Royal Holloway, University of London School of Management
Student Project and Dissertation Handbook 2008/2009
英国伦敦大学硕士毕业论文写作指导Royal Holloway, University of London
Table of Contents
1. Introduction________________________________________________________3
2. The Nature of the Project_____________________________________________3
3. Choosing a Suitable Topic for the Project_______________________________4
4. The Formal Research Proposal________________________________________7
5. The Role of the Academic Supervisor__________________________________9
6. Research Methods_________________________________________________10
7. Reading List______________________________________________________11
8. Planning and Managing Your Project__________________________________12
9. The Final Dissertation______________________________________________14
10. Referencing______________________________________________________16
11. Plagiarism_______________________________________________________20
12. Assessment_____________________________________________________23
13. Filing and Publication_____________________________________________24
14. Provisional Dissertation Timetable __________________________________26
Appendix: Using JISC Plagiarism Detection Service_______________________27
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1. Introduction
The research project/dissertation is a very important part of your Master’s degree. It is an opportunity to learn and practise researching and writing skills, which you will need in your career. It is the part of the programme where you can apply the analytical and problem-solving techniques you have acquired during your studies to pursue a specialist interest in greater depth. Students find the project demanding but at the same time one of the most rewarding aspects of their Master’s.
The purpose of this guide is to help you approach your dissertation effectively. Every project is different: there is no single right way, but many wrong ways to do research. However, with clarity of purpose, careful planning and good organisation, you will save time and achieve more.
If you have a problem once you have begun your project, your supervisor will be the first person to contact on many issues. However, administrative problems should be referred to the School of Management Reception, and any further academic problems should be brought to the attention of the Programme Director. Please note that dissertations have to be prepared by the deadlines set by the School of Management and will only be deferred in extenuating circumstances and on the judgement of the Director of Graduate Studies.
2. The Nature of the Project
The dissertation project is not intended to be an original contribution to knowledge, but it should demonstrate your ability to collect data systematically, organise your findings, and ensure that your research results are presented in a cogent and clear manner.
The project should demonstrate both the technical knowledge that you have acquired throughout the Master’s degree programme and also the ability to integrate knowledge from different subject areas in order to apply it analytically to an academic but business-related problem.1
In marking your dissertation, examiners will be looking for the following attributes:
1.
Is the student fully aware of the state of knowledge in the chosen area?
1 A note to MA European Business students: The project can be related to a specific business problem or issue or a policy area with relevance to European business. In the former case, there may be similarities to a consultancy report for a particular client. However, it is important to bear in mind that, if the project addresses a particular business problem, as a piece of academic work it will be necessary to develop and present the theoretical basis of the argument at greater length.
A note to MSc Sustainability & Management students: since ‘sustainability’ covers issues of importance to both Management and Geography, students can choose a topic in either discipline.
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2.
Has the student identified all the variables relevant to the problems examined and recognised the inter-relationships between them?
3.
Has the student adopted and used appropriate methods of investigation?
4.
Has the student carried out an appropriate and sufficient analysis of the findings?
5.
Has the student presented the report effectively and professionally?
6.
Where appropriate, has the student examined a range of possible solutions, framed suitable criteria and proposed a viable solution or recommendation?
7.
If the topic of the project requires the student to seek
•
permission to undertake the research;
•
英国伦敦大学硕士毕业论文写作指导a formal ethical assessment and approval (through an ethics committee or a similar body) to undertake the research;
•
permission to quote a person, a company or an organisation;
•
permission to write up the research material; orpermission to publish any research results,
the examiners will note whether such permission or approval has been sought and acquired.
Every one of these attributes is important. A good project must score well on each criterion.
3. Choosing a Suitable Topic for the Project
Students following the Conversion Pathway/Programme Pathway of a Master’s degree programme will be asked to compose a research proposal of 3,500 to 4,000 words as part of their Research Methods course in the Autumn Term.2 They will receive guidance during the Research Methods course and then submit the proposal to be marked. When deciding on the titles for their projects, Conversion/Programme Pathway students should consult a member of staff engaged on the teaching for their Master’s programme. The Director of Graduate Studies will ultimately allocate a Dissertation Supervisor/Project Supervisor to each student based on the topic chosen.
Students on the Research Pathway of a Master’s degree programme will be asked to consult the Director of their Master’s programme or another member of staff
2 Writing a 1,500 word dissertation proposal also applies to MBA International Management/MSc International Management students; however, the deadline for the proposal is usually in January.
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engaged on the teaching for their Master’s programme in addition to any preparation for the dissertation done in the context of taught methodology classes. The Programme Director will give guidance when the students decide upon their dissertation topics and when they prepare to submit a 1,500-word research proposal towards the end of the Spring Term. The Director of Graduate Studies will then allocate a Dissertation Supervisor/Project Supervisor to each student based on the topic chosen.
Each student should refine his or her project topic in consultation with the personal dissertation supervisor. Note that the choice of a topic can be crucial to the success of a dissertation and warrants the expenditure of both time and energy. The key point is that the project must focus on a topic that is closely related to your Master’s degree programme (e.g. an Asia Pacific business topic for all MA Asia Pacific Business students, a European business topic for MA European Business students, etc.; if in doubt, consult a member of teaching staff for your programme as early as possible).
