Module Study Guide

Academic Year 2022–2023

CA70013E – Research Project

Level: 7
Credits: 60
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Table of contents

Key team contact details 1

1 Module overview 2

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 2
Module summary content and aims..................................................................................... 2
Learning outcomes to be assessed ..................................................................................... 2
Indicative Contact Hours ..................................................................................................... 3

2 Assessment and feedback 4

Summative assessment grid ............................................................................................... 4

Assessment brief – formative assessments and learning outcomes ................................... 4
Learning materials ............................................................................................................. 29

3 Things you need to know 30

Our Expectations ............................................................................................................... 30

Getting Support ................................................................................................................. 30

3.2.1 Personal Tutors, Module Leaders, Subject Librarians, and Course Leaders .................... 30
3.2.2 Study Support Team ........................................................................................................ 31
3.2.3 Student Services ............................................................................................................. 31
3.2.4 Meeting Deadlines ........................................................................................................... 32

Making an Impact .............................................................................................................. 32

3.3.1 When there’s an issue ..................................................................................................... 32

3.3.2 Module Evaluation Surveys ............................................................................................. 32
Key team contact details
Module Leader Dr Amalia Tsiami
Food Studies, London Geller College of Hospitality and
Subject Area & School/College
Tourism
Email Amalia.tsiami@uwl.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0) 208209 4422
Location WK.01.003

Module Tutor Dr Amalia Tsiami

Email Amalia.tsiami@uwl.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0) 208209 4422
Location WK.01.003

Module/Course Administrator Jacqueline Mcdonnell

Email jacqueline.mcdonnell@uwl.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0) 208 231 2324
Location Room CA.02.001, Cavendish House

Subject Librarian James Concannon

Email james.concannon@uwl.ac.uk
Phone +44 (0) 208 231 2251
Location SMR Library

The Course Leader overseeing this module is Dr Amalia Tsiami, and can be contacted at
Amalia.tsiami@uwl.ac.uk

The Head of Subject overseeing this module is Louise Gill, and can be contacted at
Louise.gill@uwl.ac.uk

The Dean of the College responsible for this module is London Geller College of Hospitality and
Tourism, and can be contacted at James.Edmunds@uwl.ac.uk

The External Examiner responsible for this module is Dr Athina Tziboula-Clarke of Abertay
University.

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1 Module overview
Introduction
Welcome to the MSc Research Project module.

For many people the research project or dissertation/thesis is a step into the unknown, something
they know that has to be done but something they think they have little experience of. This is not
really true because the dissertation/thesis is an academic device that pulls together many of the
things you have studied in previous years. Because of this many staff consider it to be the
culmination of your studies.

Module summary content and aims

This module aims

To demonstrate responsibility in planning and managing resources necessary to produce a coherent

dissertation that shows a detailed knowledge of a topic relevant to the student's programme of study.

To prepare students to conduct theoretical and empirical work for a master’s dissertation in Food
Business Management fields.

To introduce students to the theories, approaches and methodologies of research.

To enable students to generate, explore and identify a possible area of research appropriate to
their subject discipline

To develop students’ knowledge, understanding and application of data collection and analysis
methods.

The module content covers the following topics:

• Approaches to research.
• Developing and ‘actioning’ a research proposal
• Reviewing the literature and writing a literature review.
• Data collection methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires,
interviews, observation, content analysis, case studies.
• Sampling and accuracy of the research method.
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Evaluating and reporting findings
• Ethics of research

Writing a dissertation

Learning outcomes to be assessed

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Select, focus and articulate an appropriate topic for research.

2. Discuss the theoretical concepts that will underpin your research.

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 3. Decide on a research methodology and paradigm that will provide the framework for
your research.
4. Select and give a rationale for the methods of data collection to be used in your
research.
5. Write a critical literature review that deals effectively with relevant
concepts/theories/models
6. Select and implement appropriate primary data collection methods
7. Analyse quantitative and/or qualitative data and evaluate in relations to models/theories
8. Present a dissertation that effectively communicates your research findings

Indicative Contact Hours

Teaching Contact Hours 42 hours
Independent Study Hours 558 hours
Total Learning Hours 600 hours

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2 Assessment and feedback
Summative assessment grid
Method of
Indicative
Type of Word Count Pass Submission & Date of
Weighting Submission
Assessment or equivalent Mark Feedback (refer to
week
BB)
A1 Turnitin
Oral 1000 10% 50% Week 9 15 working days from
Assignment submission
A2 Turnitin
Written 1500 10% 50% Week 14 15 working days from
Assignment submission
A3 Turnitin 15 working
Written 11000-15000 80% 50% Week 52 days from
Assignment submission

Assessment brief – formative assessments and learning

outcomes
A1: Oral Assignment

Your presentation will have four distinct units which are the following:

Unit 1: Introduction (Your introduction sets the scene and explains what the research is about
and why it is of academic interest. In this section you should indicate what your theoretical base
will be and briefly define any key terms. Finally you will need to articulate your research focus. Use
the following headings.)

Brief Overview of your research

What is the current thinking on the specific area of your research?

Identification of theoretical area and rationale for research

• Briefly define/describe/discuss key concepts/theories/models as appropriate to your

research
• What are the key and current issues/arguments/debates?
• Where are the gaps in the literature and where is there research to be done?
• What will your contribution be to research in this area?

Research Focus

• Aims and objectives

• Research questions
• Hypotheses (optional)
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Unit 2: Proposed Methodology

Methodology(ies) (qualitative v quantitative/positivism v phenomenology etc) If you propose to do

a case study then explain this here and identify and describe your case study
organisation/location. If you are doing a combined approach this needs to be explained here.

Methods(s) (interviews/questionnaires etc and how to be administered. If you are doing more
than one methods they all have to be explained.)

Population(s) (the people who will be involved or job titles, you need to say how you will compile
a list (your sampling frame) if it is possible to do this)

Sampling technique(s) (How you will choose respondents, participants, random/judgemental etc
sampling)

Sample Size(s) (how many people will be interviewed/sent Qs etc)

Unit 3: Ethics (ethical issues and application)

Assessment 1. Assessment Criteria

• Clarity of aims and focus of presentation – 10%

• Research skills and ability to demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge and
understanding of the target customers’ needs – 30%
• Ability to critically apply theoretical concepts – 20%
• Intellectual skills including the ability to demonstrate analysis of data and ability to critically
evaluate the significance findings and – 20%
• Communication and presentation skills including quality and coherence of both written and
verbal presentation and time management. Application of Harvard - style academic
references – 15%
• Ability to engage student’s interest, promote questions and lead a discussion/answer their
questions – 5%

A2: Written Assignment (Proposal)

Content
Introduction Overview of research (100 words)

(rational, aim and Identification of topic area, definitions and rationale for research (300 words)
objectives)
Aim/objectives and RQs (100 words)

Methodology Methodology, Method(s)

Population(s)

Sampling technique(s)

Sample size(s)

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 References Harvard referencing and bibliography

Timeplan Weekly time plan from allocation of supervisor to submission

ASSESSMENTS - FORMAT

The word counts for each section are given in the previous table.

