MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANUAL AND GUIDELINES

Transcription

1 HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION & SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANUAL AND GUIDELINES ACADEMIC YEAR

2 ACADEMIC YEAR MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANUAL AND GUIDELINES Table of Contents 1. The Media Management Project Report Major Deliverables One-Page Project Description 2.2 Proposal 2.3 Draft Project Report 2.4 Final Report to the Schools 2.5 Final Presentation to the Schools 3. Supervision Role of the Supervisors Principal Supervisor s Commitments in the Early Stages of the Project Principal Supervisor's Commitments after Proposal Approval 3.2 Role of the Students Students Commitments in the Early Stages of the Project Students Commitments after Proposal Approval 3.3 Assessment 4. Confidentiality Preparing the Project Proposal Data Collection Methods Writing and Presenting the Final Report Additional Notes Relating to Business Plan Media Management Projects Project Format Plagiarism Guidelines for Students Checklist 19 Appendix I - Plagiarism Declaration Form Appendix II - Project Status Reports Appendix III - Media Management Project Evaluation Form Appendix IV - Team Member Evaluation Form Appendix V - Sample of Title Page Appendix VI - Authorization of Library Placement Appendix VII - Sample of Acknowledgement Page Appendix VIII - Reference Style Note: The School of Communication and School of Business may announce changes and/or updates from time to time.

3 1. THE MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROJECT REPORT The Media Management Project requires a comprehensive description and evaluation of a profit-seeking or nonprofit-seeking, large or small, domestic or international media organization, together with appropriate recommendations for improved performance. Alternatively, the Media Management Project may be a business plan for a proposed new company / organization to be set up in current media industry or an investigation of a specific media management issue. The main purpose of the Project is for students to develop a thorough understanding of the environment, markets, technology and operations of a real media organization (or, in the case of a business plan, proposed new company / organization). Students apply and integrate knowledge and skills acquired through the media management curriculum and further develop their skills in the area of strategy, and working productively in a team. The reason for undertaking the Media Management Project is for students to gain practical experience to complement and extend classroom learning. The Media Management Project becomes a laboratory for applying ideas, tools, and concepts to real-world problems. It is an exercise in managing task-focused relationships among team members and the faculty supervisors. It gives students a chance to define issues, gather relevant data from a variety of sources, do insightful analysis, and develop creative solutions. Finally, it provides opportunities to learn about a media company, a media industry, and/or a field of management that is of long-term interest to the members of the project team. The major deliverables relating to the Media Management Project are: One-Page Project Description 15 December 2015 Project Proposal 25 January 2016 Conduct the activities of the project 25 January to 20 April 2016 Draft Project Report 25 April 2016 Final Project Report 5 May 2016 Final Project Presentation 18 May 2016 (tentative) To fulfil the requirements of the HKBU MSocSc in Media Management Program, students are expected to work in groups of 4-5 on this project. Approval of a team project topic/area must be requested in advance of completion of the Proposal stage of the Project. Each team of students will have a principle supervisor to assist them with the project. In terms of the assessment of the project, detailed guidelines of the assessment criteria are provided in Appendix III. The project will be assessed by two people, the principal supervisor and a secondary reader. This guide is intended to help student teams deal effectively with the challenges of doing the research type work for their Media Management Project, and to enhance the learning experience for each team member. 1

