IPA Excellence Diploma Some personal advice on final assignments from someone whose been there
Dec 21, 2014
IPA Excellence Diploma
Some personal advice on final assignments from someone whose
been there
Lesson One: Structure
1. Where you are now
2. Getting good grades
3. A few practical pointers
4. Any other questions
Where you are now
You’re on the home straight
A unique chance to take the spotlight
awaits
This is a sprint finish
Getting good grades
Remember where the marks come from
ORIGINALITY CLARITY REFERENCESAPPLICATION
It’s less about what you’ve read than what
you haven’t read
An opportunity to suggest something new
An invitation to disagree
Tell the judges something they don’t already know
My starters for ten1. Look outside the advertising bubble. What could we learn from..?
– Research science (chaos theory, complexity theory, dynamic network analysis, evolutionary biology, particle physics, rigour, experimentation etc…)
– Theatre (the masters of emotion and atmosphere, creativity, audiences etc…)– Stand up comedy/Jay Z/Jon la Joie/Banksy etc. etc. etc.
2. The future is complicated, how can we make it practical? Are the next breakthroughs in production and resources?
3. Dare to dream: What emergent technologies are out there that we could put to use and evolve? What game changing move would you make if you were China/Google/Duncan Bannatyne/Simon Cowell?
4. Pick a fight: What’s hope and what’s hype? Could taking a contrary view unlock some fresh ground?
5. Originality isn’t limited to topic - it’s a mindset for approaching the whole thing
The course reading should be your springboard
to uncharted waters
Don’t worry if you don’t know exactly where you’re heading
when you set off
Do pick a topic you’ll enjoy discovering
Make sure it’s big enough for 7,000 words
Application
Ensure your originality stays
grounded
One big case study or lots of little ones –
it’s up to you
Ask yourself: What’s the point?
Look far & wide
Original references are the best references
Find the experts
Content is half the battle, structure
the other
Remember you’re telling a story
A journey of 7,000 words needs signposts
Imagine how you’d feel if you had to read twenty 7,000 word essays
Then make it entertaining
Make it clear
Re-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-edit
A few practical pointers
Book yourself some thinking space
Get help
Find a bastard
You get out what you put in
Any
s
Matt Sadler
Download my (President’s Prize winning:) paper at www.infomagination.co.uk