Multimedia assignment Structure

The structure of an assignment needs to meet the criteria by which it has to be assessed. The report needs to be…  Clear, cohesive… coherently argued.

Assignment structure

Contextualising your report Provide a broad overview by way of context. This could be the way that information technology has steadily impacted on the world we live in, changing the way we do things (industry, services, shopping, communication, access to information, booking tickets, doing tax…)

Introducing your topic of focus This leads on from your general context, but is linked to it.  …However, the information society has impacted on more than industry and the way be purchase good and services. It has also impacted on the way we access information, the way we teach and the way we learn. While it is true that education has lagged behind other industries, it is important to take into account that potential of information technology and multimedia when looking at learning and teaching….  Introduce the issue you want to focus on and give a short explanation of what you intend looking at

The literature review This important section provides an opportunity for you to expand on your area of interest by providing a well documented narrative on the issue. Here you look at the research of others, contextualise, compare, evaluate and critique it.  The assessment criteria looks at your ability to: “set sources and viewpoints in context and to systematically evaluates contributions... Provide evidence of methodological understanding and theoretical appreciation.”

The analysis of a specific Multimedia package or technology Here you need to provide a good description of the specific MM package/technology you wish to focus on. You need to provide a narrative which evidences a thorough understanding of the package/technology and its place/potential as an educational tool or resource. The analysis must be more than DESCRIPTIVE… It must be analytical, critical… you need to…

The analysis of a specific Multimedia package or technology  The assessment criteria requires you to … locate suitable concepts and make comprehensive, critical assessments of the issues involved...evaluate relevant theories... display the ability to develop critiques thereof… coherently integrate them with practice…

Structure The most important thing about the structure of an assignment is its cohesiveness. Everything must link together, providing a clear and coherent flow. When concluding, link back to the literature research, providing links between what you have found and the findings of others. You might disagree… provide a good rational for doing so. You need to provide evidence of…

Structure … a clear, relevant and developed thesis statement… consistent use of accurate constructions… good selection, synthesis and summary writing skills… clear and cohesive structure… a sustained and coherent argument.

Presentation This refers, essentially, to the ease with which the assignment can be read and assessed. The course requires the assignment to be a website or web page so as to enable it to be put up on a server and accessed easily by the various people who look at it, including the external examiner.

Presentation For purposes of simplicity, you may present me a SEPARATE word-processed document (electronically) which is easy to print out, read and mark. However, this needs to be in addition to the web site/web page. If you have hyperlinks, I will look at them on the relevant website.

Presentation Whichever way to present it, the assessment criteria require it to be neat, easy to read (avoid text spreading from edge to edge of browser if html), accurate (spelling, punctuation, sentence structure), of appropriate length and with accurate citation and referencing.

Other issues Feel free to include diagrams, graphs and other ‘media’ to support your report as long as it is appropriate. Appendices are acceptable, but need to be appropriate and not too long.