Writing postgraduate
coursework assignments
Goals for this class:
Students will learn about:
• the steps to effective assignment writing
What types of written assignments might you
encounter in your postgraduate coursework?
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Annotated bibliography
Article critique
Business report
Case study
Essay
Journal article
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Literature review
Position paper
Research proposal
Reflective journal
Scientific/technical report
In this class we are going to focus on essays and reports
(a separate workshop looks at literature reviews)
Assignment writing timeline
Start Date
Due Date
Research
resources
Read
critically
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Write first
draft
Plan
Final
version
Revise &
re-draft
Step 1: Analyse the question
Exercise 1
On your copy of the example assignment highlight/underline/circle the
key instruction words:
• the main verbs – what you are asked to do
• the main context words (nouns) – what you are asked to focus your
activity upon
Understanding the task
It is important to be very clear about what we are being asked
to do, eg:
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identify
describe
explain
analyse
critique
compare
discuss
review
evaluate
See Eden Skills (2007).
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Example assignment task
Task: Writing about the milieu in which [adult education] programme planning
occurs, Sork (2000) argues: “In many respects the context determines what is
possible” (p. 181).
Write an essay. Critically evaluate Sork’s claim in relation to the role contextual
factors might play in the development and delivery of foundation learning/ adult
literacy, language and numeracy programmes in New Zealand. Situate part of your
discussion in a particular site of professional practice, one which you are familiar
with or have a particular interest in. (2500-3000 words.)
Ref: Sork, T. (2000). Planning educational programs. In A. Wilson & E. Hayes (eds.),
Handbook of adult and continuing education (pp. 171-190). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Step 2: Generate ideas
Identify what you already know and what you need to find out about
Plan your research – key words/phrases; places where the sources may
be found
Form study groups [learning communities] to discuss key points in
assignment question, deepen understanding, clarify misconceptions,
etc.
Step 3: Research resources, read critically
Library research
• Who is the liaison librarian for your discipline?
• What are the key databases and journals for your discipline/topic?
• What workshops are available to help you?
www.aut.ac.nz/library
Reading critically
• Organise the sequence of readings to gain an overview before
plunging into in-depth reading on particular points
• Ask yourself what you expect to learn from each
book/chapter/paper: do you need this reading?
• Take notes on the content: clarify understanding
• Take notes on your critical response: critically analyse all aspects of
the text
• Record your overall critical evaluation
SQ3R system
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Survey: Scan title/headings/subheadings/summaries/ contents page.
Look for the parts of the reading that you really need.
Question: What questions (in relation to your assignment task) do you
want your reading to answer?
Read: Active reading/take notes/any more questions?
Recall: Do you understand the main issues? Can you paraphrase/bullet
point them in your own words? Do you need to reread anything?
Review: Have you noted all the main points? Have you answered your
questions?
Don’t forget to record the full reference for the source.
Note-taking: The three-column system
Full referencing information
Headings/
themes
Detailed notes
on content for
each theme,
including quotes
(with page
numbers)
(University of Wollongong, 2012)
Reactions,
insights,
comments, ideas,
cross-references
And any further
questions that
emerge…
Step 4: Plan
Everyone lies somewhere on the continuum between these two
opposites:
• Engineers: prepare a detailed outline or blueprint.
• Sculptors: prefer the form to emerge from the writing gradually and
organically.
There is no single ‘correct’ approach to writing an assignment.
Nevertheless … at the postgraduate level, writing tasks are complex some form of planning is almost essential.
Types of essays
Sturm’s (2012) typology:
• Expository, “point first”, deductive, “stakes its claim at the
outset, and then sets out to prove it.”
most academic essays are of this form
• Exploratory, “point last”, inductive, “arrives at its claim as
an end-point”
academic essays in art and design are often of this form
Expository essay plan
Introduction
Body (= 80%+ of the whole work)
Conclusion
Introduction: context, purpose, plan
Conclusion: sum up key points made in the work, show the purpose has been
achieved
Body: A specific plan is still needed to create a logical structure for the essay body –
one which fits the given task and the required word count.
Essay body planning steps
1. Identify all the content to be included – eg mindmaps, flowcharts,
post-it notes
2. Outline the headings/themes to be used in the essay in a logical
sequence to represent the structure (with
subheadings/subthemes?)
3. Outline the details, eg paragraph topics
Exercise 2. Planning the assignment
Take the second example assignment, and create an outline for the
essay, using the grid provided.
Consider your “word budget”: the number of words you will commit to
each section of the essay.
