2. Submission of Assignments 1 and 2 The two assignments for this course need to be submitted electronically. The links to submit your assessments are available on the StudyDesk for MGT8040. Your assignment will be submitted through Turn-it-in for plagiarism checking by the lecturer, therefore please ensure you do not plagiarise when preparing your assignments. Students need to keep an electronic version of their assignments and if required by the course examiner, submit a further electronic copy if needed. File naming is not important when using the submission system as it will automatically allocate a specific file name to each submitted assignment. Assignment assistance for business students The information in this section is designed to bring together some tools to assist you in successfully completing your assignments and may be particularly useful to students who are returning to study. Always remember however, to read your assignment instructions very carefully as your lecturers may require specific formats or layouts. The page details and links are shown below for your convenience. Academic Skills The Learning Centre at USQ offers students online and face-to-face access to academic support, advice and guidance. Whether you need to speak with someone about assignments, study skills, mathematics or writing, our team is here to help you: http://www.usq.edu.au/learningcentre Course assessment 16 © University of Southern Queensland Writing an Essay A good source on essay writing from the University of Otago is: 'Essay Writing with Readings – how to analyse your topic, find resources, plan and write your essay' See http://oil.otago.ac.nz/oil/module1/Understand-the-topic/Your-topic.html How do I search the Databases? See the USQ Library's Database Guides http://www.usq.edu.au/library/getting-started I Need help Finding information The USQ Library Finding Information Tutorial will provide you with the skills and tools to find and manage information effectively. It is arranged in modules, so you can progress at your own pace and use the demonstration and interactive exercises. http://www.usq.edu.au/library/getting-help/help-for-students How do I avoid plagiarism? Plagiarism is taken very seriously at universities so make sure you are aware of what constitutes plagiarism. See plagiarism guidelines at USQ: http://www.usq.edu.au/current-students/assessment/assignments/referencing-plagiarism The Harvard Referencing guide This covers referencing both print and electronic sources: http://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/harvard-agps-referencing-guide Assignment guidelines The two written assignments are set to test your knowledge, competence and ability to apply the key concepts and material presented in this course. There is no examination. The assessments are aligned with the objectives of the course detailed in your course specifications and available on the course StudyDesk. While the assessments are designed to test whether you have satisfactorily achieved these objectives, we are also conscious of the fact that the assessment is central to your learning experiences throughout the duration of this course as the semester unfolds. Hence, we have designed the assessment requirements to meet the objectives of this course and to ensure that your experiences throughout the semester are as constructive as possible. In order to test your learning and development at mastering the course material and hence the extent to which you are progressing towards achieving the course objectives, two comprehensive assignments have been set. The first assignment is worth 35% and the second assignment 60% of the total marks for this course. Assignment 1 is theoretical in nature, although you are also encouraged to use examples to illustrate your arguments. This assignment requires you to read widely, both refereed academic articles (that you can find on the USQ library databases) and articles in more general practical entrepreneurship publications). You are required to have a significant list of references to show you have conducted thorough research on the assignment topic. Assignment 2 is very practical in nature and although you will be required to read extensively in order to execute the assignment task, references will mainly be required when relevant terms in the business plan are defined. Both assignments are based on a range of tasks that attempt to relate the material in both theoretical and practical terms. Course assessment 17 © University of Southern Queensland Don't be put off by the terms 'critically discuss' or 'develop a sound argument'. In simple terms, they involve the process of analysis. You might think that an essay is automatically about critical discussion. Unfortunately, over the years, many students don't quite understand what an analytical approach to assignment questions mean. Instead, they present an answer to an assignment question in very descriptive terms – that is, they just define terms and describe or repeat what the text and associated materials present. Every essay has an amount of description but the analytical aspect of essays is when you identify the issues in the material, the arguments and results that are apparent in the material and the differences of opinion expressed by various authors on the topic under discussion. You answer the question by presenting and analysing the 'facts' contained in the relevant material, and presenting an answer as a supported and logically presented argument – a critique. Your support comes from the authoritative references you present. I will say more about the issue of critical discussion on the discussion board. Don't close the textbook and think 'I will think about it'. You need to DO something after reading every module, chapter and article. What do you need to do now? Go to your computer or your notebook. Start the assignment now. Map it out in the form of a structure. Then put into this structure that you create for this assignment, your notes from the material you have just read. Make notations on what is missing and what you need to do as soon as possible. Of course, the structure will follow closely the questions you have to answer. Make sure you refer to the marking criteria sheet used for each assignment. As far as the material is concerned, go back over the material on definitions and make notes. Identify what you see are the issues between the definition and the reality of describing the workplace pictured in the assignment. With each module, we refer you to various materials. We supply the basics to support you in understanding the topics prescribed. You are also expected to seek out additional material and use it where appropriate. The word limit is always an issue. It acts as a guide to the quantity required. First impressions are that the requirements are significant. However, what generally happens is once students start to get their teeth into the essay, the word count becomes a limiting factor. Please do not go over the limit. Students can get bogged down in the reading to a point where they believe they are reading too much and have lost the plot. There is a general amount of reading at the outset that is suggested in the study notes. This is to understand and absorb the thrust of each topic. These initial stages of reading promote general learning. You get to understand the concepts. You start to see how it does and can apply to your work specifically and to the organisation in general. Once you have achieved this general understanding, you then start to look at how you are going to approach the assignment questions. These questions are set to test your understanding of the key topic areas. Reading from this point is quite specific. You are looking for material to support your assignment and make your case. Please check the electronic discussion board on a regular basis for answers to frequently asked questions on the assignments. ENJOY! How do