ASSIGNMENT

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HMEE 5043
SEMINAR PAPER IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT
JANUARY 2019
ASSIGNMENT 1
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INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

1. This assignment contains question that is set in English.

2. Learners are to submit assignment only in MsWord format unless specified otherwise. Please
refrain from converting text/phrases into picture format such as .gif / .jpeg / print screen / etc.

3. Download the language version of the assignment template concerned from the myINSPIRE for
preparation and submission of your assignment. Your assignment should be typed using 12
point Times New Roman font and 1.5 line spacing.

4. Your assignment should be between 5000 to 6000 words excluding references. The number of
words should be shown at the end of your assignment. Do not copy the assignment question
and instructions to your answer. Only assignment answer developed within the approximate
word limit will be assessed. The number of words should be shown at the end of your
assignment.

5. Submission of assignment:

a. Face-to-face Class Student:

You MUST submit a softcopy of your assignment online through myINSPIRE and a
hardcopy to your facilitator.
b. Online student:
You MUST submit a softcopy of your assignment via myINSPIRE and another softcopy to
the facilitator via e-mail.

6. You can submit your assignment ONCE only in a SINGLE file.

7. Your assignment must be submitted between 8th March 2019 until 10th March 2019. Submission
after 10th March 2019 will NOT be accepted.

8. Your assignment should be prepared individually. You should not copy another person’s
assignment. You should also not plagiarise another person’s work as your own.

9. Please take note that PENALTY will be imposed on late submission of assignment as specified in
the Registrar’s Office circular 6/2012 (Refer to Registrar’s Announcement in myINSPIRE).
10. Please ensure that you keep the RECEIPT issued upon submisson of your assignment as proof of
submission. Your assignment is considered as NOT submitted if you fail to produce the
submission receipt in any dispute arises concerning assignment submission.

EVALUATION
This assignment accounts for 70% of the total marks for the course.

You would be given feedback on the assignment before the Final Semester Examination commences.

PLAGIARISM: MARKS DEDUCTION

Warning: The submitted assignment will automatically undergo a similarity check. If plagiarism is
detected, marks would be deducted as follows:

No. % Similarity Group % of Mark Deduction

1 0 – 30 0
2 30.01 – 50 5
3 50.01 – 70 10
4 70.01 – 100 100
 ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE

A seminar is a small group of students and teachers. A seminar paper is a record of what you
say to the group about a topic you have studied.

Preparing a seminar paper gives you practice in technical writing which will help you when
you write your thesis.

GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENT

In order to prepare a Seminar Paper, the student has to search for relevant information from
various sources namely dissertations, journal articles, newspapers and books. With the
information collected, the student has to write a Seminar Paper in the length of roughly 20
pages or 6000 words.

The following explains the important steps involved in preparing a Seminar Paper:

Research Topic

Make sure that your topic for your literature review is the one that you intend to do your
final M.Ed. thesis or is in some way related to the topic of your future PhD project in
educational management and leadership.

Example of Title:

The title of your seminar paper should state your topic exactly in the smallest possible
number of words.

Example:

“School inspection and leader performance in the high performing secondary schools in
Selangor”
Abstract

The abstract should state the most important facts and ideas in your paper. It should be
complete in itself. The length of the abstract should be about 200 words. The abstract should
state clearly:

 the purpose of the study

 the problem studied,
 the method used,
 the main conclusions.

Do not put information in the abstract which is not in the main text of your paper. Do not
put references, figures, or tables in the abstract.

Literature Review

Literature review in any research endeavor is the base that gives information support to the
research and its possible claim. In order to write a good seminar paper, the student is
requested to review existing works that are relevant to the study. Ideally, the literature
review should consolidate the entire research and weigh what already exists and how what
is being presented matter in future.

Obviously, insufficient literature does not help your research. On that note, the student
needs to obtain detailed literature from various sources relevant to your research to
legitimize your claim and significantly make your view point stronger. It is rather scholarly
advisable to increase the landscape of your literature review.

Problem Statement

A problem statement is a statement that briefly sums up the problems or issues relating to
the study under investigation. Problem statements can be either formal--like a thesis
statement--or they can be informal--usually a sentence that explains how what you are
saying will impact the reader. A carefully crafted problem statement will help you to connect
with your audience and will help your audience to see why your document is important.
Research Questions

The research questions must be stated and answered clearly and precisely in the paper. It is
important that the main points and the course of the investigation remain clear throughout
the paper.

Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together with their definitions and
reference to relevant scholarly literature, existing theory that is used for your particular
study. The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and
concepts that are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that relate to the broader
areas of knowledge being considered.

Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework is used to make conceptual distinctions and organize ideas. It

provides an outline of how you plan to conduct the research for your thesis, but it goes
further than that by also positioning your work within the larger field of research. Writing a
conceptual framework can not only help to guide your thesis to ensure that your research
stays on track, but it also helps to guide fellow researchers or advisers who are analyzing
your thesis.

Research Methodology
The methodological approach in your Seminar Paper should state the following:
(1) Research Method – What Research Method are you applying
(2) Instrumentation
(3) Sample and Sampling Method
(4) Reliability and Validity
(5) Statistical measures and Analysis
Conclude your paper
There are several ways that you can conclude that will be helpful and interesting to your
readers:
 Synthesize what you have discussed and explain what other lessons might be gained
from your argument.
 Explain why your topic matters to help your readers see why this topic deserve their
attention.
 Revisit that opening discussion and explore how the information you have gathered
implicates that discussion.

References

You must give references to all the information that you obtain from books, papers in
journals, and other sources.

For a journal paper give:

1. the names of the authors,

2. the year of publication,
3. the title of the paper,
4. the title of the journal,
5. the volume number of the journal,
6. the first and last page numbers of the paper.

For a book give:

1. the author,
2. the year of publication,
3. the title, and the edition number if there is one,
4. the name of the publisher,
5. the page numbers for your reference.

For an internet reference give:

1. the author of the web page,

 2. the date of the web page,
3. the title of the web page,
4. the complete URL.

Every reference in your main text must appear in the list at the end of your paper, and every
reference in the list must be mentioned in your main text.

Tables

Tables must have a number and a caption above the table. The reader should be able to
understand the table by reading the caption without looking at the main text. Every table
must be mentioned in the main text.

Figures

Figures must have a number and a caption below the figure. The reader should be able to
understand the figure by reading the caption without looking at the main text. Every figure
must be mentioned in the main text.

General Guidelines of the Seminar Paper

1. Write your title first. This will define your topic clearly and focus your mind on exactly
what you want the paper to contain.
2. Search the literature and select the references on which the contents of your paper
will be based. Write your list of references.
3. Make a list of your section headings and subheadings. This list will define the
organization of the contents of your paper. The sections and subsections will contain
not only material collected from other sources but also accounts of new work you
have done: your observations, analysis of data, and conclusions.
4. Write the sections and subsections one by one in a simple clear style. Remember
that the reader does not know in advance any of the details of the work you have
done, so your account must be complete and easy to understand.
5. Write the abstract last by picking out the main points in your paper.

At the of the writing process, the student is required to come out with a Seminar Paper that
comprises the following sub components as depicted in Table 1:
Table 1: Sub Components of a Seminar Paper

1 Abstract
2 Introduction
3 Problem Statement
4 Research Questions
5 Theoretical Framework
6 Conceptual Framework
7 Research Method
8 Conclusion

The overall formal structure of a seminar paper is stated as below:

(1) Title
(2) Cover page
(3) Table of contents
(4) Table of figures and tables (when applicable)
(5) Text (refer to Table 1 above)
(6) References
(7) Appendix (Research Instrument / Articles)

Title page and Table of Contents

A title and writers are centred in the middle of the title page.

 On the centre bottom, set one below another a course code, a course name,
Department, University, a date.
 The second page is for a Table of Contents.
 No page numbers on these pages.

Body text

 Times New Roman, 12 pt

 Line spacing 1.5
 Page margins: left 3.5 cm, right 2.5 cm, top 3.5 cm, bottom 3.0 cm.
  Set the text in full justification and turn on hyphenation.
 Page numbers are set on the centre bottom corner and they start from the second
body text page.
 Indentation 1.0 cm in the first line of a new paragraph. However, no indentation after
titles, figures, tables, lists or in the first line of a new page. No empty lines between
the paragraphs.

