NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

SP0681Sport Development, Management & Coaching Dissertation Handbook

2014 / 2015

Department of Sport, Exercise and and Rehabilitation

CONTENTSPage(s)

CONTENTS ii-iiiList of Appendices iiiList of Figures iii

INTRODUCTION 1-3Advice from previous students 2Important dates 3

1.0 MODULE ASSESSMENT 4-8

2.0 DISSERTATION RESEARCH PREPARATION 9-122.1 Outline of activities 9-102.2 Time management 102.3 Choosing your dissertation topic area 112.4 Practical considerations 112.5 Preparing for successful projects 12

3.0 DISSERTATION SUPERVISION 12-173.1 Allocation of supervisors 133.2 Supervisor – student interaction 13-143.3 What can students expect of a supervisor? 14-153.4 What do supervisors expect from students? 153.5 Supervisor – timeline of activity 15-163.6 Formative feedback 16-17

4.0 RESEARCH ETHICS 17-204.1 Code of practice 184.2 Completion of ethical approval forms 18-194.3 Ethical approval 19-20

5.0 DATA COLLECTION 20-225.1 Primary data limits 205.2 Secondary data 21-225.3 Academic dishonesty

6.0 WRITING UP THE DISSERTATION 22-316.1 Appropriate writing style 22-246.2 Presentation and order of contents 246.3 Order of sections 24-256.4 Cover and Binding 256.5 Title page 256.6 Declaration of originality and permission to copy 256.7 Acknowledgements 256.8 Abstract 266.9 Table of contents 266.10 list of Tables, Figures and Illustrative content 26

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CONTENTS, ContinuedPage(s)

6.0 WRITING UP THE DISSERTATION, Continued 22-316.11 Abbreviations, Glossary, Symbols and Notation 266.12 Introduction 26-276.13 Literature review 276.14 Methods 286.15 Results 28-296.16 Discussion 29-306.17 Conclusion 306.18 References 306.19 Appendices 316.20 Raw data file 31

7.0 DISSERTATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 327.1 Extensions and Appeals 32

8.0 MARKING OF PROJECTS 33

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A Student Interest Form 34APPENDIX B Tutorial Record Form 35APPENDIX C Ethics Guidelines 36-42APPENDIX D Data Limit Guidelines 43APPENDIX E Dissertation Layout Format 44-46APPENDIX F References & Resources 47APPENDIX G Title Page Example 48APPENDIX H Declaration of Originality 49APPENDIX I Abstract Layout 50APPENDIX J Marking Criteria - Overview 51-52APPENDIX K Restricted marketing criteria 53-55APPENDIX L Data Protection for Student Projects 56APPENDIX M Data Submission Sheet 57-58

LIST OF FIGURESFig 1. Department of Sport Development Ethics Approval

Process 41

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INTRODUCTION It should be noted from the outset that the Dissertation is an independent piece of

work, with which you will receive support to reach your full potential. Although

supported by your supervisor, you are expected to work independently to address

a research question, collect primary and / or identify suitable secondary data

using methods appropriate to the paradigm, analyse and then present your

findings. The final written report is much more than an extended assignment,

although you will use the skills that you have developed in these activities; it is

the production of an interesting and coherent document. Successful completion

requires time and well developed writing skills; these are abilities that employers

often take into consideration.

The aim of this Handbook is to support your progress through the dissertation

process; it should be used in conjunction with the other forms of support that are

available to you:

The Electronic Learning Portal (ELP - Blackboard) – where electronic copies of a number of the documents referred to can be found;

Timetabled workshops and seminars; Feedback / feed-forward from your supervisor; The University Library and electronic journal resources.

Most of the answers that you require regarding the dissertation process can be

found within this Handbook and the ELP, consequently these resources should

be used in the first instance – it is a waste of your allotted time with your

supervisor to seek information which is already available to you through other

mediums. The answers to the research question that you will identify will be found in the literature that you will review and the analysis of the data that you gather – the purpose of the Dissertation is to condense and communicate information to an interested reader.

The Handbook is split into sections to aid your understanding of the process;

whilst there is a linear logic to the sections it should be noted that the completion

of the dissertation requires a holistic approach. For example, it is expected that the literature review will commence prior to the submission of the Student

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Interest Form and that the write up will begin prior to the submission of the ethics forms.

The Handbook should be read and the information digested in preparation for the Module, rather than when necessity compels you to do so.

Advice from previous studentsPrevious students on this module were asked to give what they considered to be

the most useful advice for new dissertation students. 85% of students stated that

THE most important piece of advice is to start early. Other commonly occurring

suggestions were:

Plan ahead, keep to draft chapter deadlines and plan for the unexpected Review and use literature to support your thinking throughout the dissertation Submit ethics early and get going on the project Put time aside each week to work on the dissertation Keep on top of references and keep an updated database Save and back-up work as you go along because computers are unreliable Leave plenty of time at the end to collate all the sections and put it all together Check with your supervisor that everything you propose to do is “correct”

before you start it

Important dates During the Dissertation process there are a number of important events and

deadlines that you must be aware of and comply with:

30th Jan 2014 – Module Induction Lecture – Module introduction and staff

research interests

o Please see Section 2.5 for information on all timetabled workshops

and seminars

17th March 2014 – Topics workshop

30th April 2014 (1pm) - Submission of Student Interest Form (Appendix A) to

CDP counter

2nd June 2014 – Supervisor allocation

7th July 2014 – Submission of Literature Review, Objectives/hypotheses and

Research Question

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1st August 2014 (1pm) – Research plan and Ethics Application Form

submission deadline (this is a suggested latest deadline and one which must

be agreed with your supervisor)

1st December 2014 (1pm) - DISSERTATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE

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1.0 MODULE ASSESSMENT

Sport Development, Management & Coaching DissertationSP0681

HK Tutor: Jackson Ho

UNN Tutor: Paul Cook

480 hours (total student workload)/ 40 credits

MODULE GUIDE

AIMThe module aims to develop students’ in-depth knowledge of a specific area in

sport (within the remit of the student’s degree programme). It aims to do so

through the conduct, primarily through independent work by students, of a

research project. As such, it aims to use the knowledge and skills previously

developed by students to engage in the research process.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of the module successful students should be able to:

1. Plan, initiate, conduct, and complete an ethically sound independent research

project;

2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the design, methods, and appropriate

analysis necessary for a research project;

3. Appropriately synthesise the findings of a research project;

4. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the chosen area of study.

ASSESSMENT

ITEM LEARNING

OUTCOMES

WORD

LIMIT

SUBMISSION

DATEMARKED BY

WEIGHT

(%)

4

Research

Project1-4 10,000*

1.00pm

1st December

2014

Following

Exam Board

(January

2015)

100

*See Appendix E, note 2.5 of the Dissertation Handbook for details of what is

included in the word count

ASSESSMENT TITLE

Research Project (dissertation)The assessed outcome (dissertation thesis) is a written account of an

independently conducted research project which includes conception and

statement of the research problem (introduction), the academic background to

the problem (literature review), description of the research design, tools and

analytical techniques used to investigate the problem (methods) together with a

summary and interpretation of the research findings (results, discussion and

conclusions). Along with the written dissertation thesis, students must also submit

a file containing all raw data and another containing all completed participant

informed consent forms, along with evidence of ethical approval.

Ethical considerations Northumbria University has a legal and moral duty of care to its students and to

the wider community; as such the Department of Sport, Exercise and

Rehabilitation only allows ethically sound research to be conducted. Students are

required to submit an Ethics Submission Form (ESF) as part of their Dissertation

study. The ESF is reviewed by two independent members of staff. Only when the

reviewers are satisfied that all ethical considerations, including the standard of

the study design, have been addressed that approval will be given. Any student

who does not receive ethical approval will not be permitted to use data (primary

or secondary) for their research project. Students who collect data without

approval, which is therefore ethically unsound, will not have the results or

discussion chapters of their dissertation marked. Academic misconduct as a

result of ethically unsound data collection will be dealt with according to

University Regulations.

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Students should familiarise themselves with the procedures and processes

required to acquire ethical approval using the information in their degree-route specific handbook. Although an ethics submission deadline is provided in the

Module handbook, students are advised to complete the ESF as soon as

possible in order to give themselves sufficient time to address any issues

identified in the review and resubmit. Early approval enables the prompt

collection and analysis of data, and provides time to receive feedback on the

write up of the findings.

