The objective of the assignment is expose learners to academic writing process which encompasses research topic, statement of problem, literature review and research methodology, in the area of concentration. The assignment will enhance the learners’ ability to analyze and synthesize journal articles and help in writing their project paper/research paper/dissertation/thesis in future.
PART 1: PROPOSAL FOR SEMINAR PAPER (70%)
Search for relevant information from various sources namely dissertations, journal articles, newspapers and books. With the information collected, write a Seminar Paper in the length of roughly 20 pages or 6,000 words.
The following explains the important steps involved in preparing a Seminar Paper:
Research Topic
Ensure that your research topic for this seminar paper is the one that you intend to do in your final M.Ed. project paper or is in some way related to the topic of your future EdD./PhD. thesis.
The research topic should be exactly in the smallest possible number of words and it should not more than 15 words. Use the title format writing as the example below.
Example:
- “A Study of the Effectiveness of School Leadership: Teachers’ Perspectives and Experience in Petaling Perdana District”
- “The Impact of School Leadership on Students’ Academic Performance on Students in Petaling Perdana District”
(Suitable for the quantitative approach as the data is obtained through questionnaires. ‘School Leadership’ is independent variable, while ‘Students’ Academic Performance’ is dependent variable)
Abstract
The abstract should state the most important facts and ideas in your paper. It should be complete in itself. The length of the abstract should be about 200 words and it is written continuously in one paragraph. The abstract should state clearly the following sequence:
- Background of the Study,
- Problem Statement,
- Research Objectives,
- Research Questions,
- Research Method,
- Main Findings,
- Conclusion
- Significance of the Study.
Do not put information in the abstract, which is not in the main text of your paper. Do not put references, figures, or tables in the abstract.
Problem Statement
A problem statement is a statement that briefly sums up the problems or issues relating to the study under investigation. Problem statements can be either formal–like a thesis statement–or they can be informal–usually a sentence that explains how what you are saying will impact the reader. A carefully crafted problem statement will help you to connect with your audience and will help your audience to see why your document is important.
Example: There are four components (fact, expectation, in reality and consequences) in the problem of statement. The real issue is highlighted at the component 3 (in reality) and it continues with the impact (if the issue is not resolved). Please ensure your problem statement is supported by reliable sources like the examples below (author, year).
| Fact Expectation In reality Consequences | Early childhood is one of the most critical phases of a child’s development (author 1, year). The domains of a child’s development are spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social (SPIES). The current public preschools are unable to cater to all pre-schooling children because the place is limited. Private ECCE operators/principals take risks to fulfil the demand of pre-schooling children. They set up their ECCE centres in residential areas to ensure that all pre-schooling children have another alternative to start their early childhood education. However, in reality, the ECE operators/principals face many challenges, and sometimes these challenges can be very discouraging (author 2, year). Among the challenges are dealing with parents, the quality of teachers, and financial constraints. If the situation persists without any countermeasure, these private ECCE centres cannot sustain in the industry. |
In this section, your write will be as follows.
Early childhood is one of the most critical phases of a child’s development which it determines the characteristics and traits in the future (Ahmad, 2019). The domains of a child’s development are spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social (SPIES). The current public preschools are unable to cater to all pre-schooling children because the place is limited (MOE, 2020).
Private ECCE operators/principals take risks to fulfil the demand of pre-schooling children. They set up their ECCE centres in residential areas to ensure that all pre-schooling
However, in reality, the ECE operators/principals face many challenges, and sometimes these challenges can be very discouraging (Abu et al., 2021). Among the challenges are dealing with parents, the quality of teachers, and financial constraints.
If the situation persists without any countermeasure, these private ECCE centres cannot sustain in the industry.
Research Questions
The research questions must be stated and answered clearly and precisely in the paper. You need to prepare THREE (3) research questions. It is important that the main points and the course of the investigation remain clear throughout the paper. Below are two examples of research questions.
Example:
- Typical research questions for the qualitative research method. You may think of what, how, to what extent and why questions.
