TB801 Technology and innovation management

Assessment guide
This item contains selected online content. It is for use alongside, not as a replacement for the module website, which
is the primary study format and contains activities and resources that cannot be replicated in the printed versions.
Copyright © 2022 The Open University

Contents
1 Introduction 2
2 Assessment overview 3
2.1 The EMA case study 3
2.2 Marks for the TMAs and EMA 8
2.3 Making the most of TMAs 10
2.4 Rules on word limits and word counts 10
2.5 TMA/EMA submission file types 11
3 Submitting TMAs and the EMA 12
3.1 EMA resubmission 12
4 Advice on academic writing 13
4.1 Structuring your writing 13
4.2 Presenting data 14
4.3 Developing an effective argument 16
4.4 Effective writing style 17
4.5 Plagiarism 20
4.6 Referencing 21
4.7 Good academic practice 22
4.8 An ethical approach 24
5 Help with your studies 25
6 Summary 26
References 26
1 Introduction 18/04/23

1 Introduction
This Assessment guide contains information about the three tutor-marked assignments
(TMAs) and the end-of-module assessment (EMA) for TB801 Technology and innovation
management.

Read all of the advice given in this Assessment guide before starting work on any of
the assignments: this information may significantly influence the grade that you
achieve for your work.

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2 Assessment overview
For TB801, there are three tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and the end-of-module
assessment (EMA) in the form of a case study. The TMAs and the EMA are designed as
an integrated set, to develop your knowledge and skills progressively. You can check the
weeks when TMA 01, TMA 02 and TMA 03 are due on the study planner. Later
assignments expect you to demonstrate and develop your learning from your earlier work
in the module.

● TMA 01 emphasises the skills of good academic practice – information searching,

summarising and referencing, for example. You will be expected to demonstrate
such skills throughout the rest of your assignments as appropriate, even if the later
assignment briefs do not specify them explicitly. Work that does not will be penalised.
It is especially important for all your TMAs and the EMA to reference relevant
sections of the module materials, as well as any external sources, to show that you
have drawn on relevant concepts taught in the module and that you are
acknowledging your sources appropriately. TMA 01 is based on your Block 1 studies.
● TMA 02 and TMA 03 will assess your understanding and application of core block
concepts and tools. TMA 02 is based on your Block 2 and Block 3 studies while
TMA 03 is based on your Block 4 and Block 5 studies. The first parts of TMA 02 and
TMA 03 are also designed as preparation for the EMA.
● The EMA itself is integrative, requiring you to consider a range of concepts from
across the module and to apply them to a case of technological innovation in an
organisational context of your choice. The EMA is based on your whole module
studies.

Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide feedback. It is therefore important that
you give due consideration to the feedback from your tutor on each assignment. Taking
this on board can help you achieve well in the later assignments. The TMAs and EMA are
available on the module website on the Assessment page and the relevant week of the
study planner. The cut-off dates for the TMAs and the EMA are shown on the study
planner.
The module also provides formative assessment through a range of activities designed to
support self-assessment and module learning, e.g. self-assessed questions, regular
practice quizzes, questions in the text, optional activities and the application of tools.

2.1 The EMA case study

For the EMA you will be asked to choose and develop a case study. By ‘case study’ we
mean an investigation and analysis of an example of technological innovation where there
is sufficient information available about how it has been managed in a context.
In the EMA, you will be asked to produce a case study that describes the background to a
type of technological innovation and explains the context for innovation management. You
will also be asked to produce a systems map, a stakeholder analysis, and a critique
evaluating an aspect of the management of innovation for your chosen technological
innovation, and then to make recommendations for innovation strategy. Your choice of
‘case study’ must be suitable to be used as the basis for the range of work you need to do
for your EMA.

If you have not yet read the EMA questions, we suggest that you do so before
Week 10 in the study planner, when you will begin work on TMA 02.

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2.1.1 Choosing your case study

It can be difficult to choose a suitable case study in technological innovation management
for the EMA. You will need to find a clear technological innovation and a good rationale for
why this would make a good innovation management case study, i.e. meet the EMA
requirements. There needs to be enough real-world evidence to allow you to describe,
explain, analyse and evaluate what was planned and achieved as part of innovation
management in an organisational context.
Good starting points for generating ideas include your personal or professional interests
and experiences in areas of technological innovation and innovation management. Look
for ideas and concepts or any material that you found particularly interesting in the module
and consider your goals linked to your qualification interests as another source of ideas.
You could use Block 1 resources on brainstorming to help generate ideas and mind
mapping steps to identify areas for exploration.
Your case study:

● could be based on a topic in managing technological innovation that you have direct
experience of, in your own organisation, or that you have close involvement with, in
some way, or alternatively, one that interests you
● could be based in any organisational and sectoral context or place-based context
(e.g. regional, cities, etc) with the exception of the organisations (and topics) listed in
Table 2.1
● could be drawn from any industry sector, but do state the relevant sector. The
following sectors may be likely to present useful cases: IT; construction; aerospace;
biotechnology; telecommunications; defence; health care; pharmaceuticals; public or
government services; logistics and retail; banking and finance; energy and those
relevant to sustainability and the environment, etc.
● could be about the management of a radical innovation or an incremental innovation,
or indeed any type or form of innovation and degree of innovation novelty (with the
exceptions noted in Table 2.1). Note however that the EMA case study should be
focused on an innovation management context. Your choice of case study is not an
opportunity to share your knowledge of a technology, its implementation or its
application, but needs to be focused on innovation management and technologies in
that context
● should have sufficient information to address EMA requirements, as outlined in the
EMA guidance. It should include information on the background to the technological
innovation and the context for innovation management, including:
○ the innovation project
○ the people and organisation(s) involved (P)
○ the technologies involved (T)
○ the organisational model or approach to innovation (O)
○ the organisation, key sector and other relevant features of innovation
context (C)
● needs to be a technological innovation where there is sufficient information available
on what was planned and achieved in order to manage the innovation. Current or
historical innovations are a permitted choice, although the analysis and evaluation
required by the EMA needs to show current thinking on innovation management. A
future innovation is not suitable, as you will need to be able to look back at the whole
innovation management story over time.

