RISK240 Principles of Risk Management

Guide to assignment preparation and

presentation
The following guidelines may be useful to you in the preparation of your assignments.

Planning and preparation

Planning is in many respects the most important part of assignment preparation and if
carried out effectively a great deal of time can be saved.

Follow the six steps of understand the question, preliminary reading, prepare a reading
list, develop a rough plan, gather notes and draft the paper.

Understand the question

This probably seems a fairly obvious point, but it is one which many students neglect.
Start by underlining key words in a question and check a dictionary if you are not sure
of their meanings. Discuss the question with other students to see if they interpret it in
the same way as you. If in doubt, consult your Unit Adviser.

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Preliminary reading
Your understanding of the topic will be enhanced by some preliminary reading. This
might involve skimming through one or two standard textbooks or a key journal article.

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Prepare a reading list
At this stage, it is desirable to prepare a detailed reading list to guide your preparation.
Start with reading lists handed out in class, and use the subject catalogues and indexes
in the library to extend your list. Further references may be gleaned from bibliographies
in textbooks and journals.

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Develop a rough plan
You should now be able to write out a summary of what will be covered. Do this in the
form of a list of main headings and sub-headings which may be used as a framework for
note-making.
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Gather notes
Some points to watch are:
Ensure that material you want to quote is recorded accurately.
Always note sources, including title, author, publisher, place and year of publication,
page references. If the source is an article, give the name of the article and the journal or
book in which it appeared.
Prefer primary sources to secondary sources. (Primary sources will include reports of
experiments, articles in professional journals and government reports.)

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Draft the paper
At this stage, a first draft should be prepared. When this is complete, you will see
whether the argument flows. Make editorial changes designed to improve clarity of
expression and organisation.

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The assignment layout
In general, your assignment should be developed around an appropriate framework,
with headings and sub-headings. The following sections should be included:

Title page
Title page will show the:
• title of the assignment;
• student’s name or group;
• due date for the assignment;
• name of the tutor for whom the assignment was written; and
• name of the unit (include the unit’s code number, if appropriate).

Table of contents
List the main parts of the assignment including:
• introduction;
• Main sections and sub-sections;
• conclusion;
• appendices;
• references;
• list of tables; and
• list of figures.
Introduction
Include a concise statement outlining the main purpose of the study and its scope. Try to
interest readers in the topic so that they will want to keep reading. Relate the length of
the introduction to the length of the paper; for example, in a 2000 word essay, a brief
introductory paragraph will suffice.

Main sections or chapters

The organisation of the main body of the assignment will vary considerably according to
such factors as the nature of the topic and the length of the report. In general, the
assignment should be developed around clearly defined sections, which may be
designated chapters in a long report.

Conclusion
Round off your work with a concluding paragraph or section. Sum up the main points
and refer to any underlying theme. If any questions or issues remain unresolved,
mention them in the conclusion.

Appendices
Include in an appendix any supporting evidence such as tables, which it is not possible
to incorporate in the main body of the assignment. If original questionnaires or tests
have been used, they may be included in this section.

References
The bibliography of references should give information about all the sources consulted
in writing the assignment. It is customary to arrange the bibliography in alphabetical
order of authors. Sub-divisions may be used for texts and journals. Full publication
details must be included, as for footnotes.

Tables
Where tables are included in the body of the assignment, it is customary to list them in a
section following the table of contents. Remember to give sources!

Figures or illustrations
This section is presented in a form similar to that used for tables.

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Presentation standards
When you write up your assignment, it is important to maintain high standards of
presentation so as to do justice to your unit. In some units, marks may be deducted for
poor presentation.

Quotations
It is acceptable to include brief, relevant quotations in your assignment, provided the
guidelines set out below are followed.
• Quotations smaller than five typed lines should have quotation marks around
them and be incorporated into the text, for example, the lecturer said that
‘students who fail to get their work in on time will not have their assignments
marked’.
• Quotations longer than five typed lines should be indented and single spaced. It
is not necessary to use quotation marks, for example:

Most of your revision should take the form of compiling short summaries of the
main concepts and key ideas from your longer notes. These are sometimes called
master outlines and have considerable value in giving you a good grasp of the
particular subject. You will need to supplement the written headings with
diagrams on occasions …
Source: “Exams … and How to Pass Them”,
The Age, 16 October 1978.

• Quotations may be abbreviated by omitting sections of the original passage. This

is indicated by inserting three spaced full stops in the passage, for example:
It is … important to have one day free in the weekend to relax and to prepare for
the following week.
(Be careful not to alter the original meaning.)

Citation of sources
Failure to acknowledge other people’s opinions and findings is plagiarism and is
unacceptable. Acknowledgment is made by numbered footnotes on each page and in the
bibliography. Alternatively, citations may be listed immediately before the bibliography.
Reference to footnotes is made by numerals raised one half space above the text, for
example:
… steady practice in summarising, synthesising and writing should go a long way to
building your confidence.1
Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the paper. If chapters are used,
footnotes are numbered consecutively by chapter.
Examples
• Anderson, J., Dunstan, B.H. and Poole, M. (1970), Thesis and Assignment
Writing, John Wiley & Sons, Sydney, p.73.
 • Musgrave, P.W. (1973), “Social Factors Affecting the Curriculum”, in Hughes, P.
(editor), The Teacher’s Role in Curriculum Design, Angus and Robertson,
Sydney, p.27.
• Jones, E.R. (1978), “The Case for Summer Schooling”, Education News, Vol.16,
No.6, p.33.
You will note from these examples that the first footnote for a source normally gives:
• the author’s surname, followed by initials or given name(s);
• the title of the book or journal article;
• for books, the place of publication, publisher and date of publication;
• for journals, the name of the journal, volume, issue number and publication date;
and
• the specific page reference.

