School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment

MSc CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

MSc PROJECT MANAGEMENT (CONSTRUCTION)
CONM46276 - Postgraduate Research Skills and Dissertation
(September 2015 intake)
MODULE HANDBOOK
CONTENTS
TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MODULE SPECIFICATION

Introduction
Table of Important Events
Selecting your Topic
Health and Safety
Project Definition
Supervision Meetings
Agreement of Research Question/ Hypothesis and Objectives
Proposal
A. Interim Project Submission
B. The Dissertation
C. The Journal Paper
Plagiarism
Oral Examination
Assessment
Key Learning Resources
APPENDICES

Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix

A Teaching Schedule
B Staff project title list
C - Research Project Definition Form
D Information on Writing a Literature Review
E Marking criteria, weightings & Grading scheme
F Module learning outcomes mapped to marking
G Specification for printing and binding

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INTRODUCTION
The Postgraduate Research Skills and Dissertation module is worth 60 credits and so equates
to one third of your MSc degree. Therefore, it is important to follow the requirements carefully
to produce a good dissertation, which will have a significant influence on the final classification
of degree awarded.
The module comprises three assessed parts:
A. Interim Project Submission
15%
B. The Dissertation
65%
C. The Journal Paper (bound into the dissertation)
20%
Each part comprises several criteria of differing weightings SEE APPENDIX E for criteria and
relevant weighting. The grade for each part is aggregated into a single grade for the module
and the grading scheme is shown in APPENDIX E.
The requirement is for an individual research project. You may choose a topic from the
current list proposed by members of staff (Appendix B) or you may develop one of your own
choice - anything to do with the construction industry. You must then go on to submit a
competently produced dissertation that provides clear evidence that you understand:

How to identify and scope a technical, managerial, financial or commercial problem or

development in the construction industry that justifies examination.

How to capture the project scope and justification in a project definition and proposal.

How to undertake the investigation of such a research project, after establishing the
current state of knowledge concerning the topic from the published literature and/or
established practice.

How to report the results of such an investigation after recording, analysing and
interpreting the findings.

How to draw plausible conclusions from the results obtained, and make appropriate
recommendations.

How to re-work the completed Dissertation for publication as a research paper in an

appropriate academic journal.

This booklet aims to describe the requirements for producing the Dissertation and the steps
required along the way: Selecting, Scoping and Registering your topic on the Project Definition Form
Requirement for Health and Safety Risk Assessment forms
Supervision Meetings
Interim Project submission
Collecting and Analysing Data - including designing the research instrument, sample
selection
Writing Up and Submitting the Research Project
Production of Poster
Oral Examination/Moderation Interview
It is essential that the final submitted project is written in accordance with these guidelines,
and shows clear understanding of research methods and methodology.
Each student is responsible for the planning, execution, content and timely
submission of their work.

Supervisors will provide advice and guidance during the project through regular
supervision meetings, and will give feedback on the Project Scope and Interim
Submissions.
Table of Important Events
NOTE: THERE ARE FOUR SUBMISSION DATES
Time Period

Event

Attend all Departmental Lectures on research skills as shown on the Lecture Schedule in
Appendix A
TERM ONE
Note: All weeks refer to teaching weeks not NTU calendar weeks.
Week 1
8.10.2015
Week 2 - 5

Dissertation briefing and issue of documentation.

Week 5
5.11.2015

Upload your Project Definition form into the NOW Dropbox by

3:45pm on Thursday 5 November

Week 6 or 7

Meet Supervisor to discuss future plans.

Remainder of
Term 1

Arrange times for regular meetings. Keep a record of the meetings, the
issues discussed, duration, actions, etc

Week 10

Upload proposal to the NOW Dropbox by 3:45pm on Thursday 10th

December 2015

TERM TWO
All weeks
Week 22

Negotiate topic with supervisor or prepare your own topic as preferred.

If your preferred topic & supervisor is over-subscribed, you will be
allocated an alternative supervisor book early to avoid disappointment!

