Coventry University The Business School

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010-2011

11 February 2011

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

1. Introduction These guidelines are intended to inform you of: What is expected of you Support from your supervisor The dissertation format Research ethics Confidentiality Dissertation length Submitting your dissertation Assessment Marking

These guidelines tend to use the terms project and dissertation interchangeably. This reflects common usage although strictly the dissertation is the written document that is based on the research whilst the project is the task of carrying out the research. 2. Our Expectations 2.1 Masters Dissertations are Original Originality means different things to different people. Is a second case study reporting a different instance, but using identical methods to the first, original? When does originality become triviality? Is another dissertation on merger between FE colleges or NHS Trusts original? The answer must lie in what the student brings to the dissertation. Originality is a highly relative concept. The application of a very familiar management model in a new context could make a good masters dissertation (for example, application of TQM in a primary school), particularly if some of the lessons are generalised. Perhaps the only workable definition of originality in the context of masters dissertations is that there should be evidence that the student has added something new and of value (to avoid the triviality issue) to the discussions of the issue tackled by the dissertation.
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

It is expected that wherever possible a masters dissertation will involve primary research. Primary research is a good way of achieving originality. It can be more difficult to show originality through the use of secondary data alone. 2.2 Dissertations are Professional Documents It is important to you, and us, that your final project report looks the part and is presented in a professional manner. The following requirements must be adhered to in the format of the final dissertation. 1. The dissertation should be around 12,000 words in length. Content excluded from the word count is given in Section 7. The maximum word count is 13,200. This should amount to around 50-60 pages, depending on illustrations and layout. The dissertation should be word-processed in English on single sided white A4 paper. 2. The binding should be of a fixed type so that leaves cannot be removed or replaced. The front and rear boards should have sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing upright.

3. The outside front board should bear the title of the work in at least 24pt type. The name and the initials of the candidate, the qualification and the year of submission should also be shown on the front board. The template can be downloaded from the University website (see appendices). The lettering should be in silver. 4. Two copies of the dissertation should be presented for assessment in a permanent and legible form; either in typescript or print. Where copies are produced by any photocopying processes, these must be of a permanent nature. 5. The font should be Arial and the minimum font size for the body of the text 12 point. One-and-a-half spacing must be used, with a margin of 30mm on the lefthandside for binding. 6. Pages should be numbered consecutively through the main text, including photographs and/or diagrams which are included as whole pages. 7. The title page should give the following information (i) (ii) (iii) The full title of the dissertation The full name of the author The legend A project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Coventry University ..

8. References and quotations should be correctly cited. The CU Harvard method is the one to be used. 9. Diagrams, tables and pictures should be appropriately labelled. 10. The dissertation must also be submitted through Turnitin.
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

The Teaching Resources Unit (located on the ground floor of the Lanchester Library) provides a binding service for projects at very competitive prices. Their staff know the rules and you will not have to do anything but simply hand in the copies and pay for the work to be done. 2.3 The Individual Nature of a Masters Project The award of a masters indicates that you have completed a substantial piece of professional and individual work on a management subject at a high level. This does not mean that you cannot seek help on your project. It does, however, mean that where the work of others is employed this should be clearly acknowledged. For example, you may have had help from the Maths Centre in undertaking a particular form of statistical analysis of the data: if so this should be clearly stated. There is nothing wrong in getting help, after all the acquisition, management and deployment of resources (including people) is a key management skill. However the major intellectual contribution and the bulk of the work must be your own.

3. You and Your Project Tutor The role of the Project Tutor The Project Tutor offers strategic guidance to the student during their programme of study. The Project Tutor will act as a guide and ensure that the student is made aware of the quality of their work and progress (or lack of it). The Project Tutor will give formative feedback and be responsible for the first marking of the dissertation. Support may be offered in a number of ways: for example, face-to-face meetings, telephone and electronic correspondence. A key to the success of any programme lies in the relationship between the student and the Project Tutor. Regular contact with and feedback from the Project Tutor will be a major factor in ensuring successful completion of studies. For this reason, a clearly defined timetable for student-tutor meetings should be agreed together with an agreed schedule for the submission of draft work. This timetable may need to be revised as the research project proceeds. The student should follow these simple guidelines to ensure they get the most from each meeting with their Project Tutor: Book appointments into the Project Tutors diary in good time or agree a schedule of meetings Send an agenda of issues for discussion, together with any relevant work, before the meeting, allowing time for the tutor to read it before the meeting As a follow-up, prepare a brief action plan and send your Project Tutor a copy