4 2. MAJOR DELIVERABLES 2.1 One-Page Project Description Each group of students will submit a one-page Project Description to the Office of the Media Management Program. In this document, students will describe the type of research project they plan to undertake. Students will document the name of the media organization, the new business idea or the specific media management issue to be investigated. 2.2 Proposal Students will be required to (1) study and assess a media organization; or (2) explore a business opportunity; or (3) investigate a media management issue. In consultation with their supervisors, the students will prepare a Proposal. The Proposal must outline the following aspects: Purpose of the Study Briefly state and define the purpose of the study. In addition to addressing why this topic is chosen and what its meanings, potential impact, and policy implications are, students need to provide a clear boundary for the major issue(s) under study. It is important to make clear at the onset of the project that the scope of the topic is well within the manageable time limits. Students are strongly encouraged to aim at depth rather than breadth in analysis. Research Framework In this part, the project team summarizes what has been said in the past about the topic and what is missing with regard to the chief concerns of the project. This part does not need to be exhaustive. Information about what is already known should be highly relevant to the study topic and should lead the way to the writers own ideas and contribution to the understanding of the topic. Reading and exposure to existing literature are therefore essential. Unlike literature review in a dissertation, the writers do not need to cite or rely on academic publications as pre-requisite for previous knowledge. However, like all scientific writing, the research framework will be evaluated by logical rigor as a key criterion for the quality of argument and basis for analysis. A sound research framework guides students in reading, reasoning, data collection, analysis, and presentation of findings. Once again, intensive discussions with supervisor of readings and ideas are paramount. Methods of Data Collection Indicate clearly the type(s) of data needed as well as the methods to use for collecting and analyzing the data. Methods will vary according to the nature of the problem. Research schedule is expected to be included. Please see Section 5 and 6 respectively for details of preparing a proposal and collecting data. For those students chosen to do a business plan for a proposed new company / organization, the content of the proposal will be very similar. It should also outline 2

5 what business opportunity exists, what organizational problems are expected, the approach proposed, the resources being committed and the timing of the project. Please see Section 9 for additional information on writing business plan for proposed new company / organization. 2.3 Draft Project Report This is to be submitted to the principle supervisor for his or her comment and feedback. 2.4 Final Project Report to the Schools The final report is typically a document of about 80 to 100 pages (excluding Appendices), although length per section is not the important criterion. The report must be submitted to both the principal supervisor and secondary reader for grading. 2.5 Final Presentation to the Schools Students will make a presentation of the final report to the Schools. The supervisors must be notified of the date and location of the presentation and be formally invited to attend the presentation. 3

6 3. SUPERVISION Project supervisors will take care of the supervision of the media management projects. Students must submit a formal signed Proposal to the Office of the Media Management Program that documents the nature and scope of the study, working schedule and presentation date. The Proposal must be initially signed off by the principal supervisor and students involved in the project. The roles and key responsibilities of the media management project supervisors and students are described below. 3.1 Role of the Supervisors Each project will be guided by two supervisors. The principal supervisor is the one with whom students get into regular contact. A secondary reader is assigned for the purpose of cross-validating the marking of the project by the principal supervisor. After submitting the project description, students will be assigned one principal supervisor and one secondary reader in keeping with their topic area. Supervisors should leave their students ample space to demonstrate their ability to work and think independently. The role of the principal supervisor is to help their students: define their proposed topics to a manageable scale, develop and clarify their views if necessary, advise their students on the situation of the proposed project in a wider field of industrial or academic debates, advise their students on the use of various library and other useful resources, provide criticism and timely feedback, and ensure that their students are working through their project at an appropriate pace. Supervisors and students may review together the introduction, literature, methodology, results, conclusion, and references as well as the organization of content materials of the project. Supervisors may correct a small portion of the students draft to suggest stylistic changes or grammatical corrections. This should be limited to noting that errors exist and directing the students attention to those areas that need careful revision. However, it is the responsibility of the students to seek the appropriate sources of help for those corrections. Supervisors are advised to report to the Course Director if their students should encounter unexpected difficulties. The role of the principal supervisor is multiple: coach, mentor, project manager and resource person. The supervisor will monitor the progress of the students during the project. This will take the form of regular (monthly) status meetings. In more details, the key commitments of the supervisor include, but are not limited to, the following: Principle Supervisor s Commitments in the Early Stages of the Project Meet with students to review and discuss their one-page Project Description, Review students Draft Proposal submission and provide feedback to the students, 4