MARKING CRITERIA

Dissertations will be assessed on the following criteria – the extent to which

students:

1 Clearly define the research question and purpose of the study and

establish the significance of the study (real world application and/or

of interest to a wider academic audience). If appropriate the aims

and objectives, and hypotheses should be clearly defined;

2 Critically review relevant key sources of literature in a logical

fashion to produce a coherent argument justifying the study

purpose;

3 Adopt an ethically sound research design appropriate to the

research question and provide a comprehensive and precise

description of the data collection process, tools and methods of

analysis;

4 Produce a detailed and clear presentation of the study findings in a

fashion that addresses the research question using conventions

appropriate for the discipline of study;

5 Present a critical interpretation and explanation of the main findings

in relation to the research question, relevant theory and previous

findings from appropriate literature;

6 Discuss the main findings in the context of the study’s limitations,

with suggestions for further work where appropriate;

7 Provide a concise conclusion to the study that is logically deduced

from the study findings;

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8 Use a presentation style that conforms to the regulations laid down

in the dissertation handbook;

9 Demonstrate individual innovation, initiative, lateral thinking, and /

or independence.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Tutorial sessions (5 hours in total) will provide formative feedback on progress

towards completion.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

1. WORD LIMITExceeding the specified word limit(s) will result in a 5% penalty, plus a further

5% penalty for every 10% of the original word limit. Submissions of over

150% of the word limit will be awarded a zero mark.

2. GRAMMAR, REFERENCING, PRESENTATION, APPENDICESYour written work will be assessed for the standard of grammar, referencing,

presentation and, where applicable, appropriate use of appendices. 

Conformity with academic conventions of writing, referencing and

presentation standards is expected with all academic work.  Your work will be

judged on the following criteria:

Correct grammar: clear meaning; appropriate use of sentences/

paragraphs; avoidance of colloquial language;

Correct use of punctuation; correct use of abbreviations;

Accurate spelling;

Use of an accepted referencing system (please see the Student

Handbook, or ‘Cite them right: referencing made easy’ [available from the

University Shop and the Library] for full details of the approved

referencing system);

Presentation that is tidy and conforms to guidelines on formatting and

layout; and

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Appropriate use of appendices in relation to guidance given in writing by

module tutors.

3. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCTYou are reminded that all assessed work is to be original, unique (i.e. not

submitted for any other module assessment) and free from all forms of

academic misconduct including plagiarism, collusion, falsification, ghosting

and cheating, all of which are defined in the Student Handbook and in the

Assessment Regulations for Northumbria Awards (available on students

‘MyNorthumbria’ web page and in addition on

www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/worddocuments/ardocs/arna.doc ).

Academic misconduct is a serious offence, and could lead to you being required to withdraw from the degree programme.

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2.0 DISSERTATION RESEARCH PREPARATION At level six you should by now have a good theoretical knowledge of your subject

and your Honours Dissertation may be your first opportunity in the course to

produce an independent study. There are many different forms of dissertation,

but in general it is a small research exercise or design activity lasting two

semesters.

2.1 Outline of activities Most dissertations will divide into a number of discrete stages such as those

listed below. Please note that this is a guide and that not all of these stages will

be relevant to all dissertations.

Stage 1 – dissertation research preparation

Consider staff areas of expertise; Attend initial dissertation workshops; Start literature search; Choose your question; Consider the purpose of the study (set aims and objectives or hypotheses); Indicate the proposed research design.

Stage 2 – Developing a RQ and addressing ethical considerations

Refine research question; Continue literature search; Develop methodology and proposed methods of analysis; Consider ethics of study; Submit Ethics Forms; Agree schedule of work with supervisor.

Stage 3 – ethical approval and piloting

Obtain required permissions & approval from ethics committee; Conduct pilot project; Narrow literature search and review; Write first draft of introduction and review; Check progress on project with supervisor.

Stage 4 – preparing to gather useful data

Analyse pilot data; Refine proposed method; Write draft of methods section; Write second draft of review.

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Stage 5 – data gathering and analysis

Investigation and data gathering; Analysis and evaluation of the data or information; Write first draft of results and discussion; Identify and evaluate study limitations; Edit introduction, review and methods.

Stage 6 – relating findings to existing literature

Relate the findings to the research question drawing conclusions; Relate the findings to the aims and objectives, or hypotheses; Relate the findings to previous literature identified in the review; Write second draft of results and discussion; Outline limitations and recommendations; Refine the introduction, abstract, acknowledgements.

Stage 7 – final write up and submission

Preparation of the final draft; Numbering and contents lists, references section; Compiling, printing and binding; Submit the dissertation.

2.2 Time Management

“If you fail to plan you are planning to fail”

As outlined by the stages above, the Dissertation is a significant piece of work –

but one that can easily be achieved with commitment and planning to engage in

400 hours of work. Being aware of the stages, outlined above, leading to the final

report will help you to plan and manage your time.

N.B. Estimating time is not easy – build in a contingency for unexpected occurrences: for example, other module assessment hand in dates, equipment failure, delays due to hardware/software problems and availability of participants.

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2.3 Choosing Your Dissertation Topic AreaThe Dissertation is a 40 credit module which requires 400 hours of work;

consequently you should give careful consideration to the topic area that you will

spend the next two semester researching. Chose a topic which is of interest to

you or one that is pertinent to your future career aspirations; initial tutorial

discussions will help you gain an understanding of what is required to address

the question you have chosen, or to help you to decide whether or not the topic

you have devised for yourself is workable and has sufficient academic merit.

The only way to develop your ideas on a dissertation topic is to begin the review of literature to support the decision making process. Reading around

the topic will enable you to discover what the contemporary issues are within a

particular subject area (the broad research problem that you will develop into a

research question); it will also help you to decide what is feasible within the

constraints of the Dissertation.

2.4 Practical ConsiderationsApart from the academic content there are also a number of practical

considerations that you need to take into account.

Do you have a sufficient understanding of the topic? Is there already a lot of research in this area or is it breaking new ground? Do the likely demands match the time and effort you are prepared to put

in? Are the resources you will need readily available? When is your supervisor available for consultations? Will you need to learn new techniques and methods? Is it an open-ended or a clearly defined project? Do you already have information you could use? Is it heavily equipment dependant? Will you need technical support? How available are your sample of participants? In what ways is it likely to go wrong? What permission will you need and from whom? What is its value in terms of my learning or its application?

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2.5 Preparation for Successful ProjectsMembers of staff will have areas of personal research interest which may be of

interest to you, or may inspire your thoughts. A series of timetabled dissertation

workshop taught sessions, including the presentation of staff research topics, will

provide an overview of the key aspects of the research process as they apply to

the Dissertation and to guide your chosen Dissertation topic.

The aim of the workshops is to provide you with support for specific phases of the

Dissertation at the time when you are most likely to be beginning work on the

corresponding component of the dissertation. It is assumed that you will begin to

make a start on these components immediately after attending the workshops.

The themes of the workshops and seminars are as follows:

30th January 2014 – Module introduction and staff research interests 10th June 2014 – Dissertation Overview 12th June 2014 – Managing the Dissertation process 17th June 2014 – Research ethics 19th June 2014 – Reviewing the literature 24th June 2014 – Developing a methodology 26th June 2014 – Data collection 21st October 2014 – Principles of Quantitative Data Analysis Principles of Qualitative Data Analysis

28th October 2014 – Writing up quantitative research Writing up qualitative research

3.0 DISSERTATION SUPERVISION The allocation of supervisors is based on your stated interest in a research topic;

therefore, it is important that you begin to interrogate the literature in search of a

suitable research question as early as possible. Based on your choice of topic

you are required to submit a Student Interest Form (Appendix A) stating which

particular topic interests you and naming the member of staff who proposed it.

N.B. Members of staff have a limit to the number of students that they can

supervise; consequently some students may be allocated to a supervisor with a

shared interest in a topic rather than the proposer of the topic.

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3.1 Allocation of SupervisorFollowing the dissertation induction lecture on 30th January 2014, it is your

responsibility to view and consider the research areas that staff have presented

and decide upon a suitable topic for your dissertation. You must complete the

Student Interest Form outlining the research project that that you wish to

undertake and submit the completed form by the 30th April 2014 1pm deadline to

CDP counter.

NOTE: The School staff have wide and varied research interests, which cross

disciplines; consequently, there will be a wide-range of topics from the

management disciplines to choose from. To assist in the allocation process, use

the interest form to demonstrate the precise topic that interests you. For example,

‘the aim is to test Tapp & Clowes (2002) market segmentation model on rugby

fans’ is more specific than ‘something about marketing rugby’ and could attract

two different supervisors, one with a particular interest in segmentation the other

with an interest in rugby. Undertaking a literature search to find the Tapp &

Clowes (2002) Model would not take long, but it demonstrates your interest and

commitment to a specific topic, and is achievable between the induction lecture

and the submission of the Student Interest Form.

N.B. The final allocation and approval of individual supervisors is the

responsibility of the Module Leader and assisting staff. Decisions about

supervision are made after submission of the Student Interest Forms. Student

Interest Forms submitted after the deadline date will be allocated according to the

discretion of the module leader; in this instance you will be required to agree a

suitable topic with your allocated supervisor. If you have any concerns about your

dissertation supervision you need to contact the module leader.

