Professions Learning Centre
Transition Workshop 11
Analysing Questions
&
Structuring Assignments
Purpose of an Assignment
 Who is your audience?
 Why has he/she asked you to do this task?
 What does he/she want you to
demonstrate?
 Who…………Purpose…………Do?
Assignment Purpose: True or False?
 To pass?
 To show the reader how much work you have done?
 To write down everything you know about the topic
and hope the answer is in there somewhere?
 To demonstrate your understanding of the topic?
 To fulfil the requirements of the task – to do what you
were asked to do?
 Gain knowledge about your own strengths and
weaknesses?
 Keep going until you have written enough words?
How Tasks/Questions are Constructed
 Content words
 Directive words
 Scope
Content: background, topic, context
Directives: what to do, how to answer
Scope: the focus/limits of the question
Content words tell you WHAT area to write about
Directive words tell you HOW to answer the question
Scope tells you WHICH aspects to include
Directive Words
Summarise
Describe similarities and differences
Justify
State main points, omit detail
Explain
Provide a clear, concise meaning
Outline
Main points of detailed information
Analyse
Give both sides and then your own position
List
Give proof, reasons why
Evaluate
Divide into parts and discuss how they relate
Compare & contrast
Analyse to show reasons, causes and effects
Discuss
Decide and explain how valuable or important
something is
Define
Provide an itemised series of points
Directive Words
Summarise
Main points of detailed information
Justify
Give proof, give reasons why
Explain
Analyse to show reasons, causes and effects
Outline
State main points, omit detail
Analyse
Divide into parts and discuss how they relate
List
Provide an itemised series of points
Evaluate
Decide and explain how valuable or important
something is
Compare &
contrast
Describe similarities and differences
Discuss
Give both sides and then your position
Define
Provide clear and concise meaning
Types of Directive Words
 Indicating description = What
 Indicating analysis = How/Why
description
Summarise
Justify
Evaluate
Outline
List
Compare & contrast
Explain
Analysis
analysis
Sample Assignment Tasks
 Accounting
Define the term ‘an asset’
 Finance
Explain the relationship between the price of a
debenture and its rate of return
 Education
Using Bloom’s taxonomy evaluate the suitability of Activity 1.2
for use in the Year 7 Science Course
 Business Law
Compare and contrast a contractual and noncontractual promise
 Management
Outline the purpose of an organisational chart
 CSG
Discuss the relative merits of cash over accrual
accounting
Analysing tasks
Define the term ‘an asset’
Explain the relationship between the price of a debenture and its
rate of return
Using Bloom’s taxonomy evaluate the suitability of Activity 1.2 for
use in the Year 7 Science Course
Compare and contrast a contractual and non-contractual promise
Outline the purpose of an organisational chart
Discuss the relative merits of cash over accrual accounting
Organising Your (Short Answer) Assignment
 INTRODUCTION
establishing sentence (this is not a mystery novel!) introduction of topic and position
 BODY
The WHAT – background, definitions, explanation of
the issue
The WHY – development of the argument,
reasons for your position
 CONCLUSION
summary of the main argument
Sample Task
For the past fiscal year, about 51% of Fujitsu’s business is derived from services
and software. The majority of Fujitsu’s business is acknowledged as “knowledgebased” , in contrast to the “product-based” outlook of a traditional hardware
vendor.
As in any knowledge-based business, the key competition business advantage is
the collective skills, experience and work ethic of the employees. While Fujitsu’s
records may point to facilities, fixtures and property as its major assets, the true
picture is that Fujitsu’s employees are their only assets.
Using the following definition and recognition criteria for an asset (AASB
Framework) explain why, given the above information, many companies
do not include their employees as assets on their balance sheets
ASSETS: An asset is a resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events
and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity (AASB
Framework, para 49a). An asset is recognised in the balance sheet only when it is
probable that the future economic benefits will flow to the entity and it must be
possible to reliably measure the cost of other value of such benefits
Sample Task
For the past fiscal year, about 51% of Fujitsu’s business is derived
from services and software. The majority of Fujitsu’s business is
acknowledged as “knowledge-based” , in contrast to the
“product-based” outlook of a traditional hardware vendor.
As in any knowledge-based business, the key competition
business advantage is the collective skills, experience and work
ethic of the employees. While Fujitsu’s records may point to
facilities, fixtures and property as its major assets, the true
picture is that Fujitsu’s employees are their only assets.
