Business Innovation Project

Dissertation Guide for

Postgraduate Students

This document provides guidance for students undertaking the

Business Innovation Module in partial fulfillment of their MSc
programme.
1. Introduction to dissertation

This section aims to provide guidelines and advice to help you to successfully complete your
dissertation. By following the information in this guide you will be able to successfully meet the
learning outcomes of the dissertation which include:

1. Identify and critically discuss appropriate literature sources

2. Identify and critically discuss the applicability of a range of research methodologies and
paradigms within a range of disciplines
3. Critically evaluate and apply appropriate research tools and techniques
4. Appraise the validity and reliability of research data.

2. What is a dissertation?

Your dissertation is a 60 credit module that is expected to be 3 months (see table for indicative
learning hours) in duration.

Indicative learning hours

Lecture 30 Fieldwork
Seminar 10 External visits
Tutorial 5 Work based learning
Project supervision 20 Guided independent 535
study
Demonstration Practical classes Placement
and workshops
Supervised time in Year abroad
studio/workshop

The dissertation involves the execution and communication of a piece of investigative academic
research which demonstrates an understanding of a specific problem, together with evidence of
critical and analytical evaluation.

There are three types of acceptable dissertations all of which require a literature review. The
distinction between the three types comes in the application of material in the literature review.
Type 1 Primary data based dissertation

Primary data based dissertations involves students collecting primary data. Here the primary data
must be based on the secondary data and should compare and contrast your findings with the
data presented in the literature.

Type 2 Secondary data based dissertation

Secondary data based dissertations requires students to find related data which can be further
analysed using primarily statistical techniques. The University have data sources, companies and
historical macroeconomic time-series data for many countries.

Type 3 Product/service/innovation based dissertation

Product/service/innovation based dissertation requires students to develop a new product or

service or enhance an existing product or service based on their analysis of secondary data and
stakeholder expectations. Such dissertations may be the result of a specific request from an
industrial partner.

Most students find the dissertation both challenging and rewarding. There will inevitably be ups
and downs but by keeping in regular contact with your supervisor you will find that most problems
can be overcome before they become too big.

3. The topic

Topics can be generated from a variety of sources, they may be generated from work experience,
and they may result from a seminar discussion, newspaper articles, journal article or from a piece
of coursework. You will be provided with guidance about what is an acceptable topic but in
general you may find the following four steps useful:
Step 1 Can you develop a 'YES' 'NO' question? This If NO If you cannot develop a Yes/No question
will allow you to identify a subject area where you may find it difficult to develop your
there are at least two separate viewpoints discussion past the descriptive stage.
You should reconsider if this is a suitable
topic.

If YES

Step 2 Is there sufficient literature to support the yes If NO If you cannot collect data to support both
and no question? the yes and no points of view you may
have difficulty in developing the
analytical and evaluative aspects of your
discussion. You should reconsider if this
is a suitable topic

If YES

Step 3 Can you identify stakeholders or data sources? If NO It is unlikely that you will get the quality
Can you get access to stakeholders or data of data for you to develop the
sources? Will the stakeholders or data sources application aspect of your dissertation.
provide you with the data you require? You should reconsider if this is a suitable
topic.

If YES

Step 4 Can you complete the study in 3 months? If NO You should consider redefining the topic
or consider if this is a suitable topic.

If YES

This may be a suitable topic

The topic you choose should be of interest to you as otherwise there is a potential for boredom to
set in as you progress with the research.

Your dissertation topic must be approved. It should not be purely descriptive, but should produce
original conclusions and/or recommendations even though these may represent only a minor part
of the work. The dissertation topic must have theoretical content which is outlined in the literature
review and this MUST BE supported by references to academic literature. The literature review
should provide the basis for the application stage of your dissertation.

You should submit provisional topic areas as soon as possible as this will allow them to offer
advice on its suitability.

It is difficult, and not advisable, to change dissertation topic once you have started and this may
only take place after consultation with, and counselling by your supervisor.
4. Allocation of supervisors

All students will be allocated a suitably qualified supervisor once their topic is approved and all
staff are experienced in supervising dissertation at postgraduate level.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

5.1 The Student

The dissertation is your work and as such, you are ultimately responsible for the success of your
dissertation. Your supervisor is there to offer guidance but you should assume ownership of the
dissertation, managing your work load, meeting deadlines and understanding the requirements
for the success of the dissertation. To that end you must:

- arrange and attend meetings with your supervisor;

- provide the supervisor with current contact details;
- allocate a sufficient amount of your time to your dissertation to carry out the work;
- inform your supervisor promptly and honestly, of your progress on the tasks allocated to
you and of any problems encountered;
- comply with ethical considerations and restrictions;
- take responsibility for liaising with any external clients;
- ensure the dissertation is of an acceptable standard;
- submit the dissertation by the deadline.

Remember to back up your work. You should be well aware of the need to maintain additional
copies of your work (electronic and paper). We know that is easier said than done, but do not
learn the hard way. Hard disk failure, theft, etc. are not valid excuses for you to gain extra time.
We provide computing facilities (with backup) and we expect you to use these appropriately.
Similarly, if you choose to use your own resources e.g. newer versions of word-processing
software than is available at Salford, etc. you need to live with the consequences of failure of that
resource.

Collect references and write up as you go. The best time to record a reference is when you get it.
It is far easier to write up your literature review at the time you are reading the books and papers
you have found.

