
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 • Work within ‘constraints’ • Commitment to view point • Present and express concepts and ideas • Create an intellectual ‘debate
Basic Beginnings • Don’t put it off • Ask for clarification • Look at the question for the ‘overview’
Basic Beginnings • Pay attention • Style requirement • Check format requirements • Check deadlines
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?
Key Words • Active verbs and information words • Define • Explain • Illustrate • Summarise • Trace • Research
Relation Words • To demonstrate how things are connected • Compare • Contrast • Apply • Cause • Relate
Interpretation Words • Remember examples from class and research Assess prove/justify evaluate/respond support synthesize analyse argue
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.
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
Open and Closed Concepts • Open – • Shaped by experience • Closed • Unchanging, unambiguous meaning ANALYSE THE CONCEPT BEWARE PRECONCEPTIONS
More Clues • Keep your module in mind: Reading list: Background? Theoretical? Argues different points of view? • How do the readings, lectures, seminars work together?
Analysing Concepts • “Advertisers seek only to ensure consumers make informed choices.” Discuss • Discuss = Investigate or examine by argument.
Who is the audience? • Tutor • Informed reader • Clear, ‘academic’ explanation • Demonstrate your understanding • Informs your tone
The ‘tone’ of an essay • Formal • Objective • NOT condescending • NOT pretentious • Convince your audience • Build the argument/thesis/claim • Work towards a conclusion • Closure
What evidence will I need? • Scholarship • Cases • Facts • Examples
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
Technical Details • The rules: • Word count • Font size • Margin size • Due date • Percentage weighting
Tricks that don’t work! • Fancy cover sheets • Wide margins • Large font • Re-hash material • Waffle • Being over creative • Colloquial • Over friendly!