes




SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO





PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION


PROBLEM DEFINITION




labelled



labelled



DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,


DATA COLLECTION,



Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions




Defence

Submission Paper

[FORM]

Project Paper Draft

Refinement

Submission Paper

Review

Academic Review




Final Paper

Source: adapted from Faisal, 2005; Sekaran, 2003 and Welman & Kruger, 1999.

The academic research papers for MASTERS Degree students at LUCT are commonly known as Project Paper. Hence, research paper or project paper will be synonymously used in this guide. It is commonly practiced that for project papers; students are free to propose their research topic of interest.




The generally accepted processes for Project Paper are as described below:

• Students are encouraged to prepare an Idea Paper. The purpose of Idea Paper is to enable student to clarify their research intent and to solicit appropriate supervisor for their research effort.

• The completed Idea Paper is then submitted to principal lecturer for acceptance and appointment of appropriate lecturer to supervise the students.

• Once, Idea Paper is accepted and supervisor established, students are required to prepare a Research Project Proposal basing on their areas of interest.

• Students are encouraged to comprehend thoroughly the research area proposed and the desired outcomes.

• Students are expected to perform a literature search and to conduct critical reviews of relevant literatures prior drafting the Research Project Proposal.

• Students can only proceed with their research proper when their proposal is accepted and approved. It is in the students’ best interest that they conduct a reasonable amount of research work, with sufficient depth and breadth of the chosen topic for their research proposal to be accepted and approved.

• Once the proposal is accepted and approved, students can initiate their search effort. Throughout the research exercise, students are expected to be rigorous in every phase of the research. Appraisals, analysis and opinions have to be intellectual and supported.

• In the case of formal reports and presentations, please refer to the earlier mentioned Specific Assignment Question – Individual with case study guidelines.

• Once the submission draft is complete, students are to submit their Final Project Paper by the stipulated deadline accompanied by the relevant form. Be advised that students will be penalised for late submission.

• Students are to defend their research effort before an academic defence panel or committee for their acceptance, which will be arranged by the faculty.

• The assigned examiner(s) will assess the academic papers, the academic presentations (defence) and grade the students accordingly.

Students are advised to be thoroughly familiar with the processes in producing their Final Project Papers to avoid disappointments and to attend any relevant seminars or classes to enhance their skills.



Idea Paper

The purpose of an idea paper is twofold; firstly, to conceptualise and clarify the student’s research intent and secondly, to identify and matches appropriate supervisor for the students.

An idea paper is generally less than ten pages document. It contains a short description of the research topic, the research motives, its significance, proposed research outcome, proposed supervisor name or specialisation, and list of proposed literatures sources.

Students are encouraged to discuss the idea paper with their proposed supervisor prior submission for acceptance. In the case where there is no suitable supervisor, students are to discuss their idea paper with their lecturers and or the principal lecturers in moving forward. Once the idea paper is accepted, a research proposal can be initiated.



Research Proposal

The research proposal is the first important step in any academic research effort. Generally about 25 – 40 pages in length and written in the future tense.

A full literature search is not required at this stage; however, an annotated bibliography must be prepared and included in the proposal covering the material relevant to the proposed area of interest or topic. The relationship between the proposed topic and the literature reviewed should be discussed in this proposal.

Research Problem and Goal

This section describe the Research Problem that need to be addressed (why this research effort is being undertaken) and a concise description of research goal (what the research effort will accomplish).

Both research problem and goal must be supported by evidence from the literature search. Effort must be made to define a goal that is measurable, that is, the faculty must be able to use the goal statement to determine whether the research project is successfully completed. Therefore, the goal contained in the research proposal should be measurable.

Poorly written research problem and goal measurement can be the basis for rejection. If students not able to justify the motives of their research effort, then the student do not have the basis for a project paper.

Relevance, Significance, and Literature Review

Any academic research effort must have relevance to the situation described, and contribute in a significant way to the advancement of body of knowledge, improve professional practice, and /or contribute to understanding of issues described. Where possible, the project paper is worthy of publication in a journal or conference proceeding in the area or as a textbook or monograph.

An extensive critical review of literature is not required at this stage, but a brief review and discussion of the literature must be included in the proposal. An annotated bibliography is necessary covering the literatures relevant to the proposed research areas. See annotated bibliography section below for amplification.

Barriers and Issues

In this section, students are to discuss any major issues or problems that they might face during the research effort, and the expected degree of difficulties in resolving them.



Approach

Students are expected to discuss, in details how they intent to accomplish the research goal. A list of major steps to be taken, in sequence that must be taken to accomplish the research goal.

Project Plan

Student are required to prepare a plan to include (i) activities or task that need to be accomplished, including a list of major milestones, with dates or timeframes; (ii) resources, both human and non-human that are required to perform or support the research effort. Students are suggested to attend any seminar or classes on project management to enhance their skills.