If you have particular difficulties with written reports (perhaps your grammar or spelling is poor, or
English is not your first language), then you may need to seek additional help. Electronic spelling
and grammar checkers can be useful, and a human proof-reader can be a valuable aid. This
person is not your supervisor!

You may find the links in appendix 10 useful if you are experiencing difficulties in writing up your
dissertation.

Determine a structure and presentation style as soon as possible. You may wish to use outlining,
styles and automatic tables of contents in MS Word. If so, the time to learn this skill is at the
beginning of your dissertation.

Develop the skill of reading your dissertation as others may read it. It may help the readability and
should trap glaring errors and inconsistencies.
5.2 The supervisor

Your supervisor will:

- offer advice on the suitability of the chosen topic, aim and objectives;
- comment on your ideas;
- offer guidance on the dissertation process;
- inform the student of planned absences and procedures for maintaining contact;
- make the student aware of inadequate progress

You should not expect your academic supervisor to list all the reading that will be required nor to
write any part of the dissertation. Supervisors will agree appropriate supervision methods and will
read and give advice on chapters within your dissertation once you have written them.

You should agree a timetable with your supervisors indicating when various stages of the
dissertation preparation - preliminary reading, overall design, document structure, write up of
individual chapters, production of preliminary draft and final draft - will be completed. Your
supervisor is not expected to intervene at each of these stages.

Your supervisor will guide you as much as possible, while at the same time ensuring that it is your
work and your ideas that are finally assessed. It is for you to implement their suggestions (or
argue your case for doing otherwise if you wish). Also, your supervisor will not tell you what mark
you will achieve or what your dissertation is worth. It is your responsibility for ensuring that your
work will achieve a pass mark.

6. The dissertation process

6.1 Planning your dissertation

During your research methods module you will have already prepared a proposal for a dissertation.
You may choose to further develop this proposal in terms of final dissertation or to start with a
new topic area. You will find it useful to discuss your proposal with your supervisor before you
start on your dissertation. In order to assist you in this discussion you may find the following
structure useful:

- Proposed title
- Rationale for the study
- Context of the study
- Aim
- Objectives
- Proposed methodology
- Limitations of the study
- Delimitations of the study
- Proposed structure of the study
- References

Be clear that this is an independent piece of work and the ultimate responsibility to produce your
dissertation rests with you.
Be careful about typing up. There are many things that can go wrong so try to allow plenty of time.
Penalties may be applied if your work is submitted late and generally computer problems will not
be accepted as mitigating circumstances.

Submission of draft chapters to your supervisor is by personal arrangement, but please be aware
that supervisors often have several students and many other commitments, so please allow plenty
of time for return of your work. Normally a maximum of two weeks is required for feedback.
Supervisors are obliged to read and comment fully on one chapter but cannot read the full
document prior to submission.

As a general rule, you should invest nearly as much time reading your work as writing it. Read
your writing back to yourself, putting yourself in the mind of the reader. This will help you to
produce coherent and precise writing. Leave sufficient time for reading and correction, re-reading
and further correction.

7. Format and presentation

Dissertations should be between 12,000 and 15,000 words and include a word count.

The following should not be included in the word count: abstracts; indented quotations (of more
than 50 words); tables; figures; diagrams; footnotes/endnotes used for reference purposes and
kept within reasonable limits; bibliography; and appendices.

The dissertation must be prepared in double spaced, Arial 12pt typescript on A4 paper, with
margins of approximately 4cms left and 2.4cms on the right. The abstract and bibliography should
be single spaced.

Illustrative items such as tables and diagrams etc. should be produced and reduced to A4 size
unless this would seriously detract from their illustrative value. They should be inserted as near
as possible to the main portion of the text referring to them and should be titled and numbered
sequentially throughout the report for ease of reference.

Pay attention to tenses (past, present, future) and be careful not to mix them within chapters.
Methodology and results, for example, include what has been done/found and so should be in the
past tense.

Page numbering up to the abstract should be by small Roman numerals, (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) and the
main body of the text plus appendices should be numbered consecutively throughout in Arabic
numerals. The general style of layout should be similar to that in academic works and journals,
except that in relevant cases, that part of any dissertation which also serves as a report to a host
company may be prepared with numbered paragraphs and greater use of headings, sub-headings,
and other appropriate devices for emphasis, etc. (underlining/italics, etc.).

Each chapter should contain an introduction, the main body of arguments and a conclusion. You
should attempt to anchor each chapter into the body of the text so that its relevance to the whole
dissertation is clear to the reader.

