The University of the West Indies. IGDS MSc Research Project Preparation Guide and Template

Transcription

1 The University of the West Indies Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), St Augustine Unit IGDS MSc Research Project Preparation Guide and Template March 2014 Rev 1

2 Table of Contents Introduction. 1 Report Preparation. 1 Formatting of Report. 2 Margins.. 2 Fonts and Line Spacing 2 Sub-headings. 2 Quotations.. 3 Footnotes/endnotes. 3 Tables and Figures. 3 Pagination 3 Binding 3 Arrangement... 4 Front Matter 4 Title page 4 Abstract.. 4 Acknowledgements. 4 Dedication.. 5 Table of Contents.. 5 List of Figures, Tables, Illustrations, Charts etc. (if any) 5 Glossary (if any).. 5 List of Abbreviations and Acronyms (if any). 5 Report Body. 5 Introduction.. 5 Background 6 Literature Review.. 6 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework. 6 Research Methodology and Methods.. 6 Findings & Analysis.. 6 Discussion / Conclusion. 6 End Matter 7 Endnotes (if any) 7 Bibliography/References Cited.. 7 Appendices (if any, e.g. interview schedule) 7 Report Template. 8 i

3 Introduction These guidelines are intended to supplement those provided by the UWI for the preparation of the IGDS MSc Research Project. MSc students preparing their research projects must familiarise themselves with these requirements, along with the submission requirements for the IGDS and the University. In accordance with the UWI Graduate Studies Guide for Students and Supervisors, your research project should reflect the following: You have completed independent, wide ranging reading in your area of study Reasonably in-depth analysis of the relevant literature Demonstrate familiarity with research methods and data collection Carry out analysis appropriate to the area of study Findings and citations must be formatted in the approved academic style for your discipline. Report Preparation An MSc project is not a thesis 1 it is meant to demonstrate competence in setting up a research project, preparing a research design, writing a critical literature review, carrying out preliminary pilot research with primary or secondary resources and presenting this as your written submission. Preliminary findings from your research may be discussed in your project report. You are not necessarily expected to make a contribution to knowledge, but you should show a clear understanding of the topic being investigated and its application. The project must consist of your account of your own research and may describe work done in conjunction with your Supervisor provided that you clearly state your personal share in the investigation. This statement is to be certified by your Supervisor. The greater portion of the work submitted for examination must have been done subsequent to your initial registration as a candidate for the degree; no report shall consist wholly of previously published work. The upper limit in terms of length should be pages or 15-20,000 words, exclusive of notes, bibliography, appendices etc. 1 IGDS guidance document Guidelines for MSc. Research /Internship Project of the IGDS, The UWI, St Augustine Section 3.c 1

4 Formatting of Report The report must be submitted in a form that can be reproduced in a clear and usable format, ensuring that the text and illustrative materials are well-defined and error free, printed singlesided, on good quality paper. Please ensure that the report meets the following further requirements. Margins Margins on each page should conform to the following: o top, bottom and right margins not less than 1 or 2.5 cm in width o left margin 2 or 5 cm to allow for loss due to binding Fonts and Line Spacing: The text in the body of the report must be font size 12, Calibri consistently throughout the report. Double line spacing must be used throughout the body of the report, with single line spacing only in the following cases: o Long quotations o Footnotes o Bibliographic items o Appendix items o Subsections of the table of contents Double spacing must however be applied between each entry of the above. Single spacing must be applied to the following sections within the front matter: o Abstract o Acknowledgement o Dedication 2

5 Headings and Sub-headings Headings of each section should be center justified, in all caps, size 16 fonts in the same font style as the remainder of the report. Sub-headings should be left justified in size 14 font, in the same font style as the remainder of the report. You should ensure that sub-headings are consistently applied throughout the report. Quotations Quotations which exceed two lines should be set off from the body of the text, in single spacing and indented at least four (4) spaces from the left margin. Footnotes/endnotes Footnotes should be single spaced, and placed at the bottom of the appropriate page, i.e. at the bottom of the page on which it is referenced. In the case of endnotes, these should be placed in sequence immediately preceding the bibliography. Utilise the appropriate Style Manual for your discipline and ensure that this form and style is maintained consistently through the report. Tables and Figures A table or figure should appear in the text closely following the point where it is first discussed, usually no further than the page following, and should be clearly labelled, and numbered sequentially. All tables and figures must be listed immediately after the table of contents, and the titles and numbers assigned to tables and figures must correspond exactly to those which appear in the text. Pagination The title page is not numbered, nor paged in. All following pages in the front matter must be paginated in lower case Roman numerals. All pages which follow the front matter, i.e. the body and end matter of the report, inclusive of appendices, must be paginated in consecutive Arabic numerals throughout the report. All page numbers should appear in an exact consistent location on each page, preferably at the top right hand corner of the page, approximately three quarters of an inch down and three quarters of an inch inwards. 3

