The Newcastle Business SchoolMasters Dissertation Handbook and Guidelines

MASTERS DISSERTATION GUIDELINES

Contents2
Foreword3

Introduction4

Dissertation Learning Outcomes 4

Postgraduate Programme Goals 4

Dissertation process 5

Topic Selection5

Components of the Dissertation6

Submission of Dissertation Proposal and Supervisor Allocation8

Supervision9

Supervisor and student responsibilities and expectations 10

Logbook 11

Supervisor availability 12

Presentation of the dissertation13

Page layout 13

Writing style 13

Dissertation length 14

Structure of the Masters Dissertation 15

Referencing 16

Research Ethics18

Binding and Submission19

Submission Procedure 19

Confidentiality 20

Extension to submission dates 21

Failed and Non-submitted Dissertations 22

Working papers 22

Assessment and marking23

Assesment forms 24

Indicative Reading List for the Dissertation30

Appendices

Appendix A: Learning Benchmarks 31

Appendix B: Data Protection 35

AppendixC: Abstract Example 37

AppendixD: Table of Contents Example 38

Appendix E: Glossary Example 39

Appendix F: Turnitin 40

FOREWORD

Welcome to the Masters' Dissertation

This document covers many aspects of the Masters Dissertation process as well as information relating to student/staff responsibilities and appropriate presentation of the dissertation.

These guidelines provide comprehensive written guidance to enable both students and staff (in the role of supervisor) to fully understand the dissertation process and follow a common Newcastle Business School approach. This will help to ensure that the challenge presented by this individual piece of work is manageable and that enjoyment and satisfaction are maximised.

Supporting your Masters Dissertation

These guidelines should contain the answer to any queries you may have about the dissertation. Should you require further information please refer to the eLearning Portal (eLP/Blackboard) site that supports the dissertation module LD0480 site contains all the forms and information that you need and many other resources.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all students and staff who have contributed generously to the development and production of this document.

Comments and feedback on dissertation documents are welcome in order to allow continuous improvement. If you have any comments, please give these to the Masters Dissertation Co-ordinator.

INTRODUCTION

The guidelines are intended to help students of the Newcastle Business School in the preparation of the dissertation necessary to obtain their qualification and should be read carefully. The Masters Dissertation is an individual piece of work and there is no intention to unduly restrict students in their approach and therefore this document can only be in the form of guidelines.

A successful dissertation for theMasters degreewill present a thorough and critical review of relevant literature and of current subject knowledge. It will demonstrate high levels ofanalytical and critical awareness, the ability tosynthesise theoriesand the ability to relate theory to practice. The theoretical base will be tested against practical illustration(s). Further information on the Learning Benchmarks can be found in Appendix A.

Dissertation Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the Masters Dissertation module, students will be able to:

1. Plan and complete a major research project on a contemporary business, financial, management or leadership topic and organise the findings into a comprehensive and explicit structure that is critically assessed and is linked to the conclusions drawn;
2. Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis in the selection and application of appropriate research methodology and method(s) to their chosen research topic;
3. 
   Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of innovative and contemporary research on the business and management community.;
4. Critically reflect on the processes involved in the research, including reflection upon their ethical values and the contribution of the research to the topic area;
5. Acquire, interpret and apply specialist functional knowledge about their programme of study (specialist programmes only).

Students will also illustrate and document progress within the dissertation process by providing an adequate set of working papers and log book.

Masters Programme Goals and Objectives

Goal 1:To develop the skills necessary for employment and career progression

• Demonstrate awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses and the ability to engage in continuing self-development

1.2 Demonstrate the development of inter-personal and intra-personal skills

1.3 Demonstrate competence in contemporary analytical and ICT applications

Goal 2:Be culturally and ethically aware

2.1 Demonstrate their ability to work in culturally diverse groups and teams and make appropriate an personal contribution to team effectiveness

2.2 Reflect on their own ethical values

2.3 Understand the wider impact of individual or organisational decision making on social and environmental contexts

Goal 3:Have developed leadership and management capability

3.1 Analyse and communicate complex issues effectively

3.2 Demonstrate decision making,problem solving and project management skills

Goal 4:Have developed and applied knowledge of international business and management theory

4.1 Acquire, interpret and apply knowledge of international business, management and organisational functions

4.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of innovative and contemporary research on the business and management community

4.3 Acquire, interpret and apply specialist functional knowledge in relation to their programme of study (specialist programmes only)

Goal 5:Have developed a range of research skills and project capabilities

5.1 Plan and complete a major piece of research or project on a contemporary business, financial, management or leadership topic

5.2 Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis in the application of research methods to the exploration of contemporary business and management issues

Dissertation Process

The Masters dissertation begins with students writing a research proposal under another module LD9718 research methods in the second semester. This will cover the research methods that you will use in your dissertation. Materials to support your dissertation studies will be available on the LD0480 eLP site.

At the start of your dissertation term, relevant supervisors will be allocated to students

A team of academics will allocate you a supervisor as per your topic, the expertise of the faculty and resource availability. So please do not request for changing your supervisor. In normal circumstances, it will not be possible unless there is some conflict of interest or some strong evidence of non-compatibility.

Once a supervisor has been assigned, students can meet with their supervisor. Students must then work under the guidance of their supervisor to complete the dissertation. Students will need to arrange to see their supervisor regularly so that steady progress can be made throughout the dissertation process.

Topic Selection

The selection of a suitable dissertation topic rests with the student. The student cannot be required by a member of staff to undertake a topic that is not acceptable to the student. Ideas for topics can be gleaned from many sources. Work placement experiences, aspired career paths, course work and readings are just a few. Start thinking early about potential topics that interest you. Copies of previous Masters dissertations are available for inspection via the eLP; consult these to see what previous students have done.

The research topic must be related to your pathways of study.

Your dissertation should describe an original piece of work undertaken by yourself. The topic needs to be related to business or management or to the specific named degree the student is studying. You may have come across the phrase addressing a gap in the literature but this applies most strongly to doctoral level research. At Masters level your research may be investigating a business (or accounting) issue that has been studied by others but you should still produce a critical literature review and obtain/analyse some data. It is the student's responsibility to verify that the title and the approach of the dissertation are original. However, a student may not claim exclusive rights to a topic area.

Students can assume that the topic as initially conceived may evolve as the dissertation progresses. By evolve it is meant that the particular aspect of the topic which becomes central to the dissertation may well change in one direction or another as the dissertation progresses. This evolution or fine-tuning of a topic is quite usual and should be expected. The goal is to find a topic which is general enough to be significant, but specific enough to become focused. A common problem is to have the scope of the work too wide so that the work is not sufficiently focussed to allow successful completion with the resources available.

Topic Changes

Any major change of topic must be made with care and must be discussed with the dissertation supervisor. A change of topic will not result in a change of supervisor, and a student may find that significant variation to the topic may compromise the ability of the supervisor to give advice. The topic change does not need to be notified to anyone beyond the dissertation supervisor.The research topic must be related to your pathways of study.

SUBMISSION OF THE TOPIC AND SUPERVISION ALLOCATION:

Each student should submit his/ her proposed topic using the prescribed Excel sheet. The sheet is circulated by the module leader of LD9718 during 2-4^thweeks of your second semester.

The research topic must be close to your pathways of study.

The Dissertation Research Proposal must be submitted as a soft copy to the Turnitin link of LD9718 under the Blackboard. The submission date(s) for the proposal will be announced on the eLP.

COMPONENTS OF THE MASTERS DISSERTATION

The arrangement of the completed dissertation is in three stages, preliminaries, the body of work, and end material.

Preliminaries (to be arranged in the following order)

Covers

Front sheet/Title Page Declarations

Abstract

Acknowledgements Table of Contents

Glossary

The Body of Work

The End Material

References

Bibliography

Appendices

Back cover sheet

Further details of the format of the preliminaries and end material are provided later in this document.

Main sections of the dissertation

Title The title should be succinct yet clearly specify the content of the report. This should be descriptive and explicit rather than poetic or implicit. It should be agreed and finalised as part of the final draft. It may be different from the original proposed title.

Abstract The purpose of the abstract is to summarise the entire dissertation, including a description of the problem, the students contributions, and conclusions. Four keywords are required.

Acknowledgements The student may wish to thank those people who have been particularly helpful in the preparation of the dissertation. Consideration of persons external to the Newcastle Business School is particularly appropriate. Facetious acknowledgements are not acceptable.

Declarations and Word Count a declaration page signed by the student MUST be included. Seethe eLP forthe Declaration template. Please do not forget to sign the Declaration.

Introduction The purpose of this section is to contextualise the study. This means that the significance or importance of the subject is set out. If there is no apparent importance to the study to any external reader, the topic may not be appropriate. Personal interest may inspire selection of the dissertation topic, but ultimately, its importance to others should be specified. This can often be done by positioning the dissertation in relation to other work that has been published either as an advancement, continuation, compilation or verification. This section should also tell the reader how the topic will be unfolded and the order of forthcoming material.

