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2023/5/15 18:31 BUSM180 Module Outline – MSc Dissertation
https://qmplus.qmul.ac.uk/mod/book/tool/print/index.php id=2138478 1/32
BUSM180 Module Outline – MSc Dissertation
Site:
QMplus – The Online Learning Environment of Queen Mary
University of London
Course:
BUSM180 – Dissertation for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
– 2022/23
Book: BUSM180 Module Outline – MSc Dissertation
Printed by: Ziliang Hou
Date: Monday, 15 May 2023, 6:30 PM
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Description
The module outline includes detailed assessment instructions, an explanation of the supervision process, student responsibilities, and a full set of
guidelines on different aspects of the dissertation.
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Table of contents
1. Module Outline 2022/23
1.1. Module Support
2. Module Description
3. Module Aims
4. SBM Learning Outcomes
4.1. Programme Level Learning Outcomes
4.2. Module Level Learning outcomes
5. Assessment Profile
5.1. Assessment Instructions
5.2. Type of Dissertation
5.3. What the dissertation will contain
5.4. Explanations of marks awarded
5.5. Resit Assessment Instructions
6. Delivery of Module
6.1. Teaching & Learning Methodology
7. Regulatory Information
8. Ethics Approval
9. Responsibilities of the student
10. Supervision
10.1. Changing Advisor
10.2. Advisory arrangements and meetings with the advisor
11. Dissertation style guide
11.1. Structure of the dissertation
11.2. Presentation and formatting of the dissertation
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1. Module Outline 2022/23
Module Code BUSM180 Credit Value 60
Module Title Dissertation for MSc Management Level 7
Pre-requisite modules BUSM145 Research Methods Semester 2/3
Co-requisite modules N/A Scheme PG
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Module Organiser Dr Saqib Shamim
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1.1. Module Support
Module Support
Module Organiser Dr/Prof XXXX xxxx@qmul.ac.uk
Administrative Support Postgraduate Administrative Team sbm-postgraduate@qmul.ac.uk
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2. Module Description
Module Description
The dissertation forms an important part of the assessment of the MSc Entrepreneurship and
Innovation Programme, carrying a weighting of four modules (60 credits), i.e., one third of the entire
Programme. The dissertation requires a demonstration of ability to carry out an original investigation
into an area of interest. As such, the process should reflect skills of formulating research questions,
synthesising and analysing data, drawing insights and conclusions, and written communication
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3. Module Aims
Module Aims
The aims of the dissertation are to:
Conduct an independent investigation of an issue relevant to the content of the MSc programme
of which it forms a component, under the supervision of an academic member of staff;
Put into practice theories and concepts learned on the programme;
Provide an opportunity to study a particular topic in depth;
Combine relevant theories and suggest alternatives;
Enable the student to show evidence of their ability to plan and manage a project within deadlines
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4. SBM Learning Outcomes
The School of Business and Management has developed new sets of programme specific learning outcomes to be applied from academic year
2021/22 as part of the ongoing work on Assurance of Learning (AoL) to evaluate the programmes delivered and improve student learning.
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4.1. Programme Level Learning Outcomes
Programme Level Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcome 1 (LO 1)
LO 1.1 Demonstrates ability to formulate a research question.
LO 1.2
1.2 Identifies appropriate research methods to investigate a specific research
problem.
LO 1.3
Demonstrates reflection on the choice of research methods and approaches, including
any relevant issues or obstacles
LO 1.4 Demonstrates a structured plan for the research.
Learning Outcome 2 (LO 2)
LO 2.1 Draws on relevant data collection tools.
LO 2.2 Assesses strength of arguments in academic literature and debates in a relevant field.
LO 1.3 Evaluates contemporary issues in business management/society.
LO 1.4 Supports argument with relevant data
Learning Outcome 3 (LO 3)
LO 3.1 Expresses arguments coherently through writing
LO 3.2 Displays good structure, formatting, style and presentation of writing
LO 3.3
Cites sources of information and data using consistent and a recognised referencing
style.
LO 1.4 Uses appropriate language, grammar and spelling suitable for scholarly writing
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4.2. Module Level Learning outcomes
Module Level Learning outcomes
Academic Content:
A1 Define, design and deliver an academically rigorous piece of research;
A2
Understand the relationships between the theoretical concepts taught in class and their
application in
specific situations;
A3
Show evidence of a critical and holistic knowledge and a deeper understanding of their chosen
subject area;
A4 Appreciate practical implications and constraints of the specialist subject;
A5 Understand the process and decisions to be made in managing a project within strict deadlines
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5. Assessment Profile
Assessment Profile
Sequence Assessment Title Weighting (%)
Programme Learning
Outcome(s) Assessed
001 Ethics Approval 0% XXX
002 Dissertation 100% XXX
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5.1. Assessment Instructions
Students should submit the dissertation as a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF document online via QMplus. As with standard coursework,
dissertation submissions received after the deadline will be subject to a late penalty. Please refer to the PG Taught Programmes Student
Handbook for further details.
