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Assignment Guide Fcms 2020

This document serves as a manual for writing assignments at the University of Kelaniya, emphasizing the importance of clear and effective writing in academic success. It outlines the planning process, types of information sources, formatting requirements, and the structure of an assignment, including necessary components like title pages and declarations. The guide aims to enhance students' research skills, knowledge on topics, and overall writing abilities through systematic practice and adherence to guidelines.

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anupama dissanayke
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114 views12 pages

Assignment Guide Fcms 2020

This document serves as a manual for writing assignments at the University of Kelaniya, emphasizing the importance of clear and effective writing in academic success. It outlines the planning process, types of information sources, formatting requirements, and the structure of an assignment, including necessary components like title pages and declarations. The guide aims to enhance students' research skills, knowledge on topics, and overall writing abilities through systematic practice and adherence to guidelines.

Uploaded by

anupama dissanayke
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing Assignments

Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies


University of Kelaniya
March 2020
Introduction

In spite of all kinds of electronic developments in the field of science and especially in the field of
tertiary education, the written word still remains the single most important form for the obtaining,
processing and transferring of knowledge Without the ability to write clearly, logically and effectively,
you cannot claim to have mastered the art of scientific writing to the full. For this reason, it is important
that you develop this skill to the best of your ability. Particularly during undergraduate and honours
studies, this skill is developed through the writing of assignments. Hereby three goals are aimed for.
Firstly, whilst writing an assignment, your knowledge about a topic will be broadened. In the second
place one gains experience in the process of doing research and in the third place one’s ability to
formulate and write improves immensely. The ability to write a good assignment is not something that
happens automatically. This is a skill that is inculcated through regular practice and a deliberate effort
to keep on evaluating your work against the stated criteria and to improve what was done incorrectly.
It is in support of this process that this manual has been developed.

An assignment can only be as


good as the sources which you
have used to write it. You can Why?
start once you have ensured
that you have collected the best
and most recent sources by
means of a systematic literature
study. If you know how to
integrate this source material
into a logical unit and to present
your paper neatly, you can give
your semester mark a good
boost. This skill will have to be
practiced right through your
academic career.
Planning
The planning of the assignment is very important - allow enough time and attention to
this phase. In the first place, you have to think carefully about the topic. Very often this
is where the battle is lost or won. Questions which should be considered include:

 What is the aim with the assignment?


 What is the core issue?
 What is the extent of the assignment?

In this phase you have to give attention to a number of issues.

 Carefully read the lecturer’s instructions since he/she might include a


suggested outline for the assignment.
 Determine where the topic fits in with the material already discussed in class.
 Read the relevant sections in the textbook or the study guide to orientate
yourself.
 Again check the study guide to make sure of the envisaged aims with the
assignment, make sure that you know what the
core issue is, and then go on to the next step.

Outline of an assignment
Formulate a framework or scheme. ALWAYS KEEP THE CENTRAL THEME IN MIND.
Take care not to digress from the topic. Keep a balance between sections. If one section
tends to become too long, consider dividing it into more than one section. Divide the
information into subsections. In the subsections the different components of the topic
should be dealt with separately, but integral as part of the logical whole. The
method to be used for organizing the material will differ from assignment to assignment.
It can be done chronologically, thematicchronologically or in any other way.
Regardless of what method is used, the presentation always has to be logical. It should
be clear what the thread of the argument is, and the one argument must logically lead to
the next one. Take care that there is balance between the different sections. Do not only
concentrate on the sections that you find interesting. When writing a long assignment, it
is better to use connecting sentences at the ends of concluding paragraphs. A useful hint
is that one word in the final sentence of a section links to the following heading.
Example of a logical framework of an assignment
The assignment should have a proper order. The followings are the general arrangement
of an assignment. It may be vary depending on each course unit’s assignment
requirements.

 Title page
 Cover page
 Declaration
 Acknowledgment
 Executive Summary
 Table of Contents
 Introduction
 Body of the Assignment
 Conclusion and Recommendation
 References
 Appendices

Headings
Keep headings as short as possible and keep consistently to the style that you have
chosen.

Collection of the information


Read, read, read. One should never be afraid of getting to know more than one is going
to use in a specific assignment. It is only by reading extensively that one acquires the
insight needed and realizes the extent of the topic. It is generally a good idea to move
from the general to the more specific, and therefore to start with
books and move to relevant journal articles. While you are reading, you can start making
notes of details from the sources and begin to group this information in accordance with
the assignment scheme or plan that you have already outlined. At this stage it is very
important to thoroughly and accurately keep record of the bibliographic details of each
source that you are using.