Please note that the word counts should be strictly adhered to and a MAXIMUM of plus or minus
10% will be permitted. Work will be penalised if outside the word guidelines plus or minus the
10%.

The word count does not include the title page, the bibliography and time plan.

Your assessments should contain the following and you will be assessed against these
requirements. It is important that you write clearly and concisely. We shall be looking for evidence
that you can write in good English with a high level of accurate grammar and spelling.

Section 1: Introduction

Your introduction sets the scene and explains what the research is about and why it is of
academic interest. In this section you should indicate what your theoretical base will be and briefly
define any key terms. Finally you will need to articulate your research focus. Use the following
headings.

1.1 Brief Overview of your research

Start with a short paragraph that explains what you are proposing to do in your research. This brief
paragraph helps the reader to understand what follows.

1.2 Identification of theoretical area and rationale for research

This section enables us to judge whether your research will have a sound theoretical foundation.
This should be a coherent section that identifies your theoretical base and concepts (e.g. dark
tourism, organisational commitment and mentoring etc), briefly describes and defines these, then
looks at current issues, gaps and what you can therefore contribute to this field of knowledge.

• Briefly define/describe/discuss key concepts/theories/models as appropriate to your

research
• What are the key and current issues/arguments/debates?
• Where are the gaps in the literature and where is there research to be done?
• What will your contribution be to research in this area?

1.3 Research Focus

This section needs to clearly articulate the focus of your research in the following forms:

• Aims and objectives

• Research questions

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 • Hypotheses (optional)

It is fairly easy to choose a broad topic and read around it. It is much harder to identify a small
area of interest and define specific research questions that you are trying to answer (normally for
qualitative work) or hypotheses that you will test (normally for quantitative work). We know that
these are likely to be developed further as your research progresses, but we will be looking for
evidence that you can define the focus of your study at this early stage and will have a clear
direction to follow. We would normally suggest 2/3 research questions, 1 main aim and up to 5/6
objectives. If there are any more it is likely that you are not sufficiently focussed. Do not confuse
the research question(s) with the questions that you may want to ask in your primary data
collection – the research question(s) will be the overall question(s) you are trying to answer by
doing the whole dissertation. The research questions/hypotheses should be clear and realistic.

Section 2: Proposed methodology

For each assessment we would like you to provide a simple table at the start of the following
sections outlining what you propose for each section. There is an example of this below. The
example is rather a complex one and it is anticipated that most of you will have a much simpler
outline than this.

Methodology

Methods

Populations

Population Size

Sampling Technique

Sample size

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Underneath the table you can explain in more detail using the amount of words under each
heading as appropriate to each assessment. For the first assessment we just need you to outline
what you will do. For assessments 2 and 3 you should keep the table and your brief descriptions
from Assessment 1 (amended as necessary after feedback) and then you also need to justify your
choices, explaining why you have decided to collect data in this way and support these points with
references to academic literature.

You need to explain how you will gather your primary data. We have given examples under each
section to show you the sort of thing we require for Assessment 1 – these do not follow on from
each other and link together – but yours will need to! These sections will expand with each
assessment and you need to do this using the following headings.

2.1Methodology(ies) (qualitative v quantitative/positivism v phenomenology etc) If you propose to

do a case study then explain this here and identify and describe your case study
organisation/location. If you are doing a combined approach this needs to be explained here.

Example for Assessment 1:

“This research will use a qualitative approach as the research questions need in-depth and rich
data from a number of different stakeholders. Furthermore, the XXX Hotel will be used as a
case study. This hotel is a four star hotel in Central London and permission has been granted
by the General Manager to do this research.”

In assessment 2 and 3 you would need to support this with references, providing a rationale for
your choices.

2.2Methods(s) (interviews/questionnaires etc and how to be administered. If you are doing more
than one methods they all have to be explained.)

Example for Assessment 1:

“Data will be collected using self-completion questionnaires which will be carefully designed
and then distributed using SurveyMonkey. It will be piloted by a test sample of people similar to
the target population. It will then be emailed to the relevant people. Reminders will be sent out
to encourage a higher response rate.”

In assessment 2 and 3 you would need to support this with references, providing a rationale for
your choices.

For each method you should give the following:

2.3Population(s) (the people who will be involved or job titles, you need to say how you will
compile a list (your sampling frame) if it is possible to do this)

Example for Assessment 1:

“The target population is human resource managers (they have knowledge of management
development practices) of four and five star hotels in London which is defined as being within
the M25. A list of these hotels will be compiled using websites such as xxx and xxx. Email
addresses will then be collated.”

Another Example for Assessment 1:

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 “The target population is all customers who visit the xxx museum. It is not possible to create a
list of these customers. The museum has agreed to support this research and provide details
of the demographics of their customers and the sample taken will endeavour to reflect this.”

In assessment 2 and 3 you would need to support this with references, providing a rationale for
your choices.

2.4Sampling technique(s) (How you will choose respondents, participants,

random/judgemental etc sampling)

Example for Assessment 1:

“Simple random sampling will be used for the questionnaires using random number tables and
the list of all schools in Ealing. The semi structured interviewees will be selected using
purposive sampling. The criteria for selection will be length of service, area of expertise and
department. This should ensure a good range of views.”

In assessment 2 and 3 you would need to support this with references, providing a rationale for
your choices.

2.5Sample Size(s) (how many people will be interviewed/sent Qs etc)

Example for Assessment 1:

“The sample size for the questionnaires to be sent out will be 200 and it is hoped to receive a
response rate of at least 30% which should generate 60-70 questionnaires for analysis. It is
intended to carry out 10 semi structured interviews.”

Ethics

References

Throughout your proposal you should support your ideas/arguments with references and these
should be in the Harvard convention i.e. Author’s surname, year of publication and with the page
number for direct quotes.

At the end of the proposal there should be a correctly structured bibliography of references. This
should also adhere to the Harvard convention. The minimum number of sources we would expect
are given in the earlier table. There is a handbook of how to do this on your Blackboard
resources.

