Research Project

Module Handbook
 Contents Page

Section A: Introduction to the Module 3

Section B: The Research Proposal 7

Section C: The Dissertation Structure 8

Section D: Supervision 16

Section E: Submission 17

Section F: Recommended Reading 19

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Section A: Introduction to the Module

Overview

Module Leaders:

PG Psychology Dr Tom Lockhart

UG Psychology James Bartlett
Computing Stuart Hutchison
Healthcare Management Dr Imose Itua
PG Business Sophie Ward
UG Business Dr Wilson Ozuem
Law Dr Debbie Lister
Criminology Dr Christina Thorne
Graphic Design Cavell Ord-Shrimpton

Level: 6

Credits: 40

Learning Hours: 400

Aims

The ‘Research Project/Dissertation’ is an essential part of the process of achieving a

Bachelor’s degree from Arden University. It provides you with the opportunity to work
independently to develop your ability to make critical and evaluative judgements. It is
expected that this will provide an opportunity to integrate the course with practice,
developing the ability to be an effective reflective practitioner. By completing a Research
Proposal, you should demonstrate that you are able to produce work that is relevant in
practice and has an academic standing at a graduate level. This is your opportunity to apply
what you have learned from your programme into your area of interest or your workplace, so
ensure that it is a piece of work you invest your time and effort into and you should be proud
of the outcome.

To achieve the module learning outcomes, you are required to produce:

 A Research Proposal
(marked as either pass or fail)

 A Dissertation (10 ,000 words, worth 100% of the final overall grade)

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Module Learning Outcomes

The module learning outcomes are programme-specific and can be found in the relevant
module description form (MDF) from your programme handbook.

Module Delivery

The Research Project Module is divided into 10 separate lessons covering the following topics:

Lesson 01: Selecting a Research Topic

Lesson 02: Supervision and Feedback

Lesson 03: Conducting a Literature Review

Lesson 04: Creating an Ethical Research Proposal

Lesson 05: Additional Research Techniques

Lesson 06: Developing Your Research Methods

Lesson 07: Planning and Conducting Your Research

Lesson 08: Writing and Introduction

Lesson 09: Interpreting and Critically Evaluating Your Results

Lesson 10: Writing the Report

The module lessons combine academic research and practical advice and will be a valuable
resource for you as you make progress towards developing your Proposal and completing your
Dissertation.

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Please note the following steps carefully:

Step One: Complete Lesson Materials

You will spend the first few weeks on the module working your way through the various lessons
and completing the range of activities that are included within the materials. These activities
are not part of the assessment process for the module, but they will help you develop your
understanding of the research process and assist you developing your ideas.

The module lesson materials will therefore be available to you throughout your experience on
the module. In addition, a wide range of texts and articles are available to you on the EBSCO
and EBook Central databases that you can access via iLearn.

Step Two:

Prepare a Research Working Title

Once you have worked your way through the lessons you now need to consider your
ideas/area of interest for your research project/Dissertation title and submit this on the
Dissertation Working Title Form to the relevant Module Leader listed on page 3. From the
information on this form the Module Leader will allocate a dedicated Supervisor, with expertise
in your area of interest, to work with you towards completion of the research
project/Dissertation.

Step Three:

Prepare a Research Proposal

The Module Leader will contact you by e-mail when the Supervisor has been appointed. Please
see Section E for more information on working with your Supervisor.

The Proposal should be submitted to your Supervisor. Section B of this document provides
detailed information on the Proposal stage.

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 Step Four:

Complete Ethics Form

Ethical approval is also needed from your Supervisor prior to the recruitment of participants.

No recruitment or data collection must be carried out until you receive formal
notification that your study has been approved by the ethics panel.

