taught pg study skills

Planning Your Success

– Academic Writing Workshop

For Taught MSc Programmes

Deborah MorrisonBing Wu Berberich

January 2012

Agenda Planning your assignmentMarking Criteria Structuring your assignmentAcademic writing styleAbout plagiarismReferencing

Planning your success

Planning Your AssignmentUnderstanding the question & requirement Planning your writingMind mapping argument & evidenceReading books & articlesStructuring assignmentWriting draft paperProof reading & finalising your assignment


What do the markers look for?

Structure (Understanding topic & Planning writing) Relevancy to the topic Topic covered in depth Informative introduction/conclusion

Argument (Mind mapping & reading) Good presentation of evidence Identifies significant points from reading Logically developed argument Original and creative thought

Style (structuring and writing) Fluent piece of writing - coherent Succinct writing – short & concise sentences

Presentation (structuring, writing and proofreading) Easy to understand Reasonable length Adequate acknowledgement of sources Correct citation of references Effective use of figures and tables


Your Assignment Structure – General requirement


Executive Summary/AbstractIntroduction

Providing short paragraph to clarify the questions, and to state how you are going to answer the questions and/or your own opinion

Main body Giving theoretical support to your opinion and

your answers; elaborate the materials with good examples

Do not repeatedly quote theories and previous research findings

Conclusion A short and concise paragraph to summarise

your discussion in the ‘Main body’ part, so that the whole essay is consistent in structure, and your argument is logical and reasonable

Sample Assignment Outline


Topic:

‘HRM is an outcome of cultural and institutional influence.’ Critically discuss with relevant examples from the literature

Introduction Acknowledging that outcomes of HR practices in different cultures are

different within the context. The argument set is that HR practices are not only influenced by

national culture and institution; also by the variations in organisational cultures, core business activities and industrial characteristics.

Such influences, therefore, created complexity of managing HR issues within multinational organisations or the ones which are expanding globally.

The paper examines how the above factors influence HRM implementation by discussing the two types of HRM practices – ‘soft’ & ‘hard’ HRM practices.

Sample Assignment Outline (continued)


Main body• Hard HRM vs. Soft HRM practices Overview of the two types of HRM practices The formation of two types could be seen as the result of cultural and

institutional influences – elaborate supported by cultural dimensions How cultural and institutional differences influence the adoptions of

hard or soft HRM practices How other factors influence the outcomes of HR practices

• Who should be responsible for implementing HRM practices cross-culturally and/or locally? (The role of people who should be involved), including discussion of current views from different professional groups

• Applications from real world (integrated in the theoretical discussion)

Conclusionre-emphasise the argument and summarise the discussions

Academic English Writing Style


Avoid using personal pronouns such as ‘I/me/you/we/us’

Try and use ‘neutral structure’ e.g. ‘There is/are many theories testifying…’ ‘It is important for business leaders to understand…’.

Use simple sentences The examiners are not interested in knowing how good your

writing style is or how vivid or descriptive the words you have chosen; they only want to know if you have given clear answers to the question/topic and your argument is well supported by relevant theories or evidences

Simple, concise and clear sentences are usually more effective in demonstrating your understandings over the topic; this is particular the case in business studies.

Writing Style Exercise 1 – Tone of writing


Read through the following short introduction, try to re-write the introduction yourself in less than 100 words. DO NOT use any personal pronouns

‘In this paper, I am going to firstly talk about the theoretical development of human resource management (HRM). Through this, it is clear that my argument supports the belief that HRM contributes to the business success. Once the argument is set, I will then start my argument using previous research findings and business cases. Finally, I will lightly touch upon the future development trends of HRM.’

Sample Writing – Tone of writing


This paper is set to discuss the contribution of human resource management (HRM) towards business success. It is believed to certain extent that HRM does place positive impact upon business success. A brief overview of HRM theory development is to be provided at the beginning, emphasising its significance towards sustaining workforce and strengthening organisational structure. Further evidence will be produced based on previous academic research findings as well as relevant business cases. Finally, possible future development of HRM is to be discussed.

Writing Style Exercise 2 – Coherency


Compare the paragraphs provided and answer the following questions

- Which one do you find it easy to follow/understand? - What are the problems with the other two paragraphs?

Discuss your reasons within your group.

About Plagiarism


Plagiarism: ‘the act of including in one’s work the work of another person without providing adequate acknowledgement of having done so, either deliberately or unintentionally’.

http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Discipline/StudentGuidanceUGPGT.pdf

Exercise on Plagiarism


Read the following scenarios carefully, then complete the following two tasks in your group.

