Recent Question/Assignment

SISAT
School of Information Systems & Technology

Essay Assessment & Marking Criteria
ISIT925 Strategic Network Design
Spring Session 2015 (Wollongong Campus)

1. Essay
• Type of Assessment: Individual
• Word Limit: max. 2500 words (excluding reference list]
• Referencing standard: APA 5th edition .
• Include the SISAT coversheet and pre-filled marking form with your submission.
Instructions:
In both academic and grey literature there is evidence of numerous initiatives that promise to deliver strategic advantage to companies and sometimes even countries. From the following list, choose one initiative as the focus of your analysis and define the ways in which this initiative is strategic. Having established the strategic significance of the initiative go on to describe the implications this initiative has for network design.
Choose one initiative from the following list:
• Social media for customer relationship management CRM
• Social media for organisation innovation
• Software as a Service (SAAS) for large corporations
• Cloud storage for large corporations
• Cloud storage for developing countries
• Telecentres for developing countries
• Open Source software for government in developing countries
Why have I set this assessment for you?
- This will test your skills in
- researching information;
- thinking “outside the square”;
- writing clear descriptions that answers the essay question; and
- communicating this argument through conventional academic techniques, particularly paragraph structure.

ISIT925 Essay: Marking Guidelines
INDIVIDUAL ESSAY ASSESSMENT COVER SHEET
Student Name & No:
1 2 3 4 5 Comments
CONTENT
1. Introduction (8) 0 -7.5 -10- -15- -20
2. Development of Ideas (relevant definitions, relationships and new understanding) (8) 0 -7.5 -10- -15- -20
3. Communication of Ideas (paragraph style, structure, spelling, grammar) (8) 0 -7.5 -10- -15- -20
4. Validity (structure, referencing practice, quality of references) (8) 0 -7.5 -10- -15- -20
5. Conclusion (2) 0 -2- -3- -4- -5
FORMALITIES
6. Formatting of References (2)
0 0-2- -3- -4- -5
7. Formatting of Bibliography (2)
0 0-2- -3- -4- -5
8. Presentation (neatness, legibility, title page) (2) 0 0-2- -3- -4- -5
9. Length (2500)

50%

30%-50%
(20%)

(10%) 0
Within+/-250 words subtract
Comments:
Essay is worth 10% total marks of the subject
Essay is marked out of 100
If appropriate, subtract relevant penalty according to Length.
Mark: Assessed by:
Key to Ratings
5 Excellent No problems Accurate Very appropriate
4 Good Minor problems Mainly accurate Largely appropriate
3 Fair Some problems Fairly accurate Reasonably appropriate
2 Poor Major problems Inaccurate Inappropriate
1 No Marks Awarded No Marks Awarded No Marks Awarded No Marks Awarded

ISIT925 Essay: Marking Guidelines
These notes are intended as a guide for markers when assessing the ISIT925 Individual Essay
CONTENT
1. Introduction
1 2 3 4 5
a. Does the introduction orientate the reader to the topic area?
NO MARGINAL YES
b. Does the introduction specify the problem that will be addressed? The purpose of the essay/report needs to be clearly stated in one or two sentences.
NO MARGINAL YES
c. Does the introduction describe how the problem will be addressed? In other words, how will the essay/report answer the problem?
NO MARGINAL YES
d. Does the introduction then have a summary of the key issues that will be investigated?
NO MARGINAL YES
e. Any other comment?

2. Development of Ideas
1 2 3 4 5
a. Does the author identify and define a number of key ideas that are directly relevant to the problem defined in 1.b?
NO MARGINAL YES
b. Does the author relate these ideas in a way that indicate that the problem has been correctly interpreted?
NO MARGINAL YES
If the essay indicates incorrect interpretation and answering of question, marking can be concluded at this point. Refer to subject co-ordinator for further advice
c. Does the author use these ideas and discussion to develop a logical approach to the problem identified in 1.b?
NO MARGINAL YES
d. Does the author identify contradictions or gaps in the idea of others?
NO MARGINAL YES
e. Does the author suggest new insights that address these contradictions or gaps?
NO MARGINAL YES
f. Other comments?
3. Communication of Ideas
1 2 3 4 5
a. Is the problem defined in 1.b addressed throughout the whole essay/report? (In other words, does the author indicate to the reader how the ideas presented are relevant?)
NO MARGINAL YES
b. Are paragraphs structured appropriately? NO MARGINAL YES

Is there one idea to each paragraph? NO MARGINAL YES

Is the supporting evidence easily identified? NO MARGINAL YES

c. Does the essay/report have a logical structure that is appropriate to the problem?
NO MARGINAL YES
d. Grammar
1 2 3 4 5
e. Spelling
1 2 3 4 5
f. Other comments?

4. Validity
1 2 3 4 5
a. Is the essay/report of sufficient validity to be considered a trustworthy source for other researchers to use in their research?
NO MARGINAL YES
What are some of the areas that can be improved upon?
b. Does the essay/report have a logical structure that a rational person with little subject knowledge is able to follow? (Does it ring true?)
NO MARGINAL YES
c. Are information sources clearly identified throughout the essay?
NO MARGINAL YES
d. Is it easy to distinguish the work of the essay author from the authors of information sources used in the essay/report?
NO YES
e. Is there an appropriate number of information sources used (more than 10)?
NO MARGINAL YES
f. Are these sources of sufficient quality?
NO MARGINAL YES
g. Should the writers refer to acknowledgement practice/plagiarism guidelines
http://www.uow.edu.au/about/policy/UOW058648.html
YES No
h. Other comments?
5. Conclusion
1 2 3 4 5
a. The conclusion is a summary of the problem, objectives and findings. No new evidence should be presented in the conclusion.
FORMALITIES
6. Formatting for Citations
1 2 3 4 5
a. Accepted forms of referencing are In-text APA 5th edition. Assess on the accuracy and consistency of referencing method employed. Page numbers should always be used where appropriate.(Refer to subject resources for APA 5th edition specifications)
b. Should the writers refer to the Learning Development publication on Referencing: http://learning.uow.edu.au/resources/LD/referencing.pdf
NO YES
7. Formatting of Bibliography
1 2 3 4 5
a. Assess on style, consistency and accuracy.
b. Should the writers refer to the Learning Development publication on Referencing: http://learning.uow.edu.au/resources/LD/referencing.pdf
NO YES
8. Presentation
1 2 3 4 5
a. Assess on neatness, legibility, title page (names and student numbers)
9. Length.
1
50% 2
30-50% 3
20-30% 4
10-20% 5
+/- 10%
Notes:
Originality reports that indicate a high similarity index will be considered within assessment.

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