Attend regular meetings with Supervisor and lectures (timetabled

separately)
Upload to the NOW Dropbox your Interim Submission document
for assessment (worth 15% of module mark) by 3:45pm
Thursday 3rd March 2016

TERM THREE
Over term three Maintain regular contact with Supervisor through meetings and by Email.
and the Summer Negotiate supervision arrangements over holiday period with your
research period Supervisor.
Write up your work this is a very important aspect of the dissertation,
as the written report carries the majority of the marks, not the research
work undertaken. Many previous MSc students have done good research
work, but their final submissions have been rather poor, resulting in
disappointing marks.
FINAL SUBMISSION
Thursday, 8th
Submit 2 bound copies of final dissertation, written up in accordance with
September
the guidelines (Appendix H). An electronic copy must also be
2016 Maudslay submitted via Dropbox for the plagiarism check through Turnitin.
245 by 3:45pm

SELECTING YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC

After the briefing lecture you will begin considering ideas for research topics. A list of
suggestions is provided by supervisors and these can be found in Appendix B. If you are
choosing a topic from the list you are responsible for obtaining the supervisors agreement to
supervise you as soon as possible. Please be aware that some projects and/or supervisors may
be oversubscribed.
It is important to choose a topic that will interest you for the whole year, and one in which you
can conduct independent research - collect data, analyse results and draw conclusions.
If you are choosing your own topic a suitable supervisor will be allocated to you. The onus is
on all students to contact their supervisor and arrange regular supervision sessions until
completion of the dissertation.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The incidence of accidents within the Construction Industry is extremely high, and the School
is committed to your safety. Recent legislation has increased substantially the responsibilities
of all members of the School in respect of supervision, safe working methods and appropriate
record keeping. You must ensure you understand your responsibilities to yourself and to
others. The School Health and Safety (H&S) Philosophy includes your methods of work for
your project. Of the several H&S objectives the most pertinent to your project are
...To effectively plan, organise, enforce, monitor and review preventative and protective
measures to control risks, and
.. To make all staff and students aware of and follow good Health and Safety practice.
For your project, you may have to submit a risk assessment for your proposed work, and you
should consider carefully the activities you will undertake, such as site visits, and laboratory or
field work, or any others. You need to agree with your supervisor whether your activities will
incur any significant risks, and if so fill in a risk assessment form that MUST be approved
and filed in the School prior to you undertaking the work.
The School safety policy and procedures are in the Safety Handbook, which can be found at
http://www.ntu.ac.uk/current_students/resources/student_handbook/safety_guide/index.html
Note: Failure to comply with Universitys H&S guidance is considered a serious breach of
conduct, and may also invalidate any University insurance cover.
PROJECT DEFINITION FORM
Complete the form in Appendix C.
If you are selecting your own topic, the module leader (Professor Christine Pasquire), will
advise you on the completion of the form.
The project definition submission must contain a summary of the proposed research. In
determining the content and scope of the work to be undertaken, you must demonstrate the
following:

The potential to formulate a valid research question or hypothesis (through a clear aim
and objectives)
An overview of proposed research methods and methodology;
Ability to obtain data from more than one source and in sufficient detail and quantity;
The potential for data to be analysed and/or tested with objectivity and validity to
reveal conclusions and recommendations; and

Independence of study.

SUPERVISION
Once your Project Definition has been approved you will be formally allocated a supervisor. You
should then meet with your supervisor to discuss the proposed stages of the project and how
you will work with your supervisor during the coming year. It will be your responsibility to
manage these meetings and you should be aiming to:

Arrange regular appointments for supervision meetings do not leave this until just
before a submission date.
Keep records of the meetings, the issues discussed, duration, actions, etc. This will help
you plan and monitor your progress effectively.
AGREEMENT OF RESEARCH QUESTION/HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES

It is recommended that the first supervision meeting after the Project Definition,
results in an agreed Research Question OR Hypothesis for the research project.

A Research Question frames the investigation as a closed question - that is

something that requires only a yes/no answer.

A Hypothesis is a falsifiable proposition that is testable that you want to

investigate for your research.
The Hypothesis must be written as a Statement, NOT a question.

