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STRUCTURE OF YOUR PROJECT/DISSERTATION PROPOSAL The following notes provide you with the structure of the project/dissertation proposal.

It is advisable to discuss the development of your proposal with your tutor. The proposal should be word processed, and approximately 1,500 words in length, excluding bibliography. As a guide, you are advised that a good project/dissertation proposal will attempt to address the following: I. Project/dissertation title Your proposal needs to have a project/dissertation title. At this stage it is a working title and can be changed at a later date if a more appropriate wording is found. (Any changes of title should be communicated to the relevant GGSB Program Coordinator)

II. What is your project/dissertation about? This should give a clear indication of the project/dissertation aims III. What are your research questions? The project/dissertation question should be explicit. A research question may lead to a statement of three or four specific objectives, which are to be achieved in order to answer the project/dissertation question. These should be investigative in nature and therefore problem-based. Bear in mind the need to analyse rather than merely describe. IV. Why is your project/dissertation important? The rationale for the project/dissertation should include statement as to why the project/dissertation should be undertaken. This should include business and academic reasons. V. What is the academic literature basis of your project/dissertation? You need to choose a topic for which there is sufficient literature available. In the proposal you should show how your first reading of the literature has helped you to define your research question. VI. How will you answer the research question?

This section must detail the way in which the aims and objectives of the investigation are to be achieved. Remember that this means not only a description of the methods to be used, but also a discussion of the logic of those methods. VII. Project/dissertation Plan The proposal should indicate the process path to be used. This should detail the way in which the project/dissertation is to be achieved, and should, if possible, identify phases or stages, timescales and an overall timetable. VIII. Bibliography A full bibliography of all items referred to in the proposal should be provided. It should be obvious to the reader of your proposal where you have sourced the referenced material that has been used in the text of your proposal. This bibliography must be presented in a consistent manner and following a recognized convention. (see page 13).

GUIDELINES FOR GRADING PROJECT/DISSERTATION PROPOSAL (6 ECTS points) The project/dissertation will be graded on a 0 - 20 scale, consistent with GGSB guidelines for individual courses. The proposal should in particular provide clarity on: PROJECT/DISSERTATION AIMS the student should be able to clearly express the overall objectives of the project/dissertation RESEARCH QUESTION this may need refining as the research progresses, but a research question should be developed as a starting point RESEARCH CONTEXT / LITERATURE REVIEW the student should be aware of the major researches / theories / ideas / management practices in the particular area that the student is exploring RESEARCH PROCESS the student should be able to coherently and logically explain how (s) he will answer to the research question

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