Academic Writing Skills SoB 2008

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Academic Wri t ing Ski l ls

School of Business

A resource of useful examples

Prepared by:Dr Glen ice J WoodStatus Vers ion 2 10 January 2008


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ACADEMIC WRITING IN THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

SOME USEFUL EXAMPLES

The following material is provided as an example of the standard required in academic

writing for the undergraduate programs of the School of Business, University of Ballarat. It is

essential that you check with individual lecturing staff to ensure you are meeting their

particular requirements for each assessable task.

The purpose of this booklet is to provide you with sufficient guidelines to assist you

understanding the expectations of academic writing. For each topic area, an example has

been provided on the facing page.

Please note that the citation method employed throughout this booklet is the APA style,

which is recommended for subjects in the areas of Business/Management. Please refer to

the General Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work for further information.

www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/student/learning_support/generalguide/

Content:

Title page

Abstract, Synopsis or Executive Summary

Table of Contents

Introduction

Middle section

Conclusion

Citations in the body of the work

Appendices

Acknowledgements

Reference List Electronic citation

Plagiarism

Notes on essay format and report format

If you have any queries about the presentation of your academic work, please speak to your

lecturer during the delivery of the unit prior to submission of your work.

Dr Glenice Wood

Deputy Head of School

(Learning & Teaching)

School of Business

University of Ballarat
http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/student/learning_support/generalguide/http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/student/learning_support/generalguide/


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PageIntroduction

1 Title Page 2

2 Title Page (example) 3

3 Abstract, Synopsis or Executive Summary 4

4 Abstract, Synopsis or Executive Summary (example) 5

5 Table of Contents 6

6 Table of Contents (example) 7

7 Introduction 8

8 Introduction (example) 9

9 Middle Section (Body) 10

10 Middle Section (Body) example 11

11 Conclusion 12

12 Conclusion (example) 13

13 Citations in the body of the work 14

14 Citations in the body of the work (example) 15

15 Appendices 16

16 Appendices (example) 17

17 Acknowledgements 18

18 Acknowledgements (example) 19

19 Reference List 20

20 Reference List (example) 21-22

21 Electronic citation 24

22 Electronic citation (example) 25

23 Plagiarism 26

24 Plagiarism (example) 27

25 Notes on essay format and report format 28-29


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1 Title Page:

Each piece of written work should have a separate cover-sheet or title page. This should

include the title of the piece of work, your name and student number, the unit number and

name of lecturer, and the date of submission.

(See following page for example).

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TITLE: LEARNING CONTRACT

TIME MANAGEMENT

NAME:

STUDENT NUMBER

UNIT NUMBER J N601

UNIT NAME: MANAGERIAL SKILLS

LECTURER: GLENICE WOOD

TUTOR: MAREE GREIG

TUTORIAL GROUP: WEDNESDAY 4:30 PM-6:30 PM

DATE SUBMITTED: WEDNESDAY 18 AUGUST 9:30 AM

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2 Abstract, Synopsis or Executive Summary:

Essays, reports, research or major studies, and some other assignments should always be

prefaced by an abstract or synopsis. This should be on a separate page, and should be

between 100-150 words and be written in connected English prose (i.e. not in dot point

style).

An abstract or synopsis is NOT a table of contents, nor is it an Introduction. It is a summary

or prcis of the whole work, outlining the problem being investigated, the main argument,

and the results or conclusions reached. When used with a report of a research study, it may

include a brief statement of the method or procedure used. It needs to be factual and

precise.

(See following page for an example).

An Executive Summary is usually defined as: Executive summaries are provided for

business reports that include conclusions or recommendations intended to be executed

(acted on). In a real life setting, such reports would be presented to an organisations

executives. An executive summary includes the actual recommendations made in the report

and the reasons (in brief) why these were made. Executive summaries are often formatted in

sections with numbered headings.

Please see page 13, General Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work, New Edition

January 2007. www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/student/learning_support/generalguide/

Further information relating to Executive Summaries can also be found at

www.businessdictionary.com/definition/executive-summary.html

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CONTEMPORARY WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT:SOCIAL-ROLE THEORY REVISITED.