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

Once a topic has been decided upon, the student must work closely with their Project Tutor. However, the tutor is not the author or co-author of projects; their role is limited to guiding and advising the candidate. From time to time good tutors will challenge you. This is by no means an attempt to demean you but more to push or prod you towards a deeper understanding of the subject matter and so enhance the final outcome. Students Expectations The student can expect their Project Tutor to Be knowledgeable in your general chosen area Be familiar with what makes an acceptable project Be supportive and helpful, but honest Read any work sent to them in advance of meetings Be available when an appointment is made in advance Inform them if they will be absent from the university Be constructively critical (this criticism is aimed at helping you improve the project) Offer appropriate information and suggested reading Give a total of 5 hours direct support

5 hours will go a long way if prior to the meeting the student sends through an agenda and the work to be discussed. Project Tutors Expectations The Project Tutor will expect the student to Keep in touch with them. Follow an action plan chart Maintain a contact log (see appendices) Be independent and think for themselves Prepare for supervision by having an agenda for the meeting

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11 Prepare written work regularly for discussion (tutors need something to supervise!) Take advice from other people Be honest when reporting progress Follow the advice given Be interested in the work for its own sake rather than just to get a qualification

Ultimately the student is responsible for Carrying out the research Writing up the project Presenting the project in an approved form Defending the dissertation as required

The Project Tutor will not read endless drafts of the dissertation or chapters of it. Many Project Tutors take extended holidays during the summer... the schedule of meetings and contacts should take this into account. What to do if things go wrong Occasionally things will go wrong between a student and their Project Tutor. Your first point of contact should always be to your Project Tutor by a visit, e-mail, phone or letter stating what you believe the problem to be. It is expected that these discussions will resolve the issue in the majority of cases If however the tutor does not respond within a 5 working day period (subject to them not being absent from the university) and you are unable to contact them, or if the discussions with them have not resolved the issue, then you should contact your Head of Department.

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

4. Dissertation Format All dissertations must contain the following (this is not meant to be a list of required chapter headings but a checklist of items which must be covered somewhere): Front Pages Executive Summary Background and Objectives Literature Review Research Plan Data Collection, Presentation, Analysis and Findings Conclusions Recommendations (or Policy Implications) List of References

4.1 Front Pages This should include Title page Students name Chapter headings with page numbers List of tables List of figures List of appendices Glossary

4.2 Executive Summary This synopsis of around 500 words calls for concentrated thought. It should state succinctly the puzzle being diagnosed, how the puzzle was addressed, the findings of the research, the conclusions drawn and the subsequent recommendations. 4.3 Background and Objectives This should tell the reader what the project is about, so accuracy is important. Be clear what the topic is about because it is upon this that judgment is made. It should contain the essential background material, the research questions, the research aim and the research objectives 4.4 Literature Review This should contain a summary of the key literature on the topic. It is not meant to be a definitive, exhaustive statement of all the literature in the area under discussion but you should have identified some recent key sources and critiqued their immediate relevance to your work. You will also need to say how you undertook your literature search, that is the databases (including libraries) you have used, the search terms and
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

criteria employed to generate an initial list of potential references and the criteria you have used to select those sources you have eventually included in your review. The links between the literature review and the research question(s) needs to be strong and clear. 4.5 Research Plan This states how the research was conducted. This section is often one of the weakest in dissertations. They can often be routine and simply "go through the motions". The major source of weakness is that, very often, the chosen research methods are not linked together into a research strategy linked to the work being undertaken. The plan needs to be justified in terms of the research objectives and not for its own sake. 4.6 Data Collection, Presentation, Findings and Analysis This is the most substantial part of any dissertation. It contains the structured analysis of your work. It must be written carefully and logical, preferably under chapter and sub-headings to give guidance to the reader. 4.7 Conclusions These should be fairly short and, rather than a summary, be an illumination of the main lessons or points that can be elicited from your findings. Conclusions are not the same as recommendations. Conclusions should lead to recommendations. For example, a conclusion of a piece of work might be that employees are confused and ill- informed about company policy; an associated recommendation would suggest ways in which communications might be improved. Note that there is not necessarily a oneto-one correspondence between conclusions and recommendations. Several conclusions might be linked to a single recommendation and vice versa. 4.8 Recommendations These should be relevant to the initial problems being investigated as well as those encountered subsequently as the dissertation progresses. Recommendations must also be feasible and above all justified by the research. Finally, the implications of implementing the recommendations must be addressed. 4.9 List of References Place all references collectively at the end of the dissertation. Include only material that has been cited. The CU Harvard style is to be used for citations and referencing. 4.10 Appendices Appendices contain additional materials that support your dissertation: charts, graphs, tables, extracts, photographs. If, however, any of these is crucial to the understanding of the main text then it should be placed where directly relevant. Be selective weight
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

