Bournemouth University

Business School
Assignment Brief
Programme: BUBS Foundation Year Level: 0

Unit Name: Academic & Professional Practice Unit Leader: Miguel Moital

Assignment marker: Miguel Moital and Ed Williams Ed Williams (BUBS) / Rachel Chapleo
(FMC)

Member of staff from whom advice can be sought about the assignment: Ed Williams (BUBS) /
Rachel Chapleo (FMC)

Assignment title: Essay Plan

Feedback method: Electronic

Issue date: October 2022

Submission date: 31st October 2022 at 12 noon

Weighting of this assignment: 25%

(as % of total coursework assessment for the unit)

Note:
It is your responsibility to be aware of University Regulations relating to academic offences
and to avoid committing them. The BU definitions and the penalties are listed in: Academic
Offences: Policy & Procedure for Taught Awards
If you are unable to submit your assignment on time due to medical or other mitigating
circumstances you must complete a Exceptional Circumstances form PRIOR to the deadline
and submit it for approval.

Details of what you are expected to do:

1. Rationale

This assignment will give you the opportunity to reflect on and develop you own academic practice
skills, by helping you understand what an essay is and what it takes to plan them.

Planning and writing an essay are essential skills in higher education. Not only your degree is likely to
include several essays, but the skills required to do them can be used in other types of academic
work. The analytical and critical thinking skills you will develop by learning how to do essays, will also
be beneficial in your professional practice.

Key development areas include a) initial topic definition, b) basic literature search, c) academic paper
reading and analysis, d) structuring ideas and e) academic integrity and referencing. These are skills
which will be required at degree level study, and therefore they will be discussed and practiced ahead
of submission, with support from key university services including the library and study skills team.

2. The learning outcome being assessed

Demonstrate academic practice skills development

Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice

page
3. Overview of assignment

Essay plan and annotated bibliography – Tools and techniques for effective learning (1,500 words)

For this assignment you will write an essay plan outlining how you will explore the key tools and
techniques students require for effective learning in higher education. You will consider the various
areas identified within the lectures to build your essay plan, as well as sources relevant to the subject
to develop your annotated bibliography.

You are expected to submit the following information:

1. Topic area (100-200 words):

In this section you are expected to:

 Provide the web link to the document (piece of news, report) featuring a current integrity
incident related to professional practice in your degree area
 Brief description of the integrity related issues contained in that document (no more than 3)
 Indication of what integrity issue you intend to focus (from the 3)

2. Relevance of the issue (200-300 words)

In this section, you should explain the significance of your chosen issue, by bringing in facts
about the following:

a) the size of the issue

b) the prevalence of the issue
c) its consequences to individuals, businesses and/or society.

This section allows you to start building the case as to why your topic is important (i.e. why the
chosen integrity issue is important to study and address).

3. Causes of the issue (600-700 words)

Understanding the potential causes of the issue, or in other words why the issue could have
happened, is a critical element of an essay. This is because it's only by addressing causes that
the result/outcome can be changed (In other words, if you do exactly the same thing over and
over again, you are going to get the same results over and over again).

In this part of the essay plan, you are expected to address the following (theory focused):
 Using relevant ‘theory’ is essential when understanding causes. Therefore, you are
expected to identify some of the causes for the issue you are addressing, based on the
analysis of a minimum of five journal articles.
 For each individual journal article, identify the potential causes for the issue, using a suitable
annotated bibliography format. This will likely result in the identification of multiple causes,
which you may want to bring together by creating a list of potential causes.

4. Selection of key causes (200-300 words)

Based on the list of causes, identify 3 to 5 causes that you think will be the most relevant for your
case study, providing a brief tentative explanation of why you think they are the most relevant.

5. Your next steps (200-300 words)

In this section, briefly explain what you plan to do to improve your plan ahead of writing your
essay for assignment 2. Here you can consider:
a) what additional searches you plan to carry out,
b) additional articles you plan to analyse,
Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice
page
 c) how you plan to analyse your articles in order to achieve greater depth of analysis.

You can submit your essay plan using bullet points as explained in class, supported by brief
explanations whenever required (e.g. introducing a section or a theme, or provide details about your
reasoning).

4. Assessment criteria and weightings

This assessment constitutes 25% of your overall mark for this unit. Your assessment will be assessed
against the following criteria:

Skills category Performance criteria Weighting

Subject knowledge &
understanding
Intellectual skills
Subject specific skills
Transferable skills
 Identifies suitable integrity causes and consequences
related to the chosen integrity incident
25%
 Demonstrates extensive reading and research of
academic sources (journal articles and textbooks)
 Organises the results of the literature research
(relevance, causes) in a coherent and logical way
25%
 Backs up claims with appropriate evidence, including
academic sources (journal articles and textbooks)
 Identifies suitable integrity issues related to the chosen
incident/case study example
 Selects appropriate causes for the chosen integrity issue 25%
 Identified suitable areas of academic practice
improvement ahead of assignment 2 submission
 Structure
 Presentational style
 Grammar/syntax 25%
 Appropriate use and referencing of secondary material.
 Compliance with format and parameters guidelines

5. Additional information

WARNING: Referencing ‘non-academic’ Internet sites (e.g. mbaonline.com, tutor2u.net,

positivepsychology.org, verywellmind.com and so on) is strictly forbidden.

However, you can use the Internet for the purpose of finding information about your issue which is not
available through academic sources. Try to back up your essay plan with as many relevant academic
references as possible.

