MSc Dissertation Module

QUAL 11012

Handbook for MSc Students and Supervisors

School of Computing Engineering and Physical Sciences

MSc Quality Management
MSc Project Management

May 2023

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Table of Contents
Accessibility statement ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Athena SWAN............................................................................................................................................................... 4
UWS Graduate Attributes ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Important Notes........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Useful Links .................................................................................................................................................................. 5
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Independent Learning .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Management Skills ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Self-Management................................................................................................................................................. 7
Time Management ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Managing the Research........................................................................................................................................ 7
Managing Relationships ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Resources Available to Help You.............................................................................................................................. 7
2. Why you are doing a research project ................................................................................................................. 8
Employability Skills ................................................................................................................................................... 8
Handling a Major Piece of Independent Work ........................................................................................................ 8
3. Project Supervision .............................................................................................................................................. 9
What students expect of their supervisors ........................................................................................................ 9
What supervisors expect of their research students ......................................................................................... 9
Checklist for students............................................................................................................................................. 11
Checklist for MSc supervisors ................................................................................................................................ 12
4. Procedures and Milestones ............................................................................................................................... 14
Taught Component ................................................................................................................................................ 14
What is a Dissertation? .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Topic Identification ................................................................................................................................................ 14
Initial Considerations ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Dissertation Types .................................................................................................................................................. 15
Ethics .......................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Timeline for student’s work ................................................................................................................................... 16
Research Milestones .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Resits and ECS ............................................................................................................................................................ 18
Resits ...................................................................................................................................................................... 18
ECS.......................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Thesis submission ...................................................................................................................................................... 19
Presentation submission ........................................................................................................................................ 19

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Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Marking Schemes ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix 2 ................................................................................................................................................................. 27
Module Descriptor ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
Appendix 3 ................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Common Research Pitfalls ......................................................................................................................................... 33
Appendix 4 ................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Presentation FAQs ..................................................................................................................................................... 36
Appendix 5 ................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Thesis Checklist .......................................................................................................................................................... 39

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Accessibility statement
UWS is committed to ensuring our material is as accessible as possible and are we are working to improve our
learning resources. This document is available as both a Microsoft Word document and a pdf file. Word
documents can be read aloud using Microsoft Speak, and pdf files can be read aloud using the Adobe Reader
software. If you have any problems accessing any of our resources, or would like to request an alternative
format, please contact the Centre for Professional Development: cpd@uws.ac.uk

Athena SWAN
The University of the West of Scotland has achieved Athena Swan Bronze accreditation. The Athena SWAN
charter (launched in 2005) evolved from work between the Athena Project and the Scientific Women’s Academic
Network (SWAN), to advance the representation of women in science, engineering, and technology. It recognises
commitment to advancing women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, maths, and medicine (STEMM).
Network membership is open to any University or Research Institute that is committed to the advancement and
promotion of the careers of women in these areas. You can read more about the University’s social and diversity
commitments at this website: https://www.uws.ac.uk/about-uws/uws-commitments/

UWS Graduate Attributes

At UWS, our aim is to provide you with opportunities to develop academically, personally and professionally: to
broaden your ambitions, extend your attitudes, challenge your assumptions, and assist you in unlocking your
potential and succeed in your studies and future lives. Our graduate attributes (I am UWS) have been developed
to reflect the vision where you are work-ready and able to successfully contribute both locally and globally.

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Important Notes
Please read this handbook before starting your project.

All students MUST have received ethical approval and have completed a risk assessment before using a
questionnaire or carrying out any practical work for their project.

Students may discuss their project ideas with the project coordinator (and carry out a preliminary literature
search) for their project at any time during the taught part of the course. However, students are advised to
obtain their official results, have formal approval to proceed to the MSc stage and then have had their project
proposal approved before starting much project work; Otherwise, they may waste time and other resources if, for
any reason, they do not proceed to the MSc part of the course or if the project is not appropriate to the level of a
Master’s degree.

Useful Links

Ethics

Research Ethics UWS: https://www.uws.ac.uk/research/research-environment/research-ethics/

Guide https://www.uws.ac.uk/media/4088/uws-ethical-review-manager-erm-system-guide.pdf

Ethics Manager
https://uws.forms.ethicalreviewmanager.com/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2fActivityForm%2fIndex

Library: https://www.uws.ac.uk/library/

Academic study skills: https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/supporting-your-studies/study-skills/

Academic Appeals and Extenuating Circumstances: https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/supporting-your-

studies/exams-assessment-appeals/academic-appeals-extenuating-circumstances/

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 1. Introduction

QUAL 11012 MSc Project

This a 60 credit module that it is undertaken, ideally, when students have completed and passed all of the taught
modules. It is not unusual however, for students to have a resit or in some cases to re-attend a module.

Students are advised to use the coursework of the previously attended Postgraduate Research Methods module,
which is a research proposal. Students, however, may wish to change the topic but this will require a new
research proposal

The assessments are made up from 2 elements:

Written report, 80% of the overall mark. Min words 13,000 (normal around 15,000 – 18,000 words – don’t go
over 20,000). Word count excludes references and contents

Presentation, 20% of the overall mark. 15min presentation, arranged in communication with your supervisor 2
weeks before the final submission deadline. Another member of the academic team will be present. See appendix
about Presentations FAQs

Independent Learning
The independent research project on the Master of Science programme is the largest piece of work that you are
required to complete. This makes it both an exciting challenge and a daunting task. It is an exciting challenge
because it gives you the opportunity to carry out an in-depth investigation into an area of your own choice and in
the manner of your own choice. Why it becomes daunting is that it requires you to be self-motivated and highly
independent. Much of the underlying philosophy of the Masters programmes is concerned with facilitating and
developing independent learning.

By now the notion of independent learning should be familiar to you, but undertaking your dissertation may still
be a little unnerving because:

• The dissertation contributes substantially to your final Masters mark

• It is probably the only piece of work in which you have so much freedom regarding the choice of topic and
the ways in which you may choose to conduct the work
• It has a much longer time-scale than any other previous assignments, making it more difficult for you to
manage and easy for you to procrastinate!
• Finally, you have to manage the work alongside other priorities. This is a particular problem for part time
Masters students.

The benefits of undertaking a dissertation are enormous. Usually, students find this element of their programme
the most rewarding because of the amount of learning that takes place in both the subject matter and the
process.

Despite this there will be times when difficulties arise and you may not know what you are meant to be doing. Do
not worry about these feelings as they are part of the experience of undertaking a large piece of independent
learning. However, do not despair as this dissertation handbook is specifically designed to help you overcome
these feeling. This handbook tells you how the process will be organised as well as informing you about the
resources that are available to help you. Research “milestones” are identified so that you can manage your time

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accordingly. Finally, the regulations governing content and submission, and marking criteria are included in the
guidelines.

