Aims
The aim of the assessment is to write a full research proposal for the specific research question you identified in your poster, last academic year. Students who have slightly changed their research question or even completely changed topic since submitting the poster, must receive approval for these changes from their allocated supervisor
Instructions
- Identify the area of research interest.
- Establish the context for the study and demonstrate a need for it.
- Show how the proposed study will meet that need, using the methods you propose.
- Outline any aspects that will require ethical approval.
- Indicate what will be done with the data collected.
- Write your submission. This should be 3,000-word (plus/minus 10%) to include the following subheadings: (see below suggested word counts for main sections)
- Title (Not included in word count)
- Introduction (500 words)
- Background or Statement of the area of study
- Research Question
- Aims and objectives of the research
- Literature Review – Review of existing literature and/or theoretical framework (1000 words)
- Identify key literature in this area
- Identify key theories in this area (where relevant)
- Identify gaps in knowledge in this area
- Link gaps in knowledge with the aim/s of your study
- Methodology – proposed approach to analysis (1000 words)
- *Ethics (500 words) – if undertaking a literature based dissertation, should indicate why a full ethical review is not necessary (e.g. secondary data in the public domain)– the word count will therefore be less
- Provisional work schedule (Not included in word count)
- References (Not included in word count)
The methodology section should reflect the type of method students are aiming to use in their dissertation. Following reading the literature AND a discussion with the allocated supervisor, students are expected to be as detailed as possible, in order for the marker to able to understand exactly how the study will be carried out.
* For students who are aiming to do a literature based review- students are expected to include details of their proposed search strategy and key words in a paragraph structure, and identify possible challenges they may encounter, such as limited research in this area, old material that may not be electronically available, etc.
* Students who are collecting primary and/or secondary data should include some information about their search strategy, but focus more on explaining the proposed sample, how data will be collected and how data will be analysed (e.g what research design and method will be used)
Assessment Criteria
Your submission will be marked on the following components:
Criterion Weighting
Appropriate Research Question 5%
Background and aims 10%
Literature review 20%
Methodology 25%
Ethics 10%
Provisional work schedule 10%
Appropriate referencing 10%
Presentation: layout, spelling, punctuation 10%
TOTAL 100%
.
All assignments must be coherently structured and critically argued, demonstrating wide reading and research, with all supporting evidence correctly referenced in the text and included in a reference list.
Note: A complete Reference list is required for this artefact and the recommended format is APA 6th Edition.
Reading List
Social research methods – Alan Bryman 2016. Book
Doing criminological research – Pamela Davies, Peter Francis, Victor Jupp 2011 Book
Doing criminological research – Victor Jupp, Pamela Davies, Peter Francis 2000, Book
Research methods in the social sciences – Chava Frankfort-Nachmias, David Nachmias c2008, Book
Researching social life 2016,Book
Doing research on crime and justice – Roy D. King, Emma Wincup 2008,Book
Criminal visions: media representations of crime and justice – Paul Mason, ebrary, Inc 2003 (electronic resource), Book
Criminological research: understanding qualitative methods – Lesley Noaks, Emma Wincup 2004 (electronic resource) book
