SPD4419 Integrated Study (Business)

SPD4419 Integrated Study (Business)

Student Handbook

2018/19

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business

Programme Code: 84039 (Full-time) / 84040 (Part-time)

Table of Contents Page

1. Introduction 1

2. Topic, Approach, Structure & Timeline 2

3. Support to Students, Role of Supervisors & Students 7

4. Assessment Criteria & Rubrics 9

5. Format & Presentation 13

6. Submission Policies 15

7. Resubmission/ Retake 16

8. Plagiarism Policies & Turnitin Report 16

9. Consequences of Plagiarism 19

Appendix A Sample Title Page 20

Appendix B Integrated Study Report Declaration Form 21

Appendix C Sample Supervision Log Sheet 22

Appendix D Sample Marking Form (To be filled in by Supervisor) 23

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1. Introduction

This document aims at providing you with the necessary information on the formal requirements of the SPD4419 Integrated Study (Business) and setting out guidelines on how the Integrated Study reports should be prepared, completed and presented. The Integrated Study is a significant part of your Honours assessment, which accounts for 3 credits in the programme of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business.

1.1. Objectives

This is a one-semester independent work for students to further develop their problem solving skill and critical thinking. By working on an intellectually challenging theoretical model or industrial issue, students will be able to show their ability to integrate knowledge and skills with creativity and innovation from a range of subjects and past learning experience to address a specific intellectually challenging issue or problem related to various business disciplines. The students are expected to analyse the problem/issue rigorously and present their arguments/findings in a logical and coherent way.

1.2. Scheme Intended Learning Outcomes (SILOs)

Upon graduation from the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business, all students will be able to: a. Apply specific skills and business knowledge to analyse problems and make decisions for

different business functional units with global insight and local relevance; b. Apply knowledge and skills to undertake both individual tasks and teamwork with a

reflective and critical perspective; c. Communicate effectively and efficiently in English and Chinese in a business context; d. Demonstrate ability to acquire knowledge and improve skills through continuous learning for

personal and professional development; e. Identify key ethical issues and formulate strategies for organisational sustainability in an

ever-changing business environment.

1.3. Subject Intended Learning Outcomes (SILOs) Upon successful completion of this subject, you will be able to: a. Identify a business issue faced by an organization or a theoretical model in various business

disciplines. b. Apply relevant concepts and theories to study and analyse the issue, the theoretical model or

a real-life observation. c. Apply research skills to address the specific business issue and develop a business-related

research study or any integrated study (such as a personal career plan, or an improved theoretical framework, etc.) that is considered appropriate by the SEG.

d. Present the findings and arguments in a logical and coherent way.

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1.4. How Learning Outcomes are accomplished

Teaching and Learning activities

Assessment methods / tasks

% Contribution

to Subject Assessment

SILOs to be assessed

a b c d

1. Topic identification & proposal development

Project Proposal (500 - 800 words)

15% √

2. Interim progress update & review (including discussion and consultation with Supervisor)

Progress Report (600 – 1,000 words)

15% √ √

3. Completion of Study Final Report (3,000 - 4,000 words)

70% √ √ √ √

Total 100% 2. Topic, Approach, Structure 2.1. Topic Originality and Relevance

The topic of the Integrated Study report should be original and relevant to study stream / concentration / award (e.g., Finance; General Business; International Business; Health Services Management; Human Resource Management or Operations & Supply Chain Management) area. It is your responsibility to verify and ensure the title/topic of the Integrated Study is original. A good topic should fulfill the following criteria: • Originality; • Interesting and appealing to both scholars and practitioners in related business disciplines;

and/or • Feasible and practicable implication for project investigation / implementation.

2.2. Report Structure

2.2.1. Length

Assessment Work Length required (words) Proposal 500 – 800 Progress Report 600 – 1,000 Final Report 3,000 - 4,000

The number of words excludes the title page, abstract, table of contents, lists of appendices and tables, references and bibliography, and appendices. Supervisors/Markers are not required to read beyond 4,000 words in assessing your final report. A penalty of 10% of the total mark will be deducted for excessive length.

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2.2.2. Key Sections

The following key sections could be included in the Reports. Headings and sub-headings are indicative only and could be used as appropriate.

(I) Project Proposal

1) Title of the Study 2) Objectives of the Study 3) Approach of the Study 4) Background/Theoretical model/Company issues to be used for the study 5) Significance/Expected contribution of the study 6) Information to be collected (what and how) 7) References (not included in word count) 8) Working timeline (not included in word count)

(II) Progress Report 1) Title of the Study (if there is no update, this part could be omitted, please discuss with your

Supervisor) 2) Objectives of the Study (if there is no update, this part could be omitted, please discuss with

your Supervisor) 3) Literature review 4) Progress update and work accomplished (e.g. no. of journal articles or management reports

read, problems found & recommended solution, industry analysis, company analysis & issues identified for case study, personal goal & career aspiration, etc)

5) References (if there is no update, this part could be omitted, please discuss with your Supervisor) (not included in word count)

6) Working timeline (if there is no update, this part could be omitted, please discuss with your Supervisor) (not included in word count)

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(III) Final Report Students may choose to adopt one of the following 5 approaches. These 5 approaches are for reference only. If students have other approaches, please discuss with your own Supervisors.