Figures, tables and appendices

 Consecutively numbered.
 Tables’ text in smaller font and in smaller line spacing.
 Set legends below the figures, captions above the tables and appendices.
 Legends and captions are in boldface, in font size 11 pt and in line spacing 1.0.

Citation and References

Within the text, references are made by giving in the parentheses the last name of the
author, the year of publication, colon and the page or pages referred to. If the reference is to
the whole work, page numbers are left out. An example: (Campbell 2002: 46-48).

Citation should be in line with the guidelines by the American Psychological Association
(APA). If a sentence contains an indirect citation, the citation is part of the sentence and the
sentence ends after the citation with a punctuation mark. If you quote several sentences or
an entire paragraph indirectly, the reference follows after the punctuation mark. The
respective paragraph is to be demarcated clearly (e.g. using circuits). The same applies to
direct citations. If the content of an entire section is taken from a single reference you have
to indicate that in the heading of the section (however, you are advised to use more than
one reference for each section).
Notes

1. The assignment should be submitted according to the due date.

2. You are to submit a softcopy and a hardcopy of your assignment to your facilitator.
Plagiarised assignment will be rejected.
 ATTACHMENT
ASSIGNMENT RUBRIC
HMEE5043 SEMINAR PAPER IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT/ JANUARY 2019
Excellent Unsatisfactory/No
Good Fair Low Response Max
Criteria Weightage Marks
4 3 2 1 0
Title 0.5 The title very clearly The title clearly reflects The title reflects the The title hardly reflects 2
reflects the focus of the focus of the study, focus of the study, the focus of the study,
the study, revealing revealing fairly adequate revealing some revealing little
adequate information information information about information about
about research about research research variables, research variables,
variables, subjects & variables, subjects & subjects & setting of the subjects &
setting of the study setting of the study study setting of the study
Abstract 1.0 The abstract captures The abstract captures The abstract captures The abstract hardly 4
all the relevant and most of the relevant and some of the relevant and captures the relevant
essential points of the essential points of the essential points of the and essential points of
seminar paper seminar paper seminar paper the seminar paper

Introduction 1.5 Introduction provides Introduction provides The Introduction Introduction does not 6
very clear information clear information from provides some provide any information
from general to general to specific information from from general to specific
specific general to specific
Problem Statement 2.5 Issue and problems Issue and problems are Issue and problems are Issue and problems are 10
are very relevant and relevant and provide a fairly relevant but does hardly relevant and does
provide clear lead-in to research not not
a very clear lead-in to problem provide a clear lead-in to provide a clear lead-in to
the research problem the research problem the
research problem
Research Objectives / 2.5 Research objectives & Research objectives & Research objectives & Research objectives & 10
Questions questions are highly questions are focussed questions are fairly questions are hardly
focussed and focussed and clear focussed and clear.
and clear clear
Theoretical Framework 2.5 Literature reviewed is Literature reviewed is Literature reviewed is Literature reviewed is 10
very relevant to the very relevant to the fairly relevant to the hardly relevant to
study. The explanation study. The explanation is study. The explanation is the study. The
is very detailed and clear fairly detailed and clear explanation is sketchy
detailed and clear and vague
Conceptual Framework 2.5 The explanation is The explanation is The explanation is fairly The explanation is 10
very detailed and detailed and clear. detailed and clear sketchy and vague.
clear.

Research Method 2.5 The research method The research method is The research method is The research method is 10
is very appropriate. appropriate. The fairly appropriate. The hardly appropriate. The
The explanation is explanation is clear with explanation is fairly clear explanation is rather
very clear with quite adequate relevant with some vague with
adequate relevant justification relevant justification minimal or no relevant
justification justification
Conclusion 1.0 Introduction provides Introduction provides The Introduction Conclusion does not 4
very clear information clear information of provides some provide any information
of reflections and reflections and information of of reflections and
suggestions suggestions reflections and suggestions
suggestions
References 1.0 The references are The references are The references are fairly The references are 4
very relevant and relevant and current to relevant and current to hardly relevant and
current to the area of the area of study. The the area of study. The current to the area of
study. The citation citation method is citation method is fairly study. The citation
method is very accurate according to accurate according to method is not accurate
accurate according to APA style APA style according to APA style
APA style

Total 70