module specification

The dissertation enables students to undertake a substantial piece of academic-focused or industry-focused research underpinned by current academic and professional literature in Events, Leisure, Tourism and the broader Creative Industries fields.

This module carries 40 credits and builds on its pre-requisite ‘Research Methodology for Events, Leisure and Tourism’ where students will have identified a suitable topic for research, produced and defended a research proposal. An ethics form must be submitted, and ethical clearance is required prior to data collection.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the broader field of research in Events, Leisure and Tourism by exploring the current and salient current issues of the sector. The outcome will be a high-level manuscript, itself the result of rigorous planning, substantial academic and professional research, high-level analysis, assimilation and interpretation of key information and statistics.

Through independent research and their own motivation, students should develop an awareness of the importance of rigorous investigative techniques, standards of data collection and analysis in business decision making, applicable in the context of Events, Leisure, Tourism and the broader Creative Industries sector.

Students will produce a final document to a high professional standard suitable for both an academic and business audiences. It may take the form of an empirical study informed by theory where the student has carried out independent academic-focused research. Alternatively, the dissertation may focus on a more practical industry-based problem. Here also, an empirical study may be conducted focusing more on industry related issues, or applications and using academic and professional literature.

Students must demonstrate an analytical, critical and independent approach to the debate and a willingness and ability to arrive at substantiated conclusions, paying due regard to the relevance of the available of empirical evidence. Students should show that they are capable of synthesising complex information and build on the work or others.
As the most important piece of assessed work undertaken on this programme, the dissertation is the clearest expression of the student's ability to study at Masters level and achieve applicable outcomes.

Aims of the module:
1. To undertake with some supervision an independent and detailed investigation on a topic specifically related to Events, Leisure, Tourism and broader Creative Industries related sectors.
2. To demonstrate (in a clear and persuasive manner) an appropriate application of research and project planning, design, methodology, methods, information gathering, analysis, interpretation, presentation, and critical debate and reflection.
3. To demonstrate a high-level ability (in a clear and persuasive manner) to understand, interpret, analyse and present the theories, professional frameworks, policies, conceptual and theoretical frameworks, and so forth, in relation to the chosen topic.
4. To demonstrate a high-level ability (in a clear and persuasive manner) to critically reflect on the relevance and – where appropriate – the policy implications of the findings within the wider context of the subject field, and make recommendations for future research.

LT7012 Research Methodology for Events, Leisure and Tourism

An induction to the module will be via two three-hour sessions. Key contacts, such as the course leader, module leaders, the academic liaison librarian, and dissertation supervisors will also be invited to attend those sessions.

• The required length of the dissertation is 10,000 words, exclusive of title and contents page, abstract/summary, figures, tables, appendices and references. LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

• Students will conduct a review of literature and secondary sources that will inform primary research, and interpret the findings of such research. LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

• The dissertation topic should be focused to facilitate an in-depth study but broad enough to develop an informed overview of the topic area. LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

• Students will undertake a rigorous research project into a defined and current academic/business issue and report on it to a professional and postgraduate standard. LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

The module induction will deliver two three-hour sessions, which key contacts will be invited to attend – including the course leader, module leaders, the academic liaison librarian and individual dissertation supervisors.

Students will be allocated a personal supervisor to support them throughout the process of planning, undertaking and reporting on a piece of defined independent research.

The final full dissertation manuscript will be submitted in a form of a report (details will be provided in the module handbook), and should include reflective statements of personal learning and the contribution made to the student’s professional development.

Digital literacy development
The learning,  teaching and assessment strategy for this module will enable students to develop their capabilities in digital literacy and information handling appropriate to professional/master’s level study as outlined in the Open University Digital and Information Literacy Framework (DILF: available to view at https://www.open.ac.uk/libraryservices/pages/dilframework/)

On successful completion of this module’s assessment, students will be able to:

LO1
Conduct independent, post-graduate level research, into an area of academic and professional interest, through developing thorough detailed analysis and synthesis of theory, policy and practice in relation to the chosen topic. [Assessed in A1].
LO2
Critically appraise issues of academic and professional research, such as research planning, design, methodologies, and thus managing a research project from conception to a final report stage. [Assessed in A1].
LO3
Understand and reflect upon own skills and abilities as researcher, academic and professional, by producing a substantial piece of innovative work that highlights or solves a specific and pertinent academic/industry issue, using the latest research and supporting academic and professional literature. This includes setting up and managing the project, with clear evidence of critical thinking. [Assessed in A1].
LO4
Critically review academic and professional literature on methodologies relevant to the research, and bring together academic and professional literature, as well as empirical research findings to create an intellectually robust and substantiated view. [Assessed in A1].