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Note: as your ‘case study’ will look at how an innovation was managed you will also need
to identify the role of people in your case study – for example, innovators and project
groups or teams. Your case study should also identify the role of a key organisation that
you will focus on, and any of its key networks (if applicable) – this might involve, for
example, several organisations, partnerships, a consortium or a system of innovation
(e.g. sectoral, regional or national). Therefore choosing a broad technology area, for
example, artificial intelligence, is not suitable as you will find it difficult to address the EMA
requirements and apply the concepts, frameworks, models, techniques and tools
explored in TB801.

Remember: the most interesting technology does not necessarily have the most
interesting innovation management issues, so you should choose an appropriate
case study with this in mind.
Please note that you cannot base your choice of case study on any the following list
of TB801 block case studies (Table 2.1). As these are case studies that are
extensively covered in the module, they are not suitable for use for assessment
purposes.

Table 2.1 Case study areas already covered in the module – do not use these
in your assessments (TMAs and the EMA)

Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4 Block 5

Raspberry All vacuum MK:Smart Domestic heat

Battery technologies
Pi cleaners initiative pump systems

Veolia’s Diet Council-led smart

waste to varieties of city programmes
Tesla Inc. Tesla Inc.
energy fizzy cold in Milton Keynes
project drinks and Peterborough

Western Power
Distribution (WPD)
3D printing initiatives, including Uber Inc, The Plugged-in
and the Project Falcon Lyft and all Places initiative Digital radio
maker (Flexible Approaches ride hailing and Route 7 in switchover
movement for Low Carbon companies Milton Keynes
Optimised Networks)
and Project Entire

Nokia
Project Vector by The EGOV4U
Ready corporation
Jaguar Land digital inclusion
meals smartphone
Rover (JLR) project
failure

Agricultural robots

Electric
vehicles (EVs)

The approach you take to your case study will be guided by the real-world
information you collect and the academic literature, including application of the

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module concepts, frameworks or models. Information for your case study could
come from documentary sources (e.g. annual reports, project reports, organisational
charts, product literature), quality media, magazines, websites, or trade reports or
datasets (giving a practical real-world perspective), as well as TB801 module
materials and academic theory and research literature (giving an academic
perspective) and so on.
Your case study should illustrate an interesting principle or attempt to answer an
interesting question about the management of technological innovation, for example
about the appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness, etc. of an aspect of innovation
management, and be written up for the EMA.

Summary of ‘dos and don’ts’ of choosing your EMA case study

When choosing your EMA case study, do:

● consider your own experience and interest as useful sources of ideas

● consider any type or form of innovation and degree of innovation novelty (with
the exception of the prohibited list of topics noted in Table 2.1)
● engage with your tutor about your EMA and seek feedback on your plans
● ensure that there is sufficient information in your choice of case study to
address EMA requirements, particularly concerning the innovation project, the
context for innovation management and its suitability for the Part 2 critique
● ensure there is information about the role of people, technologies, the
organisational approach, and context - (It needs to “tick” the PTOC factors!)
● find an example with interesting innovation management issues
● base it in any organisational and sectoral context or place-based context
(e.g. regional, cities, etc) with the exception of the organisations listed in
Table 2.1)
● develop your own case study - you are not expected to find a ready-made
published case study
● ensure your example is based on an in-depth examination of a particular case
of technological innovation and how it has been managed, drawing on TB801
module concepts, ‘real-world’ information on technology and innovation
management, and the academic literature.

When choosing your EMA case study, don’t:

● choose a future innovation, as there is unlikely to be sufficient information

available
● use the case study as an opportunity to simply share your knowledge of a
technology, its implementation or its application
● base your choice of case study on the list of block case studies in Table 2.1.

Figure 1.1 summarises the process of choosing a suitable and practical idea for your EMA
case study through (1) generating ideas, (2) deciding on an idea based on a suitable topic
in managing innovation, (3) considering whether there is sufficient information available
for the case study and (4) ensuring the choice can meet EMA requirements.

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Figure 1.1 Flow chart for EMA case study selection

2.1.2 The EMA process

The EMA process starts in TMA 02, where one of your tasks is to select an example of
technological innovation where there is sufficient information about its management, with
a view to developing it into a case study for your EMA. TMA 02 Part 1 asks you to explain
your innovation, why it would make a good innovation management case study and to use
the Block 1 definitions of innovation and the people and organisation(s) involved, the
technologies, the organisational model or approach, the key sector (and any other key
features of the context) – the PTOC framework – in your explanation.
TMA 02 provides an opportunity for you to start to engage with your tutor about your EMA
early on and get early feedback on your plans. In TMA 02 you will be asked to write a brief
description of your chosen example and to clearly explain why you define your case study
as an innovation. (You may find Figure 1.1 helpful.)
For your EMA, one task will be to produce a critique of a particular aspect of your chosen
case study. This might be an examination of the overall approach taken to innovation
management or may focus on the management of a specific feature, innovation phase,
etc. For example, you might want to critique your ‘case study’ in terms of the management
of an open innovation process, or of the effectiveness of the technology transfer process.
Alternatively, you might want to look at a specific set of management decisions and the
strategy that guided those decisions. This might entail looking at a specific issue affecting
the innovation process, such as IP strategy.
You will begin to prepare this critique in TMA 03, where one of your tasks will be to write a
brief explanation of why you have chosen this aspect of innovation management to
critique in your case study and how you intend to approach this work in Part 2 of the EMA.
(You may find Figure 1.1 helpful.)
The work on the case study you complete for TMA 02 and TMA 03 will be a key resource
for your EMA. Your tutor’s feedback on the Part 1 tasks in both is important for ensuring
that you have chosen an appropriate topic for your EMA, and taking their advice on board
will strengthen your submission. It is strongly advised that you do not change your case
study after completing TMA 02 and TMA 03 unless this has been agreed with your tutor. If

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you do change your case study topic for the EMA, you will not be penalised for the fact
you have changed, but you will not have benefitted so directly from the TMA process.
The aim of the EMA is to analyse your case study using knowledge you have gained and
tools and techniques that you have covered in your study of TB801, including a systems
map and a stakeholder analysis. In Part 1 of your EMA, you will be asked to describe and
explain the background to the innovation and the innovation management context. In Part
2 you will be asked to provide a critique of your case study based on analysis and
evaluation, and then to make recommendations for developing innovation strategy.
You will be asked to state the viewpoint from which you will develop your case study and
will carry out the EMA tasks. This might be from the viewpoint of:

● an organisation working on the innovation

● a functional group within an organisation working on the innovation
● a customer or user
● a stakeholder or a neutral third party.