Management Skills
You will already have some of these skills that have been developed as you progressed through the taught
element of your degree. Specifically, for your dissertation, you require self-management and time-management
skills, as well as skills related to managing the research and the relationships that you develop with others who
participate in your research (e.g., fieldwork contacts and your supervisor).

Self-Management
It is important that you organise for your research by setting up systems of information management. Of course
the systems that you choose will be dependent on the nature of your research but as a general rule they should
include the following:

• Referencing systems – index cards of computer databases

• Filing systems – for correspondence and journal articles
• Systems for storing and updating your work – including a back-up system such as a USB memory sticks etc.

Time Management
Ask anyone who has completed a Masters dissertation and they will tell you that it takes a lot longer than you
would expect, so you need to be clear about your priorities. How you plan your work will, of course, depend on
your other work commitments, family responsibilities, etc. What is important is that you do need to work out a
way of planning and managing your time in a way that works for you. You also have to be reasonable in the
amount of time you expect your supervisor to read and comment on the drafts.

Managing the Research

• Planning: analysing the content, setting objectives and designing an appropriate course of action.
• Organising: identifying the work that needs to be done, dividing it into manageable chunks
• Monitoring: checking that the research is still on course and making changes as necessary

Managing Relationships
One important relationship you will have to manage is the relationship with your supervisor. Your supervisor is a
key contributing factor to your role as an effective and independent researcher. Your supervisor is aware of this
and will work hard to maintain a good relationship with you. The most important factor from your point of view is
to maintain regular and frequent contact and open communication. This is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

Resources Available to Help You

There are a number of resources available to help you throughout the University, primarily library and computer
resources. As you will know from the frequent use you have made of its resources during the taught element of
your degree, the library has a number of resources including textbooks, academic journals and electronic
databases. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these and with the help available from the library staff. Inter-
library loans are available but make sure that you order these well in advance as they can sometimes take several
weeks to arrive. You should also familiarise yourself with course and library guidelines on this service BEFORE you
make any requests.

As with the library, a number of conveniently sited computer labs can be accessed and advice and assistance are
available from ITDS staff. Make sure that you make full use of this valuable resource.

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 2. Why you are doing a research project
Employability Skills
The Masters dissertation is at the end of your degree programme. This is so you can draw on the learning and
skills you have acquired. For instance, by this stage you should be familiar with:

• Database and library searches for information

• Citations referenced in the correct manner
• Collating and critiquing information
• Writing in an appropriate academic style

You will also have a good understanding of a range of management disciplines and knowledge that will form a
foundation for your research. Think of all of the modules and assignments that you have undertaken so far in your
Masters degree. You will soon see that you do have a lot of knowledge to draw on.

In relation to your work, transferable skills may be considered from two angles. On the one hand there are the
skills that you have developed in the way that you integrate and synthesise existing learning into the Masters
dissertation; and, on the other hand, there are transferable skills from carrying out your dissertation that you will
draw upon throughout your career.

In undertaking your dissertation, you will gain a good rounded knowledge of research methodology. Whatever
career you choose this knowledge will stand you in good stead. In other words the skills you develop will be
transferable to other business settings.

Handling a Major Piece of Independent Work

Your research is the largest single piece of work that you are required to submit. As you progress through the
supervised development of your project you will become increasingly self-directed in your research activities.

Producing a quality research project normally between 13,000-18,000 words (excluding references) is a major
challenge. Not only does this give you an intellectually challenging task over time, but it also gives you the
opportunity to produce a piece of work that may also be of interest to others including current and future
employers. By undertaking your dissertation you are demonstrating your ability to take personal responsibility for
your work and displaying commitment to completing a major task.

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 3. Project Supervision
The project module coordinator and/or the local programme Leader will allocate a project supervisor after you
have completed a satisfactory project proposal and outline project plan.

It is vital that you establish and maintain close links with your project supervisor in order to ensure that the
project proceeds well.

Research work does not always go smoothly and you will inevitably make mistakes from time to time. At such
times you may be reluctant to share your more disappointing results with your supervisor. However, it has been
established in many studies of research work that discussing errors with your support team proves to be a major
asset in furthering the work. Do not hold back information from your supervisor. They can help you only as much
as you allow them. If you feel you are not progressing very well and that you may have made a number of
incorrect decisions in your work, you must discuss these problems with your supervisor. Your supervisor is your
"support team" to encourage you and to give general advice so that you can make progress.

You should normally contact your supervisor at least once every three to four weeks. Please remember that it is
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to maintain regular contact with your supervisor. Do this even if you do not have any new
work to discuss, so that both of you can be confident that you are on schedule for completing your project within
the allowed time period.

Supervision is available to all students while they need it. However, supervisors may be slow at responding
sometimes in holiday periods or simply because of workload. Supervisors do not intentionally give any student
priority over any other.

If you are working on a company/industry-based project, it may be helpful to have an industrial mentor, in
addition to your supervisor. This is not a requirement. This should normally be a company employee at middle to
senior management level who has the necessary knowledge, skills and experience required to contribute to the
guidance and support of your project work.

All Masters students are allocated an individual research supervisor with a specific allocation of time.

Students should contact CEPS to discuss their supervision and assign the supervisor. Your supervisor is there to
help, guide and assist you. You need to manage this relationship, but to do so you need to know what to expect of
your supervisor and what your supervisor expects of you. According to Phillips and Puch (1987) these are:

What students expect of their supervisors

• to be supervised
• their work to be read in advance of meetings
• their supervisor to be available, within reason
• their supervisor to be approachable
• their supervisor to be constructively critical
• their supervisor to have a good knowledge of the research process

What supervisors expect of their research students

• that their students be independent learners
• that their students produce and submit work in good time before scheduled meetings
• that their students seek advice and comment on their work from peers and other students
• students to listen to advice and make informed decisions before accepting or rejecting it
• to have regular meetings

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 • students to arrange and keep appointments or give adequate notice of cancellation
• students to be honest when reporting progress

However, there are also points that need to be made regarding the role of a supervisor in terms of their
responsibilities to their students. Overall, the role of the supervisor is to guide the student by giving advice on
how to complete a good dissertation. More specifically:

The supervisor IS responsible for:

• Approving the research idea

• Collaborating with the student to produce a research timetable

Advising on the structure of the project and the feasibility of the methodology

• Critiques of draft chapters (the supervisor is not expected to read each chapter individually and multiple times)
• Giving approval for the dissertation to be bound and submitted

The supervisor IS NOT responsible for:

• Formulating the proposal

• Designing the fieldwork
• Editing and proof reading the dissertation.

