Thesis handbook 2019 2020 MIHSM

MASTER THESIS HANDBOOK MA/MSc International Hospitality and Service Management Course Year 2019-2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS MODULE DESCRIPTION POSITION OF THE THESIS IN THE MASTER PROGRAMME COMPETENCIES LEARNING OUTCOMES TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY ASSESSMENT MARKING HAND IN DATES RETURN OF MARKED WORK RESIT PROCEDURE PLANNING GUIDELINES ASSESSMENT CRITERIA APPENDIX 1: SUGGESTED CHAPTER OUTLINE 12 APPENDIX 2: FRAUD AND PLAGIARISM 14 APPENDIX 3: INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK FORM 15 APPENDIX 4: ASSESSMENT FORM 16 MODULE DESCRIPTION The thesis is the culmination of the master programme and is a major piece of individually researched work The work allows the master students the opportunity to round off an in-depth investigation into an issue or problem derived from and planned in their previous modules The module offers the student an opportunity to enhance knowledge developed during the programme on a particular issue, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate cognitive, practical and transferable skills gained The module draws significantly on the three research modules (RES 1, 2, and 3) This module enables students to demonstrate the research skills that can be applied in any independently researched project, and thus their mastery of this skill set The thesis requires students to critically analyse a theory or applied issue with rigour and detail related to their particular programme POSITION OF THE THESIS IN THE MASTER PROGRAMME Table Position of the thesis in the Master Programme MA/MSc IHSM Module 1: Setting the Framework (10 wks) Research 1: Defining a Contemporary Topic Module 2: Operationalizing the Framework (10 wks) Service Performance Improvement Sustainable Value Creation in the Hospitality Industry Financial Decision Making Optional University of Derby Study Trip Research 2: Thesis Proposal Module 3: Beyond the Framework (10 wks) Strategic Human Resource Management MSc Path Real World Experiential) Learning (RWEL) in Stenden Hotel Principles of Hospitality & Service Management Research 3: Data Collection Module : Master Thesis (10 wks) Electives (one of the following) Entrepreneurship Managing Research 4: Analysis and Writing AIHR and Innovation Events Projects Organisations Submission/ completion Post-programme Career Advancement Internship COMPETENCIES On completion of the thesis, the student is able to demonstrate and apply the following acquired cognitive skills, both in a differentiating and integrative way: ▪ conceptual reasoning ▪ strategic analysis ▪ quality questioning ▪ research competencies ▪ international orientation The participant is able to demonstrate and apply the following acquired affective skills, both in a differentiating and integrative way: ▪ academic approach ▪ independent way of thinking ▪ accurate style of working ▪ co-operative manner of managing ▪ academic writing LEARNING OUTCOMES On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Create a substantial piece of independent, investigative research using appropriate research instruments, underpinned by a consideration of methodological issues, and conduct reflective analysis of the findings of the research data TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY A supervisor (senior member of the academic research staff) guides the master thesis Students are expected to consult with the supervisor at several times during the thesis module Comprehensive guidance of the responsibilities and roles of the student is provided by the supervisor Individual meeting with supervisor 5% Self-directed learning 95% The focus is student centered and the students’ own the responsibility to drive the analysis forward The supervisor will offer assistance and guidance on the process and analysis elaborated by the students Contact between student and supervisor will be negotiated as appropriate for the specific study In addition, there are several research tutorials focussed on analysing your data and writing up the research report Students are expected to join these tutorials ASSESSMENT The assessment strategy is designed to enable students to demonstrate their ability to implement an independent master research project Formative Assessment Students are expected to initiate a sufficient number of meetings with their supervisor (for the latter to confirm) and are supposed to attend the research tutorials Summative Assessment Assessment Weighting 100% Coursework CW1: 100 % Learning outcome Students will demonstrate their ability to work independently (under supervision) by producing an individual thesis of 20,000 words (± 10%) MARKING The master thesis will be assessed by two persons: ▪ the supervisor ▪ a second staff member (whose name will not necessarily be presented beforehand) Grades will be on a scale between 0% and 100% The pass rate is 55%, which corresponds with a rounded grade of The grade will have a substantial effect on the award a student will acquire Both the weighted mean of all modules (including the thesis) and the thesis itself need to have a minimum grade of to obtain a Master degree with distinction After grading has finished the students will receive a feedback form in which the comments of both graders are integrated In case of a non-pass grade at the first submission, this will help the student to improve the thesis for second submission HAND IN DATES The deadline for the thesis is Thursday the 27 August 2020, 12.00 hrs noon The deadline for the resit of the thesis is Thursday the October 2020, 12.00 hrs noon RETURN OF MARKED WORK After the Assessment Board meeting the students will receive the feedback form in which the comments of both graders are integrated The form can be found in Appendix of the handbook A note on the marking process: Once the final work is submitted, the work is marked by the supervisor and a second grader, and the two assessors meet to discuss and agree on a final grade RESIT PROCEDURE If a student does not pass the master thesis, the student