LANG1030, Thinking Critically about Texts and Society, Report Assessment

LANG1030, Thinking Critically about Texts and Society, Report Assessment

Background

All large institutions such as governmental ministries, private corporate industries, and non-governmental organisations require employees to conduct research on issues related to their work and make recommendations as to what position they should take on the issue at hand. Sometimes they also engage external consultants to research and report on an issue.

Assessment

For this assessment, we are asking you to imagine that you have been hired to produce such a report on one of the three topics we explored in Week 9. It helps if you think of yourself as responding to a request from a specific institution, such as a governmental ministry. Imagine that the Minister asks you to write a report on one of the issues raised below.

Week 9: Should the government require that local Indigenous Australians are directly involved in the employment and management of mining (the resource industry) on their land?

You are to choose one of these topics and, using the Report Template provided, construct a research report. The template explains briefly what is required for each section. Your tutorial leader will also discuss expectations for the assessment in class.

Resources

You are required to refer to the readings that were assigned for the topic you choose. You must also refer to at least TWO sources. All research material provided in the relevant Extra Research folder on vUWS under Assessment 2, Report (30%). Other than the material provided there, you are not to refer to any external research. Please provide a list of references at the end of your report using the APA style.

You are to use the template to structure your report. You are required to observe the word limits for each section. Submit your report through the Turnitin link on the unit vUWS site. Use 11pt font, etc.

Student name / number:

Tutors name:

Topic:

Summary of the report (50 words)

What is the basic topic being addressed? What is your principle recommendation?

Background (200 words)

Give a background summary of the main issues. What is fundamentally at stake in the material you have been asked to consult? What are the main questions that need to be addressed?

Stakeholders and competing arguments (300 words)

Who is affected by the issue discussed? Who are the main stakeholders? What different kinds of arguments can they be expected to make?

Costs and benefits to the community(300w)

Give an assessment of the likely costs and benefits of your recommendation. Who will benefit and how? Who will be disadvantaged? What will be the effects on the community in general?

Alternative options (100w)

What alternative options can you think of which may allow the achievement of some of the competing goals?

Recommendation (50w)

What, in short form, is your recommendation?