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5.2. Type of Dissertation
Students can choose one of two alternatives for this assessment. Alternative A involves a critical review of a field of Management research.
Alternative B involves an empirical study which requires collecting and analysing primary and/or secondary data.
Alternative A – Critical review
The critical review will be based on an extensive and critical assessment of the literature in one specific area of Management. The review will be
based predominantly (but not exclusively) on existing academic research and will not require collecting and analysing primary or secondary
data.
Alternative B – Empirical study
The empirical study will address specific research questions through the use of qualitative and/or quantitative methods. The empirical study can
also be based on secondary data when this is suitable.
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5.3. What the dissertation will contain
At the beginning of the process, you will need to choose a topic and a type of dissertation. The choice is up to you. The advisor will be able to
help you in defining the specific approach and the relevant research questions (see below for more information). Irrespective of which approach
students choose, the dissertation will contain:
An introduction outlining research questions/objectives: In the case of the critical review: This includes the identification of the area of
review and a discussion of why this is a field suitable for a thorough literature review. For an empirical study this requires identifying the research
problem and questions that can be tackled effectively through empirical research.
A chapter on the literature review: The literature review should focus on relevant scholarship by others in the field.
A chapter on method: For the critical review this includes an analysis of the procedures used to identify the sources of information (e.g.
databases, search strings, etc.) and a discussion of how the articles were examined. For the empirical study this includes a review of qualitative
or quantitative procedures with information on research design, data collection, and data analysis.
A chapter on the findings: For the critical review this includes an analysis of the evidence from the published sources analysed in a narrative
form discussing the main themes and issues emerging in the literature. For the empirical study this includes a presentation of the results from
empirical research.
A chapter discussing the findings generated: In both types of dissertations students will need to demonstrate the ability to relate the findings
of the review/study to the broader discipline and critically examine the findings in relation to the relevant literature.
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5.4. Explanations of marks awarded
Alternative A – Critical review
Mark 80+
Work of exceptional quality and insight. Well written, with style and fluency. It uses
the analysis of the literature to develop a coherent argument and thesis. The field of
research is examined thoroughly and critically. The methods used for the review are
clear and adequate. The analysis of the literature is coherent, well-argued and
shows a sophisticated understanding of the field. The presentation throughout is
clear and of a very high standard. The dissertation will provide insightful for the
reader and the literature reviewed will be integrated seamlessly within a conceptual
argument which is relevant and informative in relation to existing research. The
dissertation is expected to identify critical issues within the literature reviewed and to
propose interesting areas for new research. Dissertations at this level are expected
to show excellent critical ability, demonstrating maturity and selfreflection while
engaging with novel and complex problems which, while grounded in the existing
literature, offer opportunity for the advancement of current debates.
Mark 70-79
Work of excellent quality displaying high level of critical and innovative thought. Well
written and well structured. It will articulate a coherent argument although the
cohesion of different chapters might be less clear. The review of the literature is
excellent in its critical analysis and includes almost all relevant studies. The methods
used to select the sources are suitable and without obvious mistakes. The review will
provide useful and interesting ideas, presented in an informative manner and able to
elucidate important areas for novel research. The review will provide evidence of
gaps/limitations in the existing literature and present areas for further research.
Dissertations at this level are expected to show good critical ability and the ability to
articulate coherent explanations of complex problems.
Mark 60-69
Work of good quality displaying critical thought and the ability to develop a nuanced
argument. Mostly well written and with a clear structure. A good attempt at
developing a cohesive argument. The review will cover most of the important pieces
of work in the field of research although there might be minor/secondary gaps. The
methods for the selection of relevant sources of information might contain minor
mistakes but they are mostly well presented and consistent. The analysis should
also be suitable to develop a coherent and well-argued narrative. Reviews at this
level are expected to identify problem areas in existing work, although the analysis
might be less cogent and areas for further research will be proposed although they
will be less well delineated. Dissertations at this level are expected BUSM100
Dissertation Outline 2021/22 to show a reasonable critical ability and the ability to
articulate fairly developed explanations of complex problems.