Time plan

For assessments 2 and 3 you should construct a weekly time plan of your research which fits in
with the deadlines that you have to complete it. You should do this in a chart or tabular format,
identifying dates, key activities and writing of chapters and meetings with your supervisor. It
should take into account the submission deadline and commence from the month in which it is
likely you will be allocated a supervisor – ask your tutor when this will be. You need to include the
following:

• Meetings with supervisors (roughly every 3-4 weeks)

• Ethics application

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 • Writing each chapter
• Collecting data
• Analysing data
• Submitting drafts of each chapter to your supervisor
• Time to act on feedback for each chapter
• Completing all other bits such as contents, abstract etc
• Final submission date

For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access online
feedback, please refer to the UWL Blackboard student-help pages at: uwl.ac.uk/blackboardhelp
A2: Marking criteria
Assessment 2. Marking criteria
Content 30 0 – 14 15 – 20 21 – 30

The content must include Student has not developed a Student has developed a Student has developed an excellent
the required areas and realistic or sufficiently detailed reasonable basis for a practical piece of work, outlining an in- depth,
demonstrate originality piece of work piece of research at this level but practical and original piece of research
and creativity. The has a lot to do to develop further.
assessments must
demonstrate the potential
for a research project at
Masters level

Use of literature 20 0–9 10 – 13 14 – 20

showing knowledge
and understanding

The study must Limited use of academic Moderate range and currency but Extensive range, depth and complexity
demonstrate an literature/research Evidence lacks depth and complexity which is appropriate to the area of
appropriate use of or material is out of date. appropriate to the area of study. study and which bases the work and
academic Relies on textbook summaries Needs to develop literature further research on current and relevant
literature/research, which rather than writing own review. in terms of depth or currency. research.
is appropriate to the
study. This criteria
applies to topic and
methodology literature as
appropriate to the
assessment.

Analysis and synthesis 20 0–9 10 – 13 14 – 20

There should be a clear
critical analysis of
relevant issues, which
are well integrated and
evaluated, as appropriate
Organisation and 10
coherence
Wholly or mainly descriptive Shows some critical thinking and Well integrated study with clear
the beginnings of synthesis and evidence of critical analysis and
evaluation evaluation relevant to the area of study
Not relevant to the area of
study
Largely relevant Widely discussed
Limited discussion
Evidence of discussion
0–4 5–6 7 - 10

The assessments must
be clearly structured and
presented
Poor organisation and
structure, may not fulfil
requirements for
sections/content. May be
muddled/incoherent.
Some attention paid to the
structure and
organisation/coherence. Has
attempted to fulfil all requirements
for sections/headings.
Good structure, presentation and
coherently expressed within the
structural framework required.

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 Clarity of expression 10 0–4 5–6 7 – 10

Areas must be clearly
expressed, articulate and
fluent
Accurate spelling and
grammar
Quality of referencing 10
Meaning is sometimes/often Meaning is generally clear but
unclear. there may be some sections that
are not.
Poor spelling/punctuation/
grammar Spelling/punctuation/ grammar
requires some improvement and
proofreading is needed.
0–4 5–6
Articulate and fluent with excellent
clarity.
Good spelling/punctuation/grammar
and minimal typographical errors.
7 – 10

All key sources must be Not all key sources are cited. Most sources cited using an All key sources cited.
cited, and a consistent accepted referencing system
and accurate use of
Limited or no use of an Consistent and accurate use of an
Harvard referencing and
accepted referencing system. accepted referencing system.
bibliographical system
must be maintained

A3. Dissertation

The dissertation is a major piece of independent research. All students will be required to select a
topic relevant to their field of study and conduct a piece of significant research that meets the
academic conventions required for a Master’s degree.

The module aims to provide an opportunity for in depth and rigorous enquiry and will allow for the
enhancement and application of research skills related to a particular field of enquiry. The
dissertation will seek to consolidate powers of critical analysis, creativity and evaluation.

A dissertation will normally include an introduction, literature review, description of your

methodology, data analysis and set of conclusions. Further details are outlined in the next section.

Two copies of your dissertation will be required to be submitted through the College Office (in
Heart Space) and an electronic submission through Turnitin. You will find a link to the Turnitin
Assignment from the Assessments area of the Blackboard course menu.

You will need to ensure that your assessment is uploaded as a single document, and in the correct
format (e.g. a Word document or PDF – the acceptable file formats are displayed on screen when
you come to submit via Turnitin).

When submitting, please enter your student ID number in the “submission title” box. The document
itself should contain your student ID number in a header or footer; your name should not be visible
on the work.

Turnitin generates an Originality Report, and you are encouraged to make use of this facility as a
support tool to help you ensure the source material in your assignment is correctly referenced
before final submission.

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You will be able to submit revised drafts of your work up until the assignment due date. Only the
final version will be marked by your tutor.

At the due date and time, no further submissions or changes are possible.

Deadlines & Assessment Criteria

Assessment task: dissertation

Weighting: 100%

Date/time/method of submission: 12 noon 4th September 2021 - Electronic and paper submission

Word count or equivalent: 15,000 words (max.)

Assessment criteria:

You will be assessed against the following learning outcomes: LO’s 1-7

Marking Criteria: You will be marked according to the following criteria: See Appendix B

Feedback: Within three weeks of the date of submission

Assessment Format & Guidelines

Structure

The structure of your dissertation should conform to the following guidelines. The hard (paper)
copies of the dissertation should comprise:

Cover sheet

A cover sheets should be completed. This should include the name of your supervisor .It should be
inserted into the front of your dissertation.

Title page

This should have your dissertation title, your name, your student number, the module code, your
course and the month and year of submission. Examples can be found in the Course Leader’s office.
Details should be in a readable black font

It is unnecessary to include pictures, shading or colour on the title page. Academic pieces of work do
not require such embellishments. Some dissertation markers think such additions detract from the
dissertation. Also do not cover the title page with anything other than the UWL cover sheet. Do not
obscure the details on the title page with fore example an opaque cover.

Acknowledgements

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It is usual but not compulsory to thank those who have been of particular help to you in completing
the dissertation. Some students also take the opportunity to thank those who have supported them
through their studies – such as members of their family.

If you wish to acknowledge your supervisor for their help it is customary to ask their permission. Do
not be offended if they decline the request as many supervisors do so as a matter of course on all
dissertations. The best advice is to keep it to members of your family.

Abstract

This is a maximum of one page which concisely summarises the research. It consists of three
paragraphs – what the research was about (aim and research question, what you did (the
methodology) and what you found out (your findings/conclusion).

Contents page or list

This should be detailed and identify each section of the dissertation with corresponding page
numbers. You write the contents list last. It should include all appendices and be followed by
separate lists of tables and figures if appropriate.

Chapter 1 – The Introduction

The Introduction should contain:

• Your topic clearly stated.

• The reason why it is of interest to you.
• Background information as appropriate.
• Definitions of all special and general terms.
• A clear overall purpose including aim, objectives and research questions or
hypotheses.
• It is also informative to give a brief description of the contents of the remaining
chapters of the dissertation. This alerts the reader and prepares them for the
rest of the work.