If you have thought about the matter a great deal, but still cannot find a topic, try brainstorming. Remember the rules of brainstorming: capture and list on paper or on a board every idea (however silly, odd or way out) that comes to you. Do not stop to dissect or analyse your thoughts at this stage. When you have run out of ideas, read the list through; more ideas are likely to emerge. When you can think of no more ideas, go through the list grouping the thoughts together and testing them against the criteria outlined below.
Broadly, there are three criteria against which you should test your ideas for a topic:
a)
Is it a substantial problem or opportunity?
b)
Is it realistic given the time and resources available?
c)
Is it intellectually challenging?
The project should have both theoretical and practical elements; a project weighed too heavily on either side is inappropriate.3 Your project must be framed in such a way that you can cover it adequately in the time available and report on it fully within the word limit imposed. Most projects err initially on the side of being far too expansive. One of the first tasks your supervisor will usually set is to ask you to define your topic more tightly and precisely. This must be done at the beginning of the project if you are going to use your time effectively.
3 A note to MA European Business students: For example, a description of the formation of the European Union would be insufficient as a topic. Examples of suitable projects might include an analysis of the trade policy of the European Union in relation to its external trade and how it might affect a particular sector (e.g. agriculture); an assessment of the impact of deregulation policy either within a particular Member State or at the EU level in a particular industry; the strategic management dilemmas relating to privatization in a specific area (e.g. telecoms); an assessment of the effects of policies designed to improve the ‘competitiveness’ of European business in a particular sector; and the role of business interest groups and lobbying on EU policy in a particular area (e.g. employment regulation).
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Research on previously unexplored areas can be exciting. However, one reason why a topic has been left untouched may be that the data simply do not exist to undertake any significant research. In certain cases you may, in a small way, be able to fill such a gap. Nevertheless, there are considerable advantages in selecting a topic on which there is plenty of information available.
Note that although copious information may exist about a topic, this information may not be accessible: access may be too costly, or it may be restricted. For instance, if your project depends on information only available within a particular company, you need the permission of that organisation to access and use this information. Before you proceed with a project, check that you can obtain the information you need.
In order to undertake some projects you may need to have particular areas of knowledge and skill. For example, you may need advanced statistical skills or knowledge of decision theory to complete a particular project. Check that you have such knowledge and skills, or the time and ability to acquire them, before commencing your research.
During your Master’s degree studies you will have had many demands on your time and learned how to manage them. Occasionally your dissertation/project will seem burdensome and you may also be bored with it, and it is then that those time management skills will be most needed. When your commitment to the research project is tested in this manner, what will help you proceed (apart from determination) is your interest in the topic; therefore, a topic should inspire enthusiasm and be motivating when you choose it.
Here are some reasons for NOT choosing a topic:
a)
‘Because I can't think of anything else.’
b)
‘Because my company told me to do it.’
c)
‘Because it looks easy.’
d)
‘Because I've undertaken a similar project previously.’
e)
‘Because I left it too late to do anything else!’
Finally, here is a helpful checklist for the selection of a research project/dissertation topic:
a)
Is this a topic closely related to my Master’s programme and with an academic orientation?
b)
Does it have both empirical and theoretical elements?
c)
Is it the right size – neither too broad nor too narrow?
d)
Is there enough information available?
e)
Can I get access to that information?
f)
Do I have the necessary knowledge and skills?
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g)
Is the topic sufficiently interesting to motivate me?
You should be able to answer “yes” to each question. If not, go back and think again about that aspect of the project.
The dissertation topic will finally be approved by the Programme Director.
4. The Formal Research Proposal
As alluded to above, in order to help you prepare for the dissertation/research project, you are asked to submit a proposal towards the end of the Autumn or Spring Term.
The proposal should be in the form of a report. It should contain the following sections and information, which form the central attributes of a research dissertation.
1.
Title. In your research proposal, have you provided evidence that you have thought about the area you wish to investigate?
As mentioned above, the title and topic area should be relevant to your Master’s degree programme; moreover, it is important that your topic is something that interests you, since you will have to concentrate on it for many weeks. Furthermore, you must choose a subject on which you can easily acquire primary information (documents, interviews, questionnaires, etc.) and for which there is a body of literature to investigate and synthesise when identifying research questions.
2.
Key Questions. Have you thought in depth about the key research question you will address?
It is important that you have gone further than just picking a generic topic area to be researched, and that you have decided which aspect of the topic you might investigate in detail. It is important to try to make this process as specific as possible. Narrow questions are easier to investigate successfully; a broad topic may evoke so many conflicting issues that giving an adequate amount of attention to all of them in the time available might be impossible. However, please note that too narrow a topic may mean that the project will lack empirical breadth or analytical depth.
3.
Key Literature. Are you aware of the key state of knowledge in the chosen area?
You should discuss major authors, key debates in the literature and relevant theoretical frameworks. List the reading you have already done and identify the research questions within your chosen topic as best you can. Also, consider how you will decide between different perspectives or bridge the gap between them.
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4.
Methodology and Data. Furthermore, how will you decide on the appropriate methods of investigation?
You need to appreciate the benefits and drawbacks of different research methods. Consider the following:
•
Are the methods suited to the data?