Types of information sources


A certain type of information is to be found in a certain type of source. For example, do
not expect to find a theoretical outline in a newspaper!
Here is an outline of information needs and types of information sources:
 definitions, descriptions: subject-specific dictionaries
 introductions, frameworks and brief surveys: subject-specific encyclopedias
 more complete, but still basic information: books
 the latest research data: subject-specific journals
 recent news reports: newspapers on the Internet.

Databases
To locate information sources, you can use various scientific databases. The following
types of databases are available:

 To search for books and e-books on a specific topic, use the library catalogue.
The shelf number of the book or the link to the e-book is clearly indicated on the
screen.
 International journals: Make your choice from databases like ScienceDirect,
Scopus, JSTOR and many more.
 Gain access to the most popular databases via the library’s web page
 Newspapers:
 Despite the absence of an authoritative body and the apparent abundance of
unorganised information, the Internet could also be used for up to date
information on different subjects.

Keywords
For a search on a database you have to select appropriate keywords for your topic. You
will then use these keywords in different combinations on the search screen of the
database.

Reading and understanding sources


Read the relevant sections in the source (for example a journal article) a few times. Often
the concept is not clear at the first glance. Try to understand the logic of the section: first
read through the headings and then concentrate on each of the subsections.
If it is a photocopy or your own book, underline the core or key sentences or even better:
write down the main idea in your own words. In reading it is always wise to move from the
general to the specific. It is therefore a good idea to start with books or
articles in encyclopedias on the particular topic. Take care not to repeat statements this
occurs mostly when you use arguments from different authors, for example: Journals
contain recent information / The information in journals is not old. When you are using
information from different sources, you are “talking” to your sources – you are in
conversation with the authors. Do not just quote a source and let it hang there. What
do you want to say with this argument or statement? What is the contribution of this
quotation? What is your interpretation of the quotation? Quotations are like examples:
discuss them and indicate how they complement your argumentation. In other words,
explain and digest your quotations.
The Title page
The assignment should be covered with a title page containing all the relevant
information.

Title of the assignment

Course code
Course Name

Date
FCMS Assignment Cover Sheet
The FCMS students are required to use the following cover page for their assignments.

Name of the Department


Course Code :
Course Title :
Academic Year :
Semester :
Year :
Lecturer/(s) :
Assignment Topic :

Student Number/ Name and contribution:

Student Number Student name Student contribution

Please fill in the above information and then save this page as the first page of your assignment to be
submitted.
Declaration
I/We certify that this report does not incorporate without acknowledgment, any material previously
submitted for a degree or diploma in any university, and to the best of my/our knowledge and
belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person, except
where due reference is made in the text.

………………………..
Signature of student/s

Name of the student/s


Students Number/s
Date
The table of contents
This should contain all the headings of the assignment as well as the page numbers on
which each heading starts.
Example:
Formatting requirements
Students are required to follow the following formatting requirements for your
assignments.
Font and Size
 Font type -Times New Roman
 Font Size
o Body of the Assignment 12’
o Headings of the Assignment 14’
Margins
 Margins
o Top 1’ Bottom 1’
o Left 1.25’ Right 1’
Spacing
 Line Space- 1.5”
 Paragraphs – Justified
 No Gutter position
Headings
Main headings (in the front page) are centered, while side headings in the report
are typed at the side of the page.
Main Heading of Report
Use capital letters, e.g MANAGEMENT PROCESS
Sub Headings
1. Introduction
2. Planning
Paragraph headings
2.1 Nature of planning
2.2 Benefits and drawbacks of planning
2.2.1 Benefits

Page numbering of document


 The entire report must be consecutively numbered from the Introductory Chapter
to the very end, including the appendices, using Arabic numerals. The pages
following the Table of Contents up to Chapter 1 will be numbered with Roman
numerals. Place the page numbers at the bottom of the page and centered.

General Information
 Submit Assignment through CAL. If lecturer required a hard copy of the
assignment, binding of the Assignment should be environmental friendly. (Avoid
spiral bindings and transparent sheet)
 Submission should be made on time
 Proper page numbering should be in Assignment and Power point presentation
 Reports must be free of erasures and manual corrections
 Reports must be error free. The entire report must be carefully checked for
grammar and spelling mistakes before submission.

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