The format of the dissertation should be as follows:

a. Title Page (see appendix 1 for example)

b. Declaration (see appendix 2 for example)

c. Abstract

The aim of this is to give the reader an overview of the work contained in the dissertation.
It should be no longer than one page of A4, single spaced and should make reference to
the aims and objectives, the methods of investigation, the main findings and the
conclusions reached. It is NOT a description of your contents page.

d. Acknowledgements

You should refer to those people who have assisted you in your research. For example,
your supervisor, advisors, and those who completed questionnaires and interviews etc.
Please ensure you spell names correctly and ensure that you conform with ethical issues
(do not name any individuals or companies who have provided you with data or personal
information)

e. Contents Page

Your contents page should list the sections and subsections of your dissertation followed
by references and then appendices. You should provide the title of each appendix and it
is common practice to number the pages in the appendix A1, A2, A3 etc. Pages in the
contents table are normally numbered in small case Roman numerals.

f. List of Tables and Figures

List all, figures, tables and diagrams by number, title and page number

g. List of abbreviations

Abbreviations should be listed. In the text, the abbreviation should only be used after its
first mention, which should be written in full.

h. Introduction (word length guide 1,500 words)

This should set the scene and give the reader a complete overview of what you intend to
do. It should include a general introduction, a rationale for doing the research which is
based on secondary data, an aim and three to four supporting objectives and/or
hypotheses, the proposed methodology, limiting and delimiting factors and an outline of
the organisation of the study.

i. Literature Review (word length guide 5,000 words)

A literature review is “an interpretation and synthesis of published work” Merriam, 1986,
Case Study Research in Education) and it is not simply an extended essay. The next
section is a brief overview of the resources available to you via the University of Salford
Library to help you search for sources.
Quality of information

Information overload has become a familiar term recently but it is a concept that is likely
to be clear to you after your search. Your problem may not be finding the information, but
selecting what you should use (particularly with Internet searches). Internet sources are
of very variable quality, you need to be particularly critical in your use of these sources. It
is often worth asking yourself: who supplied this information and why did they supply it?
An evaluation of, say, Customer Relationship Management software from a peer-reviewed
journal may carry more weight than one offered by the leading supplier of that type of
software.

Use of information

At this level, it is essential that you observe scholarly conventions for the attribution of the
work of others. Please read the notes on plagiarism in your student handbook. References
are those sources (written and unwritten) which were consulted in the course of your
research and which are actually referred to in your text. During the literature search of
your dissertation topic, you will find published material (books, book chapters, scientific
articles, magazine articles, press articles, commercial reports, etc.). It is essential to refer
to your source when quoting actual text, when referring to numerical data, and when using
a diagram or figure found in the literature. Figures (pictures, diagrams, models, maps, etc.)
and tables (numerical data usually) should be clearly labelled and of a sufficient size to be
readable. The source of each map, picture, diagram or statistical table should be clearly
acknowledged. Thus each figure or table should have:

* a number (so that you can refer to it as an explanation or illustration of your

argument in the main text - reciprocally, all figures and tables should be referred
to and used in the text);

* a title;

* the source, if the figure or table has been found in a book, article or report (if it is
a result of your own work, it does not need a source).

In the interest of accuracy and to avoid having to waste time checking sources at the last
minute, it is very strongly recommended you take careful notes when material is being
collected during your investigation, when using primary sources (people you interview for
instance) or secondary sources (books you read, i.e. work done by someone else). Be
careful to record accurately name of author, title of work, page numbers, date, publisher,
etc. or name of the person interviewed, job title, date, company, location, etc. and indicate
clearly in your notes from published work what is copied exactly and what is a précis (a
summary in your own words).

Where original sources have been studied only in a reprint edition or published collection
of readings, this secondary source should be documented as well as the original
publication. Incidentally, direct and indirect quotations (both of which should be referenced
to their original sources) should be used only sparingly - the object of the dissertation is to
establish the student's own personal understanding and contribution in the area of study.
Similarly, an outline style or the excessive use of short paragraphs should be avoided in
the dissertation; in the dissertation each topic should be as rigorously and deeply
 discussed as practicable, which normally requires longer paragraphs. This should
culminate in a chosen theory or theories with an outline expressing how these are to be
tested – the design of this is reported in the next section.

Finally, do not cite your lecture notes, it is not appropriate.

For an introduction to academic misconduct we strongly recommend that you complete

this short online package - http://library-files.salford.ac.uk/elearning/academic-
misconduct/story_html5.html.

j. Methodology (word length guide 2,000 words)

You must give reasoned arguments for your choice of research methodology, including
any alternate methods that have been deemed less suitable. Selections of your sample
should be discussed along with details of how you implemented your methodology (how?
where? when? who? why?) information on pilot studies should be included, together with
details of any changes made as a result. You must discuss and justify how the field work
was undertaken, what happened, and the methods used to analyse data. Reliability and
validity issues should be discussed including the steps you have taken to ensure your
findings may be relied on by others as accurate and trustworthy. The main emphasis of
this chapter is on justifying what you have done and the process you have applied in data
collection and analysis.

k. Results and Discussion (word length guide 5,000 words)

The results should be presented in a logical manner using tables and figures as necessary.
You should discuss the meaning of the results as you present them. Remember to relate
your results back to your aim and objectives and literature review. This section should not
be just a description of your results but should include a discussion and evaluation of the
findings you have made.

l. Conclusions and Recommendations (word length guide 1,500 words)

Your conclusions are a summary of your overall findings and should relate to your original
aim, objectives and hypotheses. The conclusions should be based on your results and
discussions section but should NOT be a regurgitation of this section. The key parts of the
literature must be revisited in this section and where appropriate your conclusions should
assess implications of your work.