•
Will you have time to acquire the necessary data and analyse them?
•
What are the limitations of the methodology you use?
•
What sources of bias could occur?
The following structure may be considered:
Introduction
•
Why are you undertaking the research?
•
What will be the gain in knowledge?
Literature review
•
What theoretical issues will you examine?
•
Based on the above, which are your research questions? Be as clear about these as possible.
Methodology
•
How are you going to address the research questions?
•
How are you going to acquire and analyse the identified data?
Data
•
Which organisations, individuals or sources will provide the necessary data?
•
Will the data be available in the depth required?
•
Are there matters of confidentiality?
Discussion
•
What is your hypothesis?
•
How will this guide the research?
•
How will you make adjustments following any changes in the hypothesis?
References
•
Have you fully and clearly identified the major references in your subject area? These should be listed.
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5. The Role of the Academic Supervisor
Once you have decided on a research topic, a member of academic staff is allocated to you as a supervisor. Your supervisor will be familiar with your topic of research but may or may not be an expert in the particular aspects you have chosen to study; academic staff are specialists after all.
Your supervisor can be regarded as a technical resource. It is his or her job to advise you on methodology and to help you avoid routine research errors. It is therefore essential that you make effective use of the time allocated for supervision. The supervisor will be able to offer advice and critically discuss your ideas, evidence and methodology. However, you should not expect supervisors to read drafts in detail or to act as proof editors.
It is up to you to make use of your supervisor. It is not his or her job to chase you on your progress. It is particularly important to make contact and discuss your ideas with your supervisor at an early stage. Contact with your supervisor is likely to be greatest at the beginning and end of your project.
Please bear in mind that over the summer your supervisor may be away on holiday, undertaking research or attending conferences. A typical pattern of contact is described below.
An initial discussion between the supervisor and supervisee is held in the Spring Term, soon after the supervisor has been allocated. Items which might be discussed and agreed at this meeting include
a)
your proposal and terms of reference methodology;
b)
the project timetable;
c)
means of keeping in touch;
d)
a review taking place midway through the project (to monitor progress); and
e)
the final review held when a first draft of the report has been written.
The supervisor and supervisee will need to keep in contact by phone, e-mail, fax or letter (do not forget that it is your responsibility to check your College e-mail regularly). Students will need to initiate the contact/meetings with the supervisor in order to receive advice; supervisors are always willing to help but do not have unlimited time to place at students’ disposal. In particular, as noted above, your supervisor is likely to be away over at least parts of the summer.
You can make best use of your supervisor’s time by paying attention to the following points:
a)
Prepare for your discussions.
•
Just like any other meeting, a meeting with your supervisor requires preparation. He or she will have points to raise with you; make sure
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you have in turn thought through the points you want to raise with him or her.
•
Send written material in advance. Do not expect the supervisor to read your drafts at the meeting. If he or she is not ready, rearrange the meeting to give him/her more time to read the drafts. This is particularly important if the context of the discussion is a videoconference link or an extended telephone discussion.
•
Do your own proof reading. It is a total waste of a supervisor’s time to proofread your work, and supervisors will refuse to do so.
b)
Manage your project. Supervisors may be able to advise you on how to handle difficult situations which you encounter, but good project management dramatically reduces the number of these.
c)
Inform. As the meetings are infrequent, it is important to keep your supervisor informed of progress on your project and any changes that you may make to the agreed subject matter.
Whilst the project must provide a measure of your individual effort, that does not mean that you have no resources other than yourself. Gathering data, for example, may involve the assistance of others, including internal staff and external specialists. Please acknowledge any such assistance in the dissertation.
Note that the dissertation will be assessed firstly by a member of staff who is not your supervisor; nonetheless, the supervisor will act as the second marker.
6. Research Methods
Projects fall into two broad categories. Some involve primary research where the student collects new data and carries out an analysis; an example of this would be sending a postal questionnaire to a sample of companies. Others involve secondary research where the student analyses existing data, which have been gathered by someone else and published either internally or externally.
The quality of your results is a function of the quality of your data and the quality of your analysis. Data should not be collected and analysed for their own sake but in order to provide answers to a specific set of questions. In choosing your methods of data collection and analysis, you must work backwards: what you want to know conditions what you need to find out and how.
Your supervisor will advise you on appropriate methods for your project; moreover, there are many excellent textbooks on methods ranging from the qualitative to the highly quantitative. Some books on methodology, which you may find useful, are listed below under heading 7, ‘Reading List’.
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Questionnaires
Many projects involve sending out questionnaires. This is one way of collecting data. There are some rules, however, which are necessary in ensuring that the process runs smoothly.
1.
You must show your draft questionnaire to your supervisor and get his or her agreement to it before it is sent out.
2.
If you use the Royal Holloway name on your questionnaire, you must provide the Postgraduate Office (Programme Support Office, MB07) with a copy before it is sent out.
3.
If you arrange for questionnaires to be returned to the School of Management, you must discuss with Reception and/or your supervisor their collection and storage.
