1. PROF. DR. MOHD ADAM BAKAR adam.bakar@aeu.edu.my; HF : +60133522740
BRIEFINGS ON MASTERS PROJECT PAPER
PROJECT PAPER
PROF. DR. MOHD ADAM BAKAR
HF :

2. WHAT IS IT AND PURPOSE?
A FINAL COMPULSORY MODULE TO FULFILL THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT OF THE MBA, MIM AND MKM (MASTERS DEGREE PROGRAMMES BYCOURSEWORK) AT AEU.
A CAPSTONE, 6 CREDIT HOUR MODULE.
TO ENABLE STUDENTS TO INTEGRATE CONCEPTS AND METHODS LEARNED, KNOWLEDGE GAINED AND SKILLS DEVELOPED IN THEIR COURSEWORK WITH REAL LIFE PRACTICAL ISSUE OF INTEREST.
TO SHOW EVIDENCE OF INDEPENDENT RESEARCH WORK.

3. OBJECTIVES
TO APPRECIATE AND LEARN THE PROPER PROCESS INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT RESEARCH.
TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND CAPACITY TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.
TO ENHANCE ANALYTICAL, CRITICAL THINKING, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
TO PROVIDE AN OPPRTUNITY TO GAIN IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF A REAL LIFE ISSUE OR APPLICATION BASED ON KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM COURSES TAKEN AND/OR WORK RELATED EXPERIENCES.

4. AN ‘OPERATIONAL’ DEFINITION
A SCHOLARLY, OBJECTIVE AND CAREFULLY INTERPRETED ENDEAVOUR OF AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH WORK ON AN ISSUE OF INTEREST.
TYPICALLY CONDUCTED IN IN AN APPLIED SETTING THAT DRAWS UPON KNOWLEDGE LEARNED FROM COURSES TAKEN OR WORK REALATED EXPERIENCE.
ADOPTING A NORMALLY STRUCTURED AND ACADEMICALLY ACCEPTED PROCESS
PRESENTED IN AN ACADEMIC REPORT ACCORDING TO THE FORMAT SPECIFIED.

5. THEREFORE – THE PROJECT PAPER MUST BE;
SCHOLARLY – ACADEMIC IN APPROACH BUT PRACTICAL IN ORIENTATION (BASED ON KNOWLEDGE LEARNED FRON THE 14 COURSES TAKEN AND/OR REAL WORK LIFE EXPERIENCES.
PROPERLY PLANNED, ORGANIZED AND MANAGED AND COMPLETED WITH A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME.
DONE BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND STRUCTURED ACADEMIC CONVENTION – DEFINE PROBLEM, READ THE LITERATURE, GET DATA, ANALYZE, CONCLUDE AND REPORT RESULTS.
MUST REFLECT AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH STUDY AND DEMONSTRATE CORE COMPETENCY IN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS DEVELOPED.
REPORT PREPARED ACCORDING TO FORMAT SPECIIFIED.

6. TYPES OF PROJECTS EXTENDED ESSAY (A CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE)
THEORIZING PRACTICE - A CASE STUDY
AN APPLICATION OF THEORY IN PRACTICE
A SMALL SCALE RESEARCH / MINI PROJECT
REPORTS -12,000 WORDS OR APPROXIMATELY 50 PAGES LONG
MUST USE APA FORMAT

7. EXTENDED ESSAY (A CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE)
Choose any interesting business or topics relevant to any of the modules you have taken so far, look for and choose of the latest journal articles (from internationally established academic journals) related to the topic you had identified and write essay on it.
The purpose is to synthesize existing research – that is to review extant literature, specifically discuss concepts used, debates around and issues addressed, methods (focus and unit of analysis, theoretical/analytical frameworks used, respondents, settings and approaches/methods used to analyze data, findings made and conclusions derived).

8. THEORIZING PRACTICE - A CASE STUDY
Choose a real life project that you have implemented and write a report on it as a case study. Then, go back to the academic literature (journal articles/text book) and explain how and why the project succeeded or failed based on what the literature is saying.
The purpose is demonstrate that real world problems have roots, can be understood and solutions can be found in academic literature.

9. APPLYING THEORY IN PRACTICE
Choose a theory that is of interest to you. Write all that you can on what the theory is and what the literature have said of the application of the theory in practice. Then choose a real life application that you have experienced and write on how academic literatures (or theories about them) are useful to explain about what is happening and illuminating the events you are discussing.
The purpose is to apply knowledge gained from courses taken and make sense of real-life practical issues. The main idea is to demonstrate that ‘real-world’ problems/issues can be better understood and managed through proper understanding of relevant (academic) theories and that classroom knowledge can add value and enhance managerial skills of practitioners.

10. SMALL SCALE RESEARCH / MINI PROJECT
HOW TO DO IT
CHOOSE A TOPIC OF INNTEREST
READ THE LITERATIURE
IDENTIFY PROBLEM, DETERMINE PUPOSE, SPECIFY OBJECTIVES
DESIGN YOUR RESEARCH – CHOOSE/DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK, DETERMINE VARIABLES, IDENTIFY YOUR FOCUS AND UNIT OF ANALYSIS, DECIDE ON WHAT DATA TO COLLECT AND ANALYTICAL MODELS TO BE USED.
SELECT RESEARCH INSTRUMENT, COLLECT DATA, ANALYZE AND CONCLUDE.
WRITE YOUR REPORT.

11. A SMALL SCALE / MINI EMPIRICAL STUDY
You are to do/conduct a mini project or a small scale empirical study on practical and researchable topic and to come up with a report detailing your research, findings/ outcomes and significance of your study.
Your report should detailed the following; Objective of research, justifications, review of relevant literature that highlights issues addressed, research questions and theoretical framework used, focus of analysis, data collection methods and their findings], your own research questions/frameworks, research hypothesis (and how you develop it), and what data and how you collect, analyze and present them, your research findings and the implications and relevance of your research.

12. 12,000 words/abt 50 pages . Type 4 - No limit
INDICATIVE LENGTH OF PROJECT REPORT
TYPE 1
TYPE 2
TYPE 3
TYPE 4
Introduction, Context, Justification
3-10
Literature Review -
5-15
15-25
10-20
Research Methods
5-10
Background / Description of the Case
Data Analysis
20-30
Discussions and Results
Conclusion
2-5
Overall Length
12,000 words/abt 50 pages . Type 4 - No limit

13. LEARNING HOURS ACTIVITIES HOURS FACE TO FACE DISCUSSIONS 10
ON-LINE FACILIATTION AND DISCUSSION 30
PLANNING, SEEKING ACCESS & ORGANIZATION 20
READING AND SUMMARIZATION OF LITERATURE 70
FIELD WORK / DATA COLLECTION
ANALYSIS AND REPORT WRITING
ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION OF FINAL REPORT
TOTAL LEARNING HOURS
240

14. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA MARKS INDEPENDENT WORK 5 ORIGINALITY 10
EXTENSIVENESS OF EFFORTS
COMPREHENSION OF SUBJECT MATTER 25
REFERENCING AND REPORT ORGANIZATION
ANALYTICAL SKILL 15
WRITING SKILL / CLARITY OF IDEAS EXPRESSED
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILL

15. REPORT FORMAT Abstract Acknowledgement Table of content
List of figures
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Review of Literature
Chapter 3 – Methodology
Chapter 4 – Findings
Chapter 5 – Summary, Conclusion & Implications
References

16. CHEERS AND GOOD LUCK !!!