This puts a clear boundary around the study and helps to keep the work contained within your
limited time frame and resources.
The AIM of the research is to be framed in such a way that it leads to the investigation of the
research question or hypothesis.
The OBJECTIVES are specific tasks that must relate directly to the aim.
Example Aim
The overarching aim for this study to investigate the occurrence of waste on construction
sites to examine the effectiveness of current management and minimisation approaches.
Example Hypothesis
Minimisation of construction site waste will result in substantial financial benefits to both
contractors and clients.
Example Research Question
Will minimising waste from construction sites provide financial benefit to both contractors
and clients?
Example Objectives (think about what you need to know in order to conclude against
your research question or hypothesis)

To define construction site waste

To examine how construction site waste can be minimised
To investigate the costs associated with waste production, in order to achieve an
accurate reflection of the true cost of waste

To identify the financial benefits available through the minimisation of construction

site waste
To assess whether these financial benefits available were actually realised by
contractors and clients

The early agreement of the Research Question or Hypothesis will ensure that the research can
progress in depth, on a sufficiently narrow topic.
PROPOSAL
Following a successful definition of your project and agreement with your supervisor, you need
to expand your ideas into a structured proposal. This proposal should be discussed with your
supervisor and handed in prior to the Christmas break. This will enable you to make the best
use of the Christmas break and ensure you continue to work towards high quality work. The
research proposal should comprise around 1000 words with reference to the table below:
Provide sections containing:
Background to the research problem, References,
Importance and benefit of
the study

Problem statement, Research aim and objectives

Research design

Overall Presentation

Further Guidance
Initial identification, collection, analysis and integration of
information and data from a variety of sources appropriate
for the proposal.
Linkage to professional and academic context.
Use of literature quality of sources, relevance, synthesis,
critique.
Relevance, importance and benefit a clear and wellargued research topic.
A well-defined and logical problem.
Relationship between aim and objectives.
Congruence of objectives.
Comprehensive and persuasive rationale.
Definition, evaluation and justification of the proposed
methodology and methods (indicating consideration of
limitations).
Use of methodological literature quality of sources,
relevance, synthesis, critique.
Understanding and demonstration of planning an
achievable research project a sensible approach.
Potential problems identified.
Grammar, punctuation, spelling
Layout use of paragraphs (including avoiding sentence
paragraphs)
Brevity of writing style
Harvard conventions adhered to (see referencing guide on
NOW).

A: INTERIM PROJECT SUBMISSION (3,000 words minimum) WORTH 15%

You must make an interim project submission in accordance with the submission details
displayed on the NOW.
The purpose of the Interim Project Submission is to:

Encourage students to make real progress with their dissertation research during the early
part of the year.
Enable students to receive feedback, which will help them to improve their writing style,
structure, content, and referencing for the final submission.

In the interim project submission, you must set out clearly what problem or development is to
be investigated and justify why this should be done. You should include reference to published
material and other sources that you have consulted in drawing up your Interim Project
Submission.
You must also describe how you intend to complete the investigation and the reasoning behind
these proposed methods. This should include a description of literature studies, questionnairetype surveys, laboratory and field work, problems likely to be encountered, limitations that
could or would restrict the scope or likely success of the work.
Include the following sections in your Interim Project Submission: 1. Title Page
2. Synopsis
3. Introduction, outlining the reason for the choice of the topic, and the need for the
research
4. Aim, objectives and research question or hypothesis of the research.
5. A preliminary literature review
6. Statement of other preparation carried out, e.g. interviews, discussions and pilot
studies
7. Proposed methodology and methods
8. Potential constraints that might hamper the work e.g. access to information,
equipment or people, and the availability of appropriate supervision.
9. Proposed programme and timetable Gantt chart preferred
10. Copy of the submitted Health and Safety Risk Assessment (if one is required). If a
risk assessment is required, then this must be submitted to Nicola Dandie as soon
as possible.
Your supervisor will mark the Interim Project Submission and provide feedback. Both you and
your supervisor must retain a copy of the Interim Project Submission and the feedback.

B. THE DISSERTATION (15,000 20,000 words)

Details of presentation (line spacing, margin dimensions, acceptable fonts, proformas of

title pages, etc.) are contained in Appendix H.