Approach 3 Case Study & Career Planning

Approach 4 Feasibility Study

1) Title Page (see Appendix A for sample)


2) Integrated Study Report Declaration Form and Word Count (see Appendix B for sample)


3) Table of Contents 3) Table of Contents 4) Abstract (no more than 150

words) 4) Executive summary (no more

than 250 words) 5) Introduction 5) Introduction 6) Literature Review (if not

applicable, this part can be omitted, please discuss with your Supervisor)

7) Industry/Company Analysis 8) Insight and Personal Career

Plan 9) Conclusion 10) References 11) Appendices (if any) 12) Log sheets

6) Industry and Market Analysis 7) Company Feasibility Analysis 8) Discussion and Managerial

Implication 9) Conclusion 10) References 11) Appendices (if any) 12) Log sheets

Approach 1 Literature Review &

Framework Development

Approach 2 Literature Review &

Recommendation 1) Title Page (see Appendix A for

sample) 1) Title Page (see Appendix A for

sample) 2) Integrated Study Report

Declaration Form and Word Count (see Appendix B for sample)


3) Table of Contents 3) Table of Contents 4) Abstract (no more than 150

words) 4) Abstract (no more than 150

words) 5) Introduction 5) Introduction 6) Literature Review and

Proposed Framework 6) Literature Review

7) Discussion and Managerial Implications

8) Conclusion 9) References 10) Appendices (if any) 11) Log sheets

7) Discussion and Managerial Implications

8) Recommendations 9) Conclusion 10) References 11) Appendices (if any) 12) Log sheets

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Approach 5

Data Analyses



3) Table of Contents 4) Abstract (no more than 150

words)

5) Introduction 6) Literature Review(if not

applicable, this part can be omitted, please discuss with your Supervisor)

7) Data Collection 8) Findings and Discussions 9) Conclusion 10) References 11) Appendices (if any) 12) Log sheets

The following are the details of each approach:

1) Literature Review & Framework Development approach: critically evaluate an existing theoretical model in the business-related discipline, and then develop an improved model.

2) Literature Review & Recommendation approach: introduce a problem/issue in the business-related industry, critically evaluate the importance of the problem/issue, provide some related literature to the problem/issue, and give some recommendations for problem solving or future improvement.

3) Case Study & Career Planning approach: perform an in-depth analysis on an industry or a company in the business sector, and develop a personal career plan accordingly.

4) Feasibility Study approach: develop a full-feasibility study for a corporate / business. The study may include industry analysis, market and demand analysis, financial analysis, organisational structure and operational analysis, etc.

5) Data Analyses approach: identify the research questions, and then answer them by using the findings from the primary data OR secondary data. The analyses could be qualitative OR quantitative.

Each approach can be supported by primary or secondary data if relevant.

If your study involves collecting personal data (such as names, phone numbers, addresses, identity card numbers, photos, medical records and employment records), please ensure you comply with the Data Privacy Law, for details, please visit www.pcpd.org.hk

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2.3. Reading List* References

Ghauri, P. & Gronhaug, K. (2010). Research methods in business studies. (4th ed.), Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Polonsky, M. J. & Waller, D. S. (2011). Designing and managing a research project: a business student's guide. (2nd ed.), Sage Publications.

Saunders, M., Thornhill, A. & Lewis, P. (2015). Research methods for business students. (7th ed.), Pearson. VanderMey, R. et. al. (2011), The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching, (4th ed), Wadsworth Publishing.

Zikmund, W. (2013). Business research methods. (9th ed.), South-Western/Cengage learning. Useful Links Guide on sources & citation from Dartmouth College, USA. (http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/) Journals I. General Business

1) British Journal of Management 2) Academy of Management Learning and Education 3) Journal of Environmental Management 4) Journal of Management Studies 5) Strategic management journal

II. Finance

1) Journal of Finance 2) Journal of Financial Economics 3) Journal of Corporate Finance 4) Journal of Risk and Insurance 5) Corporate Governance: An International Review

III. Health Services Management]

1) Journal of Healthcare Management 2) Journal of Patient Safety and Quality Improvement 3) International Journal for Quality in Health Care 4) The International Journal of Health Planning and Management 5) Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management

IV. Human Resource Management

1) Academy of Management Journal 2) International Journal of Human Resource Management 3) Journal of Applied Psychology 4) Journal of Management 5) Journal of Organizational Behavior

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/

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V. International Business 1) International Business Review 2) International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management 3) International Journal of Intercultural Relations 4) International Journal of Management Reviews 5) Journal of International Business Studies

VI. Operations & Supply Chain Management

1) Decision Sciences 2) International Journal of Production Economics 3) Journal of Business Logistics 4) Journal of Operations Management 5) Supply Chain Management Review

*The above reading list is indicative. Supervisors may supplement with additional readings.

3. Support to Students, Role of Supervisors & Students 3.1. Integrated Study Workshop

To prepare you for the Integrated Study projects, 6 hours of workshop will be organized. Students MUST attend all sessions of the workshop. The workshop will be held before the semester in which the Integrated Study is taken. The following topics will be covered in the workshops: 1. IS student handbook 2. Online Tutorial on Academic Integrity, which is available at Moodle at https://moodle.cpce-

polyu.edu.hk. 3. Current issues in businesses (e.g., General Business; Finance; Health Services Management;

Human Resource Management; International Business and Operations & Supply Chain Management) and their challenges.

