Doing Assignments
in Education
Academic Language and Literacy Development
2016
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
TEN TIPS FOR DOING ASSIGNMENTS IN EDUCATION ................................... 2
2.
COMPONENTS OF AN ASSIGNMENT ............................................................... 9
3.
SUPPORTING THE READER OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT .................................. 12
4.
MECHANICS OF REFERENCING ..................................................................... 15
4.1
In-text citations .......................................................................................... 15
4.2
Information-prominent and author-prominent in-text references ............... 17
4.3
Reporting Verbs ........................................................................................ 18
4.4
Referencing on-line resources .................................................................. 19
4.5
List of references ...................................................................................... 21
5.
STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY ............................................................................. 24
6.
WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT .......................... 26
7.
REFLECTIVE WRITING ..................................................................................... 28
8.
OTHER TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS IN EDUCATION ....................................... 30
9.
10.
8.1
Oral presentations..................................................................................... 30
8.2
Poster presentations ................................................................................. 31
8.3
Lesson plans and other class resources ................................................... 31
8.4
Portfolios ................................................................................................... 31
FINDING PEER-REVIEWED (ACADEMIC) ARTICLES ..................................... 32
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ........................................................................... 33
1
1. TEN TIPS FOR DOING ASSIGNMENTS IN
EDUCATION
1.1
Make sure that you understand the assessment description/ criteria
and the rubric before you start reading and writing.
Lecturers spend a great deal of time creating these and therefore every word is important.
You need to analyse the task description and rubric to identify key words. Consult your
lecturer or peers if you do not understand. The following are some important terms (action
verbs) that will help you understand what you are expected to do in your assignment:
Analyse: Examine in detail and describe the relationship between the parts/viewpoints.
Argue: Take one side of the argument and support it with examples and evidence (academic
journals/research). When you argue, you are usually giving your opinion about a certain topic
and supporting it by finding other academic writers who agree with your point of view.
Discuss: Talk about both sides of the argument and support with examples and evidence
(academic journals/research). You may come to a conclusion at the end and decide which
side you agree with more.
Respond: Provide your viewpoint on the topic and support it with relevant research/literature.
Report: Describe what has happened.
Reflect on: Examine your own experiences/practices and thinking and link it with theory
(academic literature) (see ‘Reflective Writing’ section in this booklet).
Discuss implications for practice: This usually comes at the end of an assignment. You
are asked to discuss how the topic of your paper will influence how you teach/practise in the
future.
2
Critically respond/ discuss: Often, students just ‘report’ what others say instead of
examining and evaluating what they are saying. However, any time the word ‘critically’ is
added, you should examine the points of view given (most likely the academic literature that
you have been discussing in the paper) and comment on whether these points of view are
valid or significant and identify any disagreements within the literature.
1.2
Plan before you write.
After you have examined the assessment task, identify some possible headings in order to
create an outline. For example:
Sample task:
This assignment requires you to plan a small research project about one of the aspects
covered in the unit. You need to choose a topic from the list given to you in class and
identify a question related to that topic. You should design a method of investigating the
question, conduct a review of the literature to discuss the issue and discuss why the
question is significant to policy and practice in early childhood education.
Possible outline:
 Introduction o background information on topic
o your research question
 Method - What are you trying to find out? How will you collect your
data/information? How will you analyse it? Who will be part of your study
and why?
 Literature Review – thematic arrangement, e.g.,
o Theme/idea 1
o Theme/idea 2, etc.
(for more see ‘Writing a Literature Review’ section in this booklet).
 Significance –
o relating to educational policies and teaching practices
o importance of investigating this question
 Conclusion - brief summary of what you have discussed in this paper and what
might be done in the future to investigate this topic further.
3
1.3
Go to the library or find academic articles through the online resource
library. Also see ‘Finding peer-reviewed (academic) articles’ section in
this booklet.
Many students are tempted to search for articles through a search engine (such as Google),
but most of the free articles available on the Internet are not ‘academic’1. However, if you are
looking for teaching frameworks or government documents, you will find these on
government agency websites on the Internet (e.g. Department of Education).
