Assignment Process Webinar

For CIM Assignments 2020 to 2021

(Level 3, 4 and 6 Qualifications)

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The Assignment Process: Key Steps
• Register for the assignment session
Apply for a tutor here:
https://www.oxcomlearning.com/mod/page/view.php?id=29468
• Listen to assignment briefings webinars available on Oxcom Learning
• Upload assignment plan to OXCOM Learning (‘Assignment Submission’) for tutor
feedback
• Show your proposed structure and that you have understood the task
• About 30% of the word count for each task
• Upload assignment draft to OXCOM Learning (‘Assignment Submission’) for tutor
feedback
• 100% of word count for the assessment

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The Assignment Process: Key Steps
Pay CIM assessment entry fee according to assessment entry
deadlines
• Deadlines are detailed on your assignment timetable, available on Oxcom
Learning.
• Details on how to book your assessment entry can be found here:
https://www.oxcomlearning.com/course/view.php?id=581&section=10

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The Assignment Process: Key Steps
Final submissions
• Review ‘final submission checklist’ for your module to ensure you adhere to
final submission requirements.
• You will need to post a printed copy of your work to your allocated tutor and
email an electronic version to the college.
• These requirements may change over the course of the academic year as CIM
are currently piloting online marking.

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Assignment Timetables
• The are three CIM assessment boards per year: April, June/July and
December.
• The College operates two internal assignment timetables for each
assessment board: Timetable A and Timetable B.
• Which timetable you work to will depend on your own study
timetable and your mode of study.
• You can locate the assignment timetables for each assessment board
in the ‘Assignment Information’ section on Oxcom Learning.

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Choosing an Organisation for Your Assignment
• Your chosen organisation should be an organisation you work for, one you are
acting as a consultant for, or another organisation you are very familiar with.
• As your assignment requires you to apply your learning to your chosen
organisation, the selected organisation must be one you are familiar with to
ensure all tasks can be addressed in full.
• It must have sufficient scope to explore one of the themes within the answers
presented.
• Try to avoid large, global organisations unless you are currently working for them.
• If you are working for a large organisation, it is recommended you focus on a
specific area of the business, such as a specific location or SBU.

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Choosing an Appropriate Theme
• Assignments will contain themes and you will need to select ONE theme to base
all tasks within your assignment.
• The theme selected should fit with activities/plans that your chosen organisation
has adopted or could adopt and that you will be able to access relevant
information about to address the tasks.
• Before settling on a final choice of theme, go through all of the tasks and sub-
tasks to make sure you will be able to apply them to your chosen organisation.
• Clearly identify your chosen theme on the front cover of your assignment and in
your organisation summary.
• You will find a webinar on your assessment themes on Oxcom Learning in the
‘Assignment Information’ section.

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How to Approach Assignment Tasks
Download the module specification (also referred to as syllabus) in the ‘Course
Information’ section.

The assignment is assessed
against the learning
outcomes, which are found in
the module specification and
at the beginning of each task.
Assessment criteria (AC) are
listed under each sub-task
and represent the syllabus
areas that are the focus for
the sub-task.
The indicative content demonstrates
the scope of the assessment criteria
and areas on knowledge, theory and
application that you have considered
in your answers.

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Command Words
• Define – ‘Explain, provide meaning for, make clear what is relevant’
• Describe – ‘Give an account in words, including all the relevant characteristics’
• Outline – ‘Give main features of’
• Explain – ‘Give details of, make plain, interpret and account for, give reasons for’
• Summarise – ‘Give concise account of the key points, omit examples and details’
• Evaluate – ‘Weigh arguments for and against something’
• Assess – ‘Decide the value of, judge, measure the importance of’
• Analyse – ‘Examine closely, examine in parts, show the parts that contribute to the whole’
• Recommend – ‘Propose a course of action that is recommended as advisable supported with
justified reasons’
• Compare – ‘Discuss two or more things in terms of their similarities and differences, perhaps
reaching a conclusion about which is preferable’

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Word/Page Count
• A maximum word or page count has been set by the examiner for each assignment.