4. Writing skills, e.g., how to write-up a proposal. 5. Planning and implementation of the study. 6. How to generate and interpret Turnitin report. 7. Other contents IS Advisors see fit.

Students should identify a topic during or after the workshop in consultation and discussion with the Programme Leader or other academic members. The topics identified will be used for assigning Supervisors. Hence, it is important for students to stay with the topic.

3.2. Role of Supervisor 3.2.1. You should exert sufficient effort on your work to attain the required quality and quantity.

To assist you in preparing and completing the Integrated Study Report, you will be assigned to a Supervisor who will provide you the appropriate guidance. Each student is entitled to a maximum of 2.5 hours of consultation (e.g. 5 consultation meetings each of 30 minutes). Other forms of arrangements may also be possible as considered appropriate by your Supervisor. The meetings are intended to provide consultation on your study direction, comment on your ongoing work, and coach you to meet with the objectives of this subject.

3.2.2. This subject aims at developing your ability in independent problem solving and critical thinking. If you have any problems on the Reports, you can contact your Supervisor for guidance. You should be well-prepared before asking questions or meeting with your

https://moodle.cpce-polyu.edu.hk/


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Supervisor (e.g. use your knowledge you have learned from the programme to identify specific questions and possible solutions). Also, you should not expect the Supervisor to teach basic research knowledge. Specifically, the Supervisor’s role is to: - provide appropriate guidance; - comment on the progress and quality of your work; - give advice to the best of his/ her ability; and - perform assessment on your Proposal, Progress Report and final Integrated Study Report. It is NOT your Supervisor’s responsibility to: - proofread your written report or any drafts; - review/comment on your drafts or perform any pre-marking of your written report; - specify what you need to do or tell you what to do; - manage your work schedule or progress; and - arrange printing for materials that you wish him/ her to read (all such materials should be

submitted in hardcopy to your Supervisor before or during a scheduled meeting).

3.3. Role of Students To make the best use of meetings with your Supervisor, you should - manage your work progress and schedule properly; - initiate communication and arrange regular meetings with your Supervisor; - prepare and keep clear records of the discussion (in the form of a supervision log sheet; see

Appendix C) to ensure all intended meeting objectives are achieved on time; - address communication issues with your Supervisor; - maintain communication records with your Supervisor; and - ask for comments but NOT direct instructions from your Supervisor. The final responsibility of the Integrated Study resides with you but NOT your Supervisor.

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4. Assessment Criteria & Rubrics 4.1. Grading

Subject Grade

Grade Point

Description Elaboration on subject grading description

A+ 4.5 Exceptionally Outstanding

The student’s work is exceptionally outstanding. It exceeds the intended subject learning outcomes in all regards.

A 4 Outstanding The student’s work is outstanding. It exceeds the intended subject learning outcomes in nearly all regards.

B+ 3.5 Very Good The student’s work is very good. It exceeds the intended subject learning outcomes in most regards.

B 3 Good The student’s work is good. It exceeds the intended subject learning outcomes in some regards.

C+ 2.5 Wholly Satisfactory

The student’s work is wholly satisfactory. It fully meets the intended subject learning outcomes.

C 2 Satisfactory The student’s work is satisfactory. It largely meets the intended subject learning outcomes.

D+ 1.5 Barely Satisfactory

The student’s work is barely satisfactory. It marginally meets the intended subject learning outcomes.

D 1 Barely Adequate

The student’s work is barely adequate. It meets the intended subject learning outcomes only in some regards.

F 0 Inadequate The student’s work is inadequate. It fails to meet many of the intended subject learning outcomes.

‘F’ is a subject failure grade, whilst all others (‘D’ to ‘A+’) are subject passing grades. No credit will be earned if a subject is failed.

4.2. Assessment Criteria

The Integrated Study will be assessed on the basis of Proposal, Progress Report (including discussion and consultation with Supervisor), and Final Report. Assessment of Proposal and Progress Report will focus on your formative performance (i.e. progress and improvement) on top of the quality of your work, and is based on Subject Intended Learning Outcomes (SILOs) (a) and (b). The Final Report accounts for 70% of the assessment, and will focus on the quality and quantity of the final deliverables based on all the four SILOs. A sample marking form is provided in Appendix D.

4.3. Assessment Rubrics 4.3.1. Project Proposal (15%)

Subject Intended Learning Outcomes (SILOs) to be achieved: a) identify a business issue faced by an organisation or a theoretical model in various business

disciplines.

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Assessment Criteria

Outstanding to

Exceptionally Outstanding (Grade: A to

A+)

Good to Very Good

(Grade: B to B+)

Satisfactory to Wholly

Satisfactory (Grade: C to

C+)

Barely Adequate to

Barely Satisfactory (Grade: D to

D+)

Inadequate (Grade: F)

Title, Objectives & Significance

Title, Objectives & Significance of the study are clearly defined.

