Please follow this suggested structure for the assignment (as set out in the assignment section in Canvas).
1. Title the assignment relation to your proposed topic. Ensure it is clear and specific.
For example. “Dissertation Proposal: Then add a title.”
2. Topic and Rationale/Philosophical Justification for the project – including Research Questions (500-700 words).
• This section will introduce and justify your proposed research.
o Introduce the topic and explain why it is an important area of research? What is the research problem?
o What is the philosophical justification for this research?
o Explain the key issues and contextualise the topic. For example, if the work is studying performance management, which aspects of performance management are being considered and why?
o Introduce the context of your work. Is there a focus on a particular country or a number of countries? Is there a focus on particular organisations or practices?
o Introduce your research question (and sub questions) at a relevant point in this section. We suggest that you develop a number of sub questions that directly relate to your research question as doing so will help you unpack your overall research question and address all key areas.
o Conclude this section with a brief description of the sections that the assignment will address.
3. Literature Review (1,500-1700 words)
This section provides a clear and structured overview of the relevant key literatures in the chosen topic’s area(s). This section positions your proposed work within the relevant literature and in doing so justifies your proposed research.
Draw on the key literature you have been reading and should have discussed in the draft assignment.
• Aim to identify at least ten key pieces of work and then ensure that you supplement these with additional publications that build on them.
• Identify key themes and ensure that you fully engage with them.
• Draw on peer reviewed articles and books that have been written by academics – they should constitute the key content in your literature review.
• Demonstrate your mastery of the topic and demonstrate the scholarly context of the literature.
o What are the key themes?
o What are the central debates?
o How does your proposed work relate to these debates?
• Towards the end of this section you may identify a framework of analysis that you can then employ as an analytical tool, introducing it as an analytical tool in your methodology section. Alternatively, you may wish to develop your own framework from one or a number of other theoretical frameworks.
4. Methodology (approximately 1000 words).
This section of the proposal is crucial as it explains and justifies the research that you will undertake.
• Introduce the methodology and re-state the work’s research questions and the philosophical approach that it takes ontology and epistemology).
• Research Design: provide a titled subsection.
o Which research design will you employ and why?
o How does it align to your research questions?
o Explain why it is an appropriate design for this piece of work.
o Ensure that you adopt a design that fits well with your research plans (data collection / sources and analysis).
• Data Collection or use secondary data / use of sources: provide a titled subsection.
o Will you collect primary data, use secondary data or employ the use of sources such as documents? Explain your decisions.
o Will you adopt a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach? Explain your decisions.
o Remember: make sure that you choose a method that is feasible and appropriate for your research question and research philosophy.
• Ethical Considerations: provide a titled subsection.
o Discuss the ethical issues and how will they will be addressed.
• Approaches to Data Analysis: provide a titled subsection.
o How will you analysis your data or sources? Remember your approach must align to your research question, research philosophy and crucially the data or sources that you seek to analyse.
o Explain the contribution of your study to knowledge and practice
o This section should summarise your proposed research.
5. Contribution (approximately 500 words)
• Summary and clarification of how this research will contribute to knowledge, practice and if relevant, the academic literature.
6. Timeline for Conducting your Dissertation (200 words maximum)
• Provide a realistic time line for your dissertation, factoring in time to receive ethics approval, receive comments on draft chapters and responding to them.
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