- What are the challenges that the private ECCE owners/principals face?
- To what extent these private ECCE owners/principals strategise those challenges?
- Typical research questions for the quantitative research method.
- Is there any significant relationship between the challenges and the performance of ECE centres?
- Is there any significant relationship between the strategies and the performance of ECE owners?
Literature Review
Literature review in any research endeavour is the base that gives information support to the research and its possible claim. In order to write a good seminar paper, you are requested to review existing works that are relevant to the study. Ideally, the literature review should consolidate the entire research and weigh what already exists and how what is being presented matter in future.
Obviously, insufficient literature does not help your research, on that note, you need to obtain detailed literature from various sources relevant to your research to legitimize your claim and significantly make your view point stronger. It is rather scholarly advisable to increase the landscape of your literature review.
In reviewing each literature, the following is the components that you need to answer.
- What is it about?
- Why is the topic important?
- What was done?
Theoretical Framework
A theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together with their definitions and reference to relevant scholarly literature, existing theory that is used for your particular study. The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that relate to the broader areas of knowledge being considered.
Conceptual Framework
A conceptual framework is used to make conceptual distinctions and organize ideas. It provides an outline of how you plan to conduct the research for your thesis, but it goes further than that by also positioning your work within the larger field of research. Writing a conceptual framework can not only help to guide your thesis to ensure that your research stays on track, but it also helps to guide fellow researchers or advisers who are analyzing your thesis. Below is an example of a typical conceptual framework for the quantitative research method.
| Challenges |
| Strategies |
| Performance |
Independent variables Dependent variables
Research Method
The methodological approach should state the following:
(1) Research Method – qualitative, quantitative or mixed?
(2) Research Instrument – questionnaires, in-depth interviews, observation etc.?
(3) Sample and Sampling Method – purposive sampling, sample and population?
(4) Reliability and Validity (for quantitative)
(5) Statistical measures and Analysis (for quantitative)
(6) Data Collection Procedure
(7) Data Analysis Procedure
Conclusion
There are several ways that you can conclude that will be helpful and interesting to your readers.
- Synthesize what you have discussed and explain what other lessons might be gained from your argument.
- Explain why your topic matters to help your readers see why this topic deserve their attention.
- Revisit that opening discussion and explore how the information you have gathered implicates that discussion.
References
You must give references to all the information that you obtain from books, papers in journals, and other sources.
For a journal paper provide (i) the names of the authors, (ii) the year of publication, (iii) the title of the paper, (iv) the title of the journal, (v) the volume number of the journal, (vi) the first and last page numbers of the paper.
For a book provide (i) the author, (ii) the year of publication, (iii) the title, and the edition number if there is one, (iv) the name of the publisher, (v) the page numbers for your reference.
For an internet reference provide (i) the author of the web page, (ii) the date of the web page, (iii) the title of the web page, (iv) the complete URL.
Every reference in your main text must appear in the list at the end of your paper, and every reference in the list must be mentioned in your main text.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Tables
Tables must have a number and a caption above the table. The reader should be able to understand the table by reading the caption without looking at the main text. Every table must be mentioned in the main text.
Figures
Figures must have a number and a caption below the figure. The reader should be able to understand the figure by reading the caption without looking at the main text. Every figure must be mentioned in the main text.
General Guidelines of the Seminar Paper
- Write your title first. This will define your topic clearly and focus your mind on exactly what you want the paper to contain.
- Search the literature and select the references on which the contents of your paper will be based. Write your list of references.
- Make a list of your section headings and subheadings. This list will define the organization of the contents of your paper. The sections and subsections will contain not only material collected from other sources but also accounts of new work you have done: your observations, analysis of data, and conclusions.
- Write the sections and subsections one by one in a simple clear style. Remember that the reader does not know in advance any of the details of the work you have done, so your account must be complete and easy to understand.
- Write the abstract last by picking out the main points in your paper.
