Reviewing commentaries on AGC forms : Part 1

Hi, I took a little more time in getting back to you but I'm back. As a very brief word of explanation, I'd like to mention that I had an operation but am now recuperating. In fact, I'm sure to feel much better as I heal. My timing could have been better. I'd just moved back to Canada and there were lots of things to take care of as part of that move. I now live in a geographic region of Canada known as the 'boreal forest'. In practical terms, the boreal forest is a band of forest with a mixture of deciduous trees, many small animals and even some larger ones. My father once sighted a wild lynx on the way to an archaeological dig by the side of the road; and there are also some packs of wolves in parks like Algonquin. However, in more poetic terms this area is famed for its large percentage of maple trees, the symbol of Canada. Very soon now, Ontarians like to take their long fall drive through small Ontario valleys where they will find the maples ablaze not simply with gold and green leaves, but many shades of red and golden-orange that are the pride of this region. If you are lucky enough to get maple syrup from an Ontario erabliere or sugar bush, you will know that Ontario's maple syrup is excellent. Try it on waffles, ice cream, Scottish pancakes - I think you will find it less sweet than hot golden syrup with butter and an interesting taste change.

In practical terms, my move will mean very little change for most of you. I will not be physically near Leicester but my phone line will always be open to those who need it and we can still see one another via webcam if you want a face-to-face appointment. Really, nothing will change, I'm just physically in a different place. I still hope to see all of you who didn't make it this year at next year's summer school.

Now, down to business. Today, we're going to discuss what a marker/tutor means when they tell you that your assignment is "too descriptive." This is a commentary many, many students receive on their AGC forms. What does this mean? After all, the student often reasons, what is wrong with describing things, isn't that supposed to be the job of their assignment?

In an earlier blog, I discussed the importance of answering the question that you were asked and understanding it. A student who has handed in an assignment that is too descriptive has probably provided the tutor with lots of definitions related to the assignment question. Although these definitions fill out the word requirements of the module tutor, who has perhaps asked you for an assignment of 2,500-3,500 words, they have failed to deal with the substance of the question that was assigned. Other space fillers include lots of headings, summaries of the assignment and often repeated attempts to dissect the terminology of the question. I usually tell students that there is nothing wrong with headings if they are used to guide you through the assignment. After all, you can remove them later if they are unnecessary in terms of the assignment. Summaries are another story. In such a small assignment, a summary eats up unnecessary space that you should be using for making your points.

At the University of Leicester, in fact throughout university education, learning is more than simply reciting back facts and memorizing them. It is important to place facts in their context. Therefore, if an assignment has asked you to discuss Porter's Five Forces, you should spend no more than a sentence or two providing the necessary definition to do the assignment. The rest of the assignment should be devoted to finding examples of which force you are discussing, providing an application and probably a paraphrase or quotation about this example. Critical thinking, which is something we emphasize at University of Leicester, requires you to take your quotations and examples (which you have cited using Harvard style or using Refworks to help you with your bibliography) and explain or analyze them. Why are they a good or bad example of the force you are discussing? What is important about this force in terms of the example you have provided? You should also attempt to use the example to evaluate the weaknesses or strengths of the theory about which you are writing. You may even see parallels with another idea and try and combine the ideas to synthesize a new concept.

I don't want to go into too much detail here. It is enough for you to understand that learning has a hierarchy. This learning hierarchy is called Bloom's Taxonomy. If you want to read more about Bloom and his taxonomy, I would refer you to Dalhousie University's teaching tips at:
http://learningandteaching.dal.ca/bloom.html

This will provide you with more information on the taxonomy. What you need to know is that analysis, synthesis and evaluation are higher functions of learning that go beyond simple memorization and understanding. Professors at University of Leicester say that a work is descriptive when they mean that it lacks analysis, synthesis or evaluation. It is not enough to learn a theory, for example Porter's Five Forces, it is important to understand its strengths and weaknesses. When you evaluate and analyse theories, you place them in a historical context along with other theories of business strategy. Placing ideas in context also makes them easier to remember for your exams or to use in your business practices. This means that you can use the ideas you learn at University of Leicester to become a better business leader and hopefully to make your businesses more successful.

Next time, we will discuss some of the other problems you may encounter in your AGC forms and what they mean.

KB