COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT: A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
John Dinwoodie / Mark Bennett. This work is worth 40% of your module mark.
DEADLINE DATE: 8 DECEMBER 2015, 1200 (return 26.1.16 or as soon as delays
due to extenuating circumstances permit)
MODULE CODE: MAR322
MODULE TITLE: Research Skills for International Business
The exercise aims to enhance your ability to:
Identify, interpret and evaluate relevant sources of data (- you will use these skills
in your specialist modules).
Plan and communicate a research methodology.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO INDIVIDUALLY
– submit ONE WORD FILE using MOODLE.
– The file title is YOUR UNIVERSITY STUDENT REGISTRATON NUMBER.
– This file is a research proposal for a project which investigates ONE
research issue in ANY field related to your award.
Your research proposal should include:
1. YOUR SUBMISSION SHEET AS THE FRONT COVER of your work
2. a 500 word statement of the academic background to your research problem
based on a review of at least FIVE relevant ACADEMIC JOURNAL articles
3. ONE research question, and THREE research objectives (100 words)
4. a 700 word critique of the usefulness for your proposal, of the sources of data
and quantitative methods of analysing them reported in at least FIVE relevant
published works (they will probably differ from (2)). Each work must be fully
referenced (no word limit).
5. 4. a statement (700 words) of a methodology (qualitative, quantitative or mixed)
which YOU would propose to address your research problem. This should
include examples and a proposed work timetable (e.g. a Gantt chart – not word
limited), but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO systematically COLLECT ANY PRIMARY
OR SECONDARY DATA at this stage
The following criteria will be used to assess your work:
Marker feedback: Assessment criteria: E VG G S RI
Key: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory, Requires Improvement,
Understanding of research processes
Is the problem stated clearly in terms of concepts
and theoretical issues?
Are the research question and objectives precise
and appropriate?
Evaluation of relevant sources
Are relevant sources of data identified, referenced
and interpreted?
Are quantitative methods of study selected, justified
and evaluated?
Planning and communication
Is the planning and communication of methods
proposed relevant, feasible and critiqued?
Is the presentation (including a Gantt chart) realistic
and clear?