Your recommendations should be based on your conclusions chapter. Where appropriate,

your recommendations should include aims, implementation strategies, resource costs
and resource benefits.

m. Evaluation of Study and Scope for Further Research

This section gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you have done. There may be
obvious opportunities for further research other than the same work carried out in a
different geographical area or using a different sample.
 In your evaluation don’t be afraid to state what went wrong preferably with ways that this
could be avoided if the research were to be carried out again. Critically evaluate your
methodology again with ways that this could be improved. Discuss the limitations of your
work.

n. Reference List

Throughout your dissertation you will be referring to the work of others. You must provide
a list of those sources which you use and refer to in the dissertation. All sources you use
must be referenced and must be included in this list. Each source in the list must be in a
form that is traceable by the reader—thus you need to include the authors’ names, the
year, the title of the source, etc. The School insists that you use the Harvard system.
Failure to acknowledge and reference correctly may lead to accusations of plagiarism and
if proved, you will be subjected to the disciplinary process of the university. These may
be accessed at

www.academic.salford.ac.uk/student_administration/assessments/academic_good_cond
uct.php

o. Appendices

Appendices are not marked and hence should not be included in the word count. They
should include only relevant information to aid in the understanding of the text, e.g.
questionnaires, interview questions, letters and responses to and from third parties,
relevant raw data, etc. There is no need to present each complete questionnaire although
it is extremely important that this is saved and as it may be required for inspection. This
also applies to taped transcripts of any interviews.

8. Submission

Robert Kennedy College will confirm your submission date and give you instructions on how to
submit.

If you wish your dissertation to be kept from public view due to the nature of its content (i.e. where
this is sensitive or confidential to an organisation for example), you must include the word
'Embargoed:' and a date when this can be lifted on your title page. Dissertations without an
embargo will be placed in a public place for consultation by staff, students or other interested
parties.

Where a student undertaking assessment or reassessment does not submit coursework by the
submission due date and time, the following penalties for late work shall be applied to the mark
or grade for that work, except as provided in Regulation 1.2.2 (h):

(a) if the work is no more than four working days late and marked then five marks shall be
deducted for each working day (or part thereof), but if the work would otherwise pass then the
mark for the work shall be reduced to no lower than the pass mark for the component;

(b) If the work is no more than four working days late and marked and the mark is lower than the
pass mark, then no penalty shall be applied;
 (c) if the work is no more than four working days late and graded either Pass or Fail then no
penalty shall be applied;

(d) if the work is more than four working days late then it cannot be submitted and shall be
recorded as a non-submission (NS). The penalties for the late submission of work required during
the final 60 credit stage of a Master’s Degree (the project stage) shall apply from the submission
due date unless an extension has been granted under Regulation 6.4, in which case the penalties
shall apply from the deferred submission date determined by the expiry of the extension. See also
Regulation 1.2.2 (h)

If you do have personal mitigating circumstances, do not leave it until the last minute. Make sure
you complete the relevant form in good time and provide documentary evidence to support your
case.

9. Ownership of copyright

Any written material, computer programs, or other material produced as part of the dissertation,
is produced for the purpose of assessment of the student by members of this and other
universities (e.g. external examiners) and copyright is owned by the University of Salford. The
supervisor, or other member of this university, is free to use the material as the basis of further
dissertations or research and may publish, or otherwise disseminate, information about the
dissertation if he or she so wishes. In any publication or presentation, the contribution of the
student(s) would be properly identified and acknowledged. This could be by co-authorship, where
your contribution is a major part of the published work, or by an acknowledgement, where the
contribution is a minor part.

In the event of commercial exploitation of all or part of the dissertation work, the student(s) would
be entitled to a fair share of the profits, but the supervisor and the University would also be entitled
to shares. If the dissertation had been suggested, or contributed to, by a commercial company,
they would also be entitled to a share of the profits. The allocation of shares of profits would be
by negotiation, taking account the circumstances of each particular case. One consideration
would be whether any further work had been done by the students, or by a company, to develop
the dissertation work into a commercial product after completion of the dissertation.

10. Assessment

Your dissertation will be double marked (see appendix 03), firstly by your supervisor and
secondly by one of the other supervisors. If there is a significant difference in the marks they will
be moderated by a third marker. Many dissertations are sent out to external examiners and, thus,
some may be marked up to four times. Due to the nature of the marking, no marks will be released
until they are ratified at the Examination Board.

Dissertation detailed marking scheme is as follows:

Criteria Key factors Outstanding Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Inadequate Poor Very poor Extremely
to be poor
considered 90% – 100% 80% – 89% 70% – 79% 60% –69% 50% – 59% 40% – 49% 30% – 39% 20% – 29% 10% –19% 0%– 9%