1.4
Read as many academic articles and book chapters as you can or as
required and take notes
to see the recurring themes that relate to the topic of your paper. Once you have a clear idea
of the different viewpoints represented in the literature, return to your original outline to
modify and provide more detail. Also, make sure you are taking notes on the academic
literature that you are reading (software is available for annotating electronic versions). It is
important to document the author’s name, publishing date and page number instantly or you
will find it difficult to track down this information later. Be systematic about recording your
readings. All this bibliographic information is necessary when using literature as evidence and
in writing the list of references at the end of your essay or report.
1.5
Start writing.
After you have an outline and have read the required amount of literature, you are ready to
begin writing. Remember, it is best to start writing the body of the paper first and then return
to the introduction and conclusion. In addition to the below, check out Section 5:
Structure of an Essay.
a. Introduction (looking forward): Provides some brief background information on the
topic and outlines what you are going to discuss in the rest of the paper. The final
1
A proper ‘academic’ article has to be peer-reviewed and published in a refereed journal.
4
sentence or two of your introduction should act as an ‘advance organiser’ or ‘road
map’, e.g.
This paper will discuss [you may want to use some of those important terms
that were given in the assessment criteria, e.g. the relationship I see between
theories of observing and planning and theories of development in early
childhood education] and provide some strategies to address these issues.
b. Body: Start with this section (see ‘Components of an assignment’ section). This is the
major part of the assignment and should address all the assessment criteria in the
assignment description and the rubric. Use topic sentences as necessary.
c. Conclusion (looking back): A conclusion briefly summarises what the paper was
about, why it is important and where the writer stands on the subject. Sometimes
lecturers want you to discuss how you will use what you learnt in the paper in your
future teaching contexts. Also, remember that the conclusion is not the place to
introduce new ideas or research. A conclusion brings things to a close. Avoid
quotations (both direct and indirect) in the conclusion.
1.6
Check your referencing.
Make sure you are familiar with APA referencing (see ‘Mechanics of referencing’ section in
this booklet) and that you are carefully documenting where you found each resource or you
will find that you have to spend a lot of time later to find them again. Make sure you know
how to cite references within the text (in-text citations, see section 4.1) and on the list of
references (see section 4.5). Do not take this lightly as many lecturers, for good reason, are
very strict about correct referencing! Also, try not to use too many direct quotes but rather
incorporate the references into your assignment by selectively paraphrasing what they say
and linking it with other writers’ ideas (see ‘Writing a Literature Review in your Assignment’
section).
1.7
Check your formatting.
In most cases, lecturers prefer:
 Left text alignment
 11 point font (Book Antiqua, Arial or Calibri)
5
 Two or 1.5-line spacing
 Page numbers
 Bold (not underlined) headings and subheadings (to clearly show the organisation of
your paper)
 Running header/footer with your name and assignment details, e.g. John Smith,
EDF1234, Assignment 2
1.8
Read through your assignment several times after you have finished.
Some students finish writing and either hand it in or give it to the Academic Language and
Literacy Development (ALLD) Advisors without looking over it. Remember, the ALLD advisors
do not provide proofreading or editing services. You must learn to edit your work first! The
Academic Language Feedback (ALF) guide below can be helpful in the writing and editing
processes (see next page).
Before anyone looks at your assignment, you need to make sure that you have looked at it at
least twice to check for spelling and grammatical mistakes, clarity and organisation. Rereading your assignment also allows you to see connections and gaps you may have missed
in the first draft; connections between the literature, between the literature and your
experience, or areas that do not seem to have been addressed. Ask yourself the question ‘so
what?’ as you re-read your work and this will help you achieve a higher level of critical
thinking and analysis.
6
This diagram outlines important aspects of the academic language use in the Faculty of Education. Please familiarise yourself with
the Academic Language Feedback (ALF) elements and explore areas which you may find challenging or unclear.
7
1.9 Note any difficulties you had with the writing process
and ask yourself whether you have used all the academic language support resources
available to students. There are academic workshops for coursework students and other
sessions
which
you
may
find
useful.
Relevant
information
can
be
found
at
http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/learning-skills/ and http://www.monash.edu/education/currentstudents/academic-and-study-support/academic-language-and-literacy-development-unit.
Section 10 of this booklet provides a list of useful resources for self-study.
1.10
Reflect on what you have learnt
through the writing process and begin preparing for your next assignment!
8
2. COMPONENTS OF AN ASSIGNMENT
Academic writing may take many different forms (essay, report, research proposal, thesis,
policy document, guidelines, etc.). From genre to genre the components may vary. The
following table presents a range of components, some of which may be appropriate for your
writing task.
COMPONENT
FUNCTION

