Solent University

Coursework Assessment Brief

Assessment Details

Unit Title: Research Methods

Unit Code: MAA103
Unit Leader: Professor Chris Barlow
Level: 7
Assessment Title: Systematic Literature Review
Assessment Number: AE1
Assessment Type: Report
Restrictions on Time/Word Count: 2000 Words/10 pages (including references)
Consequence of not meeting time/word count
limit: It is essential that assignments keep within the time/word count
limit stated above. Any work beyond the maximum word
count/length permitted will be disregarded and not accounted for
in the final grade.

Individual/Group: Individual
Assessment Weighting: 40%
Issue Date: 5th October 2020
Hand in date: 27th November 2020 by 4pm
Feedback provided within: 4th January 2021
Mode of Submission: On-line via SOL
Number of copies to be submitted: Where on-line submission via ‘Solent Online Learning’ is used,
students are not required to submit a hard copy.
Anonymous Marking This assessment: Will be marked anonymously

Assessment Task

The literature review is an important piece of research in its own right. It is not a ‘background’, but
is a means of investigating a research question by interrogating published data. It allows the
investigator to examine the existing published research on a given topic, applying filters to the results
in order to analyse the current understanding of the scientific community on that topic according to a
particular set of criteria.

 For this assignment, the student will develop a research question in the field of a given topic
(listed below). This should be signed off as appropriate by a unit tutor before continuing onto
the main study.

 The student will then undertake a rapid review to answer the research question, using
appropriate methods to shorten the timeframe of the review process.

 This may take the approach of a systematic review or a scoping review They must justify the
use of the chosen type of review with relation to the research question being investigated.

 The student may opt to use a qualitative, quantitative or meta-analysis approach. The method
must be clearly stated and justified and underpinned with reference to theory.

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  The report will be produced and written in the style of a published conference paper or journal
article, and must follow the defined formatting guidelines and referencing style.

The report should be structured as per a conventional journal article or , with appropriate subheadings
and including an abstract of around 100-200 words.

The student must clearly explain the research method used to gather the information and any
protocols followed. The system used must be justified and supported by research theory. The
process must be clearly documented and repeatable, and it must be justified in terms of the criteria
for choosing particular databases, filtering of search terms and selection of the ‘relevant’ results.

Formatting:

In research showing your sources is particularly important, while for publication following formatting
guidelines is a key skill – without which your work will not get published. Quality of written
communication is also important, and these therefore form part of the assessment criteria.

In order to simulate a submission to a conference or journal, you have been given a set of formatting
guidelines (see Appendix A). All sources must be appropriately cited using the Harvard method and
the report must be structured as per the formatting guidelines, in particular keeping within the word
count AND page limit. Not doing so will have a negative effect on your grade.

You should not include appendices in this report.

Topics for study

 The student must choose a project from one of the following general research topics.

 Within this topic, the student must derive a specific research question from the broad topic
chosen, with a brief explanation of the rationale for choosing the proposed research question.

 Please note, as you are simulating the beginning of a research project you are expected to
undertake both the literature survey (Assignment one) and the Pilot study (Assignment two)
on the same overall topic.

MSc Applied Acoustics students should choose from the following topics

1. The effects of long term, low level noise exposure on people.

2. Environmental noise and animal populations.
3. Classification and analysis of historical musical instruments.
4. Measurement and prediction of low frequency behaviour in room acoustics.
5. Urban design to mitigate noise pollution.
6. Voice-based interaction with digital devices

MSc Applied Computing/MSc Cyber Security Engineering/MSc Computer Engineering/MSc Data

Analytics Engineering/MSc Digital Design should choose from the following topics:

1. Corporate and personal data security with home working.

2. Computing and mental health.
3. Social exclusion and technology.
4. Human rights and use of personal data inside and outside the EU.
5. UX Design for Big-Data Applications.

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6. Predictive User Experience.
7. Using an Ethnographical approach in interface design.
8. Gender and Digital Assistants.
9. Voice-based interaction with digital devices.
10. Use of big data in improving the quality of healthcare.
11. Blockchain - how the new disruptive technology is changing the future
12. Machine Learning/Deep Learning applications
13. Predictive Analytics - what will happen tomorrow e.g., stock prediction
DELIVERABLE

You should submit one copy online via SOL. It may be formatted using Microsoft Word, Pages, LaTex
or another word processing program, but the final submission must be in Adobe PDF format only, with
machine readable text (i.e. not saved as an image) excluding figures and references.