Chapter 2 – Literature Review

This chapter should demonstrate that you have conducted a thorough and critical investigation of
relevant current sources, outlining, comparing and discussing key ideas, explanations, concepts,
theories and models associated with your chosen topic.

You should present these ideas in a systematic, well-structured and logical sequence. It should be
written in an essay style but it is normal to subdivide the literature review in to numbered subsections.
Short paragraphs of one or two sentences are not the correct writing style as the argument cannot be
developed or the point made to any depth if the paragraph is not of sufficient length.

All literature should be referenced in the Harvard System, not just for quotations but also for ideas
and information drawn from the works of others.

Chapter 3 – Methodology

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This chapter describes and assesses the approach you have taken to the data collection process. It
is an opportunity for you to be self-critical (which what the markers are looking for). Do not assume
you have been perfect in collecting your data - reflection is important in this chapter. The chapter is
likely to be sub-divided into three sub-sections.

The first sub-section will refer to the theory of research and present a clear rationale for your
methodology. This will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of possible methods (do not
discuss all research methods) and an explanation of why you have chosen your particular method(s)
and discounted the others.

Do not just restate the notes you have been given by us but refer to the research methods literature
and texts. You will probably find that some advantages are actually disadvantages for your research,
and vice versa, or you may come up with some of your own.

The second section should explicitly describe what you actually did (where, when, how many, pilot
survey etc ) and any issues related to sampling theory (sampling frame, sampling techniques used).
It should be possible to replicate your research from the detail given here.

The third section will be a critique of the success, or otherwise, or your method(s). The technical
names are reliability and validity. You would also include some suggestions for improving the
research should it be done again either by you or somebody else.

This whole chapter should be written in the past tense as it refers to

• what you could have done, and

• what you did.

Chapter 4 – Analysis and Discussion of Findings

This chapter discusses what has been found through any primary data. It covers three areas:

1. Analysis of the results. The analysis can be discussed here but the details of any analysis
(calculations, spread sheet print outs, etc ) should be shown in the appendices.
2. Discussion of the results of the analysis. You should present any discussion clearly and
logically and it should be relevant to your aim, objectives and research questions/hypotheses.
Put any tables or diagrams that you decide to include as close as possible to the text and not
in the appendices, and discuss them fully – do not leave it to the reader to try and workout
what a diagram means or what the most important element is.
3. How your findings relate to the literature. Make sure that you relate the findings of your
primary research to your literature review. You can do this by comparison: discussing
similarities and particularly differences. If you think your findings have confirmed some
literature findings say so and say why. If you think your findings are at variance with the
literature say so and say why.

Chapter 5 – Conclusion

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State the main conclusions of your dissertation. State explicitly how and to what extent you have met
your aim, objectives and answered the research questions or proved/disproved your hypotheses.
You conclusions should follow logically from your findings and not contain any new material. For the
Work Based Dissertation only you should also include Recommendations.

You should state the word count for the dissertation at the end of this chapter. The word count is from
the start of Chapter 1 to the end of Chapter 5

References

This should conform to the current Harvard System as used by the University site

https://www.uwl.ac.uk/library/finding-and-using-information/referencing

Appendices

The final sections of the dissertation are the appendices. Each appendix should be lettered (A, B, C
etc) and cross referenced in the main text. They consist of detailed information relating to the
methodology and findings chapters such as a data sheet and a copy of the questionnaire.

The appendices should be in the order that they are referred to in the main text. For instance, if
Appendix A refers to something on page 25 and Appendix B refers to something on page 15, the
appendices need to be re-lettered. This inconsistency occurs when text is moved around or inserted.

In total there are 11 sections to the dissertation of which only 5 – the 5 chapters – are specifically
numbered.

The electronic copy of the dissertation you submit should comprise everything from the Title page to
the end of the References. Appendices tend to be on separate files and merging then with the actual
dissertation text file can cause problems or is impossible.

Length of the dissertation

The dissertation should be between 10,000 and 15,000 words and the word count (Introduction to the
end of Chapter 5) should be given at the end of Chapter 5. This count includes everything that can be
counted such as tables, figures and diagrams.

Some universities allow 10% each way on these limits – we don’t. The dissertation MUST be
between the limits.

Having said that, a dissertation that is just over 10,000 words in length, in most cases, will not have
developed the argument sufficiently. In such cases it is likely to be marked down accordingly
because of a lack of depth or discussion.

A dissertation that is over 15,000 words will be marked down because it is too long. Editing your work
is one of the skills we are trying to develop. Some markers will stop reading once they think they
have reached 15000 words and thus not mark the excess!

Ideally you should be aiming for about 13-14,000 words.

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Length of each chapter

A frequently asked question is – how long is each chapter? The answer is ‘We don’t know – as there
are many factors that affect this – the topic, your writing ability, the primary data collected and so on’.
However it is possible to give some ball park figures, as shown below:

Min Max

Chapter 1 1200 1800

Chapter 2 3800 5200

Chapter 3 2200 3500

Chapter 4 2000 3000

Chapter 5 800 2000

Total 10,000 15,000

It must be remembered these are just guidelines and there is much variation possible around these.
For example you may write less than the minimum suggested for Chapter 1 but then write slightly
more for Chapter 2 to compensate. Provided you address all the issues in each chapter in depth then
the above will serve as reasonable guidelines.

Style and presentation of the dissertation

The dissertation should conform to the following standards:

Paper White A4 paper should be used.

The paper should be of good quality and of sufficient thickness

for normal reading.
Binding Both hard copies should be bound using loose-leaf spiral
binding (the LIBRARY offers this service).
Pagination All pages should be numbered in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3 etc).

Page 1 is the first page of the Introduction.

The sections that come before the Introduction (Abstract,

Acknowledgement and Contents Page) should be numbered
with small Roman numerals i, ii, iii, iv, etc).

All page numbers should centred at the bottom of the page.

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 Margins Margins at the binding edge must not be less than 40 mm (1.5
inches) and other margins not less than 20 mm (0.75 inch).

Spacing of Double spacing between lines should be used for all text.
lines
However, indented quotations and references in the Reference
list should have single line spacing.
Chapter Each chapter should have a header – e.g. Chapter 1 -
headings Introduction.
Section Section headings may be used within a chapter but should be
headings consistent. Use this module study guide as an example.
Tables & Where tables and figures (graphs, charts and diagrams) are
Figures used they should, as far as possible, be given margins equal to
or greater than a page of text.

They should be displayed or pasted into the dissertation as

near as possible to the relevant text.