For the EMA, you will be asked to provide a critique of your case study from both an
academic perspective that refers to module concepts, frameworks or models, techniques
and tools, and from a practical perspective, covering what was planned and undertaken to
manage technological innovation in the context of your chosen case study. Your critique
should show how you have applied module concepts, frameworks or models, techniques
and tools to a real-world example of technological innovation, and considered how
effective the management has been in your analysis and evaluation. In other words, it is
an opportunity to consider how theory might influence the management of innovation and
how the real-world innovation management context might inform theory.
The EMA provides an opportunity for you to focus in depth on a specific theme, approach,
concept, innovation phase, and so on in the management of technological innovation from
the wide range of topics that have been covered in the module block materials. Note that
you will not be asked to critique your own efforts at writing a case study, to provide a
personal ‘reflection’, or to provide a critique of a technology or a business model. The
EMA will require is a critique of the innovation management actions that apply to your
chosen example of innovation.

2.2 Marks for the TMAs and EMA

TB801 requires that to pass the module students must demonstrate they can meet the
learning outcomes. TMAs make up 40% of the overall assessment score of the module
and the EMA makes up the other 60% of the overall module score (OMS). The TMA/EMA
marks are weighted as follows:

TB801 assignments Allocation of marks

TMA 01 10%

TMA 02 15%

TMA 03 15%

EMA 60%

Overall module score for TB801 100%

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Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide feedback. The module pass mark
is 50%. If you have studied other OU modules where the substitution of TMA marks
is allowed, be aware that the substitution rule does not apply to the TMAs in TB801.

All parts of the TMAs and EMA are marked in accordance with the OU scale shown in
Table 2.2. This presents the OU’s guaranteed result status for different levels of
attainment and will guide the final results awarded.

Table 2.2 University scale for determining the final results awarded

Band Performance Summary of description

standard (%)

Distinction level work will demonstrate that you have made an

Distinction excellent response to the tasks outlined in module assignments,
A
85–100% where all module learning outcomes and assessment criteria have
been met and/or exceeded.

Merit level work will demonstrate that you have made a very good
Merit response to the tasks outlined in module assignments, where all
B
70–84% learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been met and
many exceeded.

High Pass level work will demonstrate that you have made a good
High Pass
C response to the task, where all learning outcomes and assessment
60–69%
criteria have been met fully.

Pass level work will demonstrate that you have made an adequate
Pass
D response to the task, where all learning outcomes and assessment
50–59%
criteria have been adequately met.

This fail level will demonstrate an inadequate response to the task,

Fail
E where one or more of the learning outcomes and assessment
40–49%
criteria have not been met.

This fail level will demonstrate a poor response to the task, where
Low Fail
F most of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria have not
25–39%
been met.

This fail level will demonstrate an unsatisfactory response to the

Very Low Fail
G task, where none or almost none of the learning outcomes and
0–24%
assessment criteria have been met.

Please note that your tutor will mark assignments using the descriptors applicable to the
performance standards and letter grades in the table above. The performance standards
in Table 2.2 reflect OU Senate guidelines on the mandatory boundaries set for awarding
the final results status on the module. The Module Results Panel and Cluster Board have
some discretion to alter boundaries for merits and distinctions following Faculty
guidelines.

The cut-off dates for the TMAs and the EMA submission are shown on the study
planner.

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2.3 Making the most of TMAs

The TMAs are more than just the mechanism by which the University assesses your work.
They are learning opportunities in themselves and, at postgraduate level, require you to
reflect on, evaluate and apply module concepts, ideas and techniques in the context of
real-world situations. You are encouraged to use your learning from the module materials
and your own reading to analyse situations and to synthesise solutions to problems. The
reflection process includes the evaluation of the various models, concepts and techniques
that you encounter – to take a questioning stance as to their validity or applicability to a
particular context.
Because of the use of online tutorials and forums throughout TB801 and the activities
within the block material, you will have plenty of opportunity to work through and reflect on
the study material and to engage in processes of critical thinking before you get to each
TMA. With this ‘head start’ you should be able to enhance the marks gained for your
TMAs.

2.4 Rules on word limits and word counts

The word limit for each TMA is 2500 words. The total word count for a TMA must not
exceed the word limit by more than 5% (i.e. an absolute maximum of 2625 words) or a
penalty will be applied. If you exceed this total word limit, your tutor will apply a penalty by
deducting one mark for every 10 words over 2625 up to a maximum of 10 marks. This is
regardless of how good the TMA may be.
You should state the total number of words in your assignment at the beginning of your
TMA, together with the breakdown by question part as appropriate.
The word limit for your EMA is 3000 words. The total word count for your EMA must not
exceed the word limit by more than 5% (i.e. an absolute maximum of 3150 words) or a
penalty will be applied. If you exceed this total, your tutor will apply a penalty by deducting
one mark for every 10 words over 3150 up to a maximum of 10 marks. This is regardless
of how good the EMA may be.
You should state the total number of words at the beginning of your EMA, together with
the breakdown by question part as appropriate.

What is included in the word count?

The word count includes the entire TMA/EMA (cover to cover) with the following
exceptions: the title page, table of contents page, equations and the references section
will not be included in the word count.
The TMA/EMA question should not be included in your submitted work. Some students
find it helpful to include the question when writing and editing the TMA/EMA, but it should
be removed at the final edit.
Within the word limit for the TMAs and EMA are:

● all text (including citations to references)

● lists
● text in tables where the body of the table is text – including templates provided in the
module materials
● text in tables, where the body of the table is mainly numbers or symbols
● appendices (appendices should not be included and if they are present then the
words will be counted)

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● diagrams with more than 50 words within them. Note: diagrams with an excess of
words will be word-counted in full, for example, a text-heavy diagram. Please include
the wordcount for all diagrams
● images with more than 50 words within them, e.g. screenshots/screengrabs or
photos. Note: images with an excess of words will be word-counted in full, for
example, an image of a text-heavy table. Please include the wordcount for all
images.

