Individual Assignment (Essay)
Worth 15% Type A
Due date: Weekly
Final essay due date: Week 7 (Refer course description for specific due date)
Objective:
The purpose of this assignment is to enable students to evaluate professional communication aspects within an industry in relation to the various elements covered, and to demonstrate the ability to communicate the key issues through a written essay.
Assignment topic:
Oral Reports and Presentations
There are many occasions when you will be required to speak in public: during your studies at university, in your workplace and even in social situations. In this essay you will explore the preparation and delivery of oral reports and presentations.
Discuss the following aspects in your essay:
• The impact of Microsoft PowerPoint on presentations in general. What are some consequences of PowerPoint’s popularity? Are there any (better) alternatives?
• Scientific presentations – their preparation and delivery. Consider, for example, a presentation on global warming.
• Multiple Intelligences -how can presentations be developed based on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences?
Description of assignment:
Students will prepare a 2500 word essay (not including references). The assignment is to be completed individually. This is NOT a group assignment. Please refer marking criteria for more detailed breakdown of marks.
Tasks Due Weight
1) Draw up a timetable that identifies the various stages of development in the writing of your essay and allows sufficient time for each stage. This time table should include activities in each week. Week 4 during tutorial 1%
2) Research the topic using books, journals and reputable websites. As a minimum, your research should include at least three (3) books (may be online books), at least three (3) journal articles (may be online journal articles) and at least three (3) internet sites (general websites except Wikipedia), total of 9 sources, all of which are used to provide you with the background for your essay.
Week 4 during tutorial 1%
3) Write annotated bibliography for all 9 sources. Week 5 during tutorial 2%
4) Produce a detailed concept map showing as much as you can find out about the topic. (Archee, Gurney &Mohan, 2013, p.371)
Week 5 during tutorial 2%
5) Draft essay using strategies 4Ps, 5Ws and 1H (Archee et. al., 2013, p XXXXXXXXXXWeek 6 during tutorial 2%
6) Produce a detailed essay outline. (Archee et. al., 2013, p.372) Week 6 during tutorial 2%
7) Final Essay Week 7 (Refer course description) 5%
It is expected that the essay will provide a balanced view of the issues discussed.
Presentation of your Essay
• Essays are to be presented according to the information contained in the University Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work (see http://www.ballarat.edu.au/generalguide)
• In the essay, you are expected to write in paragraph style with an introduction and a conclusion. The use of bulleted/numbered lists should be avoided and headings (if any) kept to a minimum (no more than 5).
• Essay should be presented in the following order and format (Archee et. al., 2013, pp XXXXXXXXXX):
a) Cover page;
b) Abstract;
c) Table of contents (Auto-generated);
d) Introduction;
e) Sections;
f) Conclusion.
• Essays with unsupported personal opinions will be marked down, as will those that make excessive use of direct quotes (no more than 8 linesin total).
• Incorrect APA referencing will also be penalised. Your essay should include both a list of references used in the essay and a bibliography of the wider reading you have done to familiarise yourself with the topic.
• Any direct quotation from one of your sources (i.e. anything that you have not written yourself) must be referenced (cited) in-text (as well as included in the reference list); if the quotation is more than three lines in length it should be formattedin its own paragraph indented 0.75 cm, single-spaced, with font size 10; if it is three lines or less it should be surrounded by quotation marks (double inverted commas). This is normal practice, which you should always follow.
• The vast majority of your essay should consist of your own writing whether paraphrasing a specific section of a source or synthesizing ideas from a number of sources. Paraphrasing should also be accompanied by in-text citation (as for a direct quotation).
• If you use a source either with a direct quotation or by paraphrasing and do not cite it, you are guilty of plagiarism (refer to the course description).
Plagiarism
It is important to learn from the work of others and you are encouraged to explore the library, World Wide Web resources and have discussions with other students. However, work for the assessment must be entirely your own work.
*Important*
Plagiarism is the presentation of the expressed thought or work of another person as though it is one's own without properly acknowledging that person.
You must not allow other students to copy your work and must take care to safeguard against this happening. In cases of copying, normally all students involved will be penalised equally; an exception will be if you can demonstrate the work is your own and you took reasonable care to safeguard against copying.
Plagiarism is a serious offence. As set out in the University Regulation 6.1.1.students who are caught plagiarising will, for a first offence, be given a zero mark for that task. A second offence will result in a failing grade for the course involved and any subsequent offence will be referred to the Student Discipline Committee.
University Referencing/Citation Style Guide:
The University has published a style guide to help students correctly reference and cite information they use in assignments. A copy of the University’s citation guides can be found on the university’s web site. It is imperative that students cite all sources of information.
References
Archee, R., Gurney,M. &Mohan,T XXXXXXXXXXCommunicating as Professionals (3rded.). South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning.
Marking Guide
Student ID: _______________________ Student name:________________________________
Marking Guide – Task 1 Timetable
Task Marks Allocated
Time table that identifies the various stages of development in the writing of an essay.
/5
Included minimum of 60 hours of work.
/3
Included frequent breaks
/1
Included study block times no more than 2 hours
/1
Total (Weight 1%) /10
Marking Guide – Task 2 Resources
Task Marks Allocated
List of three books (with full references)
/3
List of three websites (with full references)
/3
List of three journals (with full references)
/4
Total (Weight 1%) /10
Marking Guide – Annotated Bibliography
Task Marks Allocated
Relevance of resources
/8
Evaluation of resources
/12
Total (Weight 2%) /20
Marking Guide – Concept Map
Task Marks Allocated
Concept Map Structure
/5
Concept Map Relationships
/5
Concept Map Exploratory
/5
Evaluation of communication
/5
Total (Weight 2%) /20
Marking Guide – Draft essay
Task Marks Allocated
Draft writing with 4Ps Strategy
/10
Draft writing with 5Ws Strategy
/10
Total (Weight 2%) /20
Marking Guide – Detailed essay outline
Task Marks Allocated
Ideas from concept map, 4Ps and 5Ws
/10
Relating ideas with the theme
/10
Total (Weight 2%) /20
Marking Guide – Final Essay
Tasks Marks
Essay
• Introduction
• Development of discussion (structure)
• Conclusion
• Grammar, spelling, punctuation
• Writing style
• Paraphrasing
• Understanding of reading
• Evidence of Research /40
Presentation of essay /5
Referencing /5
Total(Weight 5%) /50