At the of the writing process, the student is required to come out with a Seminar Paper which comprises of the following sub components as depicted in Table 1:
Table 1: Sub Components of a Seminar Paper
| 1 | Abstract |
| 2 | Introduction |
| 3 | Problem Statement |
| 4 | Research Objectives |
| 5 | Research Questions |
| 6 | Literature Review |
| 7 | Theoretical Framework |
| 8 | Conceptual Framework |
| 9 | Research Method |
| 10 | Conclusion |
The overall formal structure of a seminar paper is stated as below:
(1) Title
(2) Cover page
(3) Table of contents
(4) Table of figures and tables (when applicable)
(5) Text (refer to Table 1 above)
(6) References
(7) Appendix (Research Instrument / Articles)
Title page and Table of Contents
A title and writers are centred in the middle of the title page.
- On the centre bottom, set one below another a course code, a course name, Department, University, a date.
- The second page is for a Table of Contents.
- No page numbers on these pages.
Body text
- Times New Roman, 12 point
- Line spacing 1.5
- Page margins: left 3.5 cm, right 2.5 cm, top 3.5 cm, bottom 3.0 cm.
- Set the text in full justification and turn on hyphenation.
- Page numbers are set on the centre bottom corner and they start from the second body text page.
- Indentation 1.0 cm in the first line of a new paragraph. However, no indentation after titles, figures, tables, lists or in the first line of a new page. No empty lines between the paragraphs.
Figures, tables and appendices
- Consecutively numbered.
- Tables’ text in smaller font and in smaller line spacing.
- Set legends below the figures, captions above the tables and appendices.
- Legends and captions are in boldface, in font size 11 pt and in line spacing 1.0.
Citation and References
Within the text, references are made by giving in the parentheses the last name of the author, the year of publication, colon and the page or pages referred to. If the reference is to the whole work, page numbers are left out. An example: (Campbell 2002: 46-48).
Citation should be in line with the guidelines by the American Psychological Association (APA). If a sentence contains an indirect citation, the citation is part of the sentence and the sentence ends after the citation with a punctuation mark. If you quote several sentences or an entire paragraph indirectly, the reference follows after the punctuation mark. The respective paragraph is to be demarcated clearly (e.g. using circuits). The same applies to direct citations. If the content of an entire section is taken from a single reference you have to indicate that in the heading of the section (however, you are advised to use more than one reference for each section).
[Total: 70 marks]
PART 2: POWERPOINT SLIDES AND PRESENTATION (20%)
The PowerPoint should be developed professionally to showcase the learner’s proficiency in synthesizing academic literature and making connections with practice in educational institutions of his or her topic of research. The purpose of Seminar Paper Presentation concentrates on teaching something to the audience. A good presentation means that the audience understood the message. The student has to understand that a good PowerPoint should be brief, concise, and attractive to the audiences to deliver the information effectively.
In this part, you are requested to prepare a PowerPoint Presentation based on the content in Question 1 and present your PowerPoint slide between 10 and 15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions and answers session (Q&A). You should demonstrate good oral presentation skills and also good understanding of educational management concepts in Seminar Paper. The goals of professional speaking are to entertain, inform, inspire, and to get the audience to take action. The truth is, in order for your presentation or speech to have its greatest effect you need to be able to entertain and wow your audience. In the seminar, you are encouraged to speak from the outline notes. But bring both sets of notes and your original paper to the seminar. Look at your audience when you are speaking and make a strong ending. Evaluation will be based on the effectiveness of the delivery of the oral presentation, Q&A session and the content of the PowerPoint.
