Hull University Business School

Module Handbook 2016-17

26343

Research Methods (Hull)

Level: 5

Semester(s): 1&2

Credits: 20

Module Leader: Dr. Geetha Karunanayake

This handbook is available in alternative formats on request from the department

Contents
1. Welcome note and introduction........................................................................................................ 3

2. Key contacts....................................................................................................................................... 4

3. Using your University email address................................................................................................. 5

4. Personal development planning........................................................................................................ 5

5 Learning and teaching study programme.........................................................................................7

6. How you will be assessed and submitting your work.......................................................................9

7. Assessment results and feedback..................................................................................................... 12

8. ReadingLists@Hull.......................................................................................................................... 12

9. Module review.................................................................................................................................. 13

Please note:

Students are advised to read this module handbook alongside:

The programme handbook for additional information including guidance on attendance,
student support, plagiarism and examinations.
The Business Schools online study skills resource paying particular attention to the
information on plagiarism.

These can be found on your programme Canvas site.

Hull University Business School

16/17 Module Handbook
1. Welcome note and introduction

This module aims to teach the fundamentals of research, and research project design. Extending the
emphasis on scholarship begun in the module Academic and Professional Skills, this module
investigates the strategies commonly used in research, and supports the learning of qualitative and
quantitative research techniques which are relevant and appropriate to your career and/or further
study aspirations.

Students will also follow a subject specific programme for their main degree subject. For example,
students taking a degree in Business, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain Management form
one subject cohort. All students taking degrees involving Business Economics are in the Economics
cohort. Accounting and Finance students also form a cohort.

Semester 1: Generic Programme

The generic programme lectures are designed to give you a basic understanding of research methods.
Another key part of these sessions will be reflection on the type of research you would like to do at
level 6 and beyond.

Semester 2: Subject Specific Programme

A subject specific orientation is developed in the second semester, which introduces you to research
topics and methods in your own area of interest.The program you follow will differ from that of other
subject specialism, to reflect the particular research designs and methodologies used in your field.
The focus for each of the subject groups is as follows:

Business, Management, Marketing and Logistics

The aims and objectives are to:
Develop knowledge and skills in planning and understanding of how to implement Business,
Management, Marketing and Logistics (Supply Chain Management) Research projects,
including the identification and explanation of the rationale for their choice of the most
appropriate methods for resolving a variety of research problems within the areas of
Business, Management, Marketing or Logistics (Supply Chain Management).

The lectures and workshops will cover the role of ethics in research related to Business, Management,
Marketing and Logistics (Supply Chain Management), the link between theoretical and practical
issues, choosing appropriate Research Methods and formulating a subject-specific research project
proposal, demonstrating understanding of appropriate choice of primary data collection and analysis,
of the choice of qualitative and/or quantitative methods, as well as of codifying and analysing trends
using secondary data, understanding of interview and observation methods, of survey strategies, of
sampling and questionnaire design, and overall, an understanding of appropriate data collection
methods for a given situation and explanation of the analysis of these data.

Business Economics
The aims and objectives are to:
Develop an understanding of the ways in which economic research can be used to test
economic theories, inform economic policy making and promote the development of
innovative analysis/theory and new thinking. In this way, the module will help you to
identify relevant data and form/refine ideas that might be the basis of your own research
proposal.
The lectures and tutorials will cover the relationship between economic analysis/theory and practical
research, the sources of economic data, representation of economic data, formulating a research
question, choosing an appropriate research method, hypothesis testing and inference.

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16/17 Module Handbook
Accounting and Finance
The aims and objectives are:
To have an appreciation of the methodologies and traditions of Accounting and Finance
research.
To understand how selected Accounting and Finance research relates to the institutional,
regulatory, legal, cultural and behavioural aspects of organisations.
To understand how Accounting and Finance research draws on ideas and research methods
from other disciplines.
The lectures and tutorials will cover Financial Reporting, Management Accounting and Financial
Management in roughly equal proportions.

This module differs from other modules in your programme in that there is no single way of getting
good marks (there are many). Your research ability at the end of the year will be a product of the
efforts you make as you work toward the submission of assignments one and two. The module offers
several frameworks, models, methods, advice, and readings, but the way your particular research
proposal (worth 60%) utilises and develops on the basis of these is substantially dependent on what
you do in your own time. You are expected to spend at least two to three times the amount of contact
time in studying on your own. Without this work, you are going to have a difficult time meeting the
requirements of this course, and your final year project at level 6. So OWN IT!

