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Understanding Assignments Student Learning Advisory Service Gina May

Understanding Assignments Student Learning Advisory Service Gina May. What is the point of an assignment?. Revisit elements of the module Main themes Pull elements together Extend and develop understanding Present an ‘informed opinion’ – (heuristic process). Showcase your Skills.

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Understanding Assignments Student Learning Advisory Service Gina May

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  1. Understanding Assignments Student Learning Advisory Service Gina May

  2. What is the point of an assignment? • Revisit elements of the module Main themes Pull elements together • Extend and develop understanding • Present an ‘informed opinion’ – (heuristic process)

  3. Showcase your Skills • Work within ‘constraints’ • Commitment to view point • Present and express concepts and ideas • Create an intellectual ‘debate

  4. Basic Beginnings • Don’t put it off • Ask for clarification • Look at the question for the ‘overview’

  5. Basic Beginnings • Pay attention • Style requirement • Check format requirements • Check deadlines

  6. Understanding the Assignment • Why has this question been set? • When is it due? • What is the challenge? • Learning experience? • What is the purpose of the essay?

  7. Key Words • Active verbs and information words • Define • Explain • Illustrate • Summarise • Trace • Research

  8. Relation Words • To demonstrate how things are connected • Compare • Contrast • Apply • Cause • Relate

  9. Interpretation Words • Remember examples from class and research Assess prove/justify evaluate/respond support synthesize analyse argue

  10. Analyse the Key Concepts • Do the narrators of Pride and Prejudice and Great Expectations speak with the same kind of irony? • What is bribery and can it be justified as an acceptable business practice? • Authority amounts to no more than the possession of power.

  11. Analysing a concept – e.g. • Freedom, ideology, equality, authority, power • Tragedy, comedy, irony, satire • Abuse, care, dignity • Globalisation, diversification • Dimensions, strings, dark matter • Vectors, chromosomes

  12. Open and Closed Concepts • Open – • Shaped by experience • Closed • Unchanging, unambiguous meaning ANALYSE THE CONCEPT BEWARE PRECONCEPTIONS

  13. More Clues • Keep your module in mind: Reading list: Background? Theoretical? Argues different points of view? • How do the readings, lectures, seminars work together?

  14. Analysing Concepts • “Advertisers seek only to ensure consumers make informed choices.” Discuss • Discuss = Investigate or examine by argument.

  15. Who is the audience? • Tutor • Informed reader • Clear, ‘academic’ explanation • Demonstrate your understanding • Informs your tone

  16. The ‘tone’ of an essay • Formal • Objective • NOT condescending • NOT pretentious • Convince your audience • Build the argument/thesis/claim • Work towards a conclusion • Closure

  17. What evidence will I need? • Scholarship • Cases • Facts • Examples

  18. What kind of writing style? • Formal or informal? • First or third person? • The passive? Look at: Handbook guidance Seminar readings conventions for your discipline Ask the seminar leader

  19. Technical Details • The rules: • Word count • Font size • Margin size • Due date • Percentage weighting

  20. Tricks that don’t work! • Fancy cover sheets • Wide margins • Large font • Re-hash material • Waffle • Being over creative • Colloquial • Over friendly!

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