Body of Work The sections of each dissertation will differ, but in any case should progress logically, starting with a critical review of existing knowledge (the literature review), presentation of a summary or synthesis, introduction of research methodology and findings, if applicable, or introduction of case material.

The Literature Review -This will include the following qualities:

• The topic of the dissertation will derive from a systematic body of knowledge;
• The review of this knowledge is made as current as possible;
• The knowledge is organised into a comprehensible and explicit structure;
• All major points are included and extraneous information omitted;
• Critical theoretical analysis/evaluation informs the choice of research approaches/methods;
• A summary is produced outlining the current state of the knowledge.

It is further implied that the result of the literature review will be used either in 1) a situation for which the student has collected primary data OR 2) to critically examine and assess the operation of this knowledge in an existing case study OR 3) to re-evaluate existing published data or knowledge to derive new knowledge or meaning. The main points of the body of knowledge being synthesised are to be i) critically selected and analysed and ii) the strengths and weaknesses of the synthesis itself are to be discussed and appropriate conclusions are drawn.

Research methodology and methods -A degree of proficiency in the understanding, selection and execution of research methodologies and methods must be evident. It is expected that these procedures will provide:

1. a defensible verification of the ideas put forward in the dissertation,

• development and exploration of the ideas in applied conditions. If an existing case is presented, sufficient secondary research must be attempted to produce a coherent and informed critical evaluation of that case.

It is also possible that the application of knowledge can be made under some other circumstances not directly indicated here, so long as the use of the knowledge is appropriate and illustrative.

The connection between the knowledge and the original case or primary data for the dissertation must be explicitly articulated and the case or data be presented as a valid and reliable means of verification of this knowledge. If the goal of the dissertation is not data-based but conceptual in nature, then the validity and verifiability of the concepts must be established.

Whenever data is being collected or used, students must adhere to theUniversity Regulations relating to Ethics and Data Protection. Details of the Ethics procedure are availableethics and governance Northumbriahttps://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/ethics-and-integrity/

Conclusion This section explains the relations between the body of knowledge and the case or new finding. It should present the case for the dissertations success in meeting its goals, as well as any shortcomings and limitations that apply. It may suggest further work or study needed on the topic, as well as ways the new work can be used or applied in other cases. It is not meant to be a summary or restatement of the entire dissertation, which belongs in the abstract. If the student has developed any strong personal opinions about the subject this is the place where such content is appropriate.

Appendices Often the concepts of the study can be clarified in graphic form, or data presented in tabular form. Normally, this material should be entered into the text at or near the place it is referred to in the text. Where such material would be inconvenient to include in the text itself, it can be included in an appendix. As a general rule, if figures, tables, charts or quotes are less than a full page and can be conveniently included in the text, you will want to do so, since reference to appendices is awkward for the reader. All such material, in the text or at the end, should be titled and sequentially numbered. Tabular material presented in landscape format, should be bound with the top of the table to the spine.

Appendices are labelled alphabetically, although if there is little such material and it is all of a similar nature, it may all be included in one Appendix.

SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION PROPOSAL AND SUPERVISOR ALLOCATION

At the end of the second semester, students are required to submit a dissertation proposal which will in part inform the allocation of an appropriate supervisor. The proposal will be assessed as part of module LD9718Research Methods and Analytics for Business Practice.

Note: LD9817 The proposal is a separate module on its own. The LD0480 Masters' Dissertation - a 60-credit module is a separate module on its own.

Masters Dissertation Proposal Instructions

This information tells you how to structure your research proposal using the sections below. LD9718 a module that you study during the second semester ahs two assessments A poster and a proposa .(see details under LD9718 of elp) The Dissertation Proposal is an assignment 001 (70%) A 2,000-word extended research proposal synopsis of LD9718.

Here are the sections of the Proposal:

You are required to complete your 2,000-word extended research proposal synopsis.Your research proposal must include comprehensive elements of the following:

1. Researchable Topic Area(Approx. 300 words)
   Intro / overview giving background and context about your dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. You should state 3-4 maximum research objectives, relating to academic theories, your proposed investigations, your analysis and your conclusions. [20%]

1. Literature Review (800 words)[30%]:Delivery of a summarised literature review and research gaps. You should identify and discuss the academic theories and some current research relevant to your researchable topic area.

1. Details of your research(Approx. 700 words) [30%] : Delivery of the research method adopted in your dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. You should identify who or what you will use to obtain your data or information; explain how you will collect this data / information and how you will get access; identify how you are going to analyse your data and information.
2. Research Ethics(Approx. 100 words):

• If your study involves people, briefly describe what you will consider in order to ensure that your research follows the Universitys Ethical Policies and Procedures.
• If your study involves secondary data only, you should advise us of any ethical issues or the absence of any ethical issues

1. :Conclusions(Approx. 100 words) [20%] A conclusion providing an overall summary of the key points made and a summing up of your dissertation, consultancy project or management enquiry. You should describe what your research will achieve by referring back to your objectives.
   F:Timetable for your research-Give a month by month indication of when you are going to work on various parts of your dissertation (e.g. your literature review; your collection of data / information; your analysis of data / information etc)
   G:References-List in sources you have used in the production of your proposal. This must be in the correct format (APA style).

SUPERVISION

At the start of your dissertation term, relevant supervisors will be allocated to students

A team of academics will allocate you a supervisor as per your topic, the expertise of the faculty and resource availability. So please do not request for changing your supervisor. In normal circumstances, it will not be possible unless there is some conflict of interest or some strong evidence of non-compatibility.

This section gives guidance on nature of the student/supervisor relationship and it is expected that all staff and students will adhere to these.

During the dissertation stage:

1. There will be 5 group meetings with your supervisor.
2. Each student is expected to attend 6-8 one-to-one supervision meetings.
3. Thre will be 3-5 disserataion workshops.

All students will have a Logbook that is used to keep records of interaction with their supervisor (please see the Logbook section below).

It is thestudent's responsibility to make and continue regular contact with the allocated supervisor. If a supervisor does not respond to student messages within a week then students should contact the dissertation coordinator or front office. It is essential to maintain regular contact with your supervisor. Regular contact helps to ensure that your supervisor is better aware of your progress and the sources of your materials as your dissertation develops. Students should always use their Northumbria student email account when sending messages to staff because emails sent from personal email accounts may not reach staff. Students should also be aware that any dissertation which is produced with minimal or zero contact with supervisor will inevitably be scrutinised with extra care with respect to the origin of the work.

The total number of hours allocated for face-to-face or online supervision is four hours and supervision is nominally six 30-40 minute meetings but can be arranged differently, for shorter or longer periods, at the request of the student and agreed through negotiation between student and supervisor. It is strongly recommended that students try to spread out their meetings regularly.

Staff cannot and will not compensate for the failure of the student to use meetings early in the dissertation period by providing meetings compressed into the final stages of the dissertation period.Staff are often busy and students must be proactive in organising meetings promptly to ensure that they receive the support they need. Students are, save for exceptional circumstances, supervised during the teaching periods of their programmes.

In terms of reviewing student work, the expectation is that studentsmayrequest that supervisors review some elements/aspects of written work. Supervisors are not expected to review whole drafts of dissertations. Here are some examples of what students might submit to their supervisor for discussion:

Literature Review:a resume of key issues, summaries of main elements, developed models of best practice/best fit, a summary of the conclusions to the literature review.

Methodology section:an outline of the chosen methodology, approaches/methods, examples of interview questions or draft questionnaires.

Data/Information analysis:strategies/formulae for statistical analysis, a draft of key aspects of data/information analysis

Synthesis/Findings/Conclusions:a draft of key elements.

Supervision can also be electronic via email or by telephone, but has to be with the explicit agreement of the supervisor. Some supervisors may not wish to offer supervision by email or telephone. Supervision by electronic means is considered as part of the supervision allowance, which includes time taken to read draft sections, summaries or questions submitted in electronic form or hard copy by students. Electronic supervision and the review of written materials should therefore be included as part of the overall allowance and recorded in the students Supervision Logbook by the student and signed off by both student and supervisor. There is therefore a limit to the amount of written material that a student can reasonably expect a supervisor to review. Students are therefore required to be selective and to negotiate arrangements in advance with supervisors, to obtain a clear understanding of what aspects are to be submitted in draft or summary form within such reasonable limits.

In addition to the face-to-face / online one-one meeting supervision meetings, staff will be able to answer other questions by email/telephone providing these are brief; staff will not be able to engage in lengthy and detailed email discussions regarding your dissertation substantial issues should be dealt with at the meetings.

It is up to the student and their supervisor to agree a way of working that is acceptable to both parties and is within the guidelines provided above. Establishing and maintaining a good working relationship with your supervisor is an important part of your dissertation and the value of this should not be underestimated.

Your supervisor should be your main point of contact for your dissertation but this does not prohibit you from approaching other staff for help with specific queries. Please keep your supervisor informed if you have received advice from other members of staff.