3.2 Supervisor – Student interactionThe approach to teaching and learning in a supervised dissertation might seem

different from your previous experience on the course. This is primarily YOUR

piece of work and there is no one right way to do it. Your supervisor is not there

as a teacher to present you with new knowledge, but rather their role is to

facilitate and advise your efforts to address your research question effectively. It

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is understandable that you might feel anxious at first, but through supportive

feedback you should become more confident and independent in your research.

You are entitled to 5 hours of your supervisor’s time throughout the course of the project (no more than one hour in a single week). This usually takes

the form of regular face-to-face meetings booked by the students, but it could be

email correspondence, telephone conversations or a group tutorial of students

with similar interests. The use of your allocated time will be tracked by your

supervisor through the use of tutorial record forms (Appendix B) that both you

and your supervisors will have copies of. Once your allocated time is used up,

your supervisor will be unable to offer you further support. Scheduling of

dissertation tutorials is subject to tutor availability. Though supervisors do build in

time for these sessions on a weekly basis, these slots can fill up quickly,

particularly if they are supervising a number of students.

NOTE: it is in your interest to have regular contact with your supervisor who, after

all, will have far greater experience of carrying out research than you and can

offer invaluable advice and guidance to successful completion. It is no

coincidence that the poorest results in recent years have come from students that

chose NOT to make use of their supervisor’s time and expertise.

Any concerns of students or staff regarding supervision should be referred to the

module leader.

3.3 What can the student expect of the supervisor?It is generally expected that supervisors will possess adequate academic and

professional knowledge and expertise to achieve the general aims of supervision

for the piece of work in question.

At the start of the project it is recommended that you discuss the following with

your supervisor:

The general research problem to be addressed Its academic and practical content and value Primary and alternative methods of investigation A timetable to achieve the aims of the project

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Access to necessary resources The assessment criteria The module format and presentation guidelines

Supervisors should be expected to:

To have a good knowledge of the research or design area (including safety, health and ethical issues)

To exchange ideas freely To be aware of and advise on the pitfalls in the research or design topic To be open, friendly and supportive To be available, within reason and satisfy the time allocated for personal

supervision of students To be constructively critical To advise on appropriate methods of analysis and interpretation of results To advise on ethical issues

3.4 What do supervisors expect from students?Your supervisor is there to support your independent study at level six;

consequently, they expect you to be committed to achieving your full potential by

meeting deadlines and being proactive and reactive in your approach to the

dissertation process. It is expected that students will aim:

To show initiative and independence To plan and manage time effectively To be familiar with the factual content and methodology of the topic To design the study independently as far as possible To seek advice and comment on work from others To prepare for and meet the supervisor regularly as agreed and attend

meetings punctually To keep written records and report honestly on progress achieved To keep all original data and collection records Ensure that all submitted work complies with module presentation guidelines

and is acceptable in terms of academic style, language and grammar. Ensure that all module submission deadlines are met To attempt to fulfil their potential

3.5 Supervisor – timeline of activityOnce you have agreed your topic and research area, you and your supervisor

will meet to discuss a timetable of related activity. The timeline will include dates

for commencement and completion of key phases of the project and for

submission of draft written work to your supervisor for feedback. These dates will

assist you in progressing towards completion by the final deadline.

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A timeline leads to effective management of your project and is a great help to

motivation. It allows you to see the goals you are achieving and gives the feeling

that you are in control of the dissertation. It also helps you to make meaningful

progress reports to your supervisor and allows your supervisor to judge your

progress in relation to interim targets. Identify the critical “milestones” at which

you need to review progress such as completion of ethics forms and also set

target dates for completion of chapters such as your introduction and review.

If you have discussed and planned an effective timetable for your dissertation you

will be able to monitor your own progress and adapt your work if necessary.

However, reviewing progress with your supervisor is invaluable to successful

completion. A record of meetings is kept by your supervisor on the form shown in

Appendix B and carbon copies will be given to you after each meeting. If your

progress is causing your supervisor concern they will contact you and also raise

the awareness of the module leader. If unsatisfactory progress continues the

module leader will write to you and a copy of the letter will be placed on your file

and may be referred to when employers seek evidence of your ability to work

independently in job references.

3.6 Formative FeedbackYou have the opportunity to receive both written and verbal formative feedback

from your supervisor on ALL of the chapters, provided that they are submitted no

later than the following dates:

7th July 2014 – Literature review draft submission deadline

29th September 2014 - methodology draft submission deadline

3rd November 2014 – results / discussion draft submission deadline

17th November 2014– Introduction, conclusion, abstract draft submission

deadline

27th November 2014– supervision tutorial end date. Supervisors will not

provide tutorial support after this date

Note: staff will not read or provide feedback on chapters submitted after the above dates

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Your supervisor will read and feedback on each chapter once only. This

feedback will usually occur in tutorial time – however you MUST submit the chapter in advance and allow up to twenty working days turnaround; however, supervisors will try to return work before the next formative feedback deadline. Supervisors will NOT read through or feedback on any

written chapters brought into tutorials, but they will answer specific questions.

The comments provided will not consist of proofreading, that is your

responsibility, but rather bulleted feedback / feed-forward on how you might

structure your writing and advice on topics that should be addressed within

chapters. The aim is to support you in your endeavour to put across your

(evidence-based) ideas and arguments in a coherent and academically sound

manner. Note: the extent of the feedback provided will shift from predominantly

written in the introduction, review of literature and methodology chapters, to a

more verbal focus for the results / discussion chapter(s).

N.B. You should NOT expect feedback on the estimation of the dissertation grade as supervisors cannot divulge this information.

4.0 RESEARCH ETHICSAll researchers have an obligation to generate and promote ethical behaviour in

their research practice – studies which are guilty of academic misconduct (see

Module Outline) are NOT ethically sound, and therefore fail to meet Learning

Outcome One. Adopting an ethical approach to research is not only a matter of

conscience for the research but also a legal and Module requirement. As such, fulfilling the requirements of the ethics process is NOT an addition to the Dissertation but rather a fundamental and MANDATORY part of academic research. Consequently all students undertaking primary and secondary data

collection are required to comply with the University’s Code of Practice and

requirements to produce ethically sound research.

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4.1 Code of PracticeAll studies must conform to University Guidelines. Studies cannot proceed

without an approved ethics application and signed consent forms from the

participants and from any parents, coaches, institutions (as stipulated in the

ethics form); safety is paramount in applied studies requiring field research.

NOTE: You will not be allowed to book or use any equipment if your study has

not received ethical clearance. Technicians will have lists of all students whose

studies have been approved and not-approved.

All booking of equipment and/or technical assistance must be done through CDP counter.

IMPORTANT: Any data collected without prior ethical approval will be considered void and unacceptable for marking. Any dissertation submitted without prior ethical approval will receive zero for the methods, results and discussion sections.

4.2 Completion of ethical approval forms After completion of the semester one workshops on outlining the dissertation

process, research ethics, methodology and research design considerations, you

are required to submit a completed ethics application briefly outlining the

nature and methods of your planned study. The completion of the ethics

submission requires you to demonstrate that you are aware of the nature of your

study and any likely risks or impacts, use the submission process as a way to

develop your research question in a timely manner. It is in your best interests to

submit your application as early as possible. This will allow you to begin data

collection much earlier, as well as allowing you formative feedback on your

methods that can be used to improve the quality of your data collection and

ultimately of your final dissertation. Note that you cannot proceed with data

collection until your ethics application has been approved and you have received signed confirmation from your supervisor. In support of the ethics submission, guidance is available electronically on

Blackboard and from your supervisor. In addition, your supervisor has access to

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all of the required policy and procedure documents and participant information

sheets.

NOTE: You should only complete and submit the forms that you will use in your

study. For example, if you do not plan to take images then the page requesting

consent should be deleted from the standard Ethics Application Form (EAF).

4.3 Ethical approvalAll dissertations must receive ethical clearance and follow the HKUSPACE

Ethics Procedure (Appendix C) before any data collection can begin. You should

submit a completed copy of the Ethics Application Form (EAF) to the CDP

Counter on or before August 1st 1:00pm – only after your supervisor has signed to state that the EAF is now ready for independent review (unsigned forms will be returned without review). On successful completion of the review

process you will receive a signed feedback sheet stating that you can proceed

with data collection (the turnaround time for this process is normally one week

from receipt of the completed documentation – unless Full Review is required

which will take a further two weeks). Submit your application early so you can start the data collection phase of your project. No EAF’s will be accepted for

review after 22nd November 2014.

Submit your application early so you can start the data collection phase of your project.