Letters of introduction
You might need a letter of introduction for instance for the purpose of accessing a specific set of protected data. Letters confirming that you are a Master’s degree student and are undertaking a project as part of your course can be provided. Please note that certification letters intended for any other purpose must be requested at the Student Administration Centre, located between the Windsor Building and the College Shop; see
http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Registry/sac/index.html.
7. Reading List
Much of your project reading will be specific to your chosen topic. There are a number of books available, however, which will help you generally when designing your project; some of these (generic/subject specific) works are listed below. For practical advice on academic writing, see esp. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A., Research Methods for Business Students, 2nd Edition (2000); Berry, R., The Research Project: how to write it (1994); and Barrass, R., Students Must Write: a guide to better writing in course work and examinations (1982).
Mark Easterby-Smith, Richard Thorne and Andy Lowe
Management Research: An Introduction
Sage 1991
ISBN 0 8039 8393X
Evert Gummesson
Qualitative Methods in Management Research
Sage 1991
ISBN 0 8039 4204
Keith Howard and John A Sharp
The Management of a Delegate Research Project
Gower 1983
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ISBN 0 566 00613 8
C Humphrey & B Lee
The Real Life Guide to Accounting Research: A Behind the Scenes View of Using Qualitative Research Methods
Elsevier 2004
ISBN 0-08-043972-1
A D Jankowicz
Business Research Projects for Delegates
Chapman and Hall 1991
ISBN 0 412 36820X
Mathew B Miles & A Michael Huberman
Qualitative Data Analysis (2nd edition)
Sage 1994
ISBN 0 8093 4653 8
Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill
Research Methods for Business Students
Pitman, ISBN 0 273 62017 7
FT Prentice Hall, ISBN 0 273 65804 2
Further support concerning research methods for Management projects is provided on the Business Research Methods courses (for those of you on the Conversion/Programme Pathway or on the MBA/MSc IM) and on MN5405 ‘Quantitative Research Methods’ and MN5410 ‘Qualitative Research Methods’ (for those of you on the Research Pathway).
8. Planning and Managing Your Project
Your research project/dissertation is like any task or project you might undertake at work – it must be planned and managed. Good planning and management cannot guarantee a good project, but poor planning and management will make a good project very hard to achieve.
The key stages of planning and managing a research project/dissertation are as follows:
1.
Defining your aims. From the very beginning you need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. If you neglect this phase, you may find some truth in the saying ’if you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere else’ (!). At the end of this stage, you should have a clear statement of your terms of reference.
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2.
Working out what needs to be done. Once you know what you are trying to achieve, you can work out what is involved in getting there. This will include what reading needs to be done, what contacts need to be made, what data must be collected, what analyses must be carried out and what writing up will be needed.
3.
Planning. Once you know what needs to be done, you can draw up a plan for the completion of the project. Start with an audit of your skills, knowledge, contacts and interests. Your plan should include a detailed timetable for the project and a breakdown of tasks and dependencies within the detailed timetable.
4.
Carrying out the project. Once you have devised your plan, you should be ready to go ahead with your research. When undertaking your project, you should review your progress regularly against the plan. Remember that you will need plenty of time for reading around the topic and writing up the dissertation. Also, note that you will have to make adjustments to accommodate unforeseen events (e.g. illness, computer problems, etc.). If you start drifting hopelessly off-course, some tougher action may need to be taken.
Beware of some of the traps into which others before you have fallen:
1.
Rushing into action without thinking what your project is really about and, therefore, ending up with bits and pieces of research all focused on different matters.
2.
Failing to be clear with regard to the aims of the dissertation and thus ultimately undertaking, say, three different projects.
3.
Underestimating the time needed for writing up; the dissertation is the longest and most demanding individual piece of work during the Master’s degree, and you should make sure you allocate sufficient time for the writing-up period.
4.
Failing to build in any contingency for events such as unexpected travel, illness, delays in computing or printing, or unavailability of key informants, including supervisors.
5.
Forgetting that many supervisors will be away, possibly on holiday, over the summer.
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9. The Final Dissertation
Length
12,000–15,000 words including footnotes, appendices and graphs, but excluding the project statement or executive summary and bibliography. Projects which are either longer or shorter than the stipulated number of words may be subject to penalty.
Number of copies
One bound hardcopy of the Dissertation must be handed in.
Please note that you also have to submit an electronic copy to the JISC anti-plagiarism service; see the Appendix for more details. Additional help can also be sought at the School of Management Reception and/or the Postgraduate Office (Programme Support Office, MB07). Just as in the case of course work, a declaration should be included specifying that the dissertation has been prepared on the basis of the candidate’s own work and that where other source materials have been used these have been acknowledged. A statement should be included confirming the number of words in the text and footnotes. You should obtain a receipt confirming submission.
Form
The report must be typed. Typing should be on one side of the page double-spaced and on A4 paper. The margin on the left should be sufficient to accommodate the binding (e.g. at least 4 cm for left margin, 2 cm for right margin). All pages are to be numbered.
Title page
This must follow the standard layout. This includes the following information:
a)
the candidate's full name;
b)
the title of the dissertation;
c)
a statement that the dissertation is submitted as part of the requirement for the award of the Master’s degree (MA/MSc/MBA);
d)
the month and year of submission; and
e)
the name of the supervisor.
An Executive Summary must be included at the front. This should indicate the main points and conclusions in not more than 200 words.
