HA - engelsk / BSc(IM) GUIDE TO REPORT WRITING. English Language Proficiency and UK Society

Transcription

1 Department of Business Communication HA - engelsk / BSc(IM) GUIDE TO REPORT WRITING English Language Proficiency and UK Society Aarhus University School of Business and Social Sciences January 2013

2 Table of Contents 1. Purpose Choice of Topic Source Material Writing the Report Length of the Report Title Page Table of Contents Introduction Body Conclusion Bibliography References and Footnotes Appendices Submission and Evaluation Evaluation Criteria Appendix... 6

3 1 1. Purpose The report is an independent assignment in the 4th semester. The purpose is to test the students abilities with respect to - gathering information about a given topic pertaining to the UK - systematically processing information - writing an academic report (cf. section 4 about writing the report). 1. Choice of Topic The topic of the report must be chosen from among the topics dealt with in English Language Proficiency and UK Society and has to be approved by the teacher. Examples of topics: Scotland on the road to independence? Britain and the EU: Brixit on the agenda. 3. Source Material The report is written on the basis of material (and references in that material) used during the course and/or material retrieved by the student from libraries, the Internet, etc. A minimum of five academic sources is required (excluding course material). The ASB Library will assist students in the information retrieval process. 4. Writing the Report 4.1 Length of the Report The report may be written individually or by groups of up to 4 students. For administrative reasons, group reports must not be across classes. In group reports the contribution of each individual member of the group must be clearly specified. The report should be written in English and each student has to produce 5 pages of 2,200 characters excluding blanks and excluding table of contents, bibliography and any appendices (in group reports also excluding introduction and conclusion). The report should be written with a line spacing of 1.5 and a left margin of 3.5 cm. 4.2 Title Page The Title Page must include the information shown in the appendix.

4 2 4.3 Table of Contents On the page following the Title Page and not included in the page numbering the report should include a Table of Contents giving an overview of the structuring of the report into sections and subsections according to the decimal system and with page references. (cf. the Table of Contents of this guide). 4.4 Introduction The Introduction includes: the problem/purpose statement argumentation for choice of sources/material presentation of the structure of the report (roadmap) delimitation of the subject The Problem/purpose statement is a central part of your report because the nature of the question/statement you choose to discuss will determine the shape of your argument. It is essential that you choose an open question which invites a range of possible answers. Open questions are questions beginning with why, what and how as in how important is nationalism to an understanding of contemporary Scotland? 4.5 The Body (exposition) The body of the report is the main part of your report where you discuss/analyse/account for major aspects of your topic and provide support for your arguments by referring to the reading you have done. You may include different views/perspectives on your topic and should present your argument(s) in a logical order, which leads to an answer without extensive overlap or repetition. It is important to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information and to keep your writing brief and concise. It is important that your argument progresses from a discussion of facts to the state of reflections and interpretation. It is through your analysis and/or assessment that the facts presented become relevant. Presentation of information must be loyal and as neutral as possible, both with respect to the selection of information and with respect to the way it is used. 4.6 Conclusion The conclusion will typically contain a summary of the main points you have made in your argument. It must answer the question(s) asked or refer to the theses posed in the problem/purpose statement of the Introduction. Do NOT start a discussion of new themes at this point. If they are important, they should be included in the body of your report.

5 3 4.7 Bibliography At the end of the report, a Bibliography must be included. This Bibliography lists all sources in alphabetical order. References to monographs include name of author, year of publication, full title in italics, place of printing and name of publishers. Christopher, David P. (2006). British Culture. An Introduction. London: Routledge. References to articles in anthologies include name of author, year of publication, title of article in quotes, name(s) of editor(s) of the anthology, title of the anthology in italics, page reference in parentheses, place of printing and name of publishers. Will, Donald S. (1994). United States Policy in the Middle East. In John Davies & Frederic A. Waldstein (eds.), Political Issues in America Today: The 1990s Revisited (pp ). Manchester: Manchester University Press. References to articles in journals include name of author, year of publication, title of article in quotes, title of journal in italics, volume and/or issue of the journal and page reference. Naudin, Thierry (2001). New Labour's Foreign Policy: A New Moral Crusade?. The Political Quarterly, vol. 72, issue 4, pp References to articles with name of author in newspapers/magazines include name of author, year of publication, title of article in quotes, name of newspaper/magazine in quotes, date of publication and page reference. Elliot, Larry (2001). Brown Dampens Euro Hopes. The Guardian, November 5, p. B7. References to articles without name of author in newspapers/magazines include name of newspaper/magazine, year of publication, title of article in quotes, date of publication and page reference. The Economist (2001). Slipstream Diplomacy, November 24, p. 31. References to Internet-based sources are treated like other references, but also include date and URL-address. The New York Times (2002). Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.8 Percent, January 4. [accessed 12/04/2002] If there is more than one reference to sources by the same author of the same year of publication, this is indicated by letters following the year of publication.

6 4 Pilkington, Colin (1999a). The Civil Service in Britain Today. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Pilkington, Colin (1999b). The British Constitution. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 4.8 References and Footnotes References to source material are used in connection with: quotations important passages and information which are not quotations illustrations, tables, etc. reference of viewpoints. References to source material are incorporated into the text with name of author, year of publication and (if possible) page reference. (Lynggaard 1993: 20) If there are references to more than one title by the same author from the same year of publication, this is indicated by letters following the year of publication. (Lynggaard 1998a: 20) and (Lynggaard 1998b: 34). Argumentative footnotes are used to give information or evaluations which are too irrelevant to be included in the text. Examples include elaborating remarks, etc. Don t overdo this! 4.9 Appendices Appendices are included where it is deemed necessary, for example for the purpose of substantiating an argument. It must be possible to read the report without referring to the appendices. 5. Submission and Evaluation The report must be submitted in three copies. For more information on where and when to submit the report, check the exam schedule at The oral examination based on the report is conducted in English. The oral examination is an individual examination. The examination lasts approx. 30 minutes per student. No preparation time.

7 5 The report and the oral examination are assessed both by the teacher and an external examiner. Two individual marks according to the Danish marking system are given, of which one reflects language proficiency and the other factual knowledge. The language proficiency mark comprises both written and oral proficiency. The marks are consolidated into one, in which the two marks carry equal weight. 5.1 Evaluation Criteria The evaluation comprises an assessment of both the written report and the oral examination. The assessment takes into consideration the contents of the report and of the defence, the language proficiency demonstrated in the report and the English-language communicative proficiency demonstrated during the defence. The evaluation of the written report is based on the following points: that the introduction gives a precise indication of the purpose of the report, of the questions included by the student, and of how the problem has been limited, that there is a clear structure in the report which leads systematically to the conclusion, that the source material gathered is relevant and sheds sufficient light on the problem statement, that by incorporating reference information the student is clearly able to give an account of the literature referred to that the student is capable of evaluating source material, i.e. of distinguishing between facts, comments in the sources and his/her own evaluation that the student has a level of English proficiency corresponding to the 4th semester, with respect to orthographic rules, basic grammatical rules, syntactic correctness and genre-specific stylistic requirements.

8 6 APPENDIX HA - engelsk / BSc(IM) English Language Proficiency and UK Society Student: [name] Supervisor: [name] [Topic Range of Report] [Subject of Report] Aarhus University School of Business and Social Sciences English Section [Date of submission]