ECO000109M
DISSERTATION
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Please submit your Research Proposal on the Dissertation VLE Site by Monday 15 July 2024, 11am (UK time).
Objectives
The research proposal is a 1,500 word written report presenting your topic and research question, motivated by a short literature review and providing a detailed plan of how you will answer this question. You should aim to demonstrate the relevance, originality and feasibility of your research project given the allocated timeframe.
Format
1,500 words excluding titles, graphs, equations, tables and references.
Please provide your name, student number and name of your supervisor.
Guidelines
Your research proposal should provide the following information.
Title of your dissertation
The title should be clear and concise, and incorporate relevant key words to reflect the main topics, concepts, or variables that you are investigating.
Introduction
Provide a brief introduction to outline your topic of interest and discuss the main motivations to carry out this research. What is the main purpose of this dissertation and why is this important?
Provide some background of the central issues of your research. What are the underlying reasons for undertaking this specific research? You can also briefly discuss the theoretical and empirical context that motivates your research.
Research question
Clearly state your research question and hypotheses. What will you investigate? What are you expecting to demonstrate?
Briefly explain how your research will contribute to the literature.
Literature Review
Identify two or three papers that are highly relevant to your research question. Provide a critical appraisal of their aims, methods, results and limitations.
Research methods
Explain how you will answer your research question. Justify why your research methods are relevant and feasible within the allocated timeframe. Discuss any limitations.
If your main methodological approach is theoretical, provide a brief description of the type of model you will use and outline your assumptions.
If you are considering an empirical approach provide information on the source of data, sample size and relevant variables. Indicate whether you already have access to the data or not. Outline your econometric model and briefly describe your estimation method (e.g. OLS, Panel methods, AR or VAR…).
If you are conducting a systematic literature review, outline your search strategy: databases, key words, exclusion and inclusion criteria.
References
Provide the list of references (book chapters, articles, web pages) used in your research proposal. Use the Harvard referencing style.
Assessment
This assessment counts for 10% of your final mark for the Dissertation module. It is not re-assessable. The criteria and level descriptors used to mark your research proposal are available on the next page.
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Excellent
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Very Good
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Competent
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Poor
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70-100
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60-70
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50-60
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0-50
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Introduction
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The introduction provides a clear and concise overview of the research topic, its significance, and context. It effectively sets the stage for the research proposal.
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The introduction provides a good overview of the research topic and its significance, but may lack some clarity or conciseness.
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The introduction briefly introduces the research topic but lacks clarity or depth in explaining its significance or context.
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The introduction does not effectively introduce the research topic or its significance, and lacks clarity.
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Research question
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The research question is clearly defined, specific, original and relevant to the research topic. It demonstrates a deep understanding of the subject matter.
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The research question is well-defined and relevant to the research topic, but may lack some specificity or clarity.
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The research question is somewhat relevant to the research topic but lacks specificity or may be too broad.
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The research question is unclear, irrelevant, or too broad, making it difficult to understand its purpose or relevance.
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Literature Review
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The literature review provides a critical analysis of relevant literature, demonstrating a thorough understanding of existing research and its implications for the proposed study.
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The literature review provides a good overview of relevant literature, but may lack some depth or critical analysis.
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The literature review briefly summarizes some relevant literature but lacks depth or critical analysis.
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The literature review is insufficient or irrelevant, demonstrating a lack of understanding of existing research on the topic.
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Methods
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The methods section clearly outlines the research design (e.g., data, model, estimation methods) demonstrating a clear and feasible plan for conducting the research.
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The methods section provides a clear overview of the research design and methods, but may lack some detail or clarity in explaining data analysis techniques or theoretical assumptions.
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The methods section outlines the research design and methods, but lacks detail or clarity in explaining data analysis techniques or theoretical assumptions.
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The methods section is unclear or incomplete, making it difficult to understand how the research will be conducted.
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Academic writing
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The proposal is well-written with clear organisation, logical flow, and adherence to academic writing conventions (e.g., proper grammar, spelling, citation format).
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The proposal is generally well-written but may contain some minor errors in grammar, spelling, or citation format.
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The proposal is written adequately but may lack some organisation or clarity, and may contain noticeable errors in grammar, spelling, or citation format.
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The proposal is poorly written, lacking organisation, clarity, and containing numerous errors in grammar, spelling, or citation format.
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