Change of Supervisor

Once you have received the name of your supervisor,please do not request a change of supervisor since this is only permitted in exceptional circumstancesand with the agreement of the Dissertation Coordinator. An example would be if a member of staff is absent from work due to illness in this case, a replacement supervisor may be allocated.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your supervision then please see an academic facilitator to discuss the matter, who will then contact the Dissertation Coordinator if necessary.

Remote Supervision

Individual students are normally expected to work on their dissertation within reasonable proximity of the Business School under the direct guidance of their Supervisor. However, in exceptional circumstances, remote supervision may be necessary. This is usually due to personal, workplace or family circumstances. This arrangement is negotiated in advance between the student, the Programme Leader and the Supervisor. It may be accommodated within the process using a range of communication techniques. Please note, that where such arrangements are made, it is still necessary that the student and the supervisor have at least one substantive face to face /Virtual-video meeting within the process. Students should ensure that they have adequate access to library, internet and e-mail facilities if working remotely on their dissertation.

Supervision expectations

General

1. Students will treat the supervisor and their colleagues with respect.
2. Students will take responsibility for their own dissertations. It does not belong to the supervisor or their colleagues.
3. Selection of a suitable topic rests with the student; however, the Dissertation Supervisor or any member of staff may be approached for suggestions and ideas. The student cannot be required by a member of staff to undertake a topic that is not acceptable to the student.

Ethical form:

Each student must submit online ethical form latest by week 4 of their dissertations term. They must get approval before collecting any data. https://np-k2runtime.northumbria.ac.uk/Runtime/Runtime/Form/My+Documents/

If a student submits a dissertation WITHOUT getting the necessary ethical clearance/ approval, they will receive a mark of zero (0/15) in their chapter on research methodology, panelty in ch4 of findings, and further academic misconduct proceedings may be initiated in line with the university's academic misconduct policy, ethical research policy and academic regulations.

Meetings

1. The students must attend 5 group meetings with their supervisor during the first 5 weeks of the term.
2. Each student is expected to attend six to eight one-to-one meetings andnote details on the Log book.
3. Each Student will attend meetings with personal writing and note-taking equipment.
4. Each Student will attend all pre-arranged meetings or provide at least 24 hours notice of non-attendance.
5. Each Student will make a report on their progress at each meeting, working steadily through the dissertation period.
6. There will be a mid-term review meeting ( 10 minutes PPT presentations by the student) for monitoring progress and formative feedback, during week 6.

Other Support

1. Students are responsible for their own dissertation. Students will recognise that the supervisor will advise but will not instruct.
2. Students will set their own direction. The supervisors role is to help the student achieve their own objectives but to ensure that the dissertation belongs to the student; the supervisor will not intervene in the direction or objectives of the dissertation.
3. Students will only contact the supervisor on substantive issues, after having exhausted other legitimate avenues to rectify their query (eg Libraries).
4. Students will provide written work in draft form by the dates and with the content agreed from time to time. Adequate time, usually one week, should be allowed between the submission of written work and a meeting to discuss it, though this may be varied by mutual consent.
5. Students will present written work only when agreed with the supervisor.
6. Students will recognise that the supervisors support will primarily concern process i.e. how the dissertation is undertaken, rather than the detailed content of the dissertation that may fall outside the supervisors area of specific knowledge.
7. Students will not ask the supervisor whether their dissertation will pass, or what mark it may achieve.

Student expectations from the supervisor:

General

1. The supervisor will treat all students with respect.
2. The supervisor will support the students dissertation but always recognise that the dissertation belongs to the Student.
3. The supervisor will give a similar level of support to all students, recognising that students vary in the legitimate demands they may make upon supervisors.

Meetings

1. The supervisor will deliver 5 group supervision meetings and 6-8 one-to-one meetings with each student during the term.
2. Supervisors will respond to students requests for a meeting 48 hours, such requests will normally be made using e-mail.
3. The supervisor and student will meet usually about 6-8 times and normally for up to 30-40 minutes per meeting. The student will discuss their progress and the supervisor will answer any reasonable question the student raises. If the supervisor is unable to answer a reasonable question, s/he will contact the student with the answer no more than a week after the meeting.
4. The supervisor will attend all pre-arranged meetings or provide at least 24 hours notice of non-attendance, giving the students alternative dates for the meeting.
5. The supervisor will be fully prepared for all meetings, having considered any submitted student work.

Other Support

1. The supervisor will give the best guidance s/he can in assisting the student to achieve their objective.
2. The supervisor will not intervene in the direction or objectives of the dissertation and will not allow any previous disagreement on this to damage the quality of advice s/he gives.
3. The supervisor will consider all submitted written work usually no later than one week from the date of submission.
4. The supervisor will review a maximum of one draft chapter and will not review a draft of the complete dissertation. In reviewing a draft chapter, the supervisor will provide general comments regarding the writing style, referencing and content but will not give a word-by-word appraisal of the draft.
5. Support students in completing the online ethical form.

The Masters Dissertation Logbook

This is a dated, chronological record of your dissertation progress. The Logbook is available via the eLP .You should use the Logbook to record items such as:

• Date and times of meetings with your supervisor
• Agenda
• Questions
• Notes of discussion
• Action plan
• Date of next meeting

The Logbook is to be submitted with your dissertation since it provides evidence of how well you have managed the dissertation process. It will also enable the supervisor to give better information to prospective employers regarding your organisational and time management skills. It will also enable you to write a more informative reflective statement to accompany your submission.

You should keep all your working papers as your work progresses since you may be asked to submit them seeWorking paperssection.

Supervisor availability

You should check with your supervisor of any dates when your supervisor will not be available; this could be due to the member of staff taking Leave (at Christmas and Easter for example) or because they are attending a conference or travelling on University business. Knowing when your supervisor is available will enable you to plan your meetings effectively and make the most of your supervision.

Please note that there will be no formal requirement for staff to provide supervision during the following periods:

• the last two weeks of December
• the first week of January
• the Easter break
• Bank holidays / national holidays

Occasionally, it may be that staff are absent from work due to unforeseen circumstances (such as illness). If this happens, then alternative arrangements for your supervision may be put in place. The arrangements will depend on how long your supervisor is away from work:

Period of staff absence	Action
Less than 1 week	No alternative supervision arrangements will be made. This is because students should be able to work around a period of absence of up to 1 week.
Between 1 and 4 weeks	Students will remain with their original supervisor and may be given an extension to their submission date. The maximum extension is 2 weeks.
More than 4 weeks	A replacement supervisor will be assigned as soon as possible. The new supervisor will remain with the student until their submission. Students will be given a 2 week extension to their submission date to compensate for the change of supervisor. The total time available for supervision remains the same (students are still entitled to six 40 minute meetings over their full supervision period).

Note: These procedures are in place to try to ensure that all students are treated fairly and consistently. However, in some cases there may be exceptional circumstances which mean that the above procedures need to be varied slightly this will be done on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Facilitators and/or Dissertation Coordinator.

MIDTERM REVIEW

Each student must attend their midterm review meeting and showcase their progress and they will receive feedback from their supervisor. This will normally take place during weeks 6-7 of the term.

This meeting will include a 10 minutes PPT (on the work completed by the student say ch1, 2,3 etc) by the student followed detailed supervisor's feedback on ch1-3 of the draft work.

PRESENTATION OF THE DISSERTATION

An outline guide is provided here. Please refer to the past Masters dissertations on eLP for student examples of appropriate Masters Dissertation Cover Pages, Title Pages, Contents Lists and Abstracts.

Page Layout

Pages should be numbered in sequence at the top right hand corner, starting with and including the title page.

Margins and headings: the specifications are 38mm (1¹/2) left margin, 31 mm (1¹/4) on the other three sides. The page number should be above the top margin line. The right margin should be unjustified (left ragged), since the spacing between words used to make the right margin even inhibits readability greatly, while adding little aesthetically. Headers and footers are to be used with discretion. Please do NOT include your name in any header or footer.

The preferred font times roman/ Ariel, 1.5 line spacing.

Tables and charts should be numbered in sequence by chapter, eg Table 3.1 is the first table in Chapter 3. Each figure should be properly referenced and accompanied by a descriptive title that completely explains the contents of the figure.

It is not acceptable to insert photocopies of tables into the body of the dissertation. Tables should be word processed into the dissertation. In broad terms this principle also applies to diagrams no photocopies from books etc. There will, of course, be occasions when a photocopy of a table or a diagram is specifically required in order to illustrate points peculiar to the original. Use of such photocopies must be cleared with the supervisor. Another example might be a sample of a completed questionnaire. The dissertation must be word- processed, Spacing may either be set at double or one and a half line spacing, depending on the machine used. Spacing greater than double spacing is not acceptable. Direct quotations may be presented starting on a new line and in single spacing, indented both left and right. The body of the dissertation should be in font size 12 and Arial is the Newcastle Business School standard font face.

Both the draft and final copies of the dissertation must be produced in such a manner that the text is entirely legible. This means a text suitable for good quality reproduction from a photocopier.

