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  • Contents

    Questions and Answers

    Finalise information about CW2

    About the Honours Project

    Questions and Answers

    Q1: What is the word limit for the proposal?
    About 15 pages

    Q2: Are the samples of proposal good proposals?
    Yes and no

    Q3: Do I need to redo my proposal because of the BCS requirement of ‘practice-based capstone project’?
    Not really

    Q4: When is the deadline to submit the proposal?
    End week 12.

    Q5: Where to submit the proposal?
    Hard copy: Your tutor’s office
    Soft copy: via the following Turnitin link under Assignments
    Project Proposal Originality Check Submission

    Q6: Should I email the proposal to my supervisor?
    Yes but…

    Q7: Should I submit the Gant chart file separately?
    No

  • Turnitin

    Not just a means of submitting work

    Its MAIN use is to detect Plagiarism !!!!!

    Refer to week 4 Lab Exercise 2 for detailed information

    In particular, you should note that :
    You should be using Turnitin frequently to check the similarity score of your report.
    You do NOT check it only on the final day of submission
    There can be up to a 24-hour turnaround before you can re-submit on Turnitin for checking – especially at the busy times of the year

    Plagiarism

    The formal definition of Plagiarism is stated in the “Code of Student Conduct Academic”
    🔗 https://www.gcu.ac.uk/gaq/appealscomplaintsstudentconduct/

    It states the following:
    9.6.1 For the purposes of this Code, Plagiarism is interpreted in its widest sense and includes self-plagiarism. Plagiarism is considered to be either the unacknowledged incorporation of the academic material (published or unpublished) of another person or persons, or the re-use of a student’s own previous written work or data presented for assessment on a previous occasion (self- plagiarism). Depending on the circumstances it may be classified as poor academic practice, minor offence of plagiarism or a major offence of plagiarism.

    Examples of Plagiarism include:

    I. use of another person's academic material (writing, drawings, ideas, and data) without reference or acknowledgement;
    II. summarising another person's written material by changing some words or altering the order of presentation without acknowledgement;
    III. use of the ideas of another person without acknowledgement of the source;
    IV. copying the work of another student with or without that student's knowledge;
    V. use of commissioned material, without reference or acknowledgement – often termed ghost writing;
    VI. use of additions or corrections by a proof reader with relevant knowledge in the subject;
    VII. collusion with another student or other students;
    VIII. self-plagiarism (as defined above).
    IX. reproduction of model answers, in whole or in part, from any source in assessments and examinations.

  • Key Proposal Contents/Structure

    Title Page
    follow the format given in the template provided.
    Abstract must be 240-260 words or maximum 3/5

    Table of Contents
    Use MS Word’s automated ToC facilities

    1. Introduction
    1.1 Project Background
    contain initial literature review for your project
    end with the statement of your project's Research Question
    must be 1200words +/- 10% or max possible of 17.5/35 only (50%)
    15-20 citations should provide the potential for a good ILR

    1.2 Project Outline
    1.2.1 Project Aim
    1.2.2 A brief outline of the project
    1.2.3 Project Objectives
    Secondary Phase Objectives
    Primary Phase Objectives

    2. Project Methods
    2.1 Secondary Research Phase Sources
    A list of: Scientific (and popular) journal names, Relevant annual conferences, Key authors you have identified in the field of your topic (presented as subsection 2.1);
    Or, an annotated bibliography to capture a larger range of sources with annotation as to its relevance and usefulness (presented after the Reference List).

    2.2 (or 2.1) Primary Project Methodology
    A justification for the overall primary project methodology to be used
    Some initial discussion and commentary about the techniques that are likely be employed to achieve the identified Primary Phase Objectives
    Justification for the choice of techniques should be given

    3. Project Planning

    3.1 Primary Research Phase (Risks and Resources)
    A single LANDSCAPE format table, use IDs introduced in section 1.3.3

    3.2 Ethical Considerations

    3.3 Project Overview
    A simple “one page” gannt chart with only the Secondary and Primary Objectives/Tasks

    Reference List
    The cited sources

    (Bibliography)
    Annotated bibliography as Secondary Research Phase Sources
    Or, additional sources you have NOT cited

  • After the submission

    The Marking Feedback
    Include some feedback on the “quality” of your project
    but more about your ability to understand the concepts of research, writing in an academic fashion and your ability in decomposing and presenting your proposals for your Honours Project in a coherent fashion.
    direct feedback on the undertaking of the project is via the Supervisor-Student relationship.

    Honours Project

    Module Leader: to be comfirm

    Honours Project Co-ordinators
    Will be assigned from each Subject group

    40 credits

    Both Semesters

    Pre-Requisite Knowledge:
    Research Methods & Professional Issues

    Independent Learning (FT): 358 hours

    Lectures (FT): 6 hours

    Summary of content

    This is a substantial individual piece of work with a significant research dimension based on an appropriate topic from within the student's programme of study and which reflects the student's own interests.

    This work will be concerned with a specific problem from the student's programme of study and will include as appropriate, a systematic investigation, a survey of literature relevant to the problem, an analysis of appropriate approaches, a detailed planning activity and an implementation of the selected approach.

    The project will also involve a reflective evaluation of the project outcomes and approach taken and a verbal presentation of the work.

    At this programme level the student is expected to be significantly autonomous and demonstrate a high degree of initiative in the conduct of the project.

    Honours Project

    Interim report – 20%

    Final report – 70%

    Presentation - 10%

    Interim report – 20%
    Based on Project Proposal
    Undertake main Literature Review
    Determine the detailed logistics for your Primary Method
    Identify the details of the primary research instrument

    Final report – 70%
    Fully develop/undertake the Primary Research
    Analyse and evaluate results
    Complete write up of project

    Poster Presentation – 10%
    The presentation is meant to reflect the situation of a Poster Presentation at a research/industry based conference.
    It is an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned

    End of the Trimester B exam period

    Lectures ( 6 in total)
    will provide relevant information for each stage
    Detailed Guidance Documents will be made available

    Further information by email and GCULearn

    Ensure that you fully engage on your Project
    Also regular meetings with Supervisor
School of Engineering and Built Environment