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Assignment support

Understand your task

Begin by clarifying the assessment requirements. Read the assignment instructions and marking criteria supplied on your course site. The video below explains more about writing assignments at university.

Video length: 2 min 45 sec.

  • Doing an assignment isn't a linear process.
  • Start by reading the task in detail, so you know what you need to do.
  • The assignment instructions and feedback sheet will explain the structure of your assignment.
  • You can find out more about different assignment types on the Study Help website.
  • You might need to revise your assignment plan as you go - this might happen a few times before you write your final draft!
  • As you read more, your argument should evolve to incorporate new information.
  • Make sure you use reliable resources to support your argument.
  • To interpret your task you will need to identify the content words and phrases - these show what you have to focus on.
  • The instruction words tell you how to approach the content, for example, describing something is different to comparing.
  • Identify the limits of your assignment by looking at keywords, word limits and other instructions.
  • Start the process early to get ahead.

Search strategy

Planning your search will save you time and is the key to getting the most out of your search results. See the Plan your search page of this guide for detailed information.

See the Find information page of this guide for an overview of where to search and how to search in the Library Collection and Google Scholar. The page also contains guidance on finding company and industry information, news media and statistics, as well as a list of business, finance and accounting focused databases.

You can find further introductory information about searching in the Library research skills guide:

Critical thinking and reflective practice

If you're not familiar with critical writing as an assignment task these resources may assist you in understanding what is required.

Critical thinking and writing resources

Figure depicting the DIEP approach to critical thinking, explaining the acronym D (describe), I (interpret), E (evaluate), and P (plan).

If you're not familiar with reflective writing as an assignment task, this video (2 min 15 sec) and the resources below may assist you in understanding what is required.

Case study analysis

Watch the video (4 min 6 sec) below for an overview of case studies:

The following resources may also be useful:

Public versus private companies

Before you start searching on your company, establish:

  • Is the company publicly listed or private?
  • Is the company Australian or international?
  • What industry does the company belong to?
  • What information do you need about the company or industry? Annual reports, financial data, industry profiles, market research, or news media?

Public versus private companies:

Public companies are listed and traded on a stock exchange whereas private companies are not listed. Public companies must also provide annual reports to the public which makes them easier to research.

Not sure if it is public or private? 

Do a web search for the company's website. They often provide information under a section such as 'About us'. You can also try searching for the company on the Australian stock exchange, or another stock exchange, to see if it is listed.

Analysis and recommendations

Illustration of STEEP acronym: Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political

 

A STEEP analysis examines factors affecting the Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, and Political landscape around your industry or company.

For more information on conducting STEEP analysis:

The below diagram is adapted from Porter's 2008 article, The five competitive forces that shape strategy.

Diagram of Porter's five competitive forces that shape strategy

For more about Porter's Five Forces, see the suggestions below:

SWOT analysis diagram
 
SWOT analysis is a model that analyzes an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to create the foundation of a marketing strategy.
 
Have a look at these sites for help with conducting a SWOT analysis:

SMART is an acronym for the 5 steps of setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goals.

For more help with SMART objectives, have a look at these sites:

Writing your assignment

Now that you have your information, it's time to get started writing your assignment. Please visit your Course Outline for details, for example, if specific templates are provided for you to use. This section will help you build your skills in report writing, preparing oral presentations and discussions, essay writing, and working in teams.

This video on report writing (2 min 53 sec) will help you learn how to write a report:

An executive summary is often one of the most read parts of a report.

  • It is a brief summary of the overall report.
  • It appears at the start of the report; however, it should be written last, once the report has been finished.
  • It needs to be concise, providing a commentary on the main points of the report.

Watch LinkedIn Learning videos for tips on writing an executive summary. 

Note: You will need to login using your UniSA credentials to view videos on LinkedIn.

The following videos from LinkedIn Learning provide tips for presentations (requires UniSA login): 

The below resources may also be of use: 

Watch the below video and have a look at this Study Help guide (PDF, 302 KB) on writing an essay. 

Video length: 2 min 27 sec

For more help on writing essays, see the resources available in the UniSA Study Help Hub:

Tools and software

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to machines or computer systems capable of performing tasks that require human intelligence. AI underpins many tools, with examples including web search engines, predictive text, recommendation systems such as those used by Netflix or Spotify, and navigation apps such as Google Maps.

 

AI tools are constantly evolving. Please refer to the Course Outline or contact your course coordinator for information about the use of AI in assessments and Academic Integrity.

 

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) uses algorithms to generate content (e.g. text or images) in response to a prompt. GenAI tools and apps may help you brainstorm, understand key concepts, or help to improve the clarity of your writing but, before you use them, it is important to understand their risks and limitations. 

This short video by UniSA Online outlines what Generative AI is and considerations for using it in academic study.

Video length: 5 min 38 sec

Prompt engineering

Prompt engineering is the process of formulating what you enter into a GenAI tool and affects the response that you get from it. The UniSA Teaching Innovation Unit's guide to AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education has some information on how to structure a prompt.

Resources for using AI tools for study

Watch the videos below to understand the basics of using excel. To choose a different video in the playlist use the YouTube playlist icon icon located in the top right hand corner of the video below.

  • Video 1: A basic introduction (4 min 58 sec)
  • Video 2: Formulas and functions (5 min 15 sec)
  • Video 3: How to make a chart (4 min 23 sec)

Further resources

These resources can help you with creating and recording a video: 

For help creating your PowerPoint slides and recording with PowerPoint, please see the following videos on LinkedIn Learning:

Selecting appropriate references

While you are finding references, you need to think about whether they are appropriate to use in your assignment. You may be asked to use scholarly or peer-reviewed material to support your arguments. 

You should evaluate all resources before including them in your assignment - even if you found them through the Library Collection or databases.