It is not the role of the supervisor to direct the research or ensure that a dissertation isof sufficient quality to
pass; this is the responsibility of the student. Any opinion expressed by the supervisor relating to the quality of
the work should not be taken to represent the opinion of the relevant sub-board of examiners.
The student is entitled to have at least three meetings with their supervisor prior to submission of the
dissertation. These could be, for example:
• an initial discussion identifying the topic, questions and methodology, identifyingany research
ethics approval that will need to be obtained and sketching out an initial action plan and
bibliography;
• an intermediate meeting to assess progress on the dissertation and discuss thelikely structure
of the first draft;
• a final 'trouble-shooting' meeting.

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate contact with their dissertation supervisor once, the supervisor
has been allocated. Students should contact their supervisors within 10 working days of the supervisor being
nominated, to agree a date for an initialmeeting or other working methods.
The student and supervisor should agree a timetable at the outset for completion, which should include
provision for at least three meetings in advance of submission.Given the current situation, these can be
exclusively online.
Students are responsible for providing their supervisor with drafts of work to be discussed, as agreed with
the supervisor, and no later than five working days before any meeting.
Students are responsible for ensuring that approval from any appropriate body isobtained in relation to
research ethics.

Please note that the frequency of meetings will be decided between the student and supervisor. Whether a
weekly/monthly progress report is required will be up to the supervisor. Please remember that it is YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY to maintain regular contact with your supervisor.

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Checklist for students
Question
☐ Do you have your proposal ready?
☐ Is your topic linked with Project Management
Is there a research element?
☐ Are your objectives clear and achievable?
☐ Is your methodology feasible and clear?
☐ Will you be using primary research? (Surveys,
interviews, focus groups, etc.)
☐ Have you completed your ethics application?
☐ Have you received approval for your ethics
application
☐ Have you linked established theory with your
questions?
☐ Have you contacted your MSc supervisor?
☐ Do you have a schedule of meetings arranged with
your supervisor?
☐ Have you sent your work to your supervisor for
feedback?
☐ Are your references recent and connected with
your topic
☐ Are you aware of the submission deadline?
☐ Have you arranged for the MSc presentation
☐ Is your word count above 13,000 words
☐ Have you explained whether you have achieved
the aims and objectives?
☐ Have you stated your contribution to
knowledge/research?
☐ Have you applied for ECS prior the deadline if you
need more time?
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Notes
It is suggested you use your coursework for research
methods but you can still change topic. A new
proposal will be needed though
You have to link it with one or more areas of Project
Management – it is a MSc Project Management
dissertation
You need to state clearly the “Why” element. This is
not an essay or literature review
They need to link with your course, your research
question and achievable within your timeline. This is
the “what” element
This is not about describing the terms or the
research onion. It is about explaining what you will
be doing and justifying your choices. This is the
“how” element
You know the next question
Approval can take 2-4 weeks. Visit the links at the
start of the document that will help you complete it
You cannot collect any data before you receive the
approval email from the ethics committee which you
have to include in your report
The questions have to follow certain guidelines (e.g.
avoid biased, leading, double questions) and they
have to be driven by the literature review
You are advised to do so within 5 working days of
receiving their details and their 1st introductory
You should arrange at least 1 meeting a month. This
is more imperative for international students
Allow at least 5 working days. Remember we do not
work weekends or after 5pm (regardless of what you
may have experienced)
While we do not expect to see all citations from the
last year, the majority of them need to be recent to
reflect current research where possible
Check the Aula site. Ask the MSc module coordinator
This should be done 7-10 days before the deadline
You need to make it be
This should part of your Discussion or conclusions
chapter
This part is critical. This is a research project and we
want to see what you bring into the field.
You can do so in banner. Do select both elements of
coursework
Checklist for MSc supervisors

Check Point Notes

☐ Have you received the list of allocated students
by the MSc Module coordinator?
☐ Have you made contact within the allocated to
yourself students within 1 week of receiving their
names?
☐ Do you know which of your students are UKVI
monitoring?
☐ Is there a set schedule for meetings?
☐ Are the UKVI students sending you the monthly
attendance report?
☐ Have you read the student’s proposal?
☐ Have you checked and/or signed their ethics
application (where required)
☐ Have you read each chapter at least once to give
feedback?
If not, contact the MSc Project module
coordinator
Please report to the module coordinator is
there students that they have not contacted
after your initial email to them to schedule a 1st
meeting
The module coordinator should be able to tell
you that
Not required but It is advised to manage
expectations and your timetable
If not, contact the MSc Module coordinator
Sometimes the students change topics. The
topic has to be linked with Project Management
If you do not have access to the ethics manager
system, check the application and ask the
module coordinator to sign. The student has to
reflect this on the ethics application form
While you are not expected to edit and proof read
the dissertation, you are expected to provide
critiques of draft chapters (the supervisor is not
expected to read each chapter individually and
multiple times but at least once)

Giving approval for the dissertation to be bound

and submitted

☐ Is the student progressing well and they are
anticipated to finish on time?
☐ Is the similarity of the final submission less than
10%
☐ Has the student contacted you to arrange the
presentation?
☐ Have you given your approval for the dissertation to The work should be submitted when you are
submitted
If not, advise them to either apply for ECS or
reduce the objectives if possible ( and maintain
the standard required)
Anything above this percentage needs to be
investigated if it is poor academic practice or
plagiarism
Remind the student & inform the module
coordinator if the deadline is approaching
happy with the quality and content

☐ Is the ethics approval letter, if applicable attached Ensure the student has received ethics approval
as an appendix in the final work? for their data collection and please check their
data files.
☐ Do you have the names of the academic partner for Check emails from the Module coordinator and
the MSc presentations? ask if in doubt

☐ Have you scheduled all presentations before the Remember that you have to schedule twice as
final submission date? many sessions as your number of students since

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 we are double marking everything and sessions
have to fit around both markers schedule.
☐ Do you have access to the AULA site of the MSc All marking is done on AULA so it is important
project for the term? to check that. If not, let the module coordinator
know

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 4. Procedures and Milestones
This section explains some of the procedures and milestones that MSc QM/PM have put in place to help you
develop and manage your Masters dissertation.

Taught Component
You have undertaken a 10 credit taught component of your PgD, called Postgraduate Research Methods. The
general purpose is to ensure that the under-noted LEARNING OUTCOMES are achieved so that students, on
completion of their dissertation, will be able to:

• Show competence related to issues pertinent to the production of a masters dissertation

• Demonstrate the ability to undertake a critical literature review
• Select appropriate strategies and research methodologies to support your research
• Exhibit an advanced level of understanding of the application of research philosophy
• Show competence in the selection and use of data
• Produce a substantial piece of advanced independent work related to the theories, concepts and practical
issues addressed in the taught course modules

The taught content, designed to ensure that these outcomes are met, is detailed in your student handbook in the
section that includes module descriptors. In other words it provides the foundation upon which you will build
your own reading. This foundation, together with your own independent self-directed learning, will make it
possible for you to achieve the generic objectives of a Masters Dissertations in MSc QM/PM.