Various theories have been proposed to account for the fact that women

make up a very small proportion of senior managers. For example, the person-c en t red theo ryhas suggested that such disparity in the numbers of men andwomen who achieved senior management positions was due to significantsex differences in behaviour and attitudes. (Morrison and von Ginlow, 1990).

However the So c ia l Ro le th e o ry(Eagly, 1987) perspec tive, which hypothesisedthat differences in soc ial behaviour occurred because of a traditional division

of labour, societal expectations, and the subsequent different skills and beliefsbeing acquired by men and women. In addition, this theory predicted that as

men and women filled more similar roles, their behaviour would becomemore similar, and sex differences would tend to erode (Eagly and Wood,

1999, p 4133).

This study explored this possibility with 507 Australian middle managers (351

males and 156 females) drawn from Australian industry divisions. Perceptionsof various managerial competencies, and attitudes toward promotionrequirements to senior positions were analysed to ascertain if sex differences

in managerial mens and womens behaviours and skills existed in these

areas.

The results substantially supported the soc ial role theory prediction. Male andfemale middle managers who had expressed similar aspirations to more

senior positions exhibited similar self-reported behaviour and skills, when theseareas were within their control. The implications of these findings on the

disproportionate numbers of women in senior management are considered.

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3 Table of contents:

Where an essay or report is organised under section or chapter headings , a table of

contents should be provided. This should be on a separate page, should list each section,

and show on which page that part of the work begins.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Number

Executive Summary 2

Acknowledgements 9

1 Introduction 10

1.1.The Rural Content 101.2.The rise of small business choice and constraint 11

1.3.The significance of women in the growth of small business 121.4.Objectives 13

2 Literature Review 14

2.1.Gender and research 14

2.2.Individual Characteristics of Business Women 16

2.2.1. Motivation and success 162.2.2.Training and experience 192.2.3. Networking 19

2.3.Institutional discrimination 21

2.3.1. Banks and finance 212.3.2.The law 22

2.4.The gender division of labour: the nexusbetween domestic and other work 22

2.4.1. Industry 23

2.4.2. Business 232.4.3. Household 24

2.5.Summary 24

3 Methods of Research 26

3.1.The survey 273.2.Group and individual discussions 30

4 Results 31

4.1.Introduction 31

4.2.Sample Description 314.2.1. Age 31

4.2.2. Ethnicity 324.2.3. Education 32

4.2.4. Residence 344.2.5. Household unit 35

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4 Introduction:

The best introductions get to the point quickly and capture the readers interest. They should

not leave the reader guessing about your purpose and direction; but should provide a

concise statement of your idea or set out clearly the direction and argument you will be

developing. It is often a good idea to begin with a general statement, than move to the details

in the body of the essay, and return to the general in the conclusion. A good rule of thumb:

this is so/ this is why this is so/ hence it is supportable that this is so. (Source: adapted from

Bate & Sharpe, 1996 (pp.16-18). (See the following page for an excerpt from the Bate &

Sharpe book, with an example of one Introduction).

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STRUCTURING THE INTRODUCTION,BODY AND CONCLUSION

At the time of writing your outline you should also consider how to structure the

introduction, body and conc lusion of your essay.

Introduction

1 The best introductions are those that get to the point quickly and capture thereaders interest. They do not leave the reader guessing about your purpose

and direction; rather they provide a concise statement of your thesis or they

establish c learly the lines of discussion, analysis, description, comparison and so

on that you will be developing. Beware of building up all the details so as to

arrive at a general statement in the conclusion; it is better to let your reader

know what you are going and where you are going from the start. Often the

best way to begin is to open with a general statement, then move to the details

in the body of the essay, and return to the general in the conc lusion. The basicmovement is something like: this is so/ this is why it is so/ hence it is supportable

that this is so.

In your introduction, avoid including general information that has no obvious

relationship to your theme; repeating the whole essay topic; apologising for

deficiencies in what is to follow; and making promises that the essay will not fulfil.

Some essay topics do not call for a clear thesis statement in the introduction. Instead

they may invite you to establish the contexts of discussion, identify the subject of the

essay, or clarify your understanding of the topic itself. In the following example, the

writer heads straight into providing information that identifies the subject.

Topic

Analyse and discuss Rembrandts landscape etching The Thre e Tree s interms of its subject, composition and historical context.

IntroductionThe Thre e Tree s, signed and dated 1643. is Rembrandts largest, if not most

impressive landscape etching. Though its size is a mere 213 x 280 mm, the

evocative use of light and shade, and the combination of realism with

pictorial dramatics, lend the etching an illusionistic monumentality that has

led many to compare it to the virtuosity and quality of a Rembrandtpainting.

Source: Bate, D & Sharpe, P (1996). Writers Handbook for University Students. Marrickville, NSS:

Harcourt Brace. Pp. 16-18.

The a b ove is taken f rom th is tex tboo k, w h ic h is an exce llen t resource b oo k for a c a d em ic

w rit ing.

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5 Body:

In the body of your essay, list all main points that will develop what you have set up as your

introduction. You should aim to select from your reading and notes the points that are

relevant to your theme and develop your argument. Imagine a thread weaving throughout the

essay linking the introduction to the body and the conclusion. The most common reasons

for the body of an essay to fail are: straying from the theme; trying to say too much within a

given word limit, or padding and repeating to meet the word limit; failure to give proper

emphasis and balance to all parts of the essay topic; and illogical, confusing sequencing of

material.

(Source: adapted from Bate & Sharpe,1996, p.20). (See the following page for one exampleof the body of an essay).

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Body

In outlining the body of your essay, you will be concerned with listing the main points

that will develop what you have set up as your introduction. Your aim should be to

select from your reading and class-notes only those points that are relevant to your

theme and develop your thesis. The most common reasons for the body of an essayto fail are: straying from the theme; trying to say too much within a given word limit,

or padding and repeating to meet the word limit; failure to give proper emphasis

and balance to all parts of the essay topic; and illogical, confusing sequencing of

your material.

Many students find that the most useful way to outline the body is with paragraph

topics. Since paragraphs are units of writing dealing with a key idea or new aspect of

an idea, you can select those ideas that are most relevant, and then determine the

order in which they will appear and be developed. Paragraph topics can be

expressed in a word, a phrase or a sentence in your outline. Major and minor points

can be indicated for each paragraph, as can the evidence you will use or thereferences you will cite. If you are unable to come up with enough ideas to develop

your essay topic, this process can alert you to the need for more reading, research or

thinking. All paragraph topics should be selected for the outline in terms of how they

relate to the theme and develop the thesis, and how they progress logically towards

your conclusion.

Source: Bate, D & Sharpe, P (1996). Writers Handbook for University Students. Marrickville, NSS:

Harcourt Brace. Pp. 20.


w rit ing.

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6 Conclusion:

The conclusion should follow logically from what you have set up and promised in your

introduction, and from what you have outlined as the main ideas to be developed

sequentially in the body. It should tie the whole work together. A conclusion usually consists

of one final paragraph, and generally should bring together the different parts of the essay

and supports its main message. Aim for a conclusion that adds strength to and supports

what has already been written, and do not leave questions hanging by raising new issues.

(Source: adapted from Bate & Sharpe,1996 pp. 20-21). (See the following page for oneexample of a Conclusion).

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Conclusion

Your conclusion should follow logically from what you have set up and promised in

your introduction, and from what you have outlined as the main ideas to be

developed sequentially in the body. A conclusion usually consists of one final

paragraph. Sometimes two or three paragraphs are appropriate if severalqualifications need to be made. Generally, a conclusion should bring together the

different parts of the essay and support its main message. It should not leave the

reader with an impression that you have suddenly run out of ideas. Aim for balance

between an ending that is too abrupt and one that rambles. Like the introduction,

the conclusion can take many different forms. The main consideration is the final

impression you want to leave with your reader. You may wish to stress the main point

or summarise several important points, but avoid merely repeating a point made

earlier, especially in shorter essays. Aim for a conclusion that adds strength to and

supports what has already been written, and do not leave questions handing by

raising new issues.