Annotated Bibliography

Students are recommended to conduct both physical and computer search. Physical library resources should be at least 30 items out of which 70 percent (21 items) derived from related journals and 30 percent (9 items) from related books. However, students are reminded that these annotations must be theirs and not those obtained from publication’s abstract. The relationships of the identified literature and its relevance to the topic must be discussed.

Reference List

A list of references must be prepared and cited in the proposal. However, only those cited and referred-to in the proposal can be included. For those not cited or referred to must be excluded for the list.

Final Research Proposal

The finalised project proposal is a formal document that provides the framework and supports the students’ research effort. The document must state clearly the fundamental concepts and theories to the study; with concise and accurate research problem; that is, specific and measurable goals are specified; a thorough literature review is presented; the methods for conducting the research are delineated; and strategies to achieve the research goal is given. Generally, the proposal is written in the future tense and a well formulated proposal acts as a blueprint for generating the final project paper.



Evaluation of research proposal is generally based on the content and clarity of the introduction, literature review, procedures, expectations, and the effectiveness with which the document is organised and planned. Factors affecting the evaluation process include the purpose, significance, merit of the investigation and the appropriateness of procedures chosen to meet the goal.

Students are advised to engage their supervisors frequently during the proposal drafting.


Research Effort

Figure 004 typically describe the overall research process. However, students are reminded that such process does not occur in a logically sequenced manner, as there will be many inductions and deductions occurring during the research cycle. It is imperative that students to understand the research cycle and processes during the class discussions and or tutorials.

Figure 004: Typical Research Process

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO





PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION


PROBLEM DEFINITION




labelled



labelled



DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,


DATA COLLECTION,



Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions




Research process for basic and applied researchSource: Sekaran, 2003 (pg 28,56)

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO





PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION


PROBLEM DEFINITION




labelled



labelled



DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,


DATA COLLECTION,



Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions




SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DESIGN

NO





PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PRELIMENARY DATA

GATHERINGInterview

Literature reviews

PROBLEM DEFINITION


PROBLEM DEFINITION




labelled



labelled



DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DEDUCTIONHypothesis


answered?

DATA COLLECTION,


DATA COLLECTION,



Report Presentation

Report Presentation

Managerial Decision

Managerial Decision

1

2

3

4

56

7 8

YES

9 10 11

Final Decisions




Research process for basic and applied researchSource: Sekaran, 2003 (pg 28,56)




Project Paper Drafting

Thanks to the marvel of modern technology, project paper drafting is now a painless undertaking. Availability of powerful word-processing software, such as Microsoft Word® has made document generation and editing easy. The only barrier to producing an excellent project paper is the person doing it!

Students are reminded that documents such as their Final Project Paper is not something they can take lightly. There is never such thing as “last minute” generation of project paper and burning the “midnight oil”.

Drafting must start as early as the research effort itself. The research proposal can be a good starting point and to be later expanded in a full project paper document.

There will be many iterations and revisions. Every chapter can be written in simple paragraphs or bullet points for a start and can be later recomposed into proper phrases and paragraphs.

Since there will be many re-writes and versions, students are encouraged to keep track of the changes and backing up of files is important. A last minute computer hard drive failure can be disastrous for student.

Text can be written in both US English and UK English; students must choose either one of the text style and must be consistent throughout the paper.

Students are required to keep track of their sources and references. Annotate those references using Harvard Referencing System, early in drafting and keep building the reference list. Do not by any chance, leave it to the last minute, as there will “swamps” of paperwork during the final paper generation. Keep all the relevant documentations organised!



Defence

Defence is a generally a formal presentation of the students’ research work. Students are required to prepare a fifteen (15) minutes presentation on their research work. Depending on the research topic and the question and answer session, the duration of defence varies.

The main purpose is to asses the students’ overall understanding of the research topic. It also serves as a platform for examiners to engage or discuss the whole research effort with the students.

Defence is not something to be taken lightly. Do not attempt to prepare the defence at the last minute. Students must make every effort to present their research effort within the time allocated in a concise manner. It is in the best interest of the students to prepare all material themselves and be thoroughly familiar with the material they use.



General Forms

In managing academic papers, forms are used for many reasons. It has been widely accepted that forms:

• Serve as a tracking and monitoring tool for the students’ as well as the academic papers’ progress.

• Serve as evidence for the required reviews and approvals. • Serve as evidence for the required declaration of students’ work

concerning copyright and plagiarism.

Due to the varying programs and differing type of forms used within LUCT, students must use the correct form for their respective effort as mentioned in this guidebook. Typically, the following list represents some of the commonly used forms.

• Submission Forms: This form is to be used when submitting the academic paper

• Declaration Forms: This form serves as declaration that the work submitted is student’s original work and all references are cited accordingly

• Distribution Authorisation Forms: This form allows LUCT to deposit, archive and distribute the student’s work as deemed necessary.