Contents page
A well laid out and reasonably detailed contents page is needed. This not only helps the reader navigate through your document but also acts as a summary and guide, thus reducing your need to incorporate these aspects in the main text.
The main report
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The precise structure of your final report will vary according to the subject matter and the way you have approached the topic. Nevertheless, some basics issues remain the same for every project. These are as follows:
1. The Problem/Opportunity to Be Addressed
Your reader needs to know what the problem or opportunity is that you have investigated. Why did you choose it? Why is it important? What were the terms of reference you set for yourself?
2. The Theoretical Framework
In this section, you need to discuss the aspects of theory that have determined your approach to the project. Usually this part of the dissertation draws heavily on the existing literature.
3. The Research
Most of your dissertation will be concerned with the actual research you have conducted. This part should divide into three sections:
a)
the methodology adopted;
b)
the evidence and information collected; and
c)
your analysis of the evidence and interpretation of its meaning.
4. Conclusions and Recommendations
Finally, you must bring together the conclusions you have drawn from the research and make a number of practical recommendations for action in light of those conclusions. Items 1, 2 and 4 will probably be contained in single chapters, whereas item 3 will probably require several chapters.
5. Practical Implementation (where appropriate)
Assuming acceptance of your proposal (recommendations), what are the costs and practical implications of making it all happen?
Bibliography and appendices
At the end of your report you should put an alphabetical list of references (this is covered in the next section). Appendices containing technical information, such as questionnaires or statistics, should also be placed at the end.
Style
Try to adopt a lucid style; aim at clarity. Excessive numbering of paragraphs is best avoided as it makes reading less smooth. Avoid using either an unnecessarily scholarly style or the opposite – a style that is too anecdotal and colloquial.
Most reports read better if written in the third person. Unless you are dealing with a clearly historical subject, use the present sense for immediacy and liveliness.
Avoid lengthy introductions and background sections; write only about the essential points which the well-informed reader needs to know. Remember, though, that the
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reader may need an introduction – but an introduction only – to matters such as the industry, subject area or company within which the study is being undertaken. Finally, it is important to remember that the assessment of the report will be done by academics.
10. Referencing
You must always attribute ideas that belong to others and also demonstrate that you have surveyed the relevant literature. In all written work submitted as part of a Master’s degree programme at the RHUL School of Management, all books, articles and other sources should be referenced in conformity with the Harvard system. Please note that you need to indicate the sources of your ideas not only when you quote somebody directly but also when you paraphrase someone’s text.
Generic Format
The Harvard system has a generic format for in-text referencing and the reference list. While this guide provides a range of examples for books, articles, internet sources, etc., the generic format below should be used where adaptation is necessary.
In-text
(Author, year) or Author (year) e.g. Sillince (1996) or (Sillince, 1999)
Bibliography (e.g. Reference List)
Books: Author, (Year) Title. Place Published: Publisher.
e.g. Sillince, J.A.A. (1996) Business Expert Systems. Hitchin: Technical Publications.
Articles: Author, (Year) ‘Article title’. Journal Title, volume (number): pages. e.g. Sillince, J.A.A. (1999) ‘The role of political language forms and language coherence in the organizational change process’. Organization Studies, 20 (3): 485-518.
Books
The following exemplifies several in-text references for books with one, two, more than two authors, and authors cited by another author. When citing more than two authors, list all authors’ surnames the first time, then use et al. (see example). Note the different formats for the in-text referencing of paraphrasing and quotes (with page number) and the complete references in the reference list.
In-Text
One Author
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The development of bureaucratisation in the UK was fundamentally different from that of the US. The Taylorist efficiency movement occurred in the US during an expansionary period while the same movement occurred in the UK during one of the worst ever recessions (Littler, 1982).
Littler (1982) concludes that for these reasons the labour movements in the UK are fundamentally different from those in the US.
These differences in capitalist development had important consequences, ‘This affected the pattern of resistance, and British capitalism still carries the scars of this historical conjuncture’ (Littler, 1982: 195).
Two Authors
Managerial skills are a key focus for Whetton & Cameron’s (1991) introductory text.
Three or More Authors
Smith, Child & Rowlinson’s (1990) case study of Cadbury’s Ltd revealed that the corporate culture’s resistance to change was diminished by the use of new concepts and symbols.
The new vision embodied in the transformation was also facilitated by key change agents located strategically throughout the organisational structure (Smith, et al., 1990).
Author cited by other Author: Secondary sources
Haslam, Neale, & Johal (2000) outline Porter’s (1980) industry structure analysis. It features five important forces; barriers to entry, buyers, suppliers, substitutes, and intensity of rivalry (Porter, 1980, in Haslam, et al., 2000).
Haslam, et al. (2000) cite Pharmaceutical giant Glaxo-Wellcome as particularly at risk of low-cost substitutes as drug patents expire.
Reference List
Alphabetically ordered list of references.
Haslam, C., Neale, A., & Johal, S. (2000) Economics in a Business Context 3rd ed. London: Thompson Learning.
Littler, C.R. (1982) The Development of the Labour Process in Capitalist Societies. London: Heinemann.
Smith, C., Child, J., & Rowlinson, M. (1990) Reshaping Work: The Cadbury experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Whetton, D.A., & Cameron, K.S. (1991) Developing Management Skills 2nd ed. New York: HarperCollins.
Journal Articles
In-text referencing of journal articles uses the same format as books (see above). Notice that the reference list includes the name of the journal article and the name of the journal. Be wary of electronic journals/articles retrieved from the internet:
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some formats may not include the original page numbers you might need for quotations.
In-Text
Broadbent, Jacobs, & Laughlin’s (1999) comparison of the organisational accountability of UK and New Zealand Schools reveals important distinctions. Broadbent, et al. (1999) discuss how management accounting in UK schools results in an individualistic focus in contrast to the socialising focus of an integrated financial accounting in New Zealand Schools.
An individualising focus may result in undermining ‘the capacity for communal action and alienate the organisational members from the activities that they are required to undertake’ (Broadbent, et al., 1999: 358).
Reference List
Broadbent, J. Jacobs, K. & Laughlin, R. (1999) ‘Comparing schools in the U.K. and New Zealand: Individualising and socialising accountabilities and some implications for management control’. Management Accounting Research, 10: 339-361.
Internet Sites
The variability of internet site quality is problematic for referencing in academic essays. However, access to annual company reports, press releases, and daily news services provide ample reasons to utilise the internet in essays. Journal articles obtained over the internet should use the standard journal format unless the journal is solely in electronic format (see below).
In-Text
Wiegran & Koth’s (1999) article on successful online commerce focuses on customer loyalty, increasing purchases, and higher margin products. They propose five website features to achieve successful online commerce; Value added information, personalisation, intelligent communication, user generated content, and loyalty incentives (Wiegran & Koth, 1999).
Since 1991, the price of oil has reached its highest in February 2000 and this rise is due to OPEC restrictions on oil production (BBC, 2000).
Other Formats
Again, use the generic system when you encounter material to be referenced that does not fit clearly into the previous or following examples.
Newspapers
• In-Text
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Use same as Books (i.e. Author, year). If no author is found then use full name and date as follows.
The oil crisis has caused parents to ‘consider home education’ (The Times. 9th July 1973: 3).
• Reference List
The Times (1973) ‘Oil Crisis Impacts on Learning’. 9th July: 3.
Chapter in edited collection
• In-Text
Note that the author’s cited chapter is taken from pages 138 to 157 from Pollert’s Book, ‘Farewell to Flexibility’.
Smith’s (1991) examination of flexible specialisation focuses on production and consumption.
• Reference List
Smith, C. (1991) ‘From 1960s’ Automation to Flexible Specialisation: A déjà vu of technological panaceas’. In A. Pollert (ed.) Farewell to Flexibility: 138-157. Oxford: Blackwell.
Company publication
• In-Text
Flexible work technologies are a key focus for British Telecom. BT has set up a consultancy unit that specializes in employing flexible working practices with respect to technology (British Telecom, 1999).
• Reference List
British Telecom (1999) Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement.
London: British Telecom.
Author with more than one publication in a year
• In-Text
Haslam, Williams, & Williams (1990a) is distinguished from Haslam, Williams, & Williams (1990b).
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• Reference List
Haslam, C., Williams, J., & Williams, K. (1990a) ‘The hollowing out of British manufacturing’. Economy and Society, 19(4): 456-490.
Haslam, C., Williams, J., & Williams, K. (1990b) ‘Bad work practices and good management practices’. Business History Review, 64(4): 657-688.
Interviews and personal communication
Students are advised not to reference personal communication (e.g. lectures or meetings) unless this is a part of a submitted field research project with a relevant section on methods. Lecture material should be traced back to original sources.
• In-Text
One respondent believed that postmodern research methods were indicated by the use of computers and quantitative algorithms with traditionally qualitative textual analysis (Innes, 2000).
• Reference List
Innes, P. (2000) Interview, no.01a00, 22 March.
Some sources will not fit into this pattern and you must do your best with them. The object of referencing is that you and your reader could find the item to which you refer in your text. Err therefore on the side of more, rather than less, information.
Please refer to your Master’s degree specific Student Handbook for the current academic year for more information on referencing and the Harvard system.
11. Assessment Offences
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is treated as a major offence by the University of London. This applies equally to copying from books, articles and other works, and the copying of an essay, or other work, written or produced by another student. Plagiarism carries very serious penalties; the consequences may range from the failure of the work submitted to failing the course and potentially even the entire programme of study. The most severe consequence could lead to dismissal from the University of London. Please refer to the College Regulations governing Examination and Assessment Offences (on the following web page) for further details of procedures that will be followed if plagiarism is suspected:
http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Registry/academic_regulations/Examination_Assessment_Offences.html#Plagiarism
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The definition for plagiarism can be found in the College Regulations, published on the College Website. The College Regulations governing Examination and Assessment Offences state the following:
Plagiarism ‘means the presentation of another person’s work in any quantity without adequately identifying it and citing its source in a way which is consistent with good scholarly practice in the discipline and commensurate with the level of professional conduct expected from the student. The source which is plagiarised may take any form (including words, graphs and images, musical texts, data, source code, ideas or judgements) and may exist in any published or unpublished medium, including the internet.’ … ‘Plagiarism may occur in any piece of work presented by a student, including examination scripts, although standards for citation of sources may vary dependent on the method of assessment. Group working would constitute plagiarism where the discipline or the method of assessment emphasises independent study and collective ideas are presented as uniquely those of the individual submitting the work.