What is a Dissertation?
Dissertations come in many different forms making a precise definition impossible. However, it is usually an
original piece of discursive, not purely descriptive, work of some substance in which a question, problem, or
hypothesis of importance to the author, is subjected to analysis and investigation. The elucidation is by a
reasonably objective and recognised method. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the problem, the methodology
and the contextual value of the findings. The dissertation will be original in the sense that the author will be
tackling an issue of practical or academic significance that has not been previously investigated.

Topic Identification
Selecting your area of interest and the specific research topic is of the utmost importance. You are going to
become deeply involved, for a large amount of time, investigating this topic. Spending such a long time engaged
in something you really do not like, or in which you have very little interest, is more likely to lead to failure.
Regardless of the topic you choose, it is of paramount importance that you understand that:

• it is your dissertation,
• you are responsible for this work, and so,
• you must be happy with the topic and prepared to put much effort into the project..

Initial Considerations
Your project and research must be in your general area of study and linked to the modules in the PgD. However,
there are very many topics within this broad area which you might investigate but you must, of course, show how
your chosen topic relates to your subject area.

There are several possible means of identifying a subject for your dissertation:

• You could research a subject that interested you from the taught modules.
• A company, that you or your family may have contact with, may have a particular problem related to quality,
project management.

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 • You may research a topic that you feel will be of use to you in your career development.

When deciding upon a topic you should bear in mind that the dissertation must normally be completed within a
reasonably short time period, therefore, the topic subject should not be too broad. It is wise to choose a topic on
which there will be enough available information to carry out research, and one for which such information can be
accessed.

When choosing a research topic, you might start with your own working environment. Your existing knowledge
of the subject area will give you a “quick start”. A work-based project will generally be supported by your
employer if they perceive that the company operations will be improved or better understood as a result of your
research. Unrestricted access to company data, company personnel and company experience can also make life a
lot easier. (However, if the company decides later not to support or to cancel the work upon which your project
relies, then you may have to start a new, very different, project.)

Do not limit your search for a topic just to your normal work activities or to those activities within your own
department. Your company may gain great benefit from work conducted outside your normal scope of
responsibility. Extending your knowledge may also provide you with enhanced employment opportunities.

Dissertation Types
Having decided on the general area of study, it is necessary to decide what type of dissertation you will produce.
This is a matter of personal choice and whether or not the topic you have chosen lends itself to theoretical or
empirical research. There are three broad categories of dissertation.

• Theoretical/ Desk Study: This involves the critical analysis and evaluation of a subject. It is more than just
an extended literature review, as conclusions have to be drawn regarding the explanatory value of existing
literature in the topic area. Thus, it is a relatively demanding dissertation form.
• Empirical Study: Empirical research is carried out and reported on in the dissertation. This is usually related
to the development and/or application of a particular body of knowledge. The nature of the research will
depend upon the objectives of the study.
• Practical Study: Theoretical and practical knowledge are applied to waste, resource management and/or
environmental management issue.

Ethics
If you are planning to collect primary data (interviews, focus groups, questionnaires) YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR
ETHICS. The ethics application is completed online, at the ethics review manager and it should be checked by the
supervisor prior to submission and signed by them. Ethics approvals can take 4 weeks or longer, so it is critical to
start the application as early as possible. There is a chance that it might be rejected, or asked to do changes and
resubmit, which means another 4 weeks delay.

You cannot collect any data prior to ethics approval.

The ethics approval letter HAS to be part of your final report as an appendix and your MSc Supervisor has to be
check your raw data before final submission.

15
 Timeline for student’s work (an example but not prescriptive)
Week 1 Proposal ready or almost ready about Ensure your topic links with Project
research topic selection Management
Ethics completed when methodology Remember: No ethics, no primary data to be
involves primary research data collected
Week 2 Arrange a schedule with your It is YOUR responsibility to contact your MSc
supervisor supervisor.
Finalise the methodology Share your proposal and finalise the
Week 3-6 Literature Review References have to be recent where possible
Primary Data collection (only AFTER and relate to the latest research of your topic
ethics approval)
Week 7 Literature Review draft chapter Write, write, write ( even sorting the references
Start analysis of findings count as such)
Week 8-10 Analysis completion Secondary or primary data analysis.
Week 9 Analysis and Discussion chapters They might not be perfect but they will get
(drafts) better. Send them to your supervisor for
feedback.
YOUR contribution to research could be part of
these sections.
Week 10 Conclusions Reiterate the aims and objectives and explain
whether you achieved them or not. Further
research & limitations could be included.

Week 11 Draft Submission Check the similarity! Less than 10%

Week 12 Supervisor feedback It is not instant it can take more than 5 working
days. We do not work weekends
Week 13 Presentation Remind your supervisor and coordinate date
and time
Week 14 Final submission Remember to print your work and use the
proper hard cover with the university logo and
your name on the front. This is your legacy and
a treasure for your library (well, I use mine as
door stopper…)

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Research Milestones
From experience, an MSc project (60 credits) carried out full-time will typically be completed within one trimester
(13-14 weeks), which is the equivalent of three 20 credit modules. The times allocated to each stage are
estimates and should not be considered exact; they are meant for guidance only. Taking the lower limit of 13
weeks as the target, you should plan to spend at least 25 hours per week working on your research project.

You will gauge your work rate for yourself but please realise that 13 weeks is not a lot of time. When you come to
write up your dissertation you will be watching every minute and hoping it would please go a little bit slower. Do
you remember how nice it would have been to have just two more days before an examination? You may finish
earlier than expected and meet the lower limit of 10 weeks. It is, however, unusual for an MSc dissertation to be
completed in such a short time, and you should not plan to finish quickly. The standard of your work is more
important than the speed at which you complete your work.

Many students find it helpful to produce draft chapters as they carry out the work. This not only removes the worry of
writing your whole thesis just before the deadline but, more importantly, can often show that you need to do more
research or practical investigation while you still have time to carry it out.

Please note that you must submit your MSc Project within the period of your post-graduate / MSc course
registration. (one year full-time; two years part-time.)

17
Resits and ECS

Resits
If you have achieved less than 50% as an overall result, this means you have to resit the module.

In some cases, you will have to resubmit only your written report, in other only the presentation and in some
cases you will have to resubmit both.

This depends on your marks for each element and your overall score.

In case of resits, you will not be given dedicated supervisor, assumed that you had one assigned to you when you
were doing your MSc Project for the first time.

You will however get the marking sheets from your supervisor and the 2nd marker.

The supervisors marking sheet should be available on AULA for your submission. If you have issues finding it,
contact the module coordinator.

You will also receive the feedback from the 2nd marker and your presentation feedback if needed.

You will be asked to read the feedback carefully and any points raised during the supervision period and work on
the same submission to improve it.