WRITING STYLE - the dissertation should be written in the passive voice, in the past
tense.
Some previous dissertations have contained mixtures of tenses, (such as the introduction
stating that the dissertation will investigate x, and the conclusion stating what was found.)
This approach can lead to confusion - therefore it is better to keep everything in the past tense
- the project aimed to investigate x, or studied the effect of y on z.
For example: WRITE

NOT

A search of the library identified relevant

literature and published research.

I started by searching the library for some

useful books and journals.

Questionnaires were distributed to the

selected sample.

I decided to send out some questionnaires.

You may wish to include a reflective statement outlining your location in the research. It is
acceptable for this distinct section to use personal pronouns. For example, An important
research method was participant observation and this took place while I was working within
the sample contracting company as a trainee quantity surveyor. Or you could say the
researcher or the author instead of I.
GRAMMAR AND SPELLING - there is no excuse for poor grammar and spelling, as
word processors can be very effective if used properly. The dissertation must be
carefully proof read before submission, to eliminate common errors such as incorrect word use
- principal/principle, affect/effect, etc.
Two securely bound copies of the DISSERTATION must be submitted on the date advised, and
the Department will retain one of the submitted copies. An electronic copy must also be
submitted via the Dropbox on NOW for the Turnitin plagiarism check.
The DISSERTATION must be 15,000 to 20,000 words (excluding Appendices and Journal
Paper) and must include the following:

A Synopsis/Abstract of approximately 300 words summarising what led to the work

being done, what was done, how it was done and what was found.

Chapter 1 Introduction providing a clear statement of what problem or project was

investigated and why it was selected, using appropriate references where necessary to
support your arguments. The introduction should contain exactly the following six
sections: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Background
Rationale (reasons for aim)
Aim, Objectives and Research Question or Hypothesis
Overview of work done and methodology
Overview of main conclusions
Guide to the report (charts the content chapter by chapter)

Chapters 2 6, 7 or 8 describing the research containing (but not necessarily entitled as

or in the order of): -

A review of literature (see Appendix D).

The Methodology - a detailed description of the processes selected for carrying out the
investigation and the reasoning behind the selection of these processes and the
programme of work followed. The Methodology chapter must discuss the methodological
philosophy and research methods adopted. It must contain a Limitations Of The
Research section, which discusses any issues affecting the quality of the research - such
as scope, sample sizes, response rates, availability of information/experts willing to be
interviewed, methodological flaws, bias etc.

The Results containing: A detailed statement of the results of the work, whether they are in the form of case
studies or field results, interview or questionnaire responses or literature studies.
The Analysis and Evaluation containing: A closely reasoned analysis and evaluation of the findings showing any calculations,
statistical analyses, coding schemes, comparison of conflicting reports and opinions of
findings etc. Appropriate acknowledgement must be given to the sources of any
information used, referred to or quoted.
You must name your chapters and may use any chapter title that aids the flow of your
argument with the exception of the Research Methodology this title must be used for
one of the chapters in the dissertation body.

Chapter 7, 8 or 9 Conclusions and Recommendations: The final chapter must relate back to your original objectives and research
question/hypothesis. You must state whether the research found evidence to AGREE WITH
THE RESEARCH QUESTION OR SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS or not. You should not say that
you have proved your hypothesis, as it is unlikely that you will be able to provide
conclusive evidence of proof. It would be OK to say that the findings from the research
only partially supported the hypothesis, as further research was needed on a specific point
(and then obviously include that aspect in your recommendations for further research).
Recommended structure of the final chapter is as follows:
Summary Of Research Findings

Conclusions (relating specifically to the research question/hypothesis - state whether

the research found evidence to either support or reject the hypothesis, agree or
disagree with the research question)

Recommendations To Industry

Recommendations For Further Research

References should be listed separately in alphabetical order by the authors name in

accordance with the Harvard style.
References are everything that you have specifically referred to in the text of your
dissertation. If using RefWorks you may find this is called a Bibliography.
It must be stressed that reference to previously published material is essential to establish
the base on which the project is founded and to support your argument or even to offer
opposing views. This will serve to show that you have read widely:

In setting up the project and

In analysing and interpreting the results.

