Communications Skills

1 HTE315 -HTM410: Research in Hotel, Tourism & Event Management Chapter 3: Formulating & clarifying the research topic: writing a research proposal for tourism & hospitality areas of study Learning objectives : 1. Understand the importance of researching a topic of interest; and, 2. To familiarize students with the steps involved in the research proposal & research report process. Taught by: Dr Christos Sourouklis 2 Selecting and Focusing your Research Topic  Choosing a Research Topic  Discuss a potential topic of your own interest in the areas of tourism & hospitality with your instructor on how to go about narrowing down a potential topic (or broadening it if necessary ) . 3  Consider your personal interests : in what topics do you have the most direct personal or professional interest? Think about : 1. Topics you discuss with friends , fellow students or other colleagues . 2. Topics referred to in news and/ or entertainment media . 3. Topics covered within professional or technical journals . 4. Topics mentioned inside your course materials (syllabus , textbooks , course handouts , etc .). 5. Topics discussed in class . 6. Topics touched upon in previous research papers you have written , about which you would like to conduct additional investigation . 7. Topics in formal research papers , books and other publications within your field (frequently suggest questions , hypotheses , etc . in need of further research ).  Choosing a Research Topic (Continued) 4  Consider your personal distastes - What leading arguments in your discipline do you disagree with? - Are there major or minor theories in your field that perplex you ? - What subjects , events , organizations or individuals stir up your curiosity , either negatively or positively ? - Sometimes asking such questions can also be an excellent starting point for picking your own topic .  Consider the time you have available - Some topics will require extra research time to cover them properly (e .g ., If your topic addresses lengthy time periods , analyzes large volumes of country , company or industry data , etc .). - You should also plan for more research time if your topic requires you to draw upon very narrow , specialized sources (e .g ., items only available within one archive or subject to stringent access restrictions , etc .).  Choosing a Research Topic (Continued) 5  Begin early - Your subsequent research and writing all depend upon the choice you make about a topic. - Take this choice seriously and you will find that the research and writing that follows will likely be more successful and enjoyable .  Understand your own research preferences and instructor's guidelines - How much freedom do you have to choose a specific topic? - How many sources are you going to need (just a few or are you composing a comprehensive literature review )? - Will you concentrate on one specific source format (books vs . websites vs . audio /videorecordings , etc .) or a variety ? - Are you being asked to work with " primary " research materials or conduct original research (e.g ., personal interviews , surveys , other raw data gathering , etc .)? 6  Choosing a Research Topic (Continued) 1. Make a list of all the topics you would might be interested in writing. Write down anything that occurs to you, even if it seems “dumb” or difficult. 2. Pick three or four of the topics that seem the most promising to you: things that are most interesting to you and that follow all of the guidelines we have set for choosing a research topic. 3. Take some time to write on each of the three or four topics you’ve selected. Answer the following questions for each topic: • What would be the advantages of doing this project? • What would be the disadvantages of doing this project? • Why am I interested in this topic? • What are my preconceptions, biases, assumptions, and prior knowledge about this topic? Would these feelings get in the way of my research? • What possible people could I interview about this topic? Would these people be interesting to speak with? Why or why not?  Choosing a Research Topic (Continued) 7 • An opportunity for producing an own individual piece of work & show evidence of independent thought , research skills, communications skills, etc. • A good research report will : – Define a question, problem, or issue to be investigated, – Apply appropriate analysis, – Cite relevant evidence, – Reach a reasoned conclusion.  Why a Research project ? Organize, select, & communicate relevant information in a clear & well presented form 8  Supervisory Meeting Record • In order to assess the group effort to control their project a register of attendance will be kept of the supervision meetings (see Table 1 .1 , slide 13 ). • More importantly, a pro -forma will be used to record outcomes & actions of each meeting . This system will serve as an important vehicle for guidance & progression throughout the duration of the project . • One copy of the record will be retained by the group in their project file along with all other control documentation . The second copy will be retained by the Project Supervisor in a separate project file . 9  Responsibility of the supervisor  Supervisors should ensure: – that adequate time is available for supervision and encourage ment ; – that the students fully comprehend the complexity of the pro posed task ; – Maintain a record of supervision meetings – that the students are focusing the work in the intended direction ; – that the students have access to primary research materials ; – that the students and the university are aware of any ethical, legal or political problems associated with the work ; – that the final product is the students’ own work ; – that the supervisor will act as mentor to the students and will take a keen professional interest in the work of the students . 10  The student/supervisor relationship • At an early stage , the supervisor and student should meet and determine the answers to questions such as the following : • Communications : – where will meetings take place? – what arrangement for internal and external communications? • Timing : – when will meetings take place? – should a time of the week be arranged when supervisor and student will be available for 'ad hoc' meetings? – at what times or dates will significant events in the preparation of the project occur? 