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Revised Guidelines For Proposal and Dissertation Writing For Uganda Management Institute
Revised Guidelines For Proposal and Dissertation Writing For Uganda Management Institute
Revised Guidelines For Proposal and Dissertation Writing For Uganda Management Institute
TO: SENATE
SEPTEMBER, 2018
0
Foreword
This document presents the revised guidelines for proposal and dissertation writing for
Uganda Management Institute. Uganda Management Institute aims at producing
graduates of high international standards, who are able to compete both locally and
internationally for positions and successfully implement high quality research and publish
findings. It is therefore imperative for s to undertake research of high quality. The
institute instituted guidelines for proposal and dissertation writing to harmonise the
conduct of research by Masters s at Uganda Management Institute. However, over time,
gaps were identified in the guidelines which called for their review. Specifically, the
guidelines had structural gaps and were mainly skewed to the quantitative research
approach. In an effort to address the guidelines and ensure that they effectively guide
proposal and dissertation writing, the Institute took a step to review the guidelines.
I wish to extend my gratitude to the team members who participated in the review and
shared constructive ideas that guided the review. I call upon both the candidates and the
supervisors to adhere to these guidelines. I remain highly optimistic that the new revised
guidelines will effectively guide proposal and dissertation towards improving the quality
of Masters Researches at Uganda Management Institute
____________________________
Signed
James L. Nkata
Chairperson Senate
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDELINES ...................................................................... 1
PART I: PROPOSAL GUIDELINES .................................................................................
1
DEFINITION OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL .................................................................
1
PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL .................................................................
1
PRELIMINARY PAGES.................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................
6
1.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................
6
1.2 Background to the Study ...........................................................................................
7
1.2 Problem statement .....................................................................................................
8
1.3 Objectives of the study ..............................................................................................
8
1.3.1 General objective or purpose of the study .............................................................
8
1.3.2 Specific Objectives ................................................................................................
9
1.4 Research Questions ...................................................................................................
9
1.5 Hypotheses of the study ..........................................................................................
10
1.6 Justification of the study .........................................................................................
11
1.7 Significance of the study .........................................................................................
11
1.8 Scope of the study ...................................................................................................
12
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................
13
2
2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................
14
2.2 Theoretical review .................................................................................................. 14
2.3 Conceptual review/Conceptual framework .............................................................
15
2.4 Review according to objectives…………………………………………………...16
2.5 Summary of the literature review ........................................................................... 17
CHAPTER THREE: METHODLOGY ............................................................................
19
3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................
19
3.2 Research Design ......................................................................................................
19
3.3 Study population .....................................................................................................
20
3.4 Sample size determination ......................................................................................
20
3.5 Sampling techniques and procedure .......................................................................
20
3.6 Data collection methods ..........................................................................................
21
3.7 Data collection instruments .....................................................................................
21
3.7 Validity and reliability ............................................................................................
21
3.8.1 Validity and reliability for quantitative research .................................................
21
3.8.2 Validity and reliability for qualitative research ...................................................
22
3.10 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................
23
3.11 Ethical Clearance ..................................................................................................
23
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 24
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................
24
3
Appendix 1: Work plan .....................................................................................................
24
Appendix 2: Budget ..........................................................................................................
25 PART II: DISSERTATION
GUIDELINES ..................................................................... 27
1. COVER PAGE ..............................................................................................................
27
2. THE PRELIMINARIES ...............................................................................................
29
3. THE MAIN TEXT BODY ............................................................................................
30
4. DESCRIPTION AND STRUCTURE OF THE CHAPTERS .....................................
31
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................
31
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................................
31
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................... 31
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF
FINDINGS ....................................................................................................................
32
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................................................................................
38
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 39
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................
40
APA CITATION GUIDE .................................................................................................
41
4
INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDELINES
These revised guidelines for proposal and dissertation writing are intended to harmonise
the conduct of research by candidates and supervision at Uganda Management Institute.
The guidelines are structured into two main parts. The first part provides a guide to
writing a master‟s research proposal while the second part provides guidance on writing a
dissertation. As a matter of structure, the guidelines identify the chapters and sections or
sub-chapters for inclusion in a research proposal or dissertation. Under each section or
sub-chapter, the focus in terms of content for inclusion is provided with a clear rationale.
1
researcher can build on existing knowledge and take her/his point of departure for the
Masters research from an informed point of view.
A well-researched proposal should take not more than three months to complete and
present considering that most of the Masters participants are full time employees. The 20
pages include the main text body (excluding title page, table of contents, list of tables and
figures, list of abbreviations, and appendices) but include the references.
