Research Methods in Marketing: Individual Research Proposal

Literature Review

You will produce an individual written research proposal to evaluate ability to conceptualise a research project, synthesise hypotheses or propositions from literature and identify a suitable methodology and analysis approach.
The report will introduce your chosen area of research, present evidence for your research aims/questions and will propose a research methodology. Your research proposal should be in some way novel and cannot simply replicate another piece of research, published or unpublished.
Your research proposal should include the following:
1) a Title & the anonymous student code.
2) an Introduction to your chosen area of research, that should include clear statements about: the marketing problem that you are trying to solve, the characteristics that you are trying to discover, or the proof that you are trying to establish. These should then lead to declarations of project aims/objectives and research questions.
3) a Literature Review section that covers relevant (contemporary and established) theories and summarises prior research findings.
4) a Hypotheses/Propositions section, which is theoretically developed from the literature (references need to be provided to support the hypotheses/propositions you are making). Note, you can choose to integrate your hypotheses or propositions into your Literature Review section.
5) a Methodology section that explains the method design and why it is appropriate, sampling procedures (if relevant), data collection instrument development (including relevant scales for quantitative research to be employed or questions for the interview protocol), fieldwork elements that should be taken under consideration (if applicable), and informed consent procedures/ethical approval that need to be followed. Note as part of a research methods module, it is vital to give appropriate consideration to how you will conduct your research.
6) an Analysis section to describe the analysis procedures that you would employ to answer your proposed hypotheses or propositions in your dissertation/ research project.
7) a Conclusion section to sum up the proposed research project.
BUSI4G7JN
Research Methods in Marketing
Postgraduate Programmes 2020/21
2
8) an Optional Appendices section (Very occasionally it may be appropriate to present, in an Appendix, material which does not properly belong in the main body of the assessment but which some students wish to provide for the sake of completeness. Appendices will have no role in the assessment; examiners are under no obligation to read Appendices and they do not form part of the word count)Assignments should be typed, using 1.5 spacing and an easy-to-read 12-point font. Assignments and dissertations/business projects must not exceed the word count indicated in the module handbook/assessment brief.
The word count should:
? Include all the text, including title, preface, introduction, in-text citations, quotations, footnotes and any other items not specifically excluded below.
? Exclude diagrams, tables (including tables/lists of contents and figures), equations, executive summary/abstract, acknowledgements, declaration, bibliography/list of
BUSI4G7JN
Research Methods in Marketing
Postgraduate Programmes 2020/21
3
references and appendices. However, it is not appropriate to use diagrams or tables merely as a way of circumventing the word limit. If a student uses a table or figure as a means of presenting his/her own words, then this is included in the word count.
Examiners will stop reading once the word limit has been reached, and work beyond this point will not be assessed. Checks of word counts will be carried out on submitted work, including any assignments or dissertations/business projects that appear to be clearly over-length. Checks may take place manually and/or with the aid of the word count provided via an electronic submission. Where a student has intentionally misrepresented their word count, the School may treat this as an offence under Section IV of the General Regulations of the University. Extreme cases may be viewed as dishonest practice under Section IV, 5 (a) (x) of the General Regulations.
Very occasionally it may be appropriate to present, in an appendix, material which does not properly belong in the main body of the assessment but which some students wish to provide for the sake of completeness. Any appendices will not have a role in the assessment - examiners are under no obligation to read appendices and they do not form part of the word count. Material that students wish to be assessed should always be included in the main body of the text.
Guidance on referencing can be found in the programme handbook anda on DUOa