Cover page
Table of
Contents

(optional,
normally used for
longer

assignments)
2
CHARACTERISTICS
identifies topic,
course, faculty,
lecturer, writer

lists all major divisions
and subdivisions (and
possibly the pages they
appear on)

can be included in longer
assignments (usually
those longer than 3000
words)

title, course name and number,
lecturer's name, faculty and
institution's name, writer's
name and student
identification number2
headings and subheadings
should follow a consistent
hierarchy, which you may
determine with the help of a
style guide.
If you’re using a word
processor such as Microsoft
Word, please use the built-in
style to automatically create
your TOC, rather than doing it
manually.
A personalised coversheet will be automatically added when you submit your assignment on Moodle,
unless specified by your lecturer or tutor.
9

Introduction
Body

This can consist
of various

sections with
major headings
(e.g.
‘Background’,
‘Critical
discussion’,
“Description of a
learning episode’,
etc.)
Conclusion
serves as a roadmap
for the reader, letting
them know what will
be discussed in the
essay/assignment.
shows the reader/
examiner that you are
familiar with issues and
debates in the field (you
need to explain these)
leads the reader through a
critical discussion of the
field organised into
sections you feel are
important

presents a general description of
the context of the topic

indicates why the topic or focus is
significant/important (rationale)

presents the main argument of
the topic or gives an indication of
the writer's position

gives an indication of the main
points of focus in the rest of the
writing (advance organiser)

uses subheadings descriptive of
the contents of each section

each section consists of wellarticulated paragraphs with a
clear structure (e.g., TEEEL:
topic sentence, explanation,
evidence, example, link to the
next idea)

discusses theory/sources which
are directly relevant to the issues

provides evidence for main points

draws all arguments (and
findings) together

summarises main argument /
findings

reminds the reader of the
significance of the topic

does not introduce new ideas
10
References
Appendices
shows the reader which
materials/texts you have
used
provides a place for
important information, which
might distract the reader
from the flow of the argument
if it is placed in the main text
(e.g. photos, questionnaires,
lists, etc.)

follows specific conventions
(usually APA)

should not include works you
have not used or secondary
references

an appendix is like an attachment
at the end of your assignment

there may be one appendix or
several appendices

appendices may be named,
lettered or numbered
Note: you are very unlikely to write these components in the order in which they appear in
the final version. The introduction is often written later, after you have written the entire
paper.
11
3. SUPPORTING THE READER OF YOUR
ASSIGNMENT
3.1 Imagine your audience
Your lecturer wants to see how well you understand the issues you have chosen to
discuss. However, you should not be writing for your lecturer or tutor as you may assume
they know what you are talking about because it was covered in the lectures and in the
readings. It is always useful to imagine your audience as an intelligent person who,
however, is not an expert in this particular area or field. You cannot assume that your
reader always knows everything, nor should you feel that it is insulting to explain
specialised concepts.
3.2 Outline and signpost
It is a great help to your reader if you make a clearly signposted ‘map’ of your writing. You
can do this by:

Using subheadings which indicate what you will focus on in that part of your
writing. Never underestimate the usefulness of headings in guiding your reader –
make sure the meaning of each of your subheading is clear by being specific and
remember that headings do not replace linking and transition sentences;

Stating explicitly the points you will focus on in the introduction of an essay or (for
a longer piece) at the beginning of a major section; and

Repeating key words or further developing propositions from an earlier sentence
in order to make clear the connection between the ideas discussed earlier and
those discussed later.

Cross-referencing to statements made earlier or later in your assignment to
consolidate your discussion (e.g. “As discussed in the previous section”, or “As
the next section explains…”
12

Apply the TEEEL elements to paragraphs, where relevant. An appropriate
academic topic sentence is very important and should be representative of your
main argument in the paragraph. Other elements depend on the purpose of your
paragraph –arguing your point, describing an event and so on.