Dissertations can be written in either Black or Colour.

Writing Style

The level of writing must be appropriate to the level of the Masters degree. Specifically, acute attention should be paid to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and clarity of style. Also, it is the students responsibility to edit the text for typing errors, uncover all spelling errors, including dissertations that have been typed by another party. Note that a spell-check programme does not uncover all spelling errors e.g. principal and principle can be confused.

It should be decided (in consultation with the supervisor) whether the use of the first person (I, we, us) is appropriate for the dissertation.

The library and ACE team looks after study skills and students can get help from the enquiry help desk in London campus.. See online support for details.

Dissertation Length

Masters Dissertation word limit- 15000 words

Word Count The word count is to be declared on the front page of your dissertation. The word count does not include: Title page Reference list Appendices (including reflective learning statement) Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations Contents page Bibliography Glossary Quotes from interviews and focus groups Declarations page Acknowledgements Abstract End material Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g.dib-dab nonsense analysis(Smith, 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count. If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARNA page 30 Section 3.4 this will be regarded as academic misconduct. You are required to integrate ideas in a succinct way (i.e. without unnecessary description and context). This is a necessary skill. Penalties The acceptable length of this dissertation is between13,500and16,500words. If your work is above this, the following penalty will apply: The final mark is reduced by 10% if the word length is exceeded by more than 10% over 15,000 (i.e. 16,501). For example a mark of 70% would be reduced to 63%. Dissertations shorter than 13,500 words will not attract a specific penalty as it is anticipated their short nature will affect the overall quality anyway.

Dissertation Structure

You can refer to the eLP for examples of previous students dissertations to see the structure of the dissertation. The arrangement of the completed dissertation is in three stages; preliminaries, the body of work and end material.

Preliminaries

Front sheet:

For layout see the eLP.

Declarations

See the eLP.

Abstract:

In no less than 200 and no more than 300 words seeAppendix C

Acknowledgements:Optional but recommended

Table of Contents:

Formatted as per exampleAppendix D

Glossary:

If your dissertation contains unfamiliar abbreviations or technical terms it is helpful to include a glossary at this point exampleAppendix E

Body of Work

Presented as aseries of chaptersbeginning with an Introduction and ending with a Conclusion.

End Material

References:

A list of specific works referred to directly in the text.

Bibliography: Optional

List of additional material consulted, but not directly cited in the text. Note the distinction between this section and References do not duplicate sources, they should be either in References or Bibliography but not both.

Appendices:

Designed for the optional inclusion of charts, graphs, additional data, photographs, maps, sample questionnaires/interview schedules etc. These must scanned copies and clear to read. It is not appropriate to include photocopies of journal articles or similar material.

The Reflective statement to be included in this section seethe eLPfor further information.

SUBMISSIONS

You must submit:

A soft copy to Turnitin and must remember to include the following 6-documents in the appendices of your dissertation:

1. Supervision Meeting Log-sheets 6-8 meetings
2. Online Ethical approval prove/snippet.
3. Any other approval/permission taken.
4. Questionnaire/interview schedule with the front consent letter.
5. A brief reflection on the dissertation and your research.

Referencing

You must use the correct referencing system and that is the APA system. The intellectual work of others that is being summarised in the dissertation must be attributed to its source. It is assumed thatallideas, opinions, conclusions, specific wordings, quotations, conceptual structures and data, whether reproduced exactly or in paraphrase, which are not referenced to another source are the work of the student.If this is not the case, an act of plagiarism may have occurred, which is cause for disciplinary action under the Academic Misconduct process.

Plagiarism

Please pay particular attention to originality and the proper acknowledgement of your sources. It is important that the work you submit:

• Is original and your own work
• Gives proper acknowledgement to any work by others which is used in completing your dissertation

Originality means that the dissertation subject is presented in a way which differs from any other:

• Published works
• Study guides
• Dissertations of other students, past or present

This does not preclude the use of the same material from wider reading (to support it with examples, or relevant opinions and ideas, or to place it within the context of existing knowledge). In fact, credit is specifically given for references in the assessment scheme. It does mean, however, that the sources of any such material MUST be identified.

You should ensure that:

• Words or phrases taken verbatim from published works are placed in quotation marks and the source acknowledged.
  • Quotations take the form ofbrief relevant extracts.

Where lengthier use of a published work is appropriate, you may summarise or paraphrase an authors words, but the source of the summary or paraphrase must again be fully acknowledged by textual reference.

Unacknowledged use of the work of others (plagiarism) is regarded as dishonest practice and will be dealt with on that basis, as per the Universitys Regulations.

Format of references

You must use the correct referencing system and that is the APA system. The APA method of referencing uses the author's name and the date of the publication. In-text citations give brief details of the work you are referring to in your text. References are listed at the end of the text in alphabetical order by the author's name. The general format of an electronic journal reference in the APA style is shown below:

Coutu, D. (2009).Why TeamsDon't Work.Harvard Business Review,87(5), 98-105. Retrieved 29^thApril 2012 fromEBSCOhttp://searchebscohost.com

Author/s name and initials are listed first, followed by year of publication in brackets. Then there is the title of article and the journal where the article appears, which is in italics. Then state the volume and issue number (in brackets) along with the pages where article can be located. Finally add the date the article was retrieved and then the name of the database, followed by the web address. Wherever possible use the homepage URL rather than the full and extended web address.

For further information on why it is important to reference accurately go to the Referencing and Plagiarism topic in Skills Plus available from the Library website:

www.northumbria.ac.uk/skillsplus

You will find other useful help guides on Skills Plus to help you with the skills involved in writing your dissertation.

For further information on the APA style of referencing see theConcise Rules of APA styleand the APA websitehttp://www.apastyle.org/learn

RESEARCH ETHICS

ALLstudents must obtain online ethical clearance for their dissertation researchBEFOREstarting to work with any data. This applies to students using either primary or secondary data for their dissertation; therefore it applies toALLdissertation students.

Ethical form:

Each student must submit online ethical form latest by week 4 of their dissertations term. They must get approval before collecting any data. https://np-k2runtime.northumbria.ac.uk/Runtime/Runtime/Form/My+Documents/

If a student submits a dissertation WITHOUT getting the necessary ethical clearance/ approval, they will receive a mark of zero (0/15) in their chapter on research methodology, panelty in ch4 of findings, and further academic misconduct proceedings may be initiated in line with the university's academic misconduct policy, ethical research policy and academic regulations.

Students must have confirmation that their research has been approved in order to start their data collection.

Here is an outline of the process that must be followed:

Once you have decided your research strategy (and after consulting with your supervisor) then you should accessEthics Onlineby visiting the NorthumbriaEthics and Governance webpageor the Student portal. Students should complete their online ethics application by following the instructions provided on the website. Your supervisor will be able to provide guidance should you need this.

Please be advised that before commencing any research you must get your ethical form approved. ONLINE Ethical approval must be obtained for all MSc business with dissertations prior to the commencement of your dissertation research. . Online Research Ethics form can be found on the"ethics and governance Northumbria" website or just simply follow the steps below: Access the system at https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/ethics-and-governance/ Then go to the Ethics Online - research ethics approval system Then go to the Online Research Ethics and Governance Approval: Access the system at Ethics Online, [https://np-k2runtime.northumbria.ac.uk/Runtime/Runtime/Form/My+Documents/ ] where this link will take you to the page to sign in with your Northumbria University username and password. Video link Guidance-https://elp.northumbria.ac.uk/ultra/courses/_675968_1/outline/lti/launchFrame?toolHref=https:~2F~2Felp.northumbria.ac.uk~2Fwebapps~2Fblackboard~2Fexecute~2Fblti~2FlaunchLink?course_id=_675968_1&content_id=_12247518_1&from_ultra=true On the welcome page, please start with"Create a New Submission" On the submission page, please complete all sections, for note, 1.Faculty:Business and Law 2.Department:Choose depending upon your pathways. 3.Submitting:PGTPost Graduate Taught 4.Module code:LD0480 5.Module Tutor:Sumesh Dadwal(Find and Click yes) 6.Research Supervisor:Name of your Supervisor (Find and Click yes) 7.Named co-ordinator:Sumesh Dadwal(Find and Click yes) 8.You need to consult your supervisor for advice before submitting an ethics approval form. The risk level is automatically determined when you choose yes/no for the initial set of statements on the ethical form, 9. Ethical Risk diagnostic Qs checklist: It is strongly advised to not collect any personal data, so normally in section 1 it should be YES (if collecting Primary data) only for the 1st statements and others should be negative. however, if any other statement from the checklist is yes, then you need permission from the concerned party at then attach that here. 10.ThenCreate and Saveto move to the next page where you input all the required necessary details. 11.Complete all of the sections G1 to G6 ( in G2 be very specific on data sources, Primary/secondary, how where, when ? quant or qual, sampling, sample size, questionnaire, and analysis ) 12.and also include M1 (if collecting primary data) in full detail. Attach an informed consent form /respondents sheets and a draft questionnaire (If collecting Primary data). 13.It is advisable to Save a pdf file and show the same to your supervisor. Once the supervisor gives okay to this. you can click submit button. 14.Once complete please submit.