6 Begin each new chapter on a new page. Binding Four (4) copies of your final report must be submitted to the IGDS, each spiral bound with a clear plastic front cover and Bristol board back cover. 4

7 Arrangement Front Matter Front matter consists of the following elements which all precede the text or main body of your report. Each of the following elements must start on a new page and must be single spaced. 1. Title page: The first page of your report is the title page which must bear the officially approved title of the report, the name of the University, the degree for which the report is submitted, the full name of the candidate as officially registered, and the date when the work was submitted for examination and the name of your supervisor/s. The format is found in the template section of this guide. See also Appendix I of the UWI Thesis Guide (2001) on the University s website ( 2. Abstract: The second page of your report has your abstract which should be approximately 150 to 300 words in length, and identifies briefly the purpose of the research, the methods used, the results obtained and the significance of the results or findings. Your abstract may be one or two pages long. The first or only page of your abstract should bear the first page number in the document the Roman numeral (i). Keywords (3-5) which best reflect the subject of the project should be identified and placed at the end of the abstract. The format is found in the template section of this guide. See also Appendix III of the UWI Thesis Guide (2001) on the University s website for illustration of the required format. You may want to complete the other parts of your report before writing your abstract, since this is meant to be an overview of the entire report. ( 3. Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements appear on the third page of your report. The inclusion of an acknowledgements page is an opportunity for you as the researcher to express gratitude and indebtedness to those who assisted you in successful completion of the research effort. This is typically no longer than one page, and should include 5

8 acknowledgements of permission to use any copyrighted material which appears extensively in the report. 4. Dedication: Your dedication may appear on your fourth page. You may want to dedicate your report to someone as a way of saying thank you for his or her support or other contribution to your research project. You may want to single this/these person(s) for standing by you through your pursuit of your degree programme, or for their encouragement for example. 5. Table of Contents: The table of contents may appear on your fifth page. It should include all front matter, except the title page, as well as chapters, other significant sections and end matter in the report. The correct title of each section should be listed with the beginning page of each of these sections. 6. List of Figures, Tables, Illustrations, Charts etc. (if any): On the page immediately following your table of contents, you should list all of your figures, tables, illustrations and charts if you have included these in your report. Ensure that they are listed with the exact title and number which they bear within the report, and list the page number on which they appear. 7. Glossary (if any): On the next page, you may include a glossary to assist your readers by providing definitions for any technical and/or specialised terms. 8. List of Abbreviations and Acronyms (if any): You may include on your next page a list of abbreviations and acronyms if you have used these in the body of your report, to provide easy access to their meanings for your readers. Report Body The body of your report must be double spaced and pages numbered in Arabic numerals. Each section must begin on a new page. Note that there may be variations on this outline based on the different subject matter, disciplinary stances, or if the project relates to an Internship. Your supervisor will guide you best on what is acceptable for your particular study. This represents a guide however to content that must be evident in all project reports, however distributed. 9. Introduction: Your introduction constitutes the beginning of the body or text of your report and should be numbered as your first page, in Arabic numerals, i.e. page 1. In this 6

