Marks for Assessment Criteria and Performance Indicators for

a
Secondary and Primary Data Research Proposal

For each assessment criterion there are 5 levels of performance:

No or little attempt
Limited attempt
Satisfactory attempt
Good attempt
Excellent attempt

Have you given the background to the business reasons for your research?
(3)

(0)
No or little attempt has been made to explain the background to the business
reasons for the research

(0.75)
Some attempt has been made to explain the background to the business reasons
for the research

(1.5)
I have given a clear explanation of the background to the business reasons for my
research

(2.25)
I have given a clear and full explanation of the background to the business reasons
for my research, using a key study from within the research field

(3)
I have given a clear and full but concise explanation of the background to the
business reasons for my research, using a key study within the research field

What are the personal reasons for doing your research? (2)

(0)
No or little attempt has been made to explain the personal reasons for choosing the
topic

(0.5)
Some attempt has been made to explain the personal reasons for choosing the
topic

(1)
I have given a clear explanation of the personal reasons for choosing my topic
(1.5)
I have given a clear and full explanation of the personal reasons for choosing my
topic

(2)
I have given a clear and full but concise explanation of the personal reasons for
choosing my topic

Have you identified and critically analysed the key sources? Are the
sources up to date? (15)

(0)
No sources are cited

(3.75)
Only a limited number of sources are used or they are not up to date

(7.5)
I have used more than 5 sources (of which at least 2 are from within the last 18
months)

(11.25)
I have used and analysed more than 5 sources (of which at least 3 are from within
the last 18 months)

(15)
I have used and critically analysed more than 5 sources (of which at least 3 are
from within the last 18 months)

Have you cited and listed your references correctly? (5)

(0)
No or little attempt is made to use the CU Harvard Reference System

(1.25)
An attempt is made to use the CU Harvard Reference System but with major
consistencies

(2.5)
I have used the CU Harvard Reference System but with inconsistencies

(3.75)
I have used the CU Harvard Reference System but with minor inconsistencies

(5)
I have used the CU Harvard Reference System almost faultlessly

Have you justified the need for your research in a separate paragraph at
the end of the literature review? (5)

(0)
No or little attempt is made to justify the research at the end of the literature review

(1.25)
Some attempt is made to justify the need for my research at the end of the
literature review

(2.5)
I have justified the need for my research at the end of the literature review

(3.75)
I have stated the general knowledge I require within the justification of the need for
my research at the end of the literature review

(5.0)
I have stated the specific knowledge I require within the justification of the need for
my research at the end of the literature review

Have you listed 3-5 research objectives using postgraduate level verbs?
(15)

(0)
There are no research objectives in the correct format

(3.75)
The research objectives are poorly expressed or are too numerous

(7.5)
I have proposed an appropriate number of relevant research objectives using
postgraduate level verbs

(11.25)
My research objectives are well expressed, use postgraduate level verbs, and go
from the general to the specific

(15)
My research objectives are well expressed, use postgraduate level verbs, go from
the general to the specific, and have a clear link to the justification for the research

Have you concisely described your research perspectives? (2)

(0)
There is no or little attempt to explain the three research perspectives

(0.5)
There is a limited attempt to explain the three research perspectives

(1.0)
I have made a concise statement on one of the three key perspectives relating to
my research – the nature of reality, or how the knowledge I require is to be gained,
or the balance between the use of induction and deduction

(1.5)
I have made a concise statement on two of the three key perspectives relating to
my research – the nature of reality, or how the knowledge I require is to be gained,
or the balance between the use of induction and deduction

(2)
I have made a concise statement on how all three key perspectives relate to my
research – the nature of reality, how the knowledge I require is to gained, and the
balance between the use of induction and deduction

Have you concisely described your research design using Bryman and
Bell's classification? (2)

(0)
There is no or little attempt to describe the dominant research design

(0.5)
There is some attempt to describe the dominant research design
(1.0)
I have described my dominant research design

(1.5)
I have given clear reasons for my choice of research design

(2)
I have given clear reasons for my choice of research design and discussed its
potential limitations

Have you indicated where your secondary data will come from (which
journals, web sites and other relevant sources) and how it will be used to
help you achieve your research objectives? (5)

(0)
No or little indication is given as to where the secondary is to be specifically sought

(1.25)
An indication is given as to where the secondary data is to be specifically sought