7 Review the Final Proposal submission; if satisfactory, the Final Proposal should be signed off by the students and the principal supervisor. Principle Supervisor and Secondary Reader s Commitments after Proposal Approval The principal supervisor meets with the students once per month during the implementation stage of the project, reviews status reports and provides feedback to the students. Monthly status reports are submitted by the students to the principal supervisor, who shall review the students status report submissions and provide feedback directly on the students reports. (Note: the completed status reports should be brought to the monthly meetings, as a form of meeting agenda. Students should follow the format for status reports provided in Appendix II.) The principal supervisor reviews students draft Final Report submission at least seven days before the final submission date. Both the principal supervisor and the secondary reader review the Final Report submission; if satisfactory, the Final Report should be signed off by the students, the supervisor and the secondary reviewer. Then the signed off Final Report, together with a copy of the Final Presentation materials (copies of overheads, etc.), shall be delivered to the Schools. Both the principal supervisor and the secondary reader attend students Final Presentation and provide feedback to the students. Students should think of the supervisors as their project guides. Their perspectives on the project scope, knowledge of available resources and advice on the methods of analysis can be of great help to the research team. Faculty supervisors will evaluate and monitor progress. 3.2 Role of the Students In consultation with their principle supervisor, four to five students as a group will develop a Proposal that requires formal acceptance for the project to commence. In more details, the key commitments of the students include, but are not limited to, the following: Students Commitments in the Early Stages of the Project Each group of students will submit a one-page Project Description to the Office of the Media Management Program for approval. If the one-page Project Description is approved, each group of students will be allocated a principal supervisor and a secondary reader. The students will then review and discuss the one-page Project Description with their principal supervisor. 5

8 With guidance from the principal supervisor, the students must prepare a draft Proposal. If the Final Proposal document is satisfactory, it should be signed off by the students and the principal supervisor. Students Commitments after Proposal Approval Meet with their principal supervisor once per month. During these meetings, students will provide interim reports to the principal supervisor and act on feedback. At the monthly meeting, students will submit written project status reports to the principal supervisor. The Students should follow the format for regular project status reports provided in Appendix II. Prepare a draft Final Report, and submit it to the principal supervisor in advance of the Final Presentation; act on feedback, have the report professionally proof read. Prepare Final Presentation materials and act on the committee members feedback. Provide a copy of the Final Presentation materials (overheads, etc.) to both the principal supervisor and secondary reader. Prepare the Final Report submission, and submit two copies of the report to the supervisors for approval. If the Final Report document is satisfactory, it should be signed off by the students, principal supervisor and secondary reader. It is the supervisory team s responsibility to send one copy of the signed off Final Report and one copy of the Final Presentation materials to the Schools for final acceptance. 3.3 Assessment Each media management project will be examined by the principal supervisor and a secondary reader who will assign a letter grade (A to F) to the Final Report. Evaluations of the project are based on the criteria outlined in Appendix III. 6

9 4. CONFIDENTIALITY The Media Management Project reports will be confidential, meaning that no one will have access to them other than the appropriate parties within the Media Management Program administration. HKBU protects interviewed media organizations from access to their sensitive business information by outsiders. HKBU also protects new ideas which students may develop into a business. 7

10 5. PREPARING THE PROJECT PROPOSAL Once the One-Page Project Description has been approved, the next step in the Project is to prepare a proposal for the approval. If approved, the proposal becomes the contract between the students and the principal supervisor. Its purposes are to qualify the project for academic credit, establish its feasibility, define its objectives and outline a project plan. As for the content of the proposal, for an organization-based or issue-based project the following is suggested: 1. A one-page executive summary and general description of the project, including its major objectives and problems to be addressed. 2. The questions the field study is designed to answer. 3. The analysis you intend to do to help answer these questions. 4. The research approach or framework 5. A list of the data required for this analysis. 6. Where you expect to obtain this data from. 7. The proposed plan of action and detailed schedule of the project (activities and dates). 8. A description of the team organization and the roles team members will play. 9. A working outline of the final report that will be produced. 10. A summary of the resource requirements of the project and how they will be met. 11. Any special confidentiality requirements and how these will be handled. For students choosing to do a business plan for a proposed new company / organization, the content of the proposal will be similar. You will need a section entitled Uniqueness of the Business Concept, which clearly explains why and how your business is new. 8