Mark 50-59
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Work of reasonable quality displaying at least some critical thought and the ability to
develop a competent argument. Some lack of clarity or immaturity of expression but
a clear structure. An acceptable attempt at developing a cohesive argument.
Reviews at this level will cover critically the most important studies within the
relevant field. The methods chosen to select the sources, while coherent and
generally suitable to the objectives of the review, might be less consistent and
present some minor mistakes. The analysis will identify the main body of evidence
and discuss the main findings with some minor gaps in the explanation of more
complex/sophisticated phenomena. The review should discuss at least to some
extent critical issues with current work and propose at least some relevant areas for
further research. Dissertations at this level are expected to show at least some
critical ability although details of the articulation might be superficial or lack clarity
Mark 49 and lower
Work of poor quality displaying very little critical thought and lacking the ability to
develop a competent argument. Lack of clarity and immaturity of expression. Weak
structure that makes the work hard to follow. Poorly constructed or weak argument.
The review at this level will present serious gaps in the sources used and in the
methods implemented to identify such sources. There will be evidence of important
gaps in understanding and a weak presentation of the main themes in the body of
literature. Critical reviews at this level will fail to identify important critical issues with
the literature reviewed and will not suggest important areas for further research. The
dissertation will provide a poor attempt at tackling an area of interest and/or the
area/problem might be of very limited novelty or interest. Dissertations at this level
are expected to show poor critical ability
Alternative B – Empirical study
Mark 80+
Work of exceptional quality and insight. Well written, with style and fluency, it will
articulate a coherent argument and thesis. It will make excellent use of the literature,
using a wealth of sources and developing an informative literature review. The
dissertation will display a thorough and detailed justification of choice of method(s)
and/or its (their) use. Methods chosen will be suitable for the research questions
proposed and articulated without mistakes. The dissertation will provide insightful
data that will be integrated seamlessly within the conceptual argument. Dissertations
at this level are expected to show excellent critical ability, demonstrating maturity
and self-reflection while engaging with novel and complex problems which are
largely not discussed in the existing literature.
Mark 70-79
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Work of excellent quality displaying high level of critical and innovative thought. Well
written and well structured. It will articulate a coherent argument although the
cohesion of different chapters might be less clear. It will make excellent use of the
literature, using critically appropriate sources and developing a literature review
which covers the most important sources. The dissertation will display a
comprehensive justification of choice of method(s) and/or its (their) use. Methods
chosen will be suitable for the research questions proposed and articulated without
obvious mistakes. The dissertation will provide useful and BUSM100 Dissertation
Outline 2021/22 interesting data tackling an areas of interest which is largely novel.
Data is expected to show strong support for the argument developed. Dissertations
at this level are expected to show good critical ability and the ability to articulate
coherent explanations of complex problems.
Mark 60-69
Work of good quality displaying critical thought and the ability to develop a nuanced
argument. Mostly well written and with a clear structure. A good attempt at
developing a cohesive argument. It will develop a suitable literature review with only
minor/secondary gaps. The dissertation will display a good justification of choice of
method(s) and/or its (their) use. Methods chosen will be mostly suitable for the
research questions proposed and articulated with only minor mistakes. The
dissertation will provide a good attempt at tackling an area of interest which is mostly
novel. Data is expected to show reasonable support for the argument developed.
Dissertations at this level are expected to show a reasonable critical ability and the
ability to articulate fairly developed explanations of complex problems.
Mark 50-59
Work of reasonable quality displaying at least some critical thought and the ability to
develop a competent argument. Some lack of clarity or immaturity of expression but
a clear structure. An acceptable attempt at developing a cohesive argument. It will
develop a reasonable literature review with only minor/secondary gaps but a reliance
on basic sources/course materials. The dissertation will display some justification of
choice of method(s) and/or its (their) use. Methods chosen will be reasonably
suitable for the research questions proposed and articulated without major mistakes.
The dissertation will provide a reasonable attempt at tackling an area of interest
although the area/problem might be of limited novelty. Data is expected to show an
acceptable level of support for the argument developed. Dissertations at this level
are expected to show at least some critical ability although details of the articulation
might be superficial or lack clarity.
Mark 49 and lower
Work of poor quality displaying very little critical thought and lacking the ability to
develop a competent argument. Lack of clarity and immaturity of expression. Weak
structure that makes the work hard to follow. Poorly constructed or weak argument.
