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OVERVIEW

YOUR ASSESSED WORK Aim


• To introduce you to the problems of written
coursework
WRITTEN
Learning Objectives
ASSIGNMENTS • How to meet criteria for high quality coursework
• How to research and use the available literature
• How to avoid minor errors that can lose marks

ESSAYS
REPORTS
• Academic essays are ‘research papers’ – critical
discussions about a topic presenting arguments • An account of an investigation into a
and drawing conclusions from the evidence. particular problem
What do the ‘experts’ say? OR
What do I think, based upon what I’ve read?
• A proposal to undertake a piece of
• You survey the field of knowledge to find the best
possible information in that field. You then research
present your own interpretation, evaluation or OR
arguments based on what you find.
• A case for a particular course of
So you MUST always cite the source of the idea or action e.g. new product or strategy
information you present

REPORTS: COMPONENTS HOW YOU ARE MARKED:


• Title Page
CONTENT 1:
• Executive Summary (Abstract) • ‘Interpretation and Scope’
• Terms of reference (inc. who it is for) – Cover all significant points
• Body of report, e.g.
• ‘Understanding of topic’
– Current position/problem
– Identify the most relevant issues
– Proposals justified by reference to
literature – Be aware of ‘nuances and complexities’
• Recommendations/Conclusions – Gain insights
• References • ‘Use of literature’
• Appendices – Carry out ‘significant independent research
– Support your arguments from the literature

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HOW YOU ARE MARKED: EXAMPLE from SAMPLE ESSAY
CONTENT(2) By contrast, there is a minority who argue that the new LIS
models simply represent acquiescence in the face of financial
restraint. Ratcliffe (in Roberts, 1992, p.170) states that the
• ‘Evaluating and synthesis of evidence’ innovators are operating under :
- Selecting and discussing only what is significant "...the delusion that librarianship has undergone a fundamental change,
- Making sense of writers’ different views instead of recognising merely that libraries have benefited from new
techniques in retrieving information."

• ‘Critical analysis’ There seems to be something of the ostrich with its head in the
sand about this view. The changes are significant and can and
– Challenging and questioning writers’ views do generate tensions in a number of ways…
– Using your own judgement to come to
Excellent critical comment. Well presented longer quote.
conclusions

HOW YOU ARE MARKED:


HOW YOU ARE MARKED:
CONTENT(3)
CONTENT(4)
• ‘Structure & Logical Development’ • ABSTRACT
Summary of your work in 150 words
– Making a convincing case What you set out to do, what you investigated
– Presenting coherent arguments and your conclusions. Compulsory
• General to specific
• Problem to solution • CONCLUSION should summarise key
points/issues/outcomes. Must do justice to
your essay

HOW YOU ARE MARKED: HOW YOU ARE MARKED:


PRESENTATION (1) PRESENTATION (2)
• Spelling, grammar and syntax Students’ Handbook requires:
“High standard. Negligible errors”
• 1.5 or double spacing
• Style
• 4cm left-hand margin
“Very effective use of English. Clear and easy to read”
Do not worry if English is not your first language • SPACE between paras

• Presentation of data and references Write clearly and simply.


“Excellent use of relevant data, figs., models. References No jargon.
accurately cited and listed”
Explain technical terms
• Overall presentation READ your work when you have finished, to find typos,
“Excellent presentation. Well organised and well presented. missed citations etc.
Students’ Handbook followed”

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READING FOR YOUR WORK (1)
READING FOR YOUR WORK (2)
• What shall I search for?
– Books • Choose current (up-to-date) sources
– Journals (and newspapers) – What is ‘current’ depends on the sort of topic
– Websites you are writing about. e.g.
• How do I find them?
ICT/Technology developments – the more recent the
– Identify Keywords from an initial search
better (journals, websites, newspapers)
– Search relevant databases/ catalogues/ Web
Management – some material 50 years old is still current
• Refine keywords and search again.
TIP: Check the references in very recent
• Identify accessible items academic articles and text books on your topic.
– Uni. Library (Shelves/Databases) How old is the material the authors are citing?
– Other local libraries PL/SHU

AVOID PLAGIARISM WHAT IS PLAGIARISM: I


• Don’t pass off an author’s ideas or words as your • Original text from The Net Result (1997):
own. Includes text, original ideas, statistics, charts, “For the citizen, the Information Society places
diagrams, art work, Web sources.
increasing emphasis on the use of information for
problem solving, decision making and personal
• Attribute all words and ideas that are not your own development. This calls for adequate skills, which we
to the author. have referred to as ‘information capability’.”
Not doing this is a form of intellectual theft.
• Essay extract:
• Read the Students’ Handbook! “For the citizen, the Information Society places
increasing emphasis on the use of information for
Deliberately plagiarising can result in a fail grade problem solving, decision making and personal
for your assignment.
development. This calls for adequate skills, which we
have referred to as ‘information capability.’”
The student has copied from the book = Plagiarism