An ethics approval form needs to be submitted by you and is assessed on a pass/fail basis. In
the event of the Proposal not being approved, you are required to re-design and resubmit
based on your Supervisor’s recommendations. Recruitment and data collection can then start
as soon as the approval is granted. You should send your completed Arden University Ethics
Form to your Supervisor (for first sign-off), provided that your Supervisor is satisfied that your
proposed project is viable and the form is completed to the required standard, and they will
send on to the Module Leader (for second sign-off) and, if necessary, to the ethics panel for
ethical approval. Once the Proposal has been approved you can then start your data collection
for your project.

Step Five:

Formative Feedback of Dissertation Chapters

Whilst collecting data your Dissertation will be taking shape. To make sure you are on the
right track throughout the writing process you will share chapters with your Supervisor
allowing for a formative feedback opportunity which will help the final submission to take
shape.

Step Six:

Dissertation Submission

The deadline for submission of the final Dissertation should be agreed with your Supervisor,
being mindful of the timing of your registration on the programme

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Section B: The Research Proposal
Research Proposal Contents

Research Proposal:

The second key output for this module, after the Research Project Working Title form, is the
Research Proposal which you are required to produce for your research project, in a field
relating to the subject of your qualification. This is a gatekeeping stage for your final
Dissertation. You will work with your appointed Supervisor to complete your Proposal by the
agreed deadline. Your Proposal should cover all of the following areas.

Rationale

This should contain an explanation of the problem/issue and justification as to why it is

important. There should also be a series of precisely written objectives, to include
observable outcomes, that flow from this section.

You should also demonstrate your knowledge of relevant literature by identifying key
debates to clearly show how this will inform your research.

Method, Data & Ethics

This section must include an explanation of fundamental issues in methodology followed by

a full description of the methodological approach to be adopted in the proposed research.
Your data collection method should be justified. You should explore issues of validity,
reliability and generalisability of the research Proposal and make reference to ethical issues.

In addition, you should also discuss relevant practical issues relating to the research to be
undertaken. For example, the possible need to obtain organisational consent as well as the
timescales involved in completing your project. A more detailed project plan should be
appended.

References

You must include references in support of your Proposal, which should be used in
accordance with the appropriate convention for your programme:
- APA standards for Psychology.
- OSCOLA for Law
- Arden University Harvard for all other programmes.

A Project Plan

A project plan, which outlines the proposed timescale for completion of your Dissertation
including significant activities, should also be attached to the Proposal. We understand that
the timescales shown in the plan may change but it is important to give consideration and to
set out your proposed timescales at this early stage of the process.

Submission of your Proposal for Marking

Your Proposal must be emailed to your Supervisor. The Supervisor will review the Proposal
and grade it as a pass or fail, they will notify you of the pass/fail mark via e-mail. When you
have achieved the pass grade for the Proposal, you will then move on to the Dissertation
stage of the module. You cannot submit your Dissertation without your Proposal being
approved.
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Section C: The Dissertation Structure
Helpful guidelines on developing your Dissertation are contained within the lesson materials
and a summary is provided here:

Structure and content

The Dissertation itself is made up of a number of chapters each of which serves a specific
purpose. All of the chapters are tied together by the threads of the research question and
should represent a coherent and complete picture of the work undertaken. The Overall
length of the Dissertation (excluding formatting pages and appendices) must not exceed
11,000 words (10,000 word count plus 10% allowance). For computing programmes, a
notional 2,000 words is allocated to an artefact which forms part of the results section and
the report is 8,000 words. Let’s consider the key chapters in the following sub-sections,

Formatting

The Dissertation takes the form of a formal academic report including a title page (stating the
student name and ID number, course title, Dissertation title and word count), declaration,
acknowledgements, 300-word abstract with 5 key words listed, a contents page and a list
of tables and figures. These set the shape for the rest of the report and do not form part of
the word count. The declaration should include three signatures, where appropriate, from
the student showing that it is i) their own work, ii) that the work is not confidential, iii)
agreeing for Arden to store and use the work as a reference.