If there is a delay in submitting the ethics form you are impeding and delaying

your progress as the study cannot proceed without it. Any data collected without prior ethical approval will be considered void and unacceptable for marking. Any dissertation submitted without prior ethical approval will receive zero for the methods, results and discussion sections.

The purpose of the ethics application is for you to identify any potential ethical

issues that might arise during your study. There are workshops in semester one

that recap on key issues and you should apply these to your application and

discuss the issues with your supervisor prior to submission of your application.

Ethics application forms, guidelines and examples are available on blackboard.

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NOTE:FAILURE TO OBTAIN ETHICAL APPROVAL RENDERS YOU PERSONALLY LIABLE FOR ANY LITIGATION RESULTING FROM YOUR PROJECT.

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED WITHOUT ETHICAL APPROVAL WILL RECEIVE 0% FOR THE METHODS, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CHAPTERS.

Completed and approved ethics forms must be submitted in your raw data file .

5.0 DATA COLLECTION Once you have received ethical approval you can begin the data collection

process, including any pilot studies, with the primary aim of answering your

research question.

5.1 Primary data limits The amount of data that you need to collect should be informed by your research

question and the sample population that the study is based on. A clear rationale,

based on academic literature, for the sampling decisions should be provided

within the methodology section. Guidelines on the minimum and maximum data

limits are provided (Appendix D); however they should be used in consultation

with your supervisor to ensure that an appropriate amount of primary data is

collected. It is also worth noting that the emphasis is on quality as well as

quantity; for example, 40 hours of poor interview data will be significantly less

useful in answering your research question than 10 hours of high quality data.

There is no direct penalty for collecting less or more data than is recommended in

the guidelines or that have been agreed with your supervisor. However, poor or

insufficient data will result in a poor rationale for the sampling decisions, vague

results and discussion section. In addition, lack of sufficient primary data will

make answering your research question challenging. Consequently students who

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do not work within the data limits are risking poor marks for three sections of the

overall Dissertation (see section 6 for details on these sections).

5.2 Secondary data collectionSecondary data should not be perceived as an ‘easy option’. Students wishing to

use secondary data must discuss this in advance with their supervisor, and be

prepared to make a robust case to justify their choice of data sets. The use of

secondary data will only be permissible if it is from a trustworthy source; for

example, Sport England, NGBs, FIFA, ONS, BBC / SKY Sport, and so on. It is

the student’s responsibility to establish that the secondary data that they are

using is not restricted, and is therefore available for public use. Similarly, the use

of secondary data will only be allowed if it is the most suitable method to answer

your research question.

It is expected that the amount of secondary data used, to answer your research

question, will be equivalent to or more than the primary data limits outlined in

chapter 5.1. There is also an expectation that you will not use secondary data to

repeat an existing study, your secondary data dissertation must demonstrate

originality. Therefore, before analysing secondary data, you should familiarise

yourself with the original study; including its research question, sampling design,

data collection methods, data analysis techniques, and its findings. Your study

must be significantly different to the original.

5.3 Academic DishonestyInstances of academic dishonesty are scrutinised very carefully and the

consequences can be harsh. In extreme cases this can lead to a mark of zero

being awarded. Academic dishonesty is considered under the headings of

plagiarism and data tampering. Plagiarism includes using someone else’s

thoughts or writings and presenting them as your own, or allowing someone else

to use your work without an acknowledgement.

21

Plagiarism includes:

Submitting written work that has been extensively copied from a textbook or article or from the work of another student without an acknowledgement

Submitting written work that makes significant use of unattributed quotations from a textbook or article or from the work of another student

Submitting written work that makes use of unacknowledged digital images copied from a textbook or article or from the work of another student

Allowing or being involved in allowing another student to copy a piece of written work or physical or digital images

Submitting for assessment work that has been previously submitted for assessment on a different module, or at a different institution as if it were new

Data tampering includes the following:

Fabrication of data: presenting data that have not actually been collected, or presenting data that have not been collected as per the methodology of the research protocol

Falsification of data; altering existing data sets, changing your data sets, or omitting to present part of your data sets

Poor storage of data. Original data must be stored unaltered, in accordance with university guidelines. Where such data is of a confidential nature, security and access arrangements must be clearly defined and adhered to before commencement of the project.

6.0 WRITING UP THE DISSERTATION As stated in the introduction, writing up the draft literature review and

methodology chapters should begin immediately as this process will enable you

to gather the information that you require for the ethics process. Remember that

the Dissertation is not only a demonstration of your ability to plan and conduct

research, but rather principally your ability to communicate the findings based on

a robust research design. Consequently, the writing up of the Dissertation must

communicate, in an academic manner, to the reader the exact message that you

mean to deliver.

The layout format of the Dissertation must confirm to the minimum acceptable

standards for the Department of Sport Development (Appendix E).

6.1 Appropriate writing stylePutting your ideas onto paper is a way to clarify your thoughts and the use of

mind maps and brainstorming activities can be useful. Most people will expect to

22

write several drafts, so do not be hesitant about starting to write. It is helpful to

make a plan for the section you are writing and have to hand all your notes and

research data. In a successful Dissertation, all of the sections need to relate to

each other to form a coherent whole. This is a chance to demonstrate your

writing technique not only to your supervisor but also to future employers. This is

especially true if you are intending to continue in higher education when you

graduate.

As you progress through the dissertation process your writing style and

understanding of the subject will improve, so be prepared to write several draft

chapters – there are no shortcuts, leaving the write up too late will result in the

submission of a first draft with predictable results.

Word processing means that it is relatively easy to edit a document, however

remember that it is highly unlikely that you will ever be entirely satisfied with your

dissertation. The main points to consider when reviewing your draft are as

follows:

Logical order / argument One idea to a paragraph Good links between paragraphs Aims directly addressed Clear, interesting style and presentation Findings justified by evidence No unreasonable generalisations or claims No slang, jargon, colloquialisms or clichés Data appropriately presented e.g. in tables, charts or diagrams No materials missing or irrelevant Information in appropriate section No unexplained abbreviations Accurate references to figures, appendices and reference section References in Northumbria Harvard Style Consistency in format of headings Format complies with requirements of the Department.

Remember that the word processor is only a tool; you still need to think in

sentences and paragraphs and write with correct grammar and syntax. Although

spellchecker does highlight incorrect spelling, it does not differentiate between

synonyms (e.g., there/their; weather/whether), and does not highlight words

23

which are spelt correctly but are used in the wrong context due to a spelling error

(e.g. manner / manor).

Your writing style should enable the reader to understand and read your project

with ease. You should adopt a writing style appropriate to your discipline. In most

cases at undergraduate level, dissertations should adopt an impersonal style of

writing in the past imperfect tense (was) with no first person usage (I, we, our,

you, my). Use examples from research journals from your discipline area as a

guide to the most appropriate writing style and also consult your supervisor for

guidance. For all styles of writing the usual rules of grammar, spelling and

paragraph construction should be adhered to – use the grammar and spell check

functions on the word processor if necessary. Abbreviated English such as

‘wasn’t’ in place of ‘was not’ is too informal and should be avoided. If you are

using abbreviations for technical terms, be sure to write the term in full when you

first use it with the abbreviation you intend to use following in brackets.

Referencing must be in the required Harvard Style, as found in ‘Cite them right’ (a

link to this and several other helpful texts on writing can be found in Appendix F).

6.2 Presentation and order of contentsOne of the aims of your project is to present your findings in a way that can be

understood and are of interest to an intelligent lay person. All dissertations MUST follow the Department’s regulations regarding format. It must be typed or word

processed in Times New Roman font size 12 with double-line spacing (single

spaced in abstract, notes, references section and appendices), on A4 paper, with

the normal default margins for A4 (see Appendix E). Headers and footers are

optional. Tables and Figures should be numbered and titled above and below

respectively. The word limit is 10,000 words (See Appendix E, note 2.5).

6.3 Order of SectionsGood structure improves the flow and you should refer to discipline-specific

research journals for examples of good practice. Sections should be numbered

consistently or centred as appropriate. The classic order of preliminaries and

chapters is given in the following sections, however please note that your

dissertation might not logically fit into this format. For example, it may involve the

development, testing and evaluation of a new piece of equipment, or a specific

24

piece of marketing research, or might be a particularly probing piece of qualitative

research. If you think this is the case with your project, you should discuss the

matter with your supervisor and if necessary formally agree an alternative layout

before you submit your project. A formal note of the agreed format will be

recorded by your tutor, who will mark your dissertation accordingly. It will also be

taken into account by the second marker.

6.4 Cover and BindingYour dissertation must be bound in the covers provided by the Student Support

and Advice Centre. You are responsible for binding both copies of your

dissertation with black, plastic spiral binding only.