Source: Bate, D & Sharpe, P (1996). Writers Handbook for University Students. Marrickville, NSS:Harcourt Brace. Pp. 20-21.


w rit ing.

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7 Citation in the body of the work:

The APA or name/date system is preferred in some disciplines the School of Business. At

the appropriate place in the text, the source is indicated by stating, in brackets, the

surname(s) or the author(s), the publication date, and if appropriate, the page number(s)

being quoted or referred to. References in the text should correspond with entries in the list

of references at the end of the piece of work (see section 10, page 20).

Examples of correct citation are as follows:

As indicated in recent research (Jones, 2000), follow up interviews needs to be made

A common belief (Jones & Smith, 2001) was that

Several texts (Adams, 1998; Cummings, 2002; Granger, 2001) have concluded

For less usual citations, please refer to the General Guide for the Presentation of Academic

Work provided by the University of Ballarat (see page 34 of the General Guide).

(See the following page for an example of citation in the body of an essay, or report).

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2.2 Individual Characteristics Of Business Women

2.2.1 Motivation and Success

Attempts to isolate factors leading to success have historically been difficult. An

Australian case study looking at success factors in small to medium enterprises

involved in high technology, concluded that strength of the partnership

between two (male) founding members, based on trust and respect was most

significant (Warren & Hutchison, 2000). Such a finding may have implications for

understandings of small family business. Most studies, however, focus on

individual motivations and perceptions of success and they also problematise

both the definition of success as well as the characteristics that might be

assoc iated with it (Marlow & Strange, 1994).

Gilligan, a feminist psychologist, says that a defining feature of women's

business is the 'intimate integration between the business and the social' (cited

in Baines & Wheelock, 1998, p.18). Self-employment is as much a life strategy as

a business strategy (Richardson & Hartshorn, 1993; Moore, 1999). It can be a

household response to the effects of economic restructuring on a peripheral

labour market' (Wheelock, 1997, p.163). Many studies suggest that women's

motivations are different to those of men and also that their views of success

may differ (eg. Moore, 1999; Still & Timms 2000). Some authors have even

argued that women have a fear of success (Horner 1972). However, Marlow

and Strange (1994) argue that definitions of success traditionally used in small

business research, like profitability and turnover are inappropriate to the study of

many ventures and what should be taken into account is what the original

motivations and aims are. They argue that a major aim of many women is to

reconcile the competing demands of waged and domestic labour and that ifthey manage to achieve this by undertaking business ownership, they have

been successful. This discussion has led to debate about typology of female

entrepreneurship.

Goffee and Sease's (1985) typology of female entrepreneurs recognises the

classic entrepreneur committed to individualism and self-reliance and others

committed to traditional, often subservient, gender roles. Recognition of

difference within females is sound but a finer ..

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8 Appendices:

It is possible to include in an appendix bulky material, which may support your argument, but

is not appropriate (or convenient) to include in the body of your essay or report. For example,

questionnaires or raw data may be included, if appropriate in an Appendix.

(See following page for an example of how an Appendices index page should be written up).

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APPENDICES Page

Attributes considered important to achieve promotion 20

Ethics Approval, Monash University 23

Ten questions deleted from the pilot study 26

Final survey instrument 27

Covering letter, Monash University 37

Middle Manager interview schedule 38

Senior Manager Interview schedule 39

Final interview format 40

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9 Acknowledgements:

People who have given assistance should be acknowledged, in a simple and concise

statement of acknowledgement. This is often necessary, for example, when interviews or

focus groups have been conducted to gather data for a report or research project.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people have helped in this research in terms of their willingness to attend

meetings and to fill out the survey. Special thanks must go to those busy women who

gave their valuable time.

Thanks must especially be given to the members of the Steering Committee for their

encouragement, enthusiasm and practical advice: Linette Penhall (DSRD Ballarat),

Fiona Davey (City of Ballarat), Dr Mandy Charman (NRE); Alice Dwelly (DSRD) and to

Kathy Coultas (DSRD) for instigating support for the project.

