The UTS Business School

Writing Guide
 The UTS Business School Writing
Guide: How to succeed in your written
assessment tasks
Welcome to the UTS Business School Writing Guide: how to succeed in your
written assessment tasks. Research and written communication skills are
required competencies of all students and at all levels of study, and the UTS
Business School is committed to encouraging and supporting students’
development of communication competence as an integral part of their learning.
We are equally committed to ensuring they graduate with a high level of
communication competence as part of their attainment of the core graduate
attributes, equipping them to be work-ready. This guide is an important element
in that commitment.
The guide is intended to assist you, whether you are an undergraduate or
postgraduate student as you prepare your written assignments. It incorporates
examples to illustrate the key characteristics of writing in the Business School,
and it is packed with information, UTS resources, ideas and advice, much of it
based on feedback from former students. We hope you will see this guide as
your indispensable companion during your studies.
It is important that you read and use this guide in conjunction with your subject
outlines and/or assignment briefs. The advice provided in this guide is of a
general nature, and it is always important that you tailor your written
assignments to the specific requirements of each individual task.

Teaching and Learning Centre “It’s like having a little toolkit

of writing skills that I carry
UTS Business School around with me and use
UTS PO Box 123 each time I meet a new kind
of writing task.”
Broadway, NSW 2007.
(UTS Business student)
uts.edu.au/about/uts-business-school

PUBLICATION DETAILS
This publication was created by Emily Edwards, Academic
Language and Learning Group at UTS, and was adapted
from previous versions of this guide.

© COPYRIGHT 2018, UTS BUSINESS SCHOOL,

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY
LAST UPDATED 2020
Contents
Writing in the UTS Business School 1
Why is writing important in Business? 1
What do UTS Business School students think? 2

The writing process 3

STEP 1: Find out what the marker wants 4

What do different key question words in assessment tasks mean? 4
Understanding the assessment task 5
Assessment of written work 5

STEP 2: Collect and read information 6

Key questions for collecting information 6
How do I transfer my reading into writing? 7
What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it? 8
9 steps for effective paraphrasing 9
Example of synthesising 10

STEP 3: Generate your own ideas - Critical thinking and writing 11

What does critical thinking actually mean? 11
Critical thinking in your Business School subjects 12
A model for critical thinking 13
Critical thinking when reading 14
Language to show critical thinking when writing 14
Self-evaluation checklist for critical thinking in your writing 15

STEPS 4 and 5: Planning and drafting - Types of writing in the Business

School 16
What is the difference between a business report, plan and proposal? 17
What is the difference between a business report and a case study analysis? 17
Other types of writing 17
How do I continue with STEP 4 (planning) and STEP 5 (drafting)? 18

How to write a BUSINESS REPORT 19

Why am I being asked to write a report? 19
Different types of report 19
How should my report be structured? 19
What kind of language should I use? 20
How should my report be presented? 20
Example report 20

How to write a BUSINESS PROPOSAL 26

Why am I being asked to write a proposal? 26
How should my proposal be structured? 26
What kind of language should I use? 27
How should my proposal be presented? 28
Example proposal 28

How to write a CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 34

Why am I being asked to write a case study analysis? 34
How should my case study analysis be structured? 34
What kind of language should I use? 35
Example case study analysis 35

How to write a REFLECTION 39

Why am I being asked to write a reflection? 39
What is reflective writing? 39
How should my reflection be structured? 40
What kind of language should I use? How should my reflection be presented? 40
Example reflection 41

How to write an ESSAY 44

Why am I being asked to write an essay? 44
How should my essay be structured? 44
What kind of language should I use? 44
Example essay 45

STEP 6: Checklist for revising 50

STEP 7: Checklist for editing 51

Learning from assignment feedback 52

References 53

Appendix 1: Evaluating your writing for critical thinking 54

Appendix 2: Study skills – Suggested resources 55

 Writing in the UTS Business School
Why is writing important in Business?
Writing is an essential practice to develop both for your academic study and for
your work in business following your studies. The figure below shows six key
reasons why writing is important for both learning and working.
“At first I didn't realise
just how important it
would be to write
well. As I got more
practice, I found that
my writing improved
Writing and so did my
Writing helps
Learning about demonstrates
you to learn marks."
Business the quality of
more deeply
your learning (UTS Business
student)

Writing Being a
"I find that writing capable writer
assignments is the engages you
in a dialogue is an important
most difficult part with your outcome of
about studying at lecturers / your university
uni... but it's also the tutors studies
most satisfying. I
understand much
better when I have to Writing is a
write about routine Being a
something." activity in capable and
most effective Working in
(UTS Business workplace writer is an Business
student) settings of important
business life-skill
graduates

"When it's a complex topic, I

usually am not sure what I really
think until I start typing to write
about it."
(UTS Business student)

1
What do UTS Business School students think?
In preparation for this 2018 version of the UTS Business School writing guide, a
survey link was sent out to all current students in April 2018 asking about their
experiences of academic writing, and what support they felt was needed from a
writing guide. From the group of respondents, 56% were undergraduate
students and 44% were postgraduate students.

How difficult do you find writing assignments in the UTS

business school? If you have not yet written any
assignments, how worried are you about writing assignments
in business?
Easy/not worried at all
Very difficult / very 3%
worried
21% Only a bit
difficult/worried
22%
Quite
difficult/worried
54%

The pie chart above shows that the majority of the survey respondents (75%)
felt that writing assignments was quite or very difficult, or they felt quite or very
worried about it. An important message here is that it is normal to feel that
writing is a challenge, and that almost everyone needs to seek help. This writing
guide is one form of help available to you; other forms of help include the UTS
Library resources, and resources provided by your tutors and lecturers.

Students were also asked about what types of help they would like to be
included in this guide. The most popular ideas, which have all be included,
were:
• an annotated example of a written assignment (74% of respondents)
• ideas about assignment structure (66% of respondents)
• ideas about the types of language to use (58% of respondents).

2
The writing process
Writing assignments is a more detailed process than you might initially think. To
produce really good quality writing, you will probably need to go through most
or all of the steps in the diagram below, as suggested by Emerson (2009, pp.
28-32).

3
 STEP 1: Find out what the marker
wants
STEP 1 involves understanding the assessment task itself
in terms of what the task is asking of you, and how you will be
assessed.
This section focuses on how to understand the key question
words in an assessment task, and some important questions
to ask yourself at this stage. The "how to write" sections later
in this guide also unpack the purpose of different types of
writing task.

What do different key question words in assessment tasks

mean?

Question word Meaning

Summarise Give a simple, basic account of the main points of a topic

Describe Explain a topic briefly and clearly

Outline Deal with a complex subject by reducing it to the main elements

Illustrate Give examples

Examine / Give a detailed account of something

Explore

Suggest Make a proposal and support it

Reflect (on) Think carefully about something, and consider different views
and possibilities

Justify Support a position or show that something is reasonable, right or

true, using evidence

Discuss Look at the various aspects of a topic, compare benefits and

drawbacks

(Critically) Divide into sections and discuss each critically/consider widely

Analyse

Assess / Evaluate Decide the value or worth of a subject

Adapted from Bailey (2011, p. 32)

4
Understanding the assessment task
Emerson (2009) suggests asking yourself the following questions to help you
understand your assessment task:
 Do you understand all the terms in the assessment question or topic?
 Can you break the topic down into parts – what are the major concepts?
 What do you already know about the topic?
 What level of detail does your assignment require? – also check the word
length.
 Do you need a general discussion of the issue, an understanding of
theory and ideas or a list of facts and statistics? (maybe you’ll need all of
these)
 Does your topic require historical information, material from the recent
past or current data?
 Do you need to focus on particular countries?
 Has your lecturer suggested that you consult certain types of materials,
such as popular or scholarly journals, newspapers or a particular
database?

Assessment of written work

How will my written assignment be assessed?

It is important to consider how your written work will be assessed. When preparing
for an assessment, you should access the assessment criteria (a list of
dimensions the marker will be looking for) from the subject outline, or ask your
subject coordinator, lecturer or tutor. Typical assessment criteria may include:
 How well you address the purpose of the assessment
 The relevance of your content
 Your analytical and critical perspectives on the topic area
 Your use of supporting evidence to provide authority and validity to your
arguments or claims
 The structure and coherence of your writing
 The appropriateness of your language style
 Your language accuracy, written expression and punctuation
 The suitability of your overall written presentation
NB: this is a general list, and you should check with your subject coordinator
and/or lecturer what the specific assessment criteria are for your assignments.

5
STEP 2: Collect and read information
At this stage, you know what you need to do and how
your writing will be assessed. STEP 2 involves
collecting and reading information from different
sources – your own knowledge, your subject materials
and the UTS Library – which you will then use in your
assignment. You also need to take notes, and get
started with paraphrasing.

Key questions for collecting information

In order to collect information for your assignment, you could start be asking
yourself these questions:
1) What do I already know about this assignment topic?
o Brainstorm key ideas in a list or spider diagram to clearly see what you
already know about the topic.
2) What readings suggested in the subject outline should I refer to in this
assignment?
o Check with your tutor if you are unsure. Then read the texts carefully.
3) What other research do I need to do and where?
o Check with your tutor how many sources you need to find independently.
You can use the UTS Library website and databases to search for source
texts.
4) How am I making notes or keeping records or ideas as I read?
o Find an approach to notetaking that suits you – e.g. using sticky notes on
pdfs, using software like Evernote or Onenote, or a paper notebook.
o You also need to keep a bibliographic record of what you read. You can
use a referencing software (e.g. EndNote, RefWorks) or online system
(e.g. Mendeley) to help you. Here is an example for a book:

Authors’ surnames and initials Date of publication

Clegg, S. R., Kornberger, M., & Pitsis, T. (2012). Managing and organisations:
An introduction to theory and practice (3rd ed.). Sage.