Introduction

As the first chapter of the Dissertation this is probably the one that you will revisit last before
submitting. The purpose of the chapter is to set out and justify the study that you have
undertaken in the wider social context. Crucially, the whole Dissertation document should be
written in the past tense, the idea being that the write up has been undertaken after the
research has been completed. The introduction chapter should lead the author from an
introduction to the topic through to presentation of the objectives and structure of the
Dissertation. Key terms should be introduced and defined, and justification provided from
different perspectives. If the study is based upon a specific organisation or context then it will
require introducing and justification will need to be provided for conducting the study. The
value of the study will also need to be considered. A typical structure for this chapter would
be as follows:

 Background – an overview of the topic and its merit as a research topic

 Rationale – justification for the study
 Case study – if relevant, an overview of the organisation or study context
 Objectives and research questions
 Dissertation structure

Expected word count: 1,000 words

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The Introduction section should include the research question(s) that was/were asked in
order to address the objectives. A common error is not giving the Introduction section the
time required to ensure that it is well referenced and clearly justifies the study.

Literature Review

The literature review chapter is where you will consider the work that has been undertaken
previously, in areas that are relevant to the topic you are studying. You will discuss with your
Supervisor to identify the range of topics that you should cover.

There is a range of material that can be used in the literature review. For example, books
and academic journal articles are the most commonly used. When selecting information
sources, it is important to consider the relative value of the source. Peer reviewed sources
such as books and journals are much more valuable than organisational websites, for
example. In some cases, news articles may be an important source of information. The most
valuable sources of information are journal articles and wherever possible should constitute
the bulk of the research sources you use. Once sufficient sources have been gathered there
are considerations to be made. The relevance of the source should be considered. If it is not
relevant, abandon it. If there are two sources, one of which is better, then use the better
source. Once you have gathered sufficient information for a well referenced, balanced
approach, you should conclude your argument. It is easy to become bogged down working
on the literature review so take a tactical approach and know when to say enough is enough.
A typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

 Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the

chapter
 Topics – the number of titles of these will vary depending on your area of
study
 Summary – the chapter needs summarising to conclude where your
research fits within the existing literature
 Questions – what question(s) you aim to answer or explore in your
Dissertation

Expected word count: 2,000 words

If the chapter is overly descriptive then you cannot expect to achieve more than a pass. A
widely referenced literature review that critically evaluates the literature will score better
marks. The literature review must be critical, identifying the relevant theoretical ideas,
concepts, debates and issues in the relevant field.

Methodology and Method

The methodology chapter serves two purposes and it is important to include both in order to
achieve a good mark. Methodology is the study of undertaking research. An engagement
with the philosophy of research and the associated approaches is important to demonstrate
your understanding of research at a fundamental level. Crucially, this is not just a review of
different methods, it is where the selected philosophies, ontology and approaches are

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identified and justified. Once again, a balance between reviewing approaches and justifying
those used must be struck.

The second purpose is to demonstrate, critique and justify the actual methods used. In this
section, the research questions can be used to structure the critique of research methods.
The methods used to answer each question should be presented, critiqued, justified and the
approach to employing them, analysed. This activity is termed the operationalisation of
methodology, the aim being to show the reader how to replicate the study, the issues that
were encountered and why certain methods were used. A typical structure for this chapter
would be as follows:

 Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the

chapter
 Philosophical assumptions – an appreciation of research philosophy.
Crucially, the selected approach should be identified and justified.
 Research questions – each question should be used as a subheading. In
each case the methods selected should be critiqued and justified. The
information relevant to populations, sampling methods, deployment plans,
the design of instruments and limitations can be included on a question by
question basis.
 Validity and Reliability – this can be considered on a question by question
basis or in a section on its own. A consideration is made of how the method
addresses the needs of the question and how replicable they are.
 Data Selection and Collection – a detailed breakdown of how and why data
was collected and the associated practical challenges.
 Ethics and Bias – a consideration of the relevant ethical issues and any bias
that may be inherent within the study or the subsequent analysis with thought
given to validity, reliability and generalisability. Again, this can be considered
on a question by question basis or in a section on its own.
 Limitations – discuss any relevant limitations to the methods selected.