Outside the word limit are:

● title page
● the table of contents
● graphs
● equations
● references (i.e. the list of works that acknowledges the work you have cited in your
TMA/EMA assignment).

To determine the word count, highlight your entire TMA/EMA assignment and use your
word count tool in your word-processing software. Ensure all sections of your TMA/EMA
(excluding the exceptions listed in ‘outside the word limit’) are included in your count, even
if your word count tool does not highlight them. You can then subtract the number of words
in the exempt sections to give the final word count for your TMA/EMA.
Important: note that although you are free to allocate the number of words between parts
as you see fit, the overall length limit for the TMA/EMA must not be exceeded.
If you are in any doubt about the over-length policy for TB801, please ask your tutor.
Tutors are fully aware of the word limits and the marking policy.

2.5 TMA/EMA submission file types

The OU online TMA/EMA service restricts the type of files that will be accepted. This is to
ensure that your tutors can read and provide feedback on your work in a consistent and
efficient manner.
On TB801 we accept the standard file formats .doc, .docx and .rtf. We do not accept PDF
documents as your tutor may have more difficulty in giving feedback on this type of file.
When creating diagrams for your EMA, you can use any drawing utility, provided that the
final result is a .jpg or .png image embedded in the document. Avoid using the Word
drawing utility, as this may produce a series of separate drawing objects which, unless
grouped as a single entity, can become misaligned if you go on to format other parts of the
document.
Generally, TMAs and the EMA should be submitted as one file using one of the standard
file formats: .doc, .docx and .rtf. An exception may be made for students who have
difficulties accessing the interactive ‘Technology Roadmapping Tool for an innovative
product launch’ to complete TMA 02. If you have difficulties accessing the tool, you can
use the accessible ‘Template technology roadmapping first stage chart for a product
launch’ document to create a first stage chart. Where this is required, you would need to
upload one zip file only to the online TMA/EMA service. More information on how to zip
files can be found on the Help Centre ‘Zipping (combining and compressing) your files’
page.

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3 Submitting TMAs and the EMA

This module requires all assignments to be submitted electronically. To submit an
assignment, please follow the link(s) from your StudentHome page to the online TMA/
EMA service.
For further information about policy, procedure and general submission of assignments,
please refer to the Assessment Handbook which can also be accessed via your
StudentHome page.
Please make sure your TMAs and EMA are submitted no later than the final cut-off date
and time for each assignment. In certain circumstances – and with prior discussion and
agreement – your tutor can grant an extension for TMAs 01, 02 and 03. Note that there
are strict time limits imposed on extensions, especially for TMA 03 where your tutor will
have very little discretion.

Extensions to the submission date for your EMA are not available. If you are not able
to submit your completed examinable work by the submission cut-off date then
please refer to your StudentHome Help Centre to see what options may be available
to you.

Finally, if exceptional circumstances (such as illness or bereavement) mean that you

cannot submit a TMA or EMA, please read the appropriate section in your
Assessment Handbook. It is important that you follow these procedures to tell The Open
University of any special circumstances that might have affected your performance.
The TB801 Module Result Panel (MRP) will take special circumstances into careful and
considered account, but it can only do so if procedures have been followed and full
supporting evidence is available. Notifying the university and providing full supporting
evidence is therefore extremely important. There have been occasions when students did
not submit assignments due to exceptional circumstances but did not let the University
know, so the MRP was powerless to apply any compensation even though the actual
circumstances justified it.

3.1 EMA resubmission

Students who achieve a minimum of 30% in their module results but who have failed the
module will have the right to resubmit their EMA.
If you are in this position, you will be contacted soon after receiving your results and
informed of the cut-off date for the resubmitted piece of work by the Assessment, Credit
and Qualifications Office (ACQ). You will receive feedback to help with the submission
and a tutor will be appointed to provide support. You will be expected to submit an
improved version of your original examinable work.

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4 Advice on academic writing

The purpose of this section of this Assessment guide is to help you to produce high-
quality written work for your TMAs and EMA. Academic writing is a crucial skill that you
should expect to work at and develop as you progress with your studies.
Academic writing is much more than merely expressing yourself well – it involves
synthesising the relevant evidence to construct an effective academic argument. It
therefore requires well-developed information literacy skills to be able to find, summarise
and appraise the relevant information and research evidence, as well as provide
appropriate referencing.
The University’s Library Services provide a great deal of support in the form of self-help
resources to help you develop your academic writing skills. If you need more in-depth,
personalised support, this is also available from the library, and your tutor will of course be
providing feedback to keep you on track before each of your assignments, as well as
through TMA feedback.
Some of the following guidance on academic writing may be very familiar as generic
advice appropriate for any graduate or postgraduate level of study. Whatever your study
experience, however, please take the time to refresh your skills to get off to a good start
with the assessed work on TB801.

4.1 Structuring your writing

The logical, coherent and appropriate organisation of your material is important for
effective communication, whether this is in an academic or professional context. The
nature of TB801 means that you should use a structured essay style (rather than a report
style) for the TMAs and EMA. As you read the TMAs and the EMA, you will note that they
are structured using questions and tasks. Consequently your written assignments should
follow the same structure.

Do’s and don’ts of structuring your writing

When structuring your writing, do:

● use the question structure to provide the assignment structure

● include a title page
● include a table of contents
● note the marks breakdown for each assignment when structuring your work. Doing
so is important because the marks breakdown indicates how marks will be awarded
● use headings and subheadings to make it very clear to the reader which sections of
your answer address the parts and tasks in each question
● include a few sentences of introduction at the beginning of a section and a few
sentences of conclusion at the end of a section
● produce work that gives a smooth narrative and flow to your arguments
● include a references list (i.e. the list of works that you have cited in your TMA/EMA
assignment)
● include a word count, following the guidance presented in this Assessment guide.
Note that tables and diagrams are also included in the word count.