Use discourse markers
The ways in which parts of your writing are related to other parts are made clearer by
discourse markers, which can be grouped according to their function in the discourse. Be
aware of overusing discourse markers as they often have strong contrasting meanings. Here
are some groups of markers that might help you when you need a little variety3.
3
Adapted from Parrot, M. (2000). Grammar for English language teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
13
Ordering points or sequencing
Firstly, …; Secondly, …; Finally,…
Adding something
Moreover, …; Furthermore,…; Further,…; In addition,…; additionally
Comparing (similarity)
Similarly,…; Likewise, ...; Equally, ...
Comparing (difference – establishing contrast)
However,…; In fact,…; On the other hand,…;
Rather,…; In contrast, …; ...
While/whilst …; Nevertheless,…; Nonetheless,…; Yet …; On the contrary, ….
Introducing a cause
As a result of …; Because of …; Because …; Owing to …; Due to …
Introducing a result
Consequently…; Therefore…; Hence,…; As a result,…; Thus,…; So …; Then…
Exemplifying
For example,…; For instance,…; Notably,…
Re-stating
In other words,…; That is,…; Namely,…
Generalising
In general, …; Generally,…; On the whole,…
Summarising
In summary,…; In conclusion,….
14
4. MECHANICS OF REFERENCING
Correct referencing is your ticket to success in academic writing: it will help add ‘weight’ to
your arguments, it shows your lecturer the extent and depth of your research and helps you
avoid accusations of plagiarism (whether intentional or unintentional). The latter usually
comes about through not understanding the referencing conventions. You do not need to
memorise all the little details but you need to make sure your reader will find any of your
references if they need to. APA has been the default referencing style in the faculty and there
are many on-line resources that can guide you through when you cite resources in text and at
the end of your assignment, e.g. Monash Library APA guide (for more see Section 4.5.2).
4.1

In-text citations
When you use a source, provide the author’s name and date of publication in brackets,
e.g. This approach is underpinned by the belief that communication facilitates learning
(Holliday, 1994).

Provide double quotation marks and page numbers for direct citations, e.g.
Jamieson, Jones, Kirsch, Mosenthal and Taylor (2000) claimed that discrete-point
testing has “a negative impact on instruction” (p. 3).
Note that the full-stop mark comes
Or
after the closing bracket.
Discrete-point testing is believed to have “a negative impact on instruction” (Jamieson et
al., 2000, p. 3).

When there are two authors:
According to Hayes and Read (2004), …
or
It is stated in the literature that... (Hayes &4 Read, 2004).
4
The ‘&’ (ampersand) can be used only within brackets and in the list of references.
15

When you have a reference with more than two authors, use all the names the first
time and then use the first author’s surname followed by ‘et al.’ when you use the same
source again:
McLachlan, Fleer and Edwards (2010) state that…,
later in the assignment – …. McLachlan et al. (2010) also argue that....

When there are more than two works/sources supporting the same argument:
Given that test preparation courses have been the focus of a number of washback
studies to date (Green, 2007; Hayes & Read, 2004; Wall & Horak, 2006, 2008), this
study allows for a broader perspective….

When there are more than two works/sources from the same author in the same year:
(Podorova, 2015a, 2015b).

When you want to quote 40 or more words directly from the source, you need to display
it as a block quote. See this example:
This is what a block quote looks like. It would look like an indented block of text
which starts on a new line. There are no quotation marks. Author details are in
parentheses after the final punctuation mark as displayed here. (Name, year)
Please remember to use block quotes only when absolutely necessary (e.g., when
inserting chunks of a curriculum document). Paraphrasing or summarising are preferred
ways of using literature as evidence in your assignments.

You can use a secondary resource (when the original source is cited by the author you
are reading) but do so sparingly. See this example:
The voluntary approach to participation in post-entry English language assessment has
not always been successful (Dunworth, 2009, as cited in Read, 2015).
Please note that your list of references will contain only the details of the source you
actually read (in the example above, it would be Read, J. (2015). Assessing English
proficiency for university study. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
16
4.2
Information-prominent and author-prominent in-text references
Swales (1990, pp.149 and 153)5 shows how you can decide whether to focus on the source
of an idea or on the idea itself in your writing. He provides two categories of referencing:
author- prominent, where the author’s name appears in your sentence, or information
prominent, where the author’s name appears only in brackets. An adaptation of his
examples6 follows:
Author
prominent
The Moon’s
Brie (1988)
cheesy
showed that the
composition
Moon is made
was established
of cheese.
by Brie (1988).
Previous
research has
Information established that
the Moon is
prominent
made of cheese
(Brie, 1988).
It has been
shown that the
Moon is made
of cheese (Brie,
1988).
According to
Brie (1988), the
Moon is made
of cheese.
Brie’s theory
(1988)
contends that
the Moon is
made of
cheese.
It is currently
argued that the
Moon is made
of cheese (Brie,
1988).
The Moon
may be made
of cheese
(Brie, 1988,
but cf. Rock,
1989).
It is important to be aware of the effect of your choice to use author- or information-prominent
in-text referencing. If the focus is on the author, the reader can see ideas and discussion as
clearly relating to that author’s thinking. The information-prominent way of citing may sound
very authoritative and can sound like ‘truth-telling’. Try not to use categorical and generalising
statements followed by a reference all the time.
5
Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
6
These are also examples of the different ways of paraphrasing someone else’s ideas.
17
4.3
Reporting Verbs
Below are some verbs and their synonyms for you to draw on when you want to talk about
someone else’s ideas or words. Note the differences in these verbs: your choice of word will
reveal to your reader your stance toward the author you are reporting on. You can choose to
use reporting verbs in either past or present tense but you must be consistent throughout
your paper.

