1 Beacon International College Research Methods

1
Beacon International College
Research Methods (HLT5030)
Level 5.
COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSESSMENT BRIEF
Module: Research Methods
Tutor: Albert Lee K H
Assessment type: Individual Course Work
Part 1 - critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (worth
70%,)
Part 2: Scoping a research topic: formative final project
proforma (worth 30%)
Aims: This module aims to develop a sound knowledge of
research and evaluation
methods for conducting systematic enquiry in tourism,
hospitality and event management. It will explore
the main research methodologies and specific research tools,

whilst further developing skills in sourcing
and evaluating information and familiarising students with the
procedures, protocols and processes of
academic and applied research. Through encouraging original,
critical and independent thinking, it will
assist in the development of a coherent proposal for a research-
based project, such as Dissertation,
Enterprise Project or Independent Study at Level 6
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the module, students will be able to:
● Source and review literature from a range of sources;
● Evaluate the different methodological approaches, methods
and techniques that are available for
researching specific projects;
● Evaluate different methods of collecting, interpreting and
presenting qualitative data;
● Evaluate different methods of collecting quantitative data,
including sampling issues, survey types;
and questionnaire design and implementation;
● Discuss issues of access, ethics, validity and reliability in
research;
● Justify an appropriate methodology for a chosen and reviewed
topic.
Indicative content
● Purposes of research across a range of applications
● The research processes
● Development and articulation of a research question
● Critically reviewing literature from a range of sources
● Research methodologies – understanding, evaluating and

justifying methods and techniques for
collecting information from secondary and primary sources
including: documents, surveys,
questionnaires, observation, various types of interview,
projective techniques.
● Questionnaire design and implementation
● Approaches to analysing quantitative data, e.g. SPSS
● Understanding access, ethical, validity and reliability issues;
● Approaches to analysing and interpreting qualitative data
including thematic, narrative, content and
semiotic analysis.
● Developing a Dissertation/Enterprise Project/Independent
Study proposal
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Required reading
Brotherton, B. (2015) Researching Hospitality and Tourism, 2nd
edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook)
Bryman, A. (2015) Social Research Methods, 5th edition,
Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Gilbert, N. and Stoneman, P. (2015) Researching Social Life,
4th edition, London, Sage
Jennings, G. (2010) Tourism Research, 2nd edition, Milton,
John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Sarantakos, S. (2012) Social Research, 4th edition, Basingstoke,
Palgrave Macmillan.
Seale C. (2012) Researching Society and Culture, 3rd edition,
London, Sage (Available as an ebook)
Veal, A. J. (2011) Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism,

4th edition, London, Financial Times/Prentice
Hall
Walliman, N. (2013) Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The
Essential Guide for Success, 2nd edition, London,
Sage (Available as an ebook)
Recommended reading
Botterill, D. and Platenkamp, V. (2012) Key Concepts in
Tourism Research, London, Sage.
Burns, P. (2010) Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 3rd
edition, Cengage
Crane, F. (2013) Marketing for Entrepreneurs, 2nd edition,
Crotty, M, (1998) The Foundations of Social Research,
meanings and perspective in the research process,
Field, A. (2013) Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS
Statistics, 4th edition, London, Sage (Available as an
ebook)
Gray, D.E. (2013) Doing Research in the Real World, 3rd
edition, London, Sage (Available as an ebook)
Hammersley, M. and Atkinson, P. (2007) Ethnography:
Principles in Practice, 3rd Edition, London, Routledge.
Hart, C. (1999) Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social
Science Research imagination, 2nd edition,
Hesse-Biber, S. N. and Leavy, P. (2011) The Practice of
Qualitative Research, 2nd edition, Thousand Oaks,
Sage (Available as an ebook)
Krueger, R. A. and Casey, M. A. (2015) Focus Groups: A
Practical Guide for Applied Research, 5th edition,
Newbury Park, CA, Sage (Available as an ebook)
Lee-Treweek, G. and Linkogle, S. (2000) Danger in the field:
Risk and ethics in social research, London,
Routledge.
Martin, F and Thompson M. (2010) Social Enterprise,