• Assessment and Grading Forms: This form is purely meant to be used by examiners in grading the student’s work.


Assignment Submission Form

Below is a sample of the submission form used by Masters Degree students when submitting their assignment report.

Figure 005: Assignment Report Submission Form



Research Proposal Form

Below is a sample of the two-paged Research Proposal submission form used by Masters Degree students when submitting their research proposals.

Figure 006(a): Research Proposal Submission Form (page 1)



Figure 006(b): Research Proposal Submission Form (page 2)



Final Project Paper Submission Form

Below is a sample of the two-paged Final Project Paper submission form used by Masters Degree students when submitting their final research reports.

Figure 007(a): Final Project Paper Submission Form (page 1)



Figure 007(b): Final Project Paper Submission Form (page 2)



Document Number: 90-00-11 ~ 69 25 Version: 1 5th Edition dated 25th December 2009

Reserved: 11 ~ 69:

Intentionally left blank



General Guide – Assignment Report 3

Function of a Business Assignment Report

Business reports are required in disciplines such as accounting, finance, management, marketing and commerce. Often the type of assignment set is a practical learning task requiring you to apply the theories you have been studying to real world (or realistic) situations; for example, accounting and finance students may be asked to analyse a company’s financial data and to write a report detailing their findings, marketing students may be asked to research and develop a marketing campaign for a product and to write a report presenting the proposal to the company, management students may be asked to report on the management structure of a company and make recommendations for its improvement. Learning how to report on financial information, marketing and management strategies and issues to others is an important component of business studies.

Your assignment question will most probably guide you as to the type of information that should be included in your report and the steps you should follow. As an example, your assignment may include questions such as:

• Analyse the business buying behaviour and consumer buying behaviour of a specific company in the retail industry.

• Evaluate the effect of these behaviours on the company’s marketing strategy.

• Make recommendations to improve the company’s marketing strategy in relation to one or both of these groups.

In these examples there are separate, yet related tasks, and this will be reflected in the structure of the report: information will be divided into sections with headings (for example, Recommendations), and the sections will follow a logical progression.

Business reports will obviously differ according to the specific question and task they seek to answer. It is important, however, to be clear what the overall purpose of your report is: is it to inform, to make a proposal, or to solve a problem?

3 Some of the material in this unit is adapted from Woodward-Kron, R. (1997) Writing in Commerce: a guide to assist Commerce students with assignment writing, (Revised edition), Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, The University of Newcastle, pp. 25-31.



The Structure of Business Assignment Reports

In business, the information provided in reports needs to be easy to find, and written in such a way that the client can understand it. This is one reason why reports are divided into sections clearly labelled with headings and sub-headings. Technical information which would clutter the body of the report is placed in the appendix. The structure of a report and the purpose and contents of each section is shown below.

TITLE PAGE: report title, your name, submission date

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: overview of subject matter, methods of analysis, findings, recommendations

The executive summary provides the reader with an overview of the report’s essential information. It is designed to be read by people who will not have time to read the whole report or are deciding if this is necessary; therefore, in your executive summary you need to say as much as possible in the fewest words (Weaver & Weaver, 1977). The executive summary should briefly outline the subject matter, the background problem, the scope of the investigation, the method(s) of analysis, the important findings arguments and important issues raised in the discussion, the conclusion and recommendations. The executive summary should not just be an outline of the points to be covered in the report with no detail of the analysis that has taken place or conclusions that have been reached.

The executive summary stands as an overview at the front of the report but it is also designed to be read alone without the accompanying report (this would often occur in the workplace); therefore, you need to make sure it is self sufficient and can be understood in isolation. It is usually written last (so that it accurately reflects the content of the report) and is usually about two hundred to three hundred words long (i.e. not more than a page).

TABLE OF CONTENTS: list of numbered sections in report and their page numbers

In a report longer than several pages, a table of contents should be included as it assists the reader to locate information quickly. It also gives the reader a schematic overview of the structure and contents of the report. A table of contents should include all section headings and subheadings:

worded exactly as they appear in the report numbered exactly as they appear in the report With their page numbers

The table of contents should be on its own page. As well as a table of contents, you may wish to include:



List of Figures (optional, separate page) This list is used mainly for reports containing numerous figures. It includes the figure number, caption and page number, ordered as they appear in the text.

List of Tables (optional, separate page) This list is used mainly for reports containing numerous tables. It includes the table number, caption and page number, ordered as they appear in the text.

List of appendices (optional, separate page) This list is used mainly for reports containing numerous appendices. It includes the appendix letter (each separate appendix should be lettered i.e. Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.), its title and page number, ordered as they appear at the end of the report.

Nomenclature (optional) Where symbols are used extensively, a list of symbols and definitions should appear at the beginning of the report. If there is no list, symbols should be defined in the text when first used.

INTRODUCTION: Terms of reference and Outline of report’s structure.

