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A GUIDE TO REPORT AND ESSAY WRITING:
Layout and proofreading the final copy
Introduction
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with information
on how to present coursework assignments at the Aberdeen Business
School.
The guide focuses on the expected physical appearance of
your work, and the importance of proof-reading an assignment
to check for spelling and grammatical errors.
It is recommended that you refer to this guide every time
you begin work on a new coursework assignment.
In assessing your work, tutors will expect you to have applied
the guidance in these notes, and your grade may be reduced
if you fail to do so.
Presentation of your coursework
Before you begin to type your coursework, remember that the
presentation of your work is important, not only in helping
to create a good impression, but also in helping the lecturer
who has to grade your coursework to read it easily. Remember
that they have many other students' assignments to read, not
just yours!
For all your Aberdeen Business School coursework, you should
set your word-processing system to use the Arial or Verdana
typeface, font size 12, and select 1.5 or double line spacing.
Do not write your coursework in capital letters only.
Keep text left justified with a ragged right edge to lines.
This helps the reader keep their place on the page.
You should also leave a space between each paragraph, and
a double space before and after each main section heading.
The work must be fully paginated with page numbers beginning
on the introductory page and running consecutively through
the text.
People process information in different ways and it is important
to consider your target audience when presenting ideas and
concepts. Some people might find it easier to follow a long
and wordy explanation, whilst others may prefer information
presented in a different way. For example:
· Flow charts are ideal for explaining procedures.
· Pictograms and graphics help to locate information.
· Lists of "do's" and "don'ts" may be
more useful than continuous text to highlight aspects of good
practice.
· It may be necessary to provide a list of abbreviations and
jargon if necessary.
Avoid the use of computer-generated pictures because these
may not always print properly.
The completed coursework must be word-processed on A4 paper,
with text on one side of each sheet. Use wide margins (3.5
cm or 1.5 in) to allow ample space for the lecturer grading
your work to write any comments.
Length of your coursework
The required length of a piece of coursework varies from module
to module. The length required may indicate the range and
depth of study that is required, and may also test whether
you can express your ideas clearly and concisely.
The required length of a piece of coursework will be included
in the guidelines for each assignment. You will be expected
to use the 'Word Count' facility in your word-processing software,
and to report the length of your report or essay. You will
be penalised for both excessive wordage and inadequate wordage.
Proof-reading your coursework
When your coursework is nearing completion, there are one
or two last steps that should be taken. Always read over and
critically examine your report before you hand it in. Many
pieces of coursework fail to do full justice to the efforts
made.
When reviewing your report, ask yourself 'does this make
sense?' Here are a number of suggestions to help ensure that
your report is easy to read:
· Try to have only one idea or topic per paragraph. You will
lose the reader if you try to cram too many ideas into one
paragraph;
· keep paragraphs to less than 20 lines of text. However,
if your paragraphs are too short it can make your writing
appear disjointed and perhaps indicate that you have not sufficiently
developed your ideas;
· try to keep sentences to not more than two lines of text.
The more 'ands', and 'buts' and 'howevers' you have, the more
difficult it is for the reader to understand;
· leave a line space between paragraphs. This allows the reader
to pause to understand one point before moving on to the next;
· use sub-headings to indicate new ideas.
It is also recommended that you have a linking sentence or
two at the end of each section and a short introduction to
each main section to lead the reader through the assignment
in a logical way.
Little excuse exists for a failure to proofread the final
copy. Poor grammar and spelling (especially key authors' names)
can make your meaning unclear and your reports difficult and
annoying to read. In business, reports full of these types
of errors have no credibility and are unlikely to be effective.
The action that they recommend may not be taken. Grammatical
and spelling errors, or using punctuation in the wrong way,
may create doubt as to the clarity of your thoughts (Cameron
1997). Neither will enhance your career prospects or the grade
for your coursework.
You should make a point of always using the 'spell check'
and 'grammar check' on the tool bar in whichever word-processing
package you are using. You should note that many software
packages are set with American spell checks, therefore these
will be of little help with such words as 'labor/labour' and
'organization/organisation'. Make sure that, if it is possible,
the spell check in your word processing package is set to
'English (UK)' and not 'English (USA).'
Even the most erudite of us can slip up at times by muddling
words such as 'advice' and 'advise'. Remember that you will
also have to read through your report very carefully for words
that are correctly spelt but may be incorrect such as 'form'
instead of 'from', or words that are used in the wrong context
such as 'their' instead of 'there'. If in doubt, get someone
else to proofread your coursework for typing errors and bad
grammar.
You should check that all references included in the text
are listed and that all the references in your list have been
used.
Finally, it is recommended that you remove any references
to the first person (e.g. the use of 'I' or 'We'), which is
generally not acceptable in academic writing, and often not
acceptable in management reports.
References
Cameron, S., 1997. MBA handbook, study skills for managers.
London: Financial Times.
Further reading
CAMERON, S., 2005. The Business Student's Handbook - Learning
Skills for Study and Employment. 3rd ed. Harlow: Pearson Education
Limited.
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