Title of book in italics Edition number Publisher

6
 Image source:
http://www.lib.uts.edu.
au/facilities/maps-
hours

The UTS Library provides many resources to help you with your search for
source texts for your UTS assignments, for example:
http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/find http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/research
http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/research/literature-searching
http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/research/organising-and-managing-information

And for help with referencing: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/referencing

How do I transfer my reading into writing?

While collecting the information (through research and reading), you will need to
make notes, and then integrate those notes and ideas into your assignment
through paraphrasing and synthesising.

Paraphrasing = Expressing the ideas of others by rephrasing the original text

into your own words. This means you are not copying, but
instead showing that you understand the ideas.

Synthesising =
Combining information and ideas from multiple source texts to
develop and strengthen your argument.

You might start paraphrasing now, or you might wait until later in the writing
process (Step 5 – Draft your assignment), but it is important to start thinking
about paraphrasing early on.
When you are transferring your reading into writing, it is important to be aware
of avoiding plagiarism, which is explained on the next page.

7
What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it?
Plagiarism is broadly defined as ”taking and using someone else's ideas or
manner of expressing them and passing them off as his or her own by failing to
give appropriate acknowledgement of the source“ (UTS Student and Related
Rules, Academic Misconduct 16.2.2 (3)).
Within this definition, examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:
• copying words, or ideas, from websites, reference books, journals,
newspapers or other sources without acknowledging the source
• paraphrasing material taken from other sources, to change the words but
keep the ideas, without acknowledging the source
• downloading material from the internet and including it as part of your
own work without acknowledging the source
• copying work, such as all or part of an assignment, from other people
and submitting it as your own work
• purchasing an assignment from an online site and submitting it as your
own work
• requesting or paying someone else to write original work for you, such as
an assignment, essay or computer program, and submitting it as your
own work.
For more information on plagiarism, please see:
https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/learning-and-
teaching/assessment/preventing-plagiarism/what-plagiarism

To avoid plagiarism, you will need to follow guidelines for academic integrity,
which are:
• write your own assignments (once you have written the assignment
it is fine for someone to help you revise and edit your work, e.g. a
HELPS advisor)
• paraphrase correctly
• use in-text references correctly
• include a full reference list in each written assignment, and this list
should include all the source texts you refer to
There are lots of examples of (good and bad) paraphrasing in the UTS quiz on
avoiding plagiarism: https://avoidingplagiarism.uts.edu.au/ -> select ‘"Business".

For help with referencing, go to UTS Library > Referencing > APA
Referencing Guide
https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/referencing/apa-referencing-guide

8
 9 steps for effective paraphrasing
Follow the 9 steps below to help you paraphrase ideas from source texts to
include in your assignments. The example shown here is a good one, and it
goes through the steps for a specific sentence that a student wants to
paraphrase from a journal article.
Steps Example
(1) First, you need to fully Original text (from a journal article)
understand the ideas and "In 2012, the subtle shift in production
concepts of the original text. Read requirements from iPhone 4S to iPhone 5 and the
it carefully, speedup to meet Apple’s delivery time placed
workers under intense pressure."

(2) Make notes summarising the My notes

original text. Note down only the • iPhone 5 came out in 2012
key ideas, and in your own words. • lots of pressure on workers
• reasons: faster delivery time and changes to
production

(3) Write the full bibliographical Full reference

reference now, so you can Chan, J., Pun, N., & Selden, M. (2013). The politics
reference your original text later. of global production: Applied, Foxconn and China’s
new working class. New Technology, Work and
Employment, 28(2), 100-115.

(The sentence I want to use is from p. 108)

(4) Ensure you keep the original Words to keep

specialised or technical words in • iPhone 5 (this is a name so it can’t be
your rewrite, to keep the changed)
meaning clear.

(5) To help you paraphrase more Synonyms

effectively, try to use • "significant" = synonym for "intense"
"synonyms" (alternative words • "demanding delivery schedule" = alternative
with the same meaning) of the phrase for "speedup to meet… delivery time"
original words. • "changes" = synonym for "shift"

(6) Looking at your notes, try to My paraphrase

rewrite the information fully into When the iPhone 5 was released in 2012, workers
your own style, words and were under significant pressure due to the
grammar. Try not to look at the demanding delivery schedule and changes in the
original text. production requirements.

(7) Check that your sentence(s) Changes made

use your own words and Some of the words have been changed (in red in the
sentence/ paragraph structure, paraphrase above), using synonyms noted in step 5.
but still have the same meaning The sentence structure is different, with "workers"
as the original text. as the subject of the sentence. In the original text,
"the subtle shift" is the subject.

9
(8) Use "quotation marks" to (Quotation marks are not needed in this example,
make it clear if you have used any because I am not keeping any specific phrases the
terms or phrases exactly as they same).
appear in the original source.

(9) Ensure you have added an in- Adding the in-text reference
text reference to the original When the iPhone 5 was released in 2012, workers
text in your paraphrased version. were under significant pressure due to the
Also add the page number if you demanding delivery schedule and changes in the
used any "quotations". production requirements (Chan et al., 2013).

Source: Adapted from https://www.uts.edu.au/current-

students/support/helps/self-help-resources/academic-writing/paraphrasing

Example of synthesising
Synthesising is important because it shows that you have read broadly and
deeply on your assignment topic, and that you have engaged in critical thinking.
This paragraph from a case study analysis is a good example of synthesising.

The first sustainable initiative identified is "Flare it up", an online dashboard

(4 Pines Beer, 2017a) which aims to integrate and engage the employees
with the enterprise. A study conducted by Cohen et al. (2012) suggests that
all core HRM processes in an organisation must support sustainable
business strategies that can be categorised into areas of recruitment,
development and reward, managerial support and communication. Certainly,
"Flare it up" has implemented these areas with its employees, creating a
sustainable HRM environment through the engagement and participation of
staff. Greenwood stated that in a sustainable HRM, “people are not only
‘means’ and their value goes beyond the financial value they produce for
organisations” (Ehnert et al., 2014, p. 8). Similarly, 4 Pines has adopted a
sustainable HRM caring about the alignment of the employee’s goals with
the selfie format (4 Pines Beer, 2017b), maintaining constant communication
with them and offering them economic and entertainment benefits.

There are four different in-text references

used here within one paragraph to
strengthen the analysis. Importantly, each
reference builds up the argument – it is
not just a list of source texts.

10
STEP 3: Generate your own ideas -
Critical thinking and writing
After STEP 2, which involves collecting information and reading
various sources related to your assessment task, STEP 3 is
about generating your own ideas. This can be difficult, so
ensure you leave enough time for STEP 3. At this stage, it is
important that you start to think critically.

What does critical thinking actually mean?

"Analyse", "evaluate" and "create" are examples of assessment instruction
words that encourage students to use critical thinking, but what does critical
thinking actually mean? Here is a useful definition of critical thinking from
Chartrand et al. (2012, pp. 96-97):

[Critical thinking] means you want to understand more fully all

the aspects and perspectives of people or ideas, not so you
can judge or find fault but rather so you can evaluate more
clearly and see the big picture and assess the value in
something . . . critical thinking is all about you taking charge of
your own thinking and owning your life.

So according to this definition, you need to:

Actively questioning
Assessing and evaluating

Bailey (2011) also points out that critical thinking means “not just passively
accepting what you hear or read, but instead actively questioning and
assessing it.” (p. 22)

11
Critical thinking in your Business School subjects
According to Bloom et al.’s (1956) taxonomy of educational objectives, the
lower order thinking skills are "remember", "understand" and "apply". These
are important foundational skills in any subject, and are generally tested by
exams and quizzes.
The higher order thinking skills are "analyse", "evaluate" and "create", and
these are even more important skills at university because they involve critical
thinking.
Most written assignments in the Business School will be testing these higher
order skills, especially analyse and evaluate, so it is important that you show
you are developing them.

Assessments asking you to

analyse, evaluate or create
(or using any similar
instruction words) are
encouraging you to think
critically.

12
Here are some ways that you can engage in critical thinking through your UTS
Business School subjects – some will be required by the subject, and others are
behaviours that you can try to cultivate yourself:
• Keeping a self-reflective journal, either informally or for an assessment
(such as a reflection or learning log).
• Engaging in open dialogue and discussion in the class room on a
number of class exercises.
• Participating in role play activities.
• Peer and self-review assessment.
• Developing an understanding and applying concepts learnt to your
everyday life (personal and professional).
• Assessing the validity of your assumptions, defending your judgements.
• Cultivating a line of reasoning for your reflective thoughts.
• Linking readings and reflecting on relevance to your learning.
• Seeing situations in a more multifaceted way.
• Being respectful of other people’s views and trying to understand and
listen even if you do not agree.
(This section has been adapted from the "Student guide to reflective
approaches to Managing, Leading and Stewardship, UTS".)

A model for critical thinking

Block and Spataro (2014) and Chartrand et al. (2012) suggest using the
following "RED" model of critical thinking for Business university studies. You
can use this model to guide your thinking whenever you have a topic to analyse
for a written assignment:

R E D
Recognise Evaluate arguments Draw conclusions
assumptions (yours (how many positions based on your
and those of others) are there?) evaluation

13
Critical thinking when reading
Part of critical thinking involves being critical while reading articles, books and
other resources, in order to recognise assumptions and evaluate the arguments
presented. It is important to remain critical even when you know the resource
is reliable and useful for your assignment (Bailey, 2011). Bailey (p. 22)
suggests you ask yourself the following questions as you read:

a) What are the key ideas in this text?

b) Does the thesis (key argument) of the writer develop logically, step by step?
c) Are the examples given in the text helpful? Would other examples be better?
d) Does the author have any obvious bias (subjective opinion or preference)?
e) Does the evidence presented seem reliable (trustworthy) and why (not)?
f) Is this argument similar to anything else I have read?
g) Do I agree with the writer’s views? If not, why not?