Developing Sustainable Businesses, 1st Edition,
Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Pallant, J. (2013) SPSS Survival Manual, 5th Edition, Open
University Press, Buckingham
Robson, C (2011) Real World Research, 3rd Edition,
Chichester, John Wiley & Sons.
Rose, G. (2016) Visual Methodologies: An introduction to
researching with visual materials, 4th edition,
London, Sage.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015) Research
Methods for Business Students, 7th edition, Harlow,
Financial Times/Pearson
Schutt R.K. (2012) Investigating the Social World: The Process
and Practice of Research, 7th edition,
Thousand Oaks, Sage.
Stokes, D. and Wilson, N. (2010) Small Business Management
and Entrepreneurship 6th Ed., London,
Continuum
Williams, S. (2014) Business Start-up, 28th edition, Harlow,
Financial Times/Prentice Hall
Yin, R. K. (2013) Case Study Research: Design and Methods,
5th edition, Thousand Oaks, Sage

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Assignment Brief
There are 2 parts to this assignment:
• Part 1: critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (worth
70%, 1250 words)
on Week 6 - Tues, 9 Feb ‘21 by 6.00pm in Moodle
• Part 2: Scoping a research topic: formative final project
proforma (worth 30%, 750 words)
on Week 9 – Thur, 4 Mar ‘21 by 6.00 pm in Moodle
Part 1: critical evaluation of research methods in T.H.E (70%
weighting)
The purpose of the assignment is to support you develop an
understanding of how different approaches to
research design can help you plan a research project. By
engaging fully with the reading and independent
study required for this task, you will understand the strengths
and weaknesses of different methods and you
will further appreciate what is required to execute a research
project using both primary and secondary
data.
You will be required to make a draft submission for part one by
week 4 date Fri, 29 Jan by 6.00pm in
Moodle
In Week 2 you will be given a selection of research topics that
relate to THE. You will be required to choose
one and:
a. Summarise literature linked to that topic (600 words);

b. Outline one research methods that could be used to address
your topic, inclusive of their strengths,
weaknesses, the methods of analysis and the ethical issues
associated with each approach (650 words)
Part 2: Scoping a Research Topic: formative final project
proforma (30% weighting)
Part 2 of the assessment is designed to help you to start thinking
about an area of interest for your final
project. You will find the template on Moodle. Please fill in all
sections. You can use your developing
appreciation of what goes into designing a research project to
start to map out a provisional area of interest
for next year. Your Research Topic will be assessed by your
Lecturer/Tutor.
You are required to write up a pro forma that set out a potential
area of research for a final project such as a
research question. You will map out key areas that can be used
to inform a research proposal for a research
topic of your choice solely based on Secondary Research, as per
an Independent Study.
Having identified a topic of interest to you, you are required to
write a project plan which will include ALL
the following elements (you may use these as sub-headings):
1. A suggested working title
2. A draft research question (i.e. what is the
issue/problem/challenge?)
3. Draft research aim and objectives
4. An outline rationale for the project this should include some
consideration of relevant literature or market
research (150 words)
6. An overview of one research method that you might use to
achieve your project aim and objectives and

answer your overall research question (350 words).
● For an Independent Study, you should outline and explain
secondary data sources, provide examples
and discuss some of the issues associated with using secondary
data sources. This will include ways
to select and systematically analyse secondary materials.
7. A discussion of any ethical issues that may be applicable to
your area of interest and your chosen design
(250 words).
8. Include a reference list within each section which conforms
to the Harvard System of Referencing.
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Assignment pitfalls
Based on an evaluation of the academic performance of
previous students, reasons for poor performance in
Part 2 may include all/some of the following:
• Poor referencing which does not conform to Harvard-style
referencing
• Over-reliance on Internet sources
• Lack of academic sources throughout
• Weak or no justification given for research topic
• Research topic is unethical
• Over-ambitious aim and objectives
• Incoherent aim and objectives
• Research method is inconsistent with the aim and objectives
• Lack of engagement with research methods literature and
processes