6.5 Title Page The title should be a concise statement of what your study is about and conform

to the accepted layout (Appendix G). Please note that the title is extremely

important and should give an indication of the content. Your dissertation title will

also be written on your degree certificate. Therefore, you should agree the title

with your supervisor – towards the beginning of your study.

6.6 Declaration of Originality and Permission to Copy This a pre-designed page (Appendix H) to acknowledge that the research is

owned by Northumbria University and to give permission for others to photocopy

it without infringing copyright laws.

6.7 AcknowledgementsThis is your opportunity to thank all the people that have helped and supported

you throughout your dissertation. Please note that your dissertation is a

professional communication and should therefore not contain frivolous or

humorous statements. References to friends helping you through the long nights

of last minute study with supplies of coffee and beer are NOT appropriate. It is

however usual to acknowledge the assistance of supervisors, technical staff and

participants.

25

6.8 AbstractThe reader will usually look at this first to find out if the text is likely to include

information that is of interest to them. It must therefore be a concise summary of

your research question, what you did, what you found and the context of your

conclusions. Generally the abstract is 150 – 200 words long (see Appendix I for

a general example and journals for examples of abstracts in your specific

discipline). Remember that not only is your abstract included in your dissertation,

but two loose-leaf copies are required to be submitted separately. The abstract is the first page relating to your study so it needs to make a good impression of what is to follow.

6.9 Table of ContentsThe table of contents lists the various sections with their page numbers in the

format demonstrated at the beginning of this module guide. Please note that

pages preceding the introduction should be numbered with Roman Numerals

and those inclusive of the introduction in standard numerals. The title page should not be numbered but should be counted, as per this Handbook.

6.10 List of Tables, Figures and Illustrative ContentThis might follow on the same page as the contents list or can be a separately

headed list. All Tables, Figures and Illustrative Content should be numbered,

titled and include a page number, as per the Appendices in the contents of this

Handbook.

6.11 Abbreviations, Glossary, Symbols and NotationDepending on your discipline, you may want to introduce a list of commonly used

abbreviations and terms in the contents section, especially where there may be

duplication of usage.

6.12 IntroductionThis is your opportunity to convince the reader that your study is interesting and

worthwhile. A concise statement of the problem informs the reader of the exact

purpose, that is, what the researcher intends to do and why. Also, provide a brief

26

overview of the study; for example, who will benefit and why, what is already

known and what will your study contribute to the topic. Most studies should

include a clear aim (singular) along with the objectives that will be used to

address the research question. Use the marking criteria (Appendix J) as a guide,

but not a checklist, of the requirements of this section.

6.13 Literature Review The review of literature should have been ongoing from the beginning of the

Dissertation process and revisited throughout; consequently this section is

focused on the write-up of the review.

The review of literature provides background information and a critique of the

previous research done on the topic pointing out weaknesses, conflicts and areas

needing study (Thomas and Nelson, 1990). This is not only a review of all the

important contributions to your field of research, but also an evaluation of the

work to date. Citations should be predominantly primary sources and up-to-date

though older seminal work is also worthy of inclusion. The key consideration is

not the number of references used but whether you have covered the breadth of

the topic area and cited key studies to provide a coherent overview of the

literature. The review should not be used to generate a research problem, but

rather to critically appraise the literature around the research question. For

example, if your research question focuses on football sponsorship there is little

point in reviewing literature on generic marketing theory. The literature review

should be presented in sections that identify and link concepts, including relevant

theory.

The aim of the write up is to synthesize and evaluate the literature to provide a

progressive coherent logical argument for your specific research question based

on past research. Use the marking criteria (Appendix J) as a guide, but not a

checklist, of the requirements of this section.

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6.14 Methods The aim of the methods section is to provide a rationale, based on academic literature, for your specific research design. This is not the place to enter into

paradigm debates or to discuss why you chose not to use a particular approach,

which would not have been suitable anyway.

A successful methodology section should make it possible for someone else to

repeat your method and obtain similar results. Therefore, sufficient information on

how you carried out your investigation must be provided. This might mean

including details such as overall design, participants used, data collection

procedures and methods of data treatment and analysis. There should be

appropriate and full discussion of issues concerning reliability and validity or

credibility and trustworthiness of your data (dependent on specific research

paradigm). If the method has been previously described by other researchers

they must be acknowledged, mentioning any modifications you might have made.

Use the marking criteria (Appendix J-K) as a guide, but not a checklist, of the

requirements of this section. The data reported and collected MUST match the methods described so this section must accurately reflect what was done to generate the data that follows in the results section.

6.15 Results For quantitative projects the results section presents your findings and they

should relate to your hypotheses or aims. They need to be comprehensive and

presented in a suitable form such as tables, charts, summarised descriptive and

inferential statistics, and illustrations with explanatory text. Construct tables and

charts so that they can be understood in isolation, but always remember that it is

your job to guide the reader through your results. A series of graphs and tables

without accompanying text is not sufficient.

Quantitative studies should not include any interpretations in this section; all

interpretation and explanation should be reserved for the discussion.

28

For qualitative projects it is usual to combine the results and discussion sections and to include interpretation within this. You should relate the results

and discussion to previous studies identified in your review of literature, as well

as the concepts and theory(ies) that underpin your research question(s). It is

usual in a qualitative dissertation for quotes from interviews to be used, however

these must be for illustrative purposes and not as a substitute for critical analysis.

There are numerous ways to present a qualitative results and discussion section

depending on the discipline; you should use your reading of journals in your topic

area to inform your writing and presentation style. The results and discussion

section should be clear, interesting and demonstrate how the aim of the

Dissertation has been met and whether the research question has been

answered. If you are unsure, you should discuss the presentation of findings with

your supervisor and formally agree in advance what would be most appropriate

for your investigation. Use the marking criteria (Appendix J) as a guide, but not a

checklist, of the requirements of this section.

Raw data, including the signed ethics form, should be submitted so it can be

consulted to verify the claims made in the results and discussion section. In

general, any material that identifies your participants (such as verbatim

transcripts) should not be placed in the dissertation; they are submitted in the raw

data file. If in doubt, consult with your supervisor over issues of confidentiality and

anonymity.

Note: please note the information in section 5.2 regarding academic dishonesty

6.16 DiscussionThis is a major section in which you evaluate your findings and comment on their

significance in relation to previous work on the same topic. Here you have the

chance to answer any criticisms that might be levelled at your methodology, or

theoretical issues raised by someone with a different viewpoint. A rounded

discussion should address these questions:

What was the purpose of the investigation? (including hypotheses for quantitative studies)

29

What were the main findings as they relate to your research question? How do your findings relate to previous research and theory? Can your findings be explained by previous research and/or theory, if not what

is an alternative explanation? What are the implications of this research? How reliable and valid / credible and trustworthy are your findings and what

are the limitations / sources of error? How might research on this topic be continued? Are there any recommendations for practice that can be made based on your

findings?

Use the marking criteria (Appendix J) as a guide, but not a checklist, of the

requirements of this section.

6.17 ConclusionThis is a short section (generally no more than one page) in which you provide a

concise and summative statement of what you found and the implications of

these findings.

6.18 ReferencesThe referencing style adopted by Northumbria University is the Harvard System

(Name and Date System) as shown in your student handbook and the library’s

‘Cite them Right’ guide. In this the author’s last name and the year of publication

are given in the text to form a link to the full reference section. Full details of

each reference should be given in a list of references arranged alphabetically by

first author name and year at the end of the document in the “Reference Section”.

There are very specific requirements for how the full reference is cited and the

instructions for the position of capital letters, commas, etc. must be precisely

followed. You should consult the university’s guide, “Cite them Right” available in

paper form or on the web (URL given in Appendix F).

Please note that every source cited in your text will be checked against your

references list.

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6.19 AppendicesThe purpose of appendices is to stop the text from appearing cluttered and

broken up by supplementary and minor materials. Appendices are positioned

immediately after the list of references. The appendices should include (blank)

examples of informed consent forms, tables of extensive data, repetitive

calculations and printouts of statistical analysis (please consult with your

supervisor to agree what is appropriate for inclusion), legal decisions or laws,

copies of sample questionnaires or interview schedules and accompanying

letters – but not interview transcripts which are submitted in the raw data file due

to issues of confidentiality.

As per this Handbook, each appendix begins on a separate page and is

designated A, B, C, etc. in the order in which it is first mentioned in the text.

Please note that you will not receive any credit for work submitted in an appendix

that should be in the main body of the dissertation. Material contained within the

appendices is not included in the word count.