The literature review will have serious gaps; excluding critical sources for the topic
studied. The dissertation will display a poor justification of choice of method(s)
and/or its (their) use or no justification at all. Methods chosen will be only marginally
suitable for the research questions proposed and not articulated well. The
dissertation will provide a poor attempt at tackling an area of interest and/or the
area/problem might be of very limited novelty or interest. Data will be poorly
presented and only loosely related to the argument. Dissertations at this level are
expected to show poor critical ability.
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5.5. Resit Assessment Instructions
Assessment instructions for resit assessments will be provided after the Subject Exam Board has met and confirms a failure in the module in
October 2023.
Resits are marked in the same way as the first sit attempt except the overall module mark is capped at 50.00 and you cannot achieve a higher
module mark than that.
A student who submits a Dissertation which then receives a mark of less than 50 is required to resubmit in the following academic year.
The student can select instead to terminate their study at Queen Mary with the award of a Postgraduate Diploma. If this option is chosen, there is
no possibility of resubmitting at a later date.
As a resit student, you will be allocated an academic lead with whom you will have one meeting to agree a list of corrections to submit at the next
available attempt. The academic lead is not required to re-read the dissertation. Again, you are responsible for all activity and redrafting to
achieving the required standard.
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6. Delivery of Module
Dissertation supervision sessions take place through five group meetings. Although supervision is an important element in the process of
researching and submitting the dissertation, students are responsible for the dissertation and the advisor only has an advisory role. Supervisory
sessions are delivered online. For this module, the delivery pattern is as follows:
BUSM180
Introduction
lecture
Group Meeting
01
Group Meeting
02
Group Meeting
03
Group Meeting
04
Group Meeting
05
Online Online Online Online Online
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6.1. Teaching & Learning Methodology
Teaching & Learning Methodology
Introduction Lecture
Group discussions
QMplus
Presentation
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7. Regulatory Information
The Dissertation assessments must each be an individual piece of work in their entirety in full compliance to the letter and the spirit of
Academic Regulations.
Collection of relevant data, data processing, interpretation and analysis must be carried out individually by each student.
Students must seek ethical approval for any research which involves human participants (e.g., surveys or interviews). Students should submit
their ethics application via the QMplus module page before the relevant deadline. Note: Students need to obtain ethics approval before
contacting human subjects.
Secondary sources could be shared, but the search for secondary sources, and their interpretation and analysis must reflect the independent
work of each individual student.
Different students could well end up applying the same methodology, but the reasoning for choosing a specific methodology and the
explanation of its implementation and epistemological implications must be original and independent from the work of other students.
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8. Ethics Approval
Research ethics is a fundamental part of research design and conduct. Research ethics principles underpin every aspect of a research study,
from design to dissemination of findings and beyond, such as storage and use of data for future research. Addressing ethical issues requires
researchers to reflect upon the design, recruitment method, eligibility criteria, consent process and the study information they provide to
participants. Keeping ethical issues at the forefront leads to a high-quality application, which is a key component of the School’s Devolved
Research Ethics Committee ( DSREC) review and approval process and, ultimately, optimises the effectiveness of the research design.
You will find an ‘ethics’ tab within your dissertation module page in QMPlus. If you plan to collect primary data using human participants, then
please visit this section to familiarise yourselves with the procedure that needs to be followed. This section also contains the relevant forms you
need to complete and submit (via QMPlus Dropbox folder) for consideration. Ethics submissions will be reviewed by SBM’s new Devolved School
Research Ethics Committee (DSREC). Please complete all sections of the relevant ethics forms as thoroughly as possibly in order to avoid
delays that might be caused following requests for revisions.
The final deadline for submission of your ethics application pack is 26 May 2023 at 15:00. SBM’s DSREC will not be accepting applications past
this deadline. Students submitting a late application will be advised to consider alternative research directions that do not involve collecting
primary data using human subjects.
Importantly, note that you are not allowed to start collecting primary data using human participants prior to your application being first approved
by SBM’s DSREC. Disciplinary action resulting to a zero mark in your dissertation applies for doing so.
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9. Responsibilities of the student
It is a student’s responsibility to:
Attend the five meetings scheduled with the advisor, do any work prior or after such meetings and keep the advisor informed of the progress.
Difficulties must be communicated at the time they are encountered. Retrospective information is not acceptable;
Write the dissertation in a good standard of clear English using appropriate academic terms and citation and referencing conventions. It is not
the responsibility of the advisor to ensure that this condition is met;
Write the dissertation with guidance from the advisor; the dissertation and research work must be your own. The dissertation is to reflect your
subject understanding and research abilities, not that of the advisor;
Inform the advisor (and Programme Director where appropriate) of any absence during the time nominated period for working on the
dissertation
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10. Supervision
Dissertations are supervised and supervision takes place through five group meetings. Although supervision is an important element in the
process of researching and submitting the dissertation, students are responsible for the dissertation and the advisor only has an advisory role.