9 section you will lead the reader from a general subject area to your particular field of research, and establish the context of your study, state its purpose and its significance. In this section you may also outline the remaining structure of your report. This section gives your readers their first impressions of your argument, writing style and the value of your research. It should be well written and engaging. 10. Background: In this section you may identify and describe the history and nature of your research topic expanding upon the key points in your introduction, and highlight specific people, issues or events which may lay a foundation for understanding the emergence of the issue being studied. This section also is an opportunity for you to provide evidence of your understanding of the key issues and concepts. 11. Literature Review: Your literature review contains a discussion of past studies related to your research topic organised for example, chronologically, thematically (into themes relevant to your approach to the topic for example), or according to methodological approaches. It should include critical evaluations of the literature, and you should take care to include the most relevant and most recent/current sources available. 12. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework: Your theoretical framework consists of your key concepts and their definitions, and existing theory or theories which you use in your study. In this section you must demonstrate your understanding of these theories and concepts and show how they contribute to an explanation of the issue under study. 13. Research Methodology and Methods: In this section you will describe and justify your choice of methodology and methods, document how your data was collected, and discuss how you analysed your data. 14. Findings and Analysis: You report your findings in this section. You may utilise tables, figures, charts and/or other illustrative objects if appropriate to present your findings and relate them back to the purpose of your study. Ensure that if you use such illustrative objects that you label them appropriately, list them accurately in your list of figures in your front matter, and refer to and explain them in your text. 15. Discussion and Conclusion: In this section you will interpret and describe the significance of your findings in the context of what is already known about your issue under study. You should ensure that you create linkages here between your introduction and your findings. This section also provides you with an opportunity to 7

10 discuss your area of study critically in light of your findings, as well as identify further areas for study. Your concluding paragraph(s) should highlight your key points in your analysis or findings, and restate your main argument. You may also summarise your thoughts on the study and the state the significance of the study and findings. End Matter 16. Endnotes (if any): Your use of endnotes depends upon the style manual required for your discipline. In some cases they may replace a list of references cited. Ultimately, be guided by the style manual of your discipline and use endnotes only in cases where the information is an important inclusion for your paper. 17. Bibliography/References Cited: Good scholarship is marked by reliable, correct and complete acknowledgement of sources. Your report must contain footnotes, endnotes, bibliography or list of references as required by your specific discipline and the identified style manual. Consistent use of the required style must be applied in your citation of sources. Please also remember to cite your sources in-text in the required format outlined in the relevant style manual. 18. Appendices (if any, e.g. interview schedule): Appendices may be used to include in your submission research material which is pertinent to the project but which is not essential to an understanding of the work done. They should be numbered and form a part of the sequential pages bearing Arabic numerals, and have a title which describes its contents. Ensure that any appendices included in your report are listed accurately in your table of contents. 8

11 REPORT TEMPLATE 8

12 REPORT TITLE LINE ONE REPORT TITLE LINE TWO A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies of The University of the West Indies Student Name 2014 Supervisor s name and faculty affiliation Institute for Gender and Development Studies St Augustine Campus

13 i ABSTRACT Report Title Line One Report Title Line Two Student Name The second page of your report has your abstract which should be approximately 150 to 300 words in length, and identifies briefly the purpose of the research, the methods used, the results obtained and the significance of the results or findings. Your abstract may be one or two pages long. The first or only page of your abstract should bear the first page number in the document the Roman numeral (i). Keywords (3-5) which best reflect the subject of the project should be identified and placed at the end of the abstract. See also Appendix III of the UWI Thesis Guide (2001) on the University s website ( for illustration of the required format. You may want to complete the other parts of your report before writing your abstract, since this is meant to be an overview of the entire report. Keywords: Student Name; keyword; keyword; keyword.

14 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Acknowledgements appear on the third page of your report. The inclusion of an acknowledgements page is an opportunity for you as the researcher to express gratitude and indebtedness to those who assisted you in successful completion of the research effort. This is typically no longer than one page, and should include acknowledgements of permission to use any copyrighted material which appears extensively in the report.

15 iii DEDICATION Your dedication may appear on your fourth page. You may want to dedicate your report to someone as a way of saying thank you for his or her support or other contribution to your research project. You may want to single this/these person(s) for standing by you through your pursuit of your degree programme, or for their encouragement, for example.