11 6. DATA COLLECTION METHODS There are several basic sources of data for field projects of this nature: personal interviews, questionnaire surveys, focus group interviews, content analysis and the library archives. Personal interviews are almost always necessary, especially in the early stages of the work, and often become the major vehicle for gathering facts and opinions. Telephone and mail questionnaires may be used if the number of data points is too large and dispersed to access through personal interviews. Questionnaires are also necessary if the project calls for developing a statistically valid profile of some relevant group for purposes of describing preferences and behavior. Focus group interviews are conducted with small groups of subjects who are representative of some target audience of a media organization. Focus groups are used extensively to test new product ideas, to react to advertising themes and presentations, and to gather opinion on public policy issues. Content analysis is conducted to understand the products of media organizations. It is also used to compare the performances or editorial standpoints of varied media organizations. Archival records and library data may be essential to tap in order to gain background context. Literature searches may be commissioned to find out, for example, about market size, competitors, product technology, relevant legislation, publicly reported events of interest. The data analysis should be rigorous and relevant. That means that the data analysis should be reasonably sophisticated as well as being of a level which can be understood by ordinary media managers. Notes: 1. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT DO ANY SURVEY UNTIL THEIR SUPERVISORS APPROVE THEIR QUESTIONNAIRE. 2 HARD COPIES OF ALL COMPLETED SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES, AS WELL AS A SOFT COPY OF THE DATA FILE, ARE EXAMINABLE. STUDENTS MUST KEEP ALL COPES OF COMPLETED SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES, AS WELL AS A SOFT COPY OF THE DATA FILE, UNTIL AFTER FINAL GRADES ARE ISSUED. 9

12 7. WRITING AND PRESENTING THE FINAL REPORT The two most tangible products that come out of the Media Management Project are the written report and the oral presentation. Less tangible products, of course, are what students learn about an industry or a company and about how to do team study projects. The written report should be a comprehensive document. It presents conclusions, recommendations and action. If managers agree with what it says, they are likely to use it internally to persuade others to accept and act on its recommendations. If students write a business plan for a proposed new company / organization, potential investors may use the report to guide their investment decision. Supervisors will rely on the written report for evidence of creative thinking, the effective use of analytical techniques, good fieldwork design, clear presentation and the magnitude of the effort. The quality of the written report is a primary factor in assigning a grade. The oral presentation provides a context for obtaining acceptance of the recommendations and raising questions. The supervisors will assess such factors as the clarity of presentation, quality of visual aids and effectiveness of the team in managing the discussion. Finally, presenting the results of three or four months of intensive work can be immensely rewarding. For students doing a business plan for a proposed new company / organization, the oral presentation may provide an opportunity to sell their idea to potential investors. The Written Report To be useful, the written report must be well-organized, easily accessed through a table of contents, and crafted in clear and simple language. The reader should be able to track the line of argument from analysis to conclusions without difficulty. Finally, the report should be objective. It should leave the clear impression that the conclusions are based on sound evidence and that the project team has given fair consideration to all sides of any issue in its interpretation of the data. The document should be a complete statement that can be understood by someone unfamiliar with the problem, its context, or even salient facts about the industry setting. Report Structure A time-honored and useful tradition in business report writing is to begin with a one-or two page executive summary. The summary should include a statement of the issues, key findings, conclusions, recommendations and implementation steps. It may be followed by a table of contents outlining the body of the report. While the report structure will obviously vary depending on the nature of the project, the following topics should be covered: Executive summary or abstract Project background Why the study was undertaken Literature review Industry analysis Media organization analysis 10

13 What issues were addressed; what potentially related aspects of the problem were not covered and why Data sources and collection methods Data analysis and conclusions, limitations Findings, conclusions and recommendations References Appendices The Oral Presentation Each team of students will be given 20 minutes to make the oral presentation, plus 15 minutes for Q and A. The oral presentation is the moment of truth a time for seeing how the team s ideas fly, for defending the team s conclusions and observations in the face of possible skepticism, and for gaining recognition for a job well done. It should be approached as a production. That means having a clear sense at the outset of what messages the team wants to get across, the agenda from start to finish, the staging (e.g. room set-up, the use of visuals), and presentation style. 11