Expected Word Count: 2,500 words

The chapter must be well referenced containing sources that go beyond the use of books.
Excellent analysis and justification of the actual approaches used is crucial in achieving good
marks.

Results and Discussion

This chapter is where the results of the primary investigation are presented, analysed and
discussed. The chapter must go beyond simply presenting the results. The analysis of the
data and research is essential. If a quantitative approach has been taken, then variables can
be tested against one another to show relationships within the data set. Qualitative data can
be coded and discussed by themes to characterise the trends which underpin the observed
data. Essentially, the gathered results need to be compared to the findings of established
literature to demonstrate either similarities or differences. Tight links to the literature is
important in discussing the meaning of the results.

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Presenting the findings needs to be a priority in this chapter. Selecting appropriate methods
needs to be considered carefully. Graphs should only be used where they add value to the
work and make a visual impact. Where graphs are included, different graph types must be
used correctly for the data being presented and the information presented must be clear. A
typical structure for this chapter would be as follows:

 Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the

chapter. Signposts to where the research questions are addressed by the
primary research should be included.
 Response rates – overview the rate of response from primary research
methods. Demographic information can be included here. Importantly, the
results must be linked to information about the population under study to
show that the results are representative.
 Results – the findings are presented with suitable discussion and analysis
with links to established literature. Ensure you clarify why statistical
analysis is inferential or descriptive in this context characterising trends
which have arisen. When using qualitative data ensure that quotes are
presented with appropriate contextual analysis.
 Summary – summarise the chapter with key findings and link to the
research question.

Expected Word Count: 2,500 words

A descriptive presentation of the results will not achieve any more than a pass. Where links
to literature are made and variables are tested against one another, higher marks will be
achieved. Appropriate statistical testing, where valid, will improve the marks achieved. The
highest marks will be attributed to Dissertations pushing the boundaries of what is published
in the literature. For Computing programmes up to 2,000 words from this section are
attributed to the artefact, where appropriate. The rationale and explanation of the artefact
takes place in the methodology section and relevant discussion takes place in this section.

Conclusions

Like the introduction, this chapter is often overlooked and not given enough care. The
conclusion chapter is essential in tying together the threads that have been woven
throughout the work bridging the literature review with the results and discussions section. It
relates directly to the beginning of the Dissertation and shows what was found in the process
of addressing the objectives and answering the questions that were initially set. This chapter
also provides the opportunity to reflect on process as well as look forward to where the work
could be taken next with appropriate insight (e.g. costings for implementation of
recommended actions).

Crucially, the research questions that were set in the introduction and discussed again in the
methodology chapter must be addressed directly here to demonstrate how they were
answered and what was found. This chapter also allows the opportunity to evaluate where
the Dissertation fits within the literature. The conclusions chapter is not the opportunity to
introduce new things. A typical structure for this chapter would be as below.
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A strong set of conclusions that contain all of the listed elements are needed in order to
achieve a good mark. Justification as to how this work is independent and developmental,
rather than just a patchwork of the work, thoughts and interpretations of others’ which is
stitched together by a few threads of the your own making. Many, otherwise strong
Dissertations, have fallen apart in this chapter, leading to a lower mark.

 Introduction – a brief introduction to state what is contained within the

chapter
 General conclusions – overview the key findings and their implications
 Research question conclusions – taking each research question separately
clearly demonstrate what has been found in answering them. It is also
important to point out what was not found.
 Recommendations – based upon the findings, recommend courses of
action to provide direct benefit. If linked to a specific case study these could
be organisational recommendations. If considering a topic in a more
abstract way these could be generalised recommendations that have a
wider scope. Wider application beyond the confines of the original research
focus could also be made here.
 Errors and limitations – a final opportunity to recognise the things that may
have limited the work undertaken. These build upon those discussed in the
methodology as they may include practical limitations encountered along
the way or flaws in approaches that only became apparent later on.
 Recommendations for further study – themes may emerge from the study
that warrant further investigation. Outline what these are and how they may
be addressed in the future.