is no measure of quality. Your ethic documents need to be included amongst the appendices. 5. Research Ethics 5.1 Ethics Procedure The Faculty of Business, Environment and Society recognises that it is becoming increasingly important that research is conducted in an ethical manner. A narrow definition of "ethical" would be to ensure that research is done in such a way so as to avoid doing harm to others. A much broader view of research ethics would cover the conduct of research in general, including issues of harm to individuals, but also plagiarism, confidentiality, privacy, protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), safety, honesty in reporting results and many other issues. Within the context of research the Faculty of Business, Environment and Society defines "ethics" as the processes involved in conducting research to the highest standards of moral conduct thereby protecting the rights, feelings and welfare of all those involved in the research whether directly or indirectly. The following list of safeguards is by no means exhaustive Research should be conducted in such a way so as not to cause harm to anyone Research should be conducted in an honest fashion, findings should be reported accurately and as fully as required so as not to mislead The input of others should be acknowledged Research subjects have a right to safeguard their integrity Every precaution should be taken to respect the privacy of subjects if they so wish Participation in the research should not damage the subject's physical or mental well being The research must not use the intellectual property of others without first gaining the permission of the owners Data should be treated confidentially

The primary responsibility for conducting research in an ethical manner lies with the researcher. However project supervisors also have a responsibility for ensuring that the students they supervise do not perform in an unethical manner.
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

The Faculty of Business, Environment and Society has an ethics approval procedure. This procedure must be followed and approval for your research obtained before commencing data collection. The Ethics Student Handbook is available on CUOnline. 5.2 Plagiarism There is always a great temptation for some students to pass off other peoples published work as their own and so commit plagiarism. There is difficulty in defining plagiarism closely; but if examiners find chunks of dissertations copied directly from books and journals then a prima facie case of plagiarism will be investigated. If the case is proven then it is highly likely that the dissertation will be failed. To avoid this you should remember that It is legitimate to summarise articles and journal material provided you use your own words If you do use phrases, sentences or paragraphs from sources then always place them inside inverted commas and accompany them with the full reference

Your masters dissertation must be your own work. Copying from any other source whatever, without acknowledgement, constitutes plagiarism. If, in the opinion of the examiners, your work has been plagiarised it may be failed. If plagiarism is proved the dissertation will be awarded a mark of zero and you will automatically fail. You will not normally be allowed to submit a new project at a later date. You will be able to check your work using Turnitin on CUOnline and are required to post up the final version to Turnitin. 6. Confidentiality In some cases, particularly where a dissertation is being undertaken in conjunction with a client (for example your employer), the results of the work may be confidential. This could be the case, if, for example Commercially valuable or sensitive information is contained in the text Individuals might be identifiable Internal documentation which was not intended for public consumption is being used as research evidence Ethical considerations, such as protection of privacy, can only be met by keeping the work confidential

The FBES respects the confidentiality of others. However your dissertation must be such that it can be seen by three people other than your tutor: An independent second marker
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

A possible third internal marker if the first two markers hold differing opinions on the mark to be awarded An External Examiner

If you want your dissertation to remain confidential in whole or in part then you must provide a confidentiality agreement to the Faculty of Business, Environment and Society before submission. This should cover The text of a confidentiality notice to be added to the front pages of the dissertation (probably as an additional page after the title page) A suitable text could be This dissertation contains confidential material. Its contents, in whole or in part, must not be communicated to any other person other than the assessors nominated by FBES and must not be used for any other purpose than satisfying the conditions for the award of the Coventry University ................. 7. Dissertation Length Your work will be judged on its quality and not its length. However it is unlikely that a short dissertation, however insightful, will be able to deal with all the issues in sufficient depth. Your dissertation should be approximately 12,000 words in length, excluding the Front Pages, Executive Summary and List of Appendices. If you find yourself running out of space try skilful editing before resorting to putting vital material into appendices. The upper limit is 13,200 words. 8. Submitting Your Dissertation We ask postgraduate students to confirm that the dissertation is their own work. This is done on the submission form which is included in the appendix. Dissertations that are submitted without the required declaration may not be marked. There will always be some students who find it impossible to meet this submission deadline for good reasons beyond their control. In such cases you can ask for a deferral; if this is granted you will be able to submit at a later date. However, you work may miss the scheduled examination board and this may delay your award and graduation. Deferrals are not automatic; they are granted at the discretion of the Deferral Panel on the strength of the case being made. Your Project Supervisor can advise. A form for seeking a deferral is available from the Postgraduate Reception.