Neroli Sawyer undertook the survey data entry and helped greatly with analysis. J ill

Blee and Leanne Spain gave clerical support and telephoned potential respondents.

Kara Hodgson, School of Business, helped with formatting of the report and Monika

Heim with management of finances.

Council staff in the ten Local Government areas were very helpful providing maps,community and business lists and setting up meeting venues. Other people have

helped give out surveys or alerted those who may have been interested in being

part of the research include Pauline Fort (BRAC E), J ohn Maguire and Dot Carpenter

(Ballarat); Bev Blaskett (Gordon) Dennis Witmitz (Executive Officer, Horsham and

District Commerce Assoc iation, Horsham), Mary Ashdown (Hepburn), J oan Bennett

(Nhill), Geoffrey Gray (Pyrenees), Margaret Hill (CWA Horsham), Donna Lindner

(Dimboola), Kay Macaulay (AIG), J oe McLelland (CEC Rainbow), Michelle Morrow

(Moorabool), Jen Murray (Central Highlands Rural Counselling Service), Jo

Postlethwaite (St Arnaud), Rosemary Robertson (Bacchus March Village), J odie Ryan(Ballarat DSRD), Jenny Stewart (Warracknabeal) and Mark Troeth (CEC Nhill).

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10 Reference List:

The appropriate manner of preparing a list of References is to compile all of the citations

mentioned throughout the essay or report into an alphabetically ordered list at the back of the

work. The format when referring to booksshould be as follows:

Adams, S.J. (1998). Management in 2000 and Beyond. Melbourne: Prentice Hall.

Castles, F.G., Davidson, M.J., Baker, P.M. & Jackson, A.B. (2001). The future ofManagement Sydney: Wiley.

When referring tojournal art ic les , the following is appropriate:

Davidson, M.J. & Pollitt, B.C. (2002). Motivating a demoralised workforce. Women inManagement Review, 4,200-250.

When the author is unknown, the title may be used as follows:

How to manage effectively (2001). London: British Academy of Management.

For less common examples of entries into a list of References, please refer to the General

Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work,

www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/student/learning_support/general

(See the following pages for examples of appropriate APA style of referencing in a Reference

list).

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REFERENCESABC Landline [on line] Available www.abc.net.au/landline. [14/12/1997, 12/10/1998,

10/1/1999].

Allen, S. & Truman, C. (1993) Women and men entrepreneurs, life strategies, business

strategies, in Allen, S .& Truman, C . pp.1-13. Wom en 'in Busine ss: p e rsp e c t ive s o nw om en e nt rep rene urs. London: Routledge.

Alston, M. (1991) Fam ily Fa rm ing Aust ra lia a nd New Zea la nd. Centre for Rural Soc ial

Research, Wagga Wagga: Charles Sturt University.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1996) C ensus.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1997) Ag ric ultura l Austra lia1996-7, 7113.0, 2, ABS.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1997) Special Article - Women m Small Business, ABS

1301.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1999a) Agricultural Industries, 1998-9, 7506.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1999b) Charac teristics of Small Business, 8127.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1999c) Sm a ll Busine ss in Austra lia ,1321.0, ABS.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (1999d) Special Article Employment Generation by

the Small Business Sector, Austra lia No w - A Sta tist ic a l Pro file Ind ustry O ve rviewYea r Bo o k Au stra lia, 1301.01.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2000) 2901.0 Statistical Subdivisions of North and South

Wimmera, Ballarat City, Western and Eastern Central Highlands.

AusStats 8127. 1[online](1998) More small businesses and more women business

operators. Available: www.abs.gov.au/ausstats [12/2/01.]

AusStats 8127.0 [online] (1999a) Women turn away from small business. Available:www.abs.gov.au/ausstats [12/2/01.]

AusStats 8127.0 [online] (1999b). Growth in small business sector slows. Available:

www.abs.gov.au/ausstats [12/2/01.]