14 8. ADDITIONAL NOTES RELATING TO BUSINESS PLAN MEDIA MANAGEMENT PROJECTS Rather than doing an organization-based or issue-based project, students may chose to do a business plan for a proposed new company / organization. This manual is equally relevant for students choosing this option. The learning objectives for the business plan media management project are the same as for an organization-based media management project. The aim is to enable students to develop a thorough understanding of the environment, markets, technology and operations of a real media organization. A business plan is required in order to reduce uncertainty about a start-up business. It includes facts to establish the existence of a demand and how you will meet it, strategies to manage competition and estimates of profit potential. Establishing evidence of customer acceptance would require some form of market research, in order to measure market potential and in order to gain an understanding about who the target market might be. Report Structure The contents of a business plan media management project will be slightly different in orientation from an organization-based or issue-based media management project. Below are the typical (but not compulsory) contents of a business plan project: Executive summary Product(s) description Company description Industry analysis Target market Competition Marketing and sales strategy Operations Management and organization Development and exit plan Finances Conclusions Appendices In more details: Company description Legal name and form of business Mission, vision, objectives Top management team Location/geographical information Company development stage (start-up, growth, maturity) Products or services Differentiators Unique characteristics Source of sustainable competitive advantage Collection of evidence supporting the proposed new business 12

15 Data sources and collection methods Data analysis and conclusions Industry analysis Market size and growth trends Stage of product life cycle Vulnerability to economic factors Seasonal factors Technological factors Regulatory issues Supply and distribution Financial considerations The target market Demographic/geographic characteristics Lifestyle and psychographics Purchasing patterns Buying sensitivities Size and trends of market The competition Competitive climate Market share distribution Barriers to entry Future competition Marketing and sales strategy Company promotional message Marketing media Strategic alliances Other marketing strategies Sales force and organization Sales forecast assumptions Customer service Operations Plant and facilities Manufacturing/production plan Equipment and technology Labor requirements Inventory management Supply and distribution Order fulfillment Research and development Capacity utilization Safety, health, and environmental concerns Management information systems Other operational concerns Management and organization Principals/key employees and qualifications 13

16 Board of directors Consultants/specialists Management to be added Organizational chart Management style/corporate culture Development and exit plan Long-term company objectives Growth strategy Milestones Risk analysis Exit plan Finances Total investment needed Sources of capital Pro-forma income statement Pro-forma cash flow Pro-forma balance sheet Break-even analysis Plan assumptions 14

17 9. PROJECT FORMAT Language Length English and Chinese The Media Management Project Report should normally be limited to a maximum of 100 pages for English version and 70 pages for Chinese version (excluding appendices). Word Processing Font Line-spacing Margins Pagination Style The project must be word-processed on the computer, normally using quality white A4 paper. All print must be in permanent black ink and must appear on only one side. Use a font size that ensures easy reading, normally font size 12 is the standard choice for both English and Chinese. The body of the project shall be 1.5-spaced (four lines of text per inch) for Chinese text and double-spaced for English text. Long quotation, tables, footnotes and references are single-spaced (six lines of text per inch). If the title requires 2 or more lines, single-space and centre the lines. Do not use a period after a centered title. Every page of the project, including all appendices, abstract, notes, and references, must have a LEFT margin of 1.5 inches (to allow room for binding) and TOP, RIGHT, and BOTTOM margins of 1 inch. Absolutely nothing should appear in the margins. Page numbers should be placed in the centre of the bottom of each page without punctuation or embellishment. Paging should be continuous, including the references and appendices. The title page, however, must not be numbered. It is recommended that the American Psychological Association (APA) writing style (4th ed.) be used for the entire project in either English or Chinese version. Executive Summary or Abstract 15

