Solent University

Coursework Assessment Brief

Assessment Details

Unit Title: Research Methods

Unit Code: MAA103
Unit Leader: Professor Chris Barlow
Level: 7
Assessment Title: Pilot Study
Assessment Number: AE2
Assessment Type: Report
Restrictions on Time/Word Count: 3000 Words/15 pages (including references)
Consequence of not meeting time/word count
limit: It is essential that assignments keep within the time/word count
limit stated above. Any work beyond the maximum word
count/length permitted will be disregarded and not accounted for
in the final grade.

Individual/Group: Individual
Assessment Weighting: 60%
Issue Date: 5th October 2020
Hand in date: 22nd January 2021 by 4pm
Feedback provided within: 20 working days
Mode of Submission: On-line via SOL
Number of copies to be submitted: Where on-line submission via ‘Solent Online Learning’ is used,
students are not required to submit a hard copy.
Anonymous Marking This assessment: Will be marked anonymously

Assessment Task

A pilot study is a small scale preliminary study – essentially a miniature version of a ‘full’ study. Although due to
the case of the study the results cannot be extrapolated to a larger population, it is still an important part of
scientific research. It serves a number of purposes: The pilot study allows the investigator to test the
appropriateness of the chosen research instruments, establishing appropriate timescale and sample size,
collecting preliminary data and assessing means of analysis, and the further development of research questions
and hypotheses.

 This assessment requires the student to undertake a pilot study, on the same general topic as their
literature review. It is designed to prepare students for the Pilot Project which they will undertake as
part of their MSc research project.
 As the literature review often throws up new areas of study, the student may either choose to continue
with the research question chosen for the literature review, or may choose a new research question
based on the same topic. Students are encouraged to refine their original research question.

Any change in the research question will be required to be approved by the tutor.

You will define a preliminary hypothesis if appropriate, select a methodology and design an appropriate research
method. You will then use this method to collect and analyse a set of pilot data, analyzing and interpreting the
results using appropriate tools.

Quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods may be used to derive the data. This may include laboratory or
bench testing, Usability or User Experience (UX) analysis, survey research, case studies or interviews. You may
also investigate existing datasets for the purposes of analysis.
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This study MUST however include the collection and analysis of original (i.e. uppublished) data. It is not
acceptable to base this study on an analysis of already published material, such as the undertaking of another
literature review.

You will present your findings in a report, which will be presented in the form of a short journal article. The
student must consider the presentation of the paper as well as the content, using the structure of journal articles
for guidance.

Presentation of results and data

Where survey tools have been used , it is not good practice to just use the graphs and tables created by the
survey tools. You are responsible for analysing and presenting data to the reader in as succinct and clear a way
as possible. This does not including giving them pages of graphs. You need to select which data sets are more
appropriate to graph, which to tabulate and which to include only as text. In most cases it is more useful to
present summary data (e.g. using descriptive statistics) rather than presenting raw data. It is particularly
important to be able to compare data, which requires plotting of multiple results on the same axes.

Your conclusion must include some analysis of the appropriateness and limitations of the method.

The report must be formatted in accordance with the formatting guidelines in Appendix A.

DELIVERABLE

You should submit one copy online via SOL. It may be formatted using Microsoft Word, Pages, LaTex or another
word processing program, but the final submission must be in Adobe PDF format only, with machine readable
text (i.e. not saved as an image) excluding figures and references

Ethics:
Research ethics are an important consideration, and you should not undertake a research project without first
gaining ethical approval from the university. A copy of your ethics release form must be included with your
report – not doing so will negatively impact your grade.

Formatting:
In research showing your sources is particularly important, while for publication following formatting guidelines
is a key skill – without which your work will not get published. Quality of written communication is also
important, and these therefore form part of the assessment criteria.

In order to simulate a submission to a conference or journal, you have been given a set of formatting guidelines
(see the SOL page). All sources must be appropriately cited using the Harvard method and the report must be
structured as per the formatting guidelines, in particular keeping within the word count AND page limit. Not
doing so will have a negative effect on your grade.

Appendices:
Appendices are not commonly included in journal articles. You may however include limited appendices in your
report – this should be limited to evidence of the research instruments used (e.g. blank questionnaires), and a
copy of your ethics release form.

Appendices should NOT contain any text or images relating to the conduct or results of the project. They are
only to be used for information which the reader will find useful but not critical to understanding the project.

Any material in the appendices which is considered to be part of the main report will be disregarded, and this
may have a negative impact on your grade.