Show:
demonstrate, establish

Persuade:
assure, convince, satisfy

Argue:
reason, discuss, debate, consider

Propose:
advance, propound, proffer, suggest (the view that…)

Advise:
suggest, recommend, advocate, exhort, encourage, urge,

Believe:
hold, profess (the view that…)

Emphasise:
accentuate, stress, underscore

Support:
uphold, underpin, advocate

State:
express, comment, remark, declare, articulate, describe, instruct,
inform, report

Examine:
discuss, explore, investigate, scrutinise

Evaluate:
appraise, assess

Hypothesise:
speculate, postulate

Claim:
allege, assert, affirm, contend, maintain

Disagree:
dispute, refute, contradict, differ, object, dissent

Reject:
refute, repudiate, remonstrate (against), discard, dismiss, disclaim
An argument can be: founded on
based on
underpinned by
embedded in
grounded in (a theory/view/set of data)
Neutral verbs of restatement
add
inform (of, about)
remind (of, about)
clarify
present
report (on)
describe
remark
speak / write of
18
Verbs of restatement
apprise (someone of)
explain
indicate
argue (about)
express
observe
Verbs of opinion (this category is used to report the content of another writer’s opinion (or
conclusion or suggestions).
Positive opinions:
affirm
agree (with)
applaud
concur (with, in)
praise
support
Reporting opinion (usually neutrally)
assert
believe (in)
claim
point out
determine
expound (on)
maintain
think
Verbs of uncertainty (this category is used to report the content of another writer’s
expression of doubt or uncertainty:
challenge
dispute
question
disagree (with)
doubt
suspect (of)
dismiss
mistrust
wonder (at)
4.4
Referencing on-line resources
Remember that online resources are not different from printed books and other types of
references. You will need to locate the author(s), date of publication and other relevant
information in order to reference it properly. Please remember the basic rules:
1. Always check the information at the top and bottom of the web-page (e.g. the name of
the page/last update or copyright date) – remember that one click of a mouse may
take you far away from the page you started at.
19
2. Always check that the link you copied from the URL subject bar works if you cut and
paste it in a new window7.
3. Remember that your in-text citations should mirror your end-of-text list of references
so they are easy to find, for example:
In text (rephrased):
Several strategies, including secondary teachers’ and students’ visits to primary schools,
“buddy systems” and primary school-like learning environments, are used to ease students’
transition from primary to secondary school (The State of Victoria Department of Education
and Training, 2016).
In the list of references:
The State of Victoria Department of Education and Training. (2016). Starting secondary school.
Retrieved from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/secondary/Pages/starting.aspx
4. Always remember that for direct in-text citations you need to indicate how to find the
quoted sentence or phrase on the original web-page. If the document has no pages,
use section sub-headings and ‘para.’ for a paragraph, e.g.
“Secondary school provides opportunities to challenge your child and to develop the
valuable skills they will take into adulthood” (The State of Victoria Department of
Education and Training, “Starting Secondary School”, 2016, para 3).
Webpage section sub-heading with
Author/resource name
double quotation marks
7
URLs from search engine results (such as Google) and electronic database search results often do
not point to the correct online source.
20
5. If you are working with an online document such as a PDF file,
there is usually a URL link that can be copied and pasted into your reference list:
https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_ea
rly_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
Check the document carefully to locate the information about authors and year of publication.
The entry in the reference list may look like that:
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
(2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for
Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/
belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
Please remove the hyperlink in settings so that the
The first in-text citation will look like this:
hyperlink is transcribed (looks like a regular text).
"Fundamental to the Framework is a view of children’s lives as characterised by belonging,
being and becoming" (Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations [AGDEEWR], 2009, p. 7).
Or
As suggested by the Australia Government Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations (AGDEEWR) (2009), ...
The following in-text citations will have an abbreviated version, e.g. …. (AGDEEWR, 2009).
4.5
List of references
A list of references is everything you have used in the assignment. It is not the same as a
bibliography, which is everything you have read. There are some basic things to remember
when compiling your list of references. The most important rule is that your in-text references
match those in your list of references so please pay close attention to author names and
dates. There is no need to remember everything – it is recommended that you check with the
Monash Library APA Guide (http://guides.lib.monash.edu/citing-referencing/apa). Make sure