18 Binding The project must include an executive summary or abstract. The former is no more than two pages while the latter should be no more than 300 words. The abstract must be 1.5-spaced. Temporary binding is recommended for the final draft submitted for comments and grading. Final copies of the project submitted after revision should be in Thermo-plastic binding. No loose pages will be accepted. Three copies of the final report must be submitted to the Dean s Office, School of Communication. Format The format of the project should be as follows: (See samples attached): a. Standard Title Page b. Acknowledgement Page c. Executive summary or abstract d. Table of Contents e. Main body of text f. Exhibits (Tables, Figures, Graphs, Photographs, etc., when these are not distributed in the text) g. References h. Appendix (if any) Charts, tables, graphs, and figures which are larger than the standard project page must be folded to fit within the Project format or photoreduced to conform to the regular size. 16

19 10. PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is a serious offence of academic integrity. It is not acceptable. It is in respect of other forms of assessment in which the student presents as his/her own work a body of material, written, visual or oral which is wholly or substantially the work of another, either in concept or expression, or which is a direct copy. Any use of reference materials without proper acknowledgement of sources is a serious breach of ethics and trust. Students are reminded to observe at all times the standards of conduct and to bear in mind that Dishonesty in completing assignments and examinations, including plagiarism and cheating would therefore result in disciplinary action and consequently dismissal. (HKBU Calendar/Bulletin /P.41) Students must bear in mind the following points. All submitted work must contain a full reference at the end. It is desirable to make References in the text, for example if an important or controversial point is made in the text, to identify the source by means of the author s surname and date of publication in brackets after the reference. Naturally the source quoted must correspond exactly with the References. This practice gives credibility to the arguments contained in your writing. It also aids you, or the reader, when revising or gathering information for further study. If a reference makes a point so clearly and concisely that you wish to repeat it word for word, it must be put into quotation marks with the author s name and page number in brackets. The use of quotes is perfectly acceptable so long as they are not excessively long and judicious use is made of them. Clearly, pages and pages of quotes are not acceptable. For detailed guidance, consult the Handbook on Avoiding Plagiarism published by the Academic Registry of the Hong Kong Baptist University. Students have to sign and submit together the Plagiarism Declaration Form (Appendix I) with the project final copy. If a student is found to have committed plagiarism, the student concerned will definitely fail the project which may lead to dismissal in accordance with the following academic regulation. 17

20 11. GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS Students are expected take the initiative to meet and discuss with their supervisors. Students are expected to: - work independently, - implement the project plan and monitor its development, - report progress to the supervisor regularly, that is, at least once a month or as required by the supervisor, - take the initiative to consult the supervisor, - follow the supervisor s advice, and - observe all deadlines. The deadline for the submission should be strictly observed. In special circumstances, the students may be granted a deferral of submission provided that they present good evidence of need (e.g. poor health status, supported by a doctor s certificate). They also have to submit a written request to their supervisor in advance of the deadline. Any late submission will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with penalties assessed as deemed appropriate by the Course Management Committee. Each student should have a back-up system for all work done on the computer and do not rely entirely on the hard disk or the floppy disk. Computer or computer-related problems will not be considered adequate reasons for late submission of a project. While supervisors are there to offer their advice and assistance, the students themselves are ultimately responsible for the quality of the eventual outcome. Thus, it is imperative they consult and interact with their supervisors as frequently as necessary and possible. 18

21 12. CHECKLIST This checklist serves as a reminder for students during research and before submission of the Final Report. 1. Have you had your written report outline approved? 2. Have you met your supervisor on a regular basis? 3. Is your project word-processed on the computer? 4. Have you used the required size paper? 5. Have you used the correct spacing? 6. Have you set the proper margins? 7. Are the materials included in the project put in the proper order? 8. Have you properly acknowledged sources of information or ideas used? 9. Does your title page meet the standard requirement? 10. Have you included an executive summary or abstract? 11. Have you followed all the elements of style and presentation set forth in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association? 12. Have you included Plagiarism Declaration Form (Appendix I) and the Authorization of library placement form (Appendix VI)? 13. Have you bound the final version of your project as required? 19

