GROUP ASSIGNMENT (RESEARCH PROJECT)

In a group of 7 peoples, you are required to conduct a basic research on a given topic. The
format of the research project is shown in the Outline. The final report of the research must
meet the followings:

30-50 pages (not including references and appendices)

Time New Roman, Font 12, Double spacing
Numbering and organization of content - strictly follow thesis formatting
Writing, citation, and referencing - APA 6 format
Tape binding, must include:
o rubric form (see Table 2) put after cover page (see Table 3)
o softcopy CD (research report, journals, literature matrix, SPSS output - if
you modified the output table)
o cover color: Light Blue
Dateline: Week 12 Onwards

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
OUTLINE FOR RESEARCH REPORT
TITLE PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENT
LIST OF TABLE
LIST OF FIGURE
CHAPTER 1:
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8

CHAPTER 2:
2.1
2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Problem Statement
Research Questions and Objectives
Theoretical Framework
1.4.1 Independent Variable
1.4.2 Dependent Variable
Hypothesis
Significance of the study
Definition of Terms
Scope and Limitation

LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Construct A * (A = Dependent Variables)
2.2.1 Overview and Definition / Historical Development of construct A
2.2.2 Factors / Empirical Evidence related to / affecting construct A
2.2.3 Issues in construct A
Construct B * (B = Independent Variables)
2.3.1 Overview and Definition of construct B
2.3.2 The relationship between construct B with construct A (Theoretical and
Empirical)
Construct C * (C = Independent Variables)
2.3.1 Overview and Definition of construct B
2.3.2 The relationship between construct B with construct A (Theoretical and
Empirical)
Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 3:
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6

METHODOLOGY
Research design (exploratory/descriptive/hypothesis testing)
Population, sample, and unit of analysis
Sampling design (probability/non-prob. Sampling)
Questionnaire Preparation & Scale Type Used
Data collection methods (observation/interview/survey)
Statistical Methods (types of analysis descriptive, correlation, regression)

CHAPTER 4:
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

FINDINGS / DATA ANALYSIS

Descriptive Statistic of Data Collection (Demographic Background)
Reliability Test
Hypothesis Testing and Evaluation of Findings
Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 5:
5.1
5.2
5.3

DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

Conclusions (revisited each of your research objectives)
Research implications / contributions
Recommendations (suggestions for problem solution / future research)

REFERENCES
APPENDIX

ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH REPORT

In general, all research reports use similar format regardless of whether youve done a basic
research, applied research, theoretical research or practical research. The entire report from a
research or a survey consists of the same basic structure and format. The rationale behind the
standardization of the format of the research reports is to enable the readers (i.e., decision
makers, funders, examiners, etc.) to know exactly where to find the information they are
looking for.
Generally, a research report consists of five chapters with well-established section in each
chapter. (Refer the sample outline attached above). Readers of the paper will be looking for
these chapters and sections so you should not deviate from the standard format unless you are
specifically requested to do so.
The most common style of writing a research report is called the APA style and the rules
can be found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

BASIC RULES FOR RESEARCH REPORT WRITING

(For the purpose of the assignment, some of the basic rule has been modified. Please use this
guideline as guidance for your group project)
Title Page
All text on the title page is centered vertically and horizontally. It does not have any page
number and does not counted in any page numbering.
Page Layout
Left Margin: 1
Right Margin: 1
Top Margin: 1
Bottom Margin: 1
Page Numbering
Pages are numbered at the bottom right of the page. Numeric page numbering begins with the
first page of Chapter 1.
Spacing and justification
All pages are single sided. Text is 1 spaced. There is one blank line between a section
heading and the text that follows it.
Font face and size
Times New Roman will be most preferred for the purpose of the project. The font size is set
at 12. Generally the same font size must be used throughout the manuscript except for tables
and chapter titles, section headings that are allowed to use different font.