PRELIMINARY PAGES
The cover page should have the following: Title/topic of the study (whose words should
not exceed 20), participant‟s names and registration number centred below the names,
names and titles of supervisors, statement about the purpose of the proposal e.g. This is a
proposal submitted to the School of (specify the school you belong to) in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Masters‟ Degree say in (specify
masters) of Uganda Management Institute. Note that the year and month keep changing
as the period progresses.
2
Dedication (optional) Acknowledgements, the Table of content, List of tables, List of
Figures, List of Appendices and Acronyms respectively. A detailed description of these is
provided in the dissertation guidelines section of this document.
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF DECENTRALIZATION IN UGANDA: THE UNFINISHED
BUSINESS
By:
Grace Ayebale
Reg. NUMBER
Supervisors:
A Proposal submitted to the School of (Specify the school where you belong) in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Master‟s Degree in (Specify degree) of
Uganda
Management Institute
August, 2017
Note:
The title/topic should accurately reflect the scope and content of the study. It should be
between 15-20 words. It should be descriptive yet discrete and the key words in the topic
3
should be the key study variables. Note that a title can have more than one independent
variable or more than one dependent variable. It may have two main parts namely; the
main title and sub-title. It may also directly relate to the case study without the sub-title.
The following examples show the main title and sub-title.
4
Table of Contents page
The words TABLE OF CONTENTS are in capital letters and bold print and
centred on top of the page. The word page is justified to the right. The content page(s)
lists all headings and sub-headings and the pages where they appear.
5
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
The title of the first chapter in a proposal is the introduction. While some institutions may
prefer to call it Background to the study, at Uganda Management Institute, it is referred to
as „INTRODUCTION‟. The title should be centred and in capital letters. The first
chapter also needs to be introduced, hence a need for another introduction of the
„INTRODUCTION‟. The introduction (1.1 above) articulates what the study is about,
the key variables of the study and how the chapter is organised. Participants may have
variations in the way they introduce their chapter based on the study area and information
available. As a guide, the introduction should reflect the issues under investigation and
for quantitative studies, the variables and dimensions should be reflected.
b) What is already known or has already been done? Mention work done in the past
on the same or a related issue
c) What is the gap in 2(a) this dissertation will fill? This is often introduced with a
contrastive term such as: but, yet, however, nevertheless, on the other hand,
rather, (etc.). While and although etc. are also contras1ve and can be used.
d) Turn attention to this dissertation. This means explaining how it will fill the gap,
and in any case should match the gap. Can even introduce the objectives/research
questions here
e) Give a detail about the chapter. Any detail that will help readers understand where
the chapter will be taking them,
This chapter will cover the background to the study, the statement of the problem, the
purpose or general objectives (which ever is appropriate), the objectives of the study, the
research questions, the hypotheses, the scope of the study, the significance, justification
and operational definition of terms and concepts. It is sometimes possible to begin with
the background to the study without this introduction to the chapter (Note: the whole
introduction may take a minimum of one page and a maximum of two pages).
6
1.2 Background to the Study
The background to the study section presents the rationale providing evidence and
conditions of the existing situation to make the reader feel the urgency of the problem and
the need to study it in order to solve it or contribute to its solution. The background must
demonstrate mastery of the subject to be investigated by the candidate. The section must
demonstrate that the candidate is aware of the historical evolution and theoretical
developments of the study area. It must be coherently and carefully written.
While different authors recommend different strategies of how this background can be
written and it is incumbent upon the participant to check which of these strategies is
applicable, for uniformity of style, candidates at UMI shall develop their background
section systematically demonstrating their knowledge of the historical, theoretical,
conceptual and contextual elements of the study respectively. This part like other sections
should be written in a scholarly language demonstrating mastery of the area of
investigation.
At the end of conceptual background, key concepts to be used in the study have to be
clearly defined. The definitions shall be operational and not necessarily based on
dictionary definitions. Mugenda and Mugenda (1999) suggest that it is advisable that
dependent and independent variables in the study are defined operationally. This means
that the researcher should state how the variables will be measured in a particular study.
For example, a variable like income can be operationally defined as „the amount of
money earned by the household head through salary and other sources per month‟.
Sekaran (2003) reports that operationalising or operationally defining a concept to render
it measurable is done by looking at the behavioural dimensions, facets, or properties
denoted by the concept. These are then translated into observable and measurable
elements so as to develop an index of measurement of the variable. In the quantitative
research process, Amin (2005) suggests that operationalization is an important and
indispensable stage. It is based on the principle of operationalism that suggests that a
concept is identical with its measurement. The background shall as a guide have a
7
minimum of 600 words, but may exceed depending on the facts the candidate has
accessed.
Reference should be made to the problem that has been detected and needs either a
theoretical and practical solution, or both, the nature of the problem and its known or
estimated magnitude or extent should be clearly stated where practically possible.