2.Key contacts

Student Support Office Esk 018 01482 463633 hubsstudent@hull.ac.uk

Business engagement Nidd 019 01482 347523 businessschool@hull.ac.uk

Dr. Geetha Karunanayake (GK) Esk 121 0148 2463009 g.karunanayake@hull.ac.uk

Office Hours:
Tuesday 11.00-12.00

Dr Marianne Afanassieva (MA) Esk 222 01482 463198 m.afanassieva@hull.ac.uk

Dr Nilanthi Ratnayake (NR) Esk 203 01482 463208 n.ratnayake@hull.ac.uk

Dr Chloe Wu (CW) Wharfe 209 01482 463021 y.wu@hull.ac.uk

Prof. Christopher Bovis (CB) ESK 202 01482 46-3139 C.Bovis@hull.ac.uk

Dr Steve Trotter (ST) Wharfe 220 01482 463061 s.d.trotter@hull.ac.uk

Dr. Mark Rhodes (MR) Wharfe 221 01482 463062 m.rhodes@hull.ac.uk

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3.Using your University email address

The Business School sends ALL formal communication with students to their University email
accounts. Any of the staff listed above may try and contact you via your University email address. As a
result all students should check their University email address on a regular basis.
Failure to do so will mean you miss out on important information.

4.Personal development planning

This module has been designed to recognise fundamentals of research, and research project design in
general and then to follow a subject specific programme within two semesters. With the emphasis on
scholarship begun in the module Academic and Professional Skills, this module investigates the
strategies commonly used in research, and supports the learning of qualitative and quantitative
research techniques appropriate to your career and/or further study aspirations.

The module assessment will provide an opportunity to recognise how all these experiences can be
seen from the perspective of personal development, and allows you to demonstrate how you, as
individuals, have developed some of the Hull Graduate Attributes (see below).

Planning and time management: for example meeting imposed deadlines, planning available
time within established deadlines, prioritising various tasks that should be completed as part of
undertaking the proposed research, anticipating outcomes of research activities and reviewing due
courses of action as well as considering activities that could be performed in parallel. In the second
assessment students may consider development of a Gantt chart where they could provide evidence
of such skills.

Responsibility and independence this module promotes both as each student has responsibility
for developing and pursuing an independent research proposal for a dissertation or an independent
study. As part of it each student has to select and use appropriate data and information, compare
arguments, decide the parts of the literature to focus upon and so on.

Interactive and group skills are also being developed during seminars where extensive
discussions both between the students and between the students and the tutors are to be pursued on
a range of the modules topics. The tutorials and such discussions also aim to sharpen students
problem solving skills (discussed next) and in particular students enquiring approach to research
solutions for business problems. Suggested research strategies will also be challenged and justified.

Problem solving skills, which are to be applied in solving business problems through the
proposed research, are also sharpened through the various readings and assessments. For example as
part of reviewing the literature, analysing and interpreting trends in data, the appropriate use of IT
applications, identifying alternative solutions and evaluating their potential (e.g. in terms of costs
and/or ethics). The students will also have to investigate appropriate sources of support (e.g. in terms
of obtaining secondary data, permission or resources for conducting the proposed research).

Reflective skills are encouraged through the assessments feedback but most importantly through
assessment 2. (For example, your suitability for completing the proposed research successfully or on
the relevance of the proposed research to the identified stakeholders).

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16/17 Module Handbook
 Communication and presentation skills are also sharpened through the modules assessments.
The authoring of a reflective essay (by most students) and a research proposal involve graphs,
appendices, etc. Also during the tutorials such skills are further exercised as part of comprehending,
using/making, and defending research strategies, plans, instruments, etc.

As perhaps understood from the above, PDP skills are developed throughout this module; their
evidence could be recorded in the diary entries made by most students and reflected upon in
assessments. Moreover, the sessions at the beginning and end of this module aim to act as milestones
in the PDP process. It is thus recommended that you make sure you attend them.