References
APA style should be used to cite references within the paper. If you name the author in your
sentence, then follow the author name with the year in parenthesis. For example:
Gullie (2010) found that.
If you do not include the author name as part of the text, the n both the authors name and
year are enclosed in parentheses. For example:
One researcher (Gullie, 2010) found that
A complete bibliography is attached at the end of the paper. An example of bibliography is as
follow. Please refer attached APA Style (6th ) Quick Guide for additional reference style.
Examples:
Brabant, S., & Mooney, L. A. (1997). Sex role stereotyping in the Sunday comics: A twenty
year update. Sex Roles, 37, 269-281.
Sawyer, J. (1966). Measurement and prediction, clinical and statistical. Psychological
Bulletin, 66 (3), 178-200.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1

Background of The Study

Introduce the subject or the problem studied. This might require the identification of
key managerial concerns, theories, laws and government rulings, critical incidents or
social changes, and current environmental issues, that make the subject critical,
relevant and worthy of managerial attention. It also includes a critical review of the
current knowledge, published and unpublished work, gaps in evidence and the
potential value of furthering the knowledge in the field investigated. The primary goal
of introductory paragraphs is to catch the attention of the readers and to get them
turned on about the subject. It sets the stage for the paper and puts your topic in
perspective. The introduction often contains dramatic and general statements about the
need of the study. It uses dramatic illustrations or quotes to set the tone. There is
common keyword that is being used when stating a background of the study. For
example
In the past few decades, researchers have devoted much of their attention to..
Much has been discussed about
The background of this study tends to elaborate about past research on
This section of the study presents readers with the following information:.
Previous research shows that
This study intend to further discuss/argue/elaborate/prove
The background of the study tends to answer the following questions:
What is the subject area of the study?
What is the background/history of the subject studied?
What are the research that is done prior to this and its argument?
Why the current study important and worthy?

1.2

Problem Statement
The statement of the problem should follow logically from what has been set forth in
the background of the study by defining specific research need providing impetus for
the study, a need not met through previous research. Present a clear and precise
statement of the central question of research formulated to address that need.
Problem statement is the focal point of your research. It is an issue that occurs that
leads to the conduct of the research. It comprises only one sentence with several
paragraph of elaboration for the statement. In a problem statement, you are:
Looking for solution for an issue
Looking for something that is incorrect
Looking for something that needs close attention
Looking for existing methods that no longer seems to be working
Example of a problem statement:
The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and loss of productivity in
middle management workers.

Price is said to be the main factor affecting customer loyalty in the telecommunication
market
Job ambiguity and job role are creating stress among academicians in the university
First born child are said to be more successful as an entrepreneur compared to nonfirst born child or single child
Problem statement itself is just one sentence. However, it is always accompanied by
several paragraphs that elaborate on the problem such as present persuasive arguments
why the problem is important enough to study. Opinion of others such as politicians,
futurists, and other scholar should be included in the problem statement. Next, explain
how the problem relates to business, social or political trend by presenting data that
demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem. Try to give dramatic ad concrete
illustrations of the problem. After identify this section, make sure you can easily
identify the single sentence that is the problem statement.
1.3

Research Questions and Objectives

The research question is the researchers translation of the problem into a specific
inquiry that needs to be answered once the research is conducted and the results are
available. A research objective, however, is a statement of the exact things a research
exercise intended to find out. It is a single statement or paragraph that explains what the
study intends to accomplish. For both research question and objective, it is statement
under a single line statement and no further elaboration is needed. An example would
be:
The research question for this study will be:
Willaffect
Will..influence.
Is there a significant difference between.
Is there a significant relationship between.
What are the attitudes of?
What are the factors that affects..
The research objective for this study will be:
To determine the relationship between.
To identify the relationship between
To determine the differences between
To determine whether..influence/affect..
To understand the causes or effects of
To provide a new interpretation of

1.4

1.4.1

Theoretical Framework
Theoretical framework enable readers to identify the variables investigated in the study.
The framework illustrates how the variables interact with each other as hypothesized in
the research by the aid of diagrams etc. Under the diagram, the independent and
dependent variable should be clearly identified.
Independent Variable

