| Module code and title: | Academic Research and Writing | Module leader: | Dr Susan Busby |
| Assignment No. and type: | Written coursework, 1500 words | Assessment weighting: | 100% |
| Submission time and date: | 29th March 2021 –Before 2pm | Target feedback time and date: | 3 weeks from the date of final submission |
| This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes: | |
| LO 1 | Reflect on personal achievement and continuous improvement; |
| LO 2 | Prepare a personal development plan; |
| LO 3 | Demonstrate awareness and the use of evidence-based writing to support conclusions and recommendations; |
| LO 4 | Understand good academic writing and referencing. |
- The submission of a written report that discusses a business issue using a wide variety of research materials (800 words).
- A reflective piece of writing that summarises the learning from the module and how it will be of use for both your studies and future plans (500 words).
- A personal development plan that focuses on academic skills.(200 words)
PART 1 – REPORT (800 WORDS)
Throughout the module we will be examining a variety of current business issues through the use of a variety of research materials.
You will need to choose one business issue from the list below to base your report on:
- Adapting to new technology
- Environmental sustainability
- Workforce planning
The report must:
- Give the full Harvard reference within the reference page for each item used, and the correct Harvard ‘shortened’ reference within the report;
- Include both direct and indirect citations from a wide variety of sources;
- Make use of the relevant research items from within the module;
- Explains and discusses the business issue of your choice by describing what the issue is, and how
companies are reacting – positively or negatively?
A suggested format would be to create one paragraph of 250 words each, within the main section of the report for each of the questions raised in bullet point (d) i.e what the issue is and how companies are reacting , ensuring that the conclusion offered recommendations of how a business can solve the issue. The remaining 300 words need to be used for the introduction and conclusion of this report task.
PART 2 – REFLECTIVE WRITING (500 WORDS)
Using content from the module (e.g. academic skills) and the work you have produced for Part 1, reflect on the learning you have taken from the module and how this learning will support your studies and future career/business development plans.
The reflection needs to explain:
- What you have learnt from the module – this should be personal to you and not a list of all the topics covered in the module.
- Why the learning may be important – what can you achieve with the new knowledge?
- How is the learning going to be of use to you in your future studies and development plans?
You will need to include direct and indirect citations and a reference page.
A suggested format would be to briefly introduce the reflective piece and create one paragraph for each point above (approximately 150 words each).
PART 3 – PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (200 WORDS)
Create a personal development plan that focuses on the academic skills from within the module that you want to further develop and improve.
The plan needs to highlight:
- Which skills you will focus on;
- How you plan to develop them.
- A minimum of three different skills need to be included.
A template has been provided for you to complete – see attached.
6
| Academic Skill | Action | Future Implications |
| (Identify topics of learning from module) | Detail how you plan on improving the skill e.g. reading more on the topic, attending a separate training course etc. | Once the skill has been developed, how do you hope to use the skill both in your academic and career plans. |
Instructions to students:
Before final submission – please delete the light blue coloured row with instructions. 200 WORDS.