The Hull Way and the Hull Employability Awards

The Hull Way aims to give all students the opportunity to develop and articulate the graduate
attributes they need to become a distinctive Hull graduate. The starting point for the Hull Way is the
Hull Graduate Profile; which is a key set of graduate attributes all our students will have the
opportunity to develop. These graduate attributes outline core skills, knowledge and behaviours we
help our students to develop at Hull to enable them to be successful in the world at large and achieve
their full potential.

This module includes several elements that can support its students to reflect on and develop some of
the key Hull Graduate Attributes. Examples include:

Critical and independent thinking:

The modules workshops will include several debate-based activities where students can:
Justify and defend ideas confidently when constructively challenged by others
Challenge accepted practices or ideas with reasoned arguments
Think critically and analytically to evaluate arguments and propose solutions to challenges

Self-management
The module includes a practical-based assessment where students can develop important
attributes of self-management, like:
Managing own time
Effectively manage pressure

These attributes stand only as examples. Your tutor can give you further indication of the types of
skills you may gain from each session and you should personally reflect on your own performance.

By reflecting on the skills and attributes you gain whilst at university, some of which will be
developed during this module, you could gain a Hull Employability Award. The Awards recognise a
level of success in developing the skills and attributes characteristic of Hull graduates, standing as an
endorsement of excellent employability.

For further information on The Hull Way and The Hull Employability Awards and to register for The
Awards please visit www.hullawards.hull.ac.uk

If you have any questions about the Hull Way and the Hull Employability Awards please contact the
Business Schools Centre for Professional Success.

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5.Learning and teaching study programme

Your personalised timetable can be accessed via Scientia Web Timetables - 2.0.38. Please be aware
that dates, times and venues on the timetable are subject to change so you should check your
timetable regularly. Please download the University mobile app, iHull to ensure that you receive any
timetable change alerts.

Please find the module specification on the on-line programme and module catalogue. Details of the
learning and teaching study programme for the module are provided below. Please note that teaching
materials will be made available to you at least 48 hours in advance of teaching sessions and where
this is not appropriate, due to the content or mode of delivery, you will be informed.

Week Date Lecture Title Workshop Title Lecturer

2016
6 4/10/2016 Introduction: Module GK
format and assessment.
What is research and
why do we need it?
8 18/10/2016 Research Design MR
9 25/10/2016 *Selecting a Research Subject
Topic specific
lecturers
10 01/11/2016 Literature MA
Review/Search
12 15/11/2016 Quantitative Methods ST
13 22/11/2016 Qualitative Methods MA
14 29/11/2016 *Assignment 1 brief: Subject
specific
lecturers
16 13/12/2016 Research Ethics GK
Assignment 2 brief:
Research Proposal
Christmas break and exam weeks
2017
23-30 See individual **Subject specific Subject
timetable sessions specific
lecturers
*Please check your individual timetable for location/date/time of sessions

**Semester 2: Subject specific sessions in three different groups

In semester 2 the whole class will be split into three groups. You will have been assigned to a group
in your timetable, depending on your subject area. Please check your timetable for details.

Group 1:
Business, Management, Marketing and Logistics
Teaching team: MA, NR and CB
See mini guide available on Canvas for further details on the sessions

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16/17 Module Handbook
Group 2
Business Economics
Teaching team: ST
See mini guide available on Canvas for further details on the sessions

Group 3
Accounting and Finance
Teaching team: CW and MR
See mini guide available on Canvas for further details on the sessions

World of Work Week: 6-10 March 2017

The Centre for Professional Success organises the annual World of Work Week which consists of
workshops and employer presentations focusing on employability and career opportunities. In
2016/17 this will take place from 6-10 March 2017. For the detailed programme of events see posters
and messages around the Business School.

Internationalisation

The Business School and the central International Office team work together to provide a week of
social and academic events to celebrate and raise cultural awareness on campus. A detailed
programme will be available prior to the event. Your research proposal may involve an international
dimension and, if so, some of the events taking place during International Culture Week may be of
interest or provide opportunities to gather some information that would otherwise be difficult to find.

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6.How you will be assessed and submitting your work

Assessment tasks, assessment criteria and grading descriptors

The assessment details for the module are provided on the module Canvas site. It is important that
you understand the assessment task, assessment criteria and grading descriptors and so please do ask
your Module Leader for clarification if required.