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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

Exceptionally, further deferrals may be granted but you must, in any event, submit your dissertation within three years of starting your masters. After that you will be out of time and deemed to have failed. Two bound copies of the dissertation, with the ethics compliance form (and other relevant ethical forms) as an appendix, and the submission form should be handed to the Level 1 Reception at the stipulated time and date specified by your tutor. Unless the dissertation is submitted thorough the Turnitin icon on CUOnline, it will not be marked. On request, one copy can be returned to you between the announcement of the results and Graduation Day. 9. Assessment The assessment criteria are summarised in the appendix. Use them to evaluate the quality of your dissertation. The pass mark is 40%, with 60-69% being awarded a merit and 70% and above a distinction. The indicators for each marking band are shown in the appendices. 10. Who Will Mark Your Dissertation? Your dissertation will be marked by at least two people. The first will be your Project Tutor. The second will be someone who is expert in the subject area but who has not been involved in the supervision of your work. The two markers will act independently of each other. Should they disagree as to the appropriate mark to be awarded the module Leader will ask a third marker to give an opinion. The mark awarded will then be agreed by the appropriate Department Head after consultation with all three markers. Such dissertations will also usually be seen by the External Examiner. These processes are put in place to protect both students and staff from the influences of bias. .If you fail you will be given written comment on how your work may be improved to reach a pass standard. The maximum mark available for resubmitted dissertations is 40%. Resubmitted dissertations will not normally be considered until the next examination board. 10. Recommended Text Bryman A & Bell E. (2007) 2nd edn. Business Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press Steve Jewell September 2008

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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2010/11

Coventry University Dissertation Template If you wish to acquire the Coventry University Dissertation Template then: 1. Go to the Coventry University website: www.coventry.ac.uk 2. Choose Quick Links at the top of the page and select the Library option. This will take you to the Library homepage. 3. On the left-hand side select The Resource Shop tab. 4. Select the Binding section option. 5. Scroll down until you see the Dissertation Cover Template. Click on this and follow the instruction carefully. 6. Bring the printed front page with your dissertation to The Resource Shop and they will do the rest.

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Log of Contact with Project Tutor

Purpose Actions

Date

Time

Duration

01/01/2008

MASTERS DISSERTATION SUBMISSION FORM Students family name

First names

Student ID No

Course:

Tutor

Dissertation Title . . .

Declaration I certify that this dissertation is my own work. I have read the University regulations concerning plagiarism.

I am/am not* willing to allow Coventry Business School to use my dissertation as a sample for future students. (* please delete as appropriate.)

Signed

Date

Please submit this form together with two bound copies of your dissertation. The ethics compliance form should be included as an appendix and the dissertation submitted through Turnitin.

01/01/2008

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2008/9

Assessment Criteria
Background and Objectives (7%) How well does the background set the scene? How clear is the rationale for the project? How clear and realistic are the objectives? Literature Review and Referencing (24%) How widely/deeply has the student read the subject? Have the key seminal texts been mentioned? Have the most relevant theories been covered? Has there been critical analysis of the literature? Is there a theoretical framework? Is there a clear and logical need for the research proposed? To what extent is the text adequately referenced? Research Plan (20%) Has the student justified their research plan in terms of perspective, design and data collection and analysis? Have the issues of validity, reliability and generalisability been addressed? Have the data collection methods been fully explained How sound is the sampling method and make up of the sample? Have ethical issues been addressed? Data Collection, Presentation, Analysis and Findings (24%) How successful was the data collection? Is there an explicit data analysis strategy? Has the data been analysed using appropriate techniques? Is the data clearly and accurately presented in an appropriate format? Is there a transparent link between the data and the findings? Has the student attempted to apply the theories discussed to their findings? Are the primary data research findings synthesised with the secondary data findings? How well does the analysis address the research objectives? Conclusions and Recommendations (15%) Are the conclusions consistent with the analysis? How closely do the conclusions address the objectives? Has knowledge been extended? How appropriate/feasible are the recommendations? Has the need for any further research been addressed? Overall Comment (10%) How integrated, logical and coherent is the dissertation? How clear and persuasive is the dissertation? How well does the dissertation flow? How well are issues argued?
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Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2008/9

Marking Band Descriptors

80%+ Outstanding

The dissertation shows the candidates total mastery of the subject matter. A complete conceptual understanding and an extremely high level of technical competence is demonstrated by the fully appropriate selection and correct application of tools/techniques/methodologies. The work demonstrates creativity and originality of thought and is of publishable quality with no more than minor revisions. Shows a sophisticated and critical manipulation of concepts and theoretical perspectives and capacity for independent thought. Wide ranging, appropriate and well cited literature, which has been carefully analyzed in relation to the research. Well structured with excellent use of headings and sub-sections that show the development of a logical argument. The work is extremely well argued; all the main issues have been explored and evaluated and the conclusions are fully justified, supported by the evidence presented, and meet the project objectives. The work makes a major contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically. Professionally produced showing exceptional written communication skills with faultless grammar and spelling. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams, tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices are in the main used either correctly and/or appropriately.

