This module is primarily concerned with integrating the taught elements of the programme to develop the essential knowledge and critical skills for research and scholarship in the field of Accounting. It is intended to develop the researcher’s grasp of the discipline and to provide appropriate training and practice in the systematic investigation of a particular Accounting issue or challenge, in the form of a research project. It is also intended to developthe researcher’s ability to critical evaluate, analyse and manage information/data, to discern actionable findings, and to communicate and defend these findings in the form of conclusions and recommendations.
The aim of this module is to enable the student to undertake a learning journey, based on a topic of personal, academic and professional interest, which is largely self-directed and self-motivated. It aims to facilitate opportunities to integrate the various dimensions and domains of knowledge acquired, thus far, in the programme, and to achieve a level of specialist knowledge and familiarity of breadth and depth with a topic area not usually possible in through routine diagnosis or normal coursework.
This module allows the student to specialise in a particular area and/or sectoral field of their choice, including contemporary or emergent topics, such as accounting for sustainability, carbon accounting, automation and artificial intelligence, tax law changes, public sector accounting and critical accounting theory. The research topic and question will, in general, be generated by the student. However in a small number of areas it is intended that staff would propose avenues for research that would form synergies with the staff’s own research interests. Research workshops will be held beginning in the first semester to discuss the project aims and to help students generate questions. The objectives are that student on this module would:-
- have the opportunity to consider the potential for theorising in a specific area of Accounting, or a related area, covered in the programme;
- gain experience in critically appraising theories, concepts, principles or professional practices relevant to the chosen topic;
- address a real-world problem within the subject areas covered on the programme.
The research project will be grounded in theoretical issues and will test practice against a theoretical framework in a contextualised setting (rather than investigated by primary research), normally of a case study variety. The required length of the research project is 12,000 words.
Research Problem Statement
The student will set out clearly the issue being addressed and the reasons for the choice of issue.
Literature Review
The literature review should provide a thorough analysis of all up-to-date works concerning the research project. The literature review should be developed thematically and must address theoretical debates and, where appropriate, offer empirical evidence. It should offer a critical and analytical overview of the existing literature. The literature review should identify the main debates, which, in turn, inform a conceptual or analytical framework for the research.
Context Review
The research project will be located in a particular context. In most cases this will be within a specific organisational context but it could also include a sectoral context. This context will be described using a framework developed from the literature review.
Results
The results chapter should take various aspects of findings and integrate them with current theoretical debates and previous research findings. There should be a strong focus on argument and debate.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusion should provide an overall discussion of the research findings and how they have developed academic debate in the chosen area. The research project should present issues for further research. These areas should be set out as possible future projects.
Supervision
Once a project proposal is approved, then a project supervisor will be appointed to guide a mentor the student. The supervisor will be responsible for the advice on the academic content and for identifying other sources of academic expertise, which may be of assistance to the student. A log book of supervisory meetings will be kept by the student.
Research Skills
Use will be made of formal lectures and tutorials as appropriate. However, there will be an emphasis upon interactive learning via workshops, discussion groups and group problem based learning. There will be group presentations on the various research methods and guest lecturers will be invited to present their research work and to lead the discussions on the choice of methodology adopted.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |