Summary
Your interim assessment task is to write two sections of your final project report: your Review of Theories and Frameworks section of circa 1,000-word, and your Research Methodology section of circa 500-word (plus 10% allowance). Please review the required structure of the submission outlined below, and the Review of Theories and Frameworks example, and the research methodologies examples (Research methodology example 1 – Single case study, Research methodology example 2 – Multiple case study). All are attached.
Therefore, you should:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary business theory and practice related to the identified problem or opportunity through critical examination of the relevant literature.
2. Describe and justify the use of a relevant research methodology and secondary data relevant to the topic.
Structure
You should submit your Review of Theories and Frameworks, and research methodology sections as one document containing:
1. A title page with your project title, your discipline, and your name.
2. The ‘Purpose of the research’ section from the Project Statement you submitted in your first assessment. All you need to do is to review and address the feedback you have received for the Project Statement assessment and copy and paste it in.
3. Your Review of Theories and Frameworks section of about 1,000 words (plus 10% tolerance).
4. Your Methodology section of 500 words (plus 10% tolerance).
5. A list of all references that you have used.
Find as follows additional information on the requirements for the Review of Theories and Frameworks, and Methodology sections:
Review of Theory and Frameworks (approximately 1,000 words)
First, discuss some general theories and frameworks with the help of literature as it relates to your project’s topic. This will establish the basis of your discussion. Ideally, this should be one or two paragraphs showing evidence in terms of citations of literature that you have read, including some journal articles, and other sourced reliable information.
You need to demonstrate that you understand the main theories, relevant principles and frameworks.
This discussion needs to be succinct. It can include a definition of the core terms with reference followed by a brief description of some of the main themes identified in the literature, usually starting at a very broad level and then narrowing it down to your topic.
For example, if your field was eco-tourism, you should start by defining the term and selecting a definition you prefer for your project report from among the various alternatives identified from the literature. From there, start at a broad level by saying that the term of eco-tourism covers a wide range of tourism from reef activities through bushwalking to nature-based attractions like zoos. Finally, describe the narrow aspect of eco-tourism explored by your project report, for example, reef activities.
Keep quotations to a minimum and paraphrase as much as possible with appropriate references. If you decide to quote, you should contextualize the quote, and you must provide a reference with the applicable page number.
Research methodology (approximately 500 words)
The research methodology section consists of two parts:
1. Research methodology
Here you describe what research methodology and methods you used to conduct your study. Are you doing an industry case study or are you comparing across industries? On what basis have you selected the organisations or industry to study? How many industries are involved? What secondary data will you use?
Give citations (provide references) when discussing your research methodology.
If you provide a figure or table, you must contextualize and explain that figure or table. Don’t leave it to the reader to interpret your figure or table. This also implies that you should be focused with the tables and figures that you wish to include.
2. Data, data collection and analysis
You must provide precise details of the way in which you collected and analysed your secondary data and what data you actually used (such as the use of company annual reports, industry magazines or industry data) with appropriate references.
Use references to show that you have learned about the methods and how to apply them correctly.
Referencing
Reference lists for the projects should contain approximately 6–12 relevant references from different sources. All references must be from credible sources such as books, industry-related journals, magazines, company documents, and recent academic articles. Most web-based resources are not sufficiently supported (e.g. peer-reviewed) to be useful as a reference, except where they provide industry information.
Grading criteria
Your Review of Theories and Frameworks, and Research Methodology will be marked according to the following criteria:
1. Review of Theories and Frameworks: Demonstrates an understanding of contemporary business theory and practice related to the identified problem or opportunity through critical examination of the relevant literature. (55%)
2. Research Methodology: Describes and justifies the research methodology and methods used to collect and analyse data, demonstrating an ability to apply innovative approaches, techniques, and ethical perspectives using secondary data sources to the solution of the identified problem or exploration of the opportunity. (35%)
3. Structure, Presentation, Communication Style and Language: Uses the example structure provided; presentation and English language conventions are applied to communicate clearly. (5%)
4. Referencing: Uses referencing style conventions Harvard to acknowledge an appropriate number of credible sources of fact and/or theory. (5%)