Language to show critical thinking when writing

Here are some examples of useful phrases to use in your written assignments
that show evidence of critical thinking. For more ideas about the language to
use, see: http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/being-critical/

Evaluating Analysing Evaluative adjectives

It is clear that… There are different points of Positive

view on this topic, such
It is still unclear This study/ article/ point is…
as….
whether…
useful / detailed / thorough
X and Y are similar/different
X (the author) makes a / important / crucial /
in terms of…
valid / important point impressive
that… There is clearly a difference
between X and Y. Negative
X’s argument seems
logical because… The relationship/connection This study/ article/ point is…
between X and Y can be
There is insufficient limited / problematic /
seen as…
evidence to claim unclear (somewhat)
that… In contrast,… unreliable / unsubstantiated /
I agree/disagree with… contested

14
Self-evaluation checklist for critical thinking in your writing
This checklist consists of self-evaluation questions you can ask yourself when
checking whether a sufficient level of critical thinking is shown in your written
assignments. If you are unsure about any of these questions in relation to a
written assignment you are working on, and you need some help thinking of
actions you can take to improve each point, please see the table in Appendix 1
of this guide.

Self-evaluation questions Yes / No

1. Am I clear on my position on this topic and the reasons for my

point of view?

2. Are my conclusions and/or recommendations clear, based on

evidence, and written in tentative language* where appropriate?

3. Have I analysed the structure of my argument and presented the

reasons in the best order to lead clearly towards the conclusion?

4. Have I made use of other people’s research as supporting

evidence to strengthen my argument?

5. Have I cited the source of information for evidence and theories

which I refer to?

6. Is my writing mainly analytical and does it contain only brief,

essential descriptive writing where needed, and not more than
needed?

* Tentative language means words and phrases you use when you need to be cautious
and careful because something is not known for sure, or there are other possibilities
(e.g. It is possible that… / It could be….. / One possibility is that…..)

Adapted from Cottrell (2017, pp. 184-185)

15
STEPS 4 and 5: Planning and drafting -
Types of writing in the Business School

When you move on to STEPS 4 and 5 of the

writing process, you need to know what type
of writing you should be doing in order to
understand the purpose and structure of
your writing.
The five most common types of writing in the UTS Business School core
subjects are shown in the table below. Your other subjects are likely to include
similar writing tasks.

Types of Core Business School subjects that require this type of

writing writing
(UG = undergraduate; PG = postgraduate)

Business 26100 Integrating Business Perspectives (UG)

Report 26134 Business Statistics (UG)
21715 Strategic Management (PG)
21937 Managing, Leading and Stewardship (PG)
23706 Economics for Management (PG)

Business 24108 Marketing Foundations (UG)

Proposal 21878 Organisational Dialogue: Theory and Practice (PG)
24734 Marketing Management (PG)

Case Study 25300 Fundamentals of Business Finance (UG)

Analysis 21928 People, Work and Employment (PG)
25742 Financial Management (PG)

Reflection 21129 Managing People and Organisations (UG)

21878 Organisational Dialogue: Theory and Practice (PG)
21937 Managing, Leading and Stewardship (PG)

Essay 21129 Managing People and Organisations (UG)

16
What is the difference between a business report, plan and
proposal?

An account and analysis of a given situation or

Business scenario, sometimes with recommendations or
report conclusions about how to proceed. See the section of
this guide on "How to write a BUSINESS REPORT".

A document suggesting a solution, new strategy or

Business product which will solve a problem or meet a key
proposal market need – and this document needs to be
persuasive, able to convince potential clients to
choose your idea over any other proposals. See
the section of this guide on "How to write a
BUSINESS PROPOSAL".

What is the difference between a business report and a case

study analysis?
A case study analysis is quite similar to a business report in terms of the
structure and content.
The main difference is that with a case study, you are generally given a detailed
factual account of a specific context (company and situation), which explains
the situation and development or history of that situation.
You are then generally asked to respond by analysing the key factors, reasons,
problems, or solutions involved in the case study.
See the section of this guide on "How to write a CASE STUDY ANALYSIS".

Other types of writing

* Research proposal * Literature review * Research report
These three types of writing are generally required only for Undergraduate
Honours, Masters by Research or PhD students, who are completing a
substantial amount of empirical data collection and analysis. For this reason,
they are not covered in this writing guide, but the UTS Library has guides to
research writing:
http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/study-skills/writing-reading-speaking -> Research
writing

17
How do I continue with STEP 4 (planning) and STEP 5
(drafting)?
This section has so far reviewed the most common types of writing in the UTS
Business School (business report, business proposal, case study analysis,
reflection, and essay). At this point, you should have identified which type of
writing is needed for your assignment. Next, you will need to make a plan or
outline for your assignment, and then start writing!
 You might find it useful to read the "How to write a…." section related to
your assignment type first in order to get some ideas about the structure
and language required.
 Then make a plan, in any format that works for you. A plan or outline
generally includes the key headings and sub-headings you will use, and
then your notes about the main points. Here are some ideas for the
format of the plan, which would be for an essay assignment:

Introduction Body Conclusion

• Definitions... • Key point 1: • Summary of

• Background/ •Evidence... key points...
context... • Key point 2: • Restate
• Position •Evidence... position...
statement • Key point 3: • Concluding
• Outline for •Evidence... statement...
essay...

Introduction
- Topic/definitions:
- Background/context:
Supporting - Position statement:
point 1:
- Outline for the essay:
Body
Key o Paragraph 1:
Supporting position or Supporting
point 4: point 2:
argument: o Paragraph 2:

o Paragraph 3:
Supporting
point 3:
Conclusion
- Summary of key points:
- Restate position:
- Concluding statement:

18
How to write a BUSINESS REPORT

Why am I being asked to write a report?

Reports are very relevant to real-life work, since you are likely to have to write
reports in many different business-related careers. Reports also help you in
applying key concepts from business research to real-life contexts and
scenarios. Making connections between theory and practice is one of the key
purposes of university study. Report writing is therefore a very useful skill that
will assist you with your learning and your future career.

Different types of report

There are several different types of report, including business/professional
reports, short reports and research reports. Business reports, rather than
research reports, are the focus of this guide. For help with research reports,
please see the UTS Library: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/study-skills/writing-
reading-speaking

How should my report be structured?

The structure of your report depends on some of the assignment requirements
such as suggested length, content and audience, but most reports follow some
or all of these sections:
• Title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Body (often including Analysis, Discussion and/or Recommendations – but
it depends on your task, so check with your tutor, lecturer or subject
coordinator)
• Conclusions (not always needed – check with your tutor, lecturer or
subject coordinator)
• References
• Appendices

19
What kind of language should I use?
Your language should be formal, professional and concise. Here are some
examples of useful phrases specific to reports:

Introducing the report Reporting other people’s views

The purpose of this report was/is [Name (date)] believes / advises that…
to… Several studies / reports show that….
The report analyses/ discusses / It is now generally accepted that…
suggests/ recommends…

Language for analysis / evaluation / judgement

It is evident / clear that… ... is critical / important / crucial

There seems / appears to be … must / should be achieved /
(little)… implemented

This is also a useful resource for academic phrases you might need for your
writing: http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

How should my report be presented?

Each major section of your report should begin on a new page. As Emerson
(2009) suggests, use headings, sub-headings and/or numbering to make
each section clear. Also use plenty of "white space" to make your work look
professional and easy to read.
Bullet points, graphs and tables are usually helpful to make key points stand
out. Check with your tutor as well, as there may be formatting rules specific to
your assignment task.

Example report
This report has been adapted from Emerson’s (2009) book on writing for
Business students. Only selected sections are shown to illustrate the structure
and language you could use in your own report, depending on the task.

Report annotation key

These boxes give tips Important language These circles give

about the report in the example is in tips about the
structure or content. red font. language to use.

20
* Always check with your subject coordinator about what is required for your
specific assignment task. As you read this example, think about the question in
the blue thought bubble below.*

How is this example similar and

different to the one I need to
write for my assignment?

Title page

Conflict between senior management and supervising

staff: Southland Branch, Communicate

The title should be focused and brief, but descriptive

enough for the report to be clearly identifiable.

Page i

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report was to analyse management conflict The starting
at the Southland Branch of "Communicate". Specific objectives phrases of each
were to identify key problems and offer recommendations to sentence (in red)
clearly summarise
Regional Management.
the purpose, aims,
Problems were located in the organisation’s structure, problems and
management style and lack of communication channels, recommendations.
especially between the branch manager and the supervisors.
The report recommends a major restructuring of the branch,
training for key personnel and clarification of job descriptions.

The executive summary should describe the

report’s highlights, NOT describe what the
reader will find in the report.

21
Page ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive summary i
Table of contents ii
1. Introduction 1
2. Analysis of current situation 2
The logical relationship
3. Discussion between the sections 3
3.1 Business communication should be signalled by 4
numbering, indentation,
3.2 Management styles font size or italics. 5
3.3 Organisational structure 6
4. Recommendations 7
5. References 8
6. Appendices 9
Each section of the report should be on
a new page (which is not the case in this
Page 1 guide in order to save space/paper!).