The introduction presents:

the background to the issue (i.e. why was the report commissioned), the objective or purpose of the report a definition of the research problem/topic a definition of the report’s terms of reference (the what, where, and

when of the research problem/ topic) an outline of the report’s structure an overview of the report’s sections and their relationship to the

research problem an outline and justification of the scope of the report (the boundaries

the report is working within) a description of the range of sources used (i.e. personal

investigation, interviews, statistics and questionnaires) acknowledgment of any valuable assistance received in the

preparation of the report

While there will be some duplication in the contents of the executive summary and the introduction, the purpose of the executive summary is to provide a summary of the findings of each section of the report. The purpose of the introduction, however, is to outline what the report will cover and how these issues address the research problem.



BODY: Headings and sub-headings that reflect the contents of each section. Includes information on method of data collection (if applicable), the findings of the report and discussion of findings in light of theory.

The body section expands and develops the material in a logical and coherent manner, reflecting the structure outlined in the Introduction. It contains a description of the findings and a discussion of them. It should also relate the findings to any theory of relevance. The following questions are examples of some of the types of questions the body of your report should seek to answer:

What were the most significant findings or factors involved in the topic/ problem?

Did the findings support the theory? Have you found some disagreement with the theory? Did you uncover any unexpected or new issues that need to be

considered?

This section is usually the longest part of the report. The material must be presented logically. The type of headings you use to organise the information in the body of your report will depend on the purpose of the report you are preparing. Make sure the headings and sub-headings you choose are informative.

Headings should be clearly, logically and accurately labelled since they reveal the organisation of the report and permit quick reference to specific information. They also make the report easy to read. Headings should be specific and descriptive NOT vague and general (Weaver & Weaver, 1977). Sometimes a main heading will be general but the specificity is developed through subheadings. Given the need for specificity, headings would tend to be more like an abbreviated sentence rather than a single word. A good rule of thumb is that the heading should be "long enough to be an inclusive label but short enough to be immediately clear" (Weaver & Weaver, 1977: 84). You should also try to make headings grammatically and logically consistent; for example, if your main heading was:

Types Of Schemas ; and your subheadings under this section were:

Schemas for scenes Schemas for events Schemas for stories Problems and their schemas

It would be much better to change the final subheading to

Schemas for problems; so that consistency in your headings is maintained.



Also avoid using headings that are catchy rather than informative; for example, the following subheadings, although catchy and cute, detract from the serious informative intent of the following report.

4. Key products and services of the McDonald's corporation The following outline of McDonald's key products and services will thoroughly examine all aspects of consumer buyer behaviour ….. 4.1 The Big Mac: two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun! The Big Mac hamburger brand was introduced to the McDonalds's product range in 1968 and has worldwide recognition. The longevity, popularity and recognisability of this product impact on consumer buying behaviour in several ways….. 4.2 McFlurry: just like a snowstorm in your mouth! The McFlurry is a relatively new item to the McDonald's product range and as such it is relevant to analyse several different aspects of consumer buyer behaviour such as …..

The following general structures are just examples of ways it may be appropriate to structure your report. Type 1: Findings/ Discussion • Sub-heading 1 • Statement of issue 1 • findings • discussion of whether it supports or contrasts with theory • discussion of significance to theory/ practice • Sub-heading 2 • Statement of issue 2 • findings • discussion of whether it supports or contrasts with theory • discussion of significance to theory/ practice Type 2: Findings • Sub-heading 1 • Statement of issue 1 • findings • Sub-heading 2 • statement of issue 2 • findings Discussion • Issue 1 • discussion of whether it supports or contrasts with theory • discussion of significance to theory/ practice • Issue 2 • discussion of whether it supports or contrasts with theory • discussion of significance to theory/ practice

If your report requires any collection or analysis of data, it would generally contain a method section in the body of the report briefly describing how the data was collected: literature search, web pages, interviews (details of the questions and the subject pool), financial and other business reports, etc. Details of types of calculations or analysis undertaken would also be detailed.


The body of a report will also probably contain supporting evidence such as tables, graphs or figures. Only include those that are essential for reader understanding, the rest can be placed in an appendix that is referred to in the text; for example, Appendix C contains the YoY predicted growth in shareholder accounts for the company.

Using figures such as diagrams, tables, graphs, charts or maps can be a very useful way to show and emphasise information in your report. They can be used to compile data in an orderly way or to amplify a point and are a useful tool to help your readers understand complex or numerous data (Weaver and Weaver, 1977). Figures essential to the report should be smoothly and correctly integrated and should be explained and referred to in the main body of the report. A useful way to do this is to lead into the figure by telling the reader what to focus on in the figure and then lead out of the figure perhaps by linking the important point that was illustrated to the next salient point; for example:

Figures that are supportive rather than essential to your explanation can be placed in the appendix section so that the continuity of your writing is not broken up (Weaver and Weaver, 1977). If a figure such as a table of data is essential for understanding but is very lengthy, you may wish to include an excerpt of the most relevant part of the figure in the text and the full figure in an appendix. The inclusion of tables and figures does not absolve you from making your report coherent. Regardless of whether the figures are integrated into the text or are in an appendix, it is important that you do discuss the information represented in the diagrams, tables, graphs, charts and maps and not just let them 'speak for themselves'. A good rule of thumb is to produce text and figures that can both stand alone: the text should be readable without figures, and vice versa.




