Assignment analysis, structure and flow

ASSIGNMENT ANALYSIS, STRUCTURE & FLOW

• Analysing questions

• Building a paragraph framework

This presentation can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/assignmentquestions2016

• Paragraph structure and flow

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3 crucial questions to ask about any assignment

What is it about?

What do I include?

What do I have to do?

Topic

Focus

Task

fight the question in your

These questions are your weapons as you _

Example question analysis

Choose ONE environmental issue and examine what the national government of ONE country is doing to improve the situation. Evaluate the extent to which the government has been successful and justify your argument with evidence and examples.

TopicFocus

Task

One environmental issueWhat ONE national government is doing to improve the situation

Evaluate (success) & Justify (your argument)

Use the TOPIC as the key search term in your research AND use it throughout the essay itself to make sure you are answering the question

Globalisation has led to the accidental or deliberate introduction of species into ecologies where they had previously been absent. These invasive species can cause not only ecological damage (for instance, in forcing native plants into extinction), but economic hardship (by damaging agricultural production and the tourism industry). In the US alone, it has been estimated that invasive species caused nearly $100bn in economic damage between 1906 and 1991 (Cook, Thomas, Cunningham, Anderson & De Barro, 2007). Countries like New Zealand, whose ecology has been isolated for millions of years, are especially vulnerable to invasive species.

Opening sentences from an introduction paragraph (introducing the topic, putting it into context and showing why it’s important)

Use the FOCUS as a secondary search term in your research, to choose relevant examples AND use the TASK words to help you structure the essay into different parts.

Preview sentence from an introduction paragraph

The New Zealand Government aims to reduce the damage caused by invasive species in three ways: Biosecurity, control and elimination. This essay evaluates the success of each approach in relation to three different invasive species.

Identify

Investigate / ExamineConsider

Discuss

Evaluate

Give a clear definition and explanation of an issue or concept

Present relevant facts and figures about the causes and effects of something

Present evidence for and against a proposal

First, define a topic or concept and refer to a range of opinions on it, giving the evidence or arguments for each opinion.Identify the purpose(s) of X, describe the actual outcome and describe how far X achieved its purpose(s)

Common Task Words

Question analysis practice

The world’s ecosystems, from the oceans to the land, are currently under severe pressure as humankind seeks to feed itself. Yet according to the United Nations, the world’s population is projected to grow from 6.1 billion in 2000 to 8.9 billion in 2050. Investigate how the farming methods employed in two countries, in different regions (e.g. tropical/ temperate, arid/ wet), impact the environment and whether they currently meet their population’s food needs. Based on your research, suggest how these regions could develop farming practices to meet future food demands in an environmentally sustainable way.TopicFocusTask

Farming Methods2 countries in different regionsInvestigate (impact on env & how they meet population’s food needs)Suggest (environmentally sustainable ways to meet future food needs)

First … Use your question analysis to identify the different parts you’ll need in your essay

Approach 1 (biosecurity): What is it? How successful has it been

Approach 2 (control): What is it? How successful has it beenApproach 3 (elimination): What is it? How successful has it been

…. for example, different ways NZ has tried to deal with the problem of invasive species

Building a paragraph framework

Then … Decide how many paragraphs to use for each part and add on your intro and conclusion

I generally recommend writing paragraphs of between four and eight sentences (about 100 to 200 words)

So, a 1200 word essay breaks down neatly into either 6 long or 8 medium paragraphs

Using the same method, you canconvert any word count into paragraphs___________________________________________

• 500 words: 3 – 5 paragraphs

• 800 words: 5 – 6 paragraphs

• 1000 words: 6 – 8 paragraphs

• 1500 words: 8 – 10 paragraphs

• 1800 words: 9 – 12 paragraphs

• 2000 words: 10 – 14 paragraphs

• 2500 words: 12 – 16 paragraphs

Question analysis practice

Compare and contrast ONE Western and ONE non-Western approach to Leadership or Management and discuss how relevant these theories are to modern day organisations.

TopicFocus

Task

Leadership or Management

1 Western / 1 non-Western approachRelevance todayCompare and contrast (approaches)Discuss (relevance)

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Rauch & Behling, 1984, p. 46). Given its central importance within society, it is no surprise that leadership has been a major focus of study and debate throughout history. This essay compares two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s century-old Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management as a distinct discipline. Indeed, Management theory has been described as “in large measure, a reply to Fayol’s original memo” (Hales, 1993, p. 3). The second approach is the much older and more culturally-embedded set of beliefs known as Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004). It will be argued that, despite their diverse origins, these two approaches share certain core values, and an understanding of their potential and limitations continues to be a core component of management expertise in the modern business environment.