Title, Objectives & Significance of the study are basically clear.

Title, Objectives & Significance of the study are not very clearly defined.

Title, Objectives & Significance of the study are mostly unclear.

Title, Objectives & Significance of the study are incomplete or missing.

Theoretical model/company issues

Theoretical model and/or company issues are identified and discussed from different perspectives and insights are drawn.

Theoretical model and/or company issues are identified and quite thoroughly discussed.

Theoretical model and/or company issues are identified and briefly discussed.

Theoretical model and/or company issues are identified and discussion is brief.

Theoretical model and/or company issues are not identified and discussion is missing or incomplete.

Literature review or industry/market analysis

Literature or analysis is relevant and critically analyzed.

Literature or analysis is relevant and generally analyzed.

Literature or analysis is partly relevant and briefly analyzed.

Literature or analysis is not very relevant and briefly described.

Literature or analysis is mostly irrelevant with brief descriptions.

Presentation, Format, References

Plan on information to be collected is very relevant & detailed. Report is very well-organized, logical & convincing. Almost free from grammatical & spelling errors. References are clear and correct. Working timeline is clear & logical. Appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is mostly relevant & detailed. Report is quite well-organized & logical. Few grammatical & spelling errors. Most references are clear and correct. Working timeline is mostly clear & logical. Most appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is quite relevant & detailed. Some part of the Report is organized & logical. Some grammatical & spelling errors. Some references are clear & correct. Working timeline is partly clear & logical. Some appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is not very relevant & detailed. Report is not very well-organized & logical. Quite a lot of grammatical & spelling errors. Only few references are clear & correct. Working timeline is not very clear & logical. Few appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is not relevant & too brief. Report is not organized & logical. Lots of grammatical & spelling errors. References are unclear & incorrect. Working timeline is missing or incomplete. Appendices are not well-indexed and not clearly presented.

4.3.2. Progress Report (15%)


disciplines; b) apply relevant concepts and theories to study and analyse the issue, the theoretical model or a

real-life observation.

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Assessment Criteria

Outstanding to

Exceptionally Outstanding (Grade: A to

A+)

Good to Very Good

(Grade: B to B+)



C+)

Barely Adequate to


D+)


Title & Objectives definition

Title & Objectives are clearly defined & presented.

Title & Objectives are basically clear.

Title & Objectives are not very clearly defined.

Title & Objectives are mostly unclear.

Title & Objectives are incomplete or missing.


Very critical & logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model. Almost all concepts/ theories applied are relevant. Thorough & in-depth understanding of all concepts with correct application in reality.

Quite critical & logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model. Most concepts/ theories are applied are relevant. Thorough & in-depth understanding of most concepts with correct application in reality.

Basically logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model. Some relevant concepts/ theories are applied. Thorough & in-depth understanding of a few concepts with correct application in reality.

Not very logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model. A few relevant concepts/ theories are applied. Some understanding of a few concepts with correct application in reality.

Analysis of the issue or theoretical model is neither logical nor critical. Most concepts/ theories applied are irrelevant. Unclear understanding of concepts with incorrect application in reality.

Progress Update and work accomplished

Excellent time management. Very detailed action plan. Adequate work accomplished with very good quality. Demonstrated professional engagement with Supervisor.

Good time management. Quite detailed action plan. Adequate work accomplished with reasonable quality. Demonstrated good engagement with Supervisor.

Acceptable time management. Acceptable action plan. Some work accomplished with reasonable quality. Demonstrated acceptable engagement with Supervisor.

Barely acceptable time management. Brief action plan. Some work accomplished with acceptable quality. Demonstrated barely acceptable engagement with Supervisor.

Fail to manage time & work schedule properly. Incomplete action plan. Very limited work accomplished with barely acceptable quality Unprofessional engagement with Supervisor.


Plan on information to be collected is very relevant & detailed. Report is very well-organized, logical & convincing. Almost free from grammatical & spelling errors. References are clear and correct. Working timeline is clear & logical Appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is mostly relevant & detailed. Report is quite well-organized & logical Few grammatical & spelling errors. Most references are clear and correct. Working timeline is mostly clear & logical Most appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is quite relevant & detailed. Some part of the Report is organized & logical Some grammatical & spelling errors. Some references are clear & correct. Working timeline is partly clear & logical Some appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is not very relevant & detailed. Report is not very well-organized & logical Quite a lot of grammatical & spelling errors Only few references are clear & correct. Working timeline is not very clear & logical Few appendices are well-indexed and clearly presented.

Plan on information to be collected is not relevant & too brief. Report is not organized & logical Lots of grammatical & spelling errors. References are unclear & incorrect. Working timeline is missing or incomplete Appendices are not well-indexed and not clearly presented.

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4.3.3. Final Report (70%)


disciplines; b) apply relevant concepts and theories to study and analyse the issue, the theoretical model or a

real-life observation; c) apply research skills to address the specific business issue and develop a business-related

research study or any integrated study (such as a personal career plan, or an improved theoretical framework, etc.) that is considered appropriate by the SEG;

d) present the findings and arguments in a logical and coherent way.

Assessment Criteria

Outstanding to Exceptionally Outstanding (Grade: A to

A+)

Good to Very Good

(Grade: B to B+)



C+)

Barely Adequate to


D+)



Very critical & logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model.