AusStats 3218.0: [online] (1999c) Population: population distribution Available:

www.abs.gov.au/ausstats [12/2/01].

AusStats 3218.0 [online](1999d) Australian Social Trends 1998, Population - population

distribution: Small towns: which ones are in decline? Available:

www.abs.gov.au/ausstats [12/2/01].

Baines, S. & Wheelock, J . (1998) Working for each other: gender, the household and

micro-business survival and growth, Inte rna tion a l Sm a ll Busine ss Joum a l,17, (1),

pp.16-35.

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Boden, R. & Nucci, A. (1997*) On the survival prospects of men's and women's new

business ventures. Jou rna l of Busine ss Ve nt uring. 15, pp.347-362.

Bradley, H., Erickson, M., Stephenson, C . & Williams, S. (2000) Myths at work,

Cambridge: Polity.

Burton, C. (1991). The p rom ise a nd the p ric e: The st rug g le fo r eq ua l op p o rtuni ty in

wo me n 's em p loyme n t . North Sydney, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin.

Caley, K., Chell, E., Chittenden, F. & Mason, C. (1992) Sm a ll Ente rp rise De ve lo pm e nt:

po l i cy and prac t i ce i n ac t i on UK Enterprise Management and Research

Assoc iation, London: Paul Chapman Publishing:

Carter, S. (1993) Female business ownership: current research and possibilities for the

future. In Allen, S & Truman, C. Wom en in Busine ss: pe rsp ec t ive s o n w om en

ent repreneurs. pp 144-160. London: Routledge.

Carter, S. (1999) Multiple business ownership in the farm sector: assessing the farm

enterprise and employment contributions of farmers in Cambridgeshire, Journal

o f Rura l Stud ie s. 15, (4), pp. 417-429.

Clayton, K. (1998).Wom en's w o rk: Suc c e ss in sm a ll b usine ss.

[http://www.cpaonline.com.au/html/aa/9811J

Collins, J ock Gibson, Katherine, Alcorso, Caroline, Castles, Stephen & Tait,

David.(1995) A sho p full of d re a m s: eth nic sm a ll bu sine ss in Au stra lia. Leichardt:Pluto Press.

Craig, R. (c1990) Partners or Helpers - farm .wives and dec ision making. CVAH:

unpublished paper. .

Cromie, S. & Hayes, J . (1988). Towards a typology of female entrepreneurs.So c iolog ic a l Rev iew, 36, (1), pp.87-113.

Cullinen, Kate (2001) Unpublished thesis. Current research for Masters in Business,University of Ballarat.

Davidson M. & C ooper, C. (1992). Sha tte ring the G la ss C e iling. The Woman Manager.

London: Paul Chapman.

Deery, S., Plowman, D., Walsh, J ., & Brown, M. (2001) Industrial relations: a

contemporary analysis. Boston: McGraw Hill. Dempsey, K. (1992) A m a n's tow n:

ineq ua lit y be tw ee n w om en a nd m en in rura l Aust ra lia. Melbourne: Oxford

University Press.

Egan, M. (1997) Getting down to business and off welfare: rural women

entrepreneurs. Aff ilia : Journa l o f Wom en a nd So c ia l Wo rk, 12: 2, EBSCOhost

1999, 10 pp.

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11 Electronic Citation:

Increasingly, students have the opportunity to access material from electronic data bases.

Such material must be acknowledged appropriately. The following page sets out some

examples of electronic citations. In addition, some style guides, such as the Publication

Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001), include a useful section on

Elements of references to on-line informationon pages 268 281.

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CITATION AND REFERENCING - APA STYLE

Websites

Although material located via the Web may present itself in many formats, the APA

manual (2001, p. 269) indicates that:

at a minimum, a reference of an Internet source should provide adocument title or description, a date (either the date of publication orupdate or date of retrieval), and a URL. Whenever possible, identify the

authors of a document as well.

The following examples represent the more commonly used formats for referencing

websites. For more examples and further information, please consult

www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/ is/ library/research/citation/apa/readings.shtmlfor the

APA style.

