Research Projects Information Pamphlet

RESEARCH PROJECTS INFORMATION PAMPHLET

All diploma students are expected to carry out a research project as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the KIM diploma. The following procedure and information should be followed.

Diploma Section II

ALLOCATION OF SUPERVISORS

Allocation of supervisors is done in Diploma Section II; 1-2 weeks after the close of the registration deadline to allow the classes to form fully.
Allocation is done per course to course lecturers/ specialists and the results displayed at students notice board for students’ consumption.
Each student is expected to contact his/her supervisor and fill in the necessary forms that the student collects from the projects office
Change of supervisor is not allowed unless with knowledge and permission of the concerned supervisor and reported to projects office

APPROVAL OF TOPICS

Research topics are selected by the students and approved by the Projects Department.

Students should submit their research topics for approval to the projects manager or officer after consultation with their research supervisor.
The topic must be in one’s area of specialization (course being studied for at KIM).
The student fills in the supervision form after consulting the supervisor allocated and the form is submitted within 4 weeks of allocation.
The supervisor assigned signifies his/her acceptance by signing the supervision form.
The student returns the supervision form to the projects officer for final approval and custody.

THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Students should then embark on the research proposal (chapter one to three) with guidance from the supervisor.

A research proposal should be completed within section II of the diploma course and submitted to the project department for issuance of the data collection/introduction letter to facilitate data collection. (This is a must for those going to the field to collect data).It should be signed by both the student and the supervisor.

The student should follow the KIM format for research (available at the photocopier room Emperor Plaza 5th floor).

Recording of the same is done in the prescribed book/records to signify one has cleared that stage/phase

DATA COLLECTION

Diploma Section III – 6 months after Sec 3 (without any break in-between)

Students embark on collecting the data from the field under the guidance of the supervisor allocated during section II of the diploma course.

On receipt of the data collection letter,the student should collect data, analyse and present the findings in chapter 4 & 5.
The student then compiles the whole project; Chapter 1-5.

BOOKING FOR DEFENSE

Students are expected to submit two spiral bound copies of the project for oral defence once the supervisor approves the document.
The document submitted should meet the minimum requirements stated in the research format and recording of submission is done in the prescribed records book and forms.
Students record their details in prescribed form that shows the allocated date for defence. Any change of defence date is not allowed for it means extension of the due date hence passage of the deadline and thus penalty.
To qualify for the award of the Diploma, the candidates are required to defend their research findings before a panel of examiners. The decision of the panel of examiners shall be final and candidates are required to carry out any revisions, effect changes or modifications as shall so be determined by the panel during the oral examination.

NB: Plagiarism lack of research ethics are highly discouraged and may lead to disqualification from the course. Original work that clearly shows a student’s ability to do an independent investigation is the key to success in completing a scholarly research project.

AFTER DEFENSE

Upon defending the student can either be referred or defend successfully.
If referred, the student will be given 1month to do the corrections and submit 2 spiral bound copies to re-defend his or her project, failure to which a penalty will be charged, the student to still do the corrections and submit 2 copies for defence.
If successful the student should, within two weeks afterdefence, make the necessary amendments recommended by the panel of examiners and is expected to hand in 1 hardcover bound copy, 1 Compact Disk (CD) containing the project in PDF and the 2 correction forms to the projects department to be deemed to have completed the project.
Students are expected to evaluate the research process and supervisors at submission level using some prescribed forms.
Marks are only shown to the student upon submission of the final copies.The marks are not to be used to gain admission for any other course until certified by examinations head office; usually done through printing of the transcript

The assessment method for the research project shall be both oral presentation and written report, which comprise of 30 percent and 70 percent respectively

PROJECT DEADLINES AND PENALTIES

Candidates shall be required to complete the research projects within 1 year after doing Section II of their Diploma examinations. The stipulated late project fee (10,000/=) shall be paid by all candidates who do not meet the completion deadline.Students postponing their exams or defer the semester will be required to submit their projects as if they had done the exams or not deferred the semester (postponement of exams, deferring the semester does not affect date of project submission)
Failure to submit the document by the end of two weeks after defencealso attracts a penalty of Kshs. 10,000. In addition, the student will be expected to re-defend that project even if he/she had successfully defended that project.
Failure to submit two spiral bound copies of the project to re-defend after being referred by the end of one month attracts a penalty of Kshs. 10,000.

FINAL TRANSCRIPT AND CERTIFICATE

Candidates who have done part II /section III of Diploma programmes and passed in all the subjects but have not successfully defended the projects shall be issued with transcripts with overall result “ACER” – Meaning – “All Complete Except Research”.
Students, who have completed the coursework successfully, defended the research project successfully and completed the attachment, should submit: Photocopy transcript of Diploma Section I and Photocopy transcript of Diploma Section II to the research project department for booking of your final transcript, Certificate and Graduation.
On submission of the provisional transcripts the final official transcriptshall be issued within TWOmonths and the Certificate will be issued after graduation.

GRADUATION CEREMONY

Graduation ceremony shall be an annual event at the Institute. Only those who have successfully qualified for the Diplomas awarded by the Institute are eligible to graduate.
Graduation registration forms shall be filled from the research projects department.
The Graduation Committee shall decide the venue of the graduation ceremony.
The Executive Director and Members of the Council shall decide on the guest of honour for the graduation ceremony.
The graduands shall be dressed in academic gowns.

LATE COURSE CLEARANCE

Those who fail to clear the diploma course within 3 years after registration of Section 2 should write a request letter to be allowed to complete, bring copies of all their diploma transcripts and pay Kshs. 10,000 to get to be allowed to complete their projects. They will be given 3 months to finish the research project once the requirements above have been fulfilled.

CONTACT DETAILS

KIM Nairobi Branch,

Emperor plaza, 1st Floor

P.O. Box 43706-00100,

Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel. 0722200 864, 0202241859

E-mail:

RESEARCH SUPERVISION ALLOCATION AND PROGRESS FORM

DO NOT FIILL IN THE FORM BEFORE CONSULTING THE SUPERVISOR

Name...... Adm No………………….…………………….…

Telephone/Mobile No ...... E-mail……………………………………………

Date………………………………………………………..Sign……………………………Course…………..

Section II Semester(e.g July-Dec 06)…………………………Project Completion Date……………..………

ResearchTopic......

Name of Supervisor

M/s……………………………………………………………Phone No…………………………………

Acceptance by Supervisor Approved by Projects Manager/Officer

Sign…………………………………………. Sign………………………………………

Date………………………………………….Date…………………………………………

This form must be returned by the student to the Projects Manager/Officer immediately after acceptance by the supervisor. Change of topic must be approved by the Projects Manger. This is highly discouraged and NOT allowed after the form has been signed by the supervisor.

PROGRESS REPORT

Expected Progress Outline / Supervisor’s Remarks / Date / Project Officer’s Remarks / Date
Preliminary pages-all in order
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
References
Questionnaire/Interview Guide
Other Appendices
Other Issues

Other Remarks:

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NB:

1. This form must be signed by the supervisor upon allocation (with a copy being presented to the office within 4 wks after allocation). The front side must be completed together with the topic.

2. The supervisor should write his/her remarks when each section is complete. The student to ensure this is done.

3. A copy of the form must be produced when handing in the proposal and another copy when handing in the final draft copy for defence

NB: PLEASE SEE THE INFORMATION OVERLEAF