When structuring your writing, don’t:

● include the TMA/EMA questions in the work that you submit

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● include an abstract or executive summary

● include introduction or conclusion sections to the overall assignment
● make excessive use of short sections with headings and subheadings, as this can
lead to a disjointed assignment that is challenging to read and mark
● attach non-public references
● attach appendices.

The actual structure of your piece of writing will be dependent on the content and purpose
of the TMAs/EMA which you are writing.

4.2 Presenting data

The most effective approach for the TMAs and EMA is usually one that combines text and
graphics to elaborate, illustrate or amplify the points being made. There are many
software applications that can help with the presentation of data, such as Microsoft
PowerPoint and Microsoft Excel, which can be used to produce a range of tables, graphs
and diagrams which you can enter as image files. You are encouraged to make use of
these and to keep their use in mind when reading through the material in this section.
However, too many charts (i.e. tables, graphs or diagrams) can have a negative effect on
a piece of work, proving a distraction or confusing to a reader if not accompanied by some
form of supporting narrative. Also note that the narrative text should mention any
supporting charts or photos included within, so that it their meaning is clear to the reader.
You should carefully consider your use of graphics and look for a balance between these
and text.

Remember: the most effective approach is usually a combination of text and

graphics where the purpose of one is clearly to elaborate, illustrate or amplify the
point(s) being made by the other.

4.2.1 Tables
Any significant amount of numerical data requires tabular presentation (or graphical – see
the following section). Text-based information can also be tabulated – it is a good way of
providing a concise summary of a lot of different pieces of information and to show direct
comparisons, for example. Note, though, that some surrounding text is usually needed to
explain the significance of the data presented in the table.

Remember: words in a table contribute towards the word count. Please count words
in tables in the total word count for each part of your TMA/EMA.

Always:
● Number and title the table appropriately (e.g. as ‘Table 1’) and refer to it clearly as
such from within the main text.
● Use meaningful and self-explanatory column headings or provide explanatory
footnotes.

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● Consider formatting and layout – avoid large fonts, over-wide columns and rows, etc.
that cause a table to be split between pages and thus detract from the ease with
which a reader can absorb its content.

4.2.2 Graphs
A well-designed graph can make a large amount of numerical data instantly ‘readable’
and communicate the implications of the data effectively.
For example, Microsoft Excel provides many different options for graphs: scatter graphs,
line graphs, bar or pie charts are perhaps the most frequently used, but polar graphs are
also invaluable for some purposes.
Although a graph may from your perspective speak for itself, it is usually necessary to add
a few comments to point out its key features to your readers.

Always:
● Label the graph with a figure number (e.g. as ‘Figure 1’ – all graphs, diagrams and
other graphics are normally referred to as ‘figures’ in academic work) and title, and
refer to it in the main text in this way .
● Use appropriate self-explanatory axis and data set labels.
● Ensure the finished graph is readable in the document within which it is embedded:
for example, the text should not be too small or the line colours too similar.
● Avoid over-embellished graphs that can detract from overall comprehension.
● Provide the source data in a separate table (typically in an appendix) or reference the
source appropriately.
● Annotate appropriately (but not too extensively) to highlight key aspects of a graph.
● Consider using colours that have a high contrast level and are clear to read, which
can support understanding.

Remember: words in a graph contribute towards the word count. Please count words
in graphs in the total word count for each part of your TMA/EMA.

4.2.3 Diagrams
A well-designed diagram can be an enormous aid to communicating ideas that would
otherwise require a large amount of text to convey. Consider, for example, the amount of
information that can be contained in a flow chart, an organisational diagram, a systems
map, a multiple–cause diagram, a mind map, or anything similar.
A diagram needs to be well chosen and well-crafted if it is to communicate effectively. For
example, if your diagram uses devices such as arrows to link elements, then is it clear
what the arrows mean? Explanatory notes or annotations may assist your reader in
interpreting the diagram correctly.
Also remember that it is acceptable to customise existing diagrams for your particular
purpose. There is usually little point in reproducing a diagram from the module materials,
but producing a customised diagram can demonstrate your understanding of a particular
data set or concept and your ability to apply it. Remember, however, that if you do this you

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must acknowledge the original source (i.e. state that it is ‘adapted from … ’). If you do, you
will need to include a full reference for any adapted diagrams in your reference list.
As with graphs, all diagrams should be clearly labelled with a figure number and title and
referred to in your main text in this way.

Remember: words in a diagram contribute towards the word count. Please count
words in diagrams in the total word count for each part of your TMA/EMA.

Box 4.1 A note on appendices

Appendices are used to contain materials that are referenced in the main sections of
a document, which are then located at the end of the document for the reader to
access. Materials in an appendices are not essential for making sense of the main
text, but provide detail. They could include large amounts of detail that would spoil
the flow of the main text or background information that the reader may or may not
benefit from reading.
Please do not include appendices in your TB801 assignments.

4.3 Developing an effective argument

Successful academic writing is more than obeying a set of ‘rules’. The objective is to
convey difficult ideas and concepts: for example, to analyse a problem and demonstrate a
range of possible solutions; to show how theoretical concepts can be used to shed light on
a practical issue; or to make a case for a particular course of action. The requirement is to
present an argument – a linked set of propositions and facts, backed up by citations of the
relevant evidence, as a logical sequence – so as to persuade the reader of a point of view.
It is impossible to be totally prescriptive about how to do this as each case is different, but
the advice here aims to be generic and applicable to most circumstances you will meet in
TB801.
At postgraduate level, a key assignment objective is to develop an effective argument with
supporting evidence.
An effective argument is characterised by a strong, coherent and consistent logic and by
the citation of relevant supporting evidence. ‘Unsupported assertions’ – that is, unqualified
statements of ‘fact’ that others might dispute – must be avoided. It is important to provide
the evidence to support your assertions or claims and to acknowledge that there are other
points of view. It is often a matter of judgement as to when supporting evidence is
required. ‘The earth is round’ is probably something that the majority can accept and does
not require reference to scientific evidence, but ‘innovation always delivers benefits’ is still
somewhat contentious and related arguments would benefit from reference to appropriate
and credible sources.
You might use a wide variety of information sources to provide support for your TMAs/
EMA. A starting point is always likely to be the material in TB801’s teaching blocks. You
will, however, find additional information via the OU library on
finding resources for your assignments.
Primary’ sources of material, which refer to first-hand information and evidence recorded
before any analysis is performed. An example of a primary source is likely to be your own

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knowledge of a particular process, organisation or industry, preferably backed up by

documentary sources (annual reports, project reports, memos, organisational charts,
product literature, and so on).
Some information sources are more authoritative and credible than others. Academic
journal articles and books, for example, are widely accepted as more authoritative than
sources such as newspaper stories, because of the peer-review process applied to their
content, although articles in ‘quality’ newspapers and magazines can nevertheless be
valuable because they are typically much more up-to-date. These articles would be
examples of ‘secondary’ sources of information, i.e. second-hand information with
commentary provided by academics, researchers, journalists and so on.