Once the application has been submitted then it will be passed to a reviewer for them to assess. If the reviewer requests changes to your plans then you will receive a message from the system regarding this. Once your reviewer is satisfied with your ethics application then they will approve it on the online system. You will then get an email notifying you that your application has been approved. You must keep this email as evidence that your research has been approved. You are now free to begin to collect and work with data for your dissertation.

Please notethat students who do not follow the correct ethical procedures for their research will be penalised accordingly and this will result in a reduction in marks.

SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION

Dissertations must be submitted by thedates posted on the eLP.

Students are strongly recommended to keep a copy as a personal reference copy for security.

Students are required tosubmit one electronic copy as a Word file to the TurnitinLink under LD0480 of eLP.

A student must submit a soft copy of your dissertation to Turnitin under LD0480 eLP by the target date Student must remember to include the following 6-documents in the appendices of your soft copy of the dissertation:

1. Supervision Meeting Log-sheets 6-8 meetings
2. Ethical approval form - Online signed /approved- snippet/email proof.
3. Any other approval/permission taken.
4. Questionnaire/interview schedule with the front consent letter.
5. A brief reflection on the dissertation and your research.

No printed copies are required to be submitted.

Turnitin

Turnitin software is used to assess all Masters dissertations for originality. You will be able to submit two draft versions of your work to the Turnitin software and will be able to see the results from the originality check. Prior to submission of your final dissertation you must have submitted your final version to thedraft link of Turnitin software (seeAppendix F)

. If there is no final submission to Turnitin for the staff marking the dissertation to refer to then this will be treated asAcademic Misconductand the procedures given in the University regulations for such matters will be followed.

Here are the main points to remember regarding Turnitin:

• Turnitin is compulsory for all dissertations. You must complete your final submission to Turnitin before submitting your work.
• In the originality report, low matches (a few percent) are expected these will be the sources that you have used and referenced.
• These individual low matches will accumulate to give an overall match (similarity index) of perhaps 20-30% over the dissertation. This is not a problem.
• There will only be an issue if there are high percentage matches to small numbers of sources (for example, one source matching at around 10% or more).
• It is not possible to give a definitive figure of what constitutes a high overall match since it is more important to make sure that the individual matches that make up the overall match are low.
• Where necessary, the academic staff assessing the dissertation will judge whether the dissertation is satisfactory based on the information in the Turnitin originality report as part of the marking process.
• Use your 2 trial/draft submissions to check your dissertation before you submit it for the final time and talk to your supervisor if you have concerns about the originality report results.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is regarded as an exceptional procedure and must be agreed with the dissertation Supervisor and declared on the Logbook front cover.

Extensions To Submission Dates

An extension to the published submission dates may be granted for valid personal extenuating circumstances by the Academic Facilitators. Extensions are granted only for substantive reasons such as illness, family difficulties or other personal circumstances. Where appropriate, written medical/professional evidence must be provided by the student to support the claim for an extension.

All such requests should be made by your student portal

Please make contact with the Academic Facilitators as soon as possible and well before the published submission date. Please note that difficulties such as losing your work accompanied by a failure to keep a back-up copy or short term pressures of work arenotsubstantive reasons and extensions will not be given in such cases.

Extensions are limited to two weeks. If you need a longer extension than this you will need to complete a PECs form and submit it to the Administration office as early as possible Academic Facilitators will help you with this.

Late submission approval applies to the submission of the dissertation only. It does not entitle the student to additional supervision. It is the students responsibility to arrange supervision within the original time period as far as possible.

If, for any reason, a supervisor cannot provide supervision (for example due to illness), then for periods of between 1 and 2 weeks an extension will be granted to compensate for the lost time. If a supervisor is absent for more than two weeks then alternative supervision will be arranged.

Non-submission without an approved extension

The Masters dissertation is subject to the same University Regulations as any other module (or subject) and unauthorized late submission will result in aZERO mark (0%).

Failed and non-submitted dissertations

1. If you fail your dissertation the first time, you would normally be given one resubmission opportunity following the Progression and Awards Board (PAB). Feedback from the supervisor and second markers will be provided and you would have until the next deadline date to work on your re-submission. If you wish, you may have one meeting or a telephone discussion with your supervisor to clarify what is required. Normally, you would not receive any further supervision for this activity. As with other referral work, the maximum mark you would get for the re-submitted dissertation provided it passes, is 50% When submitting your revised dissertation you should include an appendix detailing what you were asked to do and how you have addressed these issues in your resubmission.

2. If you do not submit your dissertation by the deadline, with no extenuating circumstances, an absentmark is recorded and you will be deemed to have failed the dissertation. In such circumstances, you would normally be given one resubmission opportunity at the PAB. You could then submit your dissertation, as a referral, at the next submission deadline.You would not be provided with any supervision in this period. As with other referral work, the maximum mark you would get for the submitted dissertation in this case, provided it passes, is 50%. You would not have any further resubmission opportunity. In the case of failed re-submitted dissertations, you would normally be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma.

Working papers

As your work progresses, you will build up a collection of materials that you have used to put together your dissertation. You MUST retain these. Here are some examples of what your working papers may include.

From the literature review:

• Copies of academic journal articles
• Copies of specific parts of books (perhaps annotated) or professional publications
• Drafts of your literature review
• Sections of writing that you have done but not used in the final copy
• Printed web pages used in your research

From your analysis and results sections:

• Versions of questionnaires / questions for interviews
• Completed questionnaires/recorded or transcribed interviews or notes from interviews
• Attempts at analysis with corrections and annotation as you refine your ideas
• Excel/SPSS output
• Ethics forms

If your dissertation includes calculations, the working papers for those would be expected. And if your dissertation includes a survey or questionnaire, the original papers for those should be kept along with names and addresses of any firms or individuals involved. Keep all computer-based material on CD or USB memory stick. Production of working papers includes being able to produce the CD or USB memory stick.

These working papers must be retained by the student until formally notified of the award of their degree.

Please ensure you keep your working papers safe because you may be asked to submit them for examination when your dissertation is being marked. Therefore working papers must beaccessible, so DO NOT pack them away in an inaccessible place such as luggage you are shipping home.

Request for working papers

A random sample of students will be selected and asked to submit their working papers with their dissertation. Individual supervisors may also request working papers for any of the students they are supervising. A student may receive a request to submit working papers just before or during the marking process. Failure by the student to produce an adequate set of working papers when requested will be treated as Academic Misconduct and the procedures given in the University regulations for such matters will be followed.

To facilitate this process it is the responsibility of ALL students to ensure the Administration Office has their correct e-mail and postal correspondence address.

Once the working papers have been examined by the assessor (normally the supervisor) any concerns will be followed up via an informal discussion with the student (preferably in person). Newcastle Business School will take all reasonable steps to arrange a mutually convenient time for the informal meeting to take place. If the student is not able to attend in person a telephone conversation may be possible. Failure by the student to take part in this meeting or failure to address and resolve the concerns will result in consideration of the case by an Academic Misconduct Panel. The award of the degree will be delayed until the matter is resolved.

ASSESSMENT AND MARKING

A standard marking form will be used that assesses the work against the Newcastle Business School Cross Comparative Benchmarks for Undergraduate and Masters Dissertations (Appendix A). The marking form used for the Masters dissertation is available from the eLP so that students can see the criteria against which their work will be judged. The marks available for the different sections of the dissertation are shown on the marking sheet.

The master' Dissertation maximum mark is equal 100 and the minimum mark to pass the module is 50%.

The dissertation will be assessed independently by two academic members of staff; normally the supervisor and a second marker. A final mark is then agreed upon between the two markers. Occasionally, a dissertation may be assessed by a third marker. Additionally, a sample of dissertations is assessed by a relevant moderator and the external examiners.

Please remember that Supervisors will not disclose potential marks to students at any stage whilst the work is underway or being formally assessed (as stated in the Expectations section of these guidelines). Students will receive their mark and a copy of the completed assessment sheet following the conclusion of the examination boards.

