Dissertation Kick-off Meeting

LTPP62N & LTPP69NMA Events Marketing Management

& MA International Events

Management

Agenda

• Dissertation Objectives

• Dissertation Structure

• Topics• Data collection• Writing up• Supervision

process

What should you achieve with the dissertation?

LTPP62N & LTPP69N students should:

• Conduct independent research, into an area of academic & organizational interest

• Critically appraise research methodologies

• Understand and reflect upon their own skills and abilities as a researcher and as an academic

• Manage a research project through from conception to final report stage

• Critically review academic literature and research methodologies relevant to the research, and bring together academic literature and empirical research findings

• Develop thorough detailed analysis and synthesis of theory, policy and practice in relation to the chosen topic

Dissertation structure• There is some variation but

generally you have:– Introduction (1500-2000)– Literature review (4000-6000)– Method (1000-1500)– Findings (2000-3000)– Analysis (2000-3000)– Conclusion (1000-1500)– Recommendations (1000-

15000)

TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS = 15,000

TopicsStudents should have selected topics which are rooted within the core areas of their courses:LTPP62N• Event experience• The ‘live’ experience• Brands and events• Tourism, culture and events• Events and brand authenticity• Events and consumer decision-making• Events and market positioning• Event marketing strategies• Event experience management• Event business practice

LTPP69n• Events and sustainability• Events and authenticity• Event and

hyperfestivity/reality• Events and social class• Event and symbolic

interaction• Events and marketing

strategies• Events and their impacts• Event experience

management• Event s as part of leisure• Events and branding• Event practice

Topics (cont’d)• Topics should

also be linked to literature available at the library:– Journals on Eve

nts and Events Management

– Books on Events & Event Management

– Databases for Events & Event Management

– References & Resources for all types of Events

Data collection considerations

PLEASE NOTE DATA COLLECTION SHOULD START AFTER YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW AND

METHODOLOGY HAS BEEN APPROVED

• Ethical considerations• Practical

considerations• Approaches

Writing-up• There is no such thing as a “writing-

up phase”• Students thinking they can simply

“write-up” in the last three weeks are deluding themselves!!!

• Writing starts from the first meeting with your supervisor

• If you have called a meeting with your supervisor and haven’t written anything you are wasting your time

• Every meeting with your supervisor should move your dissertation further along – this can only be achieved through continuous writing

Tools for writing-up

PLEASE NO TWEETS, FB STATUS UPDATES OR HAND-WRITTEN NOTES UNDER MY DOOR, ALSO NO MID-NIGHT

PANIC CALLS

• Blogging• Online-portfolio• Wikis• E-mail• Supervisor meeting lo

g-sheets

Both students and supervisors have specific duties in this process

Students should ...• Be familiar with the handbook• Ensure regular and appropriate

communication• Prepare for meetings / communications• Students should try to develop their own

ideas / thoughts on possible solutions before contacting the supervisor

• Students should ensure timely input from the supervisor

• Act on supervisor’s recommendations

Supervision process

Supervision process (cont’d)

Supervisors should ...• Provide up to 7.5 hours input for each

student• Have at least one face-to-face initial

meeting• Agree the ground rules for supervision• Provide guidance at relevant points in the

research process• Approve the research instrument• Keep a record of student progress• Coordinate dissertation marking with

second-markers and write up feedback for the student

• Communicate with the dissertation coordinator if any particular difficulties arise

Supervision process (cont’d)

• Difficulties with supervisors should be brought to the module leader’s attention as soon as possible

• Please note “not liking” your supervisor is not a difficulty

• If a supervisor is to be replaced it can take up to three weeks

Thank You

Questions???