4.4 Effective writing style

Your writing should first adopt a suitable style with respect to its use of language, degree
of formality, and so on. Refer back to the ‘dos and don’ts’ for structuring your writing in
Section 4.1. Second, it must also be accurate in its use of English. Finally, it should be laid
out in a way that is helpful to the reader.
The following points of advice are just that – they are not ‘rules’ that cannot be broken, but
in most circumstances following the advice will lead to better writing.

● Generally avoid writing in the first person.

● Keep writing short and simple.
● Use appropriate language.

Generally avoid writing in the first person

For many years it has been an accepted convention in academic writing not to write in the
first person. For example, instead of writing ‘I describe the TMA 01 search strategy’, the
convention would be to write in the passive voice, i.e. ‘The TMA 01 search strategy is
described’. In some academic disciplines this convention has now been relaxed and
indeed, in some social science subjects, writing in the first person active voice is now
positively encouraged. On TB801, we accept that it can make sense to write in the first
person active voice. However, the module team believe it reads better to say ‘The TMA 01
search strategy is described’.

The established convention of writing using the passive voice should be largely
maintained to put some distance between you as author and your subject matter. For
example, ‘The TMA 01 search strategy is described in Section 1’.

To clarify, it is worth adding at this point that across TB801’s teaching materials (including
this Assessment guide) we do actually use the active voice as a discursive style of writing.
This is a technique used when writing teaching materials and is used to set a more
informal tone and to engage the reader with the topic. Module materials are not, after all,
formal academic documents.

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Keep writing short and simple

Another important convention in academic writing is to keep your writing short and simple.
Your aim when writing your TMAs and EMA is to communicate effectively with the people
who are going to read them. This is best achieved by using a concise style which uses as
few words as possible to make the point:

● Avoid superfluous words – choose ‘now’ instead of ‘at this moment in time’, or
‘ultimately’ instead of ‘at the end of the day’.
● Check your work for overlong sentences by counting the number of lines or words
between full stops. A sentence that extends to more than about 35 words is probably
too long, so consider splitting it into two or more sentences to improve readability.
● Brevity should not be carried to extremes, however: avoid bulleted lists so brief that
they are difficult to understand.

Your goal is to write an account of your work that is concise, clearly and logically
structured, and consistently and convincingly argued.

Use appropriate language

When writing, do:

● use short, direct words and phrases that are easily understood in the context of this
module
● provide a glossary of terms if technical terms are unavoidable (i.e. provide a list of the
terms together with brief definitions, at the beginning or end of the TMA/EMA), but
keep it to a minimum as it will be included in the word count.

When writing, don’t:

● use slang, colloquialisms and jargon

● use flowery expressions or ‘impressive’ terminology to try and makes work sound
more impressive – this is rarely a good writing style
● write as you would speak in everyday conversation – this style is too informal and
wordy
● use acronyms if possible. If an acronym is needed, make sure you give the phrase in
full the first time you use it. Be aware that the same acronym can mean different
things in different contexts. Avoid using an acronym for a phrase to cut down on the
word count.

Keeping sentences short and simple is one of the easiest ways to improve your
writing style.

4.4.1 Correct use of English

It is important to be accurate in your use of English (spelling and grammar) because:

● it helps you to communicate effectively with your audience by helping you to avoid
ambiguities and errors

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● it helps to create a ‘good impression’, or at least avoids a bad one – inaccuracies in

your use of English might give an impression of factual or academic inaccuracy,
carelessness, or incompetence, regardless of the quality of your content.

Take particular care over the following:

● Correct use of capital letters – use them only for ‘proper nouns’.
● Appropriate use of colons and semicolons for lists – use a colon (:) to introduce a list,
and a semicolon (;) to separate the items in a list which helps to simplify lists by
showing which items are grouped together. Commas may suffice as separators if the
list items are very short. Semi colons can also be used to separate two main clauses
in a sentence.
● Misspellings – watch out for misspellings that the spellchecker will not pick up, such
as ‘their’ and ‘there’.
● Use of apostrophes – the apostrophe is used to indicate possession (as in ‘the
student’s assignment’, referring to a single student; or ‘the students’ marks’, referring
to many students). It is not used to indicate plurals. The apostrophe is also used to
indicate missing letters (e.g. don’t instead of do not; it’s instead of it is). In a formal
report, it is usually preferable in any case to write such words in full. Note that the
possessive pronoun ‘its’, meaning ‘belonging to it’ has no apostrophe, because it has
a different meaning to ‘it’s’ which means ‘it is’.

If using a high standard of written English does not come easily to you, or if English is not
your first language, then we recommend asking a friend, colleague or family member to
proofread your work (this is particularly important if your first language is not English).
Every year we have a number of students whose ability to pass modules is put at serious
risk because the quality of their written English undermines the arguments they seek to
develop in their TMAs and EMA, so we highly recommend asking for assistance if
needed.

4.4.2 Layout and presentation

It is important to leave an amount of ‘white space’ on the page and use white space
structurally and strategically to support the presentation of your arguments in your
assignment. This makes the material inviting to read and the structure easy to see and to
follow, even on a computer screen.
For example:

● leave a blank line between paragraphs, noting that new paragraphs should be used
as a change of focus
● allow good-sized margins all around the text, no less than 2.54 centimetres (i.e. the
default setting in Microsoft Word)
● choose an appropriate font size, neither too small nor too large (font size 11 or 12 is
usually suitable) because it is hard to read if smaller and never use capitals
throughout a document because it is grammatically incorrect.