Using the following definition and recognition criteria
for an asset (AASB Framework) explain why, given
the above information, many companies do not
include their employees as assets on their balance
sheets
INTRODUCTION: Topic and Position
• Employees could be
defined as an asset
• But don’t appear on
balance sheet
• Because they don’t
satisfy the recognition
criteria
The employees of an
entity may satisfy the
definition of an asset but
would not satisfy the
recognition criteria of an
asset and therefore do not
appear on the entity’s
statement of balance
sheets.
BODY: ‘WHAT’ – Background and Explanation
of the Issue
Clear description of definition
and criteria.
An asset has 3 essential
characteristics:
1. past event or transaction
2. control
3. has future economic benefits
which are probable and can be
measured
The Accounting Framework defines
assets as “future economic benefits
controlled by the entity as a result of
past transactions or other past
events.” Therefore, to satisfy the
definition of an asset, an item must
satisfy three essential characteristics.
There must be: a past event of
transaction; control; and future
economic benefits. If an item satisfies
the definition of an asset it must also
satisfy the recognition criteria for
assets before it can be included on
the statement of financial position.
Namely, it must be probable that
future economic benefits will
eventuate and the amount of the
asset can be reliably measured.
BODY: ‘WHY’ – Development of the Argument
Defending the proposal:
1. past event – staff have been
employed
2. business has control – it can deny
others access to benefits
3. future revenue generated by staff
Counter argument:
While staff will generate revenue,
it is difficult to measure the
asset…there is no cost and no
market for acquiring and ‘selling’
staff…some other measurement
would have to be devised
It could be argued that employees satisfy
the definition of an asset. First, there is a
past event i.e. the employment of the staff.
Second, the business has control in that it
can deny others access to the benefits they
provide during the period they are
employed. Finally, the business derives
future revenue that will be generated by
the staff. However, not only the definition,
but also the recognition criteria of an asset
must be satisfied for an item to be
recognised as an asset on the balance
sheets. While there is a greater than fifty
percent probability that staff will produce
revenue for the business, it would be
difficult to reliably measure the asset.
There is no cost in acquiring the staff and
no market for selling the staff, so some
other attribute would have to be measured
CONCLUSION: Summary of the Main Argument
Benefits of staff cannot be
reliably measured
The staff of a business does not
appear on the statement of
balance sheets as their value
cannot be reliably measured
and, therefore, the recognition
criteria for an asset is not
satisfied.
Language Use
 Academic style
 “It could be argued…”
 “…does not satisfy the definition…”
 “If this is the case…”
 Use of technical language
 “The Accounting Framework defines assets as…”
 “…the asset can be reliably measured…”
 Unambiguous sentence structure
 “First, there is…Second, the business has control…Finally, the
business derives…”
Assessment Criteria
CONTENT of the assignment
Appropriate interpretation/analysis
of the question; relevance of
information
ORGANISATION of the assignment
 Introduction of topic and writer’s
position
 Background and explanation of
the issue
 Development of the argument to
defend the position
 Conclusion which summarises
the main argument
LANGUAGE use in the assignment
Academic style; use of technical
language; clear and varied sentence
structure
Characteristics of Academic Essay Writing
Essay writer’s purpose
 To describe
 To analyse
 To evaluate, etc.
Content
theories
concepts
Facts, etc.
Academic reader’s expectations
 Well focused on the topic
 Based on wide reading
 A reasoned argument
 Competently presented
Essay Writing
 Basically – same Purpose and Structure
 More detail and evidence required: more research
Sample Essay re Consumer Behaviour:
Observational learning is an important means of socialisation for
children, teenagers and adults. Consider the content of prime-time
television shows. What are the patterns of behaviour that people
may learn as a result of watching prime-time television? What, if
any, are the public policy implications of your analysis?
How would you approach this task? Audience…Purpose…Do
Essay Writing
Observational learning is an important means of socialisation for
children, teenagers and adults. Consider the content of prime-time
television shows. What are the patterns of behaviour that people
may learn as a result of watching prime-time television? What, if
any, are the public policy implications of your analysis?
Content: patterns of behaviour…public policy implications
Directives: consider…analyse
Scope: observational learning…prime-time television
SUMMARY
When reading an assignment task, ask yourself: What am I being
asked to do? How do I need to approach this task?
 Content words tell you ‘what’
 Directive words tell you ‘how’
 Scope gives the focus/limits of your answer
Clear, logical, well-linked structure
 Introduction – background position
 Body – argument, reasons
 Conclusion – summary of main points
Language – formal tone, academic
Thank you
Isabella Slevin
isabella.slevin@adelaide.edu.au