Assignment 1
Methods Report of 1,500 words (40% of module marks)
The assessment criteria are on the Canvas site of the module.
Hand in date as stated below

Rationale

This assessment is designed to develop your understanding of one or more of the methods used in
your degree field. This assessment intends to cover Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 5 stated below:
1: To analyse and synthesise information and think critically
2: To use quantitative and qualitative skills to formulate and solve managerial problems
3: To communicate information and ideas more effectively in written presentations
4: To design a research/project proposal
5: To engage in effective time-management and to prioritize issues in the preparation of a
coherent written report

Assignment Brief
In your respective program group (Marketing/Business/Logistics & Management, Accounting &
Finance, Business Economics) you have been given a specific assignment relating to
method application and/or evaluation. See your program mini guide on Canvas for the
requirements of your report.

Task Requirements
The assignment will be judged by the quality of the work you provide, which is expected to meet the academic
standards of level 5.

Your assignment must be word-processed and double spaced in 12 point Arial.

The title of your work should appear at the top of the first page, and for this assignment, you do NOT need to
use a contents page.

Any references will be Harvard style within the text and listed alphabetically, on a new page, at the end of the
assignment using the heading References. You should NOT list references you have not used in the text. Page
numbers of references MUST be included where text is within quotation marks.

Marks will be awarded for scholarship and related to the quality of the analysis carried out. This reflects the
University assessment criteria for level 5. You MUST demonstrate what was discussed from the module as
taught in class, as read in the core text, and as developed during tutorial sessions. References from
ACADEMIC research papers from online journals (NOT INTERNET SOURCES-E.g Wikipedia ) are expected
to illustrate your examples. You must be careful to avoid plagiarism.

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16/17 Module Handbook
Assignment 2
Research/project proposal of 3,000 words (60% of module marks)
The assessment criteria are on the Canvas site of the module.
Hand in date as stated below.

Rationale

This assessment is designed to prepare you for the honours project (dissertation or independent
study) you will undertake in your final year. This assessment intends to cover all the following
Learning outcomes:
1: To analyse and synthesise information and think critically
2: To use quantitative and qualitative skills to formulate and solve managerial problems
3: To communicate information and ideas more effectively in written presentations
4: To design a research/project proposal
5: To engage in effective time-management and to prioritize issues in the preparation of a
coherent written report

Assessment Brief
Design a research proposal (the first step in undertaking a dissertation or independent study
unit in your final year). When setting out your proposal, please include the following:

- Background and case: Why this research is important, how you came to choose it and its
relevance to your programme of study.
- Clear aims and objectives: No more than 5 objectives. The objectives can take the form of
hypotheses or research questions. Supplementary research questions may also be necessary
to give strength to your proposal.
- An initial literature review: This is important to support your research proposal where
appropriate. You should review a minimum of 10 references no more than 5 of them being
textbooks. Your reference list at the end of the assignment will not be included in your word
count, but ALL work cited in the text will.
- A brief case for the research methods and research approach you will adopt and
support this with relevant references. Ideas/arguments developed in assignment one may be
included here if useful.
- Any limitations to your research and how you may overcome them, paying careful
attention to ethical issues. (These need to be considered though you need NOT complete
the HUBS Ethics Proforma at this stage).
- The key practice and/or academic benefits contribution to knowledge from your
research.

Task Requirements
The assignment will be judged by the quality of the work you provide, which is expected to meet the academic
standards of level five. Your assignment must be word-processed and double spaced in 12 point
Arial.

The title of your work should appear at the top of the first page, and for this assignment, you DO
need to use a contents page.
References will be Harvard style within the text and listed alphabetically, on a new page, at the
end of the assignment using the heading References. You should NOT list references you have not
used in the text. Page numbers of references MUST be included where text is within quotation
marks.

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 Marks will be awarded for scholarship and related to the quality of the analysis carried out.
This reflects the University assessment criteria for level 5. You MUST demonstrate what was
discussed from the module as taught in class, as read in the core text, and as developed
during tutorial sessions. References from ACADEMIC research papers from online journals
(NOT INTERNET SOURCES like Wikipedia. Some online sources e.g. government policy documents,
which are usually only available that way are perfectly acceptable) are expected to illustrate your
examples. You must be careful to avoid plagiarism.

In the case of those planning to undertake a professional placement year, this proposal may include
specific discussion of investigations and research actions that could be undertaken during this year.