Other tips include:

● Consider using a landscape page for a diagram if doing so would make it more
legible.
● Use headings and subheadings wherever appropriate, as long as it does not lead to
a disjointed assignment that is difficult to read.

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● Use a number and title for each table and figure (diagrams and graphs) and refer to
these numbered tables/figures in the surrounding text, so that it is clear which tables/
figures are being referred to and when, and so that the tables/figures clearly support
the arguments presented.

4.5 Plagiarism
You are expected to express your answers to TMAs and write your EMA in your own
words, referring to both your own experiences and views, and the evidence and ideas of
other people.
Consideration and critical analysis of what others have written is an important part of the
learning process. However, the OU assessors (or markers) need to know which words
and ideas are yours, and which are quoted from elsewhere. You should make clear
whether what you write is a direct quotation, a restatement of someone else’s opinion, or
your own opinion backed up by other evidence. This is important because quoting other
people’s material without acknowledgment can not only undermine the reader’s
confidence in the reliability of your argument, but also opens you to charges of plagiarism.
There is guidance on the OU’s position on plagiarism in the EMA guidance and in the
University’s Assessment Handbook.
Plagiarism is the representation of the work, written or otherwise, of any other person, as
your own without crediting the source of reference. Examples of plagiarism include:

● the verbatim copying of another’s work without acknowledgement

● the close paraphrasing of another’s work by simply changing a few words or altering
the order of presentation, without acknowledgement
● unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another’s work
● the deliberate and detailed presentation of another’s concept as one’s own.

Unacknowledged use of information from any source (textbook, journal, internet site, etc.)
therefore constitutes plagiarism and might be considered as cheating. It does not matter
whether you intend to commit plagiarism or not, so you must be careful to make sure you
acknowledge everything that you need to: it is still plagiarism even if you did not intend to
omit acknowledgement.
A less well-known form of plagiarism is called self-plagiarism. This is most commonly
associated with authors republishing their own writing in breach of their first publisher’s
copyright. However, students who resubmit their own work for an assignment when it has
already received credit on a different module or qualification programme in a university
setting can also be accused of self-plagiarism. Students should therefore avoid
resubmitting work already submitted and credited on a different module even if an
assignment may have similar requirements.

If you fail to reference your sources adequately, you risk being accused of
plagiarism. A penalty is likely to be incurred following investigation. In common with
other OU modules, TB801 uses plagiarism-detection software and routinely runs all
TMA and EMA submissions through such software.
Further information on the OU’s policy on plagiarism can be found on the
Developing Good Academic Practice website.

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Always:
● Write in your own words.
● Acknowledge and credit sources or references for the data, information and
evidence used and the tables, graphs, diagrams, figures and photos included.
● Include in-text citations where applicable.
● Include all details in your References list as per the Cite Them Right Harvard
referencing style.

4.6 Referencing
References must be cited for all the material you have drawn from elsewhere, even if it
has been rewritten or adapted for your own purposes.
You also need to reference the module materials, as well as your other sources. ‘Other
sources’ may include both publicly available information and ‘real world’ information that is
not in the public domain, e.g. company documents, unpublished interviews, personal
communications, etc. When writing academically, it is important to give a source to back
up the assertions and claims made in your work – even if that source cannot be accessed
by the marker.
It is important to give references in order to:

● establish the veracity or credibility of whatever you are asserting

● strengthen your arguments based on reading relevant academic materials
● avoid plagiarism and any possible charges of plagiarism
● demonstrate appropriate use of concepts taught in the study materials.

Additionally, in professional academic contexts, a comprehensive list of references allows

readers to follow up on the sources you mention so that they can check your work or
explore the subject further.
Referencing is dealt with fully on the ‘Postgraduate skills for STEM’ website (under Library
resources on the TB801 website). However, referencing is so important for the quality of
your TMAs and EMA work – and thus the marks you get for them – that we are going to
summarise that material here in summary form.

Note: if you recognise that you have not fully mastered referencing from your
previous studies, then you should not rely on the summary below: you should visit
the Postgraduate skills for STEM website and work your way through the material
there. Failure to grasp the importance and practice of referencing is a major reason
for lost marks with assignments and ultimately can be the tipping point between a
pass and fail grade.

The most straightforward advice to give you about referencing is to visit the OU Library
Services page on Referencing and plagiarism. Note that the ‘how and why of referencing’
is covered well in the section ‘Quick guide to Harvard referencing’. OU Library Services
runs training sessions on ‘The why and how of referencing’ which you may find useful,
and they have recordings of these sessions available.
You will be using the Cite Them Right (CTR) Harvard style in your TMAs and EMA.
The library provides details for referencing and citing the references in the CTR Harvard
style.

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The Cite Them Right and module materials guidance shows which sections of the Cite
Them Right (CTR) database you might need when referencing online materials supplied
to you by your module team.
For referencing the module block materials, you should use the following format:
Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of item’. Module code: Module title. The Open
University. Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).
Using CTR guidance, we advise the following.
For the full reference, list all the authors as follows:
Cook, M., Valdez, M., Potter, S. and the TB801 module team (2021) ‘Block 4 Managing
product (services) and system innovation: Session 1 Product innovation: service’. TB801:
Technology and innovation management. The Open University. Available at: https://
learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1761877 (Accessed:14 April 2021).
For the in-text citation, use the ‘lead’ author, i.e. whoever is first in the list (above),
followed by et al. and the year as follows:
Cook et al. (2021)
This TB801 module material references list shows how to reference online module
material.

Reference list or Bibliography?

You may well be aware from your own reading or previous academic work that there are
two types of reference list: ‘References’ and ‘Bibliography’. Note the key distinction
between them marked in bold in Table 4.1.

For TB801 assignments, you should only use a reference list (as defined in
Table 4.1). The reference list should identify only the sources of material you have
actually drawn on when writing your TMAs/EMA. Do not use a bibliography in TB801
assignments.

Table 4.1 Referencelist or Bibliography?

References Bibliography

References are sources referred to

A bibliography lists sources that have been
specifically in the text – for example, a book,
used as general sources of information
article or website from which particular
relevant to the main subject matter of the
information has been drawn or text quoted
document.
using an in-text reference.