An allegation of plagiarism does not necessarily imply an allegation of intent on the part of the student to cheat. Situations which may, however, imply cheating in this context include:
(a) the use of sources which would not normally be available to the student, such as work submitted by others in previous years;
(b) an attempt to disacknowledge the plagiarism when presented with material evidence;
(c) collusion with another person; and
(d) a repeat offence.
To identify plagiarism is an academic judgement, based on a comparison across the student’s work in general, and/or on knowledge of the sources, of practice in the discipline and of expectations for professional conduct. Academic staff may therefore determine that plagiarism has taken place even if the source has not been identified.’
Avoiding Plagiarism
1. Wide reading: The more dependent you are on one source or just a small number of sources, the more likely you are to replicate the ideas those authors offer. It is good academic practice to consult as widely as possible, and to focus your reading on the issues raised in the assignment topic rather than retrieving everything you read. The further you progress through your degree programme, the more widely and deeply you will have to read in order to address issues raised in assignments.
2. Careful note taking and paraphrasing ideas: Much preparation for assignments involves taking notes from books or other materials that you are reading. In taking notes, you should be careful not to copy sentences or 21
paragraphs directly, unless you place them in inverted commas. If you omit the inverted commas, you might forget that you copied directly and therefore plagiarise unintentionally. It is good academic practice to learn to paraphrase arguments. To do so, you should read, say, a chapter of a textbook and then use your own words and your own sequence of ideas to record the arguments as they relate to the issues raised by your assignment.
3. Clear citing and referencing: It is important to record in your notes when a passage is a direct quotation; do not forget to note also the page on which the quotation is located. Direct quotes are very useful mechanisms for conveying key ideas concisely, but in management assignments they should be used sparingly – e.g. for clarifying definitions of concepts. You should avoid citing huge chunks and paragraphs from sources. When you do quote directly, you must use inverted commas, make a clear reference to the source at the point of quotation (e.g. Jones 1999: p.10) and provide its full reference details in a bibliography (reference list) at the end of the assignment.
4. Citation of all consulted sources: In order to optimise transparency in academic work, it is necessary to provide a full list of all the sources consulted in writing an assignment. All articles, books and other materials, including Internet sources, should be referenced in conformity with the Harvard system, as specified above.
5. Wary use of Internet sources: Although it is convenient and quick to gain access to materials on the Internet, you should note that there is virtually no quality control over what appears on the Internet. There are obvious exceptions – such as Web sites established by authoritative institutions (e.g. The Economist; World Bank) – but in general you should think hard before relying on information from the Internet. Where you do make use of such sources, you must give full reference details, including the date you accessed the site.
6. Writing individual assignments on your own: Most assignments are designed to examine your individual skills and understanding, and it is important that you write such assignments on your own. This does not prevent you from discussing assignments with colleagues – indeed, this is often a very good practice – but the way you present information and construct an argument should reflect your knowledge and ability.
Duplication
All work submitted must be your own and original. Please note that any work previously submitted for another course or programme (e.g. UG work) at RHUL or any other institution is not acceptable. Para 2 (b) of the 2008-09 Regulations on Assessment Offences makes clear that “the 22
unacknowledged replication of one’s own work in any quantity across separate assessments without sufficient redevelopment to make it novel and appropriate to each assessment is an examination offence. This would include the replication of work which was previously submitted for assessment at another institution”
A note on paraphrasing and quoting: Quotes are direct transcriptions of text from other sources while paraphrasing uses your own words to express others’ ideas. You should attempt to paraphrase where possible and only use quotes sparingly and strategically. Both paraphrasing and quoting require referencing, and quotes must refer to the page number from which they were taken.
You should also refer to the Student Handbook of the current academic year for practical instructions on how plagiarism and duplication can be avoided.
12. Assessment
The dissertation project is an essential element in your Master’s degree and is therefore an important element in the assessment process for the whole programme.
Your project will be initially graded by an internal examiner other than your supervisor. He or she will assess
1.
depth of analysis;
2.
appropriateness of your interpretation of the data;
3.
practicability of recommendations (where appropriate); and
4.
persuasiveness overall.
All projects will be second marked by the student’s dissertation supervisor. Some projects will be third marked by the external examiner for the Master’s degree.
The grading of projects is such that the pass mark is 50 per cent and 70 per cent+ indicates distinction level work. Projects achieving less than 50% may be re-submitted once, following rewriting with guidance.
Extenuating Circumstances
If there are extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness etc.), an extension to the submission date of up to one month will be considered if supported by evidence. It is your responsibility to submit supporting evidence with your request. For medical or psychological circumstances, this will need to be a note from a suitably qualified medical practitioner (normally a GP or hospital specialist), psychologist or educational psychiatrist (as appropriate) who has seen you during the period of the condition and is not a close friend or relative. For other personal circumstances
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(e.g. divorce, or the death of a family member), a written statement of the circumstances from you should be sufficient, although in certain cases we may request further information or evidence.