1. INTRODUCTION This is a general

overview
statement to
This report was commissioned by Ms J. Evert, Manager identify the topic.
– South Regional Office. Its purpose is to analyse and
advise on how to improve management and
communication practices at the Southland branch.
Southland branch is characterised by a lack of This paragraph
motivation at senior management levels. This lack of describes the
context of the
leadership, coupled with a flawed organisation structure,
report and the
is not conducive to effective management or key issues.
communication practices. There are also several young
supervisors who are clearly executive material for the
future but are causing friction with staff, as they lack
interpersonal communication skills. This sentence
This report analyses these problems and offers clearly defines the
recommendations on how to counter them to improve objectives of the
report and
management and communication practices leading to
summarises what
stability and the continued growth of the Southland will be included.
branch.

22
[Paragraphs removed].

Page 2

2. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SITUATION

Most of the verbs in
this section are in
2.1 Southland’s current organisation structure is the present tense
inappropriate. There is an unnecessary layer of (simple or
management between the branch manager and continuous) because
supervisors. this part describes
the current situation.

2.2 Southland is currently experiencing communication

difficulties among management, accountant, supervisors,
and junior staff. Numbering the
key points
makes them
2.3 The branch manager is experiencing difficulties clear to the
communicating with staff, since he has recently endured a reader.
serious personal loss. As a consequence, the whole
branch is failing to achieve desired results.

2.4 The supervisors lack training and communication

skills. Communicate will soon lose these potentially
valuable staff if their manager fails to provide adequate
support and supervision.
Most reports will have an analysis/discussion
Page 3 section where you need to analyse and justify
the situation and/or possible solutions, and
support your points with evidence from the
particular case and the research literature.
3. DISCUSSION This section in particular requires you to show
evidence of CRITICAL THINKING.

3.1 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

In any organisation information flow is the life-blood of the

business. Josephs (2007) advises that communication is
the medium through which action is introduced into the
structure of the organisation. Billings (2006) believes that
without effective communication, businesses fail and
relationships suffer or die.

23
 You could use sub-headings to identify
themes – which shows you have
Manager/Accountant synthesised (integrated) key information.
There is little effective management or communication
practice between these positions. The supervisory
difficulties have surfaced many times, yet no training plan Reporting verbs
has been developed. such as ‘believes
that’ are used to
The branch manager infers he cannot handle the introduce what
situation, yet with his vast experience he is in a perfect different authors
position to personally coach Harris, Maynard and Cambric (from books or
to acquire the interpersonal skills necessary to work in journal articles).
harmony with their staff. Mace (2004) believes that the
most effective way of providing for growth and
development of subordinates is such coaching by line
managers. Frequent references
to the research
literature show you
Managers/Employees can provide
Lack of confidence in both the branch manager and the evidence to support
your points.
three supervisors is illustrated by the employees electing
not to use upward communication to register their
grievances. They preferred to bypass their line
supervisors and contact South Regional Office direct.
It is also evident that no facility is in place at Southland The phrases ‘is
branch for staff to freely air any grievances. Sayers’ illustrated by’
(2008) approach is to have regular meetings so staff and ‘it is evident
know what’s happening in the work place and the that’ introduce
executive know early of any problem affecting clear evidence
productivity. from the work
context itself.

Listening skills
Staff complain that all the supervisors, but Harris in
particular, are arrogant, do not listen and snap orders.
Conversations between Harris and his staff should be full
two-way communication. However, based on his
autocratic management style, he dominates the
interaction. Gray and Bell (2005) indicate this leads to
managers failing to hear what their subordinates are
saying. Effective listening is crucial to effective
communication, as it is an understanding between the
source and the receiver that must be achieved before
they can relate to each other.
……….. etc……………………….

24
 Not all reports have recommendations. If you need to
include them, recommendations focus towards the
future. They are subjective (the writer’s opinion), but
Page 7 should take into account issues such as cost, location
and acceptability to current policy or practice.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations are also specific, telling the reader
exactly what can be done.

4.1 Restructure Southland branch by aligning the

accountant’s position on the organisational chart as purely
a staff function. The unity of command illustrated in Strong suggestions
Appendix 1 provides for clearly defined lines of command are made by using
and communication. The manager then overviews and infinitive verb forms
coordinates all of Southland’s activities. (restructure, send,
suggest, support) at
the start of each
4.2 Send branch manager on an appropriate sentence.
management/communication training programme and
perhaps suggest that he attend a grief counselling session.

4.3 Support the branch manager and provide

motivational guidance.
Strong
4.4 Assist supervisors to develop improved methods of suggestions are
communicating with staff. The branch manager should also made by
using ‘should +
maintain close contact with supervisors and appraise their
infinitive’ (should
performance every three months over the next year. maintain).

4.5 Send supervisors to an appropriate training course

on supervision of staff.

4.6 Assist the branch manager in working through job

descriptions with staff.

CONCLUSION

Not all business reports have ‘conclusion’ sections as you would expect to find
in an essay. Check with your tutor, lecturer or subject coordinator to see if a
conclusion is needed, and what it should include. Generally, a conclusion
summarises the content of the previous document and may indicate briefly what
action needs to be taken next.

REFERENCES
[References removed here – please see "How to write a CASE STUDY
ANALYSIS" or "How to write an ESSAY" for detailed help with references. It is
very important that you include a references section in all written assignments.]

25
How to write a BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Why am I being asked to write a proposal?

Proposals are very relevant to real-life work, since you are likely to have to write
proposals in many different business-related careers. For example, in your work
you may need to propose a project to your boss, ask for funding, or to pitch for
work as a consultant. Proposals also help you in applying key concepts from
business research to real-life contexts and scenarios. Making connections
between theory and practice is one of the key purposes of university study.
Proposal writing is therefore a very useful skill that will assist you with your
learning and your future career.

How should my proposal be structured?

The structure of a proposal is quite similar to a report, but the content of the
body is generally more persuasive as you are trying to "sell" an idea or product.
Proposals also need to be client-centred in order to persuade your client (see
below for persuasive language). Sant (2012) recommends that in order to
create a client-centred message, you should ask yourself these seven
questions:

1. What is the client’s 2. Why is the problem

problem or need? worth solving?

3. What results does 4. Which specific result is

the customer seek? the most important?

5. What products or services

can I offer that will solve the 6. Of the solutions I can
problem and deliver the offer, which one is the
right results? best fit for this client?

7. Why are we the

right choice?
26
A typical proposal might follow this structure:
• Title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents (may not be needed)
• Introduction (which may include a Background to the situation/issue)
• Proposal/plan (description of what is proposed)
• Benefits/selling points (this is where you need to be persuasive!)
• Conclusions (not always needed – check with your tutor)
• References
• Appendices

What kind of language should I use?

Your language should be formal, professional and concise. It also needs to be
persuasive – using emotive language to build up an impression of why your
product or service is "better" than other options or will "solve" a problem. The
words and phrases in the table below are examples of persuasive language –
you might use some of them and/or find others that are more relevant to your
proposal. To see how this language can be used, read the example proposal on
the next pages.

Adjective + Noun Adverb + Verb Comparatives

a successful product perfectly suit a greater level of comfort

a practical service expertly solve more genuine collaboration
outstanding outcomes greatly improve a higher level of quality
a trialled and tested greatly enhance better outcomes
service perfectly higher revenue
a mutually beneficial understand more profitable
solution
effectively manage
satisfied customers

General phrases

Our [product/service] is unique in the way it…

By implementing our plan/proposal, we expect you to benefit in terms of…
As a result of following our plan, you will see…
Our plan/proposal will ensure that…

27
How should my proposal be presented?
Each major section of your proposal should begin on a new page. As Emerson
(2009) suggests, use headings, sub-headings and/or numbering to make each
section clear. Also use plenty of ‘white space’ to make your work look
professional and easy to read.
Bullet points, graphs and tables are usually helpful to make key points stand
out. Check with your tutor as well, as there may be formatting rules specific to
your assignment task.

Example proposal
On the next four pages you will find extracts from two student proposals from a
postgraduate management subject in the UTS Business School, along with
some advice adapted from Sant (2012). The context of this particular proposal
task was a company experiencing significant communication issues. The brief
was to propose a form of communication training to help ameliorate these
issues.

Proposal annotation key

Important language
These boxes give tips These circles give
in the example is in
about the report tips about the
red font.
structure or content. language to use.

* Always check with your subject coordinator about what is required for your
specific assignment task. As you read this example, think about the question in
the blue thought bubble below.*

How is this example similar and

different to the one I need to
write for my assignment?

28
 Changing the Communication Culture
at Company X

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The first sentence
Company X’s core communication problem rests on states the core
Company X staff not effectively dealing with customer issue the
complaints. Effectively handling complaints is what separates customer wants to
you from your competition and ultimately what impacts on solve, and the
second sentence
your brand equity (Tsai et al., 2014).
states the desired
The key issues identified within the communication audit outcome.
conducted by Company X highlighted a lack of general
understanding between store staff and customers. Store staff
do not feel that they are adequately equipped to handle This paragraph
customer complaints, therefore customers do not feel like describes the
customer needs
their complaints are being adequately addressed. When
and refers to
customers feel they are not heard, they can become relevant research
disengaged with the product and services of company X, sources.
negatively affecting Company X’s brand (Tsai et al., 2014).
From the staff’s perspective, without proper training, they
themselves become disengaged from their job responsibilities
which in turn reflects on the company’s brand awareness and
reduced customer loyalty (Kahn, 1990).
The training program we propose will take company X
employees through an in-depth and structured methodology This paragraph
presents a
that will not only help Company X achieve its organisational
summary of the
goals, but will also allow its workers to understand the solution.
insights, build confidence and find the ability to implement the
correct behaviours needed to effectively deal with customer
complaints.
Our company, TopTalk, has a proven track record of assisting
This final
a wide plethora of retail companies. Our training programs paragraph points
are individually tailored for organizations with communication out key value-
challenges and we work with you to achieve the results that added
are needed. We are the best in the business because we components or
understand, ideate and implement programs to meet short, uniqueness
mid and long-term organisational goals. factors.