• Lack of consideration given to access issues / the feasibility of
completing the work
Guidance notes for your assignment
Part 1 - Critical evaluation of research methods in THE (worth
70%, 1250 words)
a) Literature Review (600 words)
This is an important part of any project as it forms the
foundation for your research. No study starts from
scratch but rests on earlier works, and a thorough review of the
relevant literature on the topic, and the
trends that have developed is vital to enable you to gain a good
understanding and insight into the topic and
the issues surrounding it. You will need to establish the current
state of knowledge pertinent to the topic
under investigation (the theories, concepts, ideas, issues,
debates and so on) with emphasis on seminal (i.e.
important) and recently published texts (particularly journal
articles and conference papers). Don’t just
quote the words of others ad verbatim (this is the sign of a poor
literature review and very likely a poor
project).
A literature review IS NOT simply a description of relevant
books/journals that you have read or that you
think will be helpful to your research. You should paraphrase
and critique (i.e. restate, in your own words,
the main points made by the writer(s) in question, in addition to
evaluating their contribution, often with

reference to the works of other writers.
When reviewing the literature, remember to highlight:
● ‘gaps’ in the current body of knowledge that could be filled
by your proposed research project
● out-of-date work in need of revision
● opportunities to expand on research conducted by someone
else.
It is important to state clearly how your work will improve the
reader’s existing knowledge of the subject.
Also, make sure that you cite the works according to the
Harvard System of Referencing throughout.
b) Outline of one method (650 words)
You should mention the options open to you (e.g. a quantitative
or qualitative approach, or secondary
research for Independent Study), state and justify the reasons
for the option you have chosen (e.g. a
qualitative approach using a combination of participant
observation and in-depth interviews) as opposed to
the other options. Thought should be given to the sample (who,
how many, where and so on) and for
example, in the case of a questionnaire, reflect on issues such as
the likely response rate, the type and
wording of questions, and the statistical tests to be used in
analysis of the data. For qualitative methods such
as focus groups, and interviews, thought should be given to the
potential participants, the methods of
recording and transcription, and the analytical techniques to be
used. For observation, consider the
researcher-subject relationship and the setting in which the data
is to be captured. For documents, comment

on the availability of archive material, and the method(s) of
textual analysis to be employed.
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Part 2 - Scoping a Research Topic: formative final project
proforma (30% weighting)
What is a project plan?
A project plan is: ‘a careful description of what your
dissertation will be about and how you intend to carry
out the work involved till its completion. It is a really useful
document that challenges you to think very
carefully about what you are going to do, how you are going to
do it and why’ (Walliman, 2004:68).
Choosing Your Topic
It is helpful to make a distinction between research
interests/topics, research issues and research questions.
First of all, you must find a topic in which you are interested
and that is relevant to the area you are
studying. Remember – if you take this forward into your final
year it has to keep you interested and
motivated for a considerable time.
Broadly speaking, a good research topic should be important,
understudied, and feasible given the
constraints within which you are working. Topics may derive
from prior experience or current concerns, they
may relate to long-term career plans, or may be stimulated by
suggestions from other sources (past project
titles, colleagues, friends and literature). You must then identify
the issues closely related to the topic, from

which you will select a specific issue(s) that you will pursue in
depth (thus eliminating the rest). After you
have identified and isolated the issue(s) in question and have
done some background reading, you will be
ready to restate the issue(s) as a researchable question(s) which
will then translate into your aim and
objectives.
You should select, as soon as possible, an area of study which
you wish to pursue as a research project at
Level 6. This should form the basis for your research pr oposal,
which will be marked and returned to you,
thus affording sufficient time to refine your ideas, plan and
organise before the beginning of Level 6.
Remember - although it will give you advantages if you do so,
there is no obligation to stick with the same
topic when you come to begin your final year project.
Choosing your topic involves a thorough and comprehensive
search of relevant literature. Secondary sources
will include:
• text books;
• academic journals;
• industry publications (e.g. Travel Trade Gazette, Leisure
Management, Caterer and Hotelkeeper,
commercial research reports, such as Mintel),
• Government and other agency papers and reports (e.g.
Government White Papers, legislative documents;
local council records);
• other media sources such as newspapers, magazines,
television;
and …the internet.
The internet provides access to a significant volume of
resources, some of which is free of charge. It is one of
the most valuable, but also potentially ‘dangerous’ sources of