Each one should be numbered consecutively, for example,

Table 1, Figure 1, etc.
Font You are advised to use either Times New Roman or Arial (this
font) - do not use Comic Sans MS for example.
Font size Font size 12 (this is in size 11) should be used. The size of the
chapter headings and section headings are left to your
discretion but should not be unduly large.
Bolding It is normal to just bold headings and not bold what you think
are key words.
Italics Italics should only be used for direct quotations.
Underlining There is no need to underline anything in the dissertation.

Submission of the dissertation

You should submit two paper copies of your dissertation to the College Office and one
electronic copy by 12 noon on the due date.

The following points should be adhered to when submitting your dissertation:

1. The paper copy should have your supervisor’s name on it.

2. No hard copy of the dissertation will be returned to you after submission. If you want your
own copy you will have to print additional copies.

To submit your dissertation electronically you need to:

1. Submit through Blackboard / Turnitin.

2. Go into the Service Dissertation module on your Blackboard page.
3. Click on the Assignments banner on the left hand side of the screen.
4. Follow the instructions.

17
 5. This electronic copy should be from the Title page to the end of the References.
6. Do not submit the appendices as part of the electronic copy
7. Because Blackboard / Turnitin is a computerised system, it does not allow you to submit after
the deadline. You must therefore submit the electronic copy (well) before the deadline time
and date.

Second marker

A second marker will be allocated to the marking of your dissertation. It is their job to provide an
independent second opinion on the fairness and consistency of marking. The second marker is
allocated by the Module Leader a short time before the hand-in date.

You should not make any attempt to find out who is or contact the second marker, show them your
work in progress or canvass them in any way.

For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access online
feedback, please refer to the UWL Blackboard student-help pages at:
http://www.uwl.ac.uk/blackboardhelp

Working with your Supervisor

Allocation of supervisors

Supervisors are allocated after your proposal has been submitted and it is known what topic area you
are interested in. Every effort is made to match you with a supervisor who has an interest and subject
expertise in the topic you have decided upon. We consider this desirable as both parties can engage
in an interesting topic together. However, it is generally considered that the main function of a
supervisor is to guide the student through the process of doing research and not to provide subject
knowledge as this is the responsibility of the student.

The Subject Head will write to you with details relating to who is your supervisor. As noted, you
should then make an appointment with them to discuss your proposal. This is best done by email.
It is also a good idea to suggest say three dates and times so you give the supervisor a choice.

At the end of this initial session, your supervisor will judge whether your proposed research is
viable and you will agree a course of action. You may be asked to refine/refocus your research or
you may be advised to change the type/methods to be used.

What is important is that you have put in a lot of time researching your topic area and can
articulate your ideas both in the proposal and in discussion with your supervisor.

Finally, the learning support provided in the form of a supervisor will be new to many of you and you
will need to work with your supervisor through the process of doing your research. They will expect to
have contact with you on a regular basis, see work in progress and discuss your ideas with you.

18
Your supervisor is the first marker for your final dissertation and you should always keep them up to
date with what you are doing. By all means talk to subject lecturers - but always check things out
with your supervisor.

What can you expect from your supervisor?

• That they will be interested in your research.

• That they will be available for meetings as needed, bearing in mind reasonable access and
the need to negotiate times and dates convenient for both parties. That they are punctual
and turn up as arranged.
• That they will ensure a suitable environment for meetings and offer 'quality time' and that
they will be prepared for your meetings.
• That they respond promptly to messages.
• That they will give constructive and honest feedback on your ideas, your proposal and on
draft sections of your dissertation. Each section will only be reviewed once.
• That they will NOT look at a full draft or do any pre-marking prior to the hand in date.
• That they will challenge your ideas and expect you to argue your strategies.
• That they will be supportive.
• That they will guide you in developing your research methodology.
• That they will clarify any rules and procedures.
• That they will mark your proposal and your final dissertation.

What does your supervisor expect from you?

• That you will be interested in and enthusiastic about your research and have generated a
topic and ideas for investigation.
• That you have read all the documentation and have a clear understanding of what is
required - that you will ask if something is not clear.
• That you turn up punctually and are prepared for your meetings/discussions and this
means that you can produce a progress report and a clear agenda for discussion.
• That if you are unable to attend a meeting/discussion, you will give 24 hours notice of
cancellation - your supervisor may be coming in at that time just to talk to you.
• That you respond promptly to messages.
• That any work that you would like feedback on is given to the supervisor prior to the
meeting to allow for considered reflection.
• That you follow advice and that you are honest about any problems and shortfalls you may
be experiencing.
• That you take responsibility for your own work and recognise that the learning time for this
module is 400 hours. (e.g. an average of ten hours a week for twenty weeks)
• That you make a record of what is agreed at each meeting, together with an agreed time
and date of the next meeting. That this is copied immediately and a copy given to the
supervisor. A useful form for this is included in the appendices.
• That you drive the relationship – i.e. you make the appointments with your supervisor as
and when you need them. It is not the supervisor’s role to chase you.

19
 Once an appointment is made you must keep it unless you
cancel it with plenty of notice (at least 24 hours). There is no
easier way to upset a supervisor than by not turning up.

Frequency of meetings

It is essential that you have either several meetings/discussions with your supervisor or get feedback
electronically. If they do not see your work on a regular basis they cannot help you. How many and
how long is a matter for you and your supervisor to negotiate to your mutual satisfaction and within
your time commitments. However work on the basis that each meeting is business like – so is short
and concise i.e. 15 - 20 minutes.

There are several key times when contact should be made. You should arrange to meet to receive
feedback on your proposal and again for feedback on your draft chapters.

One definite meeting that must take place with your supervisor is prior to starting the primary data
collection. In particular before you send out any letter, questionnaire or other materials (you are not
allowed to use the UWL logo or header in these documents) you need to get approval from your
supervisor for the data collection instrument. We don’t want something which contains spelling
mistakes, poor grammar or poorly designed questions being sent to people in the industry.

You need to give any material to your supervisor a few days before any actual meeting. This allows
them time to read the material. Once its been read a meeting can then be arranged accordingly to get
feedback.

Having read this guide (possibly a few times) and taken on board the advice remember that many
students have gone through this process and come out the other side with excellent work and marks.
You are following a well worn path that we know works. Do not leave things to the last moment but
work on a regular basis, set yourself mini-targets and stick to them. Good luck!

A FINAL REMINDER

This module is different to other modules.

A dissertation requires a lot of hard work, a lot of reading and a lot of

preparation – do not underestimate the task.

Do not leave things till the last minute – get started early and aim to
finish early. Have a timetable and stick to it.

Know the key dates.

It is expected that you see your supervisor as you go along.

20
 Check that your dissertation follows the stated structure, style and
presentation requirements.

Know the marking criteria – what are we looking for and assess your
own work.