Entire website Pa rlia m ent o f Au stra lia. (2006). Retrieved November 1,2006, from http://www.aph.gov.au

Document/webpage

within a website

ALIA's ro le in e d uc a t ion of l ib ra ry a nd informa t io n

p ro fe ssio na ls.(2005). Retrieved November 6, 2006, from

Australian Library and Information Association Web site:

http://www.alia.org.au/policies/education.role.html

Online book Marx, K., & Engels, F. (1888). The c omm unist m a nifesto[online book]. Retrieved November 6, 2006, from Project

Gutenberg Web site: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/61

Article in onlinedatabase

Mackey, T. P. (2004). Integrating information literacy in

lower and upper-Level courses: developing scalable

models for higher education. Journa l of G ene ra l

Ed uc a t ion , 53, 201-24. Retrieved November 6, 2006, from

MLA International Bibliography database.

Online governmentpublication

Standing Committee on Family and Human Services.

(2006, November 2).Inq u iry in to b a la nc ing w ork a nd

fami ly. Retrieved November 6, 2006, from Parliament of

Australia, House of Representatives Web site:

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/fhs/workandfamily/index.htm

This information has been taken from the following University webpage:

http://www.ballarat.edu.au/aasp/ is/library/research/citation/apa/websites.shtml

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12 Plagiarism:

Academic writing requires that you draw on the ideas and writing of other people.

Consequently, you are expected to acknowledge all of the words and ideas that you have

quoted or discussed in your own writing. If this is not done, you may be accused of

plagiarism, which can carry heavy penalties particularly in University settings.

Presenting someone elses ideas or writing as your own is a form of dishonesty that

undermines a fundamental principle of scholarship ideas are to be shared, borrowed with

acknowledgment, but not stolen (Bate & Sharpe, 1996, p.39).

Some students plagiarise quite inadvertently because they are unfamiliar with the concept, or

do not know how to cite the sources they use in their own writing. Clearly following the

guidelines set out in sections 7 (Citations in the body of the work), and 10(Reference List)

will ensure that students are protected from accusations of plagiarism in their writing.

The following page elaborates on the distinction between quoting, paraphrasing andplagiarism.

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QUOTING AND PARAPHRASING VERSUS PLAGIARISM

When taking notes, paraphrases or summaries can be combined with verbatim

quotes but always use quotation marks for direct quotes. It is too easy later to forget

that certain phrases belong to other writers and so be guilty of plagiarism. An

authors ideas, even if stated in other words, need to be acknowledged.

Plagiarism is generally defined as the deliberate incorporation in an essay or paper

of material drawn from the work of another person without acknowledgement. The

penalty for plagiarism is high: in some departments it results in a failure for the essay

and sometimes an automatic failure in a course. Yet a narrow line often separates

plagiarism from good scholarship. In scholarly writing, it is nearly always essential to

refer to the work of others. Since essay writing, assignment or project is individual

work, it is important to document any indebtedness in the appropriate way.

A quotation from the paragraph above, for example, might be acknowledged in

the following way:

Anderson and Pool (1993) state that a narrow line often separates

plagiarism from good scholarship.

A paraphrase of the same idea, on the other hand could be acknowledged as

follows:

A subtle distinction often exists between plagiarism and good

scholarship (Anderson and Poole 1993).

The correct use of quotations and accurate referencing in acknowledging the workof others, detailed further in Chapters 9 and 12, are evidence of scholarly writing.

Anderson, J & Poole, M (1994). Thesis and Assignment Writing, (2nd

edition). Queensland: John Wiley& Sons, p 16 & 17.

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University of BallaratSchool of Business

General Notes on Essay Format and Report Format

IntroductionThese notes are designed to advance your knowledge of essay format and report format, to

highlight common errors of presentation in these two formats, and to develop your ability to

present information effectively, especially in an academic context.

Key features of essay format

The essay is a literary form. It is useful for writing on a theme and developing ideas around

a comparatively unified topic. The structure of an essay is not made explicit-internal headings

are not used for essay format. As a literary form, sentence structure in essays is often a little

more complex. Sentences are longer rather than shorter. Diagrams and point form are rarely

used. The essay is a widely used academic format because it is useful for developing and

expressing ideas on a topic.

