Request to enhance my assignment and remove plagiarism

Corporate Award Programme

Candidate Assignment Guidance

Version 7.0 July 2016

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Contents

1. Overview .....................................................................................................................................................3

2. Submission requirements – important .......................................................................................................3

3. Planning and conducting your research .....................................................................................................4

4. Structuring your assignment submission ...................................................................................................4

5. Assignment front sheet ..............................................................................................................................5

6. Contents Page .............................................................................................................................................5

7. Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................5

8. Assignment – main body ............................................................................................................................6

9. Conclusions and recommendations ...........................................................................................................7

10. Referencing .............................................................................................................................................7

11. Reference list ..........................................................................................................................................8

12. Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................9

13. Appendices .............................................................................................................................................9

14. Word Count ......................................................................................................................................... 10

15. Policies ................................................................................................................................................. 11

a. Plagiarism ................................................................................................................................................ 11

b. Reasonable adjustment and special consideration ................................................................................. 11

c. Extensions beyond submission deadlines ............................................................................................... 12

d. Assessment reviews and appeals ............................................................................................................ 12

16. Grading ................................................................................................................................................ 12

17. Marking and results ............................................................................................................................. 12

18. And finally ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Appendix 1: Assignment Assessment Criteria ................................................................................................. 14

Appendix 2: Command Words ......................................................................................................................... 15

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1. Overview The assignment brief is set by CIPS and all assignments are validated to ensure a standard approach. The purpose of each assignment is to enable you to demonstrate your ability to research, analyse and problem solve in different situations. You will be expected to approach your assignment work from a procurement and supply context, addressing the brief directly and undertaking the tasks required. The assignment will relate directly to the specified module content and is marked using the assessment criteria provided as an appendix to this guide.

Read carefully the assignment title and guidance for candidates. The assignment will identify which modules it is designed to assess. Use the relevant content from the stated modules as the basis of your assignment. It will help you structure your planning and research. Ensure you plan your assignment to meet all of its requirements.

2. Submission requirements – important 2.1 Include the assignment front sheet 2.2 The maximum number of documents you can submit for an assessment is one 2.3 All of your work must be contained in one document 2.4 You must not submit appendices as separate documents 2.5 You must word process your assignment using MS word, or equivalent, and convert it in to a pdf file

format a. The file name should only consist of your full 9-digit membership number and the assignment

number, e.g. “005429889 AS1.pdf”. Please note that this should reflect the assignment number, not the module number.

b. You may wish to make use of Adobe Acrobat’s Reduce File Size… function 2.6 Every page should be numbered and contain your candidate number at the top of the document in

the header.

The average number of pages for a 3,000 word assignment is 27 (including appendices). The maximum number of pages allowed for a 3,000 word assignment is 50 pages in total. You should not exceed this allowance. In the case of the integrative assignment, the average number of pages for a 5,000 word assignment is 45. The maximum number of pages allowed for a 5,000 word integrative assignment is 100 pages in total.

You must hand in your assignment no later than the submission deadline stated in your timetable. There are penalties if your submission is handed in late without prior agreement from CIPS through the Reasonable Adjustment, Special Consideration or Extension Policies (see section 15, page 8 and 9). Submissions that do not meet the submission requirements (for example Word .doc rather than .pdf, multiple files, candidates name present) will not be accepted and if the revised version is not sent within the submission timeframe the corrected version may be subject to penalty.

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3. Planning and conducting your research It is important that you address the requirements of the assignment brief. Some students fail to do this and overlook one or more requirements of the assignment brief. The assignment title will include command words. These are words such as “analyse”, “describe” etc. and define what you are expected to do. A list of common command words and their definitions is included as an appendix to this document to help you plan the depth of detail and type of information to research and present within your assignment.

You should take care when reproducing company information not already in the public domain within your assignment. It is your responsibility to ensure you comply with your own company expectations if the information is considered confidential or sensitive.

CIPS is looking for evidence that a student understands a concept and can apply it appropriately within a given contexts defined by the assignment brief. In order to address the assignment tasks, it is not necessary to identify any real suppliers or products. Therefore, it is acceptable to refer to a supplier as ‘Supplier A’ for example, rather than identify real suppliers. Products can be referred to as product ‘X’ or ‘Y’ for example, rather than identify any sensitive procurements. It is best practice to explain, within your introduction, the naming conventions you will adopt e.g. “for the purposes of confidentiality, suppliers or products will be referred to as…”.

Research forms part of the assessment criteria, hence it is an essential element of your assignment preparation. Do not fail to realise the importance of collecting information to support and underpin your assignment work. It is vital that you demonstrate your ability to establish information needs, obtain relevant information and use it sensibly, in order to arrive at appropriate conclusions, recommendations and/or decisions. You should establish the nature of the information required, follow up possible sources and ensure you allow time to obtain the information. You may be dependent on other colleagues or suppliers to obtain relevant information – do not underestimate the time it may take you to gather it. In order to conduct your research effectively, you will need to conduct wider reading associated with the topics covered in the module content.