6. Format and Parameters

 The essay plan should be no longer than 1500 words from the Introduction to the Conclusion.
Thus, you need not include in your word count the title page or references;
 You do not need to include a contents page;
 In the first page, include a) the provisional title of your essay and b) a word count
 If the essay plan is above the maximum word count permitted (1500 words), only the first
1500 words will be marked (this rule does not apply to ALS students who are entitled to a
higher word count);
 The essay must be word processed using:
o 12-point Times New Roman or 11 point (Arial) as your main font.
o 1.5 spacing between lines for sentences, and single spacing for bullet point material
o Left/right margins of 3 cm / 1 inch
o Justified alignment for complete sentences (the text is aligned to the left and to the right
margins of the page)
 It should also:
o be spell-and-grammar checked

Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice

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 o be written in the third person (do not use I or we). Examples: “this essay will focus on...”,
“three main issues have been identified in the literature as possible explanations for…”,
“based on previous studies (References), the most important cause is...”
o be referenced according to the BU Harvard Referencing System;
 No appendices are allowed. If it is important, it should be shown along with the main text.

7. Study support

There is extensive support available to you:

 Read this assignment brief several times ahead of submission as it contains detailed guidance
about what is expected from you;
 Attend all lectures, seminars and workshops as complementary information will be relayed during
these
 Look at the discussion board where students can ask questions. It is expected that many of your
questions will find an answer in this resource.
 If you still feel you have not got a satisfactory answer to your query, post your question on the
most suitable topic area of the discussion board.

Visit the Study Skills Community to learn more about a number of skills that you are required to
demonstrate in this essay, such as essay writing, critical analysis and writing skills

Disclaimer: The information provided in this assignment brief (version number: 1) is correct at time
of publication. In the unlikely event that any changes are deemed necessary, they will be
communicated clearly via e-mail and/or via Brightspace and a new version of this assignment brief
will be circulated.

Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice

page
Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice
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Assessment 1 (Essay Plan) Marking Rubric
Fail 0-39%
Subject The work demonstrates an
knowledge and insufficient level of
understanding understanding of theories
and concepts of the
subject for this level of
study. Little evidence of
reading or researching.
beyond basic materials.
Subject Specific The work demonstrates
Knowledge insufficient application of
discipline-specific
specialist skills. The links
between theory and
practice are insufficient or
this level.
Intellectual skills The work demonstrates an
insufficient ability to
present information.
Arguments may be weak
or unsubstantiated.
Referencing may need
development.
Effective Ideas, problems and
communication solutions are
and presentation communicated to an
insufficient level in verbal,
written and electronic
formats. The style lacks
accuracy and fluency.
Insufficient numeracy and
digital literacy skills for this
level are demonstrated.
Unit Handbook: Academic & Professional Practice
Third (40-49%)
The work demonstrates a basic
level of understanding of
theories and concepts of the
subject for this level of study. A
basic level of investigation has
been demonstrated, with a
limited range of appropriate
sources and reliance on
materials.
The work demonstrates basic
application of discipline-specific
specialist skills. The links
between theory and practice are
basic for this level.
The work demonstrates basic
explanation of information. A
basic and limited range of ideas
and information are presented.
Some appropriate referencing,
which may need development.
Ideas, problems and solutions
are communicated to a basic
level in verbal, written and
electronic formats. The style is
only occasionally accurate and
fluent. Basic numeracy and
digital literacy skills for this level
are demonstrated.
Lower Second (50-59)
The work demonstrates
some good evidence of
understanding of theories
and concepts for this level of
study. Evidence of a good
range of appropriate sources
used.
The work demonstrates
good application of
discipline-specific specialist
skills. The links between
theory and practice are good
for this level.
The work demonstrates
good explanation and some
evaluation of information. A
good range of Ideas and
information are selected to
support some clear
arguments and some
detailed description. Mostly
appropriate referencing is
used, which may need
development.
Ideas, problems and
solutions are communicated
to a good level in verbal,
written and electronic
formats. The style is
accurate and fluent. Good
numeracy and digital literacy
skills for this level are
demonstrated.
Upper Second (60-69)
The work demonstrates very
good understanding of
theories and concepts of the
subject for this level of
study. Evidence of wide
reading or use of sources
which goes beyond class
content.
The work demonstrates very
good application of
discipline-specific specialist
skills. The links between
theory and practice are very
good for this level.
The work demonstrates a
very good explanation of
information with an
emerging critical approach
to information. A very good
range
information support clear
arguments and very detailed
description. Mostly
appropriate referencing is
used.
Ideas, problems and
solutions are communicated
to a very good level in
verbal, written and electronic
formats. The style is
accurate and fluent. Very
good numeracy and digital
literacy skills for this level
are demonstrated.
page
First (70%+) Mark
The work demonstrates
excellent understanding of
theories and concepts for this
level of study, informed by
wide investigation of the
subject material.
/25
The work demonstrates
excellent application of
discipline-specific specialist
skills. The links between theory
and practice are excellent for
this level.
/25
The work demonstrates
excellent explanation of
detailed information with an
early critical approach to
information. A broad range of
ideas and information are
thoughtfully selected to support
sustained arguments.
Appropriate referencing is
used.
/25
Ideas, problems and solutions
are communicated to an
excellent level in verbal, written
and electronic formats. The
style is accurate and fluent.
Excellent numeracy and digital
literacy skills for this level are
demonstrated.
/25