GRADING AND RUBRICS FORMS

FORM1 : NBS EMA RUBRIC TEMPLATE MASTERS DISSERTATION

The NBS Masters Dissertation

Section

Mark

Max

Student Name:

Student ID:

Presentation

10

Introduction

10

Programme:

Agreed Mark:

Literature review

20

Methodology/Methods/Ethics

15

Supervisor/first marker

Please print name

Signed

Findings/Analysis

20

Synthesis/Conclusions

25

2ndmarker

Please print name

Signed

Total

100

Turnitin Similarity Percentage =

Marks by first, second marker and agreed Marks

First Marks

Second marks

Agreed Marks

Rationale for agreeing marks :

Assurance of Learning

Please tick box (Exceeded/Met/Not Met) to match with grading on the additional sheets

Not Met

Met

Exceeded

Goal 2 Objective 2

Reflect on their own ethical values

Goal 4 Objective 2

Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of innovative and contemporary research on the business and management community

Goal 4 Objective 3

Acquire, interpret and apply specialist functional knowledge in relation to their programme of study (specialist programmes only)

Goal 5 Objective 1

Plan and complete a major piece of research or project on a contemporary business, financial, management or leadership topic

Goal 5 Objective 2

Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis in the application of research methods to the exploration of contemporary business and management issues

Criteria	Scales
	0-39% Standard Not Met 1	40-49% Standard Not Met 2	50-59% Meets Standard 1	60-69% Meets Standard 2	70-79% Exceeds Standard 1	80-89% Exceeds Standard 2	90-100% Exceeds Standard 3
Presentation	Significant lack of compliance with the NBS Guidelines. Very badly written. Difficult to follow with many errors in presentation. The formatting of the referencing is completely insufficient. Indicative mark: [0 4]	Below the standard we would expect of a Masters student. Several significant defects. Significant errors in the formatting of referencing. NBS Guidelines not followed. Insufficient presentation of material and there are significant weaknesses. [ 4 - 5 ]	Adequate, in terms of compliance with the NBS Masters Guidelines. Parts are difficult to follow and there may be other weaknesses. Referencing generally adequate, but with a number of errors. Some grammatical and spelling errors present. [ 5 - 6]	Quite readable but one or two of the key areas have deficiencies. Referencing generally good and in the correct format, but with a few minor errors. The NBS Masters Guidelines largely complied with. Lack of integration. [ 6 - 7 ]	Conforms to NBS Masters Guidelines. Easy to read; but use of English could be further improved. Very good presentation. Referencing in the correct format. Strong linkages through chapters. [ 7 - 8 ]	In accordance with NBS Masters Guidelines; clear easy to follow format; writing style very clear; correct spelling, grammar and punctuation; references; title and declarations all correct. Excellent linkages between chapters. [ 8 - 9 ]	In accordance with NBS Masters Guidelines for all aspects. Outstanding in all areas, including linkages between chapters. [ 9 10]
Actual marks in Presentation
Introduction	Completely insufficient in terms of research topic area and objectives need to be revised / changed. A number of elements are missing. Very little understanding shown. Title , Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) missing/incorrect and Declarations all correct. Reflective learning statement may be missing from the appendices. [0 4]	Research topic area is identified but there is insufficient understanding of the area/topic. Academic objectives are not appropriate and needs refining. Not all areas are covered. Title , Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) needs significant improvement and Declarations all correct. Reflective learning statement may be missing from the appendices. [4 - 5]	Adequate explanation of research topic area; objectives stated but may need further explanation / refining; shows adequate understanding of the topic area. Dissertation content is outlined. Title , Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) needs improvement and Declarations all correct. Inclusion of reflective learning statement in an appendix. [5 - 6]	Good explanation of research topic area. Academic objectives and boundaries stated. Outline of dissertation structure is detailed. Student understands what their research is about, but the objectives may need further refining. Lacks depth. Title , Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) is good but perhaps missing minor details and Declarations all correct. Inclusion of reflective learning statement in an appendix. [6 - 7]	Very good discussion of researchable topic. Academic objectives and boundaries clearly stated. Outline structure of dissertation provided. All main areas included but could be improved. Title' Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) has very few errors and Declarations all correct. Inclusion of reflective learning statement in an appendix. [7 - 8]	Excellent discussion of researchable question or topic which is clearly indicated by the title. Very clear research question and objectives. Very good explanation of the nature of the problem or issue. Title, Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) and Declarations all correct. Inclusion of reflective learning statement in an appendix. [8 - 9]	Outstanding discussion of researchable question, put into context by a consideration of existing literature. Extremely clear research question and objectives and very good explanation of the nature of the problem or issue. Title, Abstract (For CIPD requirements this is to be replaced by an Executive Summary) and Declarations all correct. Inclusion of reflective learning statement in an appendix. [9-10]
Actual marks in Introduction
	0-39% Standard Not Met 1	40-49% Standard Not Met 2	50-59% Meets Standard 1	60-69% Meets Standard 2	70-79% Exceeds Standard 1	80-89% Exceeds Standard 2	90-100% Exceeds Standard 3
Literature Review Goal 4 Objective 3	Lacks understanding of what is required. The use of quotations and citations is not effective. Review does not relate to academic objectives. Theory has very few cited sources which are largely standard text books [0 8]	Lacks an adequate review of existing literature. The use of quotations and citations is weak or inappropriate and therefore does not support the literature review effectively. Theory is descriptive in character with few cited sources. [8 - 10]	Some discussion of existing literature. The use of quotations and citations is adequate but shows room for improvement. Limited amount of sources used; mainly text books, few academic journal articles. Critical evaluation is weak. [10 - 12]	Good discussion of existing literature. Citations and quotations are used to good effect. Review includes a number of academic journal articles. Some good critical evaluation of the existing literature. [12 - 14]	Very good discussion of existing literature supported by appropriate citations and quotations. Review includes many academic journal articles, but not extensive. Some critical evaluation of literature but could be developed further. Summary of main points included. [14 - 16]	Excellent in depth review of relevant, up-to-date literature with extensive use of academic journal articles supported by extensive citations and appropriate use of quotations. Excellent identification of relevant theoretical base. Critical evaluation of major theoretical contributions. Summary links well with the following chapter. [16 - 18]	An outstanding literature review, excellent in every respect. Review is current, highly critical and shows real insight and mastery of the topic area. Referencing is almost faultless. Extremely clear summary of the main themes/issues thus providing strong links to the following chapter. [18-20]
Actual marks in Literature Review
Methodology, Methods and Ethics Goal 2 Objective 2	Major errors or omissions are present. The explanation provided of methodology and research methods, data collection and analysis are completely insufficient: all extremely unclear or missing. Sampling is completely insufficient (either very small or inappropriate sample). There are very serious limitations with the research and ethical issues and perhaps serious breaches of the University and NBS Ethical Guidelines. [0 6]	The explanation provided of methodology, research methods and data collection and analysis is insufficient. Limitations of research have not been adequately addressed. Discussion of the sampling method is insufficient. There may be serious issues regarding the Ethics procedures - breaches of the University and NBS Ethical Guidelines. [6 - 7]	The explanation provided of methodology, research methods and data collection and analysis is adequate but brief and lacks depth. Limitations of research may have been mentioned but not in sufficient detail. Discussion of the sampling method is adequate. Ethical issues are addressed appropriately according to the guidelines provided. Informed consent and organisational consent have been granted (where appropriate). [7 8]	Good explanation (but lacking in full justification) of methodology, research methods and data collection and analysis. Limitations of research may have been acknowledged but not fully considered. Discussion of the sampling method is good, with a sensible method & well justified. Ethical issues are addressed appropriately according to the guidelines provided. Informed consent and organisational consent have been granted (where appropriate). [9 - 10]	Very good explanation of methodologies with a clear justification of selected research methods. Data collection and analysis is clear and well executed. There is an explanation of practical details of how the research was undertaken with limitations noted. Discussion of the sampling method is very good, with a suitable method & well justified. Ethical issues are addressed appropriately according to the guidelines provided. Informed consent and organisational consent have been granted (where appropriate). [10 - 12]	Excellent explanation of methodologies with a clear justification of selected research methods. Data collection and analysis is very clear and very well executed. Limitations are discussed (for example a discussion of any potential bias). Selection & discussion of the sampling method is excellent. Ethical issues are handled excellently. [12 - 13]	Outstandingly clear explanation of methodologies with a clear justification of selected research methods. Data collection and analysis is extremely well executed. There are clear details of the practicalities of the research. Selection & discussion of the sampling method is outstanding. Ethical issues are addressed appropriately according to the guidelines provided. Informed consent and organisational consent have been granted (where appropriate). [13 - 15]
Actual in RM
	0-39% Standard Not Met 1	40-49% Standard Not Met 2	50-59% Meets Standard 1	60-69% Meets Standard 2	70-79% Exceeds Standard 1	80-89% Exceeds Standard 2	90-100% Exceeds Standard 3
Findings, Analysis and Discussion Goal 5 Objective 2	Major errors or omissions are present regarding the application of relevant research techniques. Completely insufficient data analysis with little evidence of a clear method. No critical analysis of findings against relevant theory identified in the literature review. Discussion and evaluation of findings are completely insufficient. [0 8]	Lacks application of relevant research techniques. Insufficiently rigorous data analysis. No critical analysis of findings against relevant theory identified in the literature review. Insufficient discussion and no evaluation of findings. [8 - 10]	Some application of research techniques adopted. Data analysis is adequate and uses an appropriate method. Some analysis of findings against theory identified in the literature review. Adequate discussion and evaluation of findings. [10 - 12]	Good application of relevant research techniques adopted. The data analysis is comprehensive and follows a clear analysis method. Some good critical analysis of findings against relevant theory identified in the literature review. Good discussion and evaluation of findings. [12 - 14]	Very good application of relevant research techniques. The data analysis is comprehensive, well presented and follows a very clear analysis method, but could perhaps have more depth in places. Very good critical analysis of findings against relevant theory identified in the literature review. Very good discussion and evaluation of findings. [14 - 16]	Excellent application of relevant research techniques. The data analysis is comprehensive, very well presented and follows a very clear analysis method. The analysis has depth (for example investigation of inter-variable links for a quantitative study). Excellent critical analysis, discussion and evaluation of findings. [16 - 18]	Outstanding application of relevant research techniques. The data analysis is comprehensive, very well presented and follows a very clear analysis method. The analysis has depth (for example comprehensive investigation of inter-variable links for a quantitative study). Outstanding critical analysis of findings against relevant theory identified in the literature review. Outstanding discussion and evaluation of findings. [18 - 20]
Actual marks in Findings, Analysis and Discussion
Synthesis, Conclusions, Recommendations and Implications Goal 4 Objective 2	Completely insufficient (very weak) synthesis of the literature and the research findings. There are major errors or omissions in sections such as conclusions, recommendations, issues of bias / limitations or future research. [0 9]	Findings are insufficiently related to the body of knowledge presented in the literature review. Conclusions are only partly drawn and are not supported by findings. Conclusions do not relate back to the stated research questions. Issues of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation have not been adequately identified. Recommendations may not be included. Implications for future research will not have been adequately identified [10 - 12]	The synthesis is adequate, with the findings related to the body of knowledge presented in the literature review. Conclusions are only partly drawn and are not fully supported by findings. Conclusions relate back to the stated research question/objectives but there could be weaknesses here. Issues of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation have been adequately identified. Recommendations are included (where appropriate). Future research has been addressed. [13 - 14]	The synthesis is good, with the findings related to the literature. Conclusions are well presented and are supported by the findings. Conclusions relate back to the stated research question/objectives quite strongly. Issues of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation have been well explained. Recommendations are included (where appropriate). Future research has been addressed. [15 - 17]	The synthesis is very good, with many of the findings related to the literature. Conclusions are very well presented and are supported by the findings. Conclusions relate back to the stated research question/objectives in a very clear manner. Issues of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation have been very well explained. Recommendations are included (where appropriate). Future research has been addressed. [18 - 19]	Excellent and thorough synthesis of the findings and literature. Conclusions are very well presented and are supported by the findings. Conclusions relate back to the stated research question/objectives in an extremely clear manner. Detailed discussion of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation. Recommendations are included (where appropriate). Future research has been addressed. [20 -22]	Outstanding synthesis of the findings and literature. Conclusions are outstanding and relate directly to the research question/objectives. Detailed discussion of bias/limitations of the whole Dissertation. Recommendations are included (where appropriate). The ideas for possible future research demonstrate careful consideration. [23 - 25]
Conclusions, Recommendations and Implications
	0-39% Standard Not Met 1	40-49% Standard Not Met 2	50-59% Meets Standard 1	60-69% Meets Standard 2	70-79% Exceeds Standard 1	80-89% Exceeds Standard 2	90-100% Exceeds Standard 3
Overall Goal 5 Objective 1	The dissertation is completely insufficient and has very serious weaknesses. The student has failed to demonstrate an understanding of what is required for masters research. To reach a pass standard when resubmitting this will require the student to undertake a significant amount of new work - not just minor improvements. The student will need to adequately address all the issues identified in the feedback they have been provided with. [0 39]	Some understanding is shown of what is required for masters research for some sections and/or chapters but overall the work is insufficient. The dissertation fails to reach a sufficient level either in an important area or is generally weak and lacks depth and rigor in a number of areas. The standard of presentation and writing is insufficient. To reach a pass standard when resubmitting the student will need to adequately address all the issues identified in the feedback they have been provided with. [40 - 49]	The dissertation is adequate, but there are likely to be weaknesses in presentation, writing, critical evaluation and analysis. A basic understanding of what is required for masters research is evident. [50 - 59]	The quality of presentation is good and it is easy to follow. The student shows good understanding of the masters research approach in all areas. [60 - 69]	The dissertation is very good and easy to read. All the key sections and elements are present and have a very good level of discussion. There is clear critical analysis and evaluation of the theory and findings and these are brought together in the synthesis and conclusions. [70 - 79]	An excellent dissertation which is easy to read and well-laid out. The student has demonstrated a thorough understanding of their study. The theoretical base and the conclusions from the findings are linked strongly through the synthesis. The level of critical thinking is excellent and the student has shown a mastery of concepts and research techniques. [80 - 89]	The Dissertation is outstanding in all areas. [90-100]
Overall Marks