The advisor advises on various aspects of the research project including:
The title of the dissertation;
The topic area;
The feasibility of the proposed research and the possible risks that may be involved, e.g. problems in trying to access information, potential
poor response rates to surveys concerning commercially sensitive issues;
ethical implications of the planned research;
The time scale of the research;
The specification of the research questions;
The design and adequacy of methods;
Sources of data and access to fields of observation;
Analysis and interpretation of results;
Structure and style of reporting
Students are advised to turn up to each group supervision session prepared, and to keep a record of meetings with advisors and the work they
have agreed to carry out.
Advisors cannot give an indication of the mark that might be expected, and advisors are not expected to read a draft chapter, help with formatting
documents, do proof reading or to correct English. The advisor would be expected to give feedback on the ideas you present at the sessions and
to make general comments on how the structure and logic of arguments can be improved. The advisor will not instruct you on which articles to
read or data to analyse and you will have to independently identify and collect these yourself.
The advisor is an expert in Management but not necessarily in the specific field of research. However, it is not the responsibility of the advisor to
provide specific information on the literature. Regardless of the subject background of the advisor, the advisor will understand the research
process and will provide advice on such process.
The advisor is there to facilitate and not to lead, hence the responsibility for the quality and content of a dissertation is entirely that of yourself, the
student. The dissertation will be marked by a member of faculty expert in Management not necessarily your advisor. All dissertations are also
second marked by a third staff member. The process ensures fairness, consistency and impartiality.
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10.1. Changing Advisor
Once you are allocated to an advisor, it is not normally possible to change this arrangement. On rare occasions, however, a student may find that
she/he cannot work with the allocated advisor.
In the first instance, the student should try to discuss the difficulties with the advisor and attempt to resolve these through some agreed action
plan. If, after this, it becomes evident that the relationship has broken down irrevocably, you should contact directly the Programme Director to
discuss other possible arrangements. It is important to sort out such difficulties as soon as possible
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10.2. Advisory arrangements and meetings with the advisor
Students will be informed of their advisor allocation. All students are allocated one advisor and will be part of a group of ten students working with
the same advisor. The advisor will run five workshops with the relevant students to support them in the process of scoping their research topic,
identifying the relevant questions and conducting their research. Each of these five meetings will last two hours and students will be informed of
the exact timetable for these workshops in due course. The outline of the meetings are as follows:
Meeting 1: Research questions identification
Meeting 2: Analysis of the literature
Meeting 3: Methodology
Meeting 4: The ethics of research
Meeting 5: The writing process
Students should not expect the advisor to provide advice after the last meeting. Equally students should not expect additional one-to-one
meetings with the advisor outside those scheduled in the timetable.
During the write-up phase of the dissertation, including after the formal supervision sessions end, students will have access to a wide range of
different dissertation related ‘islands of support’, which include academic writing support for dissertation, library search support, quantitative and
qualitative research support.
The Postgraduate Admin Team will provide additional information on these services in due course. Thus, the advisors will not be expected to
support students on these activities beyond the scope of what is arranged in the five meetings. It is students’ responsibility to take notes at
meetings with the advisor. This will help ensure that students make a record of any advice given and any action they need to take. A template
“Record of Supervision Meeting” form is available on the QMplus page and students can use it if necessary. Students will be expected to take a
proactive approach to these meetings and bring material or options to be discussed rather than expect the advisor to say what should be done
next. Students should also make the most of the expertise of other team members and ensure they share insights with other students allocated
to the same advisory team.
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11. Dissertation style guide
Word limit of the dissertation
The word limit of the dissertation is 10,000 words, which includes all footnotes or endnotes but does not include the declaration page,
references, bibliography, appendix, or figures/tables. Raw data such as a summaries of interview transcripts, survey or content analyses, etc.
should be relegated to an appendix and excluded from the word count.
An appendix may be included in a dissertation but will not be assessed. Tables should be used primarily for numerical data but both numerical
and non-numerical tables should use words sparingly, i.e. they should not include passages of text which should be more appropriately included
in the main text.
QMUL SBM policy allows for students to submit a word count 5% above the word count or 5% below the required word count.
Please note that penalties may be imposed for exceeding the maximum word count of 10,000 words. Markers will read up until the word limit so
any text above that limit will not be assessed. In order to capture the word count of the dissertation, highlight all the text after the declaration
page up to the