What makes this a successful introduction paragraph?

Look at the paragraph again and look for examples of these academic writing strengths:

• focus on the topic

• expert definition of the topic

• summary of relevant research

• logical structure

• academic vocabulary and style

• smooth flow of ideas

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Rauch & Behling, 1984, p. 46). Given its central importance within society, it is no surprise that leadership has been a major focus of study and debate throughout history. This essay compares two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s century-old Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management as a distinct discipline. Indeed, Management theory has been described as “in large measure, a reply to Fayol’s original memo” (Hales, 1993, p. 3). The second approach is the much older and more culturally-embedded set of beliefs known as Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004). It will be argued that, despite their diverse origins, these two approaches share certain core values, and an understanding of their potential and limitations continues to be a core component of management expertise in the modern business environment.

Strength 1: Focus on the main topic of the essay

Strength 2: Expert definition of the topic

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Rauch & Behling, 1984, p. 46).

Strength 3: Summary of relevant research

The second approach is the much older and more culturally-embedded set of beliefs known as Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004).

Strength 4: logical sequence of elements (definition + context + preview + thesis statement)

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Rauch & Behling, 1984, p. 46). Given its central importance within society, it is no surprise that leadership has been a major focus of study and debate throughout history. This essay compares two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s century-old Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management as a distinct discipline. Indeed, Management theory has been described as “in large measure, a reply to Fayol’s original memo” (Hales, 1993, p. 3). The second approach is the much older and more culturally-embedded set of beliefs known as Confucianism, which is said to continue to guide leadership and management across China and much of South-East Asia (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004). It will be argued that, despite their diverse origins, these two approaches share certain core values, and an understanding of their potential and limitations continues to be a core component of management expertise in the modern business environment.

Strength 5: Smooth flow of ideas

Leadership has been defined as “the process of influencing the activities of an organized group toward goal achievement” (Rauch & Behling, 1984, p. 46). Given its central importance within society, it is no surprise that leadership has been a major focus of study and debate throughout history. This essay compares two approaches to leadership from Western and Eastern traditions. The first is Fayol’s century-old Administrative Principles approach, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management as a distinct discipline. Indeed, Management theory has been described as “in large measure, a reply to Fayol’s original memo” (Hales, 1993, p. 3). The second approach is ........... It will be argued that, despite their diverse origins, these two approaches .......

Strength 6: Academic Vocabulary and Style

Leadership has been defined as xxxxxxx ...... xxxxxx, considered to be one of the foundations of the study of Management as a distinct discipline. Indeed, Management theory has been described as xxxxxxxx (Hales, 1993, p. 3). The second approach is the much older and more culturally-embedded set of beliefs known as Confucianism, which is said to xxxxxxxxxx It will be argued that, despite their diverse origins, these two approaches share certain core values, and an understanding of their potential and limitations continues to be a core component of management expertise ..........

PARAGRAPH FLOW. Topic sentence followed by sentences which all start by linking back to previous one.

In contrast to Fayol’s pragmatic focus on management of organisations, Confucianism is a systematic, philosophical approach to the maintenance of human relationships in society as a whole (de Bettignies, Ip, Bai, Habisch & Lenssen, 2011). These relationships are categorised into five types: emperor-subject, father-son, husband-wife, older-young brother, and friend-friend (Li, 1984). Leadership is central to these relationships because society is viewed as hierarchical, with each member typically having power over some, while being subservient to others. Harmony, is seen as a paramount objective in order to secure the sustainability of the society (Ip, 2009), which otherwise might be riven by power struggles. Therefore, in an organisational context, leaders are encouraged to avoid any extremes and ensure that employees willingly accept their duties (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004). This approach involves a delicate balance between obedience (which is expected of employees) and rewards (which they may expect in return from the manager, in the guise of a benevolent father-figure) (Zhang, Lin, Nonoka, & Beom, 2005). Obedience also depends on the leader’s commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or superior man, (Ip, 2011).

Key Points

• Analyse the question: topic, focus, task• Divide the question into parts and use 1, 2 or 3

paragraphs for each part• Use each paragraph to focus on one part of the

question• Log onto OWLL and join our Study Up sessions for

more ideas about research and writing

This presentation can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/assignmentquestions2016