FORM 2 : The NBS Masters Dissertation Feedback Sheet

FORM 2 : The NBS Masters Dissertation Feedback Sheet
Student Name:			Student ID:
Programme:	MSc Business With
Supervisor/first marker	Please print name		Signed
2ndmarker	Please print name		Signed
						First Marks		Second marks			Agreed Marks

The rationale for Agreed Marks

Comments	LD0480- Feedback from Marker : First / Second (delete the one not applicable)	Marks
Presentation and coherences [10]
Introduction [10]
Literature [20]
Methodology [15]
Findings& discussion [20]
Synthesis, Conclusions, Recommendations & Implications [25]
Total [100]

MASTERS DISSERTATION INDICATIVE READING LIST

The current NBS Masters Dissertation Guidelines (available from the eLP).

Brown, R. B. (2006) Doing your dissertation in Business and Management, Sage.

Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2015) Business Research Methods, 4th Ed. Oxford

Cassell, C. & Symon, G. (2004) Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. Sage.
Cassell, C.,Symon, G. & Dickson R. (2000) Qualitative methods in Organizational Research and Practice, European journal of work and organizational psychology, Vol. 9, no.4.
Collis, J. & Hussey, R. (2014) Business Research, 4^thEd. Palgrave Macmillan.

Creswell, J. (2012) Qualitative inquiry & research design: choosing among five traditions, 3^rdEd. Sage.
Creswell, J. (2013) Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Method Approaches, 4^thEd. Sage.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R & Jackson, P. (2012) Management Research, 4^thEd. Sage.

Gray, D.E. (2014) Doing research in the real world, 3^rdEd. Sage.

King, N & Horrocks, C. (2010) Interviews in Qualitative Research, Sage.

Robson, A., Pemberton, J. & McGrane, A (2011) Business Research Analysis, 2^ndEd. McGraw Hill.

Salkind, N, J. (2011) Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics, 4^thEd. Sage.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students, 6^thEd. Pearson.

Wilson, J. (2014) Essentials of Business Research, 2^ndEd. Sage.

Zikmund, W.G., Babin, B.J., Carr, J.C., Griffin, M. (2013) Business Research Methods, 9^thEd. South-Western Cengage Learning

Recommended Journal articles:

Nguyen, T, Charity, I & Robson, A (2014) Students perceptions of computer-based learning environments, their attitude towards business statistics, and their academic achievement: implications from a UK university.Studies in Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2014.950562

Robson, A. & Robson, F. (2011) Do committed employees wish to stay longer in post? A comparison of public and private sector nurses,Chartered Institute of Management: Top Management Articles.http://cmilibrary.managers.org.uk/Library/Catalogues/Summary.aspx

Mitchell, E., Robson, A. & Prabhu, V. (2002) The impact of maintenance practices on operational and business performance,Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 17, No. 5, pp234-240.

Robson, A. & Mitchell, E. (2007) CSR performance: driven by TQM implementation, size, sector?,International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 24, No. 7, pp722-737.

Robson, A. & Prabhu, V. (2001) What can we learn from the leading service practitioners about business excellence?,Managing Service Quality, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp249-261.

Robson, A., Yarrow, D. & Owen, J. (2005) Does quality drive employee satisfaction in the UK learning sector?,International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 22, No. 5, pp465-484.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A:Learning Benchmarks

QAA DESCRIPTOR FOR A QUALIFICATION AT MASTERS (M) LEVEL: MASTERS DEGREE

Masters degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:

• a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice;

• a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;

• originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;

• conceptual understanding that enables the student;

- to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and

- to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses

Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:

1. deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;

1. demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;

1. continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level;

and will have:

1. the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: - the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility

- decision making in complex and unpredictable situations; and

- the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.

Source: The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2001)

NEWCASTLE BUSINESS SCHOOL CROSS COMPARATIVE BENCHMARKS FOR UG AND MASTERS DISSERTATIONS

It is useful for you to understand Newcastle Business School benchmarks in relation to Masters Dissertations compared to UG Dissertations. The respective benchmarks are detailed below. The following table illustrates the major benchmarks against which undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations are assessed. Of course, either set of students may exceed the benchmarks for their level of work but, while such an outcome may be desirable, it is not a pre-requisite for the achievement of a good mark. Students can achieve a good mark by meeting the benchmarks for their level.

