1020QBT Academic and Professional Skills

ASSESSMENT TWO CRITICAL REVIEW

INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDES FOR STUDENTS
The following is an overview of information for students to guide their completion
of the second assessment in 1020QBT. If a student has any particular questions
about their assessment task they should ask their lecturer / tutor in the first
instance.

TASK
OVERVIE
W
This task is designed so you can demonstrate your ability to search for and
locate quality research articles, analyse these articles and use these to develop
an idea or argument.
When submitting this assignment you will present a two page planning
document AND a 1,200 word analysis of at least five (5) research
papers which responds to the question below.
Your analysis will answer a particular question based on your discipline area.
question has
been designed to respond to a particular trend for learning in your field.
Discipline field

Questi
on

Engineering

How do problem-based learning approaches

reflect the professional practice of engineers?

Information
Technology

How do approaches, such as paired

programming and cooperative learning, improve
skills for information technology students?

Bioscience / Health
Science

Each

Why is efective communication a critical skill in

the study of science in higher education?

You have already been provided with a range that may be relevant to your
response. These include the articles that have been used in your student
workbook and across the course.
You must use the one compulsory article provided
on the course site.
You will need to assess the usefulness of these articles to the analysis of your
particular question, and then supplement and extend this research by finding
1

other appropriate sources of ideas. During class time you will be guided around
how to do this.

PLANNING DOCUMENT
To ensure that you are supported in your analysis of your articles and to guide
your thinking you will be expected to complete a planning document prior to
submitting your analysis. You will submit this document at the same time
as your analysis, but in developing this document you may want to make time
to seek advice from your tutor. A template for this document is provided at the
end of this guide. This document should be part of the file that you submit via
TurnItIn.

RESEARCH
ANALYSIS
Once you have read and analysed your articles you will need to present an
analysis that responds to the question in your field from above. Your analysis
should be structured with a clear introduction, sequenced
and
logical
paragraphs and conclusion. You are also expected to reference your
response using the APA referencing style. As this is an analysis students
may use sub-headings to indicate separate sections.
Your tutor will provide you with guidance around writing your analysis. However,
you should keep in mind the following:
Your response must be written using full paragraphs.
You may use sub-headings to highlight particular sections.
You must have a clear introduction, body and conclusion in your writing
Present your report using one consistent referencing style (APA 6th
edition).
Show your knowledge of the topic area as it is discussed in the literature.
Write in a formal academic style.
You need to undertake Secondary Research for the report.

SUBMITTING YOUR
ASSIGNMENT
The complete assignment will be submitted via Turn-It-In using the details
provided and used for your previous assignment.

ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO TURN-ITIN NOT LATER THAN

5pm FRIDAY
WEEK 8.
Assignments submitted after this time will be considered to be late and
will be penalised.

Appendix A Planning Document Template

FOCUS QUESTION:
Author Year
Title of
of
details
Publication
Pub

Key research
questions

Key conclusions

Gaps or
weaknesses in
the

Relevance to
focus
questi

Scafolded
Plan
This scaffold is to guide your thinking and analysis. It should not be used as a
direct template for your writing, but as a guide for things to consider. You can
complete this in any way that is supportive of your writing (i.e. dot points, full
sentences, diagrams, etc). In parts are prompts to help
you think, you do not need to answer these
questions.
1

Introduction
What will be the structure of your
response? What is your overall
argument / position?

Argument
Topic sentence

Argument
Topic sentence

Argument
Topic sentence

Argument
Topic sentence

Conclusion
What are the key messages from your analysis?
What are the links between your arguments and your topic?

Evidence / Examples
What will support your
ideas? Quotes /
References

Purpose
How does this idea link
to the others?

Marking Criteria Research Analysis

Criter
ia
Ability to
communicate
clearly in writing
Ability to analyse
research papers
within a chosen
field

Knowledge of
current
debates,
arguments and
ideas within the
students
Ability to properly
reference,
paraphrase and
present ideas
from multiple
sources
Drafting and
Planning

Excelle
Clear and nt
precise
paragraph and
sentence development
Clearly articulated and
nuanced argument with
links
Provides
comprehensive and
relevant analysis of the
literature as relevant
to the topic.
Critically analyses the
findings from the
literature
and creates a strong
Demonstrate
sa
comprehensi
ve
understanding of
particular
the
Accurate
and idea
appropriate use of
referencing
Thorough use of a
range of sources of
information
Thorough evidence
of planning and
drafting of
response

Standard of
Proficie achievement Competent
nt
Clear paragraph
and
Evidence of

sentence development
Clearly articulated
argument with links
between ideas
Provides mostly
relevant analysis of the
literature topic
as relevant to the topic.
Critically analyses the
key findings from the
literature
and creates a
discussion
withasome
Demonstrates
broad
understanding of
the
particular idea and field
Responds appropriately
to
the focus question
Appropriate,
and
mostly accurate, use
of referencing
Competent use of a
range of sources of
information
Broad evidence of
planning and drafting
of response

paragraph and
sentence
development
Attempted argument
with
linksmostly
between
Provides
description of the
literature as relevant
to the topic.
Critically analyses the
literature but provides
little
discussion.
Demonstrates a
competent
understanding of the
particular idea and field
Responds mostly
appropriately to the
focus
question
Generally
an
appropriate use of
referencing with a
number of errors
Some use of a
range of sources
Some evidence of
planning and drafting
of response

Poor /
Unacceptable
Evidence
of
paragraph and
sentence
development
Attempted argument
linkslittle
between
with
Provides
to no
description of the
literature
and/or no relevance
to the topic.
Provides limited to no
critical analysis of the
literature and
discussion. a
no
Demonstrates
limited
understanding of
the
particular idea and field
Limited appropriate
response
Limited ortonothe focus
use of
referencing
Limited use of a
range of sources
Limited or no
evidence of planning
and drafting of
response