Expected Word Count: 2,000 words

References and Appendices

A good reference list is essential in achieving a good mark. The list should only contain
references that are directly cited within the text. The required approach must be taken as
specified in the study skills area. As with all other assessments, a bibliography is not
required. Ensure your referencing conforms to the relevant framework listed in section B.

Appendices are opportunities to include supporting documentation such as a copy of a

survey or interview schedule that the reader can be directed to. If appendices are used, they
must be referred to in the main body of the work. Marks cannot be awarded for work
contained in appendices, but these can assist in the understanding for arguments and
discussions made within the Dissertation.

Presentation

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 There are marks available for presentation. When considering this the marker will look at the
use of language, the overall structure and coherence of the document and the referencing. A
consistent use of font size and spacing is essential.

References must be used as required by the appropriate referencing convention and spelling
and grammatical errors should not be present in the final document. With some care these
are easy marks to add to your overall score.

DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Presentation: structure, language, grammar, visuals, logic and coherence and appropriate
and systematic use of the appropriate referencing system will be form part of each sections
assessment.

Introduction

A clear statement of the purpose of the Dissertation: The objectives of the

research should be clearly stated and explained where appropriate. The 20%
rationale for the investigation is justified in terms of academic/ organisational
importance

Literature Review

Critical review of the literature: Provide an evaluation and interpretation of 20%

relevant earlier work and where appropriate develop a conceptual framework
that draws together the key literature(s) / ideas

Methodology and Method

State what methods were considered, what was selected and why. In doing so
you should:

 justify the approach adopted including decisions surrounding the

collection of primary/secondary data (where appropriate) 20%
 consider the appropriateness of the approach within constraints present
 Detail with justification the overall sampling strategy adopted
 Detail how the data was analysed
 Address issues of validity, reliability and generalisability

Results and Discussion

20%
Data presentation: Detailed and logical presentation and analysis of the data

Conclusion and recommendations 20%

Analysis of findings with reference to purpose of study; issues from the literature
review.

Practical application (recommendations). Recommendations should include a

detailed analysis of implementation issues and costings (financial and other

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relevant costs).

Detailed consideration of the limitations of the study and a future research agenda
including the application of alternative research designs

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ARDEN UNIVERSITY GENERIC LEVEL 6 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Level 6 study represents the student’s increasing autonomy and independence in relation to
their knowledge, understanding and skills. At Level 6, students are expected to demonstrate
problem solving skills in both practical and theoretical contexts. This should be supported by an
understanding of appropriate theory, creativity in expression and thought based on
independent but informed judgments. Students should demonstrate the ability to seek out,
invoke, analyse and evaluate competing theories and claims to knowledge and work in a
critically constructive manner. Work at this level is articulate, coherent and skilled.

Mark
Grade Generic Assessment Criteria
Bands

First 80%+ An exceptional knowledge base exploring and analysing the discipline, its
theory and any associated ethical considerations. The work demonstrates
(1) extraordinary independence of thought and originality. There is
exceptional management of learning resources and a high degree of
autonomy is demonstrated which goes above and beyond the brief. The
work demonstrates intellectual originality and creativity. Writing is
exceptionally well structured and accurately referenced throughout.
Where appropriate, outstanding professional skills are demonstrated.
The work is original and with some additional effort could be considered
for internal publication.