The PowerPoint slides should not exceed 20 slides. Suggested PowerPoint slides are as follow:
| Topic & Writer’s Particulars (1 slide) Introduction (1 slide) Background of the Study / Problem Statement (1 slide) Research Objectives and Questions (1 slide) Theoretical Framework (2-3 slides) Conceptual Framework (1-2 slides) Research Method (1-2 slides) Conclusion (1 slide) References (1 slide) |
PowerPoint General Guidelines
| Apply a 6–6 Rule. Quite simply, this “Rule” says that each PowerPoint slide should have one main idea, a maximum of six bullet points, and a maximum of six words per bullet point. |
Presentation Guidelines
There are seven steps to guide you to become an effective presenter:
| Say something that connects to the audienceConnect with emotionsTell the audience how good they areLink back to your opening during your speechRelate to audience self’s interestsAlways give a synthesis or conclusionAnswer questions thoroughly and thoughtfully |
PART 3: ONLINE CLASS PARTICIPATION (10%)
This part requires students to participate actively in the MyINSPIRE eforum. Discuss the following topics in the forum and submit proof of your participation with your tutor and peers in the eforum online discussions:
- Discuss the features of academic writing.
- Discuss what are the functions of literature review.
- There are many comments of reviewers, examiners and supervisors to alert writers of the perils of not meeting the demand of doing a literature review. Elaborate those comments.
- In your own words, summarise in 150 words the features of three mainstream reading process – traditional, cognitive and metacognitive.
- Explain the fundamental reasons for reading.
Instruction on how to submit proof of online class participation:
- Select the best FIVE (5) postings from your forum discussion set in the assignment.
- Do screenshots of the postings and include them as images in your Part 1 and Part 2 assignment file.
- The screenshots should be in an image file (either in JPG or PNG format). Refer to the sample of Screen Grab below
- The screenshots should contain the name, title of the discussion, day, date and time.
[Total: 20 marks]
[TOTAL MARKS: 100 MARKS]
ATTACHMENT
ASSIGNMENT RUBRIC
HMEE5043 SEMINAR PAPER IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT / JANUARY 2022
PART 1: PROPOSAL FOR SEMINAR PAPER (70%)
| *QN | CLO | Criteria | Weight | Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | Unsatisfactory | Max Marks |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 1 | 1 | Topic Research | 0.5 | The topic very clearly reflects the focus of the study, revealing adequate information about research variables, subjects & setting of the study | The topic clearly reflects the focus of the study, revealing fairly adequate information about research variables, subjects & setting of the study | The topic reflects the focus of the study, revealing some information about research variables, subjects & setting of the study | The topic hardly reflects the focus of the study, revealing little information about research variables, subjects & setting of the study | No submission. | 2 |
| 1 | Abstract | 1.0 | The abstract captures all the relevant and essential points of the seminar paper | The abstract captures most of the relevant and essential points of the seminar paper | The abstract captures some of the relevant and essential points of the seminar paper | The abstract hardly captures the relevant and essential points of the seminar paper | No submission. | 4 | |
| 1 | Introduction | 1.5 | Introduction provides very clear information from general to specific | Introduction provides clear information from general to specific | The Introduction provides some information from general to specific | Introduction does not provide any information from general to specific | No submission. | 6 | |
| 4 | Problem Statement | 2.5 | Issue and problems are very relevant and provide a very clear lead-in to the research problem | Issue and problems are relevant and provide a clear lead-in to research problem | Issue and problems are fairly relevant but does not provide a clear lead-in to the research problem | Issue and problems are hardly relevant and does not provide a clear lead-in to the research problem | No submission. | 10 | |
| 3 | Research Objectives / Questions | 2.5 | Research objectives & questions are highly focused and clear | Research objectives & questions are focused and clear | Research objectives & questions are fairly focused and clear | Research objectives & questions are hardly focused and clear. | No submission. | 10 | |
| 3 | Literature Review What is it about? Why is the topic important? What was done? Key result | 2.5 | Literature reviewed is very relevant to the study. The explanation is very detailed and clear | Literature reviewed is very relevant to the study. The explanation is detailed and clear | Literature reviewed is fairly relevant to the study. The explanation is fairly detailed and clear | Literature reviewed is hardly relevant to the study. The explanation is sketchy and vague | No submission. | 10 | |