Abstract, Statement of Insightful very Insightful Clear Coherent Logical clear Attempt at aims Broad, Very broad, Unrealistic, Little or no
Introduction research critical and coherent coherent statement of aims and and objectives unclear unclear very evidence
and literature purpose and coherent, very very clear aims and aims and objectives but lacking a aims and inconsistent ambiguous of aims
review (40% objectives. clear aims and aims and objectives objectives Wide review, clear rationale objectives aims and aims and and
marks Extent, objectives objectives in a argued in a lacking depth Limited review, Very limited objectives objectives objectives
available) depth, demonstrates together with structured structured but some descriptive in review and Poor Fail to No
currency of the ability to a clear way and way evidence of nature and may inappropriat identification identify evidence
literature pursue precision of justified A broad and critical show lack of e use of of relevant relevant of
review and research at thought In depth deep evaluation, knowledge and literature. literature and literature. literature.
referencing Doctoral level Extensive in coherent, literature satisfactory a clear outcome inaccurate use
Exceptional depth logical review with knowledge of
knowledge coherent, literature critical and theory/theories
and logical review, very analysis and understanding No or little
outstanding literature critical in logical, of main evidence of
conceptual review, very nature justified issues. The reading
understanding critical in Complex outcome outcome may outside of any
and ability to nature issues lack clear course
handle very Demonstrate handled with justification material
complex excellent clear logical
issues and knowledge, outcome
theories Very
and/or complex
specialised issues
principles and handled with
concepts very clear
Development logical
and outcome
advancement
of ideas and
practice
Extensive in
depth
coherent,
logical
literature
review.
Methodology a)Research Outstandingly Rigorously Data Good data Adequate data Weakness in Difficult to Insufficient Completely No serious
(20% marks design well- developed collection of collection; collection and methods chose link to use of primary inappropriat attempt on
available) developed justified very good Well analytical skills minimal data objectives data and e methodolo
b)Defence very rigorous methodology standard; developed with collected Some secondary methodology gy
of chosen methodology which Very well analytical acceptable Evidence of engagement data. Inappropriat
methodolog which delivers delivers developed skills; Sound arguments some analytical with primary Unsatisfactory e data No data
y objectives, objectives, analytical arguments skills and level of collected.
incorporating Data skills; secondary analysis
c)appropria outcomes of collection of Coherent data.
te data literature high arguments
collected review. standard;
Collection of Very good
highly coherent
pertinent data; arguments
exceptionally
strong and
coherent
arguments
Results, a) Outstanding Excellent Effective Good A pure simple Insufficient data Weakness in limited effort Very limited No serious
discussion, Meaningful discussion high discussion analysis analysis descriptive analysis and analysis and on discussion effort on attempt on
conclusion data standard critical critical utilising the going presentation discussion of discussion and analysis discussion data
recommendat analysis interpretations interpretatio correct tools beyond pure Limited data of data No evaluation Inaccurate analysis ,
ions and , critical analysis ns critical and description evaluation little evaluation limited of data to data interpretati
presentation b)Conclusi well integrated analysis techniques with sound against against evaluation of literature analysis ons, and
in literature and
(40% marks ons and well A critical evaluation objectives and objectives and data to review or Inaccurate conclusion
theory adopted
available) link to aims integrated in evaluation against literature literature review literature objectives conclusions s
Has total
objectives control of all literature against objectives review conclusions not review or conclusions very difficult Completel
and relevant Creative objectives and relevance to necessarily objectives very weak and to read, very y
literature material. &/or original and literature findings and relevant to conclusions limited to poor inappropri
review Shows work literature review objectives but objectives and weak and description of grammar ate
outstanding Exceptionall review linking may lack links previous limited to findings and format presentati
c)Clear insight and an y well Clear valid findings with to previous research, i.e. description no ability to on
recommend ability to written / discussion previous research imposed of findings handle
ations for structure and illustrated; linking research Adequate limited ability to little ability to concepts/theor
future synthesise polished & findings, Coherent , handling of handle concepts handle ies difficult to
material. Work fluent objectives soundly theories and or theories concepts/ read, poor
d)Handling of the highest and previous structured concepts some attempt to theories grammar and
of order. Own research and well Acceptable structure but unsatisfactor format
concepts, ideas based on Considerabl written with with sound unclear in places ily presented
many sources
models and e ability and good structure and and with &/or
Expression/styl
theories maturity in grammar coherent format/grammar unsatisfactor
e/ grammar
outstanding. handling errors ily written /
e)Presentati With some re- concepts illustrated
on writing could be and theories
publishable in Very high
an academic standard of
journal presentation
, layout,
grammar
11. Extensions

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO HAVE REGISTERED TO START THEIR
MASTERS PROGRAMME SINCE SEPTEMBER 2016 THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS FOR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES NO LONGER ALLOW
EXTENSIONS TO THE DISSERTATION. PERSONAL MITGATING CIRCUMSTANCES (PMC)
MAY APPLY.

For students who registered in July 2016 or before the regulations below apply.

Extensions on Masters programmes (See also Regulation 1.2.2 (g))

6.4.1 A student undertaking the final 60 credit stage of a Masters programme (the project
stage) may apply for one extension which shall, if approved, have the effect of deferring
the student’s submission date for the remaining assessment component(s) of the stage.
6.4.2 A student’s request for an extension, together with the relevant fee, must be
received by the University in advance of the assessment submission date(s) to be
deferred.
6.4.3 The University shall verify and confirm a student’s eligibility to be granted an
extension, which shall take into account, where applicable, the student’s legal right to
remain in the UK for study purposes for the duration of the extension.
6.4.4 The length of the extension, for which a fee is payable, shall be one semester for
students registered as full-time at the start of the project stage and two semesters for
part-time students. One semester equates to 14 teaching/assessment weeks in
accordance with the approved structure of the University’s academic year.
6.4.5 Where an extension is granted by the University it shall not entitle the student to the
continuation of any tuition or supervisory arrangements beyond the normal scheduled
length of the stage module(s).
6.4.6 A student may be permitted an extension during reassessment provided that they
have not previously been granted an extension.
6.4.7 A student may be permitted an interruption of study during an extension.
6.4.8 While a student may submit their assessed work at any time during an approved
extension it may not be possible for the University to mark the work or to ratify the mark
until after the extension has expired. Where coursework is not submitted before the expiry
of a permitted extension this shall be recorded as a non- submission (NS).