Quite critical & logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model.

Basically logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model.

Not very logical analysis of the issue or theoretical model.

Analysis of the issue or theoretical model is neither logical nor critical.

Theoretical framework or Recommendations or Industry/Company analysis or Company Feasibility Analysis. Managerial Implications or Career Plan.

Very sensible & logical, highly creative & original ideas. Very coherent analysis & recommendation.

Largely sensible & logical, creative & original ideas. Largely coherent analysis & recommendation.

Generally sensible & logical, creative & original ideas. Some coherence shown in analysis & recommendation.

Partly sensible & logical, creative & original ideas. Analysis & recommendation are sometimes conflicting.

Not very sensible & logical, lacks creativity. Analysis & recommendations are mostly conflicting.

Theory/Concept Application

Almost all concepts/ theories applied are relevant. Thorough & in-depth understanding of all concepts with correct application in reality.

Most concepts/ theories are applied are relevant. Thorough & in-depth understanding of most concepts with correct application in reality.

Some relevant concepts/ theories are applied. Thorough & in-depth understanding of a few concepts with correct application in reality.

A few relevant concepts/ theories are applied. Some understanding of a few concepts with correct application in reality.

Most concepts/ theories applied are irrelevant. Unclear understanding of concepts with incorrect application in reality.


Report is very well-organized, logical & convincing. Almost free from grammatical & spelling errors. References are clear and correct. Appendices are well-indexed and

Report is quite well-organized & logical Few grammatical & spelling errors. Most references are clear and correct. Most appendices are well-indexed

Some part of the Report is organized & logical Some grammatical & spelling errors. Some references are clear & correct. Some appendices

Report is not very well-organized & logical Quite a lot of grammatical & spelling errors Only few references are clear & correct. Few appendices are well-indexed

Report is not organized & logical Lots of grammatical & spelling errors. References are unclear & incorrect. Appendices

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clearly presented. and clearly presented.

are well-indexed and clearly presented.

and clearly presented.

are not well-indexed and not clearly presented.

5. Format & Presentation 5.1. Writing Style

The project should be written in an academic writing style. First person references (I, we, us) should NOT be used unless it is appropriate.

5.2. Layout and Format

Layout and Format requirements: - Typed; double-sided printing; white A4 paper - Font : Times New Roman font size 12 - Spacing : Single line spacing; - Page numbers should be indicated at the bottom of each page; - All sections and subsections should be numbered and given a title; - Legibility of all submitted copies (drafts and final submission) should be ensured, i.e., text

and image of the copy should be ready for reproduction from a photocopier; - Color printing is not necessary.

5.3. Referencing Style

The APA referencing system should be adopted and used consistently throughout all written reports. Some of the following examples are retrieved from Cornell University Library, https://www.library.cornell.edu/research/citation/apa.

5.3.1. Examples of APA Referencing Style: At the end of the paper, you should provide the full bibliographic information for each source. References must be listed in alphabetical order by author.

Example: Journal article, one author Ku, G. (2008). Learning to de-escalate: The effects of regret in escalation of commitment. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 105(2), 221-232. • “Ku” is the family name of the author, and “G” is the initial of the author’s first name (e.g.

George is the first name; therefore, “G” is the initial). • “Learning to de-escalate: The effects of regret in escalation of commitment” is the article title. • “Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes” is the journal title. • “105(2)” are the volume and issue number. • “221-232” are the page numbers.

EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES BY TYPE In a reference list In-text citation

1 Journal article (print version), one author Ku, G. (2008). Learning to de-escalate: The effects of regret in escalation of commitment. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 105(2), 221-232.

(Ku, 2008)

2 Journal article (print version), two authors (Lefever & Withiam,

https://www.library.cornell.edu/research/citation/apa

14

Lefever, M., & Withiam, C. (1998). Curriculum review: How industry views hospitality education. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 39(4), 70-78.

1998)

3 Journal article (print version), more than two authors Weaver, P., Choi, J., & Kaufman, T. (1997). Question wording and response bias: Students’ perceptions of ethical issues in the hospitality and tourism industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 9(2), 21-26.

(Weaver, Choi & Kaufman, 1997) Then subsequently (Weaver, et al., 1997)

4 Article from an Internet-only journal (i.e. no print version) Hirtle, P. B. (2008, July-August). Copyright renewal, copyright restoration, and the difficulty of determining copyright status. D-Lib Magazine, 14(7/8). Retrieved from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july08/hirtle/07hirtle.html

(Hirtle, 2008)

5 Conference paper online Bochner, S. (1996, November). Mentoring in higher education: Issues to be addressed in developing a mentoring program. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.aare.edu.au/96pap/bochs96018.txt

(Bochner, 1996)

6 Newspaper article Hartevelt, J. (2007, December 20). Boy racers. The Press Newspaper, P.3

(Hartevelt, 2007)

7 Newspaper article (no author, print version) Brexit beyond. (2018, May 5). The Wall Street Journal, p. A9. Note: article title comes first.