11  Responsibility of the student •The students will: – Ensure that an appropriate amount of time and effort is applied to the project ; – Be receptive to counsel from the supervisor ; – Properly acknowledge text, material & ideas created by others ; – Meet all regulations relating to the work ; – Communicate any problems likely to prejudice the quality or timeliness of the work to the supervisor as & when such problems arise . – Your project supervisor will be happy to offer you any extra support or advice you may need . However, please do not expect the Project Supervisor to make themselves available at short notice -do try to make appointments well in advance . – Your Project Supervisor will discuss & offer advice on the content, structure, style and presentation of your Project report . It is your responsibility to make the final decisions in all of these areas . – The assessment of the Project is treated the same as any other course . – Do not expect your Project Supervisor to pre -assess your Project Report ; in particular, do not expect your Project Supervisor to read draft chapters of your Project Report . 12 Student’s name Supervisor’s name Date of meeting Summary of work undertaken since last supervisory meeting (compare with action plan from previous meeting) Details of any problems encountered since last meeting Action plan to be achieved before next meeting Comments on progress on Postgraduate Training Certificate modules Training needs identified Opportunities for wider development e.g. seminars, workshops, conferences, working papers Date of next meeting I, the supervisor confirm that the above is a true record of the meeting and that I believe I have offered the student sufficient advice at this stage of their programme and that their progress is satisfactory. Signature of supervisor : I, the student confirm that the above represents a true record of the meeting held and that I am happy with the standard of supervision provided and my progress to date. 13 Table: 1.1: Research Student Supervisory meeting record: This form must be completed at the end of every supervisory meeting between a research student and his/her supervisor . The content of the form must be agreed by both the student and the supervisor and a copy kept by both .The student is responsible for ensuring this form is completed .  Research Proposal: • Title • Statement of research question • Remember to stress why the problem is important! • Background/information • Aims and objectives of the study • Methods • Timetable • Data analysis • Ethical issues • In Funding applications, add (if any) Resources/Budget and Dissemination • References 14  Qualitative Research Proposal  Qualitative Research Proposal is more difficult to write as it is less structured and pre -planed. 1) Demonstrate ability to complete a proposed qualitative project – use an extensive discussion of the literature and the significance of the problem and sources (This shows reviewers that you are familiar with qualitative research and the appropriateness of the method for studying the problem) . 2) Also describe a qualitative pilot study you have conducted (This demonstrates your motivation, familiarity with research techniques and ability to complete a report about unstructured research) . 15  Research Proposal: Getting started  Group Research Proposal & Report:  Select a group among your classmates (Each group should be of either 4 or 5 students ) and develop a topic of your interest in the areas of tourism & hospitality . 16  Writing a research proposal is a crucial part of the research process because it helps you to clarify your thoughts, organize your ideas into a coherent statement of your research intent, convince others as to the soundness and feasibility of what you want to do, and secure the commitment of collaborating organizations . • The content of the research proposal usually comprise what is included in slide 14 above .  TASK : In no more than five (500 ) hundred words, typed in a double space, font times new roman 12 , you have to submit your :  RESEARCH PROPOSAL till FRIDAY, 12 th (WEEK 5 ) of March 2021 , in my email : C [email protected] .ac .cy till 21 .00 p .m .  The research proposal accounts to 20 % of the overall grade (see Research’s Proposal’s Assessment Criteria in Table 1 .2 , slide 19 ) No late sub -missions accepted! 17  RESEARCH PROPOSAL: Write -Up & Submission  Research Report/Project planning  Manage time carefully by systematic timetabling and planning (see an example of Research Report plan activities in Figure 1 .1 , slide 20 ).  The use of a Gantt chart is recommended (see an example of a Gantt chart in Table 1 .3 , slide 21 ) 18 RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSESMENT/MARKING CRITERIA SHEET: MARKS 1. STATEMENT OF THE PROPOSAL (10) 2. PROBLEM ANALYSIS IN RELATION TO THE RELEVANT METHODOLOGY ( 25) 3. RATIONALE FOR THE CHOICE OF METHODOLOGY (25) 4. DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH STRATEGY (25) 5. CONCLUSION BASED ON AN EVALUATION OF WHAT IS PROPOSED (15) TOTAL MARKS 19 STUDENT NAME: STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER : INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTS: SIGNATURE: DATE : ……/…../ 2021  Table 1.2: RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSESMENT/MARKING CRITERIA SHEET: 20  Figure: 1.1: Research Report Plan Activities/Milestones: Chapter 3: Methodology  Research Strategy, aims and objectives &instrument design  Undertake pilot study  Fieldwork – Primary study  Data analysis  March 2021  Chapter 2: Review of the Literature (write -up)  Sub -Section 1: Definitions of the study concepts  Sub -Section 2: Theories & Review of Previous studies  Sub -Section 3: Research framework  Ongoing Literature review  Feb 2021 Chapter 1: Introduction -Background of the topic Complete initial literature review  April & May 2021  Chapter 1: Introduction ( write -up) Chapter 4: Findings Chapter 5: Discussion Chapter 6: Conclusion (write -up )  