Benchmark	Undergraduate requirement	Postgraduate requirement
Dissertation subject matter	A topic in business, management or economics (including named / specialist degrees).	A topic in business, management or economics (including named / specialist degrees).
Research objectives	Clearly defined objectives relating to the topic and based upon the literature in the field.	Clearly defined objectives relating to the topic and based upon the literature in the field.
Research philosophy and methodological choices	Not required.	Must demonstrate an awareness of research philosophy at a broad level (e.g. positivism versus interpretivism) and select a justifiable and appropriate epistemological approach. The research methodology such be consistent with the philosophical stance and should be appropriate and justifiable considering the research objectives.
Selection and justification of appropriate Research methods	Application of relevant theory to the data gathered to gain understanding of the value. Must demonstrate an awareness of different research strategies (e.g. survey, case study etc.) and must justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of the strategy chosen. Must demonstrate an awareness of different research methods (quantitative and / or qualitative) and justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of appropriate research methods for the dissertation topic. Must explain the practical details of the conduct of the research and recognise limitations. Primary research may or may not be conducted. Students may undertake primary research (quantitative or qualitative etc.) or they will need to undertake some re-analysis of existing material (e.g. quantitative financial data, budgets, trade statistics, or qualitative minutes of meetings, use of diaries and other archival materials etc.) Ethical issues and compliance with University / School Guidelines need to be addressed.	Application of relevant theory to the data gathered to gain understanding of the value. Must demonstrate an awareness of different research strategies (e.g. survey, case study etc.) and must justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of the strategy chosen. Must demonstrate an awareness of different research methods (quantitative and / or qualitative) and justify, explain, select and recognise the limitations of appropriate research methods for the dissertation topic which fit with the philosophy, methodology and strategy of the dissertation. Must explain the practical details of the conduct of the research and recognise limitations. Primary research may or may not be conducted. Students may undertake primary research (quantitative or qualitative etc.) or they will need to undertake some re-analysis of existing material (e.g. quantitative financial data, budgets, trade statistics, or qualitative minutes of meetings, used of diaries and other archival materials etc.) Ethical issues and compliance with University / School Guidelines need to be addressed.
Benchmark	Undergraduate requirement	Postgraduate requirement
Literature review	Discussion of relevant literature. A critical review involving the discussion of relevant theories, identifying the significant themes and comparing and contrasting of different perspectives. Explanation of role of the literature in the dissertation in broad terms by linkage to the research methods.	Discussion of relevant literature, Critical review involving the in-depth discussion of relevant theories, identifying the significant themes and comparing and contrasting the different perspectives to a high level. Detailed explanation of role of the literature in the dissertation, for example by deriving statistical hypotheses to be tested or by generating interview schedules.
References	An adequate range and number of journal articles and books are to be used / cited. All may not be current.	Evidence of knowledge of current research, predominantly journals.
Referencing	APA method of referencing	APA method of referencing
Analysis and discussion of findings	Discussion of the data in relation to the theories. Displays competence in the subject matter and related theory. Use of appropriate quantitative/qualitative analysis techniques. For quantitative studies this will include descriptive statistics and limited analysis of potential links between variables (using correlation, or a chi-squared test). For qualitative studies, a description of the findings and a review of the process adopted. Findings to be compared between respondents and with the literature review. Recognition of limitations.	Discussion of the data in relation to the theories. Displays a mastery of the subject matter and related theory. Use of appropriate quantitative/qualitative analysis techniques. For quantitative studies this will include descriptive statistics and statistical testing of hypotheses derived from the research objectives. For qualitative studies, analysis should be achieved by applying a justifiable qualitative technique (e.g. thematic analysis, coding, and content analysis). Recognition of limitations.
Conclusions and Recommendations	Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and supported by the data. Conclusions are related to relevant prior research. Conclusions relate back to objectives (in broad terms). Suggestions for further research.	Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and supported by the data. Conclusions are related to relevant prior research. Conclusions include a detailed discussion of whether the research objectives have been met. Conclusions raise further questions for investigation and suggestions for further research.

APPENDIX B : DATA PROTECTION

Introduction

Whenever research involves the processing of personal information relating to living individuals, students are required to ensure that it is done so in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA), which sets out a number of principles for processing personal information.

This document provides guidance and outlines the requirements to ensure students follow best practice when undertaking research as part of their studies.

Definitions

Data Subject the individual to whom the data relates.

Processing the collection, storage, use, retention and disclosure of personal data of living people.

Personal Data any information that affects a persons privacy such as:

• Information which is biographical in a significant sense
• Individuals as its focus rather than some other person or some transaction or event

Sensitive personal datais any information that affects a persons safety such as:

• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious beliefs
• physical or mental health
• sexual life
• commission of offences or alleged offences

Students should only conduct research involving sensitive personal data where they have obtained the permission of their guidance tutor.

What are the rules I need to follow?

Researchers must make sure that personal data is only recorded and processed:

• with the express permission of the individual to which it relates
• for the purposes for which the person gave their permission
• and retained for as long as necessary to execute that purpose

These requirements are set out in the8 Principals of the DPA. So long as you comply with these 8 principles, you should be compliant with the DPA.

1. Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully. Individuals should be clearly informed of exactly what the information will be used for and asked to sign a declaration that they are happy for you to process their information. This can be achieved using a consent form.
2. Personal data shall be obtained for the specific purpose of completing your research and not processed for any other reason.
3. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive. This means you should only ask for information relevant to completing the research at hand. Do not ask for more information than is necessary. Only ask for sensitive data if it is required to complete your research.
4. Personal data shall be accurate and kept up-to-date. This principle will only apply to long-term research where there is a requirement for ongoing use of personal data.
5. Personal data shall not be kept longer than necessary. Make sure that any personal data is disposed of when you complete your project.
6. Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of individuals under the Act. Anyone who supplies you with personal information has the right to withdraw consent to process at any time. If someone asks you not to process their information make sure you stop immediately.
7. Appropriate measures will be taken to make sure that personal data is kept secure, especially sensitive personal data. Do not leave work lying around for people to see. If you have work on data sticks or laptops, use a password to protect them where possible. If you can, store it on your University network drive instead of a computer at home. Be careful if you are carrying personal information around.
8. Personal data shall not be transferred outside the European Economic Area unless you have permission to do so and adequate security measures are in place. Do not publish information on websites unless you have permission.

APPENDIX CExampleof an Abstract

Abstract

Increasing speed of globalization puts pressure on companies conducting international business. Therefore, multinational companies (MNCs) need managers with an enhanced understanding of international business and an improved coordination and configuration of HQs and subsidiaries. Expatriate assignments are critical for developing international managers and penetrating critical capabilities throughout global dispersed companies. But expatriate failure and repatriate turnover rates reveal severe adjustment difficulties during the assignment and after return. Nevertheless, to meet demands out of globalization and reach objectives of foreign assignments, companies need to support expatriates succeeding overseas and especially retaining them after they come home. To investigate repatriation practice this dissertation uses a case study approach. The aims are to explore repatriates experiences and business practices at X plc. By conducting face-to-face interviews, six repatriates were interviewed about their pre-departure, overseas and especially their experiences after return. Additionally, they were asked about their perception of support they received by the company and their recommendations about what should be improved at the X plc. The responses were content-analysed to search for patterns among the answers. If problems for repatriates are widely similar, support practices can be standardised whereas individual difficulties support personally-tailored programmes. With the responses, the repatriates recommendations and the existing literature several conclusions could be drawn. And although this project is focused on repatriation it does not only provide recommendations for repatriation but also for expatriation and therefore covers the whole transition cycle management at X plc.

Appendix D Example Table of Contents

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 1
2. Literature review 5
3. Methodology 16

3.1. Positivismvs. phenomenology 16

3.2 Qualitative or quantitative research and data gathering 17

3.3 Data analysis 18

3.4 The research instrument 18

4. The case X plc 24

5 Results 25

5.1 Sample characteristics 25

5.2 Expatriation and overseas adjustment 28

5.3 Experiences after return 36

5.3.1 Work life 36

5.3.2 Social life 40

5.3.3 Company support 46

5.3.4 Individual coping strategies 49

5.4 Recommendations 51

5.4.1 Expatriation recommendations 52

5.4.2 Repatriation recommendations 54

6 Limitations and conclusion 55

References 56

Appendix 1: Reflective Learning Statement 68

Appendix 2: The structure of the X plc Group 69

Appendix 3: Content sheet 70

Appendix 4: Interview 1 76

Appendix 5: Interview 2 84

Appendix 6: Interview 3 96

Appendix 7: Interview 4 112

Appendix 8: Interview 5 119

Appendix 9: Interview 6 142

APPENDIX E Example of a Glossary

GLOSSARY

Abbreviations used in the text

AMEX = American Stock Exchange

CME = Chicago Mercantile Exchange

DJIA Dow Jones Industrial Average

EMH = Efficient Market Hypothesis

FTSE = Financial Times Stock Exchange

NASDAQ = National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System

NMS = National Market System

NYSE = New York Stock Exchange

S&P = Standard and Poor Stock Index