(“Brexit beyond,” 2018)

8 Magazine article (print version) Kluger, J. (2008, January 28). Why we love. Time, 171(4), 54-60.

(Kluger, 2008)

9 Book with one author Kidder, T. (1981). The soul of a new machine. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company.

(Kidder, 1981)

10 Book with two authors Frank, R. H., & Bernanke, B. (2007). Principles of macro-economics (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

(Frank & Bernanke, 2007)

11 Book with more than two authors Krause, K.L., Bochner, S., & Duchesne, S. (2006). Educational psychology for learning and teaching (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic., Australia: Thomson.

(Krause, Bochner, & Duchesne, 2006) Then subsequently, (Krause et al., 2006)

12 Book or report by a corporate author, e.g. organization association, government department University of Waikato. (1967). First hall of residence (Information series No.3). Hamilton, New Zealand: Author. Note: when the publisher and author are the same, put down “Author” in the publisher field.

(University of Waikato, 1967)

13 Book chapter in edited book Hammond, K. R., & Adelman, L. (1986). Science, values, and human judgment. In H. R. Arkes & K. R. Hammond (Eds.), Judgment and decision making: An interdisciplinary reader (pp. 127-143). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

(Hammond & Adelman, 1986)

14 Webpages Statistics New Zealand. (2007). New Zealand in profile 2007. Retrieved from http://www.stats/govt.nz

(Statistics New Zealand, 2007)

http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july08/hirtle/07hirtle.html

http://www.aare.edu.au/96pap/bochs96018.txt

http://www.stats/govt.nz

15

For more information on APA citation style, please visit • http://www.waikato.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/236120/apa-quick-guide.pdf • http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/referencing/APA.aspx#undefined • http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/referenceMachineNet.htm#Example • https://www.library.cornell.edu/research/citation/apa

6. Submission Policies 6.1. Submission timelines and requirements

6.1.1. The assignment works must be submitted in the following manners:

. Assessment Work

Hardcopy (stapled)

Softcopy (Moodle

Assignment Box)

Softcopy (Turnitin System at Moodle)

Submission Deadline*

Submission Campus

Proposal

Week 3, Friday, 5:00pm (Full-time students) / 7:00pm (Part-time students)

WK (Full-time students)

/ HHB (Part-

time students)

Progress Report



/ HHB (Part-

time students)

Final Report



/ HHB (Part-

time students) * If Friday falls into a public holiday, the submission deadline should be the following working day.

Note: Students should submit the entire progress report and final report to the Turnitin system, including title page, declaration form, supervision log sheet etc.

6.2. Late Submission

Late submission of reports (proposal, progress report and/or final report) will NOT be accepted.

6.2.1. Proposal and Progress Report • In principle, late submission equals 0 mark. • If students are unable to submit on time because of illness, injury or other unforeseeable

reasons, they may apply for a late submission with documentation within 5 working days from the submission deadline with the IS Advisor/ Programme Leader. Permission is subject to the approval of the IS Advisor/ Programme Leader. Should late submission be granted, the students concerned would receive the actual grade they attained on the proposal/ progress report submitted.

6.2.2. Final Report

• In principle, late submission equals 0 mark.

http://www.waikato.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/236120/apa-quick-guide.pdf

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/referencing/APA.aspx#undefined

http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/referenceMachineNet.htm#Example

https://www.library.cornell.edu/research/citation/apa

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• Students who could not submit the IS final project by the specified timeline due to special reasons may apply for late submission with documentation within 5 working days from the submission deadline. Granting of late submission is subject to the decision of IS Advisor/ Programme Leader in consultation with IS Supervisors. Should late submission be granted, the students concerned would receive the actual grade they attained on the final report submitted.

6.3. Retention of Working Papers

All working papers (e.g. notes, photocopies of articles, drafts, information collected) MUST be retained until the grade of the Integrated Study is formally released. These papers should be kept in an accessible place and be readily produced upon request from the School. Your grade for the Integrated Study may be adversely affected if you fail to produce the working papers when requested by the School.

7. Resubmission/ Retake

• Plagiarism cases will be reported to Subject Assessment Review Panel (SARP) for consideration/ decision.

• Students who have submitted the final report and considered marginally failed may be given a resubmission opportunity subject to the decision of SARP. If a resubmission opportunity is given to the students, the students concerned would be given a result of “I” (i.e. Incomplete), which is interpreted as “Assessment to be completed”.

• SARP would decide a deadline for resubmission. The re-submitted project would be marked by the original project Supervisor. The student would not be required to pay additional fees.

• Students have one 20-minute meeting opportunity with the Supervisor before resubmission. Students should take the initiative to make appointment with the Supervisor.

• The highest grade to be given for re-submitted projects should be grade “D”. Result of re-submitted projects would be finalized in SARP meeting in the next semester.

• Students who have not met the subject requirement and were not given a resubmission opportunity would fail the subject. They would be required to retake the subject and pay the corresponding tuition fees. They can be exempted from taking the 6-hour workshop by returning the signed undertaking.

• Students who have failed the IS project may be requested by SARP to attempt a new topic.