Remember there is support for academic skills from the library and the academic skills team of UWS
https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/supporting-your-studies/study-skills/

You can even arrange one to one or group appointments

ECS
If you have applied for ECS from the start of the term that you were due to do your MSc Project and you did not
have a supervisor allocated to you, a supervisor will be assigned to you.

If however, you had a supervisor and you received feedback but you applied for ECS towards the end of the term,
a dedicated supervisor might not be allocated to you.

This is looked at one of one basis

18
Thesis submission

Remember it is Your responsibility to submit your work in the right submission point and within the set timelines.

Check your similarity in the DRAFT submission point and ensure that it does not exceed 10% from other sources.
Sometimes, it might pick similarity from your own work, such as the research proposal, and this can be excluded.

A few points to remember

➢ ALL submissions have to be in WORD format.

➢ We only mark what it is submitted on the FINAL submission point.

➢ Similarity has to be less than 10% (excluding similarity from your own work)

➢ If there are campus’ dedicated submission points, ensure you submit on the right one.

MSc Projects have hard deadlines, which means, extensions cannot be granted. If you cannot submit on
the given deadline you have the following options:
• Submit up to 1 calendar week after the deadline, but a penalty of 10 marks will be applied
• Apply for ECS (you do yourself in banner), any day before the given deadline and up to 48hrs
afterwards. More information is available here https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-
students/supporting-your-studies/exams-assessment-appeals/academic-appeals-
extenuating-circumstances/
• If you apply for ECS, you will submit in the next term however and no marks will be received
for anything you submit.

➢ Word count should be between 13,000 – 18,000 words excluding references

Presentation submission
Your presentation summarizing your work that you will have to give as part of your assessment should be
uploaded on the submission point before your presentation day

19
 Appendix 1

Marking Schemes

20
Percentage of Total Excellent Good Satisfactory Borderline Fail
Marks Assigned to
70-100 60-69 55-59 50-54 (Less than) <49
Project Component

Presentation of Very good use of Good use of English Consistent layout. Inconsistent layout. Very poor structure and
English language. language. Layout and Generally easy to Difficult to follow. Poor layout. No summary
Information and structure make follow. Summary/ summary and/or and/or conclusions.
Physical layout (10%) Excellent layout and report easy to read. abstract included. conclusion. Poor Little logical
structure to help Clear summary/ Logical order. references. Many progression. Errors
make report easy to abstract. Clear, Relevant conclusions errors. have serious effect on
navigate/read. appropriate made. References reader's understanding.
Logical sequence diagrams. included correctly. Missing or very poor
proceeded with clear References included Some errors. references.
succinct summary correctly. Few
representing main errors. Relevant
points of project. conclusions made.
Clear, appropriate,
high quality diagrams.
Comprehensive
references included
correctly. Very few
errors.
7-10% 6.-6.9% 5.5-5.9% 5-5.4% < 4.9%

Evidence of Comprehensive Reasonable analysis Some analysis and Descriptive summaries Published documents
analysis and synthesis and synthesis of synthesis of critical of published documents summarised, but not
Appropriate
of critical points of critical points of points of knowledge, with some importance linked in any effective
Literature Review knowledge, ideas and Knowledge, ideas ideas and theories. or relevance indicated way to the aims or
(20%) theories, resulting in and theories. Themes not always but not fully explained. objectives of the
themes that are concise, unbiased, or project under
concise, unbiased, Themes mostly relevant to the thesis investigation.
and relevant to the concise, unbiased, topic. May lack clarity
thesis topic. Clear and and relevant to the and a logical flow of
logical flow of idea thesis topic. Mostly idea
clear with a logical
flow of idea

14 - 20% 12-13.9% 11-11.9% 10-10.9% <9.9%

Evidence of Original Very good content Good technical Satisfactory level of Insufficient activities in Tasks generally
with difficult topics content with some technical content number/technical inappropriate to
Thinking (10%) explored to a high difficult topics included. Specific content. Some specific project. Very low
standard. High quality explored. Specific objectives covered. objectives ignored. technical content.
product. Specific objectives covered Some omissions/ Significant inaccuracies, Specific objectives
objectives covered well. Few omissions/ irrelevancies. Some irrelevancies/ largely ignored.
well. Few errors. irrelevancies. Few errors. omissions. Many Insufficient activities.
errors. errors. Work largely incorrect
or inaccurate.
7-10% 6 – 6.9% 5.5-5.9% 5-5.4% < 4.9%

Development of Choice of data and Choice of data and Choice of data and Choice of data and Poor choice of data and
methods of collection methods of methods for collecting methods of collection methods, handled
Methodology (20%) clearly described, collection clearly them described, but somewhat vague and incompletely, with little
including extent of described, including with some gaps, there with some gaps in the evidence of link to aims
data gathering. extent of data may be some doubt material. Methods of and objectives
gathering. Methods about how well collection are mixed up
Methods well adequately handled methods have been but are partially related
handled and and justified against handled, or how to the aims and
convincingly justified the project aims and relevant they are to objectives.
against the project objectives, including the aims and
aims and objectives, some discussion of objectives. Some
including discussion access issues. Full background material
of access issues. relevant background on methods supplied
Some discussion of material supplied in in appendices
inappropriateness of appendices
other data collection
approaches. Full
relevant background

21
 material supplied as
appendices
12 – 13.9% 11-11.9% 10 – 10.9% < 9.9%
14 - 20%

Critical Interpretation Key strengths and Some strengths and Some strengths and Little evidence of Little evidence of
weaknesses of weaknesses weaknesses of the learning and a limited learning and a limited
and Appraisal (20%) thesis/research identified, with good project identified, but attempt to identify attempt to identify
process identified and attempt to reflect on not completely implications for future implications for future
critically discussed, them and learning convincing. practice or learning practice or learning
including what gained from the needs needs
happened that was research. Reasonable attempt
different from the Implications for to identify
plan and assumptions future research implications for future
that needed to be practice or learning practice or learning
questioned. Clear and needs identified. Not need
convincing summary as comprehensive as
of learning gained “excellent” category
with particular
emphasis on
implications for
future research
practice.
11-11.9% 10 – 10.9% < 9.9%
14 - 20% 12 – 13.9%

Conclusions and Conclusions clearly Conclusions stated, Attempts to draw Conclusions are weak No detectable
stated, relevant to which are relevant to conclusions from and do not really follow conclusions or
Recommendations aims and objectives, aims and objectives results are not from data and results. recommendation
(20%) linked to results and and linked to results. entirely convincing. Recommendations
to course Realistic proposals Recommendations are appear neither suitable
perspectives. for action follow incomplete, but there nor feasible.
Discussion of what from conclusions is still a basic link to
can be strongly based on new the conclusions and
concluded and what insights, generally results and basic
is more speculative. informed by the feasibility.
Clear and realistic forefront of a field of
proposals for action learning.
based on new
insights, generally
informed by the
forefront of a field of
learning
12 – 13.9% 12 – 13.9%
14 - 20% 10 – 10.9% < 9.9%

Examiner Mark:

Supervisor Mark:

AGREED FINAL MARK:

22
MARKERS COMMENTS:

Examiner

Supervisor

23
 MSc Thesis: Examiner Assessment Sheet

Student: Banner ID:

Project Title:

Examiner

Thesis Mark (%): ___________

(See attached detailed mark sheet.)

General Comments

Name___________________ Signature

Date

24
 MSc Thesis Assessment Sheet for: _________________________________________

Mark Mark
Criteria Grade
Range Awarded
Presentation of Information and Physical layout (10%)
The order and development of the chapters of the thesis are logical. The A 7 - 10
project aims and objectives are clearly described and place the project in the B1 6
correct context. B2 5
The thesis contains all relevant sections and chapters in the correct order. C 4
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct. Appendices, figures and tables D 0-3
are appropriately positioned and titled. The physical layout and formatting
are as specified.

Evidence of Appropriate Literature Review (20%)

It must be clear that the student accessed the appropriate literature and A 14 - 20
subject areas to develop the background of the project. Sources have B1 12 - 13
credibility and breadth. The thesis has an appropriate and complete reference B2 10 - 11
list. References are properly cited. C 8-9
D 0-7
Evidence of Original Thinking (10%)
The project must contain original work, either to follow on from those works A 7 - 10
cited in the literature review or a new idea, clearly developed. B1 6
B2 5
C 4
D 0-3
Development of Research Methodology (20%)
The reasons for, and the details of, the chosen methodology are explained A 14 - 20
comprehensively and correctly. Appropriate links are made to information B1 12 - 13
found in the literature review. B2 10 - 11
C 8-9
D 0-7
Critical Interpretation and Appraisal (20%)
For a research project, presentation of data must be clear and followed by an A 14 - 20
interpretation of the material. It then must be assessed in such a way that the B1 12 - 13
student's understanding is obvious. Statistical and other analysis tools used B2 10 - 11
are appropriate and used correctly. Any graphs or tables included in the C 8-9
thesis should be relevant, useful and easy to interpret. The strengths and D 0-7
weaknesses of the whole project are assessed and discussed

Conclusions and Recommendations (20%)

The conclusions should present a correct summary of the main outcomes of A 14 - 20
the project including a critical evaluation of key results and findings. The B1 12 - 13
conclusions must relate back to the overall aims and objectives of the project, B2 10 - 11
as well as to any wider aspects of the subject area found in the literature. C 8-9
D 0-7
Recommendations must be clear and concise and be related to the project
conclusions. The priority for action and the practicality of the
recommendations are discussed.

Final Mark Awarded

Examiner Name:____________________

25
Presentation Marking Scheme

MSc in Quality/Project Management

MSc presentations
Name:
Banner No.:
Topic:
Date:
Comment Out of Supervisor Examiner Final
Mark Mark Mark
Clarity of presentation 20
- Introduction
- Context
- Aims and Objectives

Confidence in Researching 20
- Methodology
- Approach
- Limitations
- Knowledge of methods

Results and Conclusions 40

- Findings (primary and
secondary)
- Analysis
- Conclusions
- Have objectives been
met
- Recommendations
- Future work
Discussion 20
- Questions and
Answers
- Knowledge of topic
Total mark 100
General feedback

Examiners:

Name Signature Date

26
 Appendix 2

Module Descriptor

27
 University of the West of Scotland

Module Descriptor

Session: 2022/23

Last modified: 16/04/2021 14:09:25

Title of Module: MSc Project

Code: QUAL11012 SCQF Level: 11 Credit Points: 60 ECTS: 30
(Scottish Credit and (European Credit Transfer
Qualifications Framework) Scheme)

School: School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences

Module Co-ordinator: Evi Viza
Summary of Module
This module contains a taught element covering research methods as well as independent learning
which is assessed by a final written dissertation of approximately 13,000 words and an oral
presentation.

This module is a thesis which reflects on students reaerch work which can take the form of:

• An internship
• Primary data (surveys, interviews)
• Experiments
• review of secondary data

The module will involve:

• Selection of research topic

• Formulation of research aims and objectives
• Ethical considerations
• Project management
• Conducting a literature review
• Recognistion of Primary and secondary data sources
• Referencing requirements
• Research philosophy
• Research logic
• Research Approaches
• Research limitations
• Data collection techniques
• Sampling techniques
• Interview techniques
• Access and confidentiality
• Analysis and Presentation of data
• Comparison of theoretical expectations and findings

• The module equip students with the Graduate attitudes required to succeed on personal,
academic and professional level once they graduate. The MSc Project work makes me
universal, helps them get work ready (if they are not ready in employment) achieve success
in their selected field. The focus of the graduate attributes are on Universal and Successful

28
 The independent research or work improvement project they undertake will help them
become critical thinker, inquiring and analytical. The class composition and discussion
throughout the course makes cultural and ethical aware while improving their collaboration
skills, social responsibility awareness while doing their research.In order to complete their
work, they have to showcase that they can work autonomous, independent and be driven
and resilient.

Module Delivery Method

Face-To-Face Blended Fully Online

Face-To-Face
Term used to describe the traditional classroom environment where the students and the lecturer meet synchronously in the same room for the whole
provision.

Fully Online
Instruction that is solely delivered by web-based or internet-based technologies. This term is used to describe the previously used terms distance learning
and e learning.

Blended
A mode of delivery of a module or a programme that involves online and face-to-face delivery of learning, teaching and assessment activities, student
support and feedback. A programme may be considered “blended” if it includes a combination of face-to-face, online and blended modules. If an online
programme has any compulsory face-to-face and campus elements it must be described as blended with clearly articulated delivery information to manage
student expectations

Campus(es) for Module Delivery

The module will normally be offered on the following campuses / or by Distance/Online Learning:
(Provided viable student numbers permit)
Distance/Online
Paisley: Ayr: Dumfries: Lanarkshire: London: Other:
Learning:

Learning Outcomes: (maximum of 5 statements)

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

L1. Undertake and successfully complete a substantial piece of advanced independent work
relevant to the theories, practical issues and problems covered in the programme.

L2. Demonstrate an advanced level of understanding of the application of research methods to the
investigation of a problem or issue in quality/project management and/or technology.

L3. Make a critical assessment and evaluation of empirical evidence relevant to the problem or
issue under investigation.
Employability Skills and Personal Development Planning (PDP) Skills
During completion of this module, there will be an opportunity to achieve
SCQF Headings
core skills in:
Knowledge and SCQF Level 11.
Understanding (K and
U) Gain a critical understanding of the research methods necessary for
carrying out a piece of research at level 11.

