The Role Of Broadcast Media In Mobilizing Women For Political Participation

abstract

the low rate of female participation in politics compared to that of their male counter- parts in nigeria creates a need to examine the situation in this study, "the role of broadcast media in mobilizing women for political participation in nigeria". this study examines the problems, first, defining the importance of women to participate in politics. the survey research method was employed in this study and questionnaires were used for data collection, then the hypotheses were tested using chi-square statistical procedure to reach a definite conclusion. the results reflect that broadcast media have positive impact in mobilizing women to participate in politics. in summary, broadcast media is found wanting in fostering development for gender equality in politics. in recommendations, suggestion of ways to stimulate female participation was made by looking at practical examples of how this was done in the pre-colonial era. finally, in conclusion, the study emphasizes that no sex or gender is more important than the other because in politics, intellectual ability counts more than physical energy.       

                  

table of contents

title page  

approval page  

dedication  

acknowledgements 

table of contents 

abstract 

chapter one  

1.0 introduction 

1.1 background of the study  

1.2  statement of  research problem  

1.3 objectives of the study 

1.4 significance of the study 

1.5 research questions 

1.6 research hypotheses 

1.7 definition of terms 

1.8 assumptions of the study

1.9 limitations of the study 

references 

chapter two 

2.0 literature review  

2.1 sources of literature 

2.2 the review of relevant literature  

2.2.1 women in pre-colonial era in nigeria  

2.2.2  discussions on gender and politics  

2.2.3  early  female politicians  and their achievements    

2.2.4 factors affecting female participation in politics    

2.2.5 attitude of broadcast media to nigerian women  

2.2.6  attitude of nigerian women to broadcast media    

2.3 theoretical frame work  

2.4 summary of literature review  

references  

chapter three  

3.0 research design and methodology  

3.1 research design      

3.2 area of study  

3.3 population of the study  

3.4 research sample and sampling technique   

3.5 instrument for data collection  

3.6 validity of instrument 

3.7 method of data collection 

3.8 method of data analysis 

references 

chapter four     

4.0 presentation and analysis of data  

4.1  data presentation and analysis  

4.2 test of hypotheses 

4.3 discussion of findings 

references 

chapter five  

5.0 summary, conclusion and  recommendations  for further studies   

5.1 summary  

5.2 conclusion  

5.3 recommendation for further studies  

references  

bibliography  

appendix 'a' 

appendix 'b' 

writing up your MBA dissertation

Introduction

The Dissertation is an academic document in which you critically analyse your project, with full reference to current academic thinking. It is a structured argument which should reach some conclusions or recommendations.

The formal assessment mark for your Dissertation is based on your written submission alone. It is therefore important that the style and approach you take is appropriate.

The dissertation can be daunting to many students, the best approach is to just start writing so that you can submit sections and get useful feedback from your supervisor. Break the dissertation down into sections which you can tackle one by one. Remember the order in which you write the sections is not usually the order in which they will be in the finished dissertation e.g. the introduction should be one of the last sections written.

The explanations below offer guidance and information on writing up your dissertation. Extracts from supervisors and past participant interviews provide practical advice based on their own experiences.

What should I include?

Generally a dissertation should include all, or most of, the following. Please note this is only a suggested structure and you should discuss with your supervisor what would be a relevant structure for your individual dissertation.

Executive Summary

This is generally the last thing you write.

Contents page

With page numbers (remember to number pages throughout the dissertation)

Introduction

This section you will write towards the end of your P&D period.

• Specify the objectives you are trying to achieve, the project scope and an overview of your strategy.
• Give a brief summary of the description of the company and explain any company jargon used, etc (remember that the people marking the dissertation will know very little about your organisation)

Literature Review

A thorough literature review will provide a framework for the rest of your research and as such will be one of the earliest pieces of work carried out. This is one of the main sections – and one with which many students have a lot of trouble as expectations are often quite low about the amount of work that needs to be done.

• Do a full literature search to try to find articles on the themes that you are researching as part of your dissertation.
• Ultimately this will produce a framework and give you a series of decisions or questions that you need to ask as part of your research.
• Do not be tempted to simply take the basic textbooks (which often have no research basis whatsoever) and think that this is the most absolutely accurate piece of theory that you can apply. Academic theory in respected journals is arguably the soundest source of information.

Research Methodology

A summary of the research methodology used, alternatives considered, and a justification for the method selected.

Presentation of Results

• Basic data is tabulated and shown, but the majority of information gathered is either absent from the thesis completely, or is produced as an appendix. Only the results are summarised in the body of the text.
• Analysis of the data and discussion of the validity, reliability and generalisability of your results

Discussion of results

The discussion section should be a very substantial part of your dissertation, covering:

• Your analysis of the results.
• What is interesting about your results, in relation to the literature.
• How your results may impact on any decisions or recommendations you might be taking in the future.