The language highlighted in red is all persuasive language – to

convince Company X that TopTalk will provide an effective solution.
This language includes different combinations of words, such as
adjective+noun (proven track record), verb+noun (achieve its goals;
understand the insights), and set phrases (the best in the business).

29
BACKGROUND / RATIONALE
[This section might be included to provide a more detailed overview of
Company X’s issues than was already provided in the Executive Summary. An
example is not included here, as the content really depends on your assignment
task. This section would be mostly descriptive, where you are summarising the
issues/problems that your proposal seeks to solve.]
The ‘scope’ section
describes who and/or what
the solution will include. In
SCOPE OF TRAINING this example, the author
describes how the training
Customers generally tend to make complaints in person will be conducted at
via direct contact with store staff. The manner in which different levels of the
these situations are handled plays a critical role in company.
customer satisfaction and retention (Thorsten et al.,
2009). Within a large retail company such as Company X,
a training program must cater to all levels from senior
store managers down to junior team members. Training This clause
each level allows a distribution of responsibility and justifies the scope
equips all team members with the required skills to of the training,
deescalate and deal with customer complaints. Training using the modal
senior level retail staff will also enable the continual on- verb ‘must’.
site training for all new and existing staff members of all
age groups and work types (e.g. full-time, part-time,
casual). Consistent training will most importantly provide
the customer with reassurance that their complaint has
been taken seriously and will be effectively handled.
Murali et al. (2016) state that the customer’s role within References to the
any business should not be under-estimated and that literature are used
every business has a prime objective of satisfying their to support the
existing customers whilst attracting new ones. Company author’s points.
X now has the opportunity to provide their staff and
customers with a mutually beneficial experience when
dealing with customer complaints.
When you
Figure 1 demonstrates the key focus areas and drivers of include a figure
our Communication Training Program, and the aims and or table, briefly
benefits of our program are further described in the next explain it within
sections. the text, like
this.

30
 You might like to include a figure
here or somewhere else in your
proposal that clearly shows the
key points about your
idea/solution.

Also include a label

for each figure and
table you add to
your proposal.

Figure 1: TopTalk Communication Training Program Focus Areas and Drivers

PURPOSE OF TRAINING This phrase

explicitly
The main purpose of this proposal is to…………… introduces the
[………………………………………………………………] purpose of the
proposal.
We have developed our tailored training program in order
to achieve the outcomes listed below:
• Provide employees with a clear understanding of
their responsibilities and expectations when The outcomes/
problem-solving objectives/
• Provide guidance on the structure and agenda for deliverables should
a forum for managers and staff to have open be clearly stated –
discussions using bullet points
might work well.
• Build strong listening skills for Company X store
staff to enable them to effectively deal with difficult
customer encounters (Weinstein et al., 2015)
• Establish a simple customer feedback system that
is easy to use and to follow-up
• Ensure the customer service training is Infinitives (base
forms of verbs) are
implemented with each employee to provide a
used here (in red)
consistent level of service throughout the to introduce
organisation/team. outcomes/
objectives/
deliverables.
[……Some detail has been removed here……………]

31
OVERVIEW OF TRAINING

TopTalk proposes the following high-level training

program that not only focuses on the need to improve the
communication between customers and staff but also on Here, the solution
driving an increase in customer satisfaction. (training program) is
The timeframe shown in Table 1 below allows for the broken down into a
training program to be implemented in a well-structured specific plan of
week-by-week
and safe working environment. Weeks 1-4 of the training
tasks, illustrated
will focus on…………………. From week 5 to 16 we will clearly with a table
begin……………………and continue to………………….. below.
By the end of week 20 …………………………

Timeframe Training tasks

Weeks 1-2

Week 3

Week 4

Weeks 5-16

Weeks 17-18

Weeks 19-20

Table 1: TopTalk Communication Training timeframe and training tasks

[………………Some detail has been removed here…………………………]

BENEFITS OF TRAINING

Customer complaints come with any retail business; it

is how you deal with them that makes the difference to
your brand. Our training program will ensure that each
customer has an improved experience with Company
X. As a result of sharing these positive experiences, This section
Company X will see higher levels of employee describes the
engagement and satisfaction across the business, expected benefits of
leading to greater staff retention and employees the proposal, giving
experiencing a sense of increased support from their very specific
management team. beneficial outcomes
in order to persuade
By providing an effective and efficient process for the Company X.
handling of customer complaints, TopTalk expects you

32
 to see an increase in brand loyalty, customer retention
and satisfaction, an increase in revenue opportunities
by selling to satisfied complainants in the future and a The language in
reduction in negative word-of-mouth as well as a red introduces the
reduced likelihood of legal proceedings (Mitchell, benefits of the
1993). proposal. This
language includes
In summary, TopTalk sees this strategic verb phrases (will
communication training initiative as a driver for the ensure that) and
development of a new competitive advantage. This nouns phrases (a
training will allow Company X to focus on growth sense of
initiatives in comparison to the existing trend of increased…).
declining growth over the last few years.

CONCLUSION

Sentence 1: Summary of the issue and proposed

The conclusion
solution generally follows this
Sentences 2-4: Persuade the reader again about your structure –
idea/product and the benefits it will have summarising and
persuading for a final
Sentence 5: Sum up with a persuasive statement to time!
convince the client to choose your proposal

REFERENCES
Mitchell, V. W. (1993). Handling consumer complaint information: How and why?
Management Decision, 31(3), 21-28.

Murali, S., Pugazhendhi, S., & Muralidharan, C. (2016). Modelling and investigating the
relationship of after sales service quality with customer satisfaction retention
and loyalty – A case study of home appliances business. Journal of
Retailing and Consumer Services, 30(1), 67-83.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.01.001

[etc. – other references removed]

A proposal often has Appendices
(Appendix A, Appendix B etc.) which
include more specific details about the
APPENDIX A: TRAINING PROGRAM proposed solution.

NOTE: This entire paper has been submitted to Turnitin and other anti-plagiarism
software. Under no circumstances copy from this or any other paper.

Some of the advice given in this ‘Example proposal’ section was adapted from Sant
(2012).

33
How to write a CASE STUDY
ANALYSIS

Why am I being asked to write a case study analysis?

Case study assignments are often used in Business education to give you a feel
for both the complexities of the real world and how the theories, models and
research being studied can be used in practice.

“In a case study you are given a written description of an organisational

situation (either fictional or based on a real-life situation) and asked to
analyse the situation according to the theoretical principles taught in a
particular course or discipline.” (Emerson, 2009, p. 34)

Generally speaking, case study assignment tasks require you to do one or more
of the following:
• To analyse a case study which is given to you for the assignment task.
• To research a particular problem or issue, using case studies that you
find from the published literature as examples to illustrate and analyse
the problem.
• To collect information for yourself inside a particular organisation in order
to prepare a case study.

How should my case study analysis be structured?

The written assignment for a case study analysis is essentially a type of report.
You will probably be given a required way of structuring the assignment. If not,
a common structure for presenting a case study assignment is:
 Introduction
 Body
o Outline of the problems/issues in the case, their causes, and factors
affecting the situation

34
 o Relevant theories, concepts, models to help explain the case
o Possible alternatives to address the problems/issues

 Conclusions
 Reference list
 Appendices

What kind of language should I use?

Your language should be formal and academic. The words and phrases you
use should also make the case study analysis "flow" well, so that
descriptions, examples and evaluations are all clearly linked together. You
should use sub-headings, and perhaps bullet points or diagrams depending
on the specific assignment.

Example case study analysis

This is an example of student writing from a postgraduate subject in the UTS
Business School. Students were given a detailed case study description of a
company (in this case "4 Pines Beer"), and then asked to analyse the case
study according to four particular issues – which are used to structure the
‘body’ of the analysis in the example below.

Case study analysis annotation key

Important language These circles give

These boxes give tips in the example is in tips about the
about the report red font. language to use.
structure or content.

* Always check with your subject coordinator about what is required for your
specific assignment task. As you read this example, think about the question in
the blue thought bubble below.*

How is this example similar and

different to the one I need to write
for my assignment?

35
Introduction The start of the
introduction
4 Pines Beer is a medium-sized beer brewing company presents the case
that is interested in applying sustainability principles to study context and
their business processes. Sustainability can be defined as defines the key
“the ideas of ‘reproduction’ and ‘self-sustainment’ in order term,
to ensure a system’s long-term viability or survival” ‘sustainability’
(Ehnert et al., 2014, p. 8). This case study report using a reference.
identifies two company sustainability issues. The report
also discusses how authentic these initiatives are by
analysing theory around "authenticity", and concludes that
4 Pines Beer is applying sustainability principles. The The introduction
clearly outlines
contribution of the sustainable initiatives to the Human
each ‘body’ part
Resource Management (HRM) of the organisation is an of the case
important part of the case study because they highlight study analysis,
the critical role of the HRM department in the operation using the
and business model of an organisation. Last but not least, phrases in red.
the sustainability initiatives of 4 Pines will be analysed in
a medical context, including the differences that are
present in the creation of value for companies.