1.4.2

1.5

The independent variable should be clearly identified under the theoretical framework
to inform reader that the independent variables are the causal factors influencing the
dependent variable.
Dependent Variable
The dependent variable should be clearly identified under the theoretical framework
to inform the reader that the dependent variable is the variable that is being affected or
explained by independent variable
Hypothesis
Hypothesis is the arguments or claim that we identify towards an issue. The research
hypothesis needs to be list out. It is our tendency to reject H 0 therefore it is advisable
that we put H0 statement as hypothesis. For example:
Hypothesis One:
H1: There is no significant relationship between reward and job satisfaction.
Hypothesis Two
H2: There is no significant difference between mean score for male and mean score for
female.

1.6

Significance of the Study

This section creates a perspective for looking at the problem. It points out how your
study relates to larger issues and uses a persuasive rationale to justify the reason of your
study. It makes the purpose of the study / objectives of the study worth pursuing. The
significance of the study answers the questions:
Why is your study important?
To whom it is important?
What benefit(s) will occur if your study is done?
Besides answer the above questions, the significance of the study should also highlight
the contribution that your study seeks to achieve towards:
- The contribution to the management practices
- The contribution to the governmental procedures and policies and laws
- The contribution to the theoretical and methodological implications
- The contribution to nation building

1.7

Definition of Terms
Give a definition to the key terms that are used in the study. Focus must be given to
legal terms, and other technical terms that are not encountered in everyday
conversation. Operational definitions (definitions that you have formulated for your
study) should also be included. An example of an operational definition is: For the
purpose of the study, improvement is operationally defined as posttest score minus
pretest score.

1.8

Scope and Limitation

All research studies have limitations and a finite scope. Limitations are often imposed
by time and budget constraints. Precisely list the limitations of the study. Describe the
extent to which you believe the limitations degrade the quality of the research.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review chapter in a research report is very important because it shows what
previous researchers have discovered. It is usually quite long and primarily depends on how
much research has previously done in the area you are planning to investigate. If you are
planning to explore a relatively new area, the literature review should cite similar areas of
study or studies that lead up to the current research. Never say that your area is so new that no
research exists. It is one of the key elements that proposal readers look at when deciding
whether or not to approve a proposal.
2.1

History of the Research

Provide a brief history of the empirical research on the subject. Focus on the past
studies done on the current issue that you are researching.

2.2

Review of Key Studies

Identify and summarize the key empirical studies that have a bearing on your
research.

2.3

Pioneering studies and seminal works

Thrust of prior research on the subject, i.e. which issues have received
attention?
Theories explored and viewpoint expressed
Details about populations and samples
Research methods typically used.

Provide a tabular summary of the subjects, issues studied, research methods

used, and other pertinent details relating to the studies
Summarize the findings of the studies.

Evaluation of the Key Studies

Evaluate the findings of the studies in the light of your concerns.

What has been accomplished and what remain to be done

How do you intend to use the experience of these studies in your research?

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1

Research Design
Research design is all about how the research is being conducted, the type of research
to be conducted and the approaches used for the study. A research design basically
provides the basic directions or recipe for carrying out the project. A researcher
should choose a research design that:

Will provide relevant information on the research questions/hypotheses.

Will complete the job most efficiently.

There are two approaches to run a research, a quantitative approaches and qualitative
approaches. But business research is a discipline that uses statistic therefore
quantitative approaches should be practiced.
There are three types of research design and as a researcher; you should be able to
identify the current issue you are researching falls under which category of research.
The three types of research design are as follow:

Exploratory research
Descriptive research
Causal research

A research design is best describe with a single line statement such as following:
This research is an exploratory research which looks onto the possible factor
resulting..The researcher uses quantitative methods of analysis to study the
outcome.
This research is a causal research which intends to indentify the main cause of.
The researcher uses quantitative methods to test the variable and analyze the outcome.
3.2

Population
Provide details about the population used in your study.