This module will be assessed through one assessment component.

The outcome of research should be a professionally written and academically sound dissertation report of 10,000 words, suitable for both academic business audiences. [Assesses LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO4].

Submission dates:

Dissertation supervision will end at least 4 weeks before the submission date. Students may request feedback from their supervisor no later than two weeks before supervision ends, i.e., approx. 6 weeks before submission (allowing for turnaround).

Implications for cohorts, in line with academic year, academic regulations and university standard procedures:

a) September starters will take the Research Methodology module LT7012 during autumn and, if successful, start the dissertation LT7P12 in spring (coded 'summer'). Supervision will end by the middle of July. They will hand in their finished dissertation report on the last Friday in August. The assessment results will be considered at the September Board. Any re-sit required will be carried to January of the following year, in time for the February board.

b) February starters will take LT7012 during spring and, if successful, start the dissertation LT7P12 in autumn. Supervision will end by the middle of December (prior to the Christmas and New Year break). They will hand in their finished dissertation report on the last Friday in January. The assessment results will be considered at the February board. Any re-sit required will be carried to May of that year, in time for the June/July board.

Students will receive a handbook for the Dissertation for Events, Leisure and Tourism module, in which they will consider a range of research texts, journal articles and websites, and identify under guidance from their supervisor those that best meet their particular requirements, as well as the further independent research that they need to conduct. Students will also need to refer to reading lists from the course modules, including but not limited to Research Methodology for Events, Leisure and Tourism.

Suggested Textbooks:

Altinay, L., Paraskevas, A. and Jang, S.S. (2016) Planning Research in Hospitality and Tourism, Routledge: London.

Bell, J. and Waters, S. (2018) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-time Researchers, 7th Edition, Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.

Brunt, P., Horner, S. and Semley, N. (2017) Research Methods in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Sage: London

Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2015) Business Research Methods, 4th Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Bryman, A (2012) Social Research Methods, 4th Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Cottrell, S. (2014) Dissertations and Project Reports: a step by step guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Davies, M and Hughes, N. (2014). Doing a Successful Research Project. 2nd Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan

Fox, D., Gouthro, M. B., Morakabati, Y. and Brackstone, J. (2014) Doing Events Research: From Theory to Practice, Routhledge: Abingdon

Jonathan Wilson, J. (2014) Essentials of Business Research: A Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 2nd Edition, Sage: London

Kolb, B. (2018) Marketing Research, For The Tourism Hospitality and Events Industries, Routledge: Abingdon

Sampson, J. (2017) A Guide to Quantitative and Qualitative Dissertation Research, 2nd Edition, Free Download: https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu:207241/datastream/PDF/

Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2016) Research Methods for Business Students, 7th Edition, Pearson: Harlow

Thomas, G. (2013) How to Do Your Research Project: A Guide for Students in Education and Applied Social Sciences, 2nd Edition, London: Sage.

Thomas. G. (2016) How to Do Your Case Study, 2nd Edition, London: Sage.

Veal, A.J. (2018) Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism, Pearson: Harlow.

Journals:
Event Management
International Journal of Event and Festival Management
International Journal of Hospitality and Event Management
International Journal of Event Management Research
Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing
Journal of Convention and Event Tourism
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Research
European Journal of Marketing
Journal of Business Research
Journal of Marketing Management
Journal of Strategic Marketing
Journal of Marketing
Marketing Intelligence and Planning
Academy of Marketing Science Review
Industrial Marketing Management
Academy of Management Journal
British Journal of Management
Harvard Business Review
Management Today
MIT Sloan Management Review

Websites:
The Knowledge Base: www.socialresearchmethods.net
Discovering Statistics: website with psychology related examples http://www.statisticshell.com/
Project Management Today: http://www.pmtoday.co.uk
Project Management Institute: http://www.pmi.org

Other resources:

As available via the university Library Services and the SCONUL Access Scheme.

As advised by individual dissertation supervisors.

Chartered Association of Business Schools (2015) Ethics Guide 2015: advice and guidance, Available at https://charteredabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Ethics-Guide-2015-Advice-and-Guidance.pdf