Keep all your material until after you receive your results.

Always make back up copies of your files (hard drive, two memory
sticks and email) and in multiple locations! Do this throughout the
process of producing your dissertation - not just your final version.

If in doubt about mitigation/extensions see your programme leader or

the module leader.

Print off and bind your dissertation early to avoid disaster!

Fill in two cover sheets (one for each copy) correctly.

Hand in the two copies and electronic submission before the deadline.

If you want your own copies bound, print extra copies and bind these
too.

Do not plagiarise any part of your dissertation – know how to cite,

quote and use the Harvard System.

After you have submitted celebrate (a little)!

Supervision meeting record form

MSc DISSERTATION

SUPERVISION MEETING RECORD FORM

STUDENT NAME

DATE OF MEETING

21
 TOPICS/AREAS
DISCUSSED

AGREED ACTION PLAN

TIME AND DATE OF

NEXT MEETING

A copy of the completed form to be kept by the supervisor and the student.

22
 MSc Food Studies/Hospitality/Tourism/Aviation Management: Marking Criteria

Thesis Assessment Record

Please do not write in the dissertation

Return to Programme Leader by: Dissertation Supervisor

Student………………………………………………………….......................

Title …………………………………………………………...........................

Tutor/1st Marker ..............................................................................................

2nd Marker ......................................................................................................

3rd Marker .....................…………………………………......(Exceptional cases)

Marking notes

Marking master’s dissertations is a complex task. Trying to quantify as a percentage what

essentially is a subjective and intuitive exercise is demanding. With this is mind, the team offer
some generic grade descriptors we wish you to consider when marking this work. Below these
are generic grade indicators of what may constitute a pass, merit or distinction. These are
designed to assist you in reaching your mark and are not designed to be confining instructions. As
there are many permutations in design and execution the nature of dissertations is such that it is
very difficult to give an exact description of what constitutes a distinction or a pass etc., and then

23
apply this to all students’ work; further, there are obviously ‘degrees’ of merits, for example, within a
range of 14 marks. Thus, the grade indicators should be seen as general features of work at that
particular level. In essence, we ask that you use the below as a guide to complement your own
professional judgement in reaching your decision.

MARKING SCHEME FOR DISSERTATION

CONTENT Wei 1st 2nd

ghti Mark Mark
ng er er
Aims/Objectives/Rationale 10
Is there a clear statement of the aims and objectives? %
Are these realistic?
Has a rationale for the research been given that states the
origins and relevance of the project?
Do the aims and objectives establish a clear focus upon which
to base the investigation?
Selection and Treatment of the Literature 20
Has discussion taken place on the criteria for selection of %
sources?
Has there been a critical review and synthesis of relevant work
in the subject area?
Is there evidence of a broad understanding of current trends?
Have key theories/models been identified and evaluated for
applicability?
Has an attempt been made to summarise secondary data
within an appropriate theoretical framework?
Has a sufficient range of references been used to support
argument, discussion and evaluation?
Do references/citations observe standard academic practice?
Does the review show extended reading with emphasis
towards the inclusion of contemporary academic journal
material?
Methodology 20
Has there been a critical evaluation of the proposed research %
methodology?
Has Justification been given for choice of methods and
procedures used in primary and/or secondary research?
Has there been discussion of sampling considerations in
primary and/ or secondary research?
Has explanation of procedures for applying methods been
given?
Has an attempt been made to define the purpose of collecting
any primary data?

24
 Does the methodology attempt to demonstrate sophisticated
academic reasoning as to the appropriate research design and
strategies to be formulated/adopted?

Application, Analysis and Evaluation 30

Does the dissertation clearly report its findings? %
Has comparative discussion of own findings with existing
research been undertaken?
Has continuous analysis and evaluation of theory and practice
through the development of arguments/models/theories been
demonstrated?
Has an appropriate level of analysis been undertaken? (Deep
vs Surface).
Has the dissertation demonstrated maturity and sophistication
in using industry related illustrations?
Conclusions and Recommendations 20
Has the dissertation drawn and presented appropriate %
conclusions based upon evaluation of main
findings/arguments?
Has it draw and presented appropriate and realistic
recommendations based upon conclusions?
Has there been a concise appraisal of the contribution the
research had made to the topic under investigation?
Are recommendations for future research indicated?
Has an evaluation of achievement of aim/objectives been
made?
Has any uncertainty and/or ambiguity in research design, the
generation and analysis of data been convincingly dealt with?
100%

Total Agreed Mark:

TOTAL MARK (100%)

Commentary

Dissertation Strengths

Dissertation Weaknesses

25
Special Problems (if any)

Student situation

Other comments (including overall assessment of dissertation)

Name…………………………….. Signed …………………….. Date ………………………

MASTERS ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

GENERIC GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR LEVEL M

Generic grade descriptors at Level M differentiate postgraduate from undergraduate work.

26
Well-structured and articulated writings at Level M are based around the development and use of an
appropriate framework of academic concepts that supports analysis of complex issues. Further, it is
taken as a norm at level M that students have a clear grasp of content and of associated key issues.
The student should display a much wider degree of knowledge and understanding than would be
required at level 3. An understanding of the more subtle aspects of the subject is expected at this
level with students displaying depth of knowledge/mastery of the subject.

Wide reading is expected for a Level M dissertation. Students should actively seek material that
furthers a questioning and academically rigorous treatment of a subject. Views of authors who
challenge conventional wisdom should be read eagerly and used to inform and enliven the analysis.
At Level M, application to industry, should be integrated within the student’s analysis and synthesis
and should extend well beyond merely the giving of ‘examples’. Students should produce a mature
critique of concepts in relation to industry context.

At Level M students grapple with complex questions to which there are no straightforward answers
or readily available conventional wisdom. A key feature of analysis at Level M is that the student
shows an ability to deal with complexity, lacunae and/or contradictions in the knowledge base and
can still confidently structure the analysis in an appropriate manner. The ability to assess and
critically evaluate evidence with reference to methodology, and sources of data/information is
expected as a norm at Level M.

Synthesis/originality is probably the key definer of work at Level M. Students should show an ability
to synthesise information/ideas autonomously and create responses to problems that expand or
define existing knowledge and/or develop new approaches. Level M students should show a
capacity to deal with complexity and ambiguity. The Level M response takes the student into what is
(at least for them) new territory. Students would typically be expected to produce and justify a new
synthesis and/or original insight and/or a new theory, explanation or model.