University of Suffolk
Marking Criteria for Foundation Level Programmes (FHEQ Level 3)
| Provision at Level 3 (often forming part of a Foundation Year course) is designed to prepare students for higher education. At the end of Level 3, students will be expected to demonstrate the acquisition of foundation level skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to embark on a higher education programme of study at Level 4. In accordance with the national Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), this includes the ability to identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, have a measure of complexity. It includes taking responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures as well as exercising autonomy and judgement within limited parameters. It also reflects awareness of different perspectives or approaches within an area of study or work. A pass mark (40% or above) demonstrates achievement of all learning outcomes associated with the module assessment | |||||
| Assessment category | |||||
| Introductory knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s) | Cognitive and intellectual skills | Reading and referencing | Presentation, style and structure Work that significantly exceeds the specified word limit may be penalized | ||
| Pass Mark | 90%-100% | Excellent work showing | Insightful and accurate | Insightful and effective use of a | Exemplary presentation of work that |
| flawless understanding of the | interpretation and evaluation of | carefully selected range of relevant | is fluent and flawless throughout. | ||
| basic underlying concepts | information and ideas, based on | reading. Consistently accurate | |||
| and principles of the | an excellent application of the | application of referencing. | |||
| subject(s), resulting in | most appropriate skills, methods | ||||
| students being fully prepared | and procedures. Work shows full | ||||
| for study at Level 4. | awareness of the nature of the | ||||
| area of study and different | |||||
| perspectives or approaches | |||||
| within it |
| 80%-89% | High quality work showing fluent understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), resulting in students being fully prepared for study at Level 4. | Excellent interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, employing highly appropriate skills, methods and procedures. Work shows strong awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it | Consistent and balanced engagement with a refined selection of many types of relevant reading. Consistently accurate application of referencing. | Highly effective presentation of work that is coherently structured and clearly expressed throughout. | |
| 70% – 79% | Commendable work showing detailed understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), resulting in students being highly prepared for study at Level 4. | Effective interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, showing effective use of appropriate skills, methods and procedures. Work shows well established awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it. | Consistent engagement with a wide range of relevant reading. Consistently accurate application of referencing. | Well-formed presentation of work that is coherently structured and clearly expressed throughout. | |
| 60% – 69% | Work of solid quality showing competent and consistent understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), resulting in students being well prepared for study at Level 4. | Good interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, using appropriate skills, methods and procedures. Work shows sound awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it. | Engagement with a wide range of relevant reading. Sound application of referencing, with no inaccuracies or inconsistencies. | Competent presentation of work in terms of structure and clarity of expression. |
Level 3
Introductory knowledge
Cognitive and intellectual skills
Reading and referencing
Presentation, style and structure
| Assignment Brief |
Adequate work showing understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), resulting in students being prepared for study at Level 4, but lacking depth and breadth.
Adequate interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, largely using appropriate skills, methods and procedures. Work shows awareness of the nature of the area of study and an emerging awareness of different
Engagement with an appropriate range of reading beyond essential texts. Referencing may show minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies.
Work is structured in a largely coherent manner and is for the most part clearly expressed.
Simple factual approach showing understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), resulting in students being largely prepared for study at Level 4. Narrow or misguided selection of material, with elements missing or inaccurate.
A limited interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, showing emerging awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it, although not always logical or coherent and with inaccuracies.
Evidence of reading, largely confined to essential texts, but mainly reliant on taught elements. Referencing may show inaccuracies and/or inconsistencies.
Ordered presentation in which relevant ideas / concepts are reasonably expressed.
Work shows limited but fragmentary understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), for example through inaccuracies, inclusion of irrelevant material and/or absence of appropriate information.
Unsatisfactory work showing weak and flawed understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s), for example through serious inaccuracies, inclusion of a significant amount of irrelevant material and/or absence of appropriate information.
Weak and at times flawed interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, resulting in largely descriptive work that shows lack of awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it.
Very weak interpretation and evaluation of information and ideas, resulting in descriptive work that is often illogical, invalid or irrelevant. Little awareness of the nature of the area of study and no appreciation of different perspectives or approaches within it.
Poor engagement with essential texts and no evidence of wider reading.
Heavily reliant on taught elements. Inconsistent and weak use of referencing.
Limited evidence of reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Limited engagement with taught elements. Very poor use of referencing.
Work is loosely, and at times incoherently, structured, with information and ideas often poorly expressed.
Work is poorly presented in a disjointed and incoherent manner. Information and ideas are very poorly expressed, with weak English and/or inappropriate style.
Assignment Brief Academic Year 2020-21
| < 20% | Highly unsatisfactory work showing major gaps in understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject(s). Inclusion of largely irrelevant material, absence of appropriate information and significant inaccuracies. | Work is largely irrelevant or inaccurate, characterised by descriptive text and unsubstantiated generalisations. Minimal or no use of evidence to back up views, showing complete lack of awareness of the nature of the area of study and different perspectives or approaches within it. | No evidence of reading or engagement with taught elements. Absent or incoherent referencing. | Work is extremely disorganised, with much of the content confusingly expressed. Very poor English and/or very inappropriate style. |