Candidates are guided to rely on the use of facts like statistical information or citations
from known authorities in the candidate‟s field of research in a brief, specific and concise
manner. Such facts may be used to highlight the magnitude or extent of the problem.
Major previous researches undertaken on the subject should be cited (where applicable in
case of theoretical problems). This will enable the candidate to indicate the gaps in the
knowledge and justify the need for the proposed study. For quantitative research, the
variable(s) and the relationships / issue(s) that will be investigated should be defined.
8
investigated and what the researcher hopes to achieve by carrying out the proposed study.
For qualitative studies, the objectives may be merely descriptive, not involve more than
one variable and therefore need not to reflect any variable relationships. It should include
words to indicate the intent of the study. The candidate should start with „The purpose, or
objective, or intent of the study is.....‟. As Cresswell (2009) recommends, identify the
independent and dependent variables, as well as any mediating, moderating or control
variables used in the study and use words that connect the independent and dependent
variables...‟.
9
questions may precede the construction of the conceptual/theoretical framework, in other
cases it may follow it (Sarantakos 1998). In the UMI Structure, the research questions
follow immediately after the research objectives and the number of research questions
should correspond to that of the research objectives in all cases. To this end, a general or
overall research question should be provided in lign with the general objective or purpose
of the study. This should be followed by the specific research questions which are set to
be explored under the general or overall question. Some qualitative researchers
recommend that research questions may be used only instead of the objectives. For
example, Cresswell (2009) suggests that in a qualitative study, inquirers state research
questions, not objectives (i.e specific goals of the research or hypotheses (i.e predictions
that involve variables and statistical tests). These research questions he suggests assume
two forms: a central question and associated sub questions. The central question is a
broad question that asks for an exploration of the central phenomenon or concept in a
study. The inquirer poses question, consistent with the emerging methodology of
qualitative research, as a general issue so as not to limit the inquiry. However, as a guide,
both shall be used at UMI, regardless whether or not the candidate is proposing to
undertake a purely qualitative study.
The nature of research questions will determine the choice of research approach to take.
The study questions of “why” and “how” will dictate dictate use of qualitative approach
while “what” will dictate use of quantitative or mixed methods approach. The research
question of “to what extent” will dictate use of quantitative approach
10
1998). For studies containing a quantitative approach and intending to test a link between
variables, hypotheses shall be included for the general or overall question and for the
specific questions.
The inclusion of hypotheses in the proposal is influenced by the nature of the study. For
example, as a guide, if the study is qualitative or exploratory i.e seeking to answer
questions of “why” and “how”, hypotheses shall not be required as data collected shall
not be analyzed statistically. However, for quantitative studies, the hypotheses must be
presented in addition to the research questions. For all studies that have a quantitative
orientation; depending on how the objectives are stated, the questions to be answered
(what, why, how) and the design of the study, among others, the candidate shall present
testable hypotheses. It is recommended that alternative directional or non-directional
hypotheses are formulated as opposed to hypotheses in a null form. The hypotheses shall
either be the same number as the research questions (recommended), or shall be more or
less. Candidates must understand the philosophy behind this reasoning. As a guide, the
hypotheses should be presented immediately after the research questions, unlike in
journal articles where hypotheses may be placed within or after the literature review.
11
1.8 Scope of the study
The scope should include geographical, time and content scope. It provides for the
boundary or limits of the research in terms of content (i.e. independent and dependent
variables to be investigated), geographical area and time span of the research. Scientific
justification should be provided for limiting the study to the defined scope
12
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
• What has been done in this topic area to date? What are the significant discoveries, key
concepts, arguments, and/or theories that scholars have put forward? Which are the
important works?
13
• On which particular areas of the topic has previous research concentrated? Have there
been developments over time? What theories, principles or models have been advanced in
the previous studies? What methodologies have been used?
• Are there any gaps in the research? Are there areas that have not been looked at closely
yet, but which should be? Are there new ways/trends of looking at the topic?
• Are there improved methodologies for researching this subject?
• What future directions should research in this subject take?
• How will your research either build on or depart from current and previous research on
the topic? What contribution will your research make to the field?
The length of a literature review varies depending on its purpose and audience. In a
proposal or dissertation, the review is usually a full chapter (at least 8 pages), but for an
assignment it may only be a few pages. As a guide, candidates shall organize this chapter
as follows:
1.1 Introduction
The introduction should tell the reader how the chapter is arranged and how the review is to be
organised. The rationale of the study, the sources of literature and the procedure and purpose of
literature review should be stated and briefly discussed by the candidate in this introduction.
14
2.3 Conceptual review/Conceptual framework
This section will depend on how chapter one is done. If the candidate takes the funnel
approach, then he will be expected to have this section and the conceptual framework
here in chapter two. However, if the candidate choose to do it by separating the
Historical, theoretical conceptual and contextual perspectives, then this section is not
needed for it is redundant.
A conceptual framework is the researcher‟s own position on the problem and gives
direction to the study. It may be an adaptation of a model used in a previous study, with
modifications to suit the inquiry. Aside from showing the direction of the study, through
the conceptual framework, the researcher can be able to show the relationships of the
different constructs that s/he wants to investigate. Once the conceptual framework has
been determined, the next task for the researcher is to determine what research methods
to employ to best answer the research questions through the proposed framework.
The candidate should end up summarising the conceptualisation in a matrix; like this one
Concept/ Construct/dimension Classical Operationalization Source
variable definition/s from
literature
It is not mandatory that every study must have a moderator or intervening variable, as this
depends on the facts in the real world and logic as well as the candidate‟s own
conceptualisation. Inclusion of such variables (moderator or intervening variables)
demands that the candidates must test their effects in the study. It is also not mandatory
that every study should have a conceptual framework. For qualitative or exploratory
studies where variables are not predictable but rather could emerge from the study, a
conceptual framework is not necessary.
2.4 Review according to objectives (please do not include this subheading in this chapter but
rather state the actual theme of the literature review).
A literature review highlights specific arguments and ideas in a field of study. By
highlighting these arguments, the researcher attempts to show what has been studied in
the field, and also where the weaknesses, gaps, or areas needing further study are. The
review should therefore also demonstrate to the reader why the research is useful,
necessary, important, and valid. There are several ways to organize and structure a
literature review. The most commonly used are the chronological and thematic structures.
Chronological:
In a chronological review, you will group and discuss your sources in order of their
appearance (usually publication), highlighting the changes in research in the field and
your specific topic over time. This method is useful for papers focusing on research
methodology, historiographical papers, and other writing where time becomes an
important element. For example, a literature review on theories of public administration,
or corporate governance might present how the understanding of the discipline of public
administration or corporate governance has evolved through the centuries, by giving a
series of examples of key developments and concluding with current theories and the
direction your research will take.
16
Thematic:
In a thematic review, you will group and discuss your sources in terms of the themes or
topics they cover. This method is often organizationally stronger than the
aforementioned, and it can help you resist the urge to summarize your sources. By
grouping themes or topics of research together, you will be able to demonstrate the types
of topics that are important to your research. This may involve formulating themes out of
the study objectives and reviewing literature objective by objective. This is the approach
which is recommended at UMI.
These guidelines recommend that the literature review should be done objective-
byobjective. Each objective should be given a theme that should reflect both variables of
the study and appropriate literature reviewed. The candidate will decide on sub-headings
in accordance with the research objectives. The literature review should focus on the
themes of the study and should inform the objectives and methodology of the study.
Citations should be included in the text, indicating author and year of publication in
accordance with the approved format e.g. (Mukasa, 2000 pg). Quotations should include
the page (s) where the quotations appear to be direct e.g. (Nuwagaba, 2000 pg). All other
details of the citations are included in the reference section. UMI currently follows the
APA STYLE. The review should be critical and use of current journal articles rather than
textbooks is recommended. The themes should also correspond to the research questions
and or objectives. At the end of each review, the candidate is expected to hypothesize,
identify gaps or derive assumptions that guide the study. For a given idea, first discuss
common strands in the literature, then departures.
The candidate should identify the key lessons learnt from the literature review. The major
trends, and most importantly the gaps that have been identified in the literature which the
study intends to address have to be highlighted in the summary section. The candidate
also has to summarise the key ideas that may inform his/her study
17
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
candidate to come up with the research results. The chapter should be structured as
follows:
3.1 Introduction
This should tell the reader what is contained in the methodology chapter and how the
chapter is to be arranged. It should give the rationale of the chapter and a brief highlight
on the aspects of methodology presented in the chapter
The choice of a particular design needs to be justified and the candidate after articulating
the design must state in precise approach (es) that will be used in the study. The choice
can be either qualitative or quantitative or a mixed methods approach and whatever
choice is made must be explained and justified.
18
3.3 Study population
This is the description of the population and its objects/elements from which samples will
be drawn. A distinction or comparison could be made between a target and accessible
population and the researcher must state the exact or estimated population from which the
sample will be selected. All categories of the likely population to be studied must be
presented and their numbers appropriately given citing source.
19
In terms of content and structure, the section should identify the specific sampling
technique, justify the appropriateness of the techniques for the study citing relevant
research methods literature and briefly describe how the technique will be applied.