•Task a – Determine whether or not it is considered as plagiarism.

•Task b – If it is plagiarism, try to provide an alternative version (to avoid it) in academic style.

Examples of plagiarism


Extracts without quotation marks and acknowledgement of source

Summarising without acknowledgement Using ideas or help without

acknowledgement Copying work of another student Collaborating on individual work

(collusion) Cutting and pasting without

acknowledgement Handout for examples (adapted from McMillan & Weyers,

2010)

Key Points


Work submitted should be your own effort! The argument in the paper is supposed to reflect your own understanding.

Provide full citations Reference all sources properly

But: be careful that your essay does not just join together lots of quotes – this would be ‘poor scholarship’

Exercise on Reference


Suppose you are writing an essay on HRM, and there are six different materials for your to use.

Read through the exercise sheet and write down your answers in the blank space. Once you have completed the exercise, compare and discuss the answers with your neighbour.

Citation and Referencing

Use Harvard in-text referencingA reference to a piece of literature in the your text needs a clear reference - Punk & Spiddle (2001)If it is a quotation or it is significant data it must also have a page reference - Punk & Spiddle (2001, p. 44) {or pp. 44-45}Variations: Punk (2000) – Punk & Spiddle (2001) – Punk et al (2002)All citations must have full reference in a list at the end of your paperStart good practice now, be consistent, consider an organising software (EndnoteEndnote, etc.)


References

Alphabetical and including everything you cite – but not material that you do not cite!

Books: A Punk & B Spiddle (2001) The strategic management of spider collections (Arachnid House, Edinburgh)

Articles: A Punk, B Spiddle & D Leader (2002) ‘ A taxonomy of red spider mites’ in Journal of Critical Spider Studies (64, 4) pp. 45 – 78

Conference paper: A Punk, B Spiddle, D Leader & V Desper (2003) Where next for research into red spider mites – a proto Marxist approach (Paper to the XXVIth Symposium on Spider Studies, Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary {June})

Official document: Home Office (1961) An immigration framework for red spider mites: a consultative document (HMSO. London)

Web documents: A Punk (2010) A critical review of arachnid research (Association for Spider Research) (www.ASP.research.doc/htm) {accessed 4 July 2010}

Sample reference list

Reference:Boxall, P. (2003) ‘HR strategy and competitive advantage in the service sector’, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 13 No 3, pp. 5 – 20

Green, K. W.; Wu, C.; Whitten, D. and Medlin, B. (2006) ‘The impact of strategic human resource management on firm performance and HR professionals’ work attitude and work performance’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17:4 pp. 559-579

Legge, K. (2005) ‘Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities’ Chapter 2; Anniversary edition, Palgrave MacMillan

Wright, P.M. and McMahan, G. C. (1992) ‘Theoretical Perspectives for Strategic Human Resource Management’, Journal of Management Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 295-320

‘Strategic human resource management: Resource summary’, Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), available from www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/strategic-human-resource-management, (accessed on 18-01-2012 at 11:20)

‘Unravelling the code on discipline and grievance’, Employment Relations Matters issued by Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), (2009) issue 13; available from www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/j/e/ERM.pdf (accessed on 18-01-2012 at 11:25)

References used:Caenepeel, Mimo (2010) ‘Text: Structure and Texture’, Transferable Skills Programme for PhD Students, University of Edinburgh

McMillan & Weyers (2010) ‘How to Write Essays & Assignments’ (chapter 17), Prentice Hall

Hancock, Sue (Jan – Mar, 2011) ‘Academic Writing Course’ for PhD in Management students at University of Edinburgh Business School Materials, C.E.L.T.A.

Loretto, Wendy & Tate, Bing (2010) PowerPoint Slides for ‘Academic Learning’ and ‘Essay Writing’, International Induction Programme, UG programme in Business Studies, University of Edinburgh Business School

Tate, Bing (2011) ‘Cross Culture Human Resource Management’, Individual assignment of MSc in IBEM course - Managing Across Boarders and Cultures (CMSE11125), University of Edinburgh Business School

Tate, Bing (2011) ‘Effectively Managing Volunteers through Strategic HR Planning’, PhD in Management research proposal paper, University of Edinburgh Business School

Tate, Bing (2008) ‘The Way Forward – Case study of talent management project in a foreign subsidiary in China’, MBA in International Business Dissertation, University of Edinburgh Business School

http://libguides.library.uwa.edu.au/harvardUTH

Thank You!&

Good Luck!


taught pg study skills

Education

business success

tone of writing

hrm practices cross

hrm implementation

reasonable planning

soft hrm practices overview

sample writing tone

argument set