8. Plagiarism Policies & Turnitin Report

You are advised to attempt the Online Tutorial on Academic Integrity which is accessible from the Moodle at https://moodle.cpce-polyu.edu.hk to know the importance of academic integrity, what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

PolyU SPEED has detailed policy on student’s academic integrity, which include plagiarism. The following are the related issues stipulated clearly in the Student Handbook:

8.1. Violations of Academic Integrity

The School views any violations of academic integrity a serious disciplinary offence because it seriously undermines the value of the teaching, learning and research of the School. For students who cheat in their academic work, they limit their learning because they have not undergone the learning experience intentionally designed to help them to gain the specific knowledge or skills. At the same time, if some students cheat in the assessment and get a good grade, it is not fair to the others who are honest and do their own work. Finally, academic dishonesty will tarnish the


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reputation of the programme and its graduates and in the long run, diminish the value of the degree or education from the School. Students should therefore refrain from committing any acts of academic dishonesty. One of such acts which are highly related to research projects is Plagiarism.

8.2. About Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the act of using the creative works of others (e.g. ideas, words, images or sound, etc) in one’s own work without proper acknowledge of the source. Handing in the same assignment for more than one subject is considered as self-plagiarism. According to the Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1987), to ‘plagiarise’ means

[To] steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: [to] use (a created production) without crediting the source: [to] commit literary theft: [to] present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

The University views plagiarism, whether committed intentionally or because of ignorance or negligence, as a serious disciplinary offence. Excuses such as “not knowing that this is required” or “not knowing how to do it” will not be accepted. It is the student’s responsibility to understand what plagiarism is, and take action steps to avoid plagiarism in their academic work. The golden rule is: “if in doubt, acknowledge”. Avoiding Plagiarism Students are required to submit their original work and avoid any possible suggestion of plagiarism in the work they submit for grading or credit. Below are some suggestions on how you can avoid plagiarism in your own work: Use Sources with Care and Respect • Take careful notes so that you know where you got your information; • Keep track of all the sources you have used for each assignment; • Cite all your sources in your finished work, distinguishing carefully between your own ideas/

work and those taken from others; • Include all your sources in your Reference or Bibliography section, normally included at the

end of the paper.

Find out the Expectations of Your Teacher • Different disciplines or professions may have slightly different conventions for citation and

referencing. Ask your teacher for the specific citing and reference system or conventions used in your chosen profession/ discipline;

• Ask your teacher what types of collaborations and help is permitted for the specific assignment.

Develop Your Academic Skills • Plan your academic work carefully and start early so that you have time to do your own work; • Make a work schedule for your work and try to keep to it; • Study resource materials and, if appropriate, attend courses or workshops to continually

improve your skills in referencing and academic writing.

Be Honest, and Always Do Your Own Work

The School may take disciplinary actions against students when there is evidence of collusion between individuals. The work of others, which is included in the assignment must be attributed to its source (a full bibliography and a list of reference must be submitted). Failure to observe

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such requirements will definitely lead to serious consequence for your study on this subject and registration at School.

8.3. Turnitin Report

Turnitin database will be used to check for plagiarism. All students should note that allowing another student to copy their work is a serious breach of academic discipline. If the submissions include a high percentage of work that is copied from other sources, a fail grade will be awarded.

8.3.1. Turnitin User Guide for Student

The Turnitin User Guide for students is available at http://portal.cpce-polyu.edu.hk. Please login and then choose “VeriGuide and Turnitin User Guides” for details.

8.3.2. Trial Submission

Before the final submission, students could submit the progress report and final report via “Trial Submission” to check the similarity index more than once. The 2nd trial report will not be checked against the 1st trial report submitted by the same student; therefore, the similarity index will not be affected by multiple submissions via “Trial Submission”.

After reading the report, you might need to revise your work accordingly. The purpose of revising your work is to make it better and in particular, plagiarism-free. The following are some tips on how you can review and revise your work effectively. Tip 1 When reviewing the matching texts and their sources, check carefully if proper

acknowledgements are given to the sources you used. √ If yes, then you are fine. Remember to include all the sources you used in the reference

or bibliography list as well. X If no, then cite the sources properly using the specified referencing style.

Tip 2 You can use others’ words verbatim as direct quotations, i.e., embedded quotes with

quotation marks or block quotes with indentation; and you still need to cite the sources. !!! Bear in mind that excessive use of quotations is not encouraged as it is not a good

writing practice. Using too many quotations makes your work look weak as you are simply patching together others’ words without much input of your own.

Tip 3 You can paraphrase or summarize others’ words or ideas in your own words, and cite

them properly. You should build your ideas or thoughts upon others’ work and express them in your own

words. The Similarity Index shows the percentage of matching or highly similar text found in a submitted paper compared against the sources stored in the system’s database. It ranges from 0% to 100%.

According to the “Instructor Guide to Using Turnitin Assignment with LEARN@PolyU” developed by the Working Group on Promoting Students’ Academic Integrity at PolyU, there is no rigid percentage to determine whether plagiarism exists.

Supervisors will consider both the “Similarity Index” and “Match Overview” to see the details of the matches and make professional judgments when detecting plagiarism.

http://portal.cpce-polyu.edu.hk/

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9. Consequences of Plagiarism

• Students who are found guilty of offences related to plagiarism will be subject to the penalty of having their subject result disqualified and being given a failure grade with a remark “#” denoting that it is due to academic dishonesty. The remark will be appropriately shown on the students’ record and on documents such as assessment result notification and transcript of studies until they leave the School. These students will also be subject to the penalty of the lowering of their award classification by one level upon graduation. For example, for students who should be awarded a Third class Honours degree, they will be downgraded to a Pass-without-Honours. The minimum of downgraded classification will be kept at a pass.