20
to perform exactly the same experiment, under the same conditions and generate the same
results. This will reinforce the findings and ensure that the wider scientific community
will accept the dissertation. Without this replication of statistically significant results, the
experiment and research have not fulfilled all of the requirements of testability. This
prerequisite is essential to a dissertation establishing itself as an accepted scientific truth.
Validity encompasses the entire experimental concept and establishes whether the results
obtained meet all of the requirements of the scientific research method. For example,
there must have been randomization of the sample groups and appropriate care and
diligence shown in the allocation of controls. Internal validity dictates how an
experimental design is structured and encompasses all of the steps of the scientific
research method. Even if your results are great, a sloppy and inconsistent design will
compromise your integrity in the eyes of the scientific community. Internal validity and
reliability are at the core of any experimental design.
The study should demonstrate how validity and reliability will be ensured bearing in mind
the approach taken. Qualitative will require different measures from quantitative
approaches. Either way, the measures proposed should be described with focus on how
such methods will be applied.
The author is expected to demonstrate the methods employed to ensure validity and
reliability indicating their fitness for purpose and how they were applied. For qualitative
research, reliability concerns consistency with tolerance to a margin of variability
provided the methodology and epistemological logistics consistently yield data that are
ontologically similar but may differ in richness and ambience (Thomson, 2011; Brink,
1993; Carcary, 2015). Validity under the qualitative paradigm is thoroughly
conceptualized into five dimensions i.e. descriptive, interpretive, theoretical,
generalizability and evaluative validity (Maxwell 1992) although other dimensions are
identified. Descriptive validity concerns the accuracy or credibility or the ability of the
data to reflect what the participant said at collection, transcription and reporting (Ibid).
21
Notably, descriptive validity forms the base on which all other forms of validity are built.
Theoretical validity concerns the validity of the researcher‟s concepts and the theorized
relationships brought to and constructed from the study in a specific phenomenon.
Generalizability concerns the ability to apply the theory resulting from the study –
universally which is also regarded as “transferability. Auerbach & Silverman (2003) and
Maxwell (1992) observe that qualitative research deals with concepts and idiosyncratic
characteristics of respondents which restricts application of findings or theory to a similar
group. Interpretive validity concerns how well the researcher reports the participants‟
meaning of views, events, objects and/or behaviours (Maxwell, 1992).
22
harnessing the benefits of research while ensuring that the rights, interests, values and
welfare of people who take part in the research are not compromised The guidelines
further provide a definition of research involving Humans as follows; (i) a Clinical
investigations, that is, any experiment or study on one or more persons, which involves a
test product/ article, whether a drug, treatment, procedure, or device; (ii) Socialbehavioral
studies, which involve interaction with or observation of people;(iii) basic scientific
research to study biology of persons or organs and specimens thereof; as s well as (iv)
systematic collection, storage and analysis of data on humans. The ethical principles to be
respected include; respect for persons, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice
REFERENCES
This is a list of all works cited in the proposal and should be written according to the
APA format, which is summarised in Appendix 4.
Appendix 3: Budget
23
A budget for conducting the study should be included at the end of the proposal. The
budget consists the amount of activities and items that are necessary to carryout the
research. This is optional for the Masters proposal because UMI does not fund candidate
research. However, where a candidate is to indicate it, it shows the financial plan and
financial resources needed for the implementation of the research. It should be clear and
reasonable (affordable) and preferably activity-based. It should be itemized according to
an acceptable format (e.g. of the funder). For the Masters proposal the following format is
acceptable.
Photocopying
Report Production (Printing and Binding)
Other Expenses (Specify)
The following are general remarks that must be observed for in a master‟s proposal at
Uganda Management Institute:
i. The proposal should be 20 pages of main text body (excluding title page, table of
contents, list of tables and figures, list of abbreviations and appendices) but including
the list of references). It excludes the appendices. A variance of about 5 pages is
acceptable.
ii. The proposal must be formatted with a font size of 12 and double spaced lines.
iii. The title page should clearly indicate, the title, author, supervisors, the purpose of the
proposal and the month and year of submission
24
iv. All figures and tables must have a title (i.e. Figure 1: The Conceptual Framework)
and indicate the source (i.e. Source: Adapted from Amin, 2005). Figure titles and
numbers should be below while table numbers and titles should be above. Other
qualifications obtained may be indicated where applicable
25
PART II: DISSERTATION GUIDELINES
The final and very important stage in a research study is to write its report here in called
the dissertation. The report is a means of communicating the experiences of the
research to others and adding them to the knowledge bank. A report therefore is a
formal statement of the research process and its results. It narrates the problem studied,
methods used for studying it, the findings and the conclusions as well as the
recommendations made. The main aim of the report is to convey to the reader what was
done, how it was done, why it was done, and what its outcome was. The dissertation is
a detailed account of the study. A dissertation shall range between 50-100 pages and
shall be formatted with a font size of 12 and double spaced using Times New Roman.