70-79% An excellent information base within which the discipline is explored and
analysed. There is considerable originality in the approach and the work
demonstrates confidence and autonomy and extends to consider ethical
issues. Learning resources have been managed with exceptional
confidence and the work exceeds the assessment brief. Writing is
exceptionally well structured and accurately referenced throughout.
Where appropriate, an excellent level of professional skills are
demonstrated and the work demonstrates a high level of intellectual and
academic skills.

Upper 60-69% A very good knowledge base which explores and analyses the discipline,
second its theory and any associated ethical issues. There is evidence of some
(2:1) originality and independence of thought. A very good range of learning
resources underpin the work and there is clear evidence of self-directed
research. The work demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and
apply theory with good academic and intellectual skills. Academic writing
skills are good, expression is accurate overall and the work is consistently
referenced throughout.

Lower 50-59% A satisfactory understanding of the discipline which supports some

second analysis, evaluation and problem-solving within the discipline. There may
be reference to some of the ethical considerations. The work shows a

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 (2:2) sound level of competence in managing basic sources and materials.
Academic writing skills are good and accurate overall and the work is
planned and structured with some thought. Professional skills are
satisfactory (where appropriate). The work may lack originality but
academic and intellectual skills are moving into the critical domain. The
work is referenced throughout.

Third 40-49% Basic level of performance in which there are some omissions in the
understanding of the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical
(3) considerations. There is little evidence of independent thought and the
work shows a basic use of sources and materials. Academic and
intellectual skills are limited. The work may lack structure overall. There
are some difficulties in developing professional skills (where
appropriate). There is an attempt to reference the work.

Marginal 30-39% A limited piece of work in which there are clear gaps in understanding
Fail the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The work
shows a limited use of sources and materials. Academic and intellectual
skills are weak and there are errors in expression and the work may lack
structure overall. There are difficulties in developing professional skills
(where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely
imitative.

29% and A poor performance in which there are substantial gaps in knowledge
below and understanding, underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The
work shows little evidence in the use of appropriate sources and
materials. Academic writing skills are very weak and there are numerous
errors in expression. The work lacks structure overall. Professional skills
(where appropriate) are not developed. The work is imitative.

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Section D: Supervision

Each student should know that the Dissertation part of their degree requires significant
thought and preparation. The student should be the driver here and initiate activity around
the Dissertation and be reading and investigating their topic. Students should be able to
work unaided in the main. This is an activity that is yours and for you alone to progress and
be responsible for, with some advice from a Supervisor.

A Supervisor will be assigned to you based on the proposed area of investigation, once you
have submitted the Working Title form. Your Supervisor will then work with you towards
completion of the Proposal stage, Ethics Form and then for the Dissertation. Your
Supervisor will provide you with feedback as to the project’s viability and discuss with you
any amendments that need to be made before you can proceed. In order for this to happen
you should ensure that your Supervisor has made contact with you within the FIRST week of
being appointed to a Supervisor (your Module Leader will have emailed you both when you
were assigned to your Supervisor).

Your Supervisor will discuss specific details of how the ‘working relationship’ will be
implemented in practice. This is an ideal time to raise any concerns about the development
of the initial Proposal and how the Dissertation or journal article process will work in practice.
Further general guidance on the supervision process is detailed below.

The emphasis of the supervision will be upon:

 Encouraging you to carry out a comprehensive review of relevant literature in support

of your research and to formulate a Proposal and Dissertation based project
commensurate with study at level 6.

 Planning appropriate methodologies to underpin your research and to articulate your

rationale for the methodology used.

 Encouraging you to keep appropriate records of action/progress, such as reference

sources, interview and contact logs.

 Providing general support, direction and guidance as required throughout the

research project process.

You will be required to conduct all stages of the project independently but with advice and
guidance given by your academic Supervisor. Your Supervisor is an invaluable resource to
you and every effort should be made to liaise with your Supervisor throughout the entire
research process.