Outline of implementation with evaluation (if your scope extended this far)

Reflective Discussion

A full reflective discussion including a critical appraisal of your project work with lessons learned and identification of areas for further work.

Conclusions and recommendations

Summarise your main findings and recommendations. Don't be shy about committing yourself to clear conclusions, or clear decisions that your employer might have to make.

Bibliography and list of references

Appendices

You may find it beneficial to look at some sample dissertations in the MBA dissertation library for the different structures used.

You may also like to refer to some very useful notes provided by Marketing & Strategic Management academics which contain detailed tips on dissertation structure:

Presentation guidelines

The presentation is significant to the overall assessment of the dissertation. It is important, therefore, to agree with your supervisor on the style and detail to be followed. Some general points on this aspect, however, are given below:

• The dissertation should be typewritten on good quality, A4 size paper. (Students based in America may use standard letter paper.)
• There should be at least a 20mm margin on both sides of the paper. Ideally, the line spacing should be 1.5 (one and a half) and the text printed on both sides of the paper.
• The dissertation can be printed in colour or black and white, but please make sure that you prepare any charts and diagrams accordingly.
• The dissertation must be presented in bound form. It may be spiral-bound or soft-bound. (See images below.) If preferred, students may submit hard-bound copies, but there is no requirement to do so.
• There is a standard format for the title page which should be adopted. (Include a confidentiality statement if appropriate.)

MBA project and dissertation

What are the project and dissertation?

Together, the Project and Dissertation (P&D) represent the final challenge of your MBA programme. They will test your ability to apply what you have learned in your module studies to a practical business problem, to develop rigorously argued conclusions and recommendations and to report them effectively.  The P&D requires you to identify your own research question and investigate it without the subject being set for you as per your previous modules.  This is your opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the different disciplines within business and your ability to ask the right questions yourself.

This is an important learning experience in terms of reflecting on the tools learnt throughout your studies and being able to put it into practice, which is what your MBA is all about.

The dissertation is submitted in part-fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a Masters degree. University regulations require that all MBA participants submit a dissertation.

The Project is the source of the data/information etc that you will critically analyse in your dissertation (i.e. the actual work you undertake - gathering data, reviewing literature, conducting interviews/surveys etc). It will tend to be based around an issue, problem or event. This can either be through looking at a 'live' project or through desk based research. In terms of the focus of your project it can range from company specific to a whole industry.

The Dissertation is an academic document in which you critically analyse your project, with full reference to current academic thinking. It is a structured argument which should reach some conclusions or recommendations.

It should demonstrate:

# learning from the MBA programme 
# an understanding of subject literature
# appropriate use of methodology and analyses.

You will also show drive, determination and self-management skills in taking your work to a satisfactory conclusion in the agreed timescale.

You will be assessed on your Dissertation alone. All dissertations are assessed by a minimum of two members of staff, one of which will be your academic supervisor. Your work may also be reviewed by a 3rd marker, either an internal member of staff or an External Examiner.


Types of project

Projects tend to fall into two main types; those which are based on an in-company problem and those which are research orientated.

In-company projects

There is a difference between a project for your employer and the dissertation for your MBA. The dissertation is not part of the evaluation process of your company, but for the University, which will be looking for evidence of objective assessment. Indeed, a very satisfactory dissertation could be written about a project which, from the employer's perspective, was a failure. Whilst based on the project, it is as much about the process of carrying out projects (of justification, of planning, and of control) as it is about the specific task undertaken.

The project objectives for the company are the focus of the dissertation. The main body may concentrate on such matters as the planning of the project, the critical review of decisions made, the weaknesses of the work, and any relevant theoretical frameworks (were they valid in this situation, and if not, why not?).

You might also look at what has been learned from this project which might be of value to the next, what went well (and why), what went badly (and why - could mistakes have been avoided?). It is not the topic, but the analytical and self-critical approach, that matters.

Independent research projects

These can be of two kinds (however, unlike the In-company project, the focus of both is a concept, theory or general business problem):

The library-based research project, where a student defines a problem area, and then discusses a chosen body of knowledge (can be both theories and pre-existing data), set of concepts, or theories, in relation to that particular area.
Empirical research projects, where a student is again required to define an area of concern, and then design and execute a piece of empirical research work within that area. This may contain a hypothesis.
Structural Differences

The guiding principles are the same for both types of dissertation, namely, a critical review of existing and relevant literature, and a linking to relevant frameworks, theories and tools from the MBA course as a whole.  However, as a set of general guidelines:

The methodology section in independent research dissertations may not be as in depth as with In-company dissertations, however the author should explain the research methods chosen.
Given the more theoretical influence of the work in the independent research dissertations, more is expected in terms of the topic’s conceptual development, which may, for example, include a hypothesis or research propositions.
The independent research dissertation may not involve managerial recommendations as the emphasis; instead, it may conclude by proposing a new conceptual model or framework.