16 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Acknowledgement Dedication List of Tables and Figures Glossary List of Abbreviations and Acronyms i ii iii v vi vii Introduction 1 Background 2 Literature Review 3 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 4 Research Methodology and Methods 5 Findings and Analysis 6 Discussion and Conclusion 7 Endnotes 8 Bibliography 9 Appendix 1 Descriptive Name of Appendix 1 10 Appendix 2 Descriptive Name of Appendix 2 11

17 v LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1 name of table 3 Table 2 name of table 5 Figure 1 name of figure 7 Figure 2 name of figure 8 Figure 3 name of figure 9

18 vi GLOSSARY Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Term in alphabetic listing Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Definition of term single spaced, with double spacing between each entry

19 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS Abbreviation in alphabetic listing Abbreviation in alphabetic listing Abbreviation in alphabetic listing Abbreviation in alphabetic listing Abbreviation in alphabetic listing Meaning of abbreviation single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Meaning of abbreviation single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Meaning of abbreviation single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Meaning of abbreviation single spaced, with double spacing between each entry Meaning of abbreviation single spaced, with double spacing between each entry

20 1 INTRODUCTION Your introduction constitutes the beginning of the body or text of your report and should be numbered as your first page, in Arabic numerals, i.e. page 1. In this section you will lead the reader from a general subject area to your particular field of research, and establish the context of your study, state its purpose and its significance. In this section you may also outline the remaining structure of your report. This section gives your readers their first impressions of your argument, writing style and the value of your research. It should be well written and engaging. The body of your report should be double spaced and justified. This section may be 2-3 pages in length.

21 2 BACKGROUND In this section you may identify and describe the history and nature of your research topic expanding upon the key points in your introduction, and highlight specific people, issues or events which may lay a foundation for understanding the emergence of the issue being studied. This section also is an opportunity for you to provide evidence of your understanding of the key issues and concepts. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 3-5 pages in length.

22 3 LITERATURE REVIEW Your literature review contains a discussion of past studies related to your research topic organised, for example, chronologically, thematically (into themes relevant to your approach to the topic for example), or according to methodological approaches. It should include critical evaluations of the literature, and you should take care to include the most relevant and most recent/current sources available. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 5-6 pages in length.

23 4 THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Your theoretical framework consists of your key concepts and their definitions, and existing theory or theories which you use in your study. In this section you must demonstrate your understanding of these theories and concepts and show how they contribute to an explanation of the issue under study. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 4-5 pages in length.

24 5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND METHODS In this section you will describe and justify your choice of methodology and methods, document how your data was collected, and discuss how you analysed your data. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 3-4 pages in length.

25 6 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS You report your findings in this section. You may utilise tables, figures, charts and/or other illustrative objects, if appropriate, to present your findings and relate them back to the purpose of your study. Ensure that if you use such illustrative objects that you label them appropriately, list them accurately in your list of figures in your front matter, and refer to and explain them in your text. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 4-6 pages in length.

26 7 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION In this section you will interpret and describe the significance of your findings in the context of what is already known about your issue under study. You should ensure that you create linkages here between your introduction and your findings. This section also provides you with an opportunity to discuss your area of study critically in light of your findings, as well as identify further areas for study. Your concluding paragraph(s) should highlight your key points in your analysis or findings, and restate your main argument. You may also summarise your thoughts on the study and the state the significance of the study and findings. The body of your report should be double spaced. This section may be 7-10 pages in length.

27 8 ENDNOTES (OPTIONAL) Your use of endnotes depends upon the style manual required for your discipline. In some cases they may replace a list of references cited. Ultimately, be guided by the style manual of your discipline and use endnotes only in cases where the information is an important inclusion for your paper. The content of this section is not included in the required page/word count of your report. Ensure that the content of each entry is single spaced, while a double line space separates each individual entry.

28 9 BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES CITED Good scholarship is marked by reliable, correct and complete acknowledgement of sources. Your report must contain footnotes, endnotes, bibliography or list of references as required by your specific discipline and the identified style manual. Consistent use of the required style must be applied in your citation of sources. Please also remember to cite your sources in-text in the required format outlined in the relevant style manual. Ensure that the content of each entry is single spaced, while a double space separates each individual entry.

29 10 APPENDIX 1 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF APPENDIX Appendices may be used to include in your submission research material which is pertinent to the project but which is not essential to an understanding of the work done. They should be numbered and form a part of the sequential pages bearing Arabic numerals, and have a title which describes its contents. Ensure that any appendices included in your report are listed accurately in your table of contents.

30 11 APPENDIX 2 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF APPENDIX Appendices may be used to include in your submission research material which is pertinent to the project but which is not essential to an understanding of the work done. They should be numbered and form a part of the sequential pages bearing Arabic numerals, and have a title which describes its contents. Ensure that any appendices included in your report are listed accurately in your table of contents.