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Assessment criteria

F1-F3 (Fail) D1-D3 (Threshold) C1-C3 (Good) B1-B3 (Very Good) A1-A4 (Excellent)
Application of research Minimal use of or failure Limited range of sources Moderate range of Extensive range of Extensive and wide-
K1, C1, T2 to acknowledge sources. used. Some justification relevant sources used. In- relevant external sources ranging use of highly
for inclusion. Reference text referencing applied used throughout. relevant sources to
list provided. with some formatting Consistent in-text support all elements.
errors. referencing with
appropriately formatted
reference list.
Appropriate methodology
Excellent, high quality
stated and some method Clearly expressed
methodology, clear
given, but limited Appropriate methodology methodology and
Research Methodology Inappropriate or poorly communication of the
rationale and some and method, supported method, very good level
and Method expressed research method with an excellent
omissions/minor errors or by a range of sources and of justification, supported
K1, C2, P1, T1 methodology/method. level of justification,
lack of clarity in appropriate diagrams. by a wide range of
supported by high quality
communication or sources.
sources.
theorisation.
Good quality analysis of
Detailed analysis of a very Comprehensive, high
an appropriate dataset,
Basic analysis of a basic good dataset, with high quality analysis of an
Poor quality or limited leading to justified
Results, Analysis and dataset, with simple level of supporting theory excellent dataset.
results, Poorly or conclusions which
Conclusion conclusions, writing in an arriving at logical Excellent quality
inappropriately analysed address the research
K1, C1, C2, P1, T1, T2 appropriate academic conclusions with analysis conclusion, taking into
material. question. Some analysis
style. of the validity of the account all parameters of
of limitations of method
conclusion. the study.
and approach.
Presentation of Presentation of Presentation of Presentation of Clarity, style and format
information and data information and data information and data is information and data is of presentation of
sometimes unclear and mostly clear and in an clear, in a satisfactory consistently clear and information and data is
Structure and Quality of not in an appropriate acceptable format, format and style, with appropriate in style and excellent Extensive and
Reporting format, with with occasional accurate referencing and format, with accurate and wide-ranging use of highly
K1, T2 inconsistencies or errors inconsistencies or minor clear and appropriate use high quality referencing relevant sources to
in style, format, written errors in style, format, of technical English. and high quality writing. support all elements and
English or referencing. written English or a highly professional
referencing. written style.

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Learning Outcomes

This assessment will enable students to demonstrate in full or in part the learning outcomes identified in the
unit descriptors.

Knowledge and Understanding

K1 Deploy an in-depth understanding of the application of core research methodologies, practices and methods
to analyse complex problems.

Cognitive Skills
C1 Independently and critically synthesise, analyse and evaluate complex information, ideas, data or
propositions.

C2 Demonstrate initiative in designing approaches and methodologies to address complex problems, and show
some originality in the solutions or conclusions reached and their justification.

Practical and Professional Skills

P1 Exercise judgement in selecting and utilising appropriate methods to investigate and research complex
problems.

Transferable and Key Skills

T1 Work independently, effectively managing time and workloads to undertake research activities.
T2 Effectively communicate the results of research activities using written and verbal formats.

Late Submissions

Students are reminded that:

I. If this assessment is submitted late i.e. within 5 working days of the submission deadline, the mark will
be capped at 40% if a pass mark is achieved;
II. If this assessment is submitted later than 5 working days after the submission deadline, the work will
be regarded as a non-submission and will be awarded a zero;
III. If this assessment is being submitted as a referred piece of work (second or third attempt) then it must
be submitted by the deadline date; any Refer assessment submitted late will be regarded as a non-
submission and will be awarded a zero.

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/assessment-regulations.pdf

Extenuating Circumstances

The University’s Extenuating Circumstances procedure is in place if there are genuine circumstances that may
prevent a student submitting an assessment. If students are not 'fit to study’, they can either request an
extension to the submission deadline of 5 working days or they can request to submit the assessment at the
next opportunity (Defer). In both instances students must submit an EC application with relevant evidence. If
accepted by the EC Panel there will be no academic penalty for late submission or non-submission dependent
on what is requested. Students are reminded that EC covers only short term issues (20 working days) and that
if they experience longer term matters that impact on learning then they must contact a Student Achievement
Officer for advice.

A summary of guidance notes for students is given below:

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/extenuating-circumstances.pdf

Academic Misconduct

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Any submission must be students’ own work and, where facts or ideas have been used from other sources, these
sources must be appropriately referenced. The University’s Academic Handbook includes the definitions of all
practices that will be deemed to constitute academic misconduct. Students should check this link before
submitting their work.

Procedures relating to student academic misconduct are given below:

https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/student-academic-misconduct.pdf

Ethics Policy

The work being carried out by students must be in compliance with the Ethics Policy. Where there is an ethical
issue, as specified within the Ethics Policy, then students will need an ethics release or an ethical approval prior
to the start of the project.

More information on ethics requirements for research and the Ethics policy can be found on the website:
https://www.solent.ac.uk/research-innovation-enterprise/researcher-support/research-integrity/information-
for-students

Grade marking

The University uses a letter grade scale for the marking of assessments. Unless students have been specifically
informed otherwise their marked assignment will be awarded a letter grade. More detailed information on grade
marking and the grade scale can be found on the portal and in the Student Handbook.

Policy: https://www.solent.ac.uk/about/documents/assessment-policy.pdf

Guidance for online submission through Solent Online Learning (SOL)

http://learn.solent.ac.uk/onlinesubmission