Professions Learning Centre Transition Workshop 11

1. Professions Learning CentreTransition Workshop 11 Analysing Questions & Structuring Assignments

2. Purpose of an Assignment Who is your audience? Why has he/she asked you to do this task? What does he/she want you to demonstrate? Who…………Purpose…………Do?

3. Assignment Purpose: True or False? To pass? To show the reader how much work you have done? To write down everything you know about the topic and hope the answer is in there somewhere? To demonstrate your understanding of the topic? To fulfil the requirements of the task – to do what you were asked to do? Gain knowledge about your own strengths and weaknesses? Keep going until you have written enough words?

4. How Tasks/Questions are Constructed Content words Directive words Scope Content: background, topic, context Directives: what to do, how to answer Scope: the focus/limits of the question Content words tell you WHATarea to write about Directive words tell you HOWto answer the question Scope tells you WHICHaspects to include

5. Directive Words

6. Directive Words

7. Types of Directive Words Indicating description = What Indicating analysis = How/Why

8. Sample Assignment Tasks Accounting Define the term ‘an asset’ Finance Explain the relationship between the price of a debenture and its rate of return Education Using Bloom’s taxonomy evaluate the suitability of Activity 1.2 for use in the Year 7 Science Course Business Law Compare and contrast a contractual and non- contractual promise Management Outline the purpose of an organisational chart CSG Discuss the relative merits of cash over accrual accounting

9. Analysing tasks Definethe term ‘an asset’ Explainthe relationship between the price of a debenture and its rate of return Using Bloom’s taxonomy evaluate the suitability of Activity 1.2 for use in the Year 7 Science Course Compare and contrast a contractual and non-contractual promise Outlinethe purpose of an organisational chart Discussthe relative merits of cash over accrual accounting

10. Organising Your (Short Answer) Assignment INTRODUCTION establishing sentence (this is not a mystery novel!) - introduction of topic and position BODY The WHAT – background, definitions, explanation of the issue The WHY – development of the argument, reasons for your position CONCLUSION summary of the main argument

11. Sample Task For the past fiscal year, about 51% of Fujitsu’s business is derived from services and software. The majority of Fujitsu’s business is acknowledged as “knowledge-based” , in contrast to the “product-based” outlook of a traditional hardware vendor. As in any knowledge-based business, the key competition business advantage is the collective skills, experience and work ethic of the employees. While Fujitsu’s records may point to facilities, fixtures and property as its major assets, the true picture is that Fujitsu’s employees are their only assets. Using the following definition and recognition criteria for an asset (AASB Framework) explain why, given the above information, many companies do not include their employees as assets on their balance sheets ASSETS: An asset is a resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity (AASB Framework, para 49a). An asset is recognised in the balance sheet only when it is probable that the future economic benefits will flow to the entity and it must be possible to reliably measure the cost of other value of such benefits

12. Sample Task For the past fiscal year, about 51% of Fujitsu’s business is derived from services and software. The majority of Fujitsu’s business is acknowledged as “knowledge-based” , in contrast to the “product-based” outlook of a traditional hardware vendor. As in any knowledge-based business, the key competition business advantage is the collective skills, experience and work ethic of the employees. While Fujitsu’s records may point to facilities, fixtures and property as its major assets, the true picture is that Fujitsu’s employees are their only assets. Using the following definition and recognition criteriafor an asset (AASB Framework) explain why,given the above information, many companies do not include their employees as assets on their balance sheets

13. INTRODUCTION: Topic and Position

14. BODY: ‘WHAT’ – Background and Explanation of the Issue

15. BODY: ‘WHY’ – Development of the Argument

16. CONCLUSION: Summary of the Main Argument

17. Language Use • Academic style • “It could be argued…” • “…does not satisfy the definition…” • “If this is the case…” • Use of technical language • “The Accounting Framework defines assets as…” • “…the asset can be reliably measured…” • Unambiguous sentence structure • “First, there is…Second, the business has control…Finally, the business derives…”

18. Assessment Criteria

19. Characteristics of Academic Essay Writing Essay writer’s purpose Content • To describe theories • To analyse concepts • To evaluate, etc. Facts, etc. Academic reader’s expectations • Well focused on the topic • Based on wide reading • A reasoned argument • Competently presented

20. Essay Writing Basically – same Purpose and Structure More detail and evidence required: more research Sample Essay re Consumer Behaviour: Observational learning is an important means of socialisation for children, teenagers and adults. Consider the content of prime-time television shows. What are the patterns of behaviour that people may learn as a result of watching prime-time television? What, if any, are the public policy implications of your analysis? How would you approach this task? Audience…Purpose…Do

21. Essay Writing Observational learning is an important means of socialisation for children, teenagers and adults. Consider the content of prime-time television shows. What are the patterns of behaviour that people may learn as a result of watching prime-time television? What, if any, are the public policy implications of your analysis? Content: patterns of behaviour…public policy implications Directives: consider…analyse Scope: observational learning…prime-time television

22. SUMMARY When reading an assignment task, ask yourself: What am I being asked to do? How do I need to approach this task? • Content words tell you ‘what’ • Directive words tell you ‘how’ • Scope gives the focus/limits of your answer Clear, logical, well-linked structure • Introduction – background position • Body – argument, reasons • Conclusion – summary of main points Language – formal tone, academic

23. Thank you Isabella Slevin isabella.slevin@adelaide.edu.au