(2.5)
I have given a clear indication as to how the secondary data is to be specifically
sought and how this data is to be used

(3.75)
I have given a clear indication as to where the secondary data is to be specifically
sought, discussed the credibility of the sources and how this data is to be used

(5)
I have given a clear indication as to how and where the secondary data is to be
specifically sought, discussed the credibility of the sources, and made a clear
statement as to which research objectives each secondary data source will address

Have you described your primary data collection methods and your
reasons for choosing them? (10)

(0)
There is no or little attempt to describe the primary data collection methods to be
used

(2.5)
There is only a limited attempt to describe the primary data collection methods to
be used
(5)
I have described my primary data collection methods and justified my reasons for
choosing them

(7.5)
I have justified my primary data collection methods and made a clear indication of
which research objective(s) each primary data collection method will answer

(10)
I have justified my primary data collection methods, made a clear indication of
which research objective(s) each primary data collection method will answer, and
discussed the potential limitations of my primary data collection methods

Have you approached the potential participants for your primary data? (4)

(0)
No or little consideration is given as to how potential participants will be
approached

(1)
Some consideration is given as to how potential participants will be approached

(2)
I have considered how I will approach potential participants

(3)
Participants have confirmed to me that they are willing to contribute to my research
data

(4)
Participants have confirmed to me that they are willing to contribute to my research
data and contingencies have been put in place if participants turn out to be
unavailable or unsuitable

Have you described your sampling plan? (10)

(0)
No or little attempt is made to describe the nature of the sample, the sampling
process or the number within the sample

(2.5)
Some attempt is made to describe the nature of the sample, the sampling process
or the number within the sample
(5.0)
I have discussed the nature of my sample, my sampling process and the number
within my sample for each of my primary data collection methods

(7.5)
I have discussed the nature of my sample, my sampling process and the number
within my sample for each of my primary data collection methods, and given good
reasons for my choices

(10)
I have discussed the nature of my sample, my sampling process and the number of
my sample for each of my primary data collection methods, given good reasons for
my choices, and discussed the potential limitations of my sampling plan

Have you described the analytical tools and processes you will use to
analyse your data? (4)

(0)
No or little attempt is made to describe how the data is to be analysed

(1)
Some attempt is made to describe how the data is to be analysed

(2)
I have described the analytical tools and processes to be used for analysing my
qualitative and/or quantitative data

(3)
I have fully described the analytical tools and processes to be used for analysing my
qualitative and/or quantitative data

(4)
I have fully described the analytical tools and processes to be used for analysing my
qualitative and/or quantitative data, and justified their use

Have you discussed the limitations of your research? (3)

(0)
There is no or little awareness that the proposed research has potential limitations

(0.75)
There is some awareness that the proposed research has potential limitations
(1.5)
I have shown a general awareness of the potential limitations of my proposed
research

(2.25)
I have shown a specific awareness of the potential limitations of my proposed
research

(3)
I have fully discussed the specific potential limitations of my proposed research in
terms of validity, reliability and generalisability

Have you indicated what you need to do to comply with the University's
ethical requirements? (5)

(0)
There is no or little recognition of the need for ethics

(1.25)
There is an understanding of the need for ethics within the proposed research

(2.5)
I have acknowledged the University's ethics procedure and demonstrated an
understanding of the ethical issues within my proposed research

(3.75)
I have acknowledged the University's ethics procedure and demonstrated a full
understanding of the ethical issues within my proposed research

(5)
I know exactly which forms are required for my proposed research so as to do to
comply with the University's ethical requirements

Have you included a detailed Gantt chart or other planning schedule? (5)

(0)
There is no or little planning, or the planning does not match the activities proposed
within the research plan
(1.25)
There is evidence of some planning and the planning matches the activities
proposed within the research plan

(2.5)
I have constructed a feasible plan that matches the activities within my proposed
research plan

(3.75)
I have constructed a detailed feasible plan that matches the activities within my
proposed research plan

(5)
I have constructed a detailed breakdown for each major activity within the plan, and
the planning matches the activities within my proposed research plan

How well written and cohesive is the proposal? (5)

(0)
The proposal lacks any cohesion and the English is poor

(1.25)
The proposal has some cohesion but is difficult to read and the English is poor

(2.5)
My proposal has a structure and can be read without too much difficulty

(3.75)
My proposal is easy to read

(5)
My proposal is well written with a clear structure and signposting between each
section