GENERIC GRADE INDICATORS AT LEVEL M

FOR A PASS AT MASTERS LEVEL

27
▪ Evidence of wide research and the synthesis of relevant texts, journals and industry sources

▪ The University Standard Referencing system is used exclusively (i.e. Harvard)

▪ Comprehensive knowledge of the subject within the context of the hospitality/tourism/aviation

business environment

▪ A critical evaluation an analysis of relevant theories and models and a reasoned assessment
of their relevance and value to the contemporary industry environment is evident

▪ Development of a conceptual model

▪ A critical examination of key issues is conducted and is integrated within an argument -

discussion is developed

▪ A clear argument is developed and fully supported using quotations and citations from key
authors and industry sources.

▪ A number of relevant industrial examples further support and illustrate the work

▪ There should be evidence of original thought and commentary based on the argument
theoretical analysis and industry application presented.

▪ The work should be properly structured, presented and free from grammatical or spelling
errors. A clear introduction, main body and conclusions should be evident.

FOR A MASTERS WITH MERIT

As shown above plus:

▪ A well structured work clearly based around the development and use of an appropriate
(conceptual) framework of issues

▪ Depth of knowledge/mastery of the subject

▪ More extensive reading/research than at pass level; use of material that helps develop a
questioning and academically rigorous treatment of the subject

▪ More sophisticated analysis dealing with complex issues

▪ Original comments and arguments feature strongly in the work

FOR A MASTERS WITH DISTINCTION

28
As shown above plus:

▪ A new and original perspective is presented following the synthesis of argument and
conceptual analysis that has been developed in the work.
For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access online
feedback, please refer to the UWL Blackboard student-help pages at: uwl.ac.uk/blackboardhelp

For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access
online feedback, please refer to the UWL Blackboard student-help pages at: uwl.ac.uk/current-
students/online-learning-tools

Learning materials
The reading list for this module is available on Blackboard in the module area and online by
searching uwl.rl.talis.com. This shows real-time availability of books in the library and provides
direct links to digital items, recommended by your lecturer.

Remember to log into Blackboard daily to receive all the latest news and support available
at your module sites!

Subject guides (subject-guides-libguides) are also available to help you find relevant information
for assignments, with contact details of the Subject Librarian for your School.
Remember, all your work must have Academic Integrity; it must be an honest and fair submission,
complying with all the requirements of the assessment, that properly references and credits any
other people’s work you have used. Failure to meet these standards of behaviour and practice is
academic misconduct, which can result in penalties being applied under the Academic Offences
Regulations.

29
3 Things you need to know
Our Expectations
You are expected to behave in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, and treat others
with kindness and respect whether at university or online. It’s important to consider your safety
and the safety of others around you, especially how to stay safe online and ensure your
communications are secure and appropriate, visit uwl.ac.uk/current-students/studying-campus for
information and advice.

Teaching at UWL during the academic year 2022–23 will be conducted using our blended learning
framework, “UWL Flex”. This is a tried and tested model that helps you maximise your learning by
providing you with materials to:

1) engage with before class (“Investigate”) so you can maximise your hands-on learning
during your taught session
2) Help you demonstrate and check your understanding by applying your prior learning during
class (“Apply”)
3) Help you enhance your knowledge and skills by reflecting on or consolidating your learning
after class (“Consolidate”)

Whether you are engaging with teaching and learning activities onsite or via the UWL Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard, we expect the same level of commitment and
engagement from you. If you are unable to attend scheduled onsite or online activities, or
complete activities in the time frames set out, you should let your tutors know.

You should aim to meet assessment deadlines; if you are concerned that you will not be able to
complete your assessments on time, you should talk to your tutors. Your engagement, whether
online or onsite, will be tracked and if we see that you are not engaging, we will get in contact with
you.

Please remember that your course team is here to support you so if you are having problems, let
us know so we can work with you to find solutions and get you back on track as soon as possible.
Give yourself the best possible chance to succeed by engaging with the full range of learning and
teaching activities available to you.

All students should refer to the Attendance and Engagement Monitoring Policy particularly if you
are on a course leading to professional registration, or you are on a student visa.

Getting Support
Graduating from UWL will open up a world of opportunities for you, but we understand that the
journey to get there is not always easy – especially when you are combining studying with work,
caring for others, or dealing with illness. That is why we offer lots of support to help you meet your
full potential.

3.2.1 Personal Tutors, Module Leaders, Subject Librarians, and Course Leaders

Your Personal Tutor can help if you’re worried about your studies, need academic advice, or want
to find the best way for you to succeed.

Your Module Leader can help if you’re struggling with work, don’t think you can meet a deadline,
or there was something you didn’t understand or want to know more about.

30
Your Subject Librarian can help you with finding, evaluating, reading, and referencing sources.
They offer drop-ins and workshops throughout the year.

Your Course Leader can help with any questions about the course you’re studying, such as any
course-specific requirements or options.

3.2.2 Study Support Team

The Study Support Team helps you enhance your academic writing and study skills through one-
to-one support opportunities and workshops throughout the academic year. This support consists
of:

• Study Skills Support

• English Language Support
• Maths and Statistics Support
• Peer Mentoring Scheme
• Online Resources

To book a one-to-one appointment or a workshop, you can

visit uwlacademicsupport.targetconnect.net. For more information or to register for weekly updates
email Study.Support@uwl.ac.uk or you can visit the website to find out more about the support
offered by the Study Support Team at uwl.ac.uk/studysupport

3.2.3 Student Services

In addition to the study support listed above, you can get support from Student Services with:

• Student Advice, including:

o Funding your Studies, Financial Hardship, Scholarships and Bursaries
o Housing rights and Accommodation
o Immigration
• Student Welfare (guidance for personal or emotional problems)
• Counselling
• Disability and Mental Health (support on your course and around the University)
• Faith
• Careers, Employability, and Placements
• Volunteering

Book your 1-2-1 appointment with any of these areas at studenthub.uwl.ac.uk. Not sure which
service you need? Contact Student Services for more information at studentservices@uwl.ac.uk or
call 020 8231 2345.You can find Student Services at:

• Ealing – The Street at St Mary’s Road

• Brentford – 2nd Floor at Paragon House
• Reading – Drop-in sessions are available at Fountain House
• Oxford – An advice point is available at Ruskin College

We also offer online resources to help you make the best of your time at University or tell us about
anything that’s not right:

• Togetherall (togetherall.com) is a safe, online community where people support each other
anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing.

31
 • Report + Support (reportandsupport.uwl.ac.uk) is an online platform to report or seek
support with instances of bullying, harassment, discrimination, assault etc. Any reports can
be made anonymously.

3.2.4 Meeting Deadlines

You should always try your best to submit your work on time. If you submit coursework late, within
10 calendar days of the deadline, then the maximum mark you will be able to get for that work will
be the pass mark. Anything submitted after this would be counted as a non-submission.