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Assessment criteria
F1-F3 (Fail)
Inappropriate or poorly
Introduction, Background expressed research
and Research Question question, little
K1, C1, T2 justification or
explanation.
Little or no clear evidence
Systematic approach to of structured search.
Literature Review Minimal evidence of
K1, C2, P1, T1 databases. Poor quality
or biased information.
Poor quality or limited
Results, Analysis and
results, Poorly or
Conclusion
inappropriately analysed
K1, C1, C2, P1, T1, T2
material.
Presentation of
information and data
sometimes unclear and
not in an appropriate
Structure and Quality of
format, with
Reporting
inconsistencies or errors
K1, T2
in style, format, written
English or referencing.
Minimal use of or failure
to acknowledge sources.
D1-D3 (Threshold)
Research question stated
but with a poor level of
justification and minimal
context.
Some apparent structure
to search but variable
databases and range of
quality of sources.
Problems with writing
structure, style or
citation.
Basic analysis of
information, with simple
conclusions, writing in an
appropriate academic
style.
Presentation of
information and data
mostly clear and in an
acceptable format,
with occasional
inconsistencies or minor
errors in style, format,
written English or
referencing with limited
range of sources.
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C1-C3 (Good) B1-B3 (Very Good)
Clear introduction, Very good research
appropriate research question, clearly
question derived from expressed, well explained
discussion of context and and justified from the
background. background research.
High quality literature
Good structure to search review with a well
with a wide range of structured search utilizing
sources. Clear writing a range of good
style and appropriate databases. Very good
citation. level of academic writing
clearly presents the data.
Detailed analysis of the
Good quality analysis of
body of literature, with
the body of literature,
high level of supporting
leading to justified
theory arriving at logical
conclusions which
conclusions with analysis
address the research
of the validity of the
question.
conclusion.
Presentation of Presentation of
information and data is information and data is
clear, in a satisfactory consistently clear and
format and style, with appropriate in style and
accurate referencing and format, with accurate and
clear and appropriate use high quality referencing
of technical English. and high quality writing.
A1-A4 (Excellent)
Excellent level of
justification and rationale
for a very clearly
expressed and
appropriate research
question.
Excellent, comprehensive
literature review,
covering all points and
producing clear, concise
summary with a very high
quality of academic
writing.
Comprehensive, high
quality analysis of the
body of literature.
Excellent quality
conclusion, taking into
account all parameters of
the study.
Clarity, style and format
of presentation of
information and data is
excellent Extensive and
wide-ranging use of highly
relevant sources to
support all elements and
a highly professional
written style.
Late Submissions

Students are reminded that:

I. If this assessment is submitted late i.e. within 5 working days of the submission deadline, the mark will
be capped at 40% if a pass mark is achieved;
II. If this assessment is submitted later than 5 working days after the submission deadline, the work will
be regarded as a non-submission and will be awarded a zero;
III. If this assessment is being submitted as a referred piece of work (second or third attempt) then it must
be submitted by the deadline date; any Refer assessment submitted late will be regarded as a non-
submission and will be awarded a zero.

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/assessment-regulations.pdf

Extenuating Circumstances

The University’s Extenuating Circumstances procedure is in place if there are genuine circumstances that may
prevent a student submitting an assessment. If students are not 'fit to study’, they can either request an
extension to the submission deadline of 5 working days or they can request to submit the assessment at the
next opportunity (Defer). In both instances students must submit an EC application with relevant evidence. If
accepted by the EC Panel there will be no academic penalty for late submission or non-submission dependent
on what is requested. Students are reminded that EC covers only short term issues (20 working days) and that
if they experience longer term matters that impact on learning then they must contact a Student Achievement
Officer for advice.

A summary of guidance notes for students is given below:

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/extenuating-circumstances.pdf

Academic Misconduct

Any submission must be students’ own work and, where facts or ideas have been used from other sources, these
sources must be appropriately referenced. The University’s Academic Handbook includes the definitions of all
practices that will be deemed to constitute academic misconduct. Students should check this link before
submitting their work.

Procedures relating to student academic misconduct are given below:

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/student-academic-misconduct.pdf

Ethics Policy

The work being carried out by students must be in compliance with the Ethics Policy. Where there is an ethical
issue, as specified within the Ethics Policy, then students will need an ethics release or an ethical approval prior
to the start of the project.

More information on ethics requirements for research and the Ethics policy can be found on the website:
https://www.solent.ac.uk/research-innovation-enterprise/researcher-support/research-integrity/information-
for-students

Grade marking

The University uses a letter grade scale for the marking of assessments. Unless students have been specifically
informed otherwise their marked assignment will be awarded a letter grade. More detailed information on grade
marking and the grade scale can be found on the portal and in the Student Handbook.

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Policy: https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/assessment-policy.pdf

Guidance for online submission through Solent Online Learning (SOL)

http://learn.solent.ac.uk/onlinesubmission

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