Reference lists are placed at the end of the Bibliographies are placed at the end of the
document. document.

4.7 Good academic practice

Good academic practice ensures that the readers of your work can readily distinguish
between your thoughts and ideas and those of others. It comprises a set of skills that you
should seek to develop as you progress through your studies, but that you need to know

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about and begin to demonstrate from day one. The skills referred to here include
referencing, summarising, literature searching and review.
There is an obvious reason why some aspects of good academic practice are so
important – it would be fraudulent to pass off someone else’s work as your own. But even
more fundamentally, perhaps, research in all disciplines takes place by building on the
knowledge established by previous research work. The phrase ‘standing on the shoulders
of giants’ – famously used by Isaac Newton in the seventeenth century, although it is
thought to be much older (BBC World Service, no date) – captures this idea. Your work as
a researcher, even within the constraints of a taught postgraduate module, will seek to
develop the work of others, even if this is ‘merely’ applying an established concept to your
own context. This prior work needs to be fully acknowledged, both to legitimise your own
work and to acknowledge your debt to fellow academics and other authors.
TB801 is designed to give you opportunities to demonstrate and develop these skills and
your tutor will give you feedback on how you are doing. As mentioned previously, you will
find useful advice in the Library resources section on the module website, especially via
the link to the ‘Postgraduate skills for STEM’ website which provides advice tailored to the
needs of taught postgraduate students.

The University’s Developing Good Academic Practice website is likely to be very

useful to you. Browse all sections of this resource when you have time to do so.

In the meantime, the following list of ‘dos and don’ts’ is a quick summary of key points,
together with links to short sections of resources that can explain further. This will also
introduce you to the wealth of OU Library Services resources available to help you hone
your academic skills.

Dos and don’ts for good academic practice

When writing a piece of work, do:

● reference all the sources of information that you use to produce your work and use
the specified format for referencing – Cite Them Right Harvard. You might want to
make use of referencing software to make the referencing process easier, with
guidance provided on selecting a reference management tool
● be especially careful to identify any text that you use verbatim (word for word) as a
quote and to reference it accurately
● learn the skills of evaluating and criticising to support your assignments (such as in
TMA 01 for TB801)
● learn about writing in your own words – digesting what you have read and expressing
the ideas in your own way
● search for relevant journal papers and other information and
resources for your assignments systematically, refining search terms in response to
the number and quality of the search outputs
● test your understanding of academic good practice using the self-test quizzes
available.

When writing a piece of work, don’t:

● risk accusations of plagiarism by not following the above advice: make sure you
familiarise yourself with The Open University’s plagiarism policy statement

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● assume that infringements will not be picked up – the University makes extensive
use of text comparison software that checks student work for plagiarism and
collusion
● assemble a summary by just cutting and pasting text from the relevant sources, even
if you reference them all. Use your own words to express the points you want to
make and use direct quotes when the wording of the original source is especially
powerful. See the guidance on use of source materials within the Developing
academic English guide
● be afraid of writing in your own words when you write a summary of other work,
because you think you might get it wrong. Writing in your own words is a significant
skill to master and you may not get it right straightaway, but your tutor’s feedback will
help you to develop your skills
● struggle on if you do not understand what good academic practice looks like – use
the Library Services resources, your tutor or ask a librarian for help by contacting the
Library Helpdesk.

4.8 An ethical approach

Part of good academic practice is to follow an ethical approach to the research you
undertake for your TMA/EMA module assignments. There are four key areas of conduct
to consider according to the OU research ethics.
You should:

1. Obtain valid consent from any party that provides you with information that supports
research undertaken for your assignments, recognising their right to withdraw
consent.
2. Adopt the principle of doing no harm of any party that supports research undertaken
for your assignments. This applies to their well-being, health, values and dignity.
3. Follow data protection guidance from General Data Protection Regulation and the
Data Protection Act 2018.
4. Ensure your own safety when you operate as a researcher.

For TB801 students, this issue is likely to arise when you use your own organisation as
the focus for your TMAs/EMA. In this situation, you should seek permission from your
organisation, think about how you will protect the personal data of interview subjects and
the need to redact data, etc. You can discuss this with your tutor, who will be able to
advise you.

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5 Help with your studies

The OU makes clear in its literature that the OU’s mode of study is supported distance
learning and you are certainly not on your own. There are both informal and formal
contacts available to help you.
The online discussion forums have already been noted, but the most important resource
for all academic-related matters is your tutor. Your tutor’s role is to help you achieve your
goals for the module through a variety of mechanisms:

● marking your assignment work – grading it and providing constructive feedback

● providing advice on specific individual queries arising from your studies – sometimes
over the telephone or by email
● facilitating the online tutorials.

The tutor’s role is to help you learn – you are not imposing on them by contacting them
with genuine concerns and academic queries. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to
discuss with your tutor any uncertainties you have about what is expected for an
assignment.
The other source of support in your studies is your peer group – the other students taking
the module. As noted earlier, the online discussion forums allow you to get in touch with,
and help, each other. The online discussion forums are moderated by the Forum
Moderator – an experienced tutor.
If you experience problems with your submission, please contact the
OU Computing Helpdesk. The Help Centre on your StudentHome page contains the
contact details - and additional information that may help with any computing problems
that you experience.

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6 Summary 18/04/23

6 Summary
You are expected to follow the guidance in this Assessment guide as far as possible when
producing your TMA and EMA answers. Nevertheless, we recognise that there can be
occasions where it is better to do things differently and that the interpretation of the
guidance may not always be clear cut. We advise you to work to these guidelines and to
seek guidance from your tutor whenever queries arise.

References
BBC World Service (no date) ‘Sir Isaac Newton’, BBC Learning English – Moving Words.
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/movingwords/shortlist/
newton.shtml (Accessed: 8 December 2020).

All rights including copyright in these materials are owned or controlled by The Open
University and are protected by copyright in the United Kingdom and by international
treaties worldwide.
In accessing these materials, you agree that you may only use the materials for your
own personal non-commercial use.
You are not permitted to copy, broadcast, download, store (in any medium), transmit,
show or play in public, adapt or change in any way these materials, in whole or in part,
for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written permission of The Open
University.
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