What sector labor force, organizations, industry or groups the population is

from
What are the characteristic of the population

Usually, just one sentence is necessary to define the population. Examples:

The population for this study is defined as all adult customers who make a purchase
in our store during the sampling time frame.
The population for this study is defined as all potential consumer of our product
Sample
While the population can usually be defined by a single statement, the sampling
procedure needs to be described in extensive detail. There are numerous sampling
methods from which to choose. Describe in minute detail, how you will select the
sample. Use specific names, place, times, etc. Do not omit any details. This is
extremely important because the reader of the paper must decide if your sample will
sufficiently represent the population.
Examples:

What sectors of the labor force, organizations, industry or groups is the sample
drawn?
What are the characteristics of the population sample?
What are the strong points and limitation of the sample?
What is the justification of choosing such sample?
Can the findings be generalized to the populations?

3.3

The sampling technique

Describe the sampling technique used in sample selection, whether it is a simple
random sampling, convenient sampling, stratified sampling or quota sampling.

3.5

Questionnaire Preparation and Scale Type Used

Describe the questionnaire to be used in the study. Do state whether the questionnaire
is an original self-design questionnaire or it is a compilation from various sources?
Mixed? (If any items are taken from existing questionnaires, identify the sources).
Describe the question categories and explain their places in the thesis.
Example:

As for scale type used, there is few scaling method that can be used to design a
questionnaire. Common scaling system used is Likert scaling. Identify clearly the type
of scaling used the either rate, rank or sort the answer selection for the questionnaire.
Describe in detail the scaling methods used and the reason for choosing the respective
scaling method.
Finally, for the administration of the questionnaire, describe how the questionnaire
was administered. Discuss the problem encountered, if any, that affected the results
relating to the sample characteristics, and their potential impact on reliability and
validity of the resultant data.
3.6

Data collection method

Data collection method is related to how data is being gathered. Different approaches
are used for both qualitative and quantitative studies. Data collection using
observation and interview are ideal for qualitative studies while instrumental survey is
applicable for quantitative studies.

3.7

Statistical Methods
Describe the statistical methods to be used in analyzing your results. (The SPSS
package is commonly used). The research question should be addressed one at a time
followed by a description of the type of statistical tests that will be performed to
answer that research question. Be specific. State what variables will be included in the
analysis and identify the independent variable and dependent variable if such
relationship exists.
Examples:
To test the relationship between.and., the ANOVA test from SPSS is being
executed.
We use One-sample T-test analysis to determine if there is a significant difference
between.

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS / DATA ANALYSIS

4.1

Overview of Data Gathered & Description of Sample

Nearly all research collects various demographic information. It is important to provide
an overview of the types of data gathered, and how they are presented. It is also
important to report the descriptive statistics of the sample because it lets the reader
decide if the sample is truly representative of the population.

4.2

Reliability Test
If the survey youre using was designed by someone else, then describe the previous
validity and reliability assessments. When using an existing instrument, you will want
to perform the same reliability measurement as the author of the instrument. If youve
developed your own survey, then you must describe the steps you took to assess its
validity and a description of how will you measure its reliability.

4.2

Hypothesis Testing, Analysis and Evaluation of Findings

State your findings as they relate to your hypothesis. Go through each hypothesis tested
and state their acceptance or rejection. Present the data in the form of tables, figures and
other illustrations, as needed. State your findings in non-evaluative terms.
The analysis section is cut and dry. It precisely follows the analysis plan laid out in
Chapter III. Each research question addressed individually. For each research question:
I)
II)
III)
IV)

Restate the research question using the exact wording in Chapter I

If the research question is testable, state the null hypothesis
State the type of statistical test(s) performed
Report the statistics and conclusions, followed by any appropriate table(s)

Numbers and tables are not self-evident. If you use tables or graphs, refer them in the
text and explain what they say. An example is: Table 4 shows a strong negative
relationship between delivery time and customer satisfaction (r=-.72, p=.03). All tables
and figures have a number and a descriptive heading. For example:
Table 4
The relationship between delivery time and customer satisfaction.