References to previous work should generally paraphrase the essence of the point, rather
than quote it directly.

Direct quotations should only be used when it is essential to maintain the exact wording of
the original text - such as the wording of a contract clause.
Any reference to other work (whether paraphrased or quoted directly) must be
acknowledged by appropriate references, which should state the name(s) of the author(s),
the publication from which the quotation was taken, and the date of its publication. Direct
quotes must also state the page reference.
Example of referencing in the text:
Here is a paragraph from Naoums book - "Qualitative research is subjective in nature. It
emphasises meanings, experiences (often verbally described), description and so on. The
information gathered in qualitative research can be classified under two categories of
research, namely exploratory and attitudinal."
Paraphrasing a particular point from this, and referencing: There are two main types of qualitative research - exploratory and attitudinal, (Naoum
1998).
Or directly quoting, if it is important to use the exact wording: (Text to introduce the quotation, highlighting the relevance...) The information
gathered in qualitative research can be classified under two categories of research,
namely exploratory and attitudinal., (Naoum 1998, p. 40).
Work by more than one author, should be referred to as follows:

Two authors - Fellows and Liu (2008)

More than two authors - Edum-Fotwe et al (1996). (The et al means and others).

Note this name and date system of referencing is also known as the Harvard system,
and is most appropriate for referencing work that can be attributed to particular authors,
such as books and research papers. If your research refers mainly to work that cannot be
attributed to particular authors, (such as legal cases and statutes), then it may be more
appropriate to use the Numeric system of referencing. Only use one referencing system.
When using the Harvard system, the correct format for the entries in the References
section, would be: NAOUM, S.G., 2007. Dissertation Research and Writing For Construction Students. 2nd ed.
Oxford: Elsevier.
Further details on correct referencing can be found in the British Standard BS ISO
690:2010 Information and Documentation Guidelines for bibliographic
references and citations to information resources. (You are advised to obtain your
own copy of this document from the electronic library database. It will be very useful when
writing up your research). Another useful guide to referencing is Citing References - A
Guide for Students, by Fisher, D. and Harrison, T (1998), published by Blackwell
ISBN/ISSN: 9781853779923. Nottingham Trent University also publish a referencing guide
entitled Citing References which is available on the NOW.
Why referencing?

To acknowledge your debt to authors intellectual property

To demonstrate the body of knowledge upon which your research is based (this is often
an important assessment criteria)
To enable your reader to locate your sources easily

To avoid accusations of plagiarism

For access to the library resources and other information, please use the following link:
http://www.ntu.ac.uk/library/
For more information specifically on referencing and referencing requirements including
plagiarism, please use the following link:
http://www.ntu.ac.uk/library/developing_skills/referencing_plagiarism/index.html
Supporting material may be attached to the dissertation as Appendices. The Appendices
will not be marked but may be referred to by the examiners and should not be excessively
long.
C. THE JOURNAL PAPER (3,000 5,000 words)
This is an important element of the module requiring you to demonstrate skill in summarising
work effectively and presenting it in line with stringent requirements.
In the course of your literature review you will have read many academic journal papers. From
this reading you will become aware of which Journals are relevant to your topic you should
select one of these as a potential vehicle within which to publish your research.
Your Journal Paper must be presented in accordance with the Author Guidelines for your
selected Journal and these must be printed out and bound into your dissertation along with
your journal paper. You must name the journal you are writing for on the title page of your
paper and there are marks allocated for this.
You will be marked according to how well you follow these requirements and how effectively
you are able to select and summarise your research.
This should not be a simple cut and paste of selected passages from your dissertation but a
carefully crafted piece of work. The high proportion of marks awarded for this element
demonstrates the skill required to do this.
Being able to concisely and accurately present complex and lengthy reports in this way is an
essential skill for effective project managers and is especially valuable when communicating
with Clients and Executive Board members.