• Students who are found guilty of the alleged offences will be put on “disciplinary probation”. The status of “disciplinary probation” will be shown on the students’ record and on documents such as assessment result notification, transcript of studies and testimonial during the probation period, which will normally be one year unless otherwise decided by the CPCE Student Discipline Committee. Students who have been put on disciplinary probation will be deprived of certain privileges. They shall not receive honour from PolyU/ CPCE/ SPEED (such as scholarships/ awards/ prizes) or engage in activities which represent PolyU/ CPCE/ SPEED (such as outstanding students/ student ambassadors/ taking up leadership roles within the University/ School).

• Students may also be given lower priority in funding and subsidies for student projects, courses/ activities, overseas academic exchange, internship jobs, mentorship programmes, overseas WIE, etc.

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Appendix A - Sample Title Page

School of Professional Education and Executive Development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Integrated Study submission for the award of the

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business

INTEGRATED STUDY TITLE

Project Proposal / Progress Report / Final Report (Delete as appropriate)

YOUR FULL NAME Student no.

Supervisor: XXX

Number of words: XXX

Submission date: dd/mm/yyyy (e.g., 1st Jan, 2018)

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Appendix B - Integrated Study Report Declaration Form

INTEGRATED STUDY REPORT DECLARATION FORM

I, ____________________________________ (student no: ), hereby declare

that the Integrated Study report, the title of which is

____________________________________________, submitted on (date) for PolyU SPEED

programme (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business), is my work and that, to the best

of my knowledge and belief, it reproduces no material previously published or written, nor the

work of other students, nor material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree

or diploma, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Word Count:

Signed by:

(Signature of student)

Date:

Note: This declaration form must be handed-in together with the Final Report.

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Appendix C - Sample Supervision Log Sheet Log of the _______ Meeting (eg. 1st Meeting, to be filled in by student) (Student should submit the original log sheets with the final report.)

Date and Time of Meeting: Venue and Duration: Brief description of work done:

Agenda (Any issues, concerns, problems for discussion):

Supervisor’s comments:

Agreed tasks or action plan for next meeting:

Date and time of next meeting:

Student Name: Student Signature:

Supervisor Name: Supervisor Signature:

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Appendix D - Sample Marking Form (to be filled in by IS Supervisor)

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Business SPD 4419 Integrated Study (Business) Marking Form

Proposal

(The grade and comments on the Proposal will be returned to students by the IS Supervisors) Supervisor Name Student Name Student Number Grade Comments and Justification for Grade PROJECT PROPOSAL

Clearly presented Title, Objective & Significance of the study.

Background of the study is well presented (SILO a).

Significance of the study or expected contributed clearly presented.

Critically reviewed relevant literature or issues related to the industry/company.

Free from spelling & grammatical errors. Appropriate writing style is adopted.

Information to be collected is clear and action steps are incorporated.

Layout & format are consistent with the guidelines.

The work of others is acknowledged and referenced in accordance with the APA method.

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Progress Report

(The grade and comments on the Progress Report will be returned to students by the IS Supervisors)

Supervisor Name Student Name Student Number Grade Comments and Justification for Grade PROGRESS REPORT

Clearly presented Title, Objective & Significance of the study (SILO a).

Critically reviewed relevant literature and presented in organized manner (SILO b).

Progress update is clear with detailed action plan; and adequate & quality work is accomplished.

The student engaged with Supervisor actively and professionally, and manage the time effectively (see logbook for evidence)


Layout & format consistent with guidelines.

The work of others is acknowledged and referenced in accordance with the APA method. (Students should have finished the online quiz on academic integrity and obtained the eCertificate).

Progress report Turnitin similarity index: ______% (To be filled in by IS Supervisor).

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Final Report

(The grade and comments on the Final Report will be returned to students via the General Office) Supervisor Name

Student Name

Student Number

Grade Comments and Justification for Grade

FINAL REPORT

Abstract contains all essential information of the Study.

Introduction provides clear outline of the background and purpose of the Study (SILO a).

Discussion in Literature Review is clear, relevant and critical (SILO b).

Thorough understanding in theories/concepts with accurate application (SILO b).

Sensible, logical and original analyses (SILO c).

Coherence shown in findings, analyses and conclusion (SILO d).

Thorough understanding in theories/concepts with accurate application (SILO b).

In-depth and thorough discussion, with clear & insightful managerial implications (SILO c).

Logical conclusion is drawn to provide valuable insights for future studies (SILO d).


Layout & format consistent with guidelines.

Integrated Study Report Declaration Form is signed and attached.

The student engaged with Supervisor actively and professionally, and managed the time effectively (see logbook for evidence).

The work of others is acknowledged and referenced in accordance with the APA method.

Final report Turnitin similarity index: ______% (To be filled in by IS Supervisor).

Documents

SPD4419 Integrated Study (Business)