As a guide, at Uganda Management Institute, the dissertation should be structured to
cover:
1. COVER PAGE
The title page should have the title of the dissertation in CAPITALS; full names of the
researcher; a statement that the dissertation is submitted to the school of (specify the
school where you belong) in partial fulfilment of the award of the degree of Masters in
(specify the masters and specialization) of Uganda Management Institute; the month
and year of submission (see the following hypothetical example).
By
................................
Reg: NUMBER
.....................................
26
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND
MANAGEMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTERS DEGREE IN MANAGEMENT
SCIENCE (PROC. AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT)
OF UGANDA MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
SEPTEMBER, 2017
2. THE PRELIMINARIES
The preliminary pages which are to be numbered in roman numerals consist of the
following:
Declaration
This is a pronouncement by the candidate that his/her study is original and has not been
published and/or submitted for any other degree award to any other university or
institution of higher learning before. The researcher must sign it. The declaration must
also state that the dissertation has been submitted for examination with the approval of
the supervisor(s) and carry their signature(s) and date.
27
Approval
The supervisors who oversaw the candidate through the research process must sign the
dissertation as a proof that the submission is authorised. In case there is a sharp
disagreement between the candidate and the supervisor, or the supervisor for one
reason or another is not accessible by the candidate and time of submission is of
particular significance, the head of higher degrees may sign on behalf of the supervisor.
Dedication (optional)
The candidate may wish to dedicate his/her work to a specific person or a number of
people. If this is the case, the name(s) must be indicated. However, including a
dedication is optional.
Acknowledgement
The acknowledgement entails recognition of supervisor(s), mentors, colleagues,
individuals, sponsors and institutions, which supported the research.
Table of Contents
This is the list of headings, subheadings and their corresponding page numbers. It must
include all sections and sub-sections of the report, starting with the declaration and
ending with a list of appendices.
28
Abstract
The abstract is a short summary of the complete content of the study (never exceed one
page). It should contain answers to the following questions:
What was the study about and what were the research objectives or questions?
How did you go about answering the research questions?
What did you find out in response to your research objectives or questions?
What conclusions did you draw regarding your research questions and what are
the key recommendations?
The abstract should be objective, precise and easy to read. Much as it appears here, it is
written after the entire dissertation. It should not exceed one page
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
The introduction (chapter I) should give a comprehensive overview of the entire research
dissertation highlighting the following:
• Introduction
• Background to the study
• Statement of the problem
• Purpose of the study
• Objectives of the study
29
• Research questions, hypotheses
• Conceptual Review/Framework (May appear in chapter two as well)
• Scope of the study
• Significance of the study
• Justification of the study
• Operational definition of terms and concepts
This section varies as a function of the type of study planned. The section presents the
data and statistical analysis without discussing the implications of the results. The
researcher is expected to present all relevant findings including those that do not agree
30
with the study hypotheses. The section should be clear and concise. There should not be
too much explaining or justifying of the findings (reserve that for the discussion
section).
For studies with a qualitative component, the candidate should also present the general
trend of qualitative evidence/views on each variable or major aspect or issue
investigated. The emerging themes from the participants‟ voices should be highlighted
and key verbatim quoted in support of the trends identified. This should be followed
with an interpretation of the qualitative views and verbatim to draw general trends with
respect to the variable or issue investigated. Notably, this sub-section for a study with a
qualitative approach or component should be adequately detailed as it can lead to
conclusions
32
statistics preferably summarized in the table which should be clearly interpreted with
the aim to identify statistical significance of the values/statistics presented and the
implication on the decision/conclusion on the hypodissertation.
Tables/figures
These should supplement the text. The tables should be discussed while focusing on the
most important points in the text. Good tables should;
a) Be Numbered, e.g. Table 4.2. when referring to the table use phrases such
as” results in Table 4.2 indicate that…..” and not “the table below or
above”
b) Be given a heading. Capitalize the first letter of the first word of all heading
words. Do not italicize the heading!
c) Be kept within the page margins
d) Have clear and organized data
e) Have as few lines as possible
f) Be separated from the next line of text by one line.
