Green growth and green jobs

The coursework assessment is designed to enable you to partially demonstrate the learning outcomes
required for the successful completion of the module, with particular reference to the
business/market/academic research skills development outcomes for this component as detailed in the
module specification and module handbook:
• Evaluating secondary data sources such as research reports and academic literature to frame research
question
• Demonstrating understanding of development, conduct, analysis and interpretation of business,
market and academic research to propose a research plan
• Working creatively with quantitative and qualitative (and potentially alternative research methods)
• Understanding of ethical issues in business, market and academic research that apply to your proposal
• Producing a succinct, well-argued and well-presented research proposal.
The Research Proposal
This Research Proposal is based on topics you have covered over your degree programme so far, giving
you a choice of topics to focus upon (see separate document): you must choose just one to develop.
You are asked to play the part of a business or government researcher, submitting a proposal document
to the client for their approval of your plan to research the question you choose. In order to create an
appropriate proposal, you are required to analyse the existing academic and practitioner literature in the
area, identify an aim and objectives, develop a strategy for sampling, collecting, analysing and
interpreting data, and discuss the ethical and other limitations of your research.
Although practically-focused, this assessment requires an academic slant uniting academic and
practitioner knowledge. You are expected to integrate academic concepts and theories from your other
modules, and your own reading, to underpin your work and support the judgements you are making. In
this regard it is essential that you properly reference all books, academic articles, websites and other
reference sources used in your report.
No primary data collection is required. This is a maximum 4000 word proposal, to be submitted
electronically by 2pm on April 28th, 2015.
Your Research Proposal is expected to cover the following:
• Executive Summary (c.100 words)
• Introduction briefly covering justification for research (c.200 words)
• Background – a short literature review identifying clear gap in theoretical and practical knowledge
(c.900 words)
• Aim and objectives (c.75 words)
• Research methods covering both quantitative and qualitative approaches in a mixed methods
study. These approaches should be covered separately (in whichever order you prefer and which
makes sense for your study) and in each of the two sections should cover:
o Clear sampling plan for each stage, including sampling frame, sample size, intended
recruitment methods and any requirements for incentives (c.200 words)
o Outline of data collection methods for each approach, and commentary on how any
surveys or moderators guides will be developed. This should include consideration of
issues such as socially desirable responding, issues with literacy etc. Details about
conducting the research (e.g. environment, recording data, any materials required) should
be covered (c.800 words)
o Plans for data presentation, coding, analysis and interpretation suitable for each research
approach (c.300 words).
• Consideration of ethics issues arising from the research and how you would address these (c.300
words)
• Description of any limitations of the research (c.150 words)
• Proposed time frame for the research, ideally using Gantt chart (c.150 words)
• Brief closing summary
More detail is provided below about content for each section and marking criteria.
(N.B.: word counts are guidelines only)
Formatting
The report should
• Be in a Microsoft Word format to allow feedback, with 1.5 line spacing
• Be submitted online via e-mail
• Use headings and subheadings to provide clear structure
• Use diagrams, charts or images where they help support your argument
• Be spellchecked and grammatically correct
• Be referenced in the UWE Harvard style (see Library website for details)
• For the avoidance of doubt, anything in the main body of the report beyond this word limit of
4000 words will not be read or marked. The word count includes everything in the main body of
the text listed here: abstract, text, headings, tables, citations, quotes, lists, acronyms and numbers
expressed as digits or in words. It does NOT include the contents page or the references.
Criteria for marking
Overall we are looking for cohesive and logical research methods that build upon each other to achieve
your research aim and objectives. The marking criteria have been split between the key sections of the
assignment, and reflect the content and quality of each section and the proposal as a whole. See the
marking grid below for how this is applied at each grade level, and this section details expected content.