In your discussion of the information represented in the figures you should highlight information which you consider significant, point out trends or relationships or compare data presented in separate figures; for example,

The Keeling plant's production capacity was reached in May this year. In contrast, the Hergort plant has not yet reached 75% of its production capacity (see Table 13).

Make sure the figure is worthwhile. If the text is crystal clear without the insertion of a figure there is no point including it, despite how good it may look. If the text does not make sense without the insertion of the figure, you are expecting the figure to do your job for you. In fact, the figure is not meant to make your point but to illustrate, emphasise and supplement it (Weaver & Weaver, 1977: 87).

CONCLUSION states the major inferences that can be drawn from the discussion and makes recommendations

The conclusion summarises the major inferences that can be drawn from the information presented in the report. It answers the questions raised by the original research problem or stated purpose of the report (Blake & Bly, 1993) and states the conclusions reached. Finally, the conclusion of your report should also attempt to show ‘what it all means’: the significance of the findings reported and their impact (Weaver & Weaver, 1977). The conclusion/s presented in a report must be related to, resulting from and justified by the material which appears in the report. The conclusion must not introduce any new material. It should report on all the conclusions that the evidence dictates as it is NOT the job of a conclusion to “gloss over conclusions that are puzzling, unpleasant, incomplete or don’t seem to fit into your scheme” (Weaver & Weaver, 1977: 98). Doing this would indicate writer bias and mean your conclusion may mislead the reader. In the workplace, conclusions are quite often read by managers before the main text of the report and hence, should summarise the main points clearly. This section also may include:

• reference to original aim(s) and objective(s) of report, • application(s) of results, • limitations and advantages of the findings, • objective opinion, evaluation or judgement of the evidence

Quite often, the present tense is used in the conclusion; for example, “The healthy lifestyles concept analysed in this report is a good candidate for next phase of the marketing campaign for Choice chocolate”. The conclusions may be ordered in several ways (Weaver & Weaver, 1977). The main conclusion may be stated first and then any other conclusions in decreasing order of importance. Alternatively, it may be better to organise the conclusions in the same order as the body section was organised. Another strategy would be to present the positive conclusions together and then the negative conclusions. The organisational strategy you use may vary; the important thing is that the organisation of your conclusion is logical.



The conclusion must arise from the evidence discussed in the body of the report. It should not, therefore, subjectively tell the reader what to do (Blicq, 1992; Weaver & Weaver, 1977): this job is performed by the recommendations section. [NOTE: Sometimes the conclusion and recommendations can be presented together in one section but they should be presented in separately labelled subsections; depending on the report’s requirements].

REFERENCE LIST: List of reference material consulted during research for report

It is essential to include a reference list or bibliography of the reference material you consulted during your research for the report. A bibliography is a list of all the reference material you consulted during your research for the report while a reference list is a list of all the references cited in the text of your report, listed in alphabetical order at the end of the report. Each reference in the reference list needs to contain all of the bibliographic information from a source. You should also check with your lecturer or tutor for any Faculty guidelines on referencing formats. Throughout the text of your report you will also need to provide references when you have included an idea in your report which is not your own original idea. You don't need to reference an idea, however, if it is common knowledge (i.e. enzymes are proteins) or if it has been established by you in your experiment (i.e. in scientific reports reporting on an experiment). A reference is the bracketed or footnoted piece of information within the text of your writing that provides an acknowledgment that you are using someone else's ideas. There are several systems of referencing such as the Harvard or author-date system, footnotes or endnotes. Different faculties, departments and even lecturers will generally have preferences about how you should reference and you should seek these out before submitting your assignment.

APPENDIX information that supports your analysis but is not essential to its explanation

Information that is not essential to explain your findings, but that supports your analysis (especially repetitive or lengthy information), validates your conclusions or pursues a related point should be placed in an appendix (plural appendices). Sometimes excerpts from this supporting information (i.e. part of the data set) will be placed in the body of the report but the complete set of information ( i.e. all of the data set) will be included in the appendix. Examples of information that could be included in an appendix include figures/tables/charts/graphs of results, statistics, questionnaires, transcripts of interviews, pictures, lengthy derivations of equations, maps, drawings, letters, specification or data sheets, computer program information.