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Section E: Submission

The conditions of an Arden Bachelor’s degree require that you complete a

substantial piece of independent research. Therefore, the responsibility for the
final submission of the Proposal and thereafter, the Dissertation, is yours and
not your Supervisor’s. Ultimately, you must be the judge of what the Proposal
and the final Dissertation will contain. It is not the role of the Supervisor to
provide detailed comments on drafts. While you can expect some feedback on
drafts this will be of a general nature and will not be a detailed analysis of your
submission. The Supervisor will not comment on amendments made in the light
of this feedback.

The work is yours and not the Supervisors.

It is very important that your Supervisor is allowed sufficient time for the reading of drafts.
You MUST NOT EXPECT your Supervisor to read work instantly when a deadline is near.
Ideally, a full draft should be sent between two weeks and a month before the relevant
deadline to allow time for changes and amendments - subject of course, to the Supervisor’s
schedule.

Submission Arrangements:

Hand-In Date

The date for final submission of your Dissertation should be agreed with your Supervisor,
there is the opportunity to submit approximately on the 15th of every quarter from January.
When you are ready to submit your Dissertation work for marking, you are required to upload
an electronic copy of your Dissertation to iLearn. There is no need to submit a hard copy to
Arden University.

Dissertation Submission Format

The Dissertation will be required to be presented in the following format following the
structure outlined in section C:

- Typed (word-processed) on 1 page of A4 using double spacing. The recommended

font is Arial, size 12 for the main content and appreciating font sizes for sub-
headers and headers etc.

- All text should be justified, so that it is straight edged (like a book).

- Any pages preceding those of the main text should be numbered at the centre of
the foot of each page.

- Make sure that your Dissertation reads well. Keep paragraphs short and use
appropriate headings. Pay particular attention to grammar and sentence
construction. Keep content clear, to the point and jargon free.

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 Figures and Tables should be clearly labelled, referenced sequentially as they appear
in the text and produced via software packages. These should be ideally placed on a
separate page or within the text but as close to the text at which it is referred to. Where
appropriate, acknowledgement of the source should be presented on the page
beneath the Figure/Table.

 Make sure that you include a Contents Page using appropriate and correct numbering.

Re-submissions

 The Dissertation may only be resubmitted once the grade has been confirmed by the
External Examiner.

 Dissertation resubmissions must be received no more than twelve months after the
date of communication of the original result.

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Section F: Recommended Reading

There is a range of texts on Research Methods available on the EBSCO and EBook Central
online libraries. References are formatted according to the convention of the relevant
programme. A selection with suggested programme areas is as follows:

Key Texts
EBSCO
Bell, J and Waters, S. (2014). Doing your research project: A guide for first time researchers.
(5th ed). (Open up Study Skills). Open University Press, McGraw Hill Education. 
Ebook Central
McMillan, K. (2011). How to Write Dissertations & Project Reports. Prentice Hall.

Fink, A., 2013. Conducting research literature reviews: from the internet to paper (4th
edition). London: Sage.
Jesson, J., Matheson, L. and Lacey, F., 2011. Doing your literature review: traditional and
systematic techniques, London: Sage.
Press Matthew, B., and Ross, L., 2010. Research methods: a practical guide for the social
sciences. UK: Longman
Webster, J. and Watson, R.T., 2002. Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a
literature review. MIS quarterly. Available here:
https://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/library/Writing_A_Literature_Review.pdf

Interdisciplinary
Repko, A., Szostak, R., 2017. Interdisciplinary research: process and theory (3rd edition).
London: Sage
Leedy, P., Ormrod, J., 2015. Practical research: planning and design (11th Edition). Harlow:
Pearson

Sociology
Bryman, A. 2012. Social Research Methods. Oxford: OUP
Thomas, G., 2013. How to do your research project. London: Sage

Criminology
Davies, P., et al. 2011. Doing criminological research. UK: Sage Publications Ltd

HRM
Aaker, D., 2010. Marketing research (10th edition: International Student version), Hoboken:
John Wiley & Sons.
Anderson, V. 2013. Research methods in human resource management: investigating a
business issue (3rd edition). London: CIPD.
Gill, J. and Johnson, P., 2010. Research methods for managers (4th edition). London: Sage.