Issue 1: Identification of sustainability initiatives & These body

their authenticity paragraphs
analyse the case
The first sustainable initiative identified is "Flare it up", an study according
online dashboard (4 Pines Beer, 2017a) which aims to to four issues –
integrate and engage the employees with the enterprise. A so the structure
study conducted by Cohen et al. (2012) suggests that all is very clear.
core HRM processes in an organisation must support
sustainable business strategies that can be categorised
into areas of recruitment, development and reward,
managerial support and communication. Certainly, "Flare it
The author refers
up" has implemented these areas with its employees,
to theory from two
creating a sustainable HRM environment through the research studies as
engagement and participation of staff. Greenwood stated a basis for their
that in a sustainable HRM, “people are not only ‘means’ evaluative analysis.
and their value goes beyond the financial value they The words
produce for organisations” (Ehnert et al., 2014, p. 8). ‘certainly’ and
Similarly, 4 Pines has adopted a sustainable HRM caring ‘similarly’ then
about the alignment of the employee’s goals with the selfie relate the theory to
format (4 Pines Beer, 2017b), maintaining constant the case study.
communication with them and offering them economic and
entertainment benefits.

36
The second initiative is……………… [paragraph removed]

The author uses a

variety of phrases
Issue 2: Authenticity of sustainability initiatives
to introduce
research studies
(According to
Authentic sustainability relates to how organisations X…, A study
transform the complexity of the integration of sustainability conducted by
into creative, original and innovative approaches. X…, X stated
According to Maio (2003), “authenticity is dependent on the that…).
integration of values into an organisation’s behaviours”
(p. 243). The "Flare it up" online dashboard is an authentic
incentive because with the elaboration of the selfie format,
that is a bi-annual evaluation of the performance and
reflection of the staff, the brewing company is focusing on
the alignment of employee-company goals which are
related to their employee culture long-term goal (4 Pines
Beer, 2017a). On the other hand, in a study conducted by The author’s
Morrow and Mowatt (2015), it was shown that authentic analysis and
strategies concern opportunities for employees “to engage evaluation of the
through personal commitment and transfer sustainable case study is
actions from their own practice to organisations” (p. 659). shown clearly here
Consequently, with this investigation, the authenticity of the with ‘consequently’,
initiative "1 for the community" is reflected in the ‘is reflected in’ and
commitment and participation of the employees with charity ‘which can be seen
as’.
organisations, which can be seen as sustainable actions
through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Issue 3: Contribution of initiatives to enhancing

positive social & human outcomes for the
organisation’s human resources
[paragraphs removed]

Issue 4: How outcomes might differ for the similar

initiatives in a different business context
[paragraphs removed]

37
 Conclusion The first
sentence of the
To sum up, the theory confirms that 4 Pines has
conclusion
implemented two sustainable and authentic initiatives. In directly answers
terms of sustainable HRM "Flare it up" is an initiative that the case study
will allow the integration and engagement of the staff within analysis task.
the organisation. Furthermore, "1 for the community"
engages the terms of CSR and sustainable development.
Despite being a medium size company, 4 Pines is aware of
the importance of being sustainable, intending to integrate
different initiatives into its business. The two sustainable This sentence
initiatives that were previously analysed, "Flare it up" and provides a clear,
"1 for the community", can be said to have a positive social succinct
and human outcome for the organisation’s human evaluation of the
resources. Finally, it was understood that extending the initiatives, based
two initiatives of 4 Pines to the medical context does not on the evidence
presented.
add value to the healthcare industry with regards to
increasing employee engagement and CSR. The context is
different in both cases and other factors are required to
achieve sustainable HRM in a medical workplace
environment.

Book reference: authors’

surnames and initials,
year, title of book, edition
References no., publisher
[…]

Ehnert, I., Harry, W., & Zink, K. J. (Eds.). (2014). Sustainability and human resource
management: Developing sustainable business organizations. Springer.

Maio, E. (2003). Managing brand in the new stakeholder environment. Journal of

Business Ethics, 44(2/3), 235-246. https://doi.org/10.1023/
A:1023364119516
[…]
Journal reference: authors’
surnames and initials, year,
article title, journal title,
NOTE: This entire paper has been submitted to Turnitin volume/ issue no., pages of
and other anti-plagiarism software. Under no journal, DOI if avaiable
circumstances copy from this or any other paper.

38
How to write a REFLECTION

This section has been adapted from the "Student guide to reflective
approaches to Managing, Leading and Stewardship, UTS".

Why am I being asked to write a reflection?

Being reflective is an aspect of everyday life – it involves assimilating
information and incorporating what is meaningful to you. It triggers further depth
in understanding yourself and the phenomena around you and allows you to
see things from a new perspective.
Reflection, and reflective writing, are therefore crucial aspects of being critical
(see the section of this guide on critical thinking and writing). Reflection can
help you better understand your subjects at university, help you develop
different ways of thinking that will be essential in your Business careers, and
can also be transformative in terms of your beliefs and opinions.

What is reflective writing?

Being reflective has been defined as:

“a generic term for those intellectual and affective activities

in which individuals engage to explore their experiences in
order to lead to new understandings and appreciations.”
(Boud et al., 1985, p. 19)

Reflective writing means not just writing a description: instead, you need to
explain your viewpoint or perception. It also means you need to critically
analyse your own thoughts and experiences.

The aim of being reflective is to improve your ability to:

• Think in different ways about your professional and academic practices.
• Understand and question how projects or activities were done and how
they could be improved for future.

39
 • Explore how theories and research findings can be actively applied to
practice.
• Review and think critically about how you have experienced things.
• Explore how you deal with various situations, including how you would do
things differently.

How should my reflection be structured?

The structure of your reflection will depend very much on your assignment task
and what it asks you to do. For example, you might be asked to structure your
reflection around different parts of your subject, or around specific tasks like a
presentation or reflecting on peer feedback.
Reflections are generally more fluid and flexible than other types of writing
because they are quite personal and critical reflection can be shown in a range
of different ways.

What kind of language should I use? How should my reflection

be presented?
These questions can be answered to a large extent by the Academic Writing
Analytics (AWA) tool at UTS. This is a prototype tool that can give rapid
formative feedback on your reflective writing in order to help you make your
thinking more visible.
 Information about AWA and how to use it: https://utscic.edu.au/tools/awa/
 Access to the AWA tool to submit your reflective writing and receive
feedback: https://acawriter.uts.edu.au/
The AWA tool is based on the content and language of your reflective writing,
as follows:
Content:
• Initial thoughts and feelings about a significant experience (indicated with
a blue square at the start of the sentence)
• The challenge of new surprising or unfamiliar ideas, problems or learning
experiences (indicated with a purple circle at the start of the sentence)
• How new knowledge can lead to change (indicated with a green triangle
at the start of the sentence)

Language:
• Deep reflection, personally applied (indicated in bold)
• Expressions indicating belief, learning, or knowledge (indicated with
underlining)
• Expressions indicating self-critique (in red italics)
• Words associated with strong feelings (in green italics)

40
Example reflection
The extracts of reflective writing on the next two pages are from a student
reflective writing assignment in a postgraduate management subject within the
UTS Business School. In this subject, students write a reflective log throughout
the subject that includes: pre-subject reflection, mid-subject reflection, post-
subject reflection, action guiding principles, and peer reflection.
This writing sample has been submitted to the AWA tool, and includes the
feedback on reflective writing that the tool produced. The AWA feedback is
shown using the key above (coloured shapes, underlining, bold, red italics etc.).
There are also additional comments in comment boxes on the right hand side,
and the key for these comments is on the next page.

Reflection annotation key

These circles give tips

These boxes give tips about the
about the language to use.
report structure or content.

* Always check with your subject coordinator about what is required for your
specific assignment task. As you read this example, think about the question in
the blue thought bubble below.*

How is this example similar and

different to the one I need to write for
my assignment?

Describing how
initial thoughts
Mid-subject reflection have changed
and why, with
At this stage of our learning, I feel the assumptions I made clear links to the
at the beginning of the course have been in some ways subject literature
and evidence of
confirmed, yet in other ways challenged. My initial deep reflection.
thoughts on leadership and management were compatible
with the ideas presented in classes, but I do feel my
understanding has been deepened by lectures and in
Verbs like
particular the readings from Ann Cunliffe (Cunliffe, ‘consider’ and
2014; Cunliffe & Luhman, 2012). Cunliffe’s resources ‘think’ indicate
helped me consider the importance of theory in reflection and
influencing the practice of management and to view my developing
personal experiences with management through a more beliefs.
critical lens.

41
Stewardship Theory has highlighted the need to think about
the bigger picture as a leader, considering multiple
perspectives when making tough management decisions Here the author
(Davis et al., 1997). Stewardship was one of the concepts shows how they
that I knew little of when commencing this course. I am now might change their
beginning to grasp the principles and how they can enrich approach as a
result of their
my approach to management strategy, such as the way
learning (this is
leaders need to inspire and motivate their followers to take self-critique).
personal responsibility for their work and build on their moral
courage (Hernandez, 2008).

Post-subject reflection

At the conclusion of this subject, I can look back on the

preconceived ideas I had about managing, leading and
stewardship and see a deepening understanding of how This is a clear
these terms intertwine. I see my personal journey towards topic sentence
introducing a
management has been shaped by the theories and ideas
paragraph
explored through readings, classes and lectures. reflecting on one
specific topic -
One of the big issues faced in business management today ‘moral
is the idea of moral accountability. Past business scandals accountability’.
have highlighted a lack of accountability across all levels of
organisation for the moral wrong doings. Milgram (1974)
demonstrated this alarming reality through his shock therapy
experiments where we saw people willing to shock human The words
subjects to death as long as they were not held personally ‘shocking
accountable for their actions. The same example is seen in examples’ show
the Enron case study, where traders and employees across the author’s
the company were willing to lie, scheme and break the law strong feelings.
in order to make a profit. The needs of customers and the This sentence
community were blatantly ignored in the attempts to make shows deep
short-term profit goals and no thought was given to long- reflection through
the words ‘really
term consequences. These shocking examples
opened my eyes
really opened my eyes to the potential for ordinary to…’
people to be callous and ruthless in business when
viewing the world through such a narrow profit-driven
lens. I think the concept of stewardship in business
is essential so that our society can function
harmoniously, with people intrinsically motivated to act
on good moral principles and working towards creating
shared value (Hernandez, 2008).
The author’s opinion is shown through
the words ‘is essential’, and they show
a concern for society in general.

