3000-4000 words (+/-10%)
 The assignment involves developing a credible, competent
and well-thought through research project that is likely to
lead to a relevant, rigorous and ethically responsible
research project that you will conduct as your dissertation.
→Make sure you answer all parts of all questions – you will be
marked down for omissions!

Question 1: What is your research area and topic and
what was your motivation for selecting it?
In this answer you need to:
a) state the broad area that your research will cover, e.g. appraisal
or selection;
b) specify your topic;
c) discuss why you have selected it, including why it is
significant, both in terms of the literature and policy, and any
personal motivations for studying it;
d) outline the main issues in the area, both that research has
considered and that have been neglected.
MN7370 Personal and Research Skills for HR Practitioners 3
Question 2: Outline your search strategy for identifying
the literature on your topic and related issues
In this answer you need to:
a) state the initial search terms and electronic databases you
used and over what period you searched;
b) state supplementary or alternative terms;
c) specify the inclusion and exclusion criteria you used to
decide on relevant literature;
d) state additional means of identifying relevant literature.
MN7370 Personal and Research Skills for HR Practitioners 4
Question 3: Identify and review three key articles on the
topic; what have they demonstrated and what are their
strengths and weaknesses?
In this answer you need to:
a) state the three key articles that are most connected to your topic
(Please give the references in full using the Harvard style.)
b) briefly outline how each connects to your topic and why you have
selected them as the key articles.
c) write a critical review of each of the three key articles, first outlining
its main points and then assessing its strengths and weaknesses
concluding with an overall evaluation of it. Consideration must be
given to its research design and data collection methods.
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Question 4: Identify and describe the main findings or
argument of 10 other academic journal articles or books
In this answer you need to:
a) Identify 10 other articles or books that relate to your specific topic
that you will need to use in your research project and describe what
they have demonstrated. (Please give the references in full using the
Harvard style.) The references should not include research methods
books but can include critical articles about the design or methods
that you will use. Try and select articles with a range of research
designs and data collection methods and not just of the same types
that you will use in your study.
b) Describe what they have demonstrated. The description of the main
findings or argument should be done in no more than 3 sentences.
MN7370 Personal and Research Skills for HR Practitioners 6
Question 5: Outline the criteria of a good research
question and specify your research questions?
In this answer you need to:
a) identify the criteria of a good research question in
White’s book,
b) provide a list of your research questions, and then
c) specify their nature and how they meet White’s
criteria.
MN7370 Personal and Research Skills for HR Practitioners 7
Question 6: What is your Research Design?
In this answer you need to:
a) specify and describe your research design
b) explain your choice of research design and how it
enables you to answer your research questions.
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Question 7: Who will you study and the sample method?
In this answer you need to:
a) explain the nature and size of your sample,
b) your sampling technique,
c) how you will gain access to your sample.
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Question 8: What are your data collection methods?
In this answer you need to:
a) outline the nature and substance of the data you will collect,
b) describe your data collection method(s),
c) explain and justify your choice, including how your method(s)
fit with your research questions and its/their strengths and
weaknesses for addressing these,
d) potential problems involved in implementing your chosen
method(s),
e) outline and discuss the options you have rejected.
MN7370 Personal and Research Skills for HR Practitioners 10
Question 9: How are you going to analyse the data?
In this answer you need to:
a) describe how you will analyse the data,
b) what other methods you could have used and have
rejected and for what reason(s).
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Question 10: What ethical issues do you need to
consider and how will they be overcome?
In this answer you need to:
a) outline the ethical issues that need to be considered
in any project,
b) outline the ethical issues that apply to yours and
their specific nature,
c) discuss how you plan to address these issues.
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Question 11: What is your Research plan?
In this answer you need to:
a) present a feasible timetable for undertaking your
research project,
b) do a brief risk assessment of what might go wrong,
c) outline any steps you plan to take to avoid these and
if they materialise what would be your plan B.