POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS

COURSE INTRODUCTION & STUDY SKILLS

 Why study this paper?
The business world (and world in general) is getting ‘smaller’ and more globalised.
Therefore more and more opportunities are opening up to work in businesses and across
boarders, particularly in areas such as:
• Marketing,
• Business Relations,
• Business Development & Entrepreneurship
• and with the growth of the internet, Digital Media
As international students you are uniquely and specially placed to use both your education and
your experiences of other cultures to take advantage of international business opportunities to
create a great career for yourselves.

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 Class Introduction
Introduce yourself to the class
1. Who are you
2. Where you are from
3. What Opportunities do you see to use your:
• Cultural Background,
• Education,
• Skills and
• Experiences
to help you create a good future for yourselves?

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 This is an NZQA Level 8/9 Course
This paper (is an NZQA Post Graduate Level 8 or 9 paper.
What this means is that a graduate of a Postgraduate
Diploma is able to:
• Show evidence of advanced knowledge about a specialist
field of enquiry or professional practice
• Engage in rigorous intellectual analysis, criticism and
problem-solving.
In this paper we provide “the knowledge about a specialist
field of enquiry or professional practice”

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 This is an NZQA Level 8/9 Course
You need to apply “rigorous intellectual analysis, criticism
and problem-solving” through:

• in depth subject research,

• intellectual thought and application,

• to be able to actively analyse material

• and provide informed critique and engage in active

problem solving.

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 What does this mean?
• Most of you will probably find this paper challenging

Rather than just learning ‘stuff’ you will be required to

think, solve problems, find solutions and develop
creative ways of doing things.

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 What Else
This paper is a high level business paper and as such your work is expected to be completed to a
high (proper business) standard, at the some level as you would present to your Boss if you were
told to do it at work.

IF YOU SIMPLY TREAT YOUR WORK AS ‘SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS’

YOU WILL FAIL THE PAPER.
IMPORTANT:

• STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT ALL ASSESSMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PASS THE PAPER

• WHERE A STUDENT FAILS THE PAPER THEY WILL NEED TO REPEAT IT AT FULL COST TO THEM .
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GETTING IT RIGHT
A SIMPLE GUIDE TO WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

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 STEP 1: READ THE ASSIGNMENT
HANDOUT
1. Read the assignment handout from front to back and make
sure you understand exactly what you are required to do.

2. Look at the marks to guide you and for what you get marks
for

• A 4 mark question might want you to discuss 4 things

• Or it might want you to talk about 1 or 2 things in detail

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 STEP 1: READ THE ASSIGNMENT
HANDOUT
3. Check with the teacher if you have any questions
◦ Don’t check with your classmates, they didn’t set the
assignment so they might not know either and tell you
wrong information

4. Think ahead and plan your work.

◦ Start working on your assignment several weeks before
it’s due. Think about what is the best way to do your
assignment, some times the best way is not actually to
answer questions in order.

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 STEP 2: FIND YOUR INFORMATION
Sources of information
• Books
• Journals
• Periodicals
• Good Quality Websites
Wikipedia is not an acceptable reference
• Documents from the internet
• Interviews with people
• Case examples
• Other reliable and quality materials

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 STEP 2: FIND YOUR INFORMATION
Go to multiple (many) sources to find your
information

1. For 1 question you could look at 3, 5 or more

sources of information

2. Make notes (by hand) in your own words of

what you’ve found (what’s important) that
you want to use in your assignment.

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 STEP 2: FIND YOUR INFORMATION
Go to multiple (many) sources to find your
information

3. Keep track of your reference material - (save

websites in your browser or put book marks
or sticky notes in books or journals). If you
need a quote for later, or to put references in
your work you need to be able to find them.

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 STEP 3: WRITE YOUR 1 DRAFT st

1. Layout a word document according to your assignment

requirements

2. Copy in the your hand written notes, creating a structure as

you go

3. Insert your references as you draft each section

◦ Recommendation: Highlight your references as you go

4. Print your work

5. Review your draft and make notes of the changes you need to
make

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 STEP 4: WRITE YOUR 2 DRAFT nd

1. Review your 1st draft and make notes of the changes you
need to make
2. Save a new version (v2) of your draft - Never work on
just 1 version of your draft, if you make a mistake you’ll
need to start again.
6. Make the changes you have noted to your v2 draft of
your assignment
7. Print your work
8. Review your draft and make notes of the changes you
need to make
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 STEP 5: WRITE YOUR FINAL DRAFT
1. Review your 2nd draft and make notes of the changes
you need to make. Pay special attention to English
spelling, grammar and referencing.
2. Save a new version (v3) of your draft
3. Make the changes you have noted to your v3 draft of
your assignment
4. Print your work
5. Make 1 final review of your draft and make notes of any
final changes.

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 STEP 6: WRITE YOUR FINAL
SUBMISSION
1. Make 1 final review of your draft and make notes of any
final changes.
2. Save a new version (Final) of your draft
3. Make the changes you have noted to your final draft of
your assignment
4. Print your work
5. Make sure it is full and complete
6. Send an electronic copy to your teacher
7. Hand in to reception on time

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HOW MANY REFERENCES TO I NEED?
This is the wrong question ! ! ! !
You need to make sure your work is correctly referenced.

• In some assignments that might mean only 10 or 15

references,

• In others you might need 20, 30 or even more!

You need 1 or more references for each point that you

make. Writing a whole paragraph or page and then just
putting a reference at the end is not correct referencing.

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USING THE CANVAS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

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WHAT IS CANVAS – STUDENT
OVERVIEW

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 WHAT IS CANVAS – GUIDES
Student Video Guides to using canvas
Go to this link: https://community.canvaslms.com/community/answers/guides/video-guide

Canvas Student Guide

Go to this link: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10701

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USING TURNITIN

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WHAT IS TURNITIN – STUDENT
OVERVIEW

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 WHAT IS TURNITIN – GUIDES
Turnitin Student Guide PDF
Go to this link: https://guides.turnitin.com/@api/deki/files/3319/Turnitin_Student_QuickStart_Guide.pdf

Turnitin Student Guide

Go to this link: https://guides.turnitin.com/01_Manuals_and_Guides/Student_Guides/01_Student_QuickStart_Guide

Further Turnitin information is in the Student Handbook and your ICL Orientation Handouts

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