70%+ Distinction

The dissertation shows a high degree of mastery of the subject matter, near complete conceptual understanding and a high level of technical competence with only insignificant errors. Clearly demonstrates understanding and appropriate application of relevant tools/techniques/methodologies. Show very highly developed ability to analyze, synthesize and apply knowledge and concepts. There is evidence of highly developed critical abilities and some use of original ideas. Good use made of the literature. Well structured with good use of headings and sub-sections that show the development of a logical argument. The work is well argued; all the main issues are explored and evaluated and the reasons for the conclusions are clearly indicated; project objectives are met. Depth of analysis and outcomes exceed what would normally be achieved by a masters level candidate. The work makes a significant contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically. Well produced, showing a high level of written skills with few or no grammatical spelling errors. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams, tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices are used either correctly and/or appropriately with insignificant errors.

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2008/9

60-69% Merit

The dissertation shows a sound and thorough grasp of the subject matter though possibly lacking in the breadth and depth required for a distinction: good conceptual understanding and a good level of technical competence although there may be a few gaps leading to some minor errors. A good attempt at analysis, synthesis and application of knowledge and concepts. There is evidence of critical abilities and some attempt at original thought. There is an appreciation of the main issues and the ability to make critical points and substantiate them. Should have used more sources to provide authority and backing. A well thought through overall structure. The main analysis and outcomes were beyond question, but may be more limited in scope than that required for a distinction. The work makes a contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically. Recommendations may not have considered wider issues and implications. Effective presentation, showing generally good written communication skills with good spelling and grammar. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams, tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices are used either correctly and/or appropriately with only minor errors.

40-59% Pass

Shows a grasp of the subject matter with possibly some confusion or gaps but none that is major, and a fair understanding of the concepts. The work may contain some significant errors but is technically competent at a routine level. The attempt at analysis, synthesis and application of knowledge is competent but lacks depth, and may have not been integrated with the research. The evidence of critical abilities is weak. There is heavy reliance on course material and text books and little evidence of original thought. Adequate to barely acceptable use of the literature. Generally a satisfactory overall structure that may lack balance in certain areas or fails to fully integrate all the material. Possible inclusion of irrelevant information. There is sensible comment on the evidence and materials used although some of the conclusions drawn may be unsubstantiated. The general outcomes were sound, but there may be some incorrect deductions from the data. The work makes a significant contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically. Recommendations are stated at too high a level to be convincing. It is generally readable and the meaning of the work is understandable/clear. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams, tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices are used either correctly and/or appropriately but may contain errors or show some inconsistency.

Masters Dissertation Guidelines 2008/9

35-39% Fail

Shows some familiarity with the subject matter, but with major gaps and serious misconceptions. A low level of technical competence with many errors. There is a tendency towards uncritical description and no evidence of original ideas. There is some evidence that concepts and theory is understood and there is a modest attempt to analyze them. Literature poorly analyzed and /or unrelated to the work carried out. Lacking in logical structure with ideas that are poorly expressed. The work makes minimal contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically: few, if any conclusions drawn and recommendations are either missing or unsubstantiated. Difficult to follow with errors in grammar and/or spelling. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices may be poorly presented or some parts missing.

Less than 35%

Showing serious gaps in knowledge of the subject matter and many areas of confusion. Technical competence is poor with many serious errors and there is an inability to apply knowledge. Does not demonstrate the ability to apply appropriately tools/techniques/methodologies. Does not demonstrate understanding of the issues and the information/data used may be irrelevant. Little or no evidence that concepts and theory have been have been understood and little or no attempt at sustained analysis. Sketchy or no literature review. Poor or muddled presentation and structuring of arguments. There is a lack of critical appreciation and often the project objectives, where articulated, have been ignored or badly misunderstood. The work makes no contribution to management philosophy and practice either in the students organization or generically. The level of expression is inadequate, often being unclear or confused. Poor grammar and/or spelling. Contents sheet, page numbering, diagrams tables, graphs, quotes references and appendices may be poorly presented or missing.