Extensions require the support of your supervisor and should be online submitted to the university.
If you receive an extension your supervisor will undertake ONLY two further meetings with you.
The first will be to assess what work needs to be completed and help you develop an acceptable
schedule. The second meeting will occur nearer the submission date to determine progress.

12. Module and Programme Examination Boards

Module results will be considered and ratified at to a Module Board prior to being considered at a
Programme Board. The Programme Board is responsible for making the final degree award based
on your achievement across all your modules. On ratification of these results students will be
informed of the outcome. You must achieve a mark of 50% to pass the module. In order to achieve
a merit profile on your MSc you must gain an average across the whole course of >60% and gain
over 60% in the Business Innovation Project module. In order to gain a distinction profile you must
gain an average across the whole course of >70% and gain over 70% in the Business Innovation
Project module.

If you have to resubmit your dissertation, please contact Student Care to know the
resubmission deadline. Please note that you are also expected to arrange two meetings
with your supervisor if you have to resubmit your work: the first meeting is for getting
feedback and further directions. The second meeting is to make sure that your work meets
the required standard and should be in good time before your deadline so any suggested
changes can be made.

13 Ethical Approval

All students must follow the ethical approval process. Most applications for ethical approval will
be able to be granted by the supervisor. The ethical approval forms should be completed and
submitted to the academic supervisor appointed by the school (see appendix 4).
Appendix 1 Example of Title Page

Salford Business School

An evaluation of the of stakeholder perceptions of the

factors influencing customer satisfaction with online
banking.
A.N. Other
Student ID: @0012334

A dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of The University of

Salford for the degree of MSc International Banking and Finance

September 2017
Appendix 2 Declaration

Salford Business School

Declaration on Conduct of Assessed Work
(Academic Good Conduct)
Assessed work which does not have this form attached will be returned unmarked.

Programme & Year

Module

Supervisor

Briefly, unfair means in assessed work is likely to fall into one or more of the following categories:

 Plagiarism.
Plagiarism involves taking the work of another person or source and using it as if it were one’s own. Work includes, but is not restricted
to, written work, ideas, musical compositions, computer programs, laboratory or survey results, diagrams, graphs, drawings and
designs.
 Collusion.
Collusion involves working with others on tasks that should be carried out on an individual basis. Collusion should not be confused
with collaborative work which is sometimes used as a means of learning. It will be clearly stated when collaborative work is permitted
in an assessment. Unless advised otherwise, any work which is submitted for assessment must be produced by individual students.
 Falsifying experimental or other investigative results.
This could involve a range of things that make it appear that information has been collected by scientific investigation, the compilation
of questionnaire results, etc. whereas in reality it has been made up or altered to provide a more favourable result.
 Contracting another to write a piece of assessed work.
This involves any means whereby a person does work on behalf of another. It includes assessments done for someone else in full or
in part by a fellow student, a friend or family member. It includes sitting an examination for someone else. It also covers obtaining
material from Internet ‘cheat sites’ or other sources of work. Penalties for this type of unfair means are likely to apply both to a
student who does work on behalf of another and one who has work done for him/her.

By submitting my work here I declare that:

 this work is my own

 if this is a group project, each student has contributed to the work in accordance with the set criteria
 the work of others used in its completion has been duly acknowledged
 experimental or other investigative results have not been falsified
 I have read and understood the University Policy on the Conduct of Assessed Work (Academic Misconduct Procedure) -
http://www.salford.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/653648/AcademicMisconductProcedure.pdf

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of this policy and procedure.

Signature

Name (print)

ID Number Date
Appendix 3 BIM Marking Scheme

Salford Business School – Dissertation Marking Scheme

STUDENT Roll Number

PROGRAMME
TITLE

1st MARKER DISSERTATION

MARK (%)

Signature Date

2nd MARKER DISSERTATION

MARK (%)

Signature Date

Sign
(1st Marker) AGREED MARK
Sign (%)
(2nd Marker)

External
examiner
comments

Sign
(External
examiner) Date
Markers overall comments and rationale for mark

Abstract, Introduction and Literature Review

Methodology

Results, Discussion, Conclusion Recommendations and Presentation

Signature of examiner Date

Appendix 4

Salford Business School Taught Ethics Application Form

Electronic version can be found here - http://www.salford.ac.uk/ethics/apply-

for-ethics-approval2.
FIRST STAGE

Students engaging in any research activity should read the Guidance Notes
for Ethical Applications – Taught Programmes and complete the Ethics
Approval of Taught Programmes Application Form and submit this, along
with any relevant supporting documentation, to their supervisor. The
supervisor will then assess the application for any significant ethical issues.
Please refer to the Guidance for Supervisors and the guidance notes for the
students.

If there are no significant ethical issues to be considered and/or any minor

issues have been fully resolved, the supervisor will sign off the ethics
approval form, which should then be included with the final dissertation.
However, if the supervisor feels that the application falls outside the scope
of supervisory approval i.e. the issues involved are considered to have a
significant ethical dimension, then the application will be referred for review
to the Ethics Approval Panel for Taught Programmes (Second Stage).