has the possibility to resubmit the master thesis once The student has to consider the feedback received via the feedback form and then can consult supervisor if necessary The deadline for finishing the re-sit of the master thesis and further procedures can be found in the planning and under hand in dates PLANNING Overall, the year planning for the thesis is as follows: Module Module Module Module Research 1: Finding a contemporary topic Research 2: Thesis proposal (end of module students will be allocated to their thesis supervisors) Research 3: Data collection Thesis 2020 Hand-in, assessment and re-sit of master thesis Dates Activity 27/08 Handing in thesis ultimately Thursday the 27th of August 2020 before 12.00 hrs noon Dutch time on Blackboard and to MA office 27/08 11/09 Double assessment + moderation for grade setting 14/09 Pass/fail publication to student 14/09 18/09 Feedback moment with students 08/10 Handing in resit thesis ultimately Thursday the 8th of October 2020 before 12.00 hrs noon Dutch time on Blackboard and to MA office 08/10 23/10 Double Assessment, moderation for grade setting 26/10 30/10 Assessment Board 01/11 End of enrolment: students need to deregister from the NHL-Stenden student administration 11/12 Date of Graduation ceremony Ultimately on Thursday the 27th of August 2020, before 12.00 hrs noon Dutch time, the students have to email their master thesis (in word and PDF) to masters@nhlstenden.com The students have to add additional documents with their thesis Students will be informed in good time before the deadline what to hand in The master thesis has to be uploaded in Ephorus on Blackboard as a Word file, PDF not accepted, ultimately Thursday the 27th August 2020 before 12.00 hrs noon in the Research course In case of a resit the items described above need to be fulfilled ultimately on Thursday 8th October 2020 before 12.00 hrs noon GUIDELINES It is a requirement that the topic of study has a relation with the award the student is studying Students are invited to contribute to the body of knowledge and research output that Stenden University of Applied Sciences is building Ideally the subject is related to one of the research units connected to the Hotel Management School (MA/MSc IHSM) – Academy of International Hospitality Research (AIHR) and the School of Leisure and Tourism (MA/MSc ILTEM) – European Futures Tourism Institute (ETFI) In doing so, the quality of supervision is stimulated, and the identity and branding of the Stenden Schools’ research units and master programmes are strengthened In some cases the master thesis might lead to a co-publication of the staff member and the student Finally, as the Stenden Schools offer professional master programmes, the subject of the master thesis should have practical relevance for the industry sector the programme is aiming at The master thesis topic should be sufficiently well-focused to facilitate an indepth study but broad enough to develop an informed overview of the topic area The required length of the master thesis is 20.000 +/- 10% words exclusive of title and contents page, figures, tables, quotations, appendices and bibliography The master thesis is expected to demonstrate the student’s ability to undertake a piece of original, primary research Evidence will be required of reasoned exposition, logical structure and scholarly presentation The structure of the master thesis may depend upon the nature of the research and there is no one correct structure However, the following must be included: Cover Page Spine Title page Master thesis title Full student’s name Institution name: NHL-Stenden University of Applied Sciences Award Name: MA (/MSc if applicable) International …… Year and month of master thesis submission Initials and surname Course name abbreviation: MA (MSc)ILTEM or MA (MSc)IHSM) Year Title of master thesis and author’s name “Master thesis submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements of NHL-Stenden University of Applied Sciences for the Degree of Master of Arts in International Hospitality & Service Management or Master of Arts in International Leisure, Tourism and Events Management and (only in case of dual award): Declaration Acknowledgements Abstract Table of contents List of tables (on a separate page) List of figures (on a separate page) University of Derby for the Degree Master of Science in International Hospitality & Service Management or Master of Science in International Leisure, Tourism and Event Management Month and year of submission I herewith declare that This work is composed by me This work has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree or diploma by me or anyone else The work of which this is a record is done wholly be me All verbatim extracts have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of my information have been specifically acknowledged Signed: … followed by your signature… Name: Date: Place: Important note: plagiarism is a serious academic offence that will have serious consequences Please turn to the Teaching and Exam Regulations of both programmes for more details about the Stenden Masters’ policy Acknowledgements should be given to individuals who have provided substantive help with the research The master thesis includes an abstract of the background/rationale, scientific and professional relevance for, purpose statement, problem statement, research questions, research design, outcomes and recommendations Chapter headings and subheadings Individual listing of titles and pages of any tables, graphs and statistics Individual listing of titles and pages of photographs, illustrations and diagrams List of appendices (on a separate page) Main text Bibliography/references Appendices Individual listing by title of each appendix Typing: the master thesis must be typed using double spacing and a font size of 12 points (preferably Arial) Layout: pages should be numbered at the bottom Left margin of 3.54 cm Right, top and bottom margin 2.54 cm Headings: use of headings and subheadings, in addition to chapter headings, is encouraged Decide