22 Appendix I: Plagiarism Declaration Form This form must be completed, signed, dated and included with the Media Management Project submitted to the University for marking. Student Name: Student Number: Title of Project: Submission Date: Declaration: I have read the relevant sections on Plagiarism provided in the Handbook for Graduation Project and observed the standards of conduct. I am fully aware of the consequences in the event of plagiarism. I declare that, to the best of my knowledge, this project represents my own work and all sources have been properly acknowledged, and the Project contains no elements of plagiarism. I further declare that the Project has not been previously included in a thesis, dissertation or report submitted to this University or to any other institution for a degree, diploma or other qualification. Students Signatures: Date: 20

23 Appendix II: Project Status Reports Instructions to Students Students must submit monthly project status reports to the supervisory team, and act on their supervisory team s feedback. A project status report should be submitted every month, during the monthly meeting with supervisors. Students should follow the status report template provided below. Status reports should be about one page in length, and not more than two pages. Instructions to Principal Supervisor The principal supervisor should review the students project status report submissions, provide written feedback directly on the students status reports and return them to the students. Status Report Template The students will use the following report template to prepare project status reports: General Information: Students names Status report number and date Time period covered by the status report Project Progress: Accomplishments this period Not accomplished this period Suggested remedies Timeframe for major deliverables Ongoing Issues and Challenges: List ongoing issues and challenges 21

24 Appendix III: Media Management Project Evaluation Form PROJECT TITLE: 15% Project Proposal Clarity of issue definition Identification of data sources Completeness and feasibility of action plan, including travel and interview schedule team meeting schedule progress checkpoints 10% Team Member and Supervisor Relationships Ability of team members to work together effectively Effectiveness in setting and holding to meeting schedules Effectiveness in organizing the project and structuring team members assignments Commitment to the project Good use of supervisor s time, including setting meaningful meeting agenda being prepared keeping supervisor informed 25% Data Gathering and Analysis Competence in selecting, designing, and using research instruments, e.g. questionnaires, focus group interviews, one-on-one interviews Interviewing effectiveness as demonstrated by the amount and quality of data gathered Resourcefulness in identifying and obtaining relevant internal client data Resourcefulness in finding and using outside data sources and relevant past research Ability to recognize and deal with contradictory evidence Ability to draw useful conclusions from factual data and to formulate sound recommendations supported by sound analysis 35% The Written Report Comprehensiveness of literature review Completeness and quality of relevant factual information Originality of research idea and approach Soundness of analysis Creativity, decisiveness and usefulness of the recommendations Clarity and written quality of the final report 15% The Oral Presentation Quality of the final oral presentation, including focus on essential points of fact and recommendations clarity and persuasiveness of delivery quality of graphic materials effectiveness in conducting an open discussion considerate and informative treatment of questions soundness and creativity of the recommendations 22

25 Appendix IV: Team Member Evaluation Form PROJECT: Below, please write the name of each student in your team, EXCLUDING YOURSELF, and provide your assessment of each peer student s contributions to the effectiveness of the project. Make sure all your percentage figures add to 100%. This information will be kept strictly confidential but will be used by your faculty supervisors in the grading process. Do not consult your team members when doing this. Submit it to the Dean s Office (School of Communication) individually. Name of Student % of Contribution 100% Justification for this evaluation: 23

26 Appendix V: Sample of Title Page 1.5 margin 1 margin 1 margin Title of Project The Development of Free Dailies in Hong Kong: The Case of AM730 Your name JOHN LEE May Cheng Peter Fung Maggie Cheung The degree you are to obtain A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MSocSc in Media Management Name of Supervisor Supervisor: Prof. Steve Guo University & School Name School of Communication and School of Business Hong Kong Baptist University Time and place Hong Kong May margin 1 margin 1 margin 24