you match little things such as capital letters and italics with the APA examples.
21
4.5.1
Sample List of References
*Please note the hanging indent!
An electronic version of a book/document
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
(2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for
Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/
belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.
pdf
A book by one author
Edwards, S. (2009). Early childhood education and care: A socio-cultural approach. Castle
Hill, NSW: Pademelon Press
a chapter from a book with several authors
Fleer, M., & Surman, L. (2006). A sociocultural approach to observing and assessing. In M.
Fleer, S. Edwards, M. Hammer, A. Kennedy, A. Ridgway, J. Robbins, & L. Surman
(Eds.), Early Childhood learning communities: Sociocultural research in practice (pp.
139-160). French Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Lecture presentation
Podorova, A. I. (2015). Doing assignments in Education. [PowerPoint slides], EDF1234,
Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Retrieved from
http://moodle.vle.monash.edu.au
an article in a journal with DOI
Robson, S. (2014). The Analysing Children’s Creative Thinking framework: Development of
an observation-led approach to identifying and analyzing young children’s creative
thinking. British Educational Reseach Journal, 40(1), 212-134. doi:10.1002/berj.3033
an article in an on-line journal if no DOI is available
Wang, W., Lee, C., & Chu, Y. (2010). A brief review on developing creative thinking in young
children by mind mapping. International Business Research, 3(3), 233-244. Retrieved
from: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ibr/article/view/6518/5134
paper presented at a conference
Wattchow, B., Burke, G. & Cutter-MacKenzie, A. (2008, December). Environment, place and
social ecology in educational practice. Paper presented at the AARE Conference,
Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.education.monash.edu.au/research/groups/
mec/docs/aare-mec-booklet.pdf
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4.5.2
Helpful online APA referencing tutorials and guides
 Monash University Library APA guide (bookmark the link):
http://guides.lib.monash.edu/citing-referencing/apa
 Monash University Library citing tutorial:
http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/apa.html
 APA Style: http://www.apastyle.org/
 OWL Purdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
 Edith Cowan University: http://www.ecu.edu.au/learning-anddevelopment/assets/files/downloads/refguide.pdf
 University of Melbourne APA ‘Re:cite’ guide:
http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/recite/citations/apa6/generalNotes.html?style=1
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5. STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY
Consider the structure of the following essay in terms of the functional components (marked
in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS in the annotation on the next page) it is made up of:
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25
6. WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW IN YOUR
ASSIGNMENT
The following provides some clarification on what a literature review is and what it is not.
A literature review:
1. Provides an overview of the literature
a. How do the texts (articles, books, etc) on your topic relate to one another?
(What are the main agreements & disagreements?)
b. Why and how are these texts significant? What important issues do they
raise?
c. What are their limitations? What have they not addressed?
2. Establishes the importance of the topic
3. Demonstrates your understanding of the views and perspectives related to the topic
(shows you have read widely)
4. Shows that you have not merely summarised the texts but have linked and
evaluated the issues that have risen from these texts in a sustained and coherent
manner.
A literature review is not a summary of articles or an annotated bibliography (which
summarises texts in turn, each paragraph describing and evaluating a text).
Some helpful hints:
 Organise your literature review into themes rather than by texts. Read several texts on
your topic and then try to identify three or four main issues that arise. Use these issues as
subheadings in your literature review.
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For example: My topic is Assessment in the Primary Years and after reading several
texts I have come up with three main themes:
1. Formative vs. Summative Assessments
2. Self Assessment
3. Peer Assessment
I will not only discuss what the texts I have read say about the topic but I will link authors
who agree and disagree on certain issues.
 Remember that your voice is important. While you want to provide an overview of the
literature, you also want to show that you have evaluated the ideas in the texts.
For example (extract from a second year Bed (Early Years) assignment, reproduced
with permission):
Sociocultural theorists such as Vygotsky and Rogoff profoundly influence my beliefs.
Vygotskian theories believe children’s behaviour is influenced by their culture and family
experiences and that children are best served when they are challenged within their zone