your own sequence of typographical features for defining the various levels of heading Preferably sections are numbered Try not to go beyond three levels of subheadings Paragraphs: the master thesis should be written in paragraphs Each paragraph should be normally longer than one sentence and will often take up one third of a page Paragraphs often have a linking word such as ‘next’ or ‘furthermore’ near their start These linkers lead the reader from an established idea to a new theme or idea Bullet points: are acceptable but no substitute for chunky paragraphs full of argument Only use them for summaries and genuine lists and not as a way of avoiding debate Quotes: if they are brief, include them in the main text with quotation marks at beginning and end If they are longer than 25 words indent them as a separate paragraph Always provide the page number of the original source Footnotes: not use them for providing citations Use them sparingly for comments or information that, whilst not part of the main flow of argument, has sufficient merit Tenses: the introductory chapters and the conceptual framework chapter should be written in the present tense The literature review and the student’s own research in the past tense Conclusions should be in the present tense Personal pronoun: usually writing in the first person singular would be regarded as inappropriate in more traditional research cultures We would recommend using them only if your research is in the grounded theory, action research or ethnographic research style Language: the master thesis should be written in English If quotes in other languages are used, translations should be provided Tables, diagrams and boxes: should be included in an appropriate place in the text They should be numbered consecutively with separate sequences for tables, figures and boxes and have preferably a title For tables, figures and boxes, the number + title should be placed above them They should only be placed in appendices if they are so bulky that they would disrupt the reader’s flow of understanding The use of boxes to contain illustrative material within the text is fine Vocabulary: use only words you understand Be careful with academic jargon Avoid using acronyms Grammar: please refer to manuals and previous English language courses Citation and referencing: APA style for which we recommend using the automated function in Word (not to make mistakes) Printing: one-sided Listed using the APA style of all sources applied to the master thesis They are useful to put subsidiary information (such as the summary of results from a questionnaire), but the contents is not necessary to the flow of the argument There should always be made references to the appendices from the main text, but this should not eliminate mentioning the relevant information in the main text It should also be avoided to have the reader/assessor get into cross referencing too much (see …, as mentioned in…) Appendices that are thicker than the text should be avoided Appendices are not counted against the master thesis word limits ASSESSMENT CRITERIA See grading indicators for criteria, in addition, the following offers an outline of the contents • • Title: is the title focused, summative, and does it reflect the proposal/dissertation content? Abstract: is it short, complete, self-contained, summative, objective, precise and easy to read? Introduction: contains the specification and definition of the project In general, the markers will assess the clarity stated aims and objectives and the context elaborated, academic and practical relevance to sector related issues, feasibility of objectives of dissertation study and the rationale of your dissertation study • Introduction: is background information included? Is an introduction to current research included and developed? An introduction to the organisation (if applicable)? Have you demonstrated the relevance of your dissertation to the field and is it theoretically grounded? Links to relevant literature and academic debates, the evidence of extensive reading will be valued • Aim(s): is the aim feasible and manageable (have resource and data accessibility been taken into account)? Is the aim original and does it have the potential to add insights to the field of study? Does it conform to the right aim format? • Objectives: are they focused and they reflect or are they linked to the aims? Are the objectives specific and observable? Do they conform to the right format (action verbs)? • Relevance: what is the academic and professional relevance of your study? Why does it need to be researched now? Who could what with the information found out? Literature Review: In general: Search for relevant literature Critical assessment of literature Awareness of contribution of other researchers Awareness of relevant concepts Direct linkage to dissertation aims and objectives identified • Provide a critical review of relevant academic literature; • Critique existing research and link it to aims/objectives; • Review key academic theories and review needs to relate to previous published and “recognised” work; • Demonstrate relevance to contemporary/current debates; literature discussed needs to be current (not outdated); • Be critical (sources that both support and oppose aims and objectives); • Be able to differentiate fact and opinion; • Assess strengths and weaknesses of previous work; • Be objective, unbiased, coherent and cohesive; • Adhere to APA Issues for Investigation highlight the issue to be researched • Conceptual model • Refined problem description, issue is clearly identified • Problem statement on the basis of Literature review / model • SMART research questions and / or hypotheses Methodology: In general, choice and use of research methods are appropriate to the aims and objectives Sound justification provided for each element, including evidence of literature supporting choice of methods • Research Design: research philosophy and resulting research approach; • The research methods; • Instrumentation, reliability and validity of the study; and how it was ensured • Concepts, indicators and information needs are well presented (research matrix) • Population, sampling, sample • The data collection procedure • Ethical issues and how these were treated • Limitations and influence of these limitations Data Presentation or Results: In general, clear and logical presentation of data Indepth analysis • Is the data appropriately presented (graphically or verbatim)? • Is the data presentation factual or interpretative? • Is the analysis appropriate for the research questions? • Are analysis methods used correctly? • Is the analysis analytical or merely descriptive? Discussion: In general: Clear relationship made between aims and objectives, literature and findings • • • Research questions are discussed and answered based upon findings Analysis links the findings to prior academic work as stated in the review and discussed them in-depth Gaps, limitations and implications are discussed and evaluated Conclusions: In general, the aims and objectives are satisfied Effective drawing out of key issues and a logically following recommendations • • • • • • Are the conclusions drawn from the findings and discussion? Are the conclusions linked to aims and objectives? Conclusions are clearly on evaluative level and are not a mere summary of results or discussion Is the contribution of research both for industry and academia stated and well elaborated? Is the research process and result critically reflected and evaluated? Recommendations: SMART recommendations for further research and for the industry (link to relevance of intro) Presentation in general: organisation and layout of material needs to be professional, academic style including spelling and grammar is required Well-used referencing including a list of references and citations Appropriate use of appendices Also the flow of work and linkage between chapters is well worked-out • • • • • Is cohesive, well-structured and inter-linked Sections complement each other Complies with traditional research format Follows APA Referencing style Follows Academic writing and uses terminology sufficiently From the above, it should be clear that markers will not only consider the technical merit of a dissertation, but also the logical development of argument You need to demonstrate interpretative skills and show the ability to study a problem in depth adopting a critical and analytical manner Work that is descriptive, superficial and lacking direction will not be graded highly APPENDIX 1: SUGGESTED CHAPTER OUTLINE The outline below is fairly standard for Master thesis Which means it needs to fit any kind of study For each specific thesis, this outline can of course be improved Think about: Giving more specific headings for each section, based on the concepts / content being covered If needed, changing the order of sections to improve the line of argument Where appropriate, skipping sections which are not relevant and adding sections which are needed for the line of argument Abstract Preface / Acknowledgement Chapter Introduction 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Research Topic Research Background Research Context Purpose of Study Can include relevance 1.5 Overview of the Thesis Chapter Literature Review 2.1 Concept 2.2 Concept 2.3 Etc Chapter Issues for Investigation 3.1 Conceptual model Based on literature review 3.2 Problem Analysis Describes model in the context of the purpose from chapter 3.3 Problem statement / Research Questions / Hypotheses Chapter Method 4.1 General Research Design 4.2 Instrument Contents + scaling Reliability Validity (or the qualitative interpretations of reliability / validity) 4.3 Sample Target population Accessible population Sampling method & sample size Representativeness 4.4 Data collection procedure 4.5 Data analysis method 4.6 Ethical issues 4.7 Limitations of the Design Chapter Results Quantitative studies: 5.1 Sample description 5.2 Scale analysis 5.3 / 5.4 …… Analyses to address research questions / hypotheses Qualitative studies 5.1 Sample description 5.2 (5.3/5.4 …….) Presentation of themes derived from data 5.3 Further analyses Example: comparing themes between sample groups / contrasting points of view Chapter Discussion 6.1 Research questions Research question Findings Comparison with literature Research question Findings Comparison with literature Research question Etc Other option: order by theme for qualitative studies 6.2 Review of Conceptual model Some qualitative studies: this is the only place to present a model 6.3 Limitations of Findings Chapter Conclusions & Recommendations 7.1 Conclusions Includes answer to problem statement and reflection on purpose of study 7.2 Recommendations for Practice 7.3 Recommendations for Further Research Reference List Appendices APPENDIX 2: FRAUD AND PLAGIARISM Please note: Fraud and plagiarism is taken seriously and students should take note of chapter 6, article 17 of the 2019-2020 Teaching and Examination Regulations of the programme If a student has doubt how to deal with sourcing and referencing the student should ask the supervisor for advice APPENDIX 3: INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK FORM Student’s name Title of Module Name Supervisor / Assessor THESIS 1st Name 2nd Assessor’s SECTION B Provisional Grade: % Motivation: NB Coursework submitted late will only be considered for assessment at the discretion of the Examination Board, (See University of Derby Examination Regulations) Copy to be returned to student Date Date Signature supervisor / 1st assessor Signature 2nd assessor APPENDIX 4: ASSESSMENT FORM Student’s name: Student number: Title of Module: THESIS Name Supervisor / 1st Assessor: Name 2nd Assessor’s: Introduction + Issues for Investigation Situating the aim within the knowledge, theory, and concepts of the field of study Context / Background of research Explains the purpose / value of the study Comments: Excellent – Distinction Very good - Distinction Good – with Merrit Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Very poor (90-100%) (75-89%) (65-74%) (55-64%) (40-54%) (