Law

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Turner, C., Boylan-Kemp, J. and Martin, J., 2016. Unlocking legal learning. London: Hodder
Education.
Holborn, G., 2001. Butterworths legal research guide (2nd edition) Oxford: OUP.
Van Hoeke, M., (ed) 2013. Methodologies of legal research: which kind of method for what
kind of discipline? London: Hart.

Psychology
Bem, D., 1995. ‘Writing a review article for Psychological Bulletin’. Psychological Bulletin,
118(2), 172-177.
Coolican, H., 2014. Research methods and statistics in Psychology (6th edition). Hove:
Psychology Press.

Law & Psychology

Memon, A. A., Vrij, A. & Bull, R. 2009. Psychology and Law: truthfulness, accuracy and
credibility (2nd edition). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Kapardis, A. 2014. Psychology and Law: a critical introduction (fourth edition). Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

Healthcare Management
Saunders, M.N.K. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. 2012. Research Methods for Business Students. UK:
Financial Times: Prentice Hall
Dawson, C. 2009. Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone
Undertaking a Research Project. 4th Edition. New York: Constable & Robinson
Newell, R. Burnard, P. 2011. Research for Evidence-based Practice in Health Care.
Chichester, West Sussex, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell.

Business
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A.,2012. Research Methods for Business
Students.6th edition, Harlow: Pearson [Available on MyiLibrary]
Aaker, D. A.,2010. Marketing research (10th edition: International Student version),
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Anderson, V.,2013. Research Methods in Human Resource Management: Investigating a
Business Issue, London: CIPD
Bryman, A. and Bell, E.,2011. Business Research Methods.3rd edition, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Fisher, C.,2010. Researching and Writing a Dissertation: An Essential Guide for Business
Students.3rd edition, Harlow: Pearson
Gill, J. and Johnson, P.,2010. Research Methods for Managers.4th edition, London: SAGE
Publications Ltd.
Greetham, B.,2014. How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation. Palgrave Study Skills.,
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Jesson, J., Matheson, L. and Lacey, F. M.,2011. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional
and Systematic Techniques, London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Ridley, D., (2012). The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students (SAGE Study
Skills Series), London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

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Smith, M.,2015. Research Methods in Accounting.3rd edition, London: SAGE Publications
Ltd.
Swetnam, D. and Swetnam, R.,2000. Writing your Dissertation: The bestselling guide to
planning, preparing and presenting first class work.3rd edition, Oxford: How to Books
Wilson, J.,2014. Essentials of Business Research: A Guide to Doing Your Research
Project.2nd edition, London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Graphic Design
Bell, J., 2011. Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education,
5th ed., Maidenhead, Berkshire: McGraw-Hill/ Open University Press.
Fry, R. W., 2004. Improve your writing, 5th ed., London: Thomson Delmar Learning.
Allison, B, and Race, P., 2004. The Student’s Guide to Preparing Dissertations and Theses,
London, Routledge.
Armstrong, H. (ed) 2009. Graphic Design Theory. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Computing
Dawson, C., 2015. Projects in Computing and Information Systems: A Student's Guide. 3rd
edition. Addison Wesley.
Berndtsson, M., Hansson, J., Olsson, B., Lundell, B., 2008. Planning and Implementing your
Final Year Project - with Success!: A Guide for Students in Computer Science and
Information Systems. Springer. ISBN 1852333324
Cornford, T. & Smithson, S., 2005. Project Research in Information Systems: A Student's
Guide. 2nd edition. Palgrave Macmillan.
Fink, A., 2009. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. 3rd
edition. Sage.
Weaver, P., 2003. Success in Your Project: A Guide to Student System Development
Projects. Springer. ISBN 1848000081

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