ESSAY QUESTIONS

ESSAY QUESTIONS Choose one of the following 6 questions as the basis for both your Essay Plan assessment and the Major Essay assessment). 1. Does the Australian press enhance or undermine Australian democracy? Illustrate your response with newspaper OR magazine coverage of one particular story that was reported on in 2013 and/or 2014. 2. Is there a crisis in the Australian film industry? Illustrate your argument with reference to at least 2 recent Australian films (i.e. released after 2012). 3. What does contemporary Australian television reveal about Australia's national culture(s)? In your response refer to at least one Australian television program that is currently broadcast. 4. Is radio still significant to contemporary Australian culture(s) in 2015? Explain with reference to an announcer or program currently broadcast on Australian radio. 5. How can marketing campaigns appeal to a sense of Australianness? Illustrate your argument with reference to at least one advertising campaign from the last few years (i.e. since 2012). 6. How have social media changed and/or expanded Australia’s ‘imagined community’? Refer to at least one social media phenomenon from the last few years (i.e. since 2012). ESSAY FAQs Q: How do I decide on what topic to choose? Choose the essay topic that you find most interesting and would be happy to explore in more depth. Q: How much research do I have to do for my essays? Aim for at least five academic references beyond the set readings. Follow the academic trail: footnotes, endnotes, reference lists, bibliographies - make use of the research cues these provide. Go to the library (or library website) and find out which database is good for you. Consult the journals most relevant to MAS104 and find the articles best suited to your topic (many of these journals feature in the unit reader). Also, scan the bookshelves: books will usually provide discussion of issues in more detail and depth than you'll find elsewhere. Basically, the wider (and wiser) your researcher choices are, the stronger your grasp of the issues, and the better informed you would be. Q: What referencing system should I use? We recommend you use the Harvard Style referencing system Q: What if I forget to reference a reading or two? Don't forget. Failure to reference a source may see you accused of "plagiarism" and there are serious penalties for it. You must acknowledge every intellectual/academic debt, and provide the reader/marker with the correct reference. Q: How do I go about proposing a good argument? To start with, decide why you are writing your essay. A good argument is one that can be articulated succinctly and convincingly. That is, it can be demonstrated, not just asserted. What can you show, using the evidence you've found? To get to that point - being able to construct an argument simply and demonstrably - requires reading, research and careful consideration. Essay writing is a process! Once you've decided on an argument, it will underpin your entire essay; in fact, it is the reason you're writing an essay: to make a good argument. Q: How should I structure my essays? An academic essay should consist of an introduction, discussion and conclusion. Once you have a central argument, state it point-blank in the introduction of your essay, and flag the various points you'll present to make your case. Then, discuss each point in detail and depth (your essay's main body). Finally, end with a closing paragraph (the conclusion) that sums up your central argument and unifies the various points put forward. You want to leave the reader/marker feeling intellectually satisfied; i.e. you've made a strong, convincing case and provided solid evidence (research) logically and efficiently. Q: What writing style is appropriate for my essays? Obviously, your writing should be clear, well punctuated and grammatically correct. This is a basic requirement and writing that is sloppy or incoherent will be marked down accordingly. Specifically though, we want a writing style that delivers your ideas simply and succinctly. Always aim for language that is tight - do not ?over write' or weigh your work down with florid, pompous or superfluous expression. Keep it clean and to the point. Also, there's no room for typographical errors or odd syntax. Before you submit read your work aloud off the screen. You'll be surprised how many errors you'll notice - make sure these are rectified before the essay is submitted. Q: Is there anywhere I can get help or advice on essay writing? Yes, Macquarie University Library offers research support for students. See: http://www.mq.edu.au/on_campus/library/undergraduates/ Q: Are word limits strictly enforced? Yes. Essays that are more than 10% over or under the word limit will be marked down. Q: How should I present my written work? Assignments should be double-spaced, and use a 12-point font. Remember to proofread and use a spell-checker. Generally, pictures, graphs, and tables etc. will not be needed for MAS104 essays, so there's little point including them. Always keep an electronic copy of assignments for yourself. You will lose marks if you don't follow these very simple guidelines. Q: I need more time for my assignment. Can I get an extension? No, not unless you have a medical certificate. An ability to meet deadlines is an important aspect of Media courses (and professional work in media industries). Late assignments will be penalised by 5 per cent per day (including public holidays and weekends), unless an extension has been arranged with your tutor beforehand, and documented evidence of illness or serious misadventure is submitted (this does not include having to work). Q: What kind of feedback can I expect on my essays? Quite simply, we want every student to become a more competent scholar with every assessment - in other words, your tutor is acutely sensitive to the strengths and weaknesses in your work, and will thus alert you to them, constructively. Feedback should thus identify where your work meets the assessment criteria well, and which areas need to be strengthened. If you feel your feedback does not help prepare you for your next assessment, please speak to your tutor; if that is not an option (for whatever reason) please arrange to speak to the convener. Q: Where do I submit my assignments? You should submit your assignments to the ‘Assessments’ folder in iLearn. There will be a clearly marked Turnitin submission icon. Assignments MUST be submitted by the due date. ESSAY ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Three sets of criteria are assessed in essays: reading