of proximal development (ZPD) (Fleer & Richardson, 2004). Cutter-Mackenzie et al.
(2006) also claim that gardens are an opportunity for rich and diverse learning
experiences and an opportunity to scaffold children’s understanding about the world
around them. Rogoff (1990) agrees and discusses the importance of guided participation
in culturally significant activities. Furthermore, Rogoff (2003) argues that development is
a cultural process and children develop with influences from both their community and
culture. This is relevant to my research as the learning experiences of kitchen gardens,
reflect/address current family/social concerns and provide opportunities for children to
develop real life skills, relevant to their communities. Kitchen gardens also present a
great opportunity to embody sociocultural practices and move away from traditional
developmental perspectives.
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7. REFLECTIVE WRITING
Reflective writing is a style of writing which is very common in
Education courses. It is a product of reflective thinking and is often a
personal/subjective response to experiences, thoughts, feelings and
academic literature.
Reflective writing requires students to:
1. Examine your experiences, practices and thinking.
2. Link practice (which is informed by our beliefs and experiences) with theory (academic
literature).
3. Evaluate what you read, think or do by acknowledging a range of viewpoints and
possibilities.
In your Education course, you may be asked to do one of the following assignments:
1. Reflective journal/reflective response
a. Writing about your own learning and teaching experiences (linking your experiences
as a teacher or learner with theory about how we learn)
b. Reading articles and then writing about how the themes that have come from the
article link to your own experiences and/or what you know about teaching and
learning.
2. ‘Critical reflection’ in an assignment
Discussing a topic by looking at it from a variety of viewpoints. A critical reflection
discusses a topic by drawing on your own experiences and theory (What do academic
journals say about this topic? Are there different views about this topic? Which do you
think is the most convincing? Why?). The key is not to simply copy down the ideas of
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others on the topic but evaluate their ideas (many students put large quotes in their
papers but never discuss these views based on their own experiences and teaching
context).
Here are a few important components that you might want to include in your reflection:
1. Provide an overall reflection or opinion on the experience, academic text or activity
2. Explain and interpret the experience, academic text or activity
3. Provide justification for your interpretation by linking it to theory
OR
1. Explain the theory that supports your overall opinion
2. Provide a personal example that supports the theory/your opinion
The following is an example of reflective writing. It shows the potential components of a
reflective writing piece:
Reflective journal entry (student work)
Gives overall opinion
It was very fascinating to introduce the concept of clocks and time to Grade 1 using the
nursery rhyme, ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’. Use of story books results in motivation and
engagement of young children (Clarke, 2002).
Incorporates theory
Describes
activity
The questions that were used to check students’ understanding led them to higher-order
thinking as they had to find the answers and then justify their answers as well. Such
problem solving situations and questioning can pave a way for effective learning for
students (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin & Smith, 2004). When problem solving is introduced
using literature books, it can provide a context and stimulate investigation among young
children (Smith, 2010).
Incorporates theory
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8. OTHER TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS IN
EDUCATION
There are many types or ‘genres’ of assignments that students work on in Education.
These tasks include, but are not limited to, essays, reports, annotated lesson plans and
bibliographies, group and individual presentations and so on. Your lecturers and tutors will
endeavour to discuss the assignments with you in order to outline their expectations. Your
unit guides usually have a detailed description of a task and assessment criteria which you
must satisfy. However, some tasks may seem daunting and difficult to approach. Here are
some basic guidelines which might be helpful in accomplishing several frequently used
tasks:
8.1
Oral presentations
a. PowerPoint or Prezi programs can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Use
them with caution – distracting visuals and lack of organisation may ruin your
presentation. If you go ahead with sophisticated special effects, make sure you
know your technology – there is nothing worse than losing a slide or not knowing
what is coming next during your presentation.
b. Reading from slides is a big ‘no-no’! Slides cannot (and must not) include
everything you are going to talk about.
c. Slides are there to support you and guide your audience so put only important