In the first instance, you should submit your request for extension to Moya Watson, Postgraduate Programme Office Coordinator by email (moya.watson@rhul.ac.uk) or by post in a sealed envelope marked ‘Confidential - for the attention of Dr. Simon Foley, Director of Graduate Studies”. All dissertation projects submitted after the deadline due to an extension having been granted MUST include written permission from the Director of Graduate Studies confirming the extension.
If you receive an extension for your dissertation it MUST BE handed in by 2.00 pm on the agreed date.
Deferral
Occasionally a short extension of a submission deadline may not be sufficient because of prolonged illness or other extenuating circumstances. Students may be unable to submit work on time so that the work is still outstanding at the time of the annual Sub-Board of Examiners. In this case the Sub-Board may decide that the student be permitted to defer his or her assessment to the next project hand-in date (twelve months later). In such instance, the student is not deemed to have made a failed attempt; the agreed later submission will be treated as a first attempt. A student who has deferred an element of the assessment of a programme is still a registered student and is effectively continuing with studying for the qualification. For more information about the deferral process, please refer to your Student Handbook or contact the College Examination Office. See also http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Registry/academic_regulations/Postgraduate_Regulations.html#Courses, under paragraph 46.
13. Filing and Publication
The School of Management will retain an electronic copy of your project. This may be printed out and placed in the library for others to read and consult; for more information, enquire at the School of Management Reception.
There is also a system whereby projects whose circulation must be restricted for reasons of commercial confidentiality can be stored at the School of Management Postgraduate Office (Programme Support Office). These are not available for reading, except by written permission of the authors, for a specified amount of time. The restriction should be noted on the title page highlighting the date when the project will be released for ordinary circulation. This arrangement can only be made in exceptional circumstances (usually following a written request from the company involved) and with the permission of your supervisor. However, you are encouraged wherever possible to allow your projects to be placed in the library so that others may benefit from and build on your work.
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Moreover, you are encouraged to publish the results of your project. Supervisors are the best people to advise on this, pointing out, for instance, which parts of the project could best be published and which are the appropriate journals in which the topic could be dealt with. All publications should acknowledge the help of your supervisor and mention your Master’s degree programme at Royal Holloway, University of London. In addition, please arrange for the Postgraduate Office (Programme Support Office) and your supervisor to receive a copy of any publication or mention of your work.
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14. Provisional Dissertation Timetable –
Confirm Details at the PG Office
The Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with Programme Directors will allocate supervisors to students towards the end of the Spring Term. Once notified of your allocation, you should initiate preliminary discussions with your supervisor where your initial proposal may be adjusted. You will formally begin work on your dissertation during the Summer Period. Once you have submitted your dissertation (final deadline: 1 September 2009, 2 pm), this will mark the end of your programme.
Good Luck for your project!
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Appendix: Using JISC Plagiarism Detection Service
(By Academic Development Services/RHUL)
Please note that the URL for the Plagiarism Tutorial is http://moodle.rhul.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1586 and the enrolment key is cutitout. Moodle will ask for your usual RHUL username and password.
Setting-up your user profile
All TurnitinUK PDS users have a unique user profile, which consists of an email address, user password, personal user information, and user preferences.
To create a user profile:
Go to the link and follow the steps below:
http://www.submit.ac.uk/newuser_type.asp
Step 1
Choose ‘student’ from the drop-down menu
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Step 2
Enter the class ID and the case-sensitive password. A list providing this information for each of your courses should have been provided by your department.
Step 3
Enter your Royal Holloway e-mail address. This is mandatory; you will not be able to submit assignments with any other e-mail address.
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Step 4
Create a password containing between 6 -12 characters, and using a combination of both letters and numbers.
Step 5
In the following section DO NOT ENTER YOUR NAME. For confidentiality please use your student candidate number.
yingEnter HS for your first name and your candidate number for your last name, then press the ‘next’ button
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Step 6
Read the user agreement and click the I agree – create profile link
Step 7
You now have a profile and are registered to the class.
If you wish to submit an assignment now, click on the end wizard and go to login page and continue, using the instructions from Step 3 onwards, in the next section of this document.
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Step 8
If you have been asked to register on more than one class, then simply click on the link marked ‘enroll in class’, which can be found at the top-left hand corner of the screen
Then repeat Step 2, entering the class ID and password for the additional course.
Logging in and submitting an assignment
Step 1
Go to the following link http://www.submit.ac.uk and press the user login button
Step 2
Enter your Royal Holloway e-mail address and the password you created during registration on the system.
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Step 3
Enter the class by clicking on the link; in this example it is Renaissance Literature 2005
Step 4
To begin the submission process, click on the submit icon next to the appropriate assignment 32
Step 5
Again, in the following section DO NOT ENTER YOUR NAME. For confidentiality please use your student candidate number.
Enter HS for your first name and your candidate number for your last name, and then press the ‘next’ button.
Then, using the Browse icon, locate the assignment (on your pc, network drive or disc).
Click the submit icon to upload the assignment.
Step 6
Upon successfully uploading, you will be presented with a digital receipt; please take note of the paper id. Note, this receipt will be e-mailed to your Royal Holloway account. The submission is now complete.
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