PLAGIARISM
The University has clear rules about Academic Misconduct, which includes plagiarism.
The Academic Misconduct: Code of Practice defines Plagiarism as: The incorporation of material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of another by
unacknowledged quotation, paraphrase, imitation or other device in any work submitted..
See Academic Standards and Quality Handbook Section 17B - Academic Misconduct Code of
Practice https://www.ntu.ac.uk/current_students/document_uploads/87309.pdf
The Undergraduate Assessment Regulations (contained in the Student Handbook) contain the
following information about plagiarism: -

You must make sure that all the work that you submit for assessment is your own and that it
is properly referenced. Except for short, fully referenced material, you must under no
circumstances reproduce passages, diagrams, drawings, tables or photos borrowed wholesale
from books, articles, the internet, or other sources written by a person or persons other than
yourself. Similarly, you must not summarise an author's ideas or arguments without providing
a full reference. If you do so you are wrongly indicating that you have thought of the points
yourself.
As part of its ongoing efforts to more successfully detect plagiarism, the University has signed
up to use software which searches the world wide web and extensive databases of reference
material and content submitted by other students to identify any duplication with your work.
The software makes no decisions as to whether a piece of work has been plagiarised, it simply
highlights sections of text that have been found in other sources. More information about how
a service like this works can be found at:http://www.jiscpas.ac.uk/
This is an individual piece of work and students are reminded of the Universitys regulations on
academic misconduct and irregularities, which include plagiarism., cheating, collusion,
personation and falsifying of data. You are expected to have read and checked that your work
does not contravene the University regulations on academic misconduct, including plagiarism.
Examples on what constitutes academic misconduct, including plagiarism, can be found in
Appendix 1 of Section 17b of the Academic Standards and Quality handbook which can be
viewed and downloaded from the university intranet at:
http://www2.ntu.ac.uk/academicoffice/publications/academicmisconduct.pdf
If you are in any doubt, you should consult your supervisor.
See also:
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/current_students/document_uploads/87309.pdf
http://www.ntu.ac.uk/adq/document_uploads/teaching/137785.pdf
It is current policy that all undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations/research
projects will be submitted to Turnitin the anti-Plagiarism Dectection software.
Therefore, it is essential that your research is referenced properly (in accordance
with BS ISO 690:2010), if you are to avoid any Academic Misconduct charge for
plagiarism on your dissertation.

ORAL EXAMINATION
It may be deemed necessary to conduct an oral examination of your work in which you will
have to describe your research and answer questions from both your supervisor and an
appointed third party.
The purpose of this is to establish the authorship of the dissertation and the extent to which it
is a true reflection of the work undertaken. A formal presentation of the work may be required.

ASSESSMENT
The dissertations will be assessed by the Project Supervisor and Moderating second marker
appointed to the student. In the case of disagreement, an independent third person will be
appointed to adjudicate. The criteria for assessment will take the following factors into
consideration:

Methodological issues;
Review of current knowledge in the field

Data collection and analysis issues;

Plausibility of the conclusions;
Independence of study; and
The quality of presentation.

The specific assessment criteria and their weighting are contained in Appendix E. The map of
these criteria to the module learning outcomes is giving in Appendix F and grading system in
Appendix G.
KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Key learning resources include:
Hand-outs covering the subject matter
Indicative reading based on individual teaching found at the end of hand-outs or
teaching material on NOW.
A comprehensive reading list (please see Module Specification, NOW & below)
Web (avoid Wikipedia)
The NOW site where:
- lecture slides, supporting materials and information can be obtained.
- students have access to email support.
- students can access the online library.
Indicative Reading:
See the resource lists in NOW for full details of the following text books, including their
location in the library and links to websites where they can be purchased.
1. Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods, Oxford, Oxford University Press 4th ed.
2. Naoum, S.G., 2013. Dissertation research & writing for construction students. 3rd ed.
London: Routledge.
3. Hart, C., 2005. Doing your masters dissertation: realizing your potential as a social
scientist. Los Angeles ; London: Sage.
4. Hart, C., 2001. Doing a literature search: a comprehensive guide for the social
sciences. London: Sage.
5. Fellows, R., and Liu, A., 2008. Research methods for construction. 3rd ed. Oxford:
Wiley-Blackwell.