6.20 Raw data fileYou must submit all of your raw data including a signed copy of the ethics form in

a folder (see Section 10 for details). This includes, for social research, all of your

completed questionnaires and/or interview transcripts, statistical summaries and

calibration data. In sum, the raw data file is the empirical evidence that you have

conducted an ethically sound study. Consult with your supervisor about the

appropriate contents of your raw data file. Your supervisor WILL verify the

contents of the raw data file before awarding a mark. If there are any doubts

about the trustworthiness of your data then this is grounds for failure of the

dissertation (see Section 5.2 for details). Staff might also request that you have

your research articles available to verify your review of literature. Please see

Appendix L for data protection guidance.

You must ensure that the raw data is presented as outlined on your ethics submission form. Correspondingly, the raw data must be submitted in the envelopes provides by the Student Support and Advice Centre.

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7.0 DISSERTATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

As outlined in the Module Assessment (Section 1), the deadline for the

submission of dissertations is:

1 pm December 1st 2014 at the CDP counter

Two spiral comb bound copies of the dissertation, one Raw Data file, one file of completed consent forms and one data submission form must be

submitted to the CDP counter. As stated previously (Section 6.4), you need to

collect the front covers from the Student Support and Advice Centre. The format

of the dissertation must conform to the layout outlined in Appendix E. You must

pay the full cost of reproduction and binding. If you wish to have a personal copy

you will need to make additional copies, both of the submitted copies may be

retained by the Department. Please note that Northumbria University owns the copyright of the research.

In addition to the two hard copies of the dissertation you must also submit the

following:

An electronic copy of the dissertation for confirmation of the word count (on a memory stick or CD / DVD)

Declaration of Originality and permission to copy (after the acknowledgements and before the abstract, see Appendix H)

Abstract - 2 loose leaf copies in the format shown in Appendix I. Raw Data File - (contents agreed with your supervisor but normally including

all data such as questionnaires, interview transcripts, experimental data and a signed copy of the ethics form – submitted to ensure the anonymity of participants)

File of consent forms containing the signed consent forms and personal details of all the participants who took part in your study.

One data submission sheet (detailing the contents of the raw data file and consent form file, Appendix M)

7.1 Extensions Extensions for the submission of late work will only be considered under

EXCEPTIONAL circumstances. Please discuss with your supervisor and

Programme Leader anything that you think might adversely affect your

dissertation work.

32

Please note that printing and computer problems are NOT in themselves grounds

for an extension. Extensions are also unlikely to be granted where students have

brought the problems on themselves through inadequate preparation, or through

leaving things to the last minute. You should allow at least a week to correct,

print, collate, and bind your dissertation copies.

8.0 MARKING OF PROJECTSAll dissertations will be marked, using the criteria outlined in Appendices J-L, in

the first instance by the student’s supervisor before being passed for second

marking to another member of staff. A selection of second marked dissertations

will be sent to an external examiner to check for consistency and equality of

marking standards with similar institutions across the country. Marks will then be

considered as a whole and moderated. Marks will not be revealed to the students until after the final exam board.

33

APPENDIX A: STUDENT INTEREST FORM

Department of Sport, Exercise and RehabilitationInterest Form for SP0681 Sport Development, Management & Coaching

Dissertation

Student Name:Student number:Programme of study: SPORT MANAGEMENT

Topic Choice (minimum 200 words – maximum 500 words)

Reference list (minimum 3 key references – maximum 5 key references)1.2.3.4.5.

NOTES:All students must choose a dissertation topic (or specific question) from those

provided - A synopses of topics are available on blackboard. You must include a

reference list to demonstrate your interest and engagement with the literature

specific to your chosen topic area.

N.B. Please see Chapter 3.1 of the Dissertation Handbook for information

regarding supervisor allocation.

The completed Student Interest Form is to be submitted to the CDP counter no

later than 1pm 30 th April 201 4.

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APPENDIX B: TUTORIAL RECORD FORM Date.................................

Dissertation Tutorial Record form

Student’s name..........................................

Supervisor..........................................................

ProjectTitle:...............................................................................................................

Meeting Venue:.................................. Time:..........................

Originator:............................

Topic for discussion:

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

Outcomes:

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

........................................................................

Action points for next meeting:

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

Topic of next meeting (if known):

.........................................................................................

Date of next meeting:..................................................

Signed:

Student:........................................................

Supervisor:...................................................

Tutorial time remaining: ………..…..

35

APPENDIX C: ETHICS GUIDELINES

The University of Hong KongSchool of Professional and Continuing Education

Operational Guidelines and Procedures for Application for Ethical ApprovalTaught Postgraduate and Undergraduate students

This is a summary, including extracts, of the “Operational Guidelines and

procedures” of the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties

(HRECNCF), with amendments made by the HKU SPACE Research Ethics Sub-

Committee (HSREC). The full document (157/510) is available on the HKU

Research Services website at http://www3.hku.hk/rss/HRECNCF/157-510.doc.

1. Research requiring Ethical ReviewAll research projects/dissertations/theses involving human participants by HKU

SPACE taught postgraduate and undergraduate students who are Principle

Investigators (PIs) of the project. Such research will have a potential for invading

human privacy, such as written questionnaires, telephone surveys, interviews,

observations, video- and audio-taping, case study of focus groups, secondary

use of data (not for a directly related purpose when the data were collected),

deception, testing (non-invasive, not involving drugs), and non-medical treatment

or intervention.

In addition, to ensure that all human research participants at our sites in the

University of Hong Kong are well protected, for all projects which involve any data

collection from human subjects in HKU or organized through or in the name of

HKU, one Co-I from HKU should seek ethical approval from HKU unless ethical

approval has already been obtained by the Principal Investigator (PI) through

HKU. If the PI is from a clinical faculty or the research involves patients then the

proposal should be reviewed through their relevant Institutional Review Board

(IRB).

2. Types of Review

36

Expedited Review (submitted to the HSREC for vetting, then approved within one week)

Full Review (submitted to the HSREC for vetting, approved within three weeks)

3. Expedited ReviewProjects involving no greater than minimal risk may be considered by the

Committee under “expedited review”. That is to say, the nature of the research

meets one of the following definitions:

a) Research, involving the collection or study of existing documents or

records containing personal data, if these sources are publicly

available or if the information is recorded by the researcher in such a

manner that participants cannot be identified, directly or through

identifiers linked to the participants. The source of data, documents,

records, must be indicated in the application form for the Committee’s

consideration.

b) Research involving anonymous data1 collected using educational tests

(cognitive, diagnostic aptitude, achievement), survey procedures,

interview procedures or observation of public behavior. Expedited

review cannot be granted to:

i) information obtained that is recorded in such a manner that

human participants can be identified, directly or through identifiers

linked to the participants; and

ii) any disclosure of the human participants’ responses outside the

research could reasonably place the participants at risk of criminal

or civil liability or be damaging to the their financial standing,

employability, or reputation.

4. Full Review1 Anonymous data: Data without personal identifier. Data is anonymous when there is no possible way to identify the participants from the data collected. Data are not anonymous if procedures, such as accessing a computer database, will identify the participant. For most specific cases, the omission of names and other personal identifiers as HKID/Passport number, is sufficient to qualify data as anonymous.

37

Research involving any of the following items will require full review:

Sensitive topics which could induce stress to research participants, such as illegal conduct, drug or alcohol use and sexual conduct;

Deception, (participants are given misleading information during the research process). The PI must justify in detail why the method of deception is necessary and why there will not be any adverse psychological and/or emotional harm. You will need to debrief participants at the end of the study. (A Sample of English and Chinese post-debriefing consent forms to participants are in http://www3.hku.hk/rss/index.php/integrity/ethics-compliance/hrecncf-forms.)

Action/participatory research which involves greater than minimal risk;

Treatment research;

Inclusion of participants who may be unable to give informed consent, e.g. under the age of 18, mentally handicapped individuals (unless the criteria for expedited review are met);

Study can induce psychological stress/pain/discomfort; and

Videotaping and audio-taping, that pose privacy risk.

5. Ethical Guidelines for Research involving Human Participants

Researchers should note the principles concerning the areas in the following list

when conducting non-invasive research as outlined in “Operational Guidelines

and procedures” of the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical

Faculties (HRECNCF), Clause V.

Informed Consent

Oral consent instead of written consent

Pre –existing data

Pilot Studies

Parental consent

For School-based research

Privacy and confidentiality of data

Security

38

BenefitsProspective participants should not be adversely induced by financial

reward or be pressured to participate in research. All reimbursement of

expenses, such as travelling expenses, should be commensurate with

standard practice and be reasonable.

6. Procedures to be Followed when Applying for Ethical Approval

The supervisor/tutor and the Programme Leader/Domain Co-ordinator in-charge are given the responsibility for determining if each student’s project needs ethical clearance and for overseeing the completion of the necessary application for ethical approval. Applications should then be submitted to the HSREC representative of the related College for vetting and endorsement who will forward the proposal to the HSREC Secretary. Cases that require a full review or had some issues of concern would be vetted by HSREC delegates.