• It is suggested to be suitable for completing a concise professional document that

can be used in the workplace and that also covers the assessment criteria.

• You are advised to only include relevant material that directly contributes towards
answering the task.

• You must not exceed the stated word or page count. The examiner will stop
marking once the maximum word or page count for the task has been reached.

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Word Count
Areas included in the word count are:
• All materials after any Title Page and/or Table of Contents and before a Bibliography and/or Appendices.

• (All materials include; tables, charts, headings and sub headings in main body of answers, references in
the main body of answers).

Areas excluded from the word count are:

• Title Page, Table of Contents, Bibliography and Appendices.

• Screenshots of third-party material (e.g. Google Analytics, websites) and images.

 

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Page Count

Areas included in the page count are:

• All materials after any Title Page and/or Table of Contents and before a Bibliography and/or
Appendices.
• (All materials include; tables, charts, headings and sub headings in main body of answers,
references in the main body of answers, images and screenshots).

Areas excluded from the page count are:

• Title Page, Table of Contents, Bibliography and Appendices.
 
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Assignment Formatting: Typology and Page
Set Up
• Standard fonts are required: Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri

• Font size must be minimum font size 11 for the main body of the assessment and font
size 9 for tables, diagrams and charts.

• Pages should be set up to have standard margins (Top and Bottom 2.54cm and Left and
Right 2.54cm) with single line spacing.

• Insert your membership number and module name into the page header in font size 9.

• Insert page numbers into the page footer in font size 9

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Assignment Best Practice
Structure
• Answer assignment tasks in the order
set in the assignment paper.
• Use clear headings to guide the
examiner.
• Start each task on a new page.
• Include a page at the start of your
assessment that provides the total
word count for each task.
• Ensure this page also details your
chosen theme.
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Professionalism
• Assignments should be written in
professional, business English and in
the third person (unless otherwise
stated).
• Your name should not appear
anywhere within your assignment.
• Ensure you apportion the maximum
word or page count according to the
marks allocated for each sub-task.
Assignment Best Practice
Appendices
• Appendices should only be included
where necessary and will not be
awarded any marks.
• They should not be used for
alternative locations for work that
should appear in the main text or to
place published secondary data (e.g.
annual reports).
Tables and diagrams
• Tables can be used to support and/or
illustrate text.
• They should be used to summarise
key points, rather than to address full
tasks.

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Assignment Best Practice
Grade descriptors
Use the grade descriptors provided at the end of the assignment
briefing paper to guide you as to what the examiner expects for each
task.

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Assignment Formats: Reports
The task will require you to structure
your work as a professional report,
suitable for sending through to a
manager or management team.
The task will suggest the role you should
adopt and who the report is to be
developed for – this information should
then be used on the report front sheet.
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A report should include several key
elements:
• Report front sheet – outlining who the
report is to and from.
• A contents page, complete with page
numbers.
• An introduction (included in your
word/page count for the task, unless
otherwise stated by the paper).
• Numbered sections and sub-sections.
• A conclusion (also included in your
word/page count).
Assignment Formats: Briefing Papers
A briefing paper is a document
that is often used to supply
important information and
analysis on a particular subject
area.
They are usually shorter and more
succinct than a formal report.
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A briefing paper should include several
key elements:
• Date of briefing paper.
• Who the briefing paper is to and from.
• Subject/topic of briefing paper.
• Background/Introduction (included in
your word/page count for the task,
unless otherwise stated by the paper).
• Clearly labelled sections and sub-
sections.
• A summary.
Review Assignment Format Guide
For more details on how to format your assignment download the
OXCOM Format Guide here:
https://www.oxcomlearning.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=29458

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Referencing
• Students are expected to identify and acknowledge ALL sources used
within their assignment.
• This includes direct quotes, unpublished works, images and audio-
visual presentations.
• Harvard referencing system must be used – footnotes will not be
accepted.
• A full bibliography should be included at the end of the final task, using
the Harvard referencing system.
• Review OXCOM Harvard referencing guide here:
https://www.oxcomlearning.com/course/view.php?id=581&section=11
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Questions?

Speak to the Support Team or contact your Assignment Tutor

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