A General Guide to Writing a Good Project Proposal

A General Guide to Writing a Good Project Proposal

An academic proposal is the first step in producing a thesis or major project. Its intent is to convince a supervisor or academic committee that your topic and approach are sound, so that you gain approval to proceed with the actual research. As well as indicating your plan of action, an academic proposal should show your theoretical positioning and your relationship to past work in the area.

An academic proposal is expected to contain these elements

- a rationale for the choice of topic, showing why it is important or useful within the concerns of the discipline or course. It is sensible also to indicate the limitations of your aims—don’t promise what you can’t possibly deliver.
- a review of existing published work (“the literature”) that relates to the topic. Here you need to tell how your proposed work will build on existing studies and yet explore new territory (see the file on The Literature Review).
- an outline of your intended approach or methodology (with comparisons to the existing published work), perhaps including costs, resources needed, and a timeline of when you hope to get things done.

Most times I encounter students who find it difficult to pen down a good proposal for their intended project. In some schools and colleges putting down a proposal for your project is one of the first things you do for the supervisor to finally agree giving you the go-ahead to write on a particular topic for your project work.

Important Things to Note When Writing Your Project Proposal

Length of Proposal: Some colleges and universities require that your project or term proposal be not more than a page. SO the first thing will be getting an idea of how long your proposal should be so you don’t run foul of the department’s requirements.

What a Good Proposal for Your Seminar, Research paper or Project Work Should Contain

Though this is a general guide and specific requirements may differ depending on your school here are generally things your proposal should highlight on;

- Brief Introduction of the Proposed Project or Seminar: State the goals and aims of the project and what you (the researcher) hopes to accomplish by embarking on the work

- Why You Should Embark on the Project: In some cases you may be required to show why you are capable and should be allowed to embark on such academic work by your supervisor.

- The Approach You Hope to Use in the Project Work: State if you are doing the work via collection and organisation of data from secondary sources such as newspapers, magazines, website publications etc or if your work is more of a primary survey of the demography concerned.

- The Scope of Work: Clearly state the boundary of your proposed work. All academic research work have limits and scope of coverage and you will have to state clearly where your scope will be so you don’t over-promise and end up not delivering to the extent of your promise.

- Project Deliverable : If for instance your project work is on systems design and construction this section is where you state what you hope to deliver at the conclusion of the project work. This section is where you state what you hope to deliver at the end of the research work; design only? design and construction? a report? analysis and documentation? etc.

- Timeline and Milestones: Though some supervisors and departments may not require this you may state here the various phases of your proposed research work and the time frames you hope to accomplish each phase (or chapter). The purpose of this section is to keep you in track to ensure you complete your work on schedule though your supervisor may have the final say on the time frame you may follow for the phases of your work. While writing my final year project I had five chapters of the work (the design and construction phases being the third phase) and my supervisor gave clear instructions on the time frames that I was expected to return each chapter for approval. In many cases however you may be required to just write the entire (and do any accompanying designs and construction) before a specific date. In that case on your own the time frames and milestones will help you stay on track and complete your work on schedule.

Particular disciplines or courses of study may have their unique, standard approach to writing a proposal for your project or thesis and you can learn better how to write one that will suit your situation by asking questions from superiors and colleagues in the department.

For more information, do send us an email or text message...

How To Excel In University Project Writing

How To Excel In University Project Writing

It is important for you to learn how to excel in university project writing. After spending several years in the higher institute, your project, apart from your graduating grade often has a lot to say about your performance in the university. You have to write a good university project that will secure a good mark because projects often are 3 – 5 credits of your total credit load.

Keep in mind that your project will be read and accessed by a couple of examiners, most of whom would be external supervisors. You should therefore prepare to write a project that is impressive and easily understandable that will give you an excellent grade from these examiners. A clear presentation of your research process and the findings of your project is what will make you to excel.

Start your project on time. Most poorly done projects are caused because the student did not start the work on time and ended up rushing and doing a shoddy work. If you start your project work early, you will have more than enough time to gather enough relevant materials that will help you to excel in your university project writing.

Supervisors and external examiners are always impressed by students who produce new information in their university projects. Therefore, you cannot depend on your lecture notes and textbooks to give you enough material for your project. You have to stretch yourself to go out and look for new information. Check out public libraries, libraries in other schools and online   resources such as http://projectsuccessguide.blogspot.com

Learn to work with your supervisor. Although the project will be done and written by you, try to get your supervisor involved at every stage. Supervisor involvement and approval of at every stage is highly essential to writing an excellent university project. A lot of undergraduates make the mistake of going on with their projects at full steam to later get the whole work disapproved by their supervisor.

In the actual writing, start with a rough draft of your work. Put everything down as you make progress. Later you can follow a good university project outline to put down your project in the approved manner by your school. Ask at your department for samples of past projects that are related to yours. This will help you to excel in university project writing.


I wish you success!

If you like this article and want more information on how to best successfully write university project that can graduate you with high grades/marks of First – Class Honor Degrees why not contact us via email above.