Avoid the use of trivial tables or graphs. If a graph or table does not add new
information (i.e., information not explained in the text), then dont include it.
Simply present the result. Do not attempt to explain the result in this chapter.
4.3

Chapter Summary
Summarize what has been written in the chapter

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

5.1

Conclusion
Discuss how the objectives and research questions of the study have been met with
the research. Highlight the key findings, implications that your research have
revealed.

5.2

Discussion and research implications / contributions

Discuss the findings from Chapter 4 and relate the findings to the literature in Chapter
2. Identify if your findings support existing theories. Explain why you think you
found what you did. Present plausible reasons why the results might have turned out
the way they did. In addition, try to explain the significance and non-significance of
your results using available theories, data, facts etc. In addition to that, highlight the
contribution on your present study towards the development of knowledge as well as
impact on policy makers. Discuss how your study is useful and helpful to address
issues that the study is dealing with.

5.3

Recommendation and Suggestion for Future Research

Present recommendations based on your findings. Avoid the temptation to present
recommendations based on your own beliefs or biases that are not specifically
supported by your data. Recommendations fall into two categories. The first is
recommendations to the study sponsor. What actions do you recommend they take
based upon the data? The second is recommendations to other researchers. There are
almost always ways that a study could be improved or refined. What would you
change if you were to do your study over again? These are recommendations to other
researchers.

REFERENCES
List references in APA format alphabetically by authors last name.

APPENDIX
Include a copy of any actual instruments. If used, include a copy of the informed consent
form. Other relevant instruments that can be included in appendix include a copy of
questionnaire together with the cover letter.

Thank you and Good Luck!!!!

Table 1: Written Report Rubric

Topic:
Organizatio
n

1 = Below Basic
Not organized,
discussion makes
no sense

2 = Basic
Some organization,
discussions jump
around, start and
end are unclear.
Some introduction
of subject matter.

3 = Proficient
Good organization
and discussions are
logically ordered.

Insufficient
information on
subject matter.
Some information
is accurate, but
enough errors are
made to be
distracting.
Some use of
supporting detail.

Discusses pertinent
information on
subject matter.
Explains
significance of
topic but some
information is
inaccurate.
Good use of
supporting detail.

Vague or confusing
conclusion.

Weak conclusion.

Effective
conclusion.

Errors are frequent

and distracting.

Some errors in
style or grammar
occur that they
become
distracting.

Writing is generally
errors free.

Unacceptable
appearance. Does
not use appropriate
font, font size, line
spacing and border
areas.

Appearance is
acceptable but a
lot could be
improved.

Appearance is
generally good;
only few elements
need to be
improved.

References are not

cited in text, and
no references list is
provided.

Few references are

cited in text and
incomplete
reference list.

Style/format is
incorrect.

Many references
use incorrect

Most references are

cited in text and
appropriately
provided in
references list.
Most references
use correct

Poor introduction of
subject matter

Content

Provide little or no
information on
subject matter.
Information is
inaccurate or with
many errors.
Minimal use of
supporting detail.

Mechanics

Ethical
guidelines

Good introduction
of subject matter.

4 = Advance
Excellent
organization and
discussions are
logically ordered.
In-depth
introduction of
subject matter.
Discusses pertinent
information on
subject matter.
Clearly explains
significance of
topic. Information
is consistently
accurate.
Insightful and
sophisticated use
of supporting
detail.
Interesting,
effective
conclusion.
Writing is free of
errors in grammar,
punctuation,
sentence structure,
capitalization and
spelling.
Excellent
formatting and
appearance. Use
appropriate font,
font size, line
spacing and border
areas.
Complete
references in text
and references list.
References are in
the correct

Marks

Topic:
Report handed in
more than 5 days
late.

style/format.
Up to 5 days late.

style/format.
A day late.

style/format.
Report handed in
on time.
TOTAL MARKS

Table 2: Cover Page

SEM A152
GROUP:
GROUP NAME:
TITLE:
SUBMITTED ON:
SUBMITTED TO:

Matric No.

Name