NOTE: There are many different types of final year projects, so the way you approach the six
sections listed above may be very different from your classmates attempting other projects.
Follow the guidance given during semester two, and be sure to participate in
workshops/seminars where we will help you!

Submitting your work

Coursework submission dates are as follows and also provided on your programme Canvas site.
Deadlines are strictly adhered to. You must submit each assignment on, or before, 4.00 pm on the
submission date provided. Please note that a submission will be considered late even if it is only a few
seconds after the published deadline.

Date Time Groups Topic/Title

28th March 2017 4pm All groups Assignment 1-Methods Report

10th May 2017 4pm All groups Assignment 2-Research/Project Proposal

eSubmission is the approved method for your HUBS programme of study. You must submit your
assessed assignments to the relevant module Canvas site. Submission of a printed copy is NOT
allowed. Please consult the eSubmission information on your programme Canvas site and work
through the Making an eSubmission Guide to familiarise yourself with the eSubmission process.

Due to the nature of the assessment of some modules, it may not be possible to hand in your
coursework via eSubmission. Examples of where eSubmission would not be possible include;

Portfolios: which include data in formats that cannot be captured electronically.

Web-sites: with multiple files, of different types, that cannot be combined into a single document.

The above is not an exhaustive list and Module Leaders will explain any exceptions to eSubmission
for their Module. Any coursework which cannot be submitted by eSubmission must be submitted
prefaced by a properly completed paper copy of an eSubmission Coursework Coversheet and on or
before the submission deadline.

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16/17 Module Handbook
Penalties for late submission and overlong assessments

Please be aware that the University has in place a standard system of penalties for work that is
submitted late (after the submission deadline) and assignments that are overlong (in excess of the
published word length). Please see the Assessment procedures for written examinations and
coursework section in your programme handbook for details.

7. Assessment results and feedback

You will receive feedback on your progress in the following ways:

Discussions with your Module Leader
Questions during lectures and tutorials
Coursework and examination feedback

Coursework feedback will be made available within four weeks of the assessment deadline and should
allow you to identify how you can improve and develop your work for future assessments. We
appreciate your patience and would like to reassure you that the four week timeline:
Ensures that your work is read thoroughly and that constructive feedback is provided.
Allows for second marking which is a quality assurance process whereby a member of the
teaching team ensures the consistency and standards of first-marking

It is possible that some Module Leaders may provide feedback before the four week timeline
depending on various factors including module size and teaching and research workloads.

Please see your programme Canvas site for a summary of all coursework feedback dates. You will be
notified via your University email account when provisional grades (pending exam board approval)
and feedback are available for collection together with details on how to access these. Please
remember that written feedback is always going to be limited due to space constraints and the nature
of it being one way. If you would like to speak to your Module Leader, to ask any questions or clarify
anything, please email or visit during office hours.
Feedback on examinations is provided on a cohort basis on the module Canvas site within 1 week of
students being able to access their results. [Note there is no examination on this module.]
For further information on feedback and results please see your programme handbook which also
includes a copy of the Schools Feedback on Assessment Policy.

8. ReadingLists@Hull

You can access the module reading list directly by searching by module name or module code (26343)
on: http://readinglists.hull.ac.uk. These materials are presented as Suggested Purchases, Essential,
Recommended and Background. Please see the Learning resources section in your Programme
Handbook for information on these definitions.

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9. Module review

Some changes to the mode of delivery and assessment have been made to this module since its
previous delivery. The course is now delivered to help students focus on THEIR chosen pathway post
level 5, which has reduced the lecturer content in favour of workshops and one to one support.
Students in-depth understanding of different research approaches and methods that are available
within their subject specialisation are required to answer assignment 1. Therefore the assignment 1
could not be moved to semester one (as requested by some students last year) as a substantial
amount of teaching should take place about different approaches to research, strengths and weakness
of the same, different statistical analysis methods, trend analysis, interpreting data trends etc which
will take place in both semesters.

Assignment 2 is the Research Proposal. Most of the lectures about the research process are covered in
semester 1. Assignment 1 briefing also takes place in the first semester. The deadline for assignment
2 is set during the second semester to give enough time for students to think about the research topic,
write the dissertation proposal and seek advice from the lecturers if required.

The module staff hope that you enjoy studying this module and that it makes a valuable educational
contribution to your chosen programme.

Hull University Business School

16/17 Module Handbook