29
 Achieve a detailed knowledge of subject through research
Practice: Applied SCQF Level 11.
Knowledge and
Understanding Synthesise information and gain a coherent understanding of theories and
practices applied to an industrial context.
Generic Cognitive skills SCQF Level 11.

Develop and demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in a

variety of professional settings.

Demonstrate an understanding of an issue and develop creative and

sensible solutions to quality issues.
Communication, ICT SCQF Level 11.
and Numeracy Skills
Gain a full understanding of the process of the research process.

Applying appropriate statistical techniques to the analysis of research

data.Prepare an oral presentation on workPrepare a written dissertation.
Autonomy, SCQF Level 11.
Accountability and
Working with others Work independently to analyse one or more quality-related issues and to
suggest preferred methods of dealing with such issues.
Pre-requisites: Before undertaking this module the student should have undertaken the
following:
Module Code: Module Title:
Other:
Co-requisites Module Code: Module Title:

* Indicates that module descriptor is not published.

Learning and Teaching

Learning Activities Student Learning Hours
During completion of this module, the learning activities (Normally totalling 200 hours):
undertaken to achieve the module learning outcomes are stated (Note: Learning hours include both contact hours and
hours spent on other learning activities)
below:
Tutorial/Synchronous Support Activity 24
Independent Study 576
600 Hours Total
**Indicative Resources: (eg. Core text, journals, internet access)
The following materials form essential underpinning for the module content and ultimately for the
learning outcomes:

30
 Bell, J. (2005) Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education, health
and social science. (4th ed.) (Maidenhead: Open University Press)

Easterby-Smith et al (1991) Management Research: An introduction (London: Sage)

Holtom, D. and Fisher, E. (1999) Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation (London:
Imperial College Press) [Recommended]

Phillips, E. & Pugh, D.S. (2005) .How to get a Ph.D : a handbook for students and their supervisors
(4th ed.) (Maidenhead: Open University Press)[Includes sections on 'how not to get a Ph.D.' and
'how to manage your supervisor'.]

(**N.B. Although reading lists should include current publications, students are advised (particularly for material marked with an asterisk*) to wait until the
start of session for confirmation of the most up-to-date material)

Attendance Requirements
In line with the Academic Engagement and Attendance Procedure, Students are defined as
academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-
related learning resources including those in the Library and on Moodle, and complete assessments
and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement and Attendance Procedure at
the following link: Academic engagement and attendance procedure

Supplemental Information

Programme Board Engineering

Assessment Results
No
(Pass/Fail)
Subject Panel Civil Engineering and Quality Management
Moderator James Findlay
External Examiner B Savage
Accreditation Details Chartered Quality Institute
Version Number 2.11

Assessment: (also refer to Assessment Outcomes Grids below)

Written thesis worth 80%
Presentation worth 20%
(N.B. (i) Assessment Outcomes Grids for the module (one for each component) can be found below which clearly demonstrate how the learning outcomes of
the module will be assessed.
(ii) An indicative schedule listing approximate times within the academic calendar when assessment is likely to feature will be provided within the Student
Handbook.)

Assessment Outcome Grids (Footnote A.)

Component 1

31
 Assessment Type Weighting Timetabled
(Footnote B.) Learning Learning Learning (%) of Contact
Outcome (1) Outcome (2) Outcome (3) Assessment Hours
Element
Dissertation/
Project report/ 80 0
Thesis
Component 2
Assessment Type Learning Weighting (%) of Timetabled
(Footnote B.) Learning Learning Assessment Element Contact
Outcome
Outcome (2) Outcome (3) Hours
(1)
Presentation 20 0
Combined Total For All Components 100% 0 hours

Footnotes
A. Referred to within Assessment Section above
B. Identified in the Learning Outcome Section above

Note(s):

1. More than one assessment method can be used to assess individual learning outcomes.
2. Schools are responsible for determining student contact hours. Please refer to University Policy on contact
hours (extract contained within section 10 of the Module Descriptor guidance note).
This will normally be variable across Schools, dependent on Programmes &/or Professional requirements.

Equality and Diversity

This module is appropriate for all students.
UWS Equality and Diversity Policy
(N.B. Every effort will be made by the University to accommodate any equality and diversity
issues brought to the attention of the School)

32
 Appendix 3

Common Research Pitfalls

(Work, courtesy of Dr Mohamed Abdel-Wahab)

33
• No clear rationale for research focus. For example, if you decided to do a case study on
Cross rail project, then you need to support your arguments to justify this focus as opposed to
convenience (i.e. because you simply work on that project or you have contacts there) or stating that
‘the author thinks...’. This is not good enough justification as ‘the author thinks...’ should be
supported by appropriate evidence. This can include that infrastructure projects constitute a large
proportion of construction activity (output) and then you can cite figures from the Office of National
Statistics (ONS) to support this statement. You could also state that Cross Rail present certain
unique challenges or problems which warrants researching it.

• Literature review lacks focus on research scope (aim and objectives). For example, if
you are examining the KPIs of UN development projects then what was the outcome of previous
studies (if any) on KPIs in UN projects? And what you intend to add to this body of knowledge
through your research project? Is your literature review aligned with your aim and objectives? A
common mistake is that students write a long-winded literature review and when juxtaposing this
against their research scope it becomes obvious that it is miles away from their intended focus!
Therefore, you should ensure that your literature review is structured around your research
objectives and then you can divide each research objective into different themes and headings/sub-
headings when you discuss the literature review. Remember that your aim and objectives should be
aligned too.

• Literature review is descriptive and lacks critical analysis! This simply means
reproducing existing information without an attempt of rationalising it in the context of your research
scope. Remember that the aim of the literature review is to demonstrate your understanding of the
existing body of knowledge and therefore you should be taking a more analytical approach for your
literature review as opposed to mainly reproducing readily available information on Google!

• No discussion of research findings in light of the literature which become evident by not
citing references in the discussion. A good split of your paper should be: 40% Introduction and
literature review, 10% research method, 50% Findings, Discussion and conclusion. The findings,
discussion and conclusion demonstrate what you actually did and how you contribute to the existing
body of knowledge. Remember that at an MSc level you are not required to make a new contribution
to knowledge as this is only required at a doctoral (PhD) level study. Usually students who score low
on their Research projects have 70-80% of their paper as a descriptive and long-winded literature
review and 20-30% findings, discussion and conclusion!!