Exercise 2. Essay outline
Introduction
Body Article 1
Article 2
Conclusion
References
(200 words)
(800 words)
(800 words)
(200 words)
Exercise 2. Essay outline
Introduction
Body Article 1
research question
theoretical approach
methods
results
Article 2
research question
theoretical approach
methods
results
Conclusion
References
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
(200 words)
Scientific/technical report plan
“AIMRaD” format very widely used:
• Abstract
• Introduction (incl. past research/literature)
• Method
• Results, and
• Discussion
• [Conclusion]
Business report structure
Two styles/formats (deductive more common)
Deductive report format
Title page
Executive summary
Table of contents
Introduction
Conclusions
Recommendations
Discussion
References
Appendices
Inductive report format
Title page
Executive summary
Table of contents
Introduction
Discussion
Conclusions
Recommendations
References
Appendices
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Deductive format is used for the “busy person” and “if the material is
not controversial” (Emerson, 2000, p.28).
Inductive format is used to convince others by reading your arguments
first before getting to the findings of the report. It is usually used when
conclusions “are likely to be unpopular” (Emerson, 2000, p.28).
Step 5: Write the first draft
Major
assumption
ahead!
In what follows I’m assuming you will manage your time to permit you
to go through several drafts of your assignment.
First draft focus is on composition – getting essay content together
Getting your ideas, readings, memories, notes, etc into coherent words
is the hardest task, so don’t clutter that task with other issues.
You do no not have to worry about style, grammar, punctuation
(… yet!)
Step 6: Revise and re-draft
The following slides set out a revising process (Matthews, Bowen, &
Matthews, 2000) which allows you focus on a limited range of issues at
any one time.
You are consciously addressing certain aspects of your writing at each
stage, rather than simply “looking for mistakes”.
This is much more effective than attempting to address everything
from content and structure to grammar and punctuation in one
reading.
A. Revise content
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Does the essay/chapter address the central issues suggested by the
title?
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Has sufficient space been given to the most important points?
Has all the information that is relevant to the essay/chapter been
included? Has anything been omitted
Are there gaps? Is anything irrelevant?
Is there any repetition?
Is the main line of argument clear? Or is it lost in a sea of detail?
Is the essay/chapter topic covered in sufficient depth and detail?
Are claims made cautiously and supported by evidence?
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B. Revise structure
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Is the text in an appropriate structure or format?
Is there a clear introduction and conclusion to the essay/chapter
and, where necessary, to each major subsection?
Are ideas and themes presented in a logical sequence?
Do the paragraph divisions match the organisation of individual
points? Should any paragraphs be joined or split?
C. Revise style
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Are ideas linked? Do sentences flow?
Is it clear how each paragraph links to the previous/next paragraph?
Is the style appropriate for academic writing at the postgraduate
level?
Is the text concise?
Is the style clear and readable (sentence/paragraph length)?
Is the text formal and serious in tone? Is it free of slang and
colloquialisms?
Is there any plagiarism? Are references correct?
D. Revise word choice
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Is the language clear and straightforward?
Is there anything the reader will find confusing?
Is technical vocabulary used correctly?
Are abbreviations explained?
E. Check the grammar
F. Check the punctuation
G. Obtain (and consider carefully) comments from
supervisor, friends, colleagues
Referencing
• SLC website: www.aut.ac.nz/student-learning
• AUT library website: www.aut.ac.nz/library/
All about EndNote
• free software download, workshops, notes, etc, at
www.aut.ac.nz/library/
Final thoughts: Good writers are good readers!
Pay attention to the style of the writers you are reading, and learn from
the good writers:
• Look at the structure of the entire work
• Be aware of the particular style that your discipline follows
Acknowledgement
Thank you to the lecturers who have given permission for their
assignments to be used by Student Learning for this assignment
writing workshop.
References
Eden Skills. (2007). Task words. Retrieved from http://edenskills.co.uk/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2009/06/task-words-handout5.pdf
Emerson, L. (2012). Writing guidelines for business students (5th ed.). South
Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.
Matthews, J., Bowen, J., & Matthews, R. (2000). Successful scientific writing: A step-by-step
guide for the biological and medical sciences (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England:
Cambridge University Press.
Sturm, S. (2012). Terra (in)cognita: Mapping academic writing. TEXT: Journal of Writing and
Writing Courses, 16(2). Retrieved from
http://www.textjournal.com.au/oct12/sturm.htm
University of Wollongong. (2000). Notetaking: The Cornell method. Retrieved on July
29,2013, from http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/notetake/note12_cornell.html