Key features of report format

By comparison, report format is more instrumental and pragmatic. It is used, quite literally,

to report typically on a situation or state of affairs. It is widely used in a practical

management context. Its structure is made obvious through headings and sub headings.

Transmitting information, rather than developing abstract concepts, is a primary aim, so

sentences are comparatively short, and diagrams and point form are widely used.

Conventional construction of reports

The University of Ballarat General Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work gives detail

on the conventional construction of reports, based on the IBCAR framework, that is:

introduction, body, conclusion and recommendations. Note that while the terms introduction,

conclusion and recommendations are often used as headings in report writing, the term

body is never used. Your task may make some adaptation of the IBCAR framework

appropriate- but remember its the CAR (conclusion and recommendations) that most

students fail to adequately develop.

A numbering system (such as that used in the General guide) and/or a table of contents can

be used in report format to help retrieve specific material quickly. These features are not

used for essay format, which does not have explicitly specified sections.

The synopsis

Both formats benefit from a synopsis. In report format this is usually called a summary (or

executive summary). In essay format it is usually called an abstract. The synopsis gives the

reader the essence of your argument or material. It is not a defacto introduction DO NOT

add any material additional to the body of your work. Write (or rewrite) the synopsis when

you have finished your work. JUST SUMMARISE WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN. Because it

is expected this summary will consist of your own words, and because all material drawn

from other authors will be fully referenced in the body of your work, you are not obliged to

reference within the synopsis.

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For essays or short reports, the synopsis should be presented as a single paragraph, of

approximately 100 to 300 words, on a separate page. For longer reports an executive

summary outlining the substance and recommendations in brief can run to several pages,

but this is not typical of student reports, where the report is not intended to be actioned.

Acknowledging source materialFor all academic work, or any time when the work of others is used, acknowledge all

sources. This includes the ideas of others as well as direct quotations. This means: you are

not in effect, stealing ideas or words; it gives credibility to your work; it showcases your

reading; and it helps you (or others) trace material. For more information on acknowledging

source material, refer to the General guide for the presentation of academic work. Generally,

for management writing, the APA name-date, system should be used. It is more modern

and streamlined than footnoting or endnoting. Use the APA style for your list of references.

Strictly speaking, with the APA style, only a reference list, rather than a bibliography, should

be provided. A bibliography is, literally a list of books (and other sources) that you have read

in the course of preparing for your assignment. A reference list is a list of what you have

actually referred to. The APA style implies if you havent actually cited it in the body of your

work, it isnt important enough to mention. Generally, the use of both a reference list and a

bibliography is redundant and a stylistic error.

Grammar, spelling, punctuation and layout

The following tips could help improve your essay or report. Reading your work out loud can

often help pick up grammatical errors. Use the spellchecker on the word processor to help

pick up spelling errors, but look out for errors the spellchecker wont pick up- correctly spelt

words used incorrectly (e.g. their/there). When using punctuation marks, make sure the

sequence is word-punctuation mar-space-next word. Generally, dont leave spaces beforepunctuation marks.

Figure out where you want to start a new paragraph and indicate it clearly. Leave a line (fully

blocked style like this sheet) or indent the first line of your paragraph. Be consistent and

dont start some sentences in a paragraph on a new line (creating a kind of half paragraph).

Leave good margins and decide if youve left enough white modern readers dont like too

much text on a page.

Style of presentation

The ability to present information effectively is a valuable one. The ability to follow a

particular format or style is an important academic skill which has relevance in other, nonacademic, areas. Using a style guide (a set of presentation rules) such as the University of

Ballarat General guide for the presentation of academic work is fiddly, and possibly boring,

but it is not difficult. It helps develop skills in the presentation of information as well as

improving your chances of getting a good grade. Use it.

These notes were prepared by Lindon Marks. Lecturer in management.

Academic Writing Skills SoB 2008

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