• No justification of the research method used. You should demonstrate an understanding

of the range of methods commonly used in construction management research. Your chosen
methods should be justified on the basis that it is most suited to the research question you are trying
to address. You should also have an awareness of stakeholders involved in the construction
industry. If your research involves carrying-out interviews with industry experts, then you need to
think about why you want to interview certain people and their added value to your research. If you
decide to conduct statistical analysis, then is the method you used appropriate for type of data you
collected (in terms of sample size, distribution...etc.) and what are the limitations

• Stating the obvious. You don’t need to ask trivial questions like ‘Do you think that
investment in infrastructure is important for economic success? Anyone would answer intuitively
‘Yes’ to this question. This is an example of poor formulation of questions in interviews or
questionnaires. You can rephrase the questions by asking ‘In light of your experience, in what way
you think infrastructure projects could contribute to economic success?’ If a respondent did not

34
know the answer then you need to ask yourself if you have chosen the right people (e.g. experts) to
include in your study

• Adopting a journalistic approach! You should be probing and questioning the respondents’
assertions or claims by asking ‘on what basis’ they are making their claims or assumption. Is it just
because they say so? Do they have specific examples to support their claims or is it merely a
personal opinion. Your research should not be about relaying opinions This person said this and
another person said that because you are not a reporter working in journalism. You are a researcher and you
should be questioning the underlying assumptions of the claims people are making. You will be surprised of
what you might be finding-out! Going back to the aforementioned example about investment in
infrastructure projects and economic success, you need to be probing your respondents to find-out more
specific information, e.g. they were involved in a project which created x-number of jobs and training
opportunities and has resulted in attracting investments of £x-value. This way you are supporting the
interviewees’ claims with specific evidence which would further strengthen your arguments and making it
more factual.

• Analysis paralysis and using the appendix as a dumping ground! This means you
expend a lot of time analysing the data and just attach as an appendix without any attempts of
‘making sense’ of this analysis and integrating it within the discussion section. One student had his
research paper 20-pages and an appendix of 50-pages! It is the quality of what you write and not
the quantity that counts! No matter how much analysis is conducted, if the data is poor and invalid –
it won’t matter – Garbage in Garbage out (GIGO)! Remember that an important and simple question
to ask yourself is ‘so what?’ as this will help you to think about the results of your research,
implications and contribution to the existing body of knowledge.

• Emulate the approach used in a published paper (copy an existing questionnaire) without
seeking the author’s permission and establishing a clear rationale for doing that! If you just copied a
questionnaire without the authors’ consent and used as your own and without clear rationale in the
context of your research scope then this can constitute plagiarism! Remember that not all published
work mean that it is a perfect piece of research. Any research has its own limitations and
shortcomings. If you just emulated an existing approach just for convenience and thinking you will
be guaranteed a better grade then think again! However, if your intension is to carry-out a
comparative study that could be acceptable but you will need to have justification in terms what you
are potentially contributing to the wider body of knowledge.

• Writing style is long-winded, disconnected and difficult to follow. A well-written piece is

easy to follow and the reader does not need to exert an effort to read it. If you get a non-specialist to
read your work they should be able to get a broad understanding of your research. Avoid the
temptations to use superfluous words and become overly philosophical about the research. A good
research project shows and sells itself. It doesn’t require overselling it!
•

35
 Appendix 4

Presentation FAQs

36
MSc Presentation – What to expect

When do I have to have a presentation?

Once you have submitted the draft of your dissertation on the online learning platform (AULA) and you have
agreed with your supervisor that you are both happy with the final product, we will plan for the oral presentation.
This is usually arranged 10-14 days before the final submission date.

How do I make arrangements for the presentation?

You will have to coordinate a date and time convenient for both yourself and the academic team. This is done in
collaboration with your supervisor. Your supervisor will arrange for a time that suits yourself, him/herself/
themselves and another academic member as well as room booking/MS Teams arrangements and the general
event planning of the presentation liaising with all participants.

Why do I have to have a presentation?

Presenting your work is a great way to showcase the hard work you put into researching, analysing and writing
your dissertation. It gives you the chance to get feedback on your work and potential make improvements that
will help you achieve a higher mark. It also helps the lecturers raise issues and discussions relevant to your topic.
Essentially, it is a two-way communication and a pathway to a better dissertation and mark

How long is the presentation?

We estimate the whole process to take around 30min. The duration should be the same either the MSc student
presenting through Skype or not.

For online presentations: we encourage students though to test the connection with their supervisor or module
coordinator the day before the presentation or to log in a few minutes earlier than the scheduled time. This will
ensure that we do not overrun which is crucial when we have a series of presentations scheduled.

For presentations that students are physically present, we ask students to check the equipment in the room if this
possible before the start of the session to avoid delays

Who will be present in my presentation?

The MSc supervisor of your dissertation will be present and 1 or 2 lecturers from the programme. In the unlikely
event that your MSc supervisor is not available, a colleague with expertise on the topic of your dissertation will be
present. You will be informed of any changes prior to your session.

How will be I marked?

The marking scheme of the presentation of your dissertation will be emailed to you prior to your session. If
anything is not clear, please contact the MSc module coordinator for clarification

37
What happens after my 15-minute presentation?

Once your presentation is completed, your supervisor and guest lecturer will ask you some questions about your
work you have done. This aims to generate useful discussion and to help you showcase the knowledge on the
topic as well as raise issues that are perhaps not captured in the document

What are the next steps after the presentation session?

Your supervisor and guest lecturer will mark the presentation and discuss the feedback. You supervisor or module
coordinator will be in contact after the session to give you this feedback. If your dissertation is of the required
quality and your presentation reflects this, you will be asked to submit your dissertation as final in the online
submission point.

Check your similarity that it is done exceed 10%

Please note that if you have done primary research, all relevant raw data, questionnaires, participants details etc
should be included as part of the final submission.

When will I know my marks for the written and oral work?

This depends on when the appropriate subject panel of the programme is scheduled. Depending on the feedback
of your supervisor, you will be able to assess if your work is of excellent standard or could improve. We cannot
disclose any marking information till after the relevant meetings with subject panels have been concluded.

I still have questions. Who should I contact?

Depending on the questions, your supervisor and the MSc module coordinator should be the first two options.

Questions about the content and quality of the dissertation itself should be directed to your supervisor,

Questions about the supporting issues such as references, required word count, presentation planning should be
directed to the Module coordinator

38
 Appendix 5

Thesis Checklist

39
• Your written work should be between 13,000 and 18,000 words excluding any references

• ALL submissions have to be in WORD format

• IF you have collected primary data (surveys, interviews, etc) you should have an ethics approval and
the ETHICS APPROVAL email, has to be added as appendix in your final report.

• IF you have collected primary data (surveys, interviews, etc, the raw data has to be presented at the
supervisor during your research as well

• Check your referencing style is the one required by UWS

• Check your images and tables you have taken from sources are also referenced and state the source

• We do not require a printed copy of your work but you are encouraged to print one for your records

• Check your similarity before the final submission in the Draft submission box

• Ensure you submit on the right submission box on AULA. There are different ones for each campus and
there might be a different one for RESIT.

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