Business Research AnalysisBM0421

Week 12 - Assignment Guidance

1

Part A - OverviewThe word limit of 1,250 words refer to the body of the

assignment.

You are required to present a copy of the questionnaire and its coding plan in an appendix to your assignment.

The words in the body of the assignment relate to the critical justification of the questionnaire and coding plan presented, as well as other supporting documents.

Part A – Hints!Write in “applied terms” by making reference to the case scenario,

avoid writing in a theoretical style.

Credit will be given to additional referencing to research methods texts in support of the arguments you are making.

Think about issues relating to flow, structure, coding, question types, presentation, instructions in your justification.

Do NOT go out and collect data with your questionnaire!

Part B- OverviewThe word limit of 1,750 words refers to the body of the assignment.

Any useful graphs and tables should be in the body of this report, not hidden away in the appendices!

The assignment requires you to show how you have selected the relevant graphs, tables, summary statistics and hypothesis tests, so simply submitting Excel or SPSS output with no discussion will result in few or no marks being awarded to this part of the assignment.

Part B is a practical application to a problem, so unlike your essay type subjects and Part A, does not require additional referencing.

Part B – Statistical AnalysisYou are required to justify the selection of presentation

techniques, summary statistics and hypothesis tests in terms of data types, sample sizes, assumptions that can or cannot be made etc.

For your hypothesis tests, present fully and if significance is found, do provide indication as to why!

Use graphs and tables sparingly within your presentation, sometimes you may be asked specifically, if so, present accordingly, otherwise use your judgement.

Part B – Statistical Analysis – Hints!

Look for key words such as difference (then consider numbers of samples, the relationship between them, sample size etc) or association (consider data types involved).

Present all findings, significant or otherwise!

Part B – Managerial ImplicationsThese are not a repeat of your findings but applications of these

findings in the decision making process, this is combined within the section containing the analysis and findings.

Apply your analysis and the case scenario to any findings and discussion, do not pluck ideas out of thin air or make very general observations about the problem.

All results can play a part in this process, significant or otherwise.

General Points IThis is an individual piece of work. Students are

likely to discuss the analytical aspects of the assignment (OK – this is a positive part of the learning process), but any written results and recommendations should be undertaken without discussion and without electronically sharing of work.

General Points II• Do not submit any disks, CDs or memory sticks or

large appendices of un-annotated Excel/SPSS output, any meaningful output will be used within the body of your answer.

• Marking will involve writing on your assignments to provide feedback. Any student who puts individual sheets of paper in their own plastic wallet will have an assignment returned with little or no specific feedback!