Instructions on Inquiry-Based Learning Project Report

1. Topic Selection:
• Choose a topic related to business and management that interests you.
• Confirm your chosen topic and title/question with your module tutor by Week
6.
2. Project Plan (Week 6 - Week 8):
• Develop a project plan outlining the structure and content of your report.
• Include a clear introduction stating the purpose and objectives of your
report.
• Plan your research approach, including the sources you will use to gather
information (e.g., books, academic journals, reputable websites).
• Create a detailed outline with sub-headings for each section of your report.
• Prepare a timeline that outlines key milestones and deadlines for
completing each part of your project.
• Submit the project plan to your supervisor for approval and formative
feedback.
3. Progress Update (Week 8 - Week 9):
• Provide a progress update on your project to your supervisor.
• Highlight the research you have conducted so far and the main points you
have identified.
• Share any challenges or difficulties you have encountered and how you plan
to address them.
4. Project Report Format:
• The report should be in a formal format, including a title page, table of
contents, and page numbers.
• Divide the report into sections with sub-headings to improve readability.
• The report will contain the following parts:
o Title Page
o Executive summary
o Table of Contents
 o Introduction - introduction (Why topic is important), research
question, hypothesis, Secondary objectives
o Literature Review (5 sources)
o Methodology – Primary/ secondary // Quantitative and Qualitative
o Research Findings/ Discussion
o Recommendations
o Conclusion
o Reference List
o Appendices

5. Research and Writing:

• Use a variety of credible sources to gather information for your report.
• Properly cite all the sources used in your report using Harvard reference
and citation style (BNU Guideline provided on LSST Portal).
• Avoid plagiarism by paraphrasing or quoting sources as needed and
providing proper citations.
• Use clear and concise language appropriate for a foundation level
assignment.
6. The report must be (+/- 10%) 2,000 words
• Min 1,800 or
• Max 2,200 words.

7. Presentation requirements
• Font Arial 12

• Line spacing of 1.5

8. Use of academic sources only:

• BNU E-Library / LSST Library
• Books/Journals/Articles
• Use Google Scholar
• EBSCO
9. Time Management:
• Allocate sufficient time each week to work on your assignment
independently, in addition to any scheduled teaching.
 • Stick to the timeline you created in your project plan to ensure you complete
the assignment on time.
10. Submission:
• Submit your final project report via LSST Connect on Turnitin before the
deadline given on the assignment brief.
• Ensure you check your work for any spelling, grammar, or formatting errors
before submission.
• Late Submission- The work will be capped by 40%
11. Seek Guidance and Feedback:
• If you have any questions or need clarification, don't hesitate to reach out
to your module tutor for guidance.
• Take advantage of any opportunities for feedback on your progress or draft
report to improve the final version.

Please see below more detailed instructions regarding your assignment in this
module.
Module: (FY028) Inquiry Based Learning
CW1: Project Report

Topic:

LSST ID:
Bucks ID:
Lecturer’s name:
Due Date:
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction

An introduction in a report provides the reader with an overview of the report's purpose,
scope, and content. The introduction should capture the reader's attention and motivate
them to read further by clearly presenting the topic and objectives of the report.
An effective introduction should:

• Introduce the topic: The introduction should provide an overview of the topic
being addressed in the report, including its significance and relevance. The
introduction should clearly state the objectives, research and purpose of the report,
explaining what the report aims to achieve and how it will address the topic.

• State the research question:

• State the hypothesis:
• State the secondary research objectives:

• Preview the content structure: The introduction should provide a brief summary
of the report's structure, highlighting the main sections and the key points to be
addressed in each section.

• Engage the reader: The introduction should be engaging and interesting, using a
clear and concise writing style that captures the reader's attention and motivates
them to continue reading.
Chapter 2: Literature review

A literature review is a summary and analysis of what has already been written and
published on a specific topic. It involves gathering information from various sources, such
as books and articles, to understand what experts and researchers have said about the
subject. The purpose of a literature review is to provide a clear picture of the current state
of knowledge on the topic and identify any gaps or areas for further research. (5 articles
from reliable sources – BNU Library/ Journals)
An effective literature review should be:
• Comprehensive: evidence should be gathered from all relevant academic
sources.
• Fully referenced: allowing others to follow the path of the author to the paper’s
conclusion. It is important to avoid plagiarism.
• Selective: using appropriate search strategies to find the key evidence. You should
search and collect information related to your topic only and from reliable sources.
• Relevant: focusing on key themes and ideas. Focus on specific aspects of your
assignment.
• Balanced: between different ideas and opinions.
• Critical: in its appraisal of the literature.
• Analytical: developing new ideas and understandings from the evidence.
Chapter 3: Methodology

In research, a methodology outlines the steps and techniques used to collect and analyse
data to answer research questions or test hypotheses. It defines the tools, procedures,
and strategies employed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the study's findings.

In this section you should clearly state how you carried out your investigation. You need
to describe what you did to conduct your investigation and the step-by-step procedure
you followed.

- Data collection method: Primary or secondary research

- Definition of chosen data collection method (From reliable source)
- Why have you chosen this data collection method? - write advantages of the
method.
- Places where you find the information?

In your research you must use primary research and optional secondary research.

• Primary research involves the direct collection of new and original data from the
source or firsthand. Primary Research can be done through:
o Surveys
o Interviews
o Experiments
o Observations
o Focus groups

• Secondary research involves the use of existing data that has already been
collected and published by others. Researchers analyse and interpret data from
sources like books, articles, reports, databases, or other publicly available
information.

• You explain the reader what kind of primary research you have used and who is
involved in the research. Is the research Qualitative or quantitative?

o Quantitative data is numbers-based, countable, or measurable.

Quantitative data tells us how many, how much, or how often in calculations.
 o Qualitative data is interpretation-based, descriptive, and relating to
language. Qualitative data can help us to understand why, how, or what
happened behind certain behaviours.

• Mention the number of participants and method used in your research.

Chapter 4: Results/ Discussion
This is the section you interpret and explain your results, offering possible reasons as to
why you got the findings you did, providing evidence to back up your explanations.

• Research findings in a report should be presented in a clear and organized

manner, using tables, graphs, and other visual aids to help convey the information
(optional).
• You can choose to present the results in this section alongside with the analysis
and findings, or you can present the results as part of your Appendices to save
word count.
• You should strictly focus on the results directly relevant to answering your research
question, the objectives and your hypothesis.
• Discuss meaning of your findings mean by supporting the explanation with
previous research.
• If you will use in your report, do not forget to give each graph/table a title and
provide a description of the information demonstrated.
Chapter 5: Conclusion

• The conclusion in a report is the final section of the report that summarizes the
main findings and presents the writer's overall assessment or evaluation of the
research.

• The conclusion should tie together the various sections of the report and provide
a clear and concise summary of the main points.

• State whether you achieved research objectives and whether you can
confirm your hypothesis.

• You can provide suggestions for future research.

Chapter 6 : Recommendations

• The recommendation section in a report is where you offer specific actions or

suggestions for addressing the problem or issue that was investigated in the report.

• You should be sure to clearly link the recommendations to the research findings
presented earlier in the report.

• The recommendations should be specific, actionable, and based on the evidence

presented in the report.

• In simple words, what is your advice or recommendation to the company to

improve things or resolve their issues.
References

• Use Harvard Referencing Style according to BNU Guideline available on LSST

Portal.

• References should be listed according to alphabetical order

• You must properly use in-text citation through the assignment

It does not count towards word count.

Appendices

• Here you can add your actual collected research information depending on the
kind of the research you have used.

• Every other thing you think is related to your work and you had to add it in the
appendix section.

• Consent form if any personal information is disclosed for the participants of the
primary research.

It does not count towards word count.