to degree level

1. How to Write a report to Degree
level
HND in Film

2. Session Aims
• To develop an understanding about academic
writing
• To learn how to structure a report correctly to
degree level writing
• To discuss writing techniques

3. How to write assignments- Ingredients for a
degree level report
• Introduction
• Main Body
• Conclusion

4. What should an introduction include?
There is no standard format for introductions and of course they
vary in length according to the length of the piece of writing.
Most, however, will contain a number of the following elements:
• Scene setting – very general background information
• Purpose and focus
• Background information
• Research already done in the same area
• Limitations
• A brief description of the methods used
• Definition(s) if necessary
• An outline of the contents

5. An outline of the contents
Scene setting – background information Background information & Limitations
Research already done in
the same area
Definition(s) if necessary
Purpose
A brief description of the methods used
and focus

6. TASK- Practice writing an introduction for your
Professional Practice assignment 30 mins
• Scene setting – very general background information
• Purpose and focus
• Background information
• Research already done in the same area
• Limitations
• A brief description of the methods used
• Definition(s) if necessary
• An outline of the contents

7. Peer Review- Helpful pointers
• Have a glance at the other persons work and give some helpful feedback.
• How have they:
• Scene setting – very general background information
• Purpose and focus
• Background information
• Research already done in the same area
• Limitations
• A brief description of the methods used
• Definition(s) if necessary
• An outline of the contents

8. What to include in the main body of an
assignment
• Identify the topic/focus/ method
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the subject using research
• Clarify it’s importance in relation to the topic
• Make sure to reference information (using Harvard Referencing)
• Draw conclusions/ Justify its purpose in the report
• Make comparisons between research
• Reconnect/link research to your judgements

9. What shouldn’t you do in the main
body?

10. Main Body- Don’ts
• It is very easy to wander off the point and to add anecdotal or irrelevant
information (one of the biggest causes of examination failure in essay subjects)
• Too much time is often spent discussing one point or example.
• Sometimes people get lost throughout an assignment and come off track- stick
to the purpose of the assignment throughout.
• The body of the essay can sometimes become a bit 'mechanical'; following
predictable formats can be a reliable and safe, but rather boring way of writing.
• It’s tempting to waffle and use as many words as you can but this can actually
lose you marks. Use relevant terms when it is right to do so.

11. TASK- Practice writing about the first point
from your brief- 30 mins
• Identify the topic/focus/ method
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the subject using research
• Clarify it’s importance in relation to the topic
• Make sure to reference information (using Harvard Referencing)
• Draw conclusions/ Justify its purpose in the report
• Make comparisons between research
• Reconnect/link research to your judgements

12. Research and referencing
• Whilst you are researching it would beneficial to save your links so
that you can properly Harvard Reference.

13. • Due attention needs to be given to referencing - by
no means an easy task.
• Use of quotations is often a problem; students often
use quotations either because they think it is clever
to do so, or because they do not understand the
concepts very well. Make sure that your quotations
do not simply serve as a decorative ornament, but
that you introduce them and comment on them.
• It goes without saying that you must always avoid
lifting words and phrases from your reading and
including them without due acknowledgement
(plagiarism)

14. TASK- add to the section you have just written
by finding some research then
• First you would need to write your
information then put the author and
date of publication in brackets this is
then accompanied by a reference at the
bottom of the page.
• Google Docs and Word both have tools
to help you with creating a footnote.
• A footnote is a note and not the full
reference which you will need to include
at the end of your essay in a bibliography

15. Analytical Vs Descriptive
• What do you think the difference is? Discuss in pairs and Share

16. Analytical Vs Descriptive
• Descriptions tend to merely give details about what the subject is,
and give examples
• Analysis tends to break it apart and look at it from a variety of
perspectives.

17. How to write in a more analytical way

18. How to write in a more analytical way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY9F7DMOoGM
• Bringing out the importance of a given aspect of your reading (not just saying again what the
writer says).
• Getting the overview/bigger picture, rather than describing an example or case in lots of detail.
• Picking out the key or central aspect of a piece of literature you are reading, rather than
describing it from start to finish and 'telling the story'.
• Evaluating (that is, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of) what you are discussing.
(pros/cons, strengths/ weaknesses, opportunities/threats)
• Comparing different theories to show what they have in common and how they differ (not just
saying what the theories are).
• Showing a range of different interpretations of a given fact.

19. • Adopting the approach that no single theory is the correct one and that there are aspects of all
theories that are worth retaining.
• Looking for new questions, as well as answering old ones.
• Avoiding simplistic and passive agreement with the assignment title.
• Adopting a challenging approach to what you read - that is, not just accepting other people's
word for it.
• Showing how theories fit in with each other;
• Indicating different schools of thought, and developing your own perspective based on these.
• Recognising the limitations of your own perspective as a writer, and the inevitable impact that
your own values and beliefs will have on how you express your opinions

20. Advice for writing the main body of an assignment
• Plan your work properly before you write
• Know your audience
• Know what the requirements are.
• Don't expect your tutor to tell you what to say-
Formulate your own perspective
• Keep the assignment title firmly in mind as you write
• Keep your essay balanced.
• Avoid waffle
• Think about the writing process
• Check your language
• Use Signposts throughout your assignment
• Use Feedback effectively

22. Writing Conclusions
• A summary of the main part of the text
• A deduction made on the basis of the main body
• Your personal opinion on what has been discussed
• A statement about the limitations of the work
• A comment about the future based on what has been discussed
• The implications of the work for future research
• Important facts and figures not mentioned in the main body

24. TASK- Write your own formula for “how to
write an assignment”- 20 mins

25. How to use Harvard Referencing
• Guidance on how to use Harvard Referencing will be covered next
week.