Submission of R esearch R eport on FRIDAY 23 RD APRIL 2021 (WEEK 11)  Oral Presentation of research report on MAY 2021 (WEEKS 14 &15 ) ACTIVITIES/MILESTONES Per Chapter: FEB 19 -29 MAR 1-14 15 -31 APR 1-15 16 -30 MAY 12 19 Chapter1: Introduction: Background to the topic Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 3 : Methodology • Research strategy, aims & objectives and research design (Qualitative methods e.g. questionnaire design; Qualitative methods e.g. interviews, or mixed methods) • Primary data collection & analysis Chapter 4: Findings Chapter 5: Discussion & Conclusion Submission Oral Presentation 21  TABLE 1.3 – Example: THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY AS A GANTT CHART  GROUP RESEARCH REPORT SUBMISSION: • The content of the research report usually comprise what is included in slide 14 above for the research proposal and in slide 25 (see Table 1 .3 : assessment criteria for research report) .  TASK : In no more than four (4 ) thousand (4 ,000 ) words, but, no less than three (3 ) thousand (3 ,000 ) words (word counting must be shown at the end of your report excluding appendices), typed in a double space, font times new roman 12 , you have to submit your :  RESEARCH REPORT till FRIDAY 23 RD of APRIL 2021 (WEEK 11 ), in my email : C [email protected] .ac .cy in a word document till 21 .00 p .m .  The research report/project accounts to 50 % of the overall grade .  No late sub - missions accepted! 22  RESEARCH REPORT: Write -up & Submission  GUIDELINES : FORMAT OF THE ASSIGNMENT :  In the front cover page you mention the points shown below : • Name of the University • Major and Course title and code • Assignment/Report title • Academic year (e.g. SPRING 2021) • Instructor’s name • Students name • Submission date  Second page: Copyright declaration as listed in slide 27  Third page : Abstract (main summary of your assignment’s findings in no more than 150 words)  Fourth page : Dedication (if any, optional)  Fifth page: Acknowledgement (special thanks to people support you complete the assignment -for example, your parents or other people supporting your studying fees, your instructor, managers that help you with data collection, etc.)  Sixth page : Table of Contents page with numbering 23  RESEARCH REPORT: Write -up & Submission (Continued)  You will need to refer to other people's work for several reasons (Jankowicz , 1991; p. 120 e.g.) – to attribute a quotation; – to provide justification for a statement; – to tell your reader where an idea comes from; – to argue for the reasonableness of your methods, since they are used by other people working in the field; – to help interpret your results; – to help you build an argument.  Harvard System: • Adler , N. (1983). A Typology of Management Studies Involving Culture. Journal of International Business Studies , 14 (2), 29 -47. • Alexander, J., Nuchols , B., Bloom, J., & Lee, S. (1995). Organizational Demography and Turnover: An Examination of Multiform and Nonlinear Heterogeneity. Human Relations , 48 (12), 1455 -1480. • Borg, W.R., & Gail, M.D. (1989). Educational Research (5th ed.). New York: Longman.  Referencing 24 TABLE 1.3: HTE315 RESEARCH REPORT ASSESSMENT FORM Comments Introduction 5 %) -Clear , achievable and understandable aims & objectives expressing these aims, -Clear justification for the research, identifying key issues and concepts Literature review (25%) -Identification & critical understanding of relevant quantity and quality of background material and secondary sources including literature relevant to the objectives of the project Methodology (10%) -Selection of methods and the creation of models (if necessary) to investigate -Explicit methodological stance likely to produce relevant, usable & valid data -Clear description & justification of “how, who , when, what, where and why” in application of methodology Results and analysis (40%) -Accurate, reliable and valid results -Critical analysis and evaluation of results satisfying objectives -indicators include selectivity in data analyzed (not simply listing of results ) Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations (10%) -Evidence of how study contributes to fulfillment of objectives and the research process recommendations for future research, utility value where relevant Written/Oral Presentation and Defence (10%) -The final report is well written, reflects accurate proof reading with no grammatical, syntactic, spelling or typographical errors, style of writing is consistent throughout the report and it represents a coherent, integrated and holistic study. -Effective presentation of the content -Captivating way of presenting -Structure/Outline presentation -Answering questions/ Discussion/ Defense 25  The Viva – Oral presentation  VIVA’s (Latin words mean viva voce or oral presentation)  TUESDAY either 12 th or 19 th of May 2021 (Weeks 14&15) Venue : In BlackBoard Collaborate • Your knowledge of the subject should be better than that of your audience  confidence • In depth discussion • Fifteen (15) minutes are allocated for each research report/project Viva & this time is broken down approximately as follows: – 10 minutes : Presentation – 5 minutes : Answering questions 26 We , , confirm that this research project & the work presented in it are our own achievement. 1. Where we have consulted the published work of others this is always clearly attributed . 2. Where I have quoted from the work of others the source is always given . With the exception of such quotations this dissertation is entirely our own work . 3. We have acknowledged all main sources of help . 4. If our research follows on from previous work or is part of a larger collaborative research project we have made clear exactly what was done by others & what I have contributed myself . 5. We have read & understand& the penalties associated with plagiarism . 27  Academic Honesty and Integrity  In all cases of cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty, regardless of all the circumstances, the student will receive an “ F ” for the course.  This applies whether a student has submitted someone else’s work or permitted someone else to use their work. 28