There is no limit to what can be placed in the appendix providing it is relevant and reference is made to it in the report. The appendix is not a catch net for all the semi-interesting or related information you have gathered through your research for your report: the information included in the appendix must bear directly relate to the research problem or the report's purpose. It must be a useful tool for the reader (Weaver & Weaver, 1977). Each separate appendix should be lettered (Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix B1, Appendix B2, Appendix C, etc). The order they are presented in is dictated by the order they are mentioned in the text of the report. It is essential to refer to each appendix within the text of the report; for example,

For the manufacturer's specification, see Appendix B or

Appendix C contains the YoY shareholder account growth rates. The rates are high. The increasing growth rate of accounts will significantly affect the valuation of the company.



Project Paper General Format

Due to the varying programs and differing type of academic papers produced within LUCT, students must refer to their individual program guidebook for full requirements and restrictions. However, it has been widely accepted in the academic world, the general format for academic papers are as follows:

Front Matter

Front matter comprises of pages and documentations required by the program, for example (not in proper order), the cover page, title page, approval form, declaration form, distribution authorisation form, table of content pages, list of figures, tables and abbreviations (if necessary), abstract page and acknowledgement (if student wishes to do so).

Main Body

The main body represents the crux of the academic paper. Depending on the program attended by the student, in general, the main body comprises of five (5) chapters, namely:

Chapter 1: Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to set the stage for the paper to the readers in general terms. It generally states the purpose, objectives and scope of the paper. In thesis writing, this usually states the research problems, issues, hypotheses that will be examined and generally, sub-sections are included in writing the introduction chapter of project paper or thesis for ease of paper organisation and increasing the readability.

Chapter 2: Literature Reviews

There are many reasons on why literature reviews are carried out. Literature reviews assist students to expand the current body of knowledge in terms of content and context of area under study. It also assists students to define problems and to support the empirical and theoretical bases for the research. This chapter is also used to surface any limitations and expansion of previous research work conducted on the topic under study.



Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology

This chapter describes the exact steps undertaken by student in preparing their academic papers. It is the aim of this chapter to provide readers and students alike, a complete description in details of the specific steps to be followed and to replicate the study, if necessary. The usual sub-sections in this chapter will vary, depending on whether the research is quantitative or qualitatively in nature.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Findings

This chapter describes in details how data were analysed and the considerations made in making deductions. Although qualitative and quantitative data analysis and findings may differ, students have to bear in mind that, the output presented in this chapter is all about “making sense”, may it be for conceptual deductions or hypothesis testing.

Chapter 5: Discussions, Conclusions and Recommendations

This chapter can be difficult for many students especially for conclusion. Unlike qualitative and or technical study, the realm of business management and practices is full of non-conclusiveness. Students are encouraged to discuss or to summarise the study more rather than to conclude. This chapter can be used to integrate and interpret the study by comparing to the earlier stated objectives, purpose and scope as mentioned in Chapter 1, Introduction. The limitations of study and recommendations for future research can be highlighted in this chapter.

The above chapters outline is merely a suggestion basing on the generally accepted work in academic writing. However, students may decide on using specific title of each chapter of their academic papers or thesis depending on their individual style, area of research etc. It is always useful for the student to discuss with their supervisor on the structure or organisation of the project paper or thesis before writing commences.

Back Matter

Back matter comprises of pages and documentations required by the program and further information used to support the main body. Examples of materials provided in back matter are (not in proper order) the appendixes, indexes (if required) and bibliography (a must in academic writing).


Below is a sample of Main body layout, spacing and font’s requirements for students’ Final Reports.

Figure 008: Sample of Main Body Layout.

3.81cm or 1½” 2.54cm

or 1”

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Arabic numerals for page numberingFonts: Arial or Tahoma,

Size: 12 points and 1½spacing.

Source: Faisal 2006(b)

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3.81cm or 1½” 2.54cm

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Source: Faisal 2006(b)




Project Proposal

The outline for the Final Research Proposal can be described as follows. However, not all of the sections outlined here may be appropriate for all projects. Students are to engage their supervisor while drafting the proposal.

Front Matter

• Title Page: The title page includes the exact title of the project, date of submission, the student's name, and name of the student's Masters. The title must clearly state the topic of the project, reflects the scope and content of the investigation. No page number is placed on the title page.

• Form: Research Proposal Submission Form 90-00-10 RP • Abstract: Preferably a one-paged brief summary of the research

purpose and content of the proposal. The abstract includes the problem statement, a description of procedures or methodology, and an account of expectations. The abstract shall be within 350 words in length and written in future tense. Page number ONE in roman (i) is placed at the bottom centre of the abstract page.

• Table of Contents: The table of contents includes entries for the abstract, list of tables, list of figures, chapters with their numbers and titles, main headings and subheadings, appendices, and reference list. The title of each entry in the table of contents corresponds to the title listed in the respective text. Each listing specifies a page number indicating where it is located. A separate list of tables and list of figures are used if the document contains two or more tables and figures.

