Instructions for Essay (INDIVIDUAL)

Objectives: This overall objective relates to the following subject objectives: Apply and critique decision and control models of real world business scenarios Evaluate how decision and control models impact people in the organisation Develop a capacity for independent research and thinking

Weighting: 10% of total result for the subject Due: The essay is due on Monday 31st of March Submission Process: Students are required to submit their essay and reference list by the due date to the Turn-it-in facility available under the Assignments folder on UTSOnline. This facility will close at 11.30pm on the due date. Please ensure that each individual submits their essay to Turn-it-in. Students are also required to submit a matching hard copy of their essay, reference list and cover sheet in their following tutorial in Week 6. Essays that do not correspond to the Turn-it-in submissions will not be marked. Late essays will not be accepted. This essay is an individual assessment. Each student needs to prepare and complete this assessment independently. If a student copies another students work both essays will receive a mark of 0/10 for the assessment.

22421 Management Decisions and Control Research Skills Workshop:

To better assist your preparation of this essay (particularly in terms of finding and using research in your assignment) we have designed a research skills workshop in conjunction with the UTS Library. This has been especially tailored for students in MDC, and aims to develop skills that you will need for this essay, as well as your tutorial work and group assignment. As part of the individual essay assessment you are required to attend one workshop. Students who do not attend a workshop WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MARK FOR THE ESSAY (i.e. will receive zero for the essay). The 22421 Management Decisions And Control research skills workshop will run at the Haymarket Library at various times during Weeks 2-4 of semester: Week 2 Tue 4th March 09:00 10:00 Tue 4th March 15:00 16:00 Tue 4th March 17:00 18:00 Wed 5th March 18:00 19:00 Tue 11th March 09:00- 10:00 Tue 11th March 15:00- 16:00 Tue 11th March 17:00 18:00 Wed 12th March 18:00 19:00 Mon 17th March 18:00 19:00 Tue 18th March 09:00- 10:00 Tue 18th March 15:00- 16:00 Tue 18th March 17:00 18:00 Wed 19th March 18:00 19:00

Week 3

Week 4

You are responsible for registering to attend the workshop at one of these times. To register use the following link: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/tag/mdc This lists all the different workshop sessions available. You can see the full workshop description and how many places are still available at the each session by clicking on Read more. Once you have decided on the session you want to attend click on Register to attend to confirm your space. Spaces are limited so please ensure you book workshop session early to ensure you can attend at your preferred time. Your booking and attendance will be checked. Any student who does not book and attend a workshop will receive zero for the essay.

Essay Guidelines:
Page Limit: The essay is to be no more than 2 pages in length. This page limit includes all sections of your essay except for: A cover sheet The reference list (bibliography)

Formatting: Font: Times New Roman, 12pt Line spacing: At least 1.15 line spacing (i.e. no single line spacing) Margins: At least 2cm for top, bottom, left and right margins Structure: The assignment must be structured as an essay (as distinct from a report). For instructions about writing essays please see the Faculty of Business Guide to Writing Assignments (http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/business/study-and-assessment-resources/developingyour-academic-writing) Cover Sheet: Each essay must be accompanied by a cover sheet which clearly lists: Your name and student ID Your tutors name The time of your tutorial

Referencing: The essay must conform to the universitys referencing policy, which is outlined in the Guide to Writing Assignments (http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/business/study-and-assessmentresources/developing-your-academic-writing). All sources must be properly acknowledged. Any source that is referenced in-text must be listed in the Reference List at the end of the essay. Any essay that contravenes the referencing policy can expect to draw severe penalties and may be referred to the Faculty Student Conduct Committee.

Essay Topic:
Often business students are asked to think critically about the topics, concepts, organizations and ideas. It is often listed in the objectives of many subjects and is said to be one of the attributes most valued by employers. But what does it actually mean? Essay Requirements: Prepare an essay addressing the following overall question: What does it mean to do critical thinking? In addressing this question, students are expected to address two key main concerns. First, you will need to provide the reader with an overall description of what critical thinking is. It is expected that you will conduct your own independent research, drawing on sources from both academic and practitioner literature to inform this description. Second, you also need to be able to explain to the reader what it means to do critical thinking. More specifically you need to explain what it means for a student to be able to critically analyse the core professional obligations, values and operations of organizations (which is actually something you are expected to do in MDC!) Keep in mind that there are several different perspectives about critical thinking it is not expected that you deal with them all! Instead, the focus on the essay should be to develop a theoretically informed position about what critical thinking means and to demonstrate how this applies specifically to one of the objectives of the course. As you can see in the marking guide, marks are awarded for the depth, clarity and coherence of your explanations as well as your ability to support your arguments with reference to academic literature. Essays that simply list a range of definitions without providing adequate explanation and support will generally receive a substantially lower mark than those which focus on one or two perspectives that they explore in greater detail.