Academic Year 2023/24
Module Code:BFM836
Module Name:Research Design, Practice and Ethics
Module Leader:Dr Christina Neokleous
Coursework Title:Assignment BFM836
FOR STUDENTS TAKING DISSERTATIONS
Task Details/Description:
The module assignment requires you to apply the skills you have learned throughout the module to (1) evaluate published academic research papers relevant to your own dissertation topic and (2) critically evaluate and discuss your own research design for your dissertation topic.
Required: This individual written assignment is divided into two parts:
Part 1 (50%): An analysis of the research design of two published academic research papers relevant to your own dissertation topic. These two papers must be self-selected and be derived from journals found on the Academic Journal Guide (2021) of Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).
Part 2 (50%): A critical evaluation and discussion of your own research design for your own dissertation topic using concepts introduced in the module. It should provide an in-depth discussion of the “What?”, “Why?” and “How?” of the proposed research topic, the proposed research approach and philosophy (including ontology and epistemology) and the proposed methodology. The discussion should be supported by published academic research papers. The two papers addressed in Part 1 should be included in this discussion of your own research design.
It would be appropriate to introduce this coursework with a brief statement of your dissertation topic to guide the reader into the two parts.
FOR STUDENTS TAKING PROJECTS
Task Details/Description:
The module assignment requires you to apply the skills you have learned throughout the module to (1) evaluate published academic papers on accounting research area and (2) critically evaluate and discuss the two main research philosophies and their influence on the research design used for doing a business research project for a company.
Required: This individual written assignment is divided into two parts:
Part 1 (50%): An analysis of the research design of two published academic research papers relevant to accounting research area (for example, social and environmental, auditing, accounting regulation, corporate governance, sustainability or any other accounting research area). These two papers must be self-selected and be derived from journals found on the Academic Journal Guide (2021) of Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS).
Part 2 (50%): A critical evaluation and discussion of the two main research philosophies (interpretivism and positivism) and their influence on the research design used for doing a business research project for a company. It should provide an in-depth discussion of the two research philosophies (interpretivism and positivism) with a consideration and discussion of their ontology and epistemology and how they can influence the research design used for doing a business research project. The discussion should be supported by published academic research papers. The two papers addressed in Part 1 should be included in this discussion.
Module Learning Outcomes Assessed:
Please note that the learning objectives mentioned in the module outline are over-arching. In terms of the module coursework, these can be mapped as follows:
1. Formulate viable research questions pertaining to different research approaches that are currently popular in accounting and finance research.
2. Critically examine the relationship between theory and evidence in the context of a particular research project that follows one of these approaches.
3. Demonstrate the applicability of various concepts of research quality in research papers.
4. Construct your own research design for a research project in accounting and finance, given your preferred approach to research.
Presentation Requirements:
Word Count: 3,000 words (for students taking dissertation) and 2,500 words (for students taking projects),excluding references.
It is up to you to decide how many words you wish to devote to Part 1 and 2 as long as the 2,500 (for project students)/ 3,000 (for dissertation students) word limit for the entire assignment is not exceeded.
Font Size: 12
Font Type: Arial
Line Spacing: 1.5
Reference Style: Aston Business School Harvard Style (see Library guide)
Submission Date & Time:
Date:TBC (12:00 noon UK time). Students are to submit an electronic copy of the assignment via the module website on Blackboard.
Assessment Weighting for the Module:
Percentage 100%
Assessment Criteria
Please find attached the marking scheme of the BFM836 module. Based on this scheme, students will receive comments how to improve their assignment.
Ethical Requirements
The students would not use any primary and secondary data collection/analysis that requires ethical approval.
Essential Reading for Coursework Task
(if in addition to reading provided in the module outline)
Not applicable, as each student will have different reading around their own topic which will inform this coursework.