27 1.5 margin 1 margin 1 margin 報 告 題 目 香 港 免 費 報 紙 的 發 展 : AM730 個 案 今 析 作 者 姓 名 李 大 文 鄭 小 芬 馮 健 樂 張 可 怡 將 獲 學 位 名 報 告 名 稱 傳 媒 管 理 社 會 科 學 碩 士 畢 業 報 告 指 導 老 師 姓 名 指 導 老 師 : 郭 中 實 教 授 大 學 及 學 院 名 香 港 浸 會 大 學 傳 理 學 院 與 商 學 院 香 港 二 0 一 六 年 五 月 年 月 及 地 點 1.5 margin 1 margin 1 margin 25

28 Appendix VI: Authorization of Library Placement Authorization This is to authorize the School of Communication and School of Business at Hong Kong Baptist University to place my project entitled The Development of Free Dailies in Hong Kong in the HKBU library for general public reference and inspection. Names in block letters: Students ID: Signatures: Date: 26

29 Appendix VII: Sample of Acknowledgement Page The acknowledgement style and content may vary according to student s preference. This is just an example for reference. Acknowledgement The authors wish to thank Dr. Howard Walters and Ms. L. L. Mok for their advice and support in the preparation of this project. He/She is also grateful to his/her parents for their love in the past two years. Part of the work presented in this project was done in collaboration with Dr. William Miller while he was Visiting Scholar in the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University. The interviews described in Table 1 and Figure 4 of Chapter 1 were done jointly with Dr. Airen Zhang. The survey described in Figure 2 of Chapter 2 was performed by Miss Jane C. Y. Wong. All other field research described in this project was my own original work and was carried out by myself under the supervision of Dr. Walters. Students Names: Signatures: MSocSc in Media Management School of Communication Hong Kong Baptist University Date:

30 Appendix VIII: Reference Style Proper citations and references are important components in project report writing. The main purpose of adequate referencing is to (1) appropriately acknowledge others for ideas or information that is relevant to the research, (2) allow readers to follow up on points that they may find useful, (3) allow readers to check the use of ideas or data for accuracy and validity and, perhaps most importantly, (4) display academic honesty and avoid charges of plagiarism. All work must be clearly referenced and contain a comprehensive list of sources at the end. Reference notes are to be numbered sequentially and should include the page numbers of each source cited. References should be arranged alphabetically by surname of author(s). They should if possible be positioned at the bottom of the appropriate page (i.e. as footnotes ), although a single list at the end of the paper, preceding the reference, is permissible. When in doubt, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4 th ed.). Or, check the style of references used in the Journal of Communication. The APA style for the most frequently used types of publications is as follows: For book: Williams, R. (1966). Culture and society. London: Penguin. Titles of books and journals should always be underlined. For book chapter: Cameron, D. (1997). Theoretical debates in feminist linguistics: Question of sex and gender. In R. Wodak (Ed.), Gender and discourse (pp ). London: Sage. For articles: Starck, K., & Yu, X. (1988). Loud thunder, small raindrops: The reform movement and the press in China. Gazette, 42, Chen, M. L. (1996, March 27). Xianggang xinwen ziyou yu zeren (Freedom and responsibility of the Hong Kong press). Ming Pao, p. 20. Titles of journals must not be abbreviated. If in Chinese, use PINYIN of title, then followed by English translation in parentheses. If the author s name is not available, begin the reference with the headline or title in the author position. For films and documentaries: The purple heart. (1944). 20 th Century Fox, (dir. Lewis Milestone, 100 min)

31 Scene/shot description positions should be established from opening scene (excluding titles/credits) in feet/metres or approximate minutes. For television programs: Gill, D., & Brownlow, K. (1980, January 15). Hollywood: Episode Hollywood pioneers. Thames Television. For documents in public and private archives: P(ublic) R(ecord) O(ffice), London, F(oreign) O(ffice) 395/484,P96/96/150; P3016/96/150. Document numbers are not necessary, but the date of the document, where available, should be stated. For Internet Materials: Barbrook, R., & Cameron, A. (1996). The Californian Ideology,