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Academic Study Skills eResources

A range of resources from staff and students, particularly showing examples of well-produced work. Look for the topic that's most useful for you.

We have organised them into a number of different areas:

icon Analysing the Question

icon Critical Analysis

icon Exam Success

Analysing the Question

The following online tutorial from Martin Sedgley demonstrates how to engage and answer the essay question for written assignments.

What do tutors look for in written assignments? - Online tutorial (open in a new window)
What do tutors look for in written assignments? - Powerpoint

Sample Essays With Tutors' Commentary

MBA Operations Management Module

6 Sample Introductions (Word)

MBA Business Economics Module

Business Economics GradeA essay

MSc Crossed-Cultural Management Module

UG Organisational Design Module (used in the OD lecture on 13/10/2011)

UG Organisational Behaviour Module

4 Sample Introduction (Word)

Critical Analysis

Critical thinking that follows the logic of enquiry is only an extension of what people do as part of everyday living.

[ Are you a more critical thinker than you release (PDF) ] is a quick self-evaluation quiz that you may find you have been practicing some level of critical analysis on your day-to-day life than you realise.

The following online tutorial from Martin Sedgley further looks into critical analysis in the academic contents.

What is Critical Analysis ? - Online tutorial (open in a new window)
What is Critical Analysis ? - Powerpoint

A deeper look into Critical Analysis -Word

Sample Essays With Tutor's Commentary

MBA Managing People Module (Grade-A sample essay)

Managing People (PDF)
Managing People sample essay used in AS workshop (PDF)

MBA Marketing Module

Marketing Plan essay

MSc International Business Environment Module

IBE Essay with Tutor's Commentary (Word)
IBE Essay - Assessment Criteria (powerpoint)

MSc Human Resource Management Module

HRM sample essay used in AS workshop (PDF)
HRM Module Tutor's comment: AS: Critical Analysis MSc 26-Oct-11 (powerpoint)

MSc Employment Law Module

Employment Law essay

MSc Crossed-Cultural Management Module

Successful Repatriation.ppsx (Powerpoint)

Please click on the above link to work through the sample essay with detailed tutor's comments and please click through each slide sequentially. In doing so, you will be provided with a sound insight into key lessons to be learnt when engaging in critical analysis.
(If you are using Internet Explorer you should press F5 when Powerpoint loads to change to slideshow view. Click on the slide to advance the presentation.)

UG Transformation of Work Module

Sample essay used in AS workshop 24-Oct-11

Additional Resource:

Evaluation your writing for critical thinking - Checklist (PDF)

Effective Reading

Effective Reading - Online tutorial (open in a new window)

Essay Structure

Sample Essays With Tutor's Commentary

MBA

Sample MBA assignment - grade A essay (Word)
Sample MBA assignment - structure explained (Word)

MSc

Sample MSc essay (Word)
Sample MSc essay - structure explained (Powerpoint)

Sample UG essay - Scientific Management (Word)
Sample UG essay - ELS commentary (Word)

Download a ' Structure your essay (PDF)' worksheet.

Exam Success

A range of resources to help you prepare effectively for exams, and then express your written answers calmly and clearly on the day.

Preparation - Tutor's tips

Revision - Pass Your Exams

Calm and Confident

Performance on the Day - Sample exam question and model answer (Powerpoint)

Also, ' Q&A notes - MBA workshop 2010 ' and ' Q&A notes - MSC workshop 2010 ' are from a successful international MBA graduate who shared her experience of tackling exams in ELS Assignment Success Workshops.

Although these are Q&A notes with postgraduate students, it may still provide some useful tips for undergraduate students.

Referencing

It is an expected academic practice that students will refer to (or cite) the sources of ideas, data and other evidence in written assignments.

Why Reference?

There are five main reasons related to your academic studies why referencing in assignments is important:

To support your arguments and give credibility;
As a means of separating your own ideas, perceptions, and experiences from the work of others;
To enable your tutors to check the accuracy and validity of the evidence presented;
To enable your tutors and other interested readers to trace the sources you cite and to use the same evidence for their own purposes;
To avoid accusations of plagiarism.

The following online tutorial further looks into 'why and how to reference' in the academic contents.