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Context
You are providing some consultancy work for a client (LIBS). This consultancy involves a quantitative approach to an important research question for LIBS, which requires the management of data. The client requires you to present your research findings to establish whether any significant results about Employability and Employment prospects in undergraduate students have been obtained from a primary data collection process.
Using statistical techniques, you will evaluate the survey’s design, compile measures of information and make inferential recommendations to the client based on tests of significance.
Beneficially, this assessment will provide a test of your skills of report writing and data management, thus giving you experience of reporting on your analysis of results using a statistical package. The experience will enable you to look ahead to the time when you prepare your own consultancy project or research, especially anticipating the requirements of a research proposal.
Submission procedure (refer to the Module Handbook and Assessment Tab on Blackboard)
The assignment must be submitted electronically via Turnitin (date and time of the submission are indicated on Page 1). It is your responsibility to keep your email receipt of your Turnitin submission.
Late submissions shall be penalised, whether measured against the original or any formally extended deadline. The penalty shall consist of a reduction in the mark of 10 percentage points for each whole or partial working day late. This means 10 percentage points of the marks available for the assessment. For example, where an assignment result warranting a merit mark of 60% is submitted two days late, then a mark of 40% shall be recorded (60% – 20%).
Once the deadline for submission has passed, you will not be permitted to submit or to amend your answers. If your submission is received after the deadline, it will be deemed as being late and have marks deducted as outlined above.
Uploading and Submitting your Assignment via Blackboard’s Turnitin procedure
1) Go to the module’s Blackboard site (Research and Consultancy Methods 1718) and to Site Tools/Turnitin Assignments.
2) Click the “Assessment submission” Tab.
3) Complete the upload.
Always refer to the current Undergraduate Regulations for guidance on Academic Offences including plagiarism. This document is available on the Portal and via Blackboard (The ‘My University’ tab).
http://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/files/2013/03/Undergraduate-Regulations-2017-18.pdf
Guidance
Ensure you have :
· read all the instructions and requirements carefully and that you answer all the required questions and points.
· accessed from Blackboard the two supplementary documents [IBM SPSS 22 datafile and a Briefing paper].
The Briefing paper sets out the context, research question, methodology for the survey, background literature and the survey questions.
Read a good range of high quality sources to help you. Practice all the seminar work in SPSS as much as possible before you attempt the assignment.
The University has a Maths. and Statistics Support Centre (MASH) based on the Ground Floor of the GCW Library, which is available to all students. It offers resources to help you along your way, as well as information about MASH drop-in and workshops.
MASH includes help with SPSS in its services. The MASH guide is linked at :
http://guides.library.lincoln.ac.uk/mash and
http://guides.library.lincoln.ac.uk/mash/SPSS
Can I have SPSS on my own computer?
You can now download SPSS onto your own computer from ICT. You will not need to download it each year, you will just need the new code. If you have SPSS 22 but your licence has run out, instructions are in the ‘Updating your SPSS code’ document.
Learning Outcomes tested (LO1, LO3 and LO5)
LO1 Demonstrate an awareness of research methods, terms and issues.
LO2 Critically evaluate research proposals and outputs.
LO3 Demonstrate an awareness of issues of methodology and its
importance in successful research design.
LO4 Design a research or consultancy project.
LO5 Develop skills relating to the management of data and time.
Requirements : Critical evaluation of the survey research methods and a report based on analysing Quantitative research data
This assignment is based on your evaluation and analysis of an existing survey of University of Lincoln students undertaken by the client (LIBS) in 2017.
You will consider the design of the survey’s questionnaire and you will be asked to undertake some analysis (in SPSS) of the datafile that was created using this questionnaire.
Your task is to create a report that answers the questions set out below. Your report should include appropriate tables, figures (graphs) and a set of references. You must use SPSS for data analysis where required.
Section 1 : Evaluation of Survey Design (20% of the marks)
Considering all the documents carefully, and examining the datafile that was produced from the questionnaire, you should write a brief summary of the methods used in this research. This should include your understanding of the research aims of the original survey exercise.
Consider the questionnaire used for the data collection to make observations and suggestions for improvement about the design of the questionnaire itself. (We suggest you complete it yourself or ask friends to complete it in order to trial it).
From the accompanying Briefing paper, identify the sampling approach that the authors claim was used and proceed to comment generally on the approach used to collect the data.
Section 2 : Analysis of survey data (60% of the marks)
This section should be based on an analysis of the datafile provided. The requirement is to include effective tables and graphs to answer the following :
2a. Analysis of sample composition (10%)
Questions 18, 19 and 23 ask about the demographic characteristics of the population ie age, gender and weekly spending (£).
By running cross-tabulations on the interaction of year of study with age, develop a sample composition table, barchart and a test for significance, including a clear statement of the hypotheses being tested.
Explain why it is important to know the composition of any sample.
Discuss any aspects of this sample composition that you find unexpected and reflect on how these findings might relate to the sampling approach used.
2b. Analysis of satisfaction levels reported in the Questionnaire (30%)
Question 5 asks about respondents’ satisfaction with a number of statements about the University’s Careers and Employability service. Using descriptive statistics, analyse the responses obtained to each of these statements.
Rank the mean responses to these statements in your report so that it is clear which aspects ‘scored’ the highest and the lowest. Hence, discuss briefly any aspects that respondents are particularly satisfied with, and those with which they are less satisfied. (10%)
The client is interested to find out whether overall levels of satisfaction with the University’s Careers and Employability Service (Question 7) vary depending on the ages of students. Use cross-tabulations to look at the responses given in relation to this variable.
Identify whether the independent variable appears to show noticeable differences. Apply a Chi-squared test to identify if any difference is statistically significant. Reflect on what this analysis may be able to tell the client. Explain in your own words what the test of significance shows. (20%)
2c. Anticipated annual salary (20%)
Respondents are asked to estimate how much they hope to earn annually after graduation (Question 13).
Using descriptive statistics, undertake an analysis of annual salary across the sample, broken down by the type of work the student hopes to obtain (Question 12).
Using ‘Compare Means’, analyse these findings and comment. (10%)
Comment on these findings and consider where respondents appear to be most and least hopeful. (10%)
Section 3 : Summary, Conclusions and Improvements (20% of the marks)
3a. Findings and conclusions
Summarise your findings and draw your conclusions. Reiterate any key findings from your analysis, highlighting the points to which you think that the client should pay particular attention. Your report should highlight what the research suggests are the areas where the University performs well, or where improvements are needed. (10%)
3b. Developing the research
Indicate any suggestions you may have for further developing the research, including improvements to question design, and extending the research design for future surveys for the client.
(10%)
Suggested Reading and support is to be found in the Study Guide.
Marking scheme : Assessment 2 (100% of the marks)
Marks for this assessment will be made available to you according to normal University feedback procedures.
Section 1 : Evaluation of Survey Design (20% of the marks)
Brief summary of the methods used in this research, inc. research aims.
Observations and improvements about the design of the questionnaire.
Identify the sampling approach that was used and comment generally on the approach used to collect the data. (20%)
Section 2 : Analysis of survey data (60% of the marks)
2a. Analysis of sample composition (10%)
Sample table, barchart, test for significance, and hypotheses being tested.
Why it is important to know the composition of any sample.
Discuss the sample composition, anything unexpected and reflection on findings that relate to the sampling approach used.
2b. Analysis of satisfaction levels reported in the Questionnaire (30%)
Descriptive statistics analysis of responses.
Rank the mean responses to clarify aspects ‘scored’ the highest and the lowest.
Discuss briefly any aspects of satisfaction and less satisfied. (10%)
Cross-tabulations to look at the responses given in relation age and Q7.
Chi-squared test to identify if any difference is statistically significant.
Reflect on what this analysis tells the client. Explain what the significance test shows. (20%)
2c. Anticipated annual salary (20%)
Descriptive statistics of annual salary, by the type of work (Question 12).
‘Compare Means’ to analyse these findings and comment. (10%)
Comment on findings, and where respondents appear to be most and least hopeful. (10%)
Section 3 : Summary, Conclusions and Improvements (20% of the marks)
3a. Findings and conclusions
Summary and conclusions, key findings, highlighting the points for the client.
Highlight what the research suggests are the areas where the University performs well, or where improvements are needed. (10%)
3b. Developing the research
Suggestions for further developing the research, improvements to question design, and extending the research design for future surveys for the client. (10%)
Report style, general presentation and quality of communication
- Pay attention to diagrams, figures, tables etc.. All items must be correctly coded in ascending, academic format e.g. “Table 3”, “Figure 5”. All items must be cross-referenced in the main part of the report.
- The use of an ‘Introduction’ to the work is encouraged.
- The use of referenced research-based findings is hugely encouraged.
- Sub-headings within each main section are essential. Try to produce sub-headings from the questions.
- You will be penalised if you have made little attempt to insert page numbers, check spelling, punctuation and grammar. There is no excuse for incorrect work in any of these matters.