BACHELORS DEGREE PROGRAMME: RESEARCH PROJECT WRITING
BASIC GUIDELINES.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT (SBM)1

1)

Title of Project

2)

STUDENT NAME:………………………………………

3)

STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER:………………………………

4)

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF …….. (e.g. MARKETING) IN THE DEPARTMENT OF (e.g. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT), POLYTECHNIC OF NAMIBIA.

5)

SUPERVISOR: …………………………………………………………………..

6)

DATE/YEAR: ………………………………………………………………….

1

COMPILED BY K. Boamah (Dean). August 2007

i

Declaration

I, (Forename Surname), declare that this project is my own original work, and that all sources have been accurately reported and acknowledged, and that this project has not been previously in its entirety, or in part been submitted at any academic institution in order to obtain an academic qualification.

…………………….

………………..

SIGNATURE

DATE

Abstract:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………......................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... .. ....................................................................................................................................................

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Dedication (Optional):

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………............................................................................................ Acknowledgements:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………….................................................................................

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TITLE OF PROJECT ................................................................................................................ I STUDENT NAME:……………………………………… .............................................................. I STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER:……………………………… ....................................... I ABSTRACT: ............................................................................................................................ II DEDICATION (OPTIONAL):................................................................................................... III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: ..................................................................................................... III 1.0

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1

2.0

LEARNING OUT COMES............................................................................................ 2

3.0

GENERAL RULES....................................................................................................... 2

3.1

SUBMISSION............................................................................................................... 2

3.2

IMPORTANT DEADLINES .......................................................................................... 3

3.3
EXTENSION (S) OF DEADLINE(S) FOR SUBMISSION OF RESEARCH
PROJECTS .............................................................................................................................. 3 3.4

ASSESSMENT OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................... 4

3.5

ASSESSMENT OF RESEARCH PROJECTS............................................................ 4

3.6

FAILING GRADES FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS .................................................... 4

4.0

HOUSE STYLE ............................................................................................................ 5

5.0

PLAGIARISM ............................................................................................................... 5

6.0

CITATION .................................................................................................................... 6

7.0

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................... 8

8.0

PROJECT SUPERVISOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES...................................................... 9

9.0

STUDENT/RESEARCHER’S RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................. 12

APPENDICES:

RELEVANT FORMS .............................................................................. 14

APPENDIX 1:

PROJECT EVALUATION FORM .............................................................. 15

APPENDIX 2:

SUPERVISORY MEETING FORM ........................................................ 18

APPENDIX 3:

INTERVENTION FORM ......................................................................... 20

APPENDIX 4

THE MAIN BODY OF THE RESEARCH WORK....................................... 22

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1.0

Introduction

A requisite part of the study programme for all the Bachelors Degree programmes of the Polytechnic is the submission of a Research Project (RP) in the form of a dissertation. The RP is a comprehensive report embracing technical economic and human aspects of the appropriate study programme and their interaction. For the Bachelors Degree programmes, a RP is defined as follows:

"A Research Project submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Bachelors Degree and shall constitute a piece of independent research in which knowledge, comprehension, ability to critically analyse, evaluate and apply subject-specific theories and concepts are demonstrated, and be submitted in accordance with the appropriate course regulations." Students at this level are also expected to demonstrate the generic abilities to write in a clear and accessible language, to adhere to institutional academic practice, and to sustain a coherent line of argument that is directed towards a topic of interest to their field of discipline. The School of Business and Management (SBM) of the Polytechnic of Namibia is responsible for providing suitable guidelines for the teaching of Research Methodology and the coordination of the supervision of Research Projects undertaken by the bachelors’ degree students. The enormity of this responsibility requires the supervisors to be competent in the field and/or related area and have time to supervise students adequately.

Supervision of Research Projects is a specialized form of teaching that is considered by the Polytechnic to be very important. The roles and responsibilities of the supervisors, the respective departments and students are clearly stated in the sections below. The performance of supervisors and students will be regularly reviewed and reflected upon by means of progress reports. All parties should be prepared to discuss performance matters at progress meetings. However, the Head of Department (HOD), supervisors or students may raise issues relating to performance at any time.

1

2.0

Learning Out comes2

The determination of the evaluation criteria is among others, guided by the following learning outcomes of the Research Project.
At the end of the course students should be able to:
Correctly apply different research methods and techniques in their areas of specialisation. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information. Integrate the use of information technology into the execution of a Research Project Present the findings of the research work in the form of a written report. 3.0

GENERAL RULES

The following rules shall apply to all Research Projects done by students. 3.1

Submission

Students shall submit three hard copies of their projects to their supervisors. Upon completion of the final assessment and corrections made to the satisfaction of the internal examiner and the Head of Department, the student shall submit an electronic copy and the three hard copies for assessment purposes. These copies shall be bound in the col...

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