g) All tables and figures must be titled. The title of the table should appear above the
table while that of the figure should be below the figure Example –for
Quantitative findings
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Female 290 31.0
Q3. Length of years in the school Less than 3 years 175 18.7
3 to 10 years 554 59.4
Results in Table 1 show that more male teachers (69.0%) participated in the study as
compared to their female counterparts (31.0%). This suggests a gender disparity in
employment of teachers in public secondary schools with more male teachers being
employed compared to females. The results also show that the majority of the teachers
(77.7%) in the sample had the requisite qualification (at least a Bachelor‟s degree) to
teach at secondary school level. This shows that the teachers involved were
knowledgeable in the context of the study. In relation to numbers of years spent in the
schools, findings in Table 1 show that majority of the sampled teachers (81.3 %) had
taught for more than three years in their respective schools. This indicated that the
respondents had long standing cognate experience in serving as teachers. Results in the
same table further reveal that of the teachers who participate in the study, 36% of them
were science teachers while 64% were arts teachers. This implies that there are fewer
science teachers working in the public secondary schools in Uganda as compared to
their arts counterparts.
believe that the OPA can improve performance in the ministries; they lack a sense of
duty to work towards implementation of the OPA; and they do not consider it as an
Text
The textual presentation should supplement the information given in the tables rather
than duplicate them.
Graphs/charts
If graphs are use, they should have the following features:
a) A title/heading
b) Labeled axes
c) Indication of source of the information
d) Sometimes the date the data was collected is stated
e) Black on a white background
35
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
In this part of the report, the researcher provides a comprehensive summary of the
entire research project, discusses the results/findings (exploiting cross-referencing,
making reference to the literature and giving personal opinions) draws conclusions, and
makes recommendations based on the findings. The summary reminds the reader about
the purpose of the study (what you set out to do), the process used to collect and
analyse the data (what you did) as well as the major findings (what you found out). In
36
summarising the results, the researcher should avoid undue repetition which has the
potential to irritate the readers. It is advisable not to restate the results exactly as in
Chapter Four. Instead, the researcher should focus on the big picture of what the results
are about. The summary of findings should reflect on the qualitative and quantitative
findings where the mixed methods approach is used.
The discussion compares the research findings with the existing literature that was
reviewed in Chapter Three and allows for the researcher to give his/her position. The
discussion should be logically structured so as to start with the interpretation of the
major findings and the patterns in the data collected, and gravitate towards
contextualising the findings in the general field. Since the researcher will always have
more than one result, the discussion should be organised along a series of discussion
cycles. As is usually the case, your result either agrees with (corroborates), extends,
refines, or is at odds with previous studies. While discussing the findings, the
researcher should therefore explain how the results agree or disagree with other studies
and other related theories. Where the findings are at odds with previous studies, the
researcher should try to explain why he/she thinks this is so. Where appropriate, the
main findings should be interpreted and related to practice. The discussion is the heart
of the dissertation and must be more than descriptive. The discussion should put into
consideration the qualitative and quantitative findings identifying consistencies and
explaining any controversies in findings between the two approaches
Conclusions are the main discoveries of a study based on logical deductions from the
findings (and the discussions) both quantitative and qualitative in case where the mixed
methods approach is used. They should be aligned to each objective of the study. The
conclusions should address the wider understanding of the issue you have studied.
Conclusions are not the same as findings and should not simply be restatements of
findings from Chapter Four. A conclusion should be broader and more encompassing
than a specific finding; and several findings may be incorporated into one conclusion. It
is also probable that one finding might give rise to several conclusions (although this is
somewhat less common). Conclusions should be stated in present tense.
The researcher should make practical recommendations and applications of the research
findings. The recommendations should be logical (derive from the conclusions),
relevant (meet the purpose and scope of the study), and feasible (must be practical and
37
workable). Furthermore, the recommendations should be brief, clear and precise.
Recommendations for practice should be prescriptive in nature and should address what
should be done by practitioners or policy makers in terms of practice and policy.
This Chapter should also contain the limitations of the study, the contributions(s) of the
study, and areas for further research. The limitations should focus on what is
considered to be the gaps left out by the study and therefore need further investigation
through research. On the other hand, the contributions should hinge on gaps in
previous studies that the study has filled. Finally, in the recommending the areas for
further research, the researcher should identify other interesting questions that should
be addressed on the research topic.
REFERENCES
This is a list of all works cited in the proposal and dissertation, and should be written
according to the APA format, which is summarised in Appendix I. All documents that
were cited in the text MUST appear in the references and the appropriate citation style
has to be followed. Credit should be given to authors of all works cited in the report. A
reference gives the name of the author, the year of publication, the title of the book or
journal and the publisher.
APPENDICES
This contains the information that the researcher does not deem necessary to include in
the main body of the report. These are things that make the report unnecessarily long
and non-value adding and appending them is the only option. These may include
instruments used, statistical tables, correspondence related to the study, maps, etc.
38
Appendix 4: APA Citation Guide
REFERENCE LIST
APA style requires that an alphabetical listing of the sources actually used and
cited be placed at the end of the proposals or dissertations. Some of the general
features of APA style are:
• The first line of each citation begins flush left, and the second and
subsequent lines are indented five spaces. (This is called a "hanging
indent.") .
