Assignment 1 – Framing the research
Principles of Research (PRESE4R)
BICT Honours (BICTH1)
Due date: 10 March – 10h00 – Turnitin only
TurnItIn submission only.
Assignment overview
Assignment One requires an overview of the planned research. It requires intensive engagement with relevant publications to identify a gap in the literature and then
develop a plan of how the research will contribute towards a solution. This is an important foundation for assignment 2 and 3.
Formatting guideline
MS Word document only. Use cover and plagiarism template. Times New Roman font size 12; line spacing set to Multiple at 1,2; justify (block justify) all text; page margins
set to Normal (2,54 for top, bottom, left and right); headings should be Bold size 13; sub-headings should be Bold size 12; page number at bottom right of page; diagrams,
illustrations and graphs if included should be in appendices.
Marking rubric
The marking rubric below serves as a guideline only. The lecturer reserves the right to adjust the rubric at the time of marking.
Section Size Mark allocation guideline
0 1 2 3 4
1. Topic None The title is not linked to The title weakly describes the Good title that adequately Strong link to aim. Exciting. Includes
research. research. Lacks technical describes research. Not too variables, problem and proposed
details. lengthy. Includes variables, solution. Contains technical terms
problem and proposed instead of broad areas.
solution. Contains technical
terms instead of broad areas.
2. Context 1 para Does make sense in Vague. Weak relevance to a The research is situated in Clear placement of the Provides details that are engaging.
context of this field of IT. It is difficult to see situated in an area of research in an area of The relevance to a literature field is
research where the study is situated literature. Recommendations literature. Contains details. well articulated. The research is firmly
in literature. for improvement. Defined main variables. situated within a contemporary area.
Concise. Includes at least 2 Well defined main variables. Detailed
citations. and concise yet not lengthy. Includes
more than 2 citations.
3. Problem statement 1 para Has no link to the A vague general discussion A literature research gap is A good description of literature Excellent description of literature
study of broad topics. presented. Some technical knowledge gap. Technical knowledge gap. Demonstrates
details provided. There is a details are provided instead of knowledge of state-of-art in the field.
weak link to the aim. broad discussion. Contains Technical details are provided instead
Recommendations for elements of where is problem of broad discussion. Contains concise
improvement. occurring? Why is it occurring? description of the specific problem of
There is a link to solution concern? Where is it occurring? Why
proposed in the aim. is it occurring? These are clear and
concise. Each inextricably linked to
solution proposed in the aim.
4. Research aim 1 para Does make sense in Formulated but has no link Includes the variables. Weak Clear purpose statement Clear and concise purpose statement
context of this to the research. purpose statement and which contains a proposed which contains technical details of a
research proposed solution. There is a solution. Logically linked to proposed solution. Excellent logical
weak link to the problem research question and links to other sub-sections.
statement and research problem statement.
question. Recommendations
for improvement.
5. Research 1 statement Does make sense in Formulated but does not Single question/null & Good formulation of single Clear and concise single question/null
question/hypothesis context of this logically link with other alternate hypothesis. Matched question/null & alternate & alternate hypothesis. Excellent
research sections. to aim and literature gap. hypothesis. Logically matched logical links to other sub-sections.
Includes variables and a to the aim and literature gap. Technically detailed which shows
proposed solution. sound understanding of the field.
Recommendations for
improvement.
6. Objectives 3 to 4 Does make sense in Weak statements. These are 3 to 4 statements. Most are 3 to 4 statements of action. A 3 to 4 short and highly detailed
statements context of this not logical step-by-step. No loosely linked. There is a logical depiction of standalone, statements of intent. A logical
research link to achieving the progressive logical flow. detailed, precise milestones depiction of standalone, highly
research aim. No logical flow Shows general milestones for which will achieve the aim. technically detailed and precise
nor progression. achieving the aim. Sufficient technical details. milestones which will achieve the aim.
Recommendations for
improvement.
7. Contribution to the 1 para Does make sense in Not presented as a Vague contribution. Not Good contribution to the This study stands to make a strong
area of literature context of this contribution. delimited to an area in specific area in literature and a contribution to a persistent problem in
research literature. Recommendations practical contribution to literature, society or industry. Concise
for improvement. society. There is a clear description of the outcome e.g.
outcome e.g. model, model, algorithm, framework and how
algorithm, framework and how this will contribute to the specific area
this will contribute to the in literature.
specific area in literature.
8. Quality of Unacceptable quality. Writing is confusing and Adequate writing quality. A few Well written and coherently Exemplary writing quality. Sub-
submission difficult to follow. Poor grammatical or spelling errors. organized. Logical flow. 3 or sections are logically connected and
structure, numbering and Sub-section numbering and less grammatical and/or flow from one to the next. Clear and
logical flow. Many headings are provided. Within spelling errors. Adheres to concise arguments are well
grammatical or spelling suggested page limit. page limit. Sub-section developed and coherent. No
errors. Exceeds page limit. Recommendations for numbering and descriptive grammatical or spelling errors.
improvement. headings. Adheres to page limit. Sub-section
numbering and headings are highly
descriptive and creative.
9. Citations and Not done. Citations are not listed. Some sources cited are not Citations and reference list Citations and reference list are
reference list Reference list contains listed. Reference list contains were matched with no more complete and correctly formatted.
sources not in the text. sources not present in text. than two formatting errors. Zero errors. Zero conversational
Errors in formatting. Use of EndNote evident. Zero conversational tones. tones. Use of EndNote evident.
Use of EndNote evident.
Comments: Total mark /36