information. It is largely unregulated and un-
policed, and any information should be carefully considered for
its integrity and accuracy. Ensuring validity
and credibility of the information is down to you as the
receiver. DO NOT USE Wikipedia as a reference in
academic work – it is completely unregulated.
You should be discerning when using information from the
internet and be aware that the sites often require
subscriptions and passwords before they will give you access to
information. Whenever possible use credible
internet sources such as those available via the library website
(METSEARCH). Many academic journals
industry and other publications can be accessed via the
internet/CardiffMet electronic resources. Of course,
where appropriate it is necessary and important that you use
information from company, commercial and
other agency websites, online directories, encyclopedias,
country information, maps and so on. However,
you should be careful and remember undiscerning use of, and
over-reliance on internet information will
significantly and adversely affect your marks.
All sources used must be correctly and fully referenced
according to the Harvard Referencing System.
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Writing a Project Plan – Independent Study
Working Title
It is advisable not to spend too much time labouring over this.
Often the actual title is the final thing to be
decided. Try to find something to encapsulate the key focus of

the project in a few succinct words. The aim
of the title is to inform potential readers what the work is about
so that they can decide whether it is in their
interest to read it, or not. Remember – at this stage the title is
only a working prototype / draft suggestion
and it can be altered at some stage.
Aim and Objectives
In order to succeed, research must be guided by a clear
statement of the question or issue to be addressed
by the research and which should leave the reader in no doubt
about what you are trying to achieve. The
two common forms such statements take are the hypothesis and
the research aim. A hypothesis is a testable
theory – i.e. a statement about some phenomenon or behaviour
which the researcher seeks to prove or
disprove. For example: based on secondary sources, the
researcher puts forward the hypothesis that men
are more likely than women to react favourably towards
advertisements that use male sporting celebrities to
endorse the products. The researcher would then proceed to
carry out a range of data collection and
analysis activities in order to prove or disprove this hypothesis,
i.e. accepting or rejecting the hypothesis.
A research aim states the goal of the study which is usually
intended to discover or explore some
phenomenon and generate new insights. There should be one
clear and concise aim which is a general
statement of intent. The objectives (3-4) are derived from the
aim and are a series of detailed ‘steps’ that act
as a blueprint for the research you are going to undertake, i.e. a
breakdown of the way that are going to
achieve your aim, for example:
Aim:
To explore the needs of women business travellers and establish

whether the potential of this market is
recognised by the travel industry.
Objectives:
1. To critically review the literature on business women
travellers and travel industry provision
2. To evaluate the needs of both men and women when
travelling on business
3. To establish the extent to which the travel industry
recognises these needs and tailors products and
advertising to meet them
Remember, the success of a research project is largely measured
on the extent to which its objectives are
substantiated by its findings. Realistic and specific objectives
often translate into good grades. The key is not
to promise more than you can deliver. A small but clearly-
focused project is often much better than a larger
project that tries to over-deliver.
Rationale for the Proposed Topic
In this section you can set the scene for the project by providing
the reader with a rationale for the proposal.
Explain and justify why you think it is worth studying. This
section should culminate in the identification of
the issue/problem/challenge.
Proposed Method(s) of Data Collection and Analysis
Here you are required to provide a concise explanation of the
approach and method that you could use to
operationalise your research objectives. The design of the
primary data collection will help you to
understand your area of interest in more detail and will help you
provide direct answers to your research
aims and objectives.