• List of Tables • List of Figures

Page numbers on the abstracts, table of contents, lists of tables or figures, and any other front matter of the proposal is printed in lower case roman numerals centred at the bottom of the page. All other pages in the proposal are numbered in Arabic numerals and printed in the lower right of the page.



Chapter 1: Introduction

• Statement of the problem to be investigated and goal to be achieved

• Relevance, significance and need for the study • Barriers and issues • Elements, hypotheses, theories, or research questions to be

investigated • Limitations and delimitations of the study • Definition of terms • Summary

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature

• Historical overview of the theory and research literature • The theory and research literature specific to the topic • Summary of what is known and unknown about the topic • The contribution this study will make to the field

Chapter 3: Methodology

• Research method(s) to be employed • Specific procedures to be employed • Formats for presenting results • Expected outcomes • Resource requirements • Reliability and validity • Summary

Chapter 4: Discussion of Expectations

• Anticipated benefits • Expected outcomes • Practical applications of the findings • Constraints and limitations of the study • Recommendations for future research • Contributions to the field of study and advancement of knowledge

Back Matter

• Annotated Bibliography • Appendices • List of Source and References in accordance to Harvard

referencing system.


Sample Proposal Title Page

Figure 009 shows a sample of the proposal’s title page. Please note the layout dimensions, font sizes, typeface and required content.

Figure 009: Example of Proposal Title Page

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Sample Proposal Abstract Page

Figure 010 shows a sample of the proposal’s abstract page. Please note the layout dimensions, font sizes, typeface and required content.

Figure 010: Example of Proposal Abstract Page

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Source: adapted Faisal 2006(a)


Fonts: Arial Size: 12 points, single spacing and justified. Not exceeding 350 words


i

Lower case roman numerals center of page for page numbering

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i




Sample Final Project Paper Cover

Figure 011 shows a sample of the cover page and spine that appears on the black coloured book bound Final Project Paper. Please take note the layout dimensions, font sizes, typeface and required content.

Figure 011: Example of Final Project Cover

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Fonts: Arial Size: 14, points, ALL CAPTAL, single spacing and centered.

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Fonts: Arial Size: 14, points, ALL CAPTAL, single spacing and centered.



Sample Project Paper Title Page

Figure 012 shows a sample of the title page that appears as the first page within the black coloured book bound Final Project Paper. Please take note the layout dimensions, font sizes, typeface and required content.

Figure 012: Example of Final Project Title Page

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Sample Project Paper Abstract Page

Figure 013 shows a sample of the abstract page that appears within the black coloured book bound Final Project Paper. Please take note the layout dimensions, font sizes, typeface and required content.

Figure 013: Example of Final Project Abstract Page

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Notes on Plagiarism

The creation of knowledge and wider understanding in all academic disciplines depends on building from existing sources of knowledge. The University upholds the principle of academic integrity, whereby appropriate acknowledgement is given to the contributions of others in any work, through appropriate internal citations and references. Students should be aware that good referencing is integral to the study of any subject and part of good academic practice.

The University understands plagiarism to be the inclusion of another person’s writings or ideas or works, in any formally presented work (papers and presentations) which form part of the assessment requirements for a module or programme of study; without due acknowledgement either wholly or in part of the original source of the material through appropriate citation.

Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, where ideas are presented falsely, either implicitly or explicitly, as being the original thought of the author’s. The presentation of work, which contains the ideas, or work of others without appropriate attribution and citation, (other than information that can be generally accepted to be common knowledge) is an act of plagiarism. It can include the following:

• Presenting work authored by a third party, including other students, friends, family, or work purchased through internet services;

• Presenting work copied extensively with only minor textual changes from the internet, books, journals or any other source;

• Improper paraphrasing, where a passage or idea is summarized without due acknowledgement of the original source;

• Failing to include citation of all original sources; • Representing collaborative work as one’s own;

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. While plagiarism may be easy to commit unintentionally, it is defined by the act not the intention. All students are responsible for being familiar with the University’s policy on plagiarism and are encouraged, if in doubt, to seek guidance from an academic member of staff. The University advocates a developmental approach to plagiarism and encourages students to adopt good academic practice by maintaining academic integrity in the presentation of all academic work.

Common knowledge refers to information, which is generally known and does not require to be formally cited in a written piece of work. Each subject area will have its own set of common knowledge.



Referencing

Notes on how to present the references using Harvard Referencing System can be referred to using available published material or viewed at various internet websites; such as http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm accessed on the 23 November 2007.

http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm



Examiners’ Expectations

In most examinations and assessments, students want to attain good if not excellent grades. Therefore, students must not only produce well articulated and edit papers, but to present them in the manner that impresses the examiners. In order to achieve this, students must understand the examiners’ thought process and their expectations. Regardless, whether in academic paper writing or presentation slides, there are key attributes that most of the examiners will look for as amplified hereunder. However, students are reminded that these attributes are merely suggestions, and that students must be fully prepared all the time for other areas that are not mentioned.