and research; argument and analysis; and writing and structure. Within each of these sets, markers are looking for the following: * Reading and research: evidence of critical engagement with set course materials; evidence of independent reading of appropriate academic material; evidence of thorough research (books, journals, the Internet, media sources and archives). * Argument and analysis: Well-articulated and well-supported argument; evidence of critical thinking (through taking a position in relation to key ideas from the course, and supporting this position); evidence of relational thinking (through making connections between key ideas from the course and wider literature, and supporting these connections). * Writing and structure: clear, logical and coherent structure; clarity of expression; correct referencing. When marking your essay your tutor will consider the assessment criteria above. It is in your interest to use the following as a checklist before submitting your paper Structure * Does the essay have a clear introduction, body and conclusion? * Does the introduction outline the essay's main points? Written Expression * Is the language clear, concise and appropriate to an academic essay? * Is the punctuation correct? * Are commas and apostrophes where they should be and nowhere else? Research * Have relevant set readings been referred to? * Have at least 5 independently sourced academic resources been used? Argument * Does the essay present a coherent and well-supported argument? * Is there evidence of critical engagement with the set course material? * Does this essay show a broader understanding of this particular topic? Presentation * Has the essay been double spaced? * Has 12 point font size been used? * Is the essay referenced correctly? * Is the bibliography presented correctly? * Has the essay been proof-read? * Is there an electronic copy ?back-up' of the essay? ESSAY MARKS EXPLAINED Q: What do I need to do to get a Pass for my essay? Macquarie University defines the Pass standard as denoting performance that "satisfies unit objectives" - the majority of essays submitted are likely to be of Pass standard. Pass essays will be solid, satisfactory pieces of work that clearly meet good standards in all three of the assessment categories. However, generally speaking, Pass essays will probably have substantial room for improvement in at least two of the three assessment categories. The following are some examples of common problems in Pass essays: Pass essays often rely overly on description and summary at the expense of argument. They sometimes demonstrate an understanding of the need to be analytical and to construct an argument, but do not quite achieve an effective one. Often they are under-researched. Pass essays are also often in need of further editing and revision and may feature occasional unclear language or less-than-coherent structure. In MAS 104, essays that are inadequately, poorly or sloppily referenced cannot attain higher than a Pass at best. Moreover, MAS 104 essays that display no evidence of academic reading beyond the unit reader cannot attain higher than a Pass at best. Q: What do I need to do to get a Credit for my essay? Macquarie University defines the Credit grade as denoting "performance which is substantially better than would normally be expected of competent students in the unit." Credit essays, therefore, are very much above average. Speaking generally, Credit essays will often have at least some of the following characteristics: they will probably have a clear and well-supported argument and are likely to offer strong evidence of serious and thoughtful reading and research; they will often also demonstrate a broader understanding of the key themes and concepts of the unit. In addition, Credit essays will be written with a high degree of clarity and precision, and will obviously be the product of a serious process of thoughtful drafting, revision and editing. However, Credit essays will probably still display significant room for improvement in at least one of the three assessment categories. Q: What do I need to do to get a Distinction or High Distinction for my essay? The university defines the Distinction grade as denoting performance that "clearly deserves a very high level of recognition as an excellent achievement in the unit." Distinction essays are exceptional pieces of work that demonstrate initiative in research and are informed by serious reading on the essay topic and in the subject area more broadly. They display both breadth and depth of understanding. Speaking generally, Distinction essays will often have at least some of the following characteristics in addition to meeting all the requirements of the Credit standard: Distinction essays usually demonstrate complex understanding and the best of them may display some originality in their analysis. Distinction essays often engage critically with underlying assumptions in texts and assess these with reference to well-chosen other texts and appropriate evidence and examples. In sum, Distinction essays are excellent pieces of writing, with carefully-mounted and effective arguments, well-supported with reference to rigorous and comprehensive research; in addition, they will be persuasively written and probably display some initiative and flair. The grade of High Distinction is awarded to essays which satisfy all of the criteria of the Distinction essay in an obviously exceptional manner: this grade is defined by the university as denoting work "which meets all unit objectives in such an exceptional way and with such marked excellence that it deserves the highest level of recognition." Q: Why would I get a Fail for my essay? Fail essays do not satisfy minimum standards in any of the three assessment categories. Fail grades may be given in a range of cases, including (but not limited to) cases where: the assignment submitted more closely resembles a set of preliminary notes than a finished essay; the essay contains no evidence of reading or evidence only of reading material inappropriate for university study (this often means haphazardly selected writings found online); the essay does not construct an argument but relies instead entirely on description and synopsis; the essay calls upon the reader to guess at the meaning intended, through lack of care and attention in spelling, grammar, sentence and paragraph construction. The grade of Fail for a piece of written work is a strong indication that the student would be wise to pursue some of the support options for essay writing and other study skills offered by the university.