7. The Outcome of the Review

Approved :

A letter/email of approval will be issued to the Principal

Investigator/Supervisor/Student.

Conditionally Approved:

The approval letter/email is issued with conditions that apply to the approval

that need to be satisfactorily addressed. Normally such conditions should be

addressed with the applicant in advance.

Approval not given and resubmission:

The Committee will specify its comments/recommendations that need to be

addressed in a resubmission on the notification to the

PIs/Supervisors/Students of protocols which are not approved.

8. Appeals

Right to Appeal

39

a) The HSREC can refer special cases requiring advice to the HRECNCF for informal advice

b) All research participants have the right to appeal and to refer any concerns or questions directly to the HRECNCF.

Annual Report

An annual statistical report on the number of approved applications/re-

submissions and any acute incidents which have occurred, to the HRECNCF and

the HKU SPACE Senior Academic Management Board (SAMB) by the end of the

academic year.

If you are unsure of anything regarding the ethics process please contact

Elizabeth Dendle (Elizabeth.dendle@hkuspace.hku.hk), 25873160

Elizabeth Dendle, HKUSPACE Module Leader

40

Procedures for Application for Ethical Approval

Please read carefully the Operational Guidelines of HKU SPACE REC and

HRECNCF and other relevant documents before completing the application form.

Taught Postgraduate Coursework students

Undergraduate Students

Discuss ethics applications with supervisors/tutors/programme leader/domain

co-ordinators and obtain endorsement

Forward one hard copy and one soft copy of your application to the Secretary, HSREC

Applications forwarded to HSREC delegates for vetting

and approval

HSREC delegates to raise concerns/issues with Chair, HSREC

HSREC delegates return decision and comments sheet to Secretary, HSREC

Secretary to issue formal letter on behalf of the HSREC to applicant and supervisor.

41

(HKU SPACE REC – HKU SPACE Research Ethics Sub-Committee)

(HRECNCF - Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties,

http://www.hku.hk/rss)

42

APPENDIX D: DATA LIMIT GUIDELINES

Below are the recommended data guidelines required to gather sufficient data to

answer a research question and to meet the marking criteria. These guidelines

should be used to inform, and in conjunction with, the sample size required to

address your research question. You should consult with your supervisor

regarding what is appropriate in your specific circumstances.

Minimum requirementsAs a general rule, the following are deemed to be the minimum data

requirements for an undergraduate dissertation:

100 questionnaires

4 hours of interviews

6-10 hours of observation

Or combinations as required, for example:

60 questionnaires + 4 x (10 – 15mins) interviews

4x 1hr observations + 4 x (30 – 45mins) interviews

Maximum requirementsBased on the time constraints of the dissertation process, as a general rule the

following are deemed to be the maximum data requirements for an

undergraduate dissertation:

500 questionnaires

20 hours of interviews

20-30 hours of observation

Or combinations as required, for example:

200 questionnaires + 15 x (10 – 15mins) interviews

15 x 1hr observations + 10 x (30 – 45mins) interviews

Note: More does not mean better, the quality of data gathered is as important as the quantity! Poor data is poor data regardless of the quantity.

43

APPENDIX E: DISSERTATION LAYOUT FORMAT

These are the minimum acceptable standards for the submission of the

Dissertation. Any deviation from these recommendations must be discussed with

the Dissertation Tutor.

1. SUBMISSION OF DISSERTATION

1.1 Dissertation CopiesWhere students are required to prepare a dissertation report in their final year as

part of their prescribed course, two bound copies must be submitted to the

Student Support and Advice Centre.

2. PAPER QUALITY AND TYPOGRAPHICAL DETAIL

2.1 Paper Specification The copy must be submitted on International A4 size (297 x 210mm) except for

illustrative material on which no restriction is placed (see paragraph 3.4).

2.2.1 Methods of ProductionThe text must be typewritten or word processed mathematical formulae should be

inserted using Microsoft Equation Editor. The text must be clearly legible and of

good quality. If computer produced, the output should be of presentation quality

similar to the quality of production of the University's laser printer output. (For

example, draft quality or dot matrix printing is not acceptable).

2.3 LayoutMargins must be the same as the Microsoft Word default margins, as available

on the University desktop i.e.

-Binding (left-hand margin) 3.17cm

-Head margin 2.54cm

-Fore-edge margin 3.17cm

- Tail margin 2.54cm

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Text should be double-line spaced. The main text of the project report must be

legible, e.g. Times New Roman font at point size 12. Single-sided output is

required. When continuous stationary is used, the size of margins after removal

of the perforated edges and trimming to A4 size must conform to these

dimensions.

2.4 Page NumberingPages must be numbered consecutively throughout, including appendices, but

excluding title page, other preliminaries and illustrative material which is not

embodied in the text. Page 1 is the first page of the Introduction with preceding

pages roman numeralled.

2.5 Word Limit (10,000 words)Word count excludes:

Abstract

Reference list

Text in tables, charts etc.

Appendices

It does include:

References in the text and footnotes

3. ARRANGEMENT OF TYPESCRIPT

3. 1 Title PageThe work must contain a title page laid out in a manner that conforms to the

example given in Appendix F.

3.2 Other PreliminariesOther preliminaries, when applicable, must follow the title page in the order

stated:

Title page (see Appendix G)

Declaration of Originality and Permission to Copy (see Appendix H)

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Abstract (see Appendix I)

Acknowledgements

Table of contents

List of tables and illustrative material

3.3 Main TextThe main text should open with an introduction and be followed by chapters and

sections using a consistent system of headings and sub-headings.

3.4 Illustrative MaterialsWhere possible, illustrative material should be produced on A4 size paper and

bound near the appropriate text. If the material is larger than A4 size, it may be

submitted, folded as appropriate, so that it can be bound in. Plans, computer

printouts and similar items which cannot be folded in this way, must be labelled

with the author's name and placed in a manila or similar type of folder to provide

complete protection and attached to the text report.

3.5 End MatterAny such material must be arranged in the following order:

- List of References

- Appendices

3.6 ReferencesThese must be recorded in the Northumbria Harvard System according to the

‘Cite them right’ guide and examples provided in the student handbook.

4. COVER AND BINDING 4.1 BindingThe final product of your dissertation must be bound in the covers provided by

the Student Support and Advice Centre. You are responsible for binding both

copies of the dissertation.

Dissertations should be bound using black, plastic spiral binding only.APPENDIX F: REFERENCES & RESOURCES

46

Required reading (for both qualitative and quantitative studies)

Wilson, J. (2010). Essentials of business research: a guide to doing your research project. London: Sage.

Recommended reading Berg, K.E. and Latin, R.W. (2008). Essentials of Research methods in

health, physical education, exercsie science and recreation (3rd Ed). Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

Berry, R. (2004). The research project: how to write it (5th Ed.). London: Routledge.

Bloomberg, L.D. & Volpe, M. (2008). Completing your qualitative dissertation: a roadmap from beginning to end. London: Sage.

Bryman, A. (2008). Social Research Methods (3rd Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd Ed). London: Sage. Flick, U. (2011). Introducing research methodology. London: Sage. Gill, J, & Johnson, P. (2010). Research methods for managers. London:

Sage. Kinnear, P.R. & Gray, C.D. (2008). SPSS 15 made simple. East Sussex:

Psychology Press  (SPSS 19 in library stock but 18 on machines) Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for

beginners. London: Sage. Martyn, D. (2007). The good research guide: for small-scale social

research projects (3rd Ed.). Maidenhead: Open University Press. Matthews, J.R., Bowen, J.M., Matthews, R.W. (1996). Successful

Scientific Writing: a step-by-step guide for the biological and medical sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Maycut, P and Moorehouse, R (1994). Beginning Qualitative Research. London: Falmer Press

Silverman, D (2010). Doing Qualitative Research (3rd Ed). London: Sage. Tissington, P., Hasel, M. & Matthiesen, J. (2009). How to write successful

business and management essays. London: Sage.Walliman, N. (2011). Your research project. London: Sage.

Electronic resources

Cite them Right Guide to Writing References URL http://elp.northumbria.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/library/Library%20Content/

Cite_them_right_secure.pdf http://hsc.uwe.ac.uk/dataanalysis/researchProcess.asp http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/realities/resources/toolkits/

index.html http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/Intro_QDA/how_what_to_code.php

APPENDIX G: TITLE PAGE

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

47

PROJECT TITLE

(STUDENT NAME)

AN HONOURS THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF (either)

BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH HONOURS …… (or)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH HONOURS ……

YEAR

APPENDIX H: DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

48

Declaration of Originality and Permission to Copy

Please complete all parts of this form

Author ...........................................................................................................................

Title …………………………………………………………………………………….….….

…………………………………………………………………………………..…………..…

Qualification …………………………… Year of Submission ………….…….…...

