Structure WORK BASED PROJECT TERMS OF REFERENCE Ensures

Structure WORK BASED PROJECT

TERMS OF REFERENCE � Ensures the project is delivered in appropriate format � Report will have to be structured and presented in a particular way � The following structure will be the way you structure your research projects;

STRUCTURE TITLE ABSTRACT LIST OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OBJECTIVES OR INTRODUCTION CONTEXT LITERATURE REVIEW METHODS RESULTS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES APPENDICES

ETHICAL ISSUES Apply for permission to carry out the research � Make a written approach either to an organisation or to anybody that you wish to include � Sometimes organisations or people may not want to be included therefore you may have to refine you ideas and proposals � It is always a good idea to have something formal in writing to clarify your obligations, the following is an example; �

EXAMPLE All participants will remain anonymous � Information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality � Interviewees will have the opportunity to verify statements and quotations when the report is in draft stage � Anybody participating in the research will receive a copy of the final report � Although the research is being prepared for your work at college, if you wish to use it again at a later stage, permission will be sought to do so �

ACTION PLAN EARLY IDEAS EXCHANGING THOUGHTS USING READING TO CLARIFY AND DEVELOP IDEAS REFINING OF IDEAS IN THE LIGHT OF READING

RATIONALE FOR RESEARCH QUESTION OR HYPOTHESIS � In order to limit the time consumed on this process it may be helpful to identify a series of criteria for choosing a problem; � Interest � Importance � Context � practicalities

Interest Is the topic area that you are going to research one that interests you? Importance Is the area of research important? What would you like to learn?

Context Practicalities Does the topic build Are there sufficient on other research? resources to research the topic? A good topic would build upon and compliment other things that have been written

TASK AND REVIEW DATES � It is important to set a timetable for your research investigations � The main parts of the project will be signposted with draft submission dates � It is important you meet these deadlines in order to stay on top of your project

STATEMENT OF A PROBLEM � Can be used to discuss the questions and issues that students wish to discuss within their research

RESEARCH QUESTIONS/HYPOTHESIS � Are fundamental in helping to identify the outcomes of the study.

LITERATURE REVIEW �A summary of the literature review is helpful in clarifying the areas of theory that fall within the context of the research.

METHODOLOGY � Identifies how the student is going to answer the research questions or meet the hypothesis

MONITORING AND REVIEWING PROGRESS � Analysing and drawing conclusions from the data is not always easy, but is really everything that a project is about. � You need to think about the sort of conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis of data.