I submit my assignments? For this course, you are required to submit your assignments electronically using the submission link available on the StudyDesk for MGT8040. PLEASE ENSURE ONLY MICROSOFT WORD FILE FORMAT IS USED Course assessment 18 © University of Southern Queensland Assignment 1 Description Length Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date Essay 1800 words (+/- 10%) (excluding list of references, figures and tables) 100 35% 7 August 2016 Task Critically discuss the following statement: 'Innovation and creativity are critical in overcoming the challenges of entrepreneurial work'. Some suggestions to strengthen the quality of your assignment Define entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity terminology used within the context of the assignment. Reflect on the theoretical linkages between these concepts. Critically discuss a maximum of three ways in which innovation and creativity are critical in overcoming the challenges of entrepreneurial work'. The various aspects of entrepreneurial work are evident in the components of a business model and business plan. Draw on some of these aspects to reflect upon where creativity and innovation are particularly evident and how. For example, creativity is particularly evident in opportunity identification, whereas innovation (of the service/product) can be significantly enhanced by using a process of co-creation in developing the value proposition for a service/product and in developing the marketing strategy for the product/service. Support your arguments throughout the assignment with examples and evidence from the literature. Read widely and use at least 20 references of which 10 are refereed journal articles that can be found on the USQ databases. Note Only Microsoft word format is to be submitted. Only electronic submissions via the submission link on the StudyDesk for MGT8040 are acceptable - NO HARD COPIES. The essay should be referenced in accordance with the Harvard referencing style. Please note that there are multiple variations of the Harvard referencing style and participants MUST use the variation as presented in the USQ Library pages on referencing available at: http://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/harvard-agps-referencing-guide Course assessment 19 © University of Southern Queensland Marking guidelines and criteria for Assignment 1 This course is built around the principles of adult learning. You are studying a course that is aimed at equipping you with a better ability to face 'real-world' challenges of business and organisational life. In that world there are no such luxuries as having strict guidelines and criteria for exactly how to approach entrepreneurial challenges. The entrepreneurial world can be very complex, uncertain, 'messy' and some even refer to it as 'chaos'. However to ensure you deliver high quality work, please ensure you tend to the marking criteria for Assignment 1 against which you will be assessed. Course assessment 20 © University of Southern Queensland Assignment 1 – Marking criteria Weighting 35% of the total marks in the course Course assessment 21 © University of Southern Queensland Category 1 – Introduction: Total mark 10 The assignment should contain a clear, identifiable introduction. The introduction should inform the reader about why the assignment is being written. It should detail a statement of what the assignment hopes to show and provide a summary of the major issues to be dealt with. Finally, there should be a plan for the assignment. After reading the introduction, a reader should know why the assignment is being written, what it aims to show, and how the writer intends to proceed. Category 2 – Technical: Total mark 25 The technical aspects of writing the assignment is very important. Furthermore, a good overall structure is an important part of good writing, particularly its coherency and consistency. Each main argument should have a main stance/proposition which then needs to be developed. The assignment's structure must be logical, with arguments and paragraphs flowing logically into one another. Students should make sure that linking words, phrases or sentences are used between paragraphs and that the purpose of each paragraph is related to what the assignment hopes to show. To achieve good marks in this category, it is necessary that students allocate sufficient time to complete a number of revisions of their first draft. Often, a disorganised structure and imprecise writing can obscure the reasonable content of some assignments. Students should note that marks are allocated for the way references are used throughout the assignment, in addition to the technical correctness of referencing. After reading an assignment, the reader should be persuaded that the assignment is coherent, holistic, logical and clearly written. It is important to always try and present your assignment professionally (layout, paragraphs and clarity of expression). One way to do this is to re-read your paper before submission to see if you understand what you have written. It also helps a lot to have someone else read your paper and obtain some feedback on typographical and grammatical issues. It is important to make sure that what you have written is what you really want to say. Other technical aspects: Font type: Times New Roman; Font size: 11; Line Spacing: 1; Fully justified; Pages numbered accordingly; Appropriate sub-headings such as 'Introduction', 'Theme 1', 'Theme 2', 'Conclusion'; Reference list on a separate page. Use at least 20 references of which 10 are refereed journal articles that can be found on the USQ databases. Category 3 – Content: Total mark 60 Research is normally demonstrated by using a wide range of information sources, which may incorporate print, electronic media, and where appropriate personal interviews. Students should note that when using the Internet sites for references, good judgement about the quality of the source is necessary, as many sites are not peer reviewed. Poor judgement might result in poor quality of research and argument. Knowledge of the subject is normally demonstrated through the depth and breadth of theoretical application to required situations. Course assessment 22 © University of Southern Queensland Developing logical arguments in your critical discussion is essential. This entails making a decision about the main issues you wish to argue in the assignment and then present a case that 'argues' a position about these issues. This means that you must build a case for your position by providing academic evidence for the points you make in your paper. In other words supporting your position or 'stance' with relevant evidence. In academic writing this evidence is in the form of relevant literature sources and examples from real life including examples you will find in entrepreneurship industry journals. In other words, students must cover the major issues involved and ensure that the issues are explained with reference to theory and where possible practical examples. There should be no glaring omissions of either key issues or relevant theory. Category 4 – Conclusion: Total mark 5 Traditionally, students do not perform well in this category. Most assignments tend to end in a summary rather than a conclusion. In this category, students should show how the plan as stated in the introduction was implemented and how the aims of the assignment were achieved. In this section you should answer the question: 'So what?' Demonstrate to the reader why your arguments were important. Try and synthesise, not summarise. It's not about repeating things that were in your assignment. Show the reader how the points made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit well together. Penalties A 10% penalty of the available marks applies where the word length is exceeded by more than 10% of the required length. Course assessment 23 © University of Southern Queensland