Q Manual

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements

1. Introduction
   1. Welcome
   2. Monash University
   3. Faculty of Business and Economics
      1. Mission
      2. Faculty structure
      3. Additional important information
   
   
2. Student Performance
   1. Faculty expectations of student performance
      1. Attendance and participation at lectures and tutorials
      2. Role of lecturers/tutors
      3. Role of course directors/coordinators
      4. Workload
      5. Self management
      6. Taking the initiative
      7. Distance education students
      8. Learning from your mistakes
      9. Time management
   2. Student assessment
      1. Examinations
      2. Use of English dictionaries and calculators
      3. Results
      4. Marks and grades
      5. Honours grading
   
   
3. Study Techniques
   1. Introduction: some general tips
   2. Note-taking techniques
   3. Exam techniques
      1. Answering easy questions first
      2. Analysing qualifiers
      3. Reading other types of questions
      4. The course is the context
      5. Completing the examination
   4. Taking essay examinations
      1. Planning your time
      2. Following directions
      3. Being explicit

4. Using your language skills effectively
   1. Introduction
   2. Listening skills
   3. Reading skills
      1. Overview reading
      2. Reading for specific information
      3. Reading for central ideas
      4. Reading for an in-depth critical understanding
      5. Reading guidelines
   4. Writing skills
      1. Introduction
      2. Language considerations in academic writing
      3. Sentence length
      4. Paragraphing
      5. Writing objectively: using third person pronouns
      6. Verb tenses
      7. Slang and informal English
      8. Writing style
   5. Checklist: ten linguistic guidelines

5. Assignment Writing - An Overview
   1. Introduction
   2. Defining the type of assignment
      1. Case study
      2. Summary
      3. Critique (critical review)
      4. Thesis/dissertation
      5. Essays and reports
   3. Important words and phrases in assignment and exam questions
   4. The writing process
   5. Presentation of assignments
      1. Style of presentation
      2. Legibility
      3. Page numbering
      4. Margins
      5. Numbering systems
   6. Heading the sections

6. Report Writing
   1. The process
      1. Step 1 - identify the purpose of the report
      2. Step 2 - identify the readers and their needs
      3. Step 3 - research the topic
      4. Step 4 - outline the report
      5. Step 5 - write the draft
      6. Step 6 - edit the draft
      7. Step 7 - the finished product
   2. Report presentation and layout
      1. Structure of a report
      2. Preliminaries
      3. Introduction
      4. Results/findings/discussion
      5. Conclusion
      6. Recommendations
      7. Supplements
   3. Report writing checklist
   4. Sample report

7. Essay Writing
   1. Introduction
      1. Abstract/synopsis
      2. Introduction
      3. Body/development of topic
      4. Conclusion
      5. Bibliography/reference list
   2. Descriptive essays
   3. Argumentative essays
   4. Sample essay

8. Case Study Writing
   1. Introduction
   2. Some general issues

9. Plagiarism
   1. What is plagiarism?
   2. Academic enquiry and authors' views in articles and texts
   3. Use of references in writing
      1. Unsuitable use of references
      2. Suitable integration of references
      3. Techniques for using an author's ideas
   4. Paraphrasing, or writing in your own words
   5. Conclusion

10. Referencing
    1. Introduction
    2. Quoting
       1. Misusing quotations
    3. Methods of referencing
       1. Harvard system
       2. General rules governing entries in the
          reference list/bibliography
       3. Reference list (Harvard system)
       4. Footnote system
       5. Endnote system
       6. Bibliography (footnote/endnote system)

11. Oral Presentations
    1. Importance of presentation skills
    2. What is a presentation?
    3. Why do some presentations go wrong?
    4. You can be a great presenter!
       1. Fear
       2. Positive self talk
    5. Planning and preparation
       1. Analysing your audience
    6. Presentation design
       1. Objective
       2. Content
       3. Body structure
       4. Beginnings and endings
       5. Visual and verbal support
       6. Handouts
    7. Delivery
       1. Methods of delivery
       2. Rehearsal
       3. Nerve control
       4. Your voice
       5. Non-verbal communication
    8. Handling questions
    9. Evaluating the presentation

Appendices

1. Note-taking - symbols and abbreviations
2. Chart of transition signals
3. Methods of referring to other authors' work
4. Some verbs for referring to other authors' work
5. Some criteria for referring to research

Useful Sources of Information