(i) I certify that the above mentioned dissertation is my own original piece of work

Signature.................................................................

(ii) I certify that this dissertation is not more than 10,000 words in length

Signature.................................................................

(iii) I give/ do not give* my permissions that a copy may be made of the whole or any part of the above-mentioned dissertation without further reference to the undersigned.

Signature ........................................................................

Date ........................................................................

*Please delete as appropriate.

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APPENDIX I: ABSTRACT LAYOUT

TITLE: Fair Play: Coaches Attitudes Towards the Laws of Soccer

AUTHOR: Ivor Finished

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Workalot

DATE: March 2012

AN HONOURS THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF (either)

BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH HONOURS/ BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH

HONOURS

ABSTRACTThe purpose was to investigate and describe the attitudes of four groups of soccer coaches towards the laws of soccer. To break intentionally the rules of the game raises moral questions and destroys the vital frame of agreement which make the sport possible. A questionnaire which utilized hypothetical game situations was adapted and administered to coaches (N=38) during personal interviews. A Likert-type scale was utilized and analysis of variance employed to determine any significant differences between groups. Soccer coaches did not profess an absolute commitment towards keeping the laws of soccer. There were no significant differences (P<0.01) between groups of coaches on the factors “Toughness”, and “emotional Outburst” and “Eye for Eye”. However, there was evidence to suggest that senior men’s amateur coaches were more likely to break the laws in the interests of their team’s success; amateur coaches were more likely to break the laws in the interests of their team’s victory conduct.

KEYWORDS: Soccer, rule adherence, toughness, conduct

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APPENDIX J: MARKING CRITERIA OVERVIEW

51

52

APPENDIX K: RESTRICTED MARKING CRITERIA

Guidelines on determining marks (using the criteria in Appendix J) It is not expected that a project report will fall into the same degree class on all of

the areas identified in the marking criteria Appendix J. Therefore, the mark

awarded will normally reflect a weighting process, where a poor performance in

one area might be compensated by a relatively better performance in another.

When the majority of the marks are in one degree class, that class will be

awarded. The precise mark within the class will be determined by how many and

how well the criteria are met within that class. However, it cannot be claimed that

the areas are independent, and it is unlikely that an answer which shows poor

coverage / knowledge of the literature in the introduction, poor methodological

details, and poor reporting of results for example could be awarded a higher

mark.

First class marks*100 Perfect95 Superior first class, near perfect. Of publishable quality.85 Clear first class75 Bare first class

68-65-62 High-medium-low 2:158-55-52 High-medium-low 2:248-45-42 High-medium-low 3rd

Failed marks**35 Marginal fail25 Basic fail15 Clear fail5 A few words or phrases in each section0 No answer

*First class marks Defining expectations of first class performance is particularly difficult, and it is

not expected that a piece of work would have to meet the level specified in all of

the areas in order to achieve the award of a first class mark. First class

performance in half of the areas may be sufficient, so long as the other areas did

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not drop below the expectations for the upper second class performance. For

example, whilst an accurate, well written report showing a high level of

appreciation of theory, methodology and empirical evidence would be rewarded,

these strengths would not usually be sufficient to earn a first class mark if the

student’s knowledge was limited, being based on material from secondary

sources, very general news sites, and their results section was poor.

Once a student has achieved a first class mark, the actual mark within that class

is generally based on the following principle.

The marking criteria that is used specifies the criteria for a first class piece of

work. In order to obtain marks of 75%, 85%, 95%, and 100% within that class the

following guidelines should be adopted.

75% Bare first class. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, the majority have to be achieved in the first class category for the project to achieve a mark of 75% (for example 12 of the 21 = 57%);

85% Clear first class. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, approximately 70% have to be achieved in the first class category for the project to achieve a mark of 85% (for example 15 of the 21 = 71%);

95% Superior first class. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, approximately 86% have to be achieved in the first class category for the project to achieve a mark of 95% (for example 18 of the 21 = 86%). The project report (as it reads) should be deemed to be of publishable quality.

100% Perfect. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, all have been achieved in the first class category for the project to obtain a mark of 100%. The project report (as it reads) should be deemed to be of publishable quality.

**Fails A similar principle applies to marks within the ‘Fail’ category. The fail mark

awarded (35%, 25%, 15%, 5%, or 0%) will depend upon the number of criteria

that the project fails to meet; the greater the number of failed criteria, the lower

the fail mark.

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35% Marginal fail. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, the majority have to be in the fail category for the project to achieve a mark of 35% (for example 12 of the 21 = 57%);

25% Basic fail. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, approximately 70% have to be in the fail category for the project to achieve a mark of 25% (for example 15 of the 21 = 71%);

15% Clear fail. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, approximately 86% have to be in the fail category for the project to achieve a mark of 15% (for example 18 of the 21 = 86%).

5% No content to the report. Of the 21 criteria points indicated in Appendix J, nearly all have been achieved in the fail category for the project to obtain a mark of 5% (for example 20 of the 21 = 95%).

0% No report submitted; academic misconduct; ethically unsound project

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APPENDIX L: DATA PROTECTION FOR STUDENT PROJECTS.

The university document, Data Protection and Secure Storage of Research Records, outlines the requirements for good records management practices in research. It applies to all students or members of staff conducting research at Northumbria University.

In order for us to fulfil many of its requirements, good practice is that we ask ALL students carrying out a project to submit, for scrutiny, their raw data used in the production of their report. This raw data should include:

Signed consent forms from all those who participated Completed questionnaires / data discs that give evidence of data

collected. Any other test materials that give evidence of data collected /

personal data. Unused questionnaires if taken from the test cupboard

In order for this to be processed efficiently at hand-in time, you have been given two envelopes - one in which to place consent forms and one to place any other data. Consent forms and data should be kept in separate folders as they will need to be stored separately so that all data is anonymous.

The Data Submission Sheet requires you to indicate what materials / data you are submitting along with the number of consent forms, questionnaires etc. you are submitting. You signature is required as confirmation of your submission.

The Student Support and Advice Centre will confirm that your project, envelope of consent forms and envelope of data have been received along with a Data Submission Sheet indicating the content of the envelopes.

The Act continues by saying that such data, which has been collected for education purposes, should be destroyed at the end of the research. Students will therefore not have their data returned and it will be destroyed by the university. If a member of staff, together with the student, is considering publishing the data, then the data is then the topic of research, rather than education, and there are guidelines for how long such data should be kept (your supervisor will guide you on this following guidelines from the DPA).

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCTDATA TAMPERING (FABRICATION AND FALSIFICATION OF DATA)

All project raw data sheets and consent forms etc. will be subjected to further detailed scrutiny for Fabrication of data (presenting data that have not actually been collected, or presenting data that have not been collected as per the methodology of the research protocol) and Falsification of data (altering existing data sets, changing your data sets, or omitting to present part of your data sets).

Please discuss with your supervisor if you have any concerns.

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APPENDIX M: DATA SUBMISSION SHEET

Project student’s name: ___________________________________________________________

Project title: ________________________________________________________________

I declare that I have submitted for data filing:

Signed consent forms of all persons who have participated in this research

(indicate number of forms in the box).

Consent forms must be placed in a separate envelope to the other data.

A data storage medium (e.g. CD) with all electronic raw data files (tick this

box if an electronic data set is included and give a full description below e.g. the

nature and number of the files stored on the medium.

Please note that all raw data files generated by research participation

should be included, but not the files generated by data processing or analysis,

such as excel summary sheets).

All raw paper and pencil data (e.g. questionnaires) generated by research

participation (tick this box if paper and pencil tests are included and give a full

description below e.g. the nature and number those included).

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Description of nature of the data parameter types (e.g. reaction times, scores

etc) and number of electronic raw data files included, if applicable:

Description of nature (e.g. questionnaires) and number of paper and pencil

tests included, if applicable:

Other test materials generated by research participation (tick this box if

other materials are included and give a full description below).

Unused questionnaires if taken from the test cupboard (tick this box if

unused questionnaires are included and give a description below e.g.

nature and number of those included).

I understand that the data collected in this study are jointly owned by

myself (undersigned) and Northumbria University. If the data were to be

published then I and my supervisor have joint ownership (tick this box if in

agreement).

I understand that the data will be destroyed, in accordance with university

procedure, after the exam board, unless if it is possible that the data will be

published. If so, the university will store and then destroy the data in

accordance with the Data Protection Act (tick this box if in agreement).

Student signature ____________________________________

Date: _________________

(This form should be completed as the cover sheet for the data envelopes

submitted, and a copy of this form should be included in each copy of your

project.

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Description of nature (e.g. type of materials) and number of other test

materials included, if applicable:

Description of nature (e.g., questionnaires) and number of unused

questionnaires included, if applicable: