The document outlines the research project module for second-year counselling students at Blackburn College, emphasizing the support provided by John Marsden during the semester. Key topics include proposal preparation, literature review, research ethics, and methodology, culminating in a final research report with specific structural requirements. Students will employ various data collection methods and are expected to submit a proposal and a comprehensive research project by the end of the module.

1. Your Research Project
John Marsden
For students taking the foundation degree in
counselling at Blackburn College

2. Your Research Project
Second year students take a research project
module in Semester A and Semester B of the
second year.
The research project builds on the learning
outcomes you have achieved in the first year of
your course.

3. Helping You Succeed
In Semester A John Marsden will give weekly
classes on writing the research project.
In Semester B John will provide tutorial support to
students individually. You will be encouraged to
book appointments with John via email.
The Moodle page for this module has a good set of
resources and we shall use the discussion form to
address any questions that crop up as we go along.

4. Subjects covered in Semester A Classes
• Introduction to the module
• Completing your proposal and planning your project
• Developing your literature review
• Research ethics
• Methodology
• Methods of data collection
• Sampling
• Credibility
• Data analysis
• Phenomenology

5. Assessment
This module takes place over two semesters.
Six weeks into Semester A you will submit your research
proposal and ethics form.
At the end of Semester B you will submit your project.
Word Counts
Proposal and ethics form: 800 words
Research project: 3200 words

6. The Task
Your task is to design and complete a credible
piece of primary research on a counselling
related topic.
You will be interviewing practitioners, collecting
questionnaires, running focus groups and using
a range of data collection methods.
You will write up your research in a report.

7. The Format of your Report
1. You will provide an abstract.
2. You will write an introduction, outlining the
structure of your report.
3. You will analyse your research question,
describing how it was formulated and
refined.
4. You will include a literature review, outlining
your search strategy and synthesising your
findings.

8. The Format of your Report
5. You will define and evaluate your
methodology, including your chosen
methods of data collection and analysis.
6. You will present and discuss your findings
7. You will make recommendations and draw
conclusions
8. You will provide an accurate set of references
and a bibliography

9. Enjoy!