Dissertation & Research Methodology Research Methodology (2 nd year option) Course Coordinator: Dr Christine McLean UG Dissertation (3 rd year option) Course Coordinator: Dr Faith Hatani

 Dissertation - independent and original piece of research work  Supervisor - advice and guidance.  Word limit: approx. 15,000 to 18,000 words. Final-year option (Full Year - 30 credits) No timetabled lecture/seminar (one library session & meetings with your supervisor) Assessment: Dissertation (100%) 2 What is a dissertation?

 Secure a supervisor to register for UG Dissertation (before the summer)  Dissertation proposal submitted to UG office in October (during your final year).  Progress report to your supervisor before Christmas. ( words; not graded, but the submission is compulsory)  Full Dissertation - Week 11 of sem-2 in the final year. 3 What is required?

BMAN31500 UG Dissertation (Final year)  Full detail of the dissertation course can be found in the page ‘Dissertations’ of the online UG handbook at; Dissertations.aspx Access to the Blackboard page once registered 4

5 Please also read attachments on each page. More details are provided in sub-sections. This is the Dissertation page (BMAN 31500)

Research Methodology Prerequisite (Second Year, Semester 1) Focuses on: Developing Research Questions How to conduct your Research & write a Dissertation Linking RQs/Concepts/Literature/Assumptions Selecting Research Methods How to Plan & Organize Research Process Writing a Research Proposal Lectures/ Seminars/ Feedback Surgeries

Course Outcomes Undergraduate Dissertations – overall process – proposals, researching planning, supervision, writing a dissertation... Postgraduate Research Coursework – presenting different arguments, examining literature & evidence, writing critical & coherent examinations of issues & debates, reviewing papers & understanding different perspectives & assumptions

Coursework Research Questions & Assumptions – Discuss different methodological approaches & assumptions - Select a research area/topic & develop research questions words – 30% Research Proposal – research questions, conceptual & literature review (view of issues & concepts; links to other studies), research methods (data collection, presentation & ethics) & plan – 70%

Research Proposals: Examples Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter, Google +) Uprising in North Africa – Arab Springs Mobile Phone Technology (Android vs Apple) Banking Crisis – Regulation, Impacts, Housing Mkt Consumer Behr & Marketing – Nike, Obesity, Image… Environmental Mgt & Sustainability – alternative energy (petrol/electric/nuclear), solar/wind farms, plastic bags…. Music Piracy & revenue streams – CD vs MP3 Banking & M-Commerce Management Accounting & Control in Orgns Operations & Quality Mgt – TQM & Lean Psychometric Testing in Orgn’s – Selection/Promotion Stress & Motivation Genetically Modified (GM) Foods