Prior Understanding: Students must be able to demonstrate that they have an understanding of a Final Project Paper. The soundness of their work, their arguments, data collection and handling illustrates this attribute.

Perseverance and Diligence: Students must demonstrate that,

• they have identified most of the relevant databases for the literature search;

• both print and electronic sources been searched and referred to; • all literature search been expanded and narrowed accordingly; • there exist a clear and consistent records made for the search; • importantly, there is an evaluation done on the literatures searched.

Literature Review: Student must demonstrate that,

• key concepts, ideas, theories, arguments and data been identified in the literatures;

• the reviews are comprehensive, covering both the topic and the methodological areas;

• all necessary elements been categorised, compared, contrasted and synthesised from the literature in a scholarly manner;

• all citations are clear, consistent and detailed; • all literatures been critically evaluated and all ideas and statements

been fully attributed.



Coherence and thoroughness: Student must demonstrate that,

• research aims and objectives are clearly stated and logically linked; • research design is justified and capable of realising the aims and

objectives; • the justifications amplify the research aims through good use of

arguments, discussions and literatures; • the data collection instruments used been tested and evaluated as

a reliable and valid means to appropriate data; • the data presented (paper and defence) is clear and in full; and any

anomalies in the data is fully explained; • the discussion on the data is closely linked to the data itself, and the

conclusions linked and related to the literatures; • the conclusions, data, literatures and objectives are clear and

logically linked.

Justifications and argumentations: Students must demonstrate that,

• the research is clearly justified with the required rationale; • the definition used are proper and appropriate; • the issues, topic, problems are clearly stated and justified, including

the recognition of un-stated assumptions; • the justifications, evaluations of literatures and conclusions are

soundly argued; • alternate justifications and or agreements used (if any) are

appropriately analysed and supported; • informative and relational statements made are clearly differentiated

and supported; • the differences between inductive and deductive reasoning are

clearly understood.

Scholarly standards: Students must demonstrate that,

• the sources are correctly and fully cited and all proper attribution of ideas given;

• the referencing system adopted is fully understood and the bibliography contains all the necessary seminal work;

• there exist a sound use of research design to illustrate understanding of internal and external validity and the differences between descriptions, explanations and other kind of statements;

• the research effort is ethical, conforming to the University’s ethical standards and /or profession; and any moral statements are justified, balanced with an alternative positions discussions;



Methodological understanding: Students must demonstrate that,

• origins, nature and consequences of different methodological traditions are understood;

• sound justifications are given for the use of specific methodological assumptions;

• the relationships between methodology and data are clearly understood;

• the overall research design incorporating the methodological assumptions, data collections techniques, validity, reliability and limits to generalisation ability are clearly illustrated;

Discussions, conclusions and recommendations: Students must demonstrate that,

• the discussions are related to the reviews of the literatures; • any statements and arguments are clearly justified and supported

by the data or analysis of data; • the conclusions are supported and evidenced by the data and or

argument presented; • discussions, conclusions and recommendations are coherently

arranged, organised and linked; and any further improvement suggestions are realistic and appropriate basing on the analysed data;

Reflective practitioner: Students must demonstrate,

• their ability to reflect and evaluate on what has been done; • the relationships between the evaluations to the research aims,

objectives and management of the project; • that problems, gaps and or issues are clearly identified, supported

and recommended for future research; • the significance of their research has an application or practical

opportunity with the probable areas suggested;

Presentations: Students must ensure that their paper,

• is well articulated, written and properly edit in terms of spelling, grammar and punctuations;

• conforms to the awarding University’s requirements;



Bibliography

Anglia Ruskin University Library. 2007. Harvard System of Referencing Guide [Internet]. Cambridge: Anglia Ruskin University. Available at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/files/Harvard_referencing.pdf [accessed on 23rd November 2007].

Faisal, A. (2005). Doctoral thesis PhD. London, UK: Cambridge Management Institute in London.

Faisal, A. (2006)(a). Doctoral thesis DBA. California, USA: Irvine University. Faisal, A. (2006)(b). Trapped in Between – realities of project world. Victoria,

Canada: Trafford Publishing. Sekaran, U. (2003). Research methods for business. 4th ed. New York, USA:

John Wiley & Sons Inc. University of Wollongong, Guide to writing Business Report: University of

Wollongong. Available at Wollongong http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/rep_business.html [accessed on 20th December 2009].

Weaver, C. P. and Weaver, G.R. (1977). Persuasive Writing: A Manager's Guide to Effective Letters and Reports. USA, Free Press.

Welman, J.C. and Kruger S.J. (1999). Research methodology for the business and administrative sciences. Southern Africa: Oxford University Press.

http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/files/Harvard_referencing.pdf

http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/rep_business.html

Documents

20091225 MBA Project Paper Guidebook Ver 1 5ed