We understand that there may be times when you experience circumstances outside of your
control that mean you are not able to submit on time. It’s a good idea to talk your Module Leader if
you’re not going to be able to submit on time so that they can support you and make you aware of
any services that can help.

Where exceptional circumstances mean you’ll be submitting your coursework late, you can
request an extension before your deadline. An extension means that the penalty for submitting up
to 10 calendar days late will not apply.

If your circumstances are so serious that you are not able to submit at all or are unable to attend
an in-person assessment like an exam or in-class test, then you can request mitigation for the
assessment. Mitigation means that you can submit work at the next available attempt instead.

If you request an extension or mitigation before the deadline you can choose to self-certify,
meaning that you do not have to provide evidence, so long as you provide a valid reason for the
request. You can only self-certify three assessments per academic year. If you have used all your
self-certification opportunities, or requested mitigation after the deadline, you will need to provide
evidence of your exceptional circumstances for your request to be granted.

If you need help making an extension or mitigation request, you can get in touch with the Students’
Union Advice Team who will be able to support you through the process.

Making an Impact
3.3.1 When there’s an issue

If something’s negatively impacting your experience at university, you should raise this informally
with your Module Leader or Course Leader.

If the issue is affecting several students, you could talk to your Course Rep about it, and they can
either raise your concerns with your Module Leader or Course Leader on the group’s behalf, or at
the Course Committees which take place each semester.

If the course team are unable to address your concerns to your satisfaction, the Students’ Union
Advice Team can help you to raise a complaint, following the process outlined in the Student
Handbook.

The University aims to ensure that any issues are resolved informally as quickly as possible to
have minimum impact on your studies.

3.3.2 Module Evaluation Surveys

Towards the end of the module, you will be invited to provide some anonymous feedback to the
Module Leader through an online survey. This is your opportunity to give direct feedback about the

32
module through a series of questions and free text.

Your constructive feedback will help the Module Leader and teaching team to understand the
module experience from your perspective and helps inform the development of the module. At the
end of the survey period, a response to the survey will be available so that you can see the impact
your voice has had.

33
4 Appendix — Research ethics and integrity
Research ethics guidance for students
4.1.1 What are ethics in research? Why does it matter?

All researchers, across all disciplines, should be mindful of ethical issues when planning,
conducting, and reporting on their work. Doing so will ensure that the researcher respects the
interests of all parties, mitigates risks to both participants and themself, and delivers research
outcomes that are robust. To guide this, the University sets out principles of good research, and to
better understand them, you should consult – and then adhere to – the six ‘University Research
Integrity’ documents linked at uwloffice365live.sharepoint.com/Pages/Research.aspx

‘Ethical approval’ is required for all research, whether that is a short questionnaire devised by an
undergraduate student or a multi-million-pound project carried out by a group of professional
researchers – read on…

4.1.2 Which types of research might raise ethical issues?

Typically, ethical issues would be raised by research that involves the following:

• human participants
• vulnerable individuals or groups
• any personal data
• any type of clinical/physical intervention
• work conducted in a sensitive or potentially dangerous location
• security-sensitive information

Accordingly, associated ethical issues require appropriate planning. Even interviewing people
(including your peers or friends) or collecting their data can incur ethical issues, and you must
ensure that you have appropriate safeguards in place to protect both their welfare and data. You
must also ensure that you will be protected if your research (even potentially) places you in a
dangerous or stressful place or situation. ‘Desk-based’ research centred on journal articles and
books is unlikely to pose acute ethical issues, but even then, the way that the researcher might
select the articles and report outcomes require care and consideration.

4.1.3 How will UWL help me to understand and apply research ethics?

First and foremost, the topic of research ethics will be addressed by your tutor or supervisor as
part of your module. It may also be part of your recommended reading. Different disciplines
conduct a range of research using a variety of approaches, so your teaching will cover the ethical
issues that are most likely to apply to your subject. If you have any questions about the design or
conduct of research that you are planning, then you should seek guidance from the tutor or
supervisor.

Secondly, UWL operates a risk-assessment system, employing the easy-to-complete ‘Research

ethics and integrity risk assessment’ form. You are required to complete a copy of the form before
commencing your project. This helps the University to identify and improve research projects that
might raise ethical issues. Just as importantly, it will help you work through the potential ethical
dimensions of your research in a structured and step-by-step manner and to ensure that
34
appropriate safeguards are in place.

4.1.4 My research does NOT involve any of the above areas

You will still need to complete the form before commencing your project.

Easy steps to ethical approval

4.2.1 Top tips

Develop your project proposal to an advanced stage before attempting to fill in the form. It will
require you to provide details.

Discuss the ethical issues around your research plans with your supervisor at the earliest possible
stage, and certainly in advance of filling in the form. Try to find an approach that will not incur any
issues in the first place. If you form a proposal and only discover that there are issues close to the
submission deadline, you will be required to reframe your work and this will take extra time, or
possibly even compromise your grades.

4.2.2 Submit the form

To apply for ethics approval, you need to complete and submit the ‘Research ethics and integrity
risk assessment form’ which can be found at tinyurl.com/u8zteb2f. This form is read-only, so click
‘Edit Document>Open in Desktop App’, then save a copy that you can edit for submission.

You should send the completed form along with relevant complimentary documents to your
Supervisor/Module Leader/Tutor, who then needs to approve and sign it off.

Remember, the ethics application form must be submitted and approved before any research
project starts and before any potential participants are approached. Failure to gain prior ethical
approval is considered an academic offence.

At various points you will be asked to provide complementary documents. Your application cannot
be processed without these. You are advised to first complete the project outline. Make sure you
include the following where your project utilises these research methods and instruments:

A. The completed ‘Research ethics and risk assessment’ form

B. A completed Project Proposal
C. A participant-information sheet
D. An informed-consent form
E. A copy of interview questions and/or the questionnaires/data-collection-instruments you
intend to use or, if you are not using such approaches, a statement of what will be used (as
a Microsoft Word document, with your Application ID at the top)
F. A data management statement (the template for this is available at
uwloffice365live.sharepoint.com/Pages/Research.aspx – simply add your name and
Application ID at the end)

35
4.2.3 How it works

1. The School/College Ethics Panel (SCREP) will review your application – normally within two
weeks of submission
2. You and your supervisor will be informed of the outcome by email
3. Outcomes will be one of the following categories:
• Conditional approval subject to review and re-submission (you must make the changes
specified by the panel before you can start)
• Provisional approval subject to additional information and re-submission (you can start your
project, but you will need to provide further information at a date determined by the
School/College Ethics Panel)
• Final approval (the approval is final, and you do not need to re-submit unless you make
subsequent changes to the project)
• Rejection (you must discuss issues raised with your Supervisor)

Referral to University Research Ethics Committee where risk is identified that requires such
referral.

36