Ethical issues
You should demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues that may
have an influence on your research project.
Consider how you propose to get access to the desired
information, any difficulties, risks or challenges you
may encounter in doing so. Reflect on how ethical issues may
have a bearing on your research (e.g. certain
forms of observation conducted without prior consent may be
unethical; confidentiality and so on).
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Referencing – all studies
Including References in the Text
Quotations can be long or short (over-long quotations should be
avoided – as quotations should support, not
be a substitute for your own work). Longer quotations (usually
over 3 lines) are highlighted by being in a
separate paragraph and indented left and right (1.27cm) with a
blank line left above and below.
For example - as a prominent researcher has argued:
there is also the possibility that mature students' greater
experience of life and non-academic work
may lend a greater perception to their study and work
(Walker 1975: 11).

A shorter quotation is included within the body of your work,
but should also include author(s), date and
page number. For example - Woodley (1987) also found that in
terms of social class, the picture is skewed
towards those already advantaged. He comments that 'The
working class was massively under-represented
among mature students' (Woodley 1987: 74). Many other writers
endorse this view ....
In addition to directly quoting an author it is also common to
paraphrase their ideas and mention them in
recognition. For example - Cross (1981: 61) pointed out that in
the USA women express more interest in
learning than men ... As this is not a direct quote from Cross, no
inverted commas are required.
Additional Submission Guidelines
Students must follow submission guidelines as indicated in the
Student Submission Guidelines document
uploaded in Moodle.
Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management
HLT5030 Research Methods
Scoping a Research Topic
When undertaking an Independent Study, Dissertation or
Enterprise Project in your final year are required to initially
complete a project proposal form. In addition, if you complete a
Dissertation or Enterprise Project you will need to complete a n
ethics form.
To support your preparation for these tasks and to get you all to

think about what goes into designing a research project
(important for your future professional practice) Part 2 of your
assessment requires you to work through the following
template.
PLEASE NOTE:
Participant recruitment or data collection is not required for this
assessment. We want you to focus on developing some initial
ideas and working through some principles of good research
design.
one
Name:Click here to enter text.
Seminar Lead:
School / Unit:Click here to enter text.
Student number:Click here to enter text.
Programme enrolled on:Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
International Hospitality Management
Working Title:
Think about how you might convey the broad area of research
you are interested in or your business idea
Draft overall aim:
Think about how you might convey the overall purpose of your
research project or aim of your business idea in a single
sentence
Draft project objectives
Think about how you might break your overall aim (area of
interest) into three objectives
Objective 1:
Objective 2:
Objective 3:

In no more than 150 words, provide a rationale for your area of
interest or your business idea. This should include reference to
at least 3 credible sources of supporting research literature, grey
literature or market intelligence data. Please include the full
references at the end of the section. These will not be included
in your word count.
Reference list (exclude word count)
TWO
A RESEARCH DESIGN
A1 Describe one approach to research design that could be used
to help you answer your draft research aim. In this section
outline what is involved in using your chosen approach to data
collection (what it is and an indication of what is entailed in
using the approach – for example, any necessary sampling,
methods of recruitment, analytical techniques for transcripts,
survey data and, or documentation). Also consider reliability
and validity for quantitative methods and credibility and

trustworthiness for qualitative work. Include at least three
academically credible sources to support your approach to
design. Please include the full references at the end of the
section. These will not be included in your word count.(350
words)
B PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE and LEARNING
B1 What previous experience of research do you have? Briefly
outline any primary or secondary research you have undertaken
at college or on your current programme that may help prove
helpful in developing your idea. Also list any modules that you
have taken that could be used to develop your understanding of
the topic and provide subject underpinning.
C POTENTIAL ETHICAL ISSUES
C1 What potential ethical issues do you foresee?If you are
thinking of undertaking primary research, consider what risk
might be involved in developing project in your area of interest.
If you are thinking of undertaking a desk-based study, consider

the challenges (and therefore the ethics) of using secondary
sources to develop your understanding of your area of interest
(130 words)
C2 How will you deal with the potential issues?Outline how you
could go about try to address and mitigate the risks outline in
C1 (120 words)

HLT5030 Assessment Part 2 Scoping a Research Topic
1

1 Beacon International College Research Methods

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