SECOND STAGE (Only applies to projects/dissertations with significant ethical issues)

The application will be reviewed independently by two members of the

Ethics Approval Panel for Taught Programmes. One reviewer will be
selected from the same subject area as the proposed dissertation and the
other reviewer from outside this area.
 Second Stage Applications should be sent via email to:
[email protected]

Following review, one of the following recommendations will be made:

(a) Application is approved with no changes;

(b) Application is approved subject to conditions which must be approved
by supervisor. Applicant make the appropriate changes to the application
and resubmits to their supervisor for approval;
(c) Application is approved, subject to conditions, which must be
approved by committee chair. The applicant makes the appropriate
changes to the application and resubmits to the committee chair for
approval;
(d) Application is rejected and applicant requested to resubmit to
committee.

In cases where the reviewers offer different final recommendations the

committee chair will act as the final arbiter in the decision process.
The normal turnaround time for applications is approximately two
weeks following submission. However, this can be longer, depending
upon the complexity and the time of year the application has been
submitted. If the application is not approved and changes need to be
made the overall process will take longer.
Ethics Approval Application Form

Instructions for use

Most applications for ethics approval will be able to be granted by the

supervisor. Students should just complete the questions and Part A below
and forward to their supervisor, who will complete Part B. In some cases,
if the supervisor believes the proposal should be sent to the Ethics Approval
Panel for Taught Programmes for guidance and clearance, Part C should be
completed and sent to the email address provided above. Supervisors should
send Parts A, B and C to the panel in these cases.

The following checklist is to help students and supervisors easily identify

projects which may be designated as one with significant ethical dimensions.

SECTION I:
Does the project/dissertation involve work with human tissue/body fluids?
Select
If ‘NO’ skip to section (II)

SECTION II:

Does the project involve work with animals and/or animal tissue? Select

If ‘NO’ skip to section (III)

SECTION III

Does this project involve any of the following:

 Recruitment of volunteers? Select

 Questionnaires or interviews? Select
 Observations of Participants? Select

If Yes for either please complete the sections (IV)-(VI) below

If No please complete section (VI) only
SECTION IV – RISK OF HARM AND RELATED ISSUES

Is there any realistic risk of any participants experiencing either physical or Select
psychological distress or discomfort?

Are drugs, placebos or other substances (e.g. food substances, vitamins) to Select
be administered to study participants?

Is there any possible psychological risk to the researcher?

Select
(Note:- physical risks to the researcher are considered in the Risk
Assessment not in this form)

Will participants undergo sound exposure beyond the Lower Action Level of Select
the Physical Agents Directive?

Does the project require the use of hazardous substances? Select

Is the use of radiation (if applicable) over and above what would normally be
Select
expected (for example) in diagnostic imaging?

SECTION V – VULNERABLE GROUPS AND FINANCIAL INDUCEMENTS

Will financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses and Select

compensation for time) be offered to participants?

Will participants fall into any of the following special groups?

 Children (under 18 years of age); Select

 People with learning difficulties or communication difficulties; Select

 People who speak a different language; Select

 Patients or clinical populations and/or their carers; Select

  Pregnant women or research on conception or contraception; Select

 People in custody or any form of detention; Select

 People engaged in illegal activities (e.g. drug-taking) Select

SECTION VI – OTHER

Are there any other potential significant ethical issues not covered above? If Select
Yes, please give details below:

Click here to enter text.

SECTION III: Human Subjects

Does this project involve either of the following:

 Recruitment of volunteers? Select

 Questionnaires or interviews? Select

If YES for either, please complete Sections IV & VI below

If NO, please complete section VI only.

SECTION IV: Risk of Harm and Related Issues

Is there any realistic risk of any participants experiencing either physical or Select
psychological distress or discomfort?

Are drugs, placebos or other substances (e.g. food substances, vitamins) to Select
be administered to study participants?

Is there any possible psychological risk to the researcher?

(Note: Physical risks to the researcher are considered in the Risk Select
Assessment, not in this form)
Will participants undergo sound exposure beyond the Lower Action Level of Select
the Physical Agents Directive?

Does the project require the use of hazardous substances? Select

Is the use of radiation (if applicable) over and above what would normally be Select
expected (for example) in diagnostic imaging?

SECTION V: Vulnerable Groups and Financial Inducements

Will financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses and Select

compensation for time) be offered to participants?

Will participants fall into any of the following special groups?

Children (under 18 years of age); Select

People with learning difficulties or communication difficulties; Select

People whose first language is not English; Select

Patients or clinical populations and/or their carers; Select

PART A – To be completed by Student

Full Programme Title: Award Select

1. Title of proposed research project and Project Focus:

2. Project Aims and Objectives:

3. Research Methodology:

4. Organisational Agreement (If applicable):

5. Approaching Individuals (If applicable):

6. How will you ensure ‘informed consent’ is gained from anyone involved in the research?
 7. How will you approach data protection issues during your research?

8. Does this project require that the researcher applies for a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS)
check?

Select

If you have answered YES above, please cite the code and either include it as an appendix to
this application or provide details below about where it can be consulted electronically.

Click here to enter text.

9. What other ethical issues should you consider when conducting this research and how will
potential ethical risk/harm be avoided?

10. Does the project involve human subjects (e.g. as volunteers or to take part in
interviews/questionnaires) and/or animals and/or human tissue and/or animal tissue?

Select

If YES, please give details:

Click here to enter text.