42
Action Guiding Principles

Going forward as a leader and a steward, I want to be This paragraph

includes several
more assertive when debating issues with other
instances of self-
colleagues, as one of my main shortcomings is being too critique, where
accommodating to others at the expense of my own the author
needs. Along with that strong assertive stance and self- reflects on how
confidence, I need to maintain my empathy for others in they plan to
the workplace. In my current position, I have a sound change their
understanding of what it is like to both manage others and practice.
be managed and I do not want to forget what it feels like to
work in the lab, away from the business decisions. These
lab staff are essential to the business and need to be
represented in any closed book meetings that decide their
working conditions. I hope to demonstrate
These sentences
leadership responsibility in my future dealings with
show how the
senior management so that each party is fairly author hopes to
represented. use knowledge
gained from the
When I move into a management role, I want to ensure subject to enact
change in the
I connect with others and maintain that humane aspect to
future.
my authority. By establishing a collaborative, team
environment I believe tasks will be completed more
efficiently. Transparency and an open flow of
information will help build trust and as a manager I want to
be approachable. In this way, problems or areas of
concern can be proactively identified and solutions
discovered as a team.
REFERENCES
Cunliffe, A. L. (2014). A very short, fairly interesting and
reasonably cheap book about management (2nd ed.). Sage.
Cunliffe, A. L., & Luhman, J. T. (2012). Key concepts in
organization theory. Sage Publications.
Davis, J. H., Schoorman, F. D., & Donaldson, L. (1997). Toward
a stewardship theory of management. The Academy of
Management Review, 22(1), 20-47. https://
doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9707180258
Hernandez, M. (2008). Promoting stewardship behavior in
organizations: A leadership model. Journal of
Business Ethics, 80(1), 121-128. https://doi:10.1007/
s10551-007-9440-2

43
How to write an ESSAY

Why am I being asked to write an essay?

Not because your lecturers want you to suffer! Tissington and Hasel (2017)
explain that essays are used as assignment tasks in order to both develop and
test your knowledge, and to help you to think logically and critically.
The main purpose of an essay is to convince the reader that your position or
point of view is valid, well-justified, and well-supported by relevant research.
You will need to integrate evidence from research (e.g. journal articles and
books) into your essay to support the argument. Most essay questions will ask
you to develop your own argument or "position" on the topic.

How should my essay be structured?

o Opening sentences are broad and general,
Introduction gradually focusing the reader on the topic and
5-10% of total finally on the proposition/ key idea/ position.
paper o THESIS STATEMENT: Main idea of the essay.

o First topic sentence supporting the thesis

statement.
Body o Sentences developing first topic sentence
(definition, detail, example, citations).
Argument
paragraphs
o Second topic sentence supporting the thesis
75-80% of total statement.
paper o Sentences developing second topic sentence.

o Third topic sentence supporting the thesis

statement.
o Sentences developing third topic sentence.

Etc. (more o Add as many body paragraphs as needed (this

paragraphs) depends on the essay task and length).
Conclusion
o Bridging statement.
5-10% of total o Summary of key points and restatement of the
paper thesis statement. Effective concluding
statement.

Basic essay structure, adapted from Emerson (2009, p. 56)

44
What kind of language should I use?
Your language should be formal and academic. The words and phrases you
use should also make the essay ‘flow’ well, so that descriptions, examples and
evaluations are all clearly linked together.

Example essay
This is a sample student essay from an undergraduate management subject in
the UTS Business School. We would like to acknowledge UTS:HELPS in
providing the essay below, and some of the annotations. You can find the full
version of this essay on the HELPS website here:
https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/helps/self-help-
resources/sample-written-assignments

Essay annotation key

These boxes give tips Important language These circles give

about the report structure in the example is in tips about the
or content. red font. language to use.

* Always check with your tutors about what is required for your specific
assignment task. As you read this example, think about the question in the blue
thought bubble below.*

How is this example similar and

different to the one I need to write
for my assignment?

Question:
“Discuss the claim that post-bureaucracies are more suitable than
bureaucracies in delivering change and innovation to an organisation.”

Most essays start with an introduction paragraph, which

introduces the topic, defines key terms, states the
writer’s position, and outlines the content of the essay. The key terms
‘bureaucracy’ and
‘post-bureaucracy’
A bureaucracy is a systematic organisational structure that is are both defined
hierarchical and rigid which focusses on centralised power. early in the
This centralised power provides the organisation with the introduction.
authority to direct and control employees via an autocratic
leadership style. Each employee specialises in an area,
however, this specialisation can actually de-skill employees. In
contrast, a post-bureaucracy employs a horizontal structure

45
with decentralised power which enables employee This is the writer’s
empowerment (Clegg et al., 2012). This essay will argue that position
post-bureaucracies are better at delivering change and statement, or
innovation. In the first section, I will discuss the use of ‘thesis’ (“This
concertive control as a device to deliver change and boost essay will
argue…”)
production. This position is in contrast to the views of Weber
(Clegg et al., 2012) arguing that bureaucracy is the most
efficient method to manage. The second section will explore
the influence of soft power and its efficiency in delivering The first words of
innovation compared to bureaucracy. Finally, in the last section each sentences
I will explore the idea that change is inevitable and make the purpose
management can only integrate change into their system in of the sentence
post- bureaucracies as bureaucracies are too rigid to (definition,
effectively do this. position or outline)
very clear.
The writer clearly outlines what the essay will cover
(“In the first section,… The second section…”)

The body of the essay will consist of several

paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on one key

The topic sentence

One of the key strengths of post-bureaucracies is their use of introduces the first
concertive control. This type of control shifts power from key argument.
management to staff but maintains "corporate" control through
company values. These values guide employee behaviour,
for example towards improving production and delivering
A real life
innovations. One such example is ISE Communications illustration of a
where the workers are empowered to work in small teams, company is used
make decisions and introduce innovations, for instance, here.
changes in the handling procedures of the organisation.
Hence, concertive control through management’s soft power
has encouraged staff to be more involved with the product
and has developed their sense of responsibility for the overall
management process. Values are used to "teach" new team
members about the existing "rules" in the team which limit
resistance (Barker, 1993).

Linking phrases connect parts of the

argument (explanation, example)
together clearly:
- this/these + noun
- for example/ instance
- hence

46
 This paragraph introduces an argument that
contrasts with the first body paragraph.

Another real life

example –
In contrast, Weber argues that a bureaucracy and "the McDonald’s system
coercive" control exercised by its systems and rules is the of management – is
given and
most efficient method of management (Barker, 1993). This
supported with a
position asserts that coercive control promotes efficiency and reference.
production. An example is Ritzer (2011)’s model of
McDonaldization which is a highly rationalised and cost-
efficient concept using four key mechanisms: efficiency,
calculability, predictability and control. Efficiency refers to the
implementation of the most efficient method of production and Using ‘this + noun’
involves roles and tasks, calculability refers to pricing, is an effective way
predictability to standardisation through ordered routines of referring to the
(Clegg et al., 2012) and control to the standardisation of the idea in the
product. This efficient process of standardisation means that previous sentence
McDonald’s delivers change only by altering current (e.g.
processes and enforcing new procedures which are also ‘Efficiency’…..
reflected in a modulated company culture. ‘This efficient
process…’)

The writer shows

However, while coercive control can promote efficiency in
here that they
production and some change, it can impede innovation as disagree with the
everything is planned and standardised "top-down". This type position described
of control can result in a disengagement from company in the last
processes with at times disastrous results as was seen in the paragraph.
Challenger Shuttle tragedy (Dimitroff et al., 2005). Dimitroff et
al. (2015) argue that political pressures on NASA and NASA’s
subsequent pressure on staff ultimately contributed to
"groupthink", the situation where individuals agree with ideas for
fear of being held responsible when actions go wrong (Dimitroff
et al., 2015). Hence, bureaucracies may have clearly
Frequent,
structured systems which can support innovation and change,
accurate use of
but as demonstrated through NASA, this systematic nature can references to a
impact on innovation and judgement. range of sources.

[…. several paragraphs removed…]

47
Most essays have a conclusion, which summarises the
key points and restates the position of the writer.

This first sentence

In conclusion, post-bureaucracies are a more appropriate is a restatement of
method of delivering innovation and change into the writer’s
organisations. Systematic bureaucracy may be able to position.
deliver change through coercive control which can stimulate
efficiency and production. However, generally they see
change as undesirable and allow it only through strict Here the writer re-
systems which may hamper innovation. On the other hand, states the key
post-bureaucracies provide a more efficient and softer arguments that
method to change and innovate. They use employee support their
position.
empowerment or "concertive" control to catalyse changes
and innovations (Barker, 1993). Flexible leadership changes
platforms and the focus on organisational culture also
contributes to the success of these processes.