An immediately succeeding reference to the same source is indicated by:

ibid. (‘in the same place or work’)
(If pages are different, this must be indicated.)

When intervening references are cited, the footnote should include the author’s name,
followed by:
op.cit. (‘in the work cited’)

Examples
Anderson, Dunstan and Poole, op.cit., p.95, ibid., p.97.

Harvard Method
An alternative citation method is the author-date or Harvard system, which is used
extensively for scholarly and scientific writing. This system makes references in the text
to the author’s name, year of publication and, if necessary, page number. Surnames only
are used unless initials are required to distinguish between authors of the same
surname. At the end of the assignment, you must also use a bibliography to list full
details of the references in alphabetical order or authors’ surnames and chronologically
for each author.

The following is an example of the Harvard system:

The possible shortage of oil supplies has special relevance for transport, because,
in Australia, of approximately 48% of primary energy supplied by oil, about 62%
of this oil is used for transport, with passenger cars consuming 30% and
commercial motor vehicles another 12% of Australia’s oil usage (Kneebone and
Wilkins, 1977). Indigenous oil fields, which presently supply over 60% of annual
consumption continue (White, et al., 1987).

Attempts to bridge the gap between increasing demand and dwindling local
production (chiefly from the Bass Strait field) by increasing imports of OPEC oil,
 may run into difficulties in the next decade because of increased demands by the
major Western oil importers and probable cut-backs in OPEC oil output
(Flowers, 1978).

Note that the one method of citation must be used throughout your essay or assignment.

Style of presentation
Your goal in writing an assignment or essay should be to convey information and ideas
in a readable, well organised fashion. Suggestions to help you to do this are set out
below.

Legibility
If possible, type your assignment, or, alternatively, write clearly in ink or ballpoint.
Write on one side of the paper only.

Pages
Number the pages of your assignment using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) for the body of
the paper. Small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc) may be used for the synopsis and table of
contents.

Margins
Leave a three centimetre margin at the left of each page, except preliminary and title
pages.

Numbering system
Adhere to a uniform numbering system, which may take one of two forms:
1 Main points/headings 1.
1.1 Sub-headings (a)
1.1.1 Sub-points (i)
Variations are permissible - the important thing is to be consistent.

Emphasis
To emphasise a word or phrase, use italics or bolding. If your assignment is
handwritten, underline the appropriate word(s).

Tense and person

Assignments should be written in the third person and past tense. Avoid referring to
yourself as ‘I’ and do not use phrases such as “in my opinion”.

Tables and illustrations

These should be labelled clearly and include sufficient detail for the reader to be able to
interpret without undue difficulty. Sources of information must be stated. Number
tables consecutively throughout the assignment.
It is important to be consistent in the standards you adopt for essay and assignment
writing. Decide in advance the format you intend to use and keep to it. Discuss any
difficulties with your lecturer who will advise on the specific requirements of the unit.

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Conventional abbreviations
An appendix usually appears as end matter, not in the preliminary section. Some
commonly used abbreviations include:

Abbreviations Meaning
cf compare
ch. chapter
ed., eds editor, editors
et al. and others
e.g. for example
fig., figs. figure, figures
ibid. in the same work
i.e. that is
loc.cit. in the place cited
op.cit. in the work cited
p., pp. page, pages
vol., vols volume, volumes

Explanations of key instructional words

Compare Identify characteristics or qualities that resemble each other. Emphasise

similarities and also mention differences where appropriate. For example,
the comparison of fundamental and technical analysis; you should define
what is meant by each concept before undertaking the comparison.
Contrast Stress the dissimilarities and differences of things, events, problems or
qualities.
Criticise Express your judgement about the merit or truth of the factors or views
mentioned. Draw conclusions, discussing their limitations and good
points.
Define State concise, clear and authoritative meanings. Give the limits of the
definition, but omit detailed explanations. Show how the item defined
differs from items in other classes.
Describe Recount, characterise, outline or relate in sequence. Emphasise the most
important points. You are not required to explain or interpret.
Diagram A drawing, chart, plan or graph. Diagrams should be labelled and there
should be an accompanying explanation.
Discuss Examine, analyse carefully, and give reasons for and against. Be
complete, and give details.
Enumerate Provide an itemised list, which may often be expressed in point form.
Evaluate You are required to appraise in order to make a judgement. This means
you should carefully appraise the problems, referring to advantages,
limitations, costs and benefits as appropriate.
Explain Clarify, interpret and elaborate on the material presented. Give reasons
for differences of opinion or results, and try to analyse causes. Your focus
is on the how and why of a particular issue.
Illustrate Use a concrete example, diagram or figure to explain or clarify a problem.
Justify Prove or give reasons for conclusions or decisions.
Outline Organise a description under main points and subordinate points. Omit
minor details. Stress the arrangement or classification of things.
Review Examine a subject critically, analysing and commenting on the important
statements.
State Present the main points in brief, clear sequence, usually omitting details
or examples.
Summarise Give the main points or facts in condensed form. Use a chronological or
systematic format.