| 3 | Theoretical Framework | 1.0 | The explanation is very detailed and clear. It is very much related to the title. | The explanation is detailed and clear. It is related to the title. | The explanation is fairly detailed and clear. It is quite related to the title. | The explanation is sketchy and vague. It is not related to the title. | No submission. | 4 | |
| 3 | Conceptual Framework | 1.0 | The explanation is very detailed and clear. | The explanation is detailed and clear. | The explanation is fairly detailed and clear | The explanation is sketchy and vague. | No submission. | 4 | |
| 2 | Research Method | 2.5 | The research method is very appropriate. The explanation is very clear with adequate relevant justification | The research method is appropriate. The explanation is clear with quite adequate relevant justification | The research method is fairly appropriate. The explanation is fairly clear with some relevant justification | The research method is hardly appropriate. The explanation is rather vague with minimal or no relevant justification | No submission. | 10 | |
| 3 | Conclusion | 1.5 | Introduction provides very clear information of reflections and suggestions | Introduction provides clear information of reflections and suggestions | The Introduction provides some information of reflections and suggestions | Conclusion does not provide any information of reflections and suggestions | No submission. | 6 | |
| 2 | References | 1.0 | The references are very relevant and current to the area of study. The citation method is very accurate according to APA style | The references are relevant and current to the area of study. The citation method is accurate according to APA style | The references are fairly relevant and current to the area of study. The citation method is fairly accurate according to APA style | The references are hardly relevant and current to the area of study. The citation method is not accurate according to APA style | No submission. | 4 | |
| Total | 17.5 | 70 |
*QN = Question Number
PART 2: POWERPOINT SLIDES AND PRESENTATION (20%)
| *QN | CLO | Criteria | Weight | Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | Unsatisfactory | Max Marks |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2 | 2 | Quality of the PowerPoint slides | 1.0 | The PowerPoint slides are very attractive to the audience | The PowerPoint slides are attractive to the audience | The PowerPoint slides are fairly attractive to the audience | The PowerPoint slides are hardly attractive to the audience | No submission. | 4 |
| 2 | Ability to explain the theoretical framework/ conceptual framework | 1.0 | Literature presented is very relevant to the study. The explanation is very detailed and clear | Literature presented is very relevant to the study. The explanation is detailed and clear | Literature presented is fairly relevant to the study. The explanation is fairly detailed and clear | Literature presented is hardly relevant to the study. The explanation is sketchy and vague | No submission. | 4 | |
| 2 | Ability to explain the research design | 1.0 | The explanation is very detailed and clear. | The explanation is detailed and clear. | The explanation is fairly detailed and clear | The explanation is sketchy and vague. | No submission. | 4 | |
| 2 | Ability to answer questions appropriately | 1.0 | The answer provided to the question asked is very relevant | The answer provided to the question asked is relevant | The answer provided to the question asked is fairly relevant | The answer provided to the question asked is not relevant | No submission. | 4 | |
| 2 | Overall presentation | 1.0 | The presentation reflects the focus of the study very well. | The presentation reflects the focus of the study. | The presentation fairly reflects the focus of the study. | The presentation hardly reflects the focus of the study. | No submission. | 4 | |
| Total | 5.0 | 20 |
*QN = Question Number
PART 3: ONLINE CLASS PRESENTATION (10%)
| QN | CLO | Criteria | Weight | Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | Unsatisfactory Or No response | Max Marks |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 3 | 3 | Participation in e forum | 1.0 | The student participates actively and constructively in discussions (ongoing) | The student participates actively in discussions | Comments are generally vague or drawn from outside of the | The student does not initiate contribution and lacks of interest in participation. | No postings submitted | 4 |
| 4 | Quality of comments | 1.5 | Comments are always insightful and constructive. Uses appropriate terminology. Comments balanced between general impressions, opinions & specific, thoughtful criticisms or contributions | Comments are mostly insightful and constructive. Mostly uses appropriate terminology. Occasionally comments are too general or not relevant to the discussion. | Comments are sometimes constructive, with occasional signs of insight. The student does not use appropriate terminology; comments not always relevant to the discussion. | Comments are uninformative, lacking in appropriate terminology. | No postings submitted | 6 |
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