* Linking phrases ‘however’ and ‘on the other hand’

indicate contrast between points
* Hedging language (‘may’, ‘generally’) softens strong
claims and recognises that there are different
possibilities.
* Comparative language (‘a more efficient and softer’)
is another way of showing the writer’s position or
judgement

48
 Start your reference list on a new page.
References are listed in alphabetical order
according to the first letter of the first author’s
family name (e.g. ‘B’ for Barker).
Journal reference:
authors’ family names
References (e.g. Barker) and first
name initials (e.g. J.
R.), year of
publication, article title,
[…]
journal title, volume/
Barker, J. R. (1993). Tightening the iron cage: concertive control in issue numbers, pages
self-managing teams. Administrative Science of journal, DOI if
Quarterly, 38(3), 408-437. available

[…]
Book reference:
Clegg, S. R., Kornberger, M., & Pitsis, T. (2012). Managing and authors’ family
organisations: An introduction to theory and practice (3rd names and first
ed.). Sage. name initials, year
of publication, title
[…] of book, edition
number, publisher
Morgan, G., & Spicer, A. (2009). Critical approaches to
organisational change. In M. Alvesson, T. Bridgman, & H.
Willmott (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of critical
management studies (pp. 251-266). Oxford University Press.

Chapter in a book: authors’ family

names and first name initials, year of
publication, title of chapter in book, first
name initials and family names of
editors, title of book, pages of chapter,
publisher, DOI if available

NOTE: This entire paper has been submitted to Turnitin and other anti-plagiarism
software. Under no circumstances copy from this or any other paper.

For help with referencing, go to UTS Library > Referencing > APA
Referencing Guide
https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/referencing/apa-referencing-guide

49
STEP 6: Checklist for revising
According to Emerson (2009), revising and editing are
two different steps in the writing process. Revising
means checking the content and overall structure of
your writing, and should be done before editing.
Editing is the final step before submitting your
assignment, and it means checking the paragraph and

You can use this checklist as a self-reflection tool at the revising stage – a few
days before submitting your assignment. The questions depend to some extent
on the type of writing, so some of the questions might not be relevant.

Key questions to answer as you revise your writing Tick when done or
make notes here

CONTENT
1) Have I addressed the assignment brief and/or answered
the assignment question(s)?
2) Is all the content I have included relevant to the assignment
brief/question(s)?
3) Have I included the appropriate amount of detail?
4) Have I demonstrated my ability to be analytical and critical,
e.g. through using different perspectives?
5) Have I fully developed my ideas with examples and
evidence?
6) Have I included supporting evidence for my arguments,
claims or key points?
7) Have I referred to a sufficient number of academic sources
(books, journal articles, book chapters) for this assignment?
8) Have I referred to a sufficient number of non-academic
sources (news articles, government reports, websites) for
this assignment?

OVERALL STRUCTURE
9) Have I included the required elements according to the type
of writing? (e.g. introduction-body-conclusion for an essay)
10) Have I included sub-headings where needed, and are they
succinct?
11) Have I presented my written work clearly and professionally
so that the reader can follow the structure easily?

50
STEP 7: Checklist for editing
According to Emerson (2009), editing is the final step
before submitting your assignment, and it means checking
the paragraph and sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary
and punctuation, and referencing.

You can use this checklist as a self-reflection tool at the editing stage – shortly
before submitting your assignment. The questions depend to some extent on
the type of writing, so some of the questions might not be relevant.

Key questions to answer as you edit your writing Tick when done or
make notes here
PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
1) Have I used clear topic sentences* for each paragraph?
2) Does each paragraph develop one key point clearly?
3) Have I used signposting language and transition signals** to
connect my ideas within each paragraph?
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
4) Have I varied the length and structure of my sentences?
5) Can I cut out any unnecessary words?
6) Is there anything I could write more clearly, more simply?
GRAMMAR
7) Have I checked the type of errors I normally make (e.g. word
forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement)?
8) Have I checked for correct use of grammar and punctuation?
VOCABULARY
9) Have I used formal and academic words rather than informal
words?
10) Have I used (and appropriately referenced) key terminology that
relates to my assignment?
11) Have I done a spell check of my document?
REFERENCING
12) Are quotations introduced smoothly and integrated fully into a
sentence?
13) Have I used only a few selected quotations, and mostly
paraphrased ideas from source texts?
14) Are sources acknowledged according to the correct referencing
style for this subject (APA 7th or Harvard UTS)?
* Topic sentence = the first sentence of each paragraph that clearly introduces the topic of the paragraph
** Signposting language = phrases and words that indicate to the reader what each section and paragraph
will contain and how ideas are linked (e.g. The main argument is that…, This section will cover…, There
are two key objectives of this report…..)
** Transition signals = ‘linking’ words and phrases (e.g. and, but, also, however, although, in contrast, on
the other hand, moreover, furthermore etc.)

51
Learning from assignment feedback
You will receive feedback from your tutors on each written assignment you
submit. It is important that you do not just look at the grade, but take time to
understand the feedback and how to apply it to developing your writing.

Where am I now?

What was the key area for improvement

identified by your tutor in their feedback on
your writing? If you are unsure, ask them.

Where am I going?

What is your goal for

improving your writing?

What are you going to do to help

you achieve your writing goal? How do I get
there?

You could use this table or your own diagram to help you visualise your goal.
The important thing is that you keep track of your feedback, goals, method (how
to achieve you goal) and monitor this progress.
Where am I now? Where am I going? How do I get Have I got
(What area do I (What is my goal?) there? there?
need to improve?) (What can I do to (Have I achieved
achieve my goal?) this goal?)
e.g. My writing is too e.g. To be able to write e.g. Use the
descriptive and not in a critical way, to evaluation checklist
critical enough show I have in Appendix 1 of this
questioned and guide
evaluated different
arguments

52
References
Bailey, S. (2011). Academic writing for international students of business. Routledge.

Bloch, J., & Spataro, S. E. (2014). Cultivating critical-thinking dispositions throughout

the business curriculum. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly,
77(3), 249-265. https://doi: 10.1177/2329490614538094

Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956).
Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals.
Handbook I: Cognitive domain. David McKay Company.

Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). What is reflection in learning? In D. Boud, R.
Keogh, & D. Walker (Eds.), Reflection: Turning experience into learning (pp.
7-17). Kogan Page.

Chartrand, J., Emery, S., Hall, R., Ishikawa, H., & Maketa, J. (2012). Now you’re
thinking! Change your thinking… transform your life. Pearson.

Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection
(3rd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Emerson, L. (2009). Writing guidelines for business students (4th ed.). Cengage
Learning Australia.

Sant, T. (2012). Persuasive business proposals: Writing to win more customers, clients
& contracts (3rd ed.). AMACON.

Tissington, P., & Hasel, M. (2017). How to write successful business & management
essays (2nd ed.). Sage Study Skills.

53
Appendix 1: Evaluating your writing for
critical thinking
This checklist of self-evaluation questions was included in the ‘critical thinking’ section
of this guide as a list of questions. Here you will also find some possible actions you
can take. Adapted from Cottrell (2017, pp. 184-5)

Self-evaluation questions Yes Actions you could take if you are unsure or
/ No answered ‘no’

1. Am I clear on my position Write your position down as a statement in one

on this subject and the or two sentences. If you cannot do so, this
reasons for my point of suggests that your position isn’t yet clear in
view? your own mind. If possible, also check whether
your point of view is clear to a friend or
colleague who knows little about the subject.

2. Are my conclusions and/or Write your conclusions first. Read these aloud;
recommendations clear, check that they make sense. Imagine someone
based on evidence, and tells you that your conclusion is wrong. What
written in tentative language reasons would you give to defend it? Have you
where appropriate? included all these reasons in your writing?

3. Have I analysed the If not, write the reasons out in brief and
structure of my argument consider how each is linked to the conclusion.
and presented the reasons Check whether the argument ‘hops’ from one
in the best order to lead point to another. Cluster similar reasons
clearly towards the together and indicate how each contributes to
conclusion? the main argument or conclusion.

4. Have I made use of other Check what has been written or produced on
people’s research as this subject by other people. Include
supporting evidence to references to relevant items that best support
strengthen my argument? your point of view.

5. Have I cited the source of Write out the details of the references in brief
information for evidence within the text (in-text citations – including
and theories which I refer author and date), and in full at the end of the
to? writing.

6. Is my writing mainly Check whether all sections of descriptive

analytical and does it writing and background information are
contain only brief, essential essential to understanding your reasoning or
descriptive writing where are part of the conventions of the type of report
needed, and not more than (etc.) you are writing. Keep descriptions very
needed? brief, look for ways of summarising them and
link them clearly to your main argument.
Beware of wordy introductions.

54
Appendix 2: Study skills – Suggested
resources
General support

General study support and resources for https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/study-support-

UTS students and-resources

General information for UTS Business https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/current-students-

School students information-uts-business-school/manage-your-course

UTS Library support

UTS Library Study Skills Portal http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/study-skills

UTS Library Study Skills – Writing, reading http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/study-skills/writing-reading-

and speaking speaking

UTS HELPS

UTS HELPS (Student support service) https://www.uts.edu.au/current-

students/support/helps/about-helps

UTS HELPS – Resources for academic https://www.uts.edu.au/current-

writing students/support/helps/self-help-resources/academic-
writing

UTS HELPS – Sample written assignments https://www.uts.edu.au/current-

students/support/helps/self-help-resources/sample-
written-assignments

UTS Avoiding Plagiarism tutorial and quiz https://avoidingplagiarism.uts.edu.au/

Other resources for academic writing

Useful academic phrases for writing http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

(Manchester University, UK)

Resources for writing (University of New https://student.unsw.edu.au/writing

South Wales, Sydney)

UTS Policies

Advice to Students on Good Academic http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/academicpractice.html

Practice (UTS Policy)

Assessment of Coursework Subjects (UTS http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/coursework-

Policy) assessments-policy.html

Assessment of Coursework Subjects (UTS http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/documents/assessme

Procedures) nt-coursework-procedures.pdf

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 Teaching and Learning Centre
UTS Business School
PO Box 123
Broadway, NSW 2007.
uts.edu.au/about/uts-business-school

CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00099F