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM: II AVOIDING ACCIDENTAL


• The original: PLAGIARISM
“For the citizen, the Information Society places
increasing emphasis on the use of information for • When taking notes DON’T write them down
problem solving, decision making and personal verbatim unless you intend to quote.
development.” – Read the passage
– Put the source on one side
• Essay extract:
– Think about the meaning of what you’ve read
“For the citizen, the Information Society makes the
use of information for problem solving, decision – Write the key points down in your own words
making and personal development more important.” – Remember to record the source

The student has changed some words. Is this • Remember to put direct quotes in inverted
still plagiarism? YES commas and cite the author and page

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BIBLIOGRAPHICAL CITATION TYPES OF CITATION: 1
Referring a reader to the sources you have used • Straightforward text citation
• HARVARD SYSTEM requires: – Irving (1992) suggests that the lack of information skills
a) The author’s name and year of publication in is the key issue for society. Information poverty, he
the text: e.g. Smith (1999), IBM (1999) states..…
OR
• b) A Bibliography giving full details of each work
– The lack of information skills is the key issue for society
= Author, (date), title of the work, place of
publication, publisher (Irving 1992).

• The objective is to help the reader to locate all the Note position of brackets and final full stop after the
items cited in your text. citation in the last version.
So, the entry term in text and bib. must be the same! N.B. Text citation (author + date) is the same
whether the item is a book, an article or a web page

TYPES OF CITATION 3
TYPES OF CITATION: 2
Text citation for an author in a compilation or
• Text citation for an author mentioned in edited work:
another work
If Brown had contributed a chapter to Irving’s book the text
– Brown, quoted by Irving (1992), proposes that citation would be
information poverty.… Brown (1992) proposes that the way in which
information...
The Bibliography entry would be of the form:
You have found this information in Irving’s Brown, A. (1992) The Information Revolution. In: Irving
book so It’s Irving who goes in your bib. G. (ed.) Writings on the Information Society. pp. 121-137.
– not Brown. No date for Brown - irrelevant London: Faber.
You have read Brown’s original work so Brown goes
in your bib.

USING QUOTATIONS
TYPES OF CITATION 4
•Text citation using a short quote from the author
Text citation for an electronic source Irving (1992:59) suggests that “ information capability,
rather than information poverty, is the key issue.” and
AOL Time Warner (2004) lists these developments….
goes on to state that…
The bibliography entry would be in the form: •Text citation using longer quote from the author
AOL Time Warner (2004) [Home Page.] New York, Muddiman (1999:5) explains these inconsistencies:
AOL Time Warner.
The numerical evidence suggests that it is a minority of the
http://www.aol.org//oif/report01.html [Accessed 2.9.04] working class who are socially, educationally or intellectually
aspirational who particularly value and use public library
N.B. DON’T cite the url in the text. services.
Include the equivalent of author, place of He goes on to suggest that library use by working class
publication and publisher (+ URL) in your people….
Bibliography.

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EXTRACTS FROM ESSAYS:
Spot The Mistakes: I
SPOT THE MISTAKES: II

1. Recent research has analysed the effects of 3. In the UK a few public libraries have been involved
information technology on staff morale. in providing public access to the Internet. This is,
Maintaining staff morale is very important…
however, still in the early stages of development
What recent research? Citations needed
(Ormes and Dempsey, 1997).
2. One vision of the future is given in the Net Result
Out of date information. Old source cited as if current.
(1997). This covers issues neglected by previous
reports such as the DNH’s Review of the Public 4. The major problem of organisational communication
Library Service (1995). is that information from the ‘top’ often fails to reach
• Bibliography entries: the lower levels of the organisation. In the place I
Aslib (1995) DNH Review of the Public Library worked in, what went on in the boss’s office was a
Service in England and Wales. London: Aslib. mystery. Minutes of meetings never....
IBM (1997). The Net Result. London: IBM. The major problem? Who says? Citation needed.
Text and Bib. entry terms should be the same

SPOT THE MISTAKES: III SPOT THE MISTAKES: IV


5. Davis (1986) suggests that managers need not worry 7. Trends show that Internet access in the home is set
about the ‘grapevine’ since his research shows it is 95% to expand by 10% a year. (Blaxter 1996:28)…
accurate. Other authors, however, disagree. A further No need for page number since there is no direct
cause of communication failure is…. quote from Blaxter. Also it’s another out of date
Which other authors? Citation needed. Opportunity also source.
missed for reconciling opposed ideas (synthesis)
8. According to the Bookseller (29.9.99 p.24)
6. Among later studies is the report from Book Marketing supermarkets began to take a more serious interest
Ltd. Reading the Situation (2000) in selling books following the abandonment of the
Bibliography entry Net Book Agreement.
Book Marketing Ltd. (2000) Reading the Situation. Exact date in text is unnecessary. Bookseller
London: BML. (2000) is correct. Page number also superfluous
No need to cite publication title in text. Year in text should be (no direct quote again)
after author. Title in text is superfluous.

GETTING HELP WITH YOUR WORK


• You may ask for an Assignment Tutorial
to discuss an essay/report plan
to check understanding of the topic
to check search terms

• MUSE: Essay Writing Skills


http://dagda.shef.ac.uk/intranet/study/essay.html

• MUSE: Learning and Teaching:


Post Graduate Modules
http://dagda.shef.ac.uk/intranet/pgmod/index.html

• PG Students’ Handbook

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