Intro to research lecture 10 research portfoilo advice student

Research Portfolio Advice

This lecture aims to:

• Provide an insight into the structure and content of the research portfolio

• Provide students advice on the design and construction of their research project portfolio

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Aims and objectives

AssessmentGroup (max 4 per group) assessment for this unit includes:

1) Research proposal – 1800 words max.

2) Research Portfolio – digital or hard copy

No word limit to the research portfolio

Both assessments will be considered together in order to determine your final overall unit mark

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Portfolio‘A portfolio is a collection of documents and writings that you assemble in order to demonstrate that you have the appropriate abilities and knowledge at different stages

within the research process’

• Can consist of various different media (written, video, audio)

• Must be clear what activities you have undertaken and why (add commentary for each element of your portfolio)

• Show how each section has links to the nextB4001A V0.1 4

PortfolioPortfolio must provide evidence of your group’s activities at each stage of the research process:

1) Project Title

2) Problem/Opportunity/Issue project addresses + why

3) Literature Review (academic and practitioner/business)

4) Research Methods: Your group must use three different methods (e.g. interview, questionnaire, observation)

There are no limits on words within each section*

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Portfolio

Portfolio must provide evidence of your group’s activities at each stage of the research process:

5) Results: Presentation of primary data collected

6) Discussion: Interpretations of primary data collected

7) Recommendations

8) References (Harvard style not numbers)

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PortfolioYou must provide evidence of your activities and abilities within each of the seven main sections.

The structure within each section is up to you

Evidence in each section can include:

• Videos (presentations, research data, reflective diaries to camera, interviews and more – you decide)

• Audio recordings• Photos• Text, graphic, diagrams• Websites / simulates

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PortfolioImportant things to consider:

1) Must be clear what the evidence is and why it is being provided (what does it contribute / mean to the research stage?)

2) Must be clear which one of the 7 stages the evidence is meant for

3) Must be clear what each piece of evidence is and why it is important

4) No limits on the amount of evidence in each of the 6 sections yet you will be marked on how concise and clear you have been in presenting your work and skills – major business skill!

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Practical Problem/Opportunity

• Describe and justify the problem / opportunity

• Justify why its so important to research

• Use more professional based references

• Provide referenced evidence to justify the importance of your chosen topic


The Literature Review Chapter

Academic research associated with topic

• Critical review of the literature associated with outlined problem / opportunity

• Needs to mainly be journal papers / books only ok

• Question if or how the research helps understand or solve the problem/opportunity outlined

Wednesday, April 12, 2023 David AtkinsonSenior Lecturer in Strategic Marketing Management

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The Literature Review Chapter

• Question and justify why current theory/research does NOT help solve your problem / opportunity

• Justify where and why current theory/research DOES help solve your problem / opportunity to some extent


Research Aims and Objectives

Aim:

Simple sentence which outlines direction of research

“An investigation into the way in which social media is transforming how customers demand more from

businesses. Particular, focus will be placed upon the changing expectations of customers and how these may ‘push’ the business into new ways of working.”


Research Aim and Objectives

Research Objectives:

• Tends to be around 4 or 5 objectives (no fixed number)

• 1st links to a review of the literature

• Last links to discussing implications and making recommendations to various parties

• Middle objectives link to research activities


Research Methods / Data Collection

• Must have used three different research methods

• Must provide detail of how you used the methods

• Justify why the methods you have selected are the most appropriate

• Must link research activities directly to your objectives


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Research Methods / Data Collection

Research Design should cover:

• The 3 Research Methods: e.g. interviews, survey, observation

• Data Collection: e.g. recording, journal entries

• Data Analysis: graphs, charts, tables=


Findings Chapter

• Sometimes called the ‘Results Chapter’

• Present a summary of the data you collected in an appropriate format i.e. graphs, charts, tables etc.

• Need to be objective here / Present the facts only

• No interpretations/judgments


Findings Chapter

• May contain quotes from interviews

• Narrative accounts of observations

• Don't be afraid to capture precisely what an interviewer said in order to provide depth

• Report your results in relation to your research objectives


Discussion / Recommendations

• Discuss your interpretation of the analysis of the data you’ve collected – what’s the intelligence generated?

• Refer back to tables/charts/data in the findings chapter

• What do the results ‘mean’ in relate to what you set out to achieve (research objectives)?

• Structure should relate to your research aim and objectives


Discussion / Recommendations

You need to ‘reflect’ on what your results mean/suggest (multiple possibilities) in relation to:

• The original problem/opportunity/issue

• The current literature/research/theories presented in your literature review

• In order to further understand what your findings mean you may need to bring in new literature to your discussion


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Discussion – Critical Reflection

• What could you have done better?

• What are the limitations of your research?

• What did you find difficult in your research?

• What ‘contribution’ have you made to the subject area


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Recommendations• Provide clear, concise and detailed recommendations

• Justify you recommendations based on your data/discussion

• Provide recommendations for different parties e.g.– The industry– Company involved– The general profession– Government policy– Further academic research


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Reading

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students.

6th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

Chapter 14