Synthesising
Synthesising your paper
This is where you need to start synthesising the information you have collected into a formal report. Read the summative report proforma carefully and identify the major headings and relevant sections. You will need to use the skills you acquired in your literacy unit and apply them here.
There is a specific style that you need to use for a report:
An example of a basic report will be provided to give you extra support at this time.
Use the following videos to guide your notemaking as part of the synthesising process.
There is a specific style that you need to use for a report:
- Writing under the major headings;
- Writing in the past tense;
- Writing in third person (without the use of pronouns such as 'I', 'we' or 'my'); and
- Ensuring that each paragraph contains one clear idea.
An example of a basic report will be provided to give you extra support at this time.
Use the following videos to guide your notemaking as part of the synthesising process.
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Using the Pomodoro Technique to help you with your synthesising
It is often hard to stay focussed for long periods of time when writing reports. Use the Pomodoro Technique to help you break your task down into manageable chunks. For each of the the 25 minute Pomodoro blocks you can:
- Focus on answering one question
- Interrogate one website at a time to extract information for each of your keywords or questions.
- Set your intention for each 25 minute block by jotting down what you hope to achieve in that time period. At the end of the Pomodoro check to see what you have achieved.
- Avoid any distraction including checking your mobile phone.
- After 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
This video gives you a brief overview of the Pomodoro technique
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Use this timer to help you stay on track. It will also help you avoid checking your phone (which hopefully you have put away to avoid distractions).
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Ethical use of information and avoiding plagiarism
Correct referencing and ethical treatment of the data is important; the notion of plagiarism is one that continues to plague students through out their University career.
The only way that best describes the notion of plagiarism is to explain it like this.
Coke is a product of the Coke Cola Corporation but if you copied the can, the shape, the colour and the style and said the 'can' was your own then that would not be right and the company would be unhappy - the company would probably prosecute you.
When academics write papers, the ideas contained within are their products and if you copy them without acknowledging the author, then you are plagiarising - you are pretending their ideas are your own.
The only way that best describes the notion of plagiarism is to explain it like this.
Coke is a product of the Coke Cola Corporation but if you copied the can, the shape, the colour and the style and said the 'can' was your own then that would not be right and the company would be unhappy - the company would probably prosecute you.
When academics write papers, the ideas contained within are their products and if you copy them without acknowledging the author, then you are plagiarising - you are pretending their ideas are your own.
AssessmentThere are several assessment tasks throughout the unit.
Formative Assessment - you will get feedback from your tutor to refine your developing report. Summative Report - this will contain your report on your chosen problem and aspects of the inquiry |
Formative vs SummativeFormative assessment is important in helping craft reports, with feedback given to enable refinements to be made in the final product. It is important to realise that all the comments and changes suggested by your tutor, while they may appear negative and demoralising, are actually constructive criticism designed to help you create a much better finished product.
Summative assessment is a final assessment of the whole body of work and there is no opportunity to make changes - it is assessed as it stands. |
Learning ActivitiesSee the BB site for the Learning Activities
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Inquiry JourneyFormative feedback from your tutor.
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