PART B – Ethics Approval Form (To be completed by Supervisor)

To be completed by the supervisor by ticking the relevant box. If ethics

approval is granted the supervisor should give this form to the student to
include in their dissertation, along with Part A. Nothing further needs to be
done with the application at this point. However, if ethics approval is
rejected by the supervisor they should consult with the student as to the
required changes and complete Part C.

Student’s Full Name:

Title of Research and Project

Focus:

Supervisor’s Name:

Data application received by

supervisor:

Please send copy of form to student to include in

Ethics Approval Granted
their dissertation
☐

If rejected please consult with student as to the

Ethics Approval Rejected
required changes
☐

If supervisor has queries or concerns in relation to

this application, please fill in Part C below and
☐
Ethics Approval Referred
forward to the School Ethical Approval Panel for
Taught Programmes
PART C – To be completed by Supervisor

To be completed by the supervisor if significant ethical issues are

identified, with an indication of the key issues and areas for approval, and
forwarded, to the Research Centres Support Team (SBS-
[email protected]). The application will then go through the
formal ethics approval process.

Title of Research and Project

Focus:

Supervisor’s Name:

Please provide a brief description of the key issues and areas within this application that you
would like the Ethics Approval for Taught Programmes to consider:
Guidance Notes for completing the Ethics Application Form

This document is a guide for students to help encourage best ethical

practice when conducting research. Guidance is provided in each of the
different areas and all bullet points should be considered when completing.

Supervisor’s Name and Signature:

 Please ensure that the supervisor has emailed this form.

Title of Research and Project Focus:

 Clear and concise title.
 Understandable to someone not familiar with your research.
 It should not make assumptions as to the direction of the research
before any research has been conducted.
 The overall area that the research fits into and the background
should be explored.
Project Aims and Objectives:
 The overall research aim(s) should be clear and concise, along with
the subsequent objectives, which will help fulfil the aim.
 Aims and objectives should be well-written, achievable and
measureable, as well as easy to read.
 This section can be taken from your introduction or help inform the
Introduction.
Research Methodology:
 This section should consider the actual data collection methods
included in the study.
 What are the practical issues in carrying out these research
methods, especially in regards to ethics.
 Why were other methods not considered?
Organisational Agreement (if applicable):
 Are you doing research in an organisation(s)?
  Are you approaching individuals who are part of an organisation or
are you contacting them because they work in a particular field or
organisation?
 If yes to the above, please write and include a letter you will send to
the organisation to ask for approval to conduct research in their
organisation.
 An information sheet explaining the study should also be attached
which you plan to send to the organisation.
 Evidence should be provided to prove that the organisation(s) is
willing to let you conduct the research.
 Individual consent forms should be created and sent to all
participants of the study (please include a template with this
application).
 Who is your contact within the organisation?
 What is your relationship with the organisation(s)?
 How did you approach and contact this organisation(s)?
Approaching Individuals (if applicable):
 How will you approach individuals to participate in your research?
 How will you get their contact details?
 Please attach the information sheet and consent form template,
which will be sent out to the participants.
 Explain the ethical issues behind approaching individuals; How do
you plan to recruit these people?
 Any issues concerning anonymity and confidentiality should be
explored.
How will you ensure ‘informed consent’ is gained from anyone
involved in the research?
What is ‘informed consent’?
1. The subject must know the purpose of the study, what it entails and
whether there is any risk to them (including psychological distress).
2. The subject must have the right to withdraw their consent at any
stage, without prejudice and, where appropriate, have their data
omitted, unless collected anonymously.
3. The student must undertake to protect the confidentiality of the
 subject.
4. In the event that the results are published, the student must protect
the identity of the subject, unless the subject consents to be named
(i.e. waives anonymity).
5. Students should usually prepare a short information sheet for the
subjects to read containing points above (2-4).
6. Accompanying the information sheet, there should usually be a
consent form asking for signed consent.

Supervisors must see the information sheet and consent form in

advance of any data collection - these forms are submitted as part of
the ethics approval process. All the above criteria must be included in
your answer to this question and attachments should be included.
How will you approach data protection issues during your research?
 How will you store the data and use it?
 Will participants have access to the data or will the results be made
available to them?
 Who can participants contact if they want to ask further queries about
the research?
 How do participants withdraw if they wish to?
 Will you provide all participants with an overview of the research and
what their role is?
 Please consider the University data protection policy
Does this project require that the researcher applies for a Disclosure
Barring Service (DBS) check?
By law, anyone who intends to work with or do research which brings
them into unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults
(such as adults with learning or other disabilities) must first be
checked by the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS). This includes
service users who are working as researchers, including those with
disabilities.

For more information please visit the following site:

https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview
What other ethical issues should you consider when conducting this
research and how will potential ethical risk/harm be avoided?
 Please note that this is the most important section for ethics
approval.
 Students should consider all possible issues related to carrying out
their specific research in relation to best ethics practice.
 Topics for consideration should be issues related to the feelings of
your subjects, and the behaviour and conduct of the researcher. Any
potential risks and harm should be explored in carrying out this
research.
 Students should provide evidence of consideration of these topics
and think through how the research will unfold. Expand on these
issues as much as possible and present all of the ethical
eventualities and issues.
 Does your project require you to conform to any additional
professional code of ethics (such as provided by the British Society
of Criminology or British Psychology Society or Law Society or any
other similar professional body)? If this is applicable please cite the
code and either include it as an appendix to this application or
provide details about where it can be consulted electronically.