headings, ideas, terms, names and dates on the slides but avoid overloading with
text and images. Remember the minimum font size (usually 22).
d. Rehearse at least once – mainly to time yourself. Doing a 3-minute presentation
may be more challenging than having a 2-hour talk.
e. Have back-up: your USB device may be incompatible with your class computer so
e-mailing the latest copy of your presentation to yourself and/or saving it in virtual
space (such as Google Drive or Dropbox) may be a good idea.
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8.2
Poster presentations
a. Good organisation of materials on your poster is crucial –
focus on your message and make sure your poster makes
your message clear. Use organisation cues (font size,
arrows, etc.) where necessary.
b. Use big text and visuals (photos, graphs, etc.) which are relevant to your theme. The
amount of text, visuals and ‘white space’ should be balanced.
c. Show your poster to someone before displaying it in class.
8.3
Lesson plans and other class resources
a. You can use numerous lesson plan formats separately or in combination.
b. Ask your lecturer/tutor for a template if unsure. The library also has books with lesson
plan templates.
c. Remember that your lesson plan or any other class resource should be clear and
easy to follow – imagine another teacher who will use it in your absence.
8.4
Portfolios
a. A portfolio in Education is often used as an assessment tool. It is an extended version
of a poster – usually a combination of photos, graphs, possible questionnaire or
interview results and reflective writing.
b. It is important to identify the focus, purpose and audience for your portfolio first and
then start collecting ‘artefacts’ (photos, audio recordings, graphs, journal entries,
notes, mind maps, etc.).
c. Before you submit, make sure your portfolio is a well-structured and coherent
document and not just a collection of disconnected student samples and photos. A
table of contents will make your portfolio more reader-friendly.
Less common assignment types/genres, such as strategic change plans or a learning
story, can be discussed in class, with your lecturer or with an Academic Language and
Literacy Advisor at the faculty.
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9. FINDING PEER-REVIEWED (ACADEMIC)
ARTICLES
In most cases you will need to find peer-reviewed or scholarly journals for your university
assignments. While many students attempt to find articles by searching on Google, these
articles are not always peer-reviewed. This means the information in these articles may not
be credible or of the quality required for university assignments. Peer-reviewed articles have
been reviewed by experts in the field to ensure that they are credible and of a standard
quality.
If you need to do a comprehensive search of the academic literature on your topic, you will
need to search an Education database.
There are excellent on-line tutorials
that students find helpful:
http://resources.lib.monash.edu.au/lear
ning-objects/databases/informit/a-pluseducation/
http://www.monash.edu.au/library/skills
/resources/tutorials/searching/
There is more information about these databases and some searching tips in the Education
Library Guide (http://guides.lib.monash.edu/education).
NOT FINDING WHAT YOU NEED?
You can ask a Librarian for help http://www.monash.edu.au/library/skills/contacts/faceducation.html
32
10. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Better academic writing and learning resources for all students:
http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/main.html
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/better-writing
Grellier, J. & Goerke, V. (2010). Communication skills toolkit: Unlocking the secrets of tertiary
success. (2nd ed.) Australia: Cengage Learning
Improving language skills for non-native speakers:
Azar, B. S. & Hagen, S.A. (2009). Understanding and using English grammar (4th ed.). USA:
Pearson Longman.
Foley, M. & Hall, D. (2012). MyGrammarLab (Advanced). England: Pearson
Hewings, M. (2012). Advanced grammar in use: a reference and practice book for advanced
students of English (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Murphy, R. (2011). English Grammar in Use (Intermediate) (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
English Language Growth resource: http://www.elg.edu.au/index.html
English-English Dictionaries – Oxford, WordWeb, etc.
33
The Academic Language & Literacy Development Unit, Faculty of Education, Monash University,
wishes to acknowledge staff who have contributed to producing this booklet:
Academic Language and Literacy Advisors:
Ms Rosemary Viete
Dr Anna Podorova
Dr Raqib Chowdhury
Dr Melissa Barnes
Education Subject Librarian (Berwick & Peninsula):
Ms Kerry Bedford
Team Leader, teaching Technology Learning Centres, Faculty of Education:
Ms Bronwyn Dethick
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Further information
Faculty of Education
Academic Language & Literacy Development
CLAYTON:
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Monash University Clayton VIC 3800
BERWICK:
Building 902, 1st Floor
Clyde Road, Berwick
Victoria 3806 Australia
PENINSULA:
Building A
McMahons Road, Frankston
Victoria 3199 Australia
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