SCMA 2 OM:
Introduction to
operations
management
SI SESSION 8 & 9: ASSESSMENT
2 – ESSAY
Thursday – 30/09/21 – 15H00
ACADEMIC WRITING STYLE
• Even though this is a test, you will have to still write academically. This means:
✓ Clear and formal tone (no slang, informal speech, colloquial language)
✓ Be objective, not subjective (avoid emotion and opinion)
✓ No personal pronouns – I, me, mine, we, our, us, etc.
✓ Third person – ‘It can be argued that………..’ NOT ‘I think that…………’
✓ No contractions – can not instead of can’t; will not instead of won’t
✓ Short, clear sentences that get to the point – avoid ‘waffling’ and jargon
✓ Do not pose direct questions (‘What has the government done to alleviate poverty? Not much.’ – NO!)
✓ Do not make generalizations (‘Politicians in South Africa are corrupt.’ – NO!)
✓ Use evidence to back up what you are saying and reference correctly (IN-TEXT REFERENCES!!).
✓ Use peer reviewed and up to date sources.
✓ Number all headings
✓ Justify all paragraphs
ACADEMIC WRITING AND STRUCTURE – WHAT
TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO
WHAT TO DO
WHAT NOT TO DO
• Prepare before you begin writing
• Avoid the use contradictions
• Identify topic and subject words focus and instruction words
(discuss, evaluate, compare, explain)
• Do not use colloquial language (so, cool, like)
• Always adhere to academic structure regarding introduction,
body and conclusion
• You need to have a clear introduction and a conclusion that
summarises everything you’ve said.
• Back up your work with reputable and up to date sources
• Sentences must not be longer than 3 lines/40 words
• Use formal and academic language
• Use connecting adverbs (furthermore, moreover, additionally)
• Ensure your essya has a logical flow
• Do not use conversational opening phrases (well, you see, yes,
let's move on.
• Do not use personal pronouns (I, you, we)
• Do not at any point discuss something that is not clearly related
to the questions you are being asked.
• Avoid being commonsensical; never appeal to what “people”
think, or what “they” do, without a reference
How do I prepare to write my test (essay)?
•
Since this is going to be a test (not an assignment) – your prep time will be your studying time.
•
Firstly, identify which chapters will be appearing in the test - Chapter 7, 10, 11, 12 & 13
•
Secondly, ensure you have understood ALL the parts of each chapter – make notes, summarize etc.
•
Try to identify possible essay questions from each chapter BUT don’t leave out learning parts of a chapter because you think it wont come out.
•
Once you have identified possible essay questions – prepare for them. BUT still don’t leave out learning certain areas of a chapter.
•
For example, in chapter 7 – there are four basic layout types (fixed-position layout, functional layout, cell layout and product (line) layout).
•
Could that be a possible question? Is there more? What about HOW SHOULD EACH BASIC LAYOUT TYPE BE DESIGNED IN DETAIL? That
could also be a question. HENCE CONSIDER THE ENTIRE CHAPTER WHEN PREPARING (DO NOT LEAVE OUT STUDYING SOME PARTS)
During your test:
✓ Read the question
✓ Work out what it wants you to do.
✓ Work out what you think, whether you think it for a good reason, and what you need to read.
✓ Do all the appropriate reading – including reading the question correctly (the rest of your reading will form part of your study/prep time as this
is a test, not an assignment)
✓ Work out what roughly you’re going to say.
✓ Write an essay plan (not a must during the test – HOWEVER when you are engaging in study/prep time, you may do this)
How do I structure my essay?
Overall any essay must have the following three sections:
1.
An introduction - where you say what your argument is, and how you'll be proving it.
2.
A body- broken into at least three distinct paragraphs, each of which explains one point,
giving reason and evidence),
3.
A conclusion -where you briefly summarise the arguments you've used and if asked to do
so in the question, make a final argument based on your summaries.
• Remember to consider both sides of the argument. Whatever conclusion you reach, you will
need clear, direct evidence for your point of view.
• Also, EVERY section of the essay must relate obviously to both the question and the
introduction.