Useful sources of information include those freely available to CIPS members such as our Knowledge site and the Supply Management site. Additionally, websites such as those of the National Audit Office and the Financial Times are a great source of case studies and examples of successes and failures which can support your assignment preparation.

Your reference list and bibliography will provide an indication of the level of research, information collection and application within your assignment.

4. Structuring your assignment submission Presentation: Your assignment submission should be word processed with minimum font size 12pt and 1.5 or double line spacing. You should adopt an appropriate layout and structure for your assignment submission. The structure and presentation of your assignment is considered as part of the marking process so it is important that you take the time to carefully plan your assignment and use a logical layout and structure. This guidance document outlines a suggested structure for your assignment.

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For many of you this assignment will be dealing with issues that are of importance to your employer and they will, in all likelihood, be interested in seeing a copy of your assignment. Spending some extra time making it as professional as possible will pay dividends here.

Approach: The assignment title may include a number of requirements. Read it carefully and identify what these are. Plan your assignment and research to ensure that you address all the requirements. As a guide, you should aim to place approximately equal emphasis on each requirement within the layout of your assignment submission. This means you will usually produce approximately the same volume of content for each requirement within your assignment submission. Plan your research and the structure of your assignment submission accordingly. However, during your planning or research, you may identify that it is not appropriate to place equal emphasis on each requirement within the assignment title.

For example, factors beyond your control, such as the nature of your organisation or the external business environment in which it operates, may mean that it is not appropriate to place equal emphasis on each requirement of the assignment title. In such circumstances, acknowledge this within your assignment submission to demonstrate to the assessor that you have considered all the requirements of the assignment title. Explain to the assessor why you have adopted a particular approach to demonstrate your ability to make judgements. Think carefully about the structure, style and content of your assignment; the key is to ensure you justify any deviation from the assignment requirements in order to explain to the assessor why you have adopted an unusual approach. Failure to do so could mean you fail to gain marks in the knowledge and approach section of the assessment criteria.

Remember also that the marking team will not be familiar with your company, company-specific terminology or acronyms. Take care to ensure you explain necessary background information, or the meaning of company- specific terminology, in order to provide the marking team with an understanding of the nature of your organisation and the business environment in which it operates.

5. Assignment front sheet Please complete and attach the assignment front sheet to your submission. Your name should not appear anywhere within your assignment.

6. Contents page The contents page helps the reader to navigate around the document and highlights important sections and sub-sections; this also helps you to ensure your work is structured and flows in a logical order.

7. Executive summary The aim of an executive summary is to prepare the reader, in advance of reading a lengthy document, for what to expect. It should briefly summarise the content and conclusions/recommendations. This is good academic and business practice and is recommended for all assessments (assignments and project work). We recommend you keep this to one page if possible.

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8. Assignment – main body CIPS recommends a short introduction to the assignment to set the scene. You may wish to take the opportunity to introduce your company or the business environment relevant to your assignment, define any relevant terms, explain the scope of your assignment, the approach you have taken, any exclusions and assumptions.

Assignments should have a good balance of relevant underpinning theory, tools or models and practical application (use of examples from your organisation, or one with which you are familiar). You must select appropriate models to demonstrate knowledge and application. It is suggested you consult and reflect upon the programme content for the relevant module(s) in the first instance and conduct an audit of the theories, tools and models etc., in order to identify those which may be appropriate for your assignment.

For any theories, tools or models that you include, your assignment should contain a brief description and justification of its selection in relation to your analysis.

You should ensure you include discussion on how it was used and what information was generated from it – interpret the findings of your analysis. Avoid citing models, tools etc., without applying them within your analysis as this will gain no marks. You may wish to use tables or diagrams to demonstrate your application of relevant tools or models.

When including information about the theories, tools and models etc. within your assignment, narrative should be integrated in to the content of your assignment. Assignment submissions which simply skip from one model or tool, for example, to the next, without linking them in some way or consolidating them in conclusions, will be unlikely to demonstrate the extent of your comprehension of the module content and your ability to apply it to practical business situations.

Providing a sound argument for selection and application of a particular theory, model, tool or technique – highlighting why it is appropriate, its strengths and weaknesses/limitations (as well as your findings) – is likely to be awarded higher marks.

The positioning of models/tools and techniques will depend on a number of factors, but ideally you should aim for a good balance of discussion and visual impact. It is a matter of personal judgement and preference, but, essentially they should be relevant and visually enhance the work, enabling the reader to grasp the flow of your discussion. You should also consider:

• The strength and possible limitations of the model for the task • The quality and depth of information contained within your assignment • Appropriateness for the subject matter • Whether large pieces of supporting evidence for an argument may be better placed in the Appendices

The application and insight section of the assessment criteria is the most heavily weighted. It is important to demonstrate your ability to apply relevant tools, theories, models etc., according to the modules content and the assignment title. The outcomes of your application will generate evidence which you must present within your assignment submission.

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9. Conclusions and recommendations Again, the application and insight section of the assessment criteria is the most heavily weighted. You must, therefore, ensure you demonstrate your ability to interpret your evidence and findings by providing recommendations, proposals for change and/or conclusions, as appropriate, which are consistent with the evidence you have generated. This will exhibit the validity of your insight. Thorough application of tools of analysis will help to provide strong findings which will form the foundation of your conclusions and recommendations.