• Only initials are used for authors' first and middle names. Names are
inverted: Miller, J. K
• Single spaces separate each element.
• Citations are arranged alphabetically by authors' last names; works by the
same author are in alphabetical order. If the author is unknown,
alphabetisation is by the first word of the title.
• Only the first letter of the first word of the title of books and articles is
capitalized, with the exception of proper nouns. The first word of subtitles
(after a colon) is also capitalized.
Books
• The city and state in which the publisher is located are included, using United
States postal codes to abbreviate states. However, the state (and/or country) is
omitted for major cities and for university presses that include the name of the
state. If more than one location is listed, the first is use
• Book titles are italicized
No author
World development report (1989). New York: Oxford University Press
One author
Perloff, R. M. (1995). The dynamics of persuasion. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
Two or more authors (up to six authors)
Shain, Y., & Linz, J. J. (1995). Between states: Interim governments and
democratic transitions. New York: Cambridge University Press.
39
Book other than first edition
Abbott, C. (1982). Colorado: A history of the Centennial State (Rev. ed.). Boulder:
Colorado Associated University Press.
Workers Press.
Periodical Articles
• The title of the periodical is italicized, but the title of the article is
not.
• The first letter of each word of the periodical title is capitalized
(except for prepositions and articles).
• The volume number of the periodical is italicized.
40
Washington Post, pp. B1, B3, B5-B7.U.S. trade deficit. (1994, August 19). The Wall
Street Journal (Eastern ed.), p. A1.
Encyclopedia Articles
Signed article
Tracy, J. D. (1993). Erasmus. In The new encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 18, pp.
489-491). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica.
Unsigned article
Right of asylum. (1995). In Academic American Encyclopedia (Vol. 16, p. 222).
Danbury, CT: Grolier.
Audiovisual Materials
• Persons primarily responsible for the item are named; their roles
are identified in parentheses after their names.
• The medium, placed in brackets, is supplied after the title. Media
designations include [Audio recording], [CD] (for music CD), and
[Motion picture] for both film and videotape.
Videotape
Weir, P. B. (Producer), & Harrison, B. F. (Director). (1992). Levels of
consciousness [Videotape]. Boston: Filmways.
Audio recording
Carter, B. (Speaker). (1977). The growth of English [Audio Recording]. New York:
Audio Associates.
Electronic Publications
APA guidelines for online sources are subject to frequent updating. For the most
current information, check Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the
APA at http://www.apa.org/journals/webref.html
Electronic Book
Humm, M. (1997). Feminism and film. Bloomington, IN: Edinburgh University
Press. Retrieved October 20, 2001 from University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Library, netLibrary Web site: http://www.netlibrary.com
Article from an Internet journal based on a print source (exact duplicate
with same page numbers)
Killingbeck, D. (2001). The role of television news in the construction of school
violence as "moral panic" [Electronic Version]. Journal of Criminal Justice and
Popular Culture, 8, 186-202.
41
Article from an Internet journal based on a print source (format
differs or page numbers are not indicated)
Killingbeck, D. (2001). The role of television news in the construction of school
violence as "moral panic." Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 8,
186-202. Retrieved October 30, 2001, from
http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol8is3/killingbeck.html
Daily newspaper article, electronic version available by search
Greenhouse, S., & Lipton, E. (2001, October 30). Possible anthrax case shuts
New York hospital. New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2001, from
http://www.nytimes.com
Article from Internet-only magazine
Saletan, W. (2001, October 17). The power of negative thinking. Slate.
Retrieved October 20, 2001, from http://slate.msn.com/framegame/entries/0110-
17_117527.asp
Periodical article retrieved from periodical database
Madukjok, J. (1999). Militarization and gender violence in South Sudan.
Journal of Asian & African Studies, 34, 427-442. Retrieved October 19, 2001,
from Academic Search Elite database.
Document retrieved from World Wide Web site
American Psychological Association. (1992, December 1). American
Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of
Conduct. Retrieved October 30, 2001, from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code.html
Basic form: Include author's surname (if not already mentioned in the text), and the
date:
42
Wasserstein et al. (1994) found...
Several studies (Balda, 1980; Kamil, 1988; Pepperbert & Funk, 1990) ...
Specific pages:
43
Acknowledgements
This acknowledgement goes to the review team of UMI staff including; Prof. Gerald
Karyeija, Dr. Lazarus Nabaho, Dr. Paul Malunda, Ms. Jennifer Aduwo and Mr. Fred
Alinda. In addition, members of the School Research Committee (SRCs), Senate
Subcommittee and Senate are commended for their valuable contributions in terms of
ideas which guided the review. Lastly the .Institute Research Center (IRC) team is
commended for managing and coordinating the review process.
44