• If you find yourself saying something that is not obviously directly relevant to the question,
you need to either change it or remove it
INTRODUCTION
• Introduces the reader to the topic
• States the central argument to be made in the essay
• Provides the ‘roadmap’ to the rest of the essay – which specific points will be discussed and in
what order?
• What you will have proven by the end of the essay
INTRODUCTION TIPS
A GOOD INTRODUCTION SHOULD:
•
Show that you are going to answer the question or complete the task.
•
Show that you understand the issues and their implications.
•
Show how you are going to do this by giving the structure of your answer and making clear the main areas that you are going to write about.
•
Show evidence that you have carried out some research by making references to at least one source
•
Be totally relevant.
•
Use similar wording to the question. If part of the question is "Discuss recent developments in communication technology" then in your
introduction say something like "This essay will consider recent developments in the field of communication technology and will ... ".
COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY STUDENTS:
•
Not to include an introduction at all.
•
To include an introduction, but one that is unrecognizable as such.
•
To include too much background/historical information in the introduction (this can form the first paragraph of the body of your essay).
•
To make the introduction too long.
•
Making the introduction a mechanical restatement of the question, without showing that you have considered it in detail or even understood
the question.
EXAMPLE OF A GOOD INTRODUCTION
BODY
• Your body must flow from general to specific.
• One point/idea per paragraph : 5-15 lines
• You can have sub-headings
• Much like an assignment/essay/research paper/chapter of a thesis has a structure, so do PARAGRAPHS.
• Paragraphs are formal academic writing conventions (logical, clear, concise)
• The four key parts of a paragraph include:
✓ Topic sentence
✓ Development
✓ Example
✓ Summary
FOUR KEY PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
EXAMPLE OF A PARAGRAPH
An organisation’s response to external operating dynamics has been identified as critical for organisational
adaption and innovation. The complex, dynamic and ever-evolving external operating environments, factors
and trends present both threats and opportunities for organisations, which may impact organisational survival
and corporate success (Costanza, 2016). External dynamics that may affect organisations include technological
changes, stakeholder pressures, customer expectations, competitive forces and globalisation (Slabbert, 2018),
as well as sociopolitical values and industry regulatory changes (Selivanoff, 2018). Organisations need to take
cognisance of these external pressures and factors for day-to-day organisational management, as well as for
longer term business planning, to ensure the longevity and success of the organisation.
Can you identify the:
Topic sentence?
Development?
Example?
Summary?
BREAKING DOWN THE EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH
INTO THE FOUR KEY PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
Example: External dynamics that may affect organisations include technological changes,
stakeholder pressures, customer expectations, competitive forces and globalisation (Slabbert,
2018), as well as socio-political values and industry regulatory changes (Selivanoff, 2018).
Summary: Organisations need to take cognisance of these external pressures and factors for dayto-day organisational management, as well as for longer term business planning, to ensure the
longevity and success of the organisation.
CONCLUSION
• There are two ways of writing a conclusion; summary and synthesis. Which of these you should do depends on the course
and the lecturer; as always, ask for help if you’re not sure.
• The most important thing to remember is not to add any new information in the conclusion.
• Summary:
✓ This is essentially a list of topic sentences.
✓ It should basically give all of the conclusions you’ve reached from the considerations in each paragraph; the only real
difference between your introduction and a summary is that in the summary you also include the results of looking at each
of the topics.
✓ It should also be concise; a sentence per paragraph of the essay at most.
• Synthesis:
✓ The conclusion is more than a summary of what you’ve said; it’s a new idea based on the conclusions you’ve reached so far.
✓ You’ll still have to summarise beforehand, but doing this well is probably the most important part of your essay, since it
shows that not only have you understood the material, but you have done so well enough that you can come to your own
(substantiated) ideas about it.
✓ This does not mean you can make something up; anything you say has to be a logical consequence of what you’ve said in
your essay.
EXAMPLE: STRUCTURE OF YOUR ESSAY
1. Introduction
2. Main heading 1
2.1. Sub-heading 1.1
2.2. Sub-heading 1.2
3. Main heading 2
3.1. Sub-heading 2.1
3.2. Sub-heading 2.2
5. Conclusion
The end
Thank you
☺
Any questions?