Assessment 1 (a): Research Proposal Brief

Due date:	08 March 2020
Group/individual:	Individual Assignment
Word count / Time provided:	800-1000 words
Weighting:	10%
Unit Learning Outcomes:	ULO-1
Course Learning Outcomes:	CLO-1

 Assignment Details:

A Research Proposal Brief early in the semester is to receive feedback about the suitability of the topic so that by the time is a document that informs others of a proposed piece of research and its significance. This is the first stage of preparing a Research Proposal that could be used as part of an application to undertake a research degree or to apply for funding to conduct the research.

The purpose of writing the Research Proposal Brief early in the semester is to receive feedback about the suitability of the topic so that by the time you complete the Research Proposal (due in week 10) the final submission is of a standard that could be used to support an application for a research degree or for research funding.

The Research Proposal Brief early in the semester is to receive feedback about the suitability of the topic so that by the time is therefore very important as it provides the basis for feedback that will assist you to prepare an excellent Research Proposal and should be taken very seriously even though the weighting of the assignment is relatively low. The most important aspect of this assignment is to identify a solid research question, which also means justifying the question from previous research. This will save you time in the long run. If the proposal brief is well-designed it will be an outline of the full proposal for the thesis to follow.

You are required to submit a written Research Proposal Brief in academic format (800-1000 words) and give an oral presentation (5-10 minutes) about your research proposal.

This assessment is worth 10% of your marks for SBM1300 and forms the basis of the Research Proposal due in week 10 and worth 40% of your marks for SBM1300 and your Research Proposal Presentation due week 12 and worth 20% of your marks for SBM1300. Students develop the Research Proposal across the semester incorporating (a) feedback on the Research Proposal Brief; (b) feedback from the Feasibility analysis (due week 5 and worth 10% of your marks for SBM1300); (c) learnings from your classes, discussions, feedback and readings during the semester.

For the Research Proposal Brief you need to prepare an outline of your proposed research topic and research plan for investigating the topic using the template for the structure below. The document should be between 800 and 1000 words in length (excluding project title and references). The recommended lengths of each section are approximate, and will vary depending on the research question you are proposing to investigate and the methodology you are proposing to use in your research proposal.

Contents	Length (words)
1. Project Title: This is a brief descriptive summary of the proposed research topic. For ideas on how a project title should look, look at articles in Project Management journals such as the International Journal of Project Management	< 20 words
2. Research Overview and Justification: This is a brief summary of the research topic that describes the topic and why it is important for a research study to be conducted to investigate the topic	150
3. Condensed Literature Review (at least three research-based sources). Discuss the objectives, methodologies and findings of relevant previous research	250-300

that provides a background for your research topic. The aim is to provide a critique of existing work and identify gaps in knowledge and / or methodological weaknesses in existing research.
4. Research Objectives, Research question and Sub-questions. Linking back to sections (2) and (3), present and justify the question that your research project will be designed to answer.	150-200
5. Methodology (which type- Comparative, Descriptive, Action, Ethnographic,, Explanatory, Exploratory). Think about how you would answer your research question (e.g., by reviewing trends in national / international statistics, by conducting a survey of consumers, by undertaking interviews with employers) and start to consider any advantages, disadvantages, materials needed or practical limitations of the methodology. This section is the most likely to change as you progress through the unit and learn about alternative ways of answering your research question. Remember, this is hypothetical. You do not have to actually be able to carry out the study, but you need to think about what you would need to carry out a study to answer your research question.	150-200
6. Significance of the research of the project. This is a final summary of all of the sections above ending with a statement of why it is important to conduct the research using the methodology proposed.	100-150
8. References and Resources: provide references to at least three research studies, government reports and/or industry reports using Harvard Referencing. Please note, websites are not acceptable resources for the purpose of the assignment.

Assessment 1: Part B Research Proposal

Due date:	10 May 2020
Group/individual:	Individual assignment
Word count:	4000 words
Weighting:	40%
Unit Learning Outcomes:	ULO-1, ULO-2, ULO-3, ULO-4
Course Learning Outcomes:	CLO-1, CLO-2, CLO-5, CLO-6, CLO-7, CLO-10

 Assignment Details:

Prepare a 4000 word research proposal to address your chosen research topic. There is a proposed structure and a recommendation for how long each section should be below. The recommended lengths of each section are approximate, and will vary depending on the research question you are proposing to investigate and the methodology you are proposing to use in your hypothetical research proposal.

Guideline for Preparing the Assignment

1. Abstract / Overview of the project. Point out the importance of the project, why it is being conducted, what the results are expected to show, and the significance of the findings. (~300 words, not included in word count, write it at the end)

2.    With reference to evidence, describe the research objectives. (~700 words)

3. Critically evaluate evidence. Describe and evaluate the evidence concerning the research topic. The aim is to provide a critique of existing work and identify gaps in knowledge and / or methodological weaknesses in existing research. You have limited space, and so are not expected to provide a comprehensive critique, but to evaluate a small number of appropriate, recent, peer

reviewed studies to demonstrate your skills in identifying and evaluating appropriate evidence.

(~1000 words) 

1. Identify and justify an area that requires further research. Based on your critical review, identify and justify an area that requires further research. (~300 words).
2. Pose a research question or a research hypothesis. This will be closely related to the content of your section on further research. The principal variables or issues being examined should be identified (~200 words).
3. Describe a hypothetical research study to answer the research question / test the research Remember, this is hypothetical. You do not have to actually be able to carry out the study, but you need to think about what you would need to carry out a study to answer your research question / test your hypothesis. (~1800 words in total, with sections as noted below).
4. Design / This section includes details of the research methodology to be used. Will this be a randomized controlled trial? A quasi-experimental design? A cross-sectional survey? A longitudinal design? A qualitative research study using focus groups? A qualitative research study using semi-structured interviews? A combination of these or something else entirely? In this section the aim is to accurately describe the characteristics of a research design / methodology that is capable of answering the research question / testing the hypothesis posed. (~500 words).
5. Details of participants. How many people will participate? What are their characteristics? Any inclusion / exclusion criteria? How will the sample be recruited? Identify the sampling (~300 words).
6. Description of materials / measures. This may include tests, surveys, questions to be used in a semi-structured interview, or many other things. The measures need to be consistent with the methodology described at 6(a). (~500 words).
7. Data Analysis. Describe the proposed analysis strategy briefly. (~250 words).
8. Ethical issues. This section describes the ethical issues that need to be considered in the For example, how you would ensure that participation is voluntary and that people who participate provide informed consent? (~250 words).

f.           Reference list. (not included in the word count)

When preparing your research proposal please keep in mind that you are being assessed as a level 9 AQF student. This means that your report must:

(a)    Follow the accepted conventions for writing academic reports in terms of writing style and referencing;

• Demonstrate your ability to critically review evidence and draw conclusions based on your evaluation.

Students are advised to use the criteria for assessment below in writing up their Research Proposals. The Research Proposals is to be written in academic format and use Harvard referencing.

There are many resources available to assist you in improving your writing style provided on the Student Lounge and by consulting an Academic Enhancement Team staff member.

Assessment 1 Part C: Research Proposal Presentation

Due date:	14 May 2020
Group/individual:	Individual assignment
Word count:	NA
Weighting:	20%
Unit Learning Outcomes:	ULO-1, ULO-2, ULO-3, ULO-4
Course Learning Outcomes:	CLO-1, CLO-2, CLO-5, CLO-6, CLO-7, CLO-10