Your conclusions and recommendations must be consistent with your analysis and findings and should act as a summary. It is important that any conclusions or recommendations are justified as part of your overall assignment submission. When you have completed your assignment, take time to re-read it a day or so later and check that your conclusions really are consistent with the evidence generated from your analysis.

10. Referencing In order to avoid plagiarism, whenever you use someone’s words directly, or make reference to the ideas or work of others, you must reference this appropriately using a recognised referencing system, such as the Harvard system of referencing or as outlined in the CIPS Reference Guidance document. The following points will help you cite sources of information appropriately within the body of your assignment.

• When a reference is made in your assignment to a particular document, the author (or editor, compiler or translator) individual or organisation and year of publication are inserted in brackets:

o e.g. Agriculture still employs half a million people in rural Britain (Shucksmith, 2000).

• If the author’s name occurs naturally in the sentence, only the year of publication is given: o e.g. … concept is discussed by Jones (1998)…

• When referring to more than one document by an author published in the same year, these are distinguished by adding lower case letters (a, b, c) after the year:

o e.g. (Watson, 1999a)

• If there are two authors, the names of both should be given: o e.g. (Lines and Walker, 1997)

• Where there are more than two authors, cite the first author, followed by ‘et al.’: o e.g. (Morgan et al., 1998)

• Quotations: Direct quotations are used to show the work of another party word-for-word; the exact words must be copied from the source document. When citing quotations, include the page number of where the quotation can be found in the source document. Please note quotations used within your assignment content are included within the total word count.

o Short quotations may be run into the text, using single quotation marks. o e.g. While they recommend that teams ‘...be encouraged to improve collaboration within an

organisation autonomously’ (Driedonks, et al., 2010, p. 115), they ...

Longer quotations should be separated from the rest of the text by means of a new and indented paragraph and optional size reduction. These do not need quotation marks, however the author, date and page reference must be included in brackets at the end of the indented paragraph of quoted text. You are advised to use long quotations sparingly as they are included as part of the word count. Ask yourself whether they

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really add value to your assignment, or whether there is a better way of representing the information you wish to present to the reader of your assignment. Referencing electronic resources can be confusing, it is difficult to know which information to include or where to find it. As a rule, provide as much information as possible concerning authorship, location and availability. Electronic citations require much of the same information as print sources (author, year of publication, title, publisher). However, some extra details are required: • identify that you accessed the source in an electronic format • provide an accurate access date for online sources (that is, identify when a source was viewed or

downloaded) • provide the location of an online source (for example, a database or web address) Unlike printed material, internet sources can easily be changed, or disappear altogether, so full and accurate citation information is essential. Example – referencing web documents British Lawnmower Museum (no date) Lawnmowers of the Rich and Famous [online] Southport, British Lawnmower Museum. Available: http://www.lawnmowerworld.co.uk/Rich.htm [Accessed10 March 2004] Example – referencing electronic journals Hart, K. (1998) The place of the 1898 Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Straits (CAETS) in the history of British social anthropology. Science as a culture. [Online] 11 (1). Available: http://human- nature.com/science-as-culture/hart.html [Accessed 9 November 2003] Example – referencing journal articles from a web-based full-text database Mahoney, R. (2000) Leadership and learning organisations, The Learning Organization. [Online] 7 (5), 241-244. Available: http://www.emerald-library.com/brev/11907ec1.htm [Accessed 23 October 2000] The source materials you use should be included in a reference list at the end of your assignment. See the following sections relating to your reference list and bibliography.

11. Reference list A reference list is essential to ensure the works of others is acknowledged and to avoid the risk of plagiarism issues. You must use a recognised referencing system, such as the Harvard system or as outlined in the CIPS Reference Guidance document, as assessors will need to identify sources you have accessed during your research and used within your assignment. See the section relating to referencing for information on how to cite sources of information within the body of your assignment.

References are arranged alphabetically by author’s name (or title, if no author) which has been used in the body of the text and should be presented in the following way:

• Book references - include where possible, the following information in the order listed here: o Author(s)/Editor(s) - Surname first, followed by first name(s) or initials (be consistent). Include

all names if there are two or three authors; if more than three, use the first name and then et al. For editors, compilers or translators (instead of author), give the abbreviation ed/eds, comp/comps or trans following the name(s): e.g. Peckham, T. and Smith, G. (eds.)

o Year of publication – e.g. (1996)

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o Title - capitalise the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns; use bold, italics or underline (be consistent); Include any sub-title, separating it from the title by a colon

o Edition - only include if not the first edition o Series - include if relevant.

Modern versions of MS Word have some helpful tools to assist with referencing and citations. These allow you to build a list of sources which you can access to cite in the body of your assignment using the “insert citation” tool under the references section of the toolbar. It allows you to insert a list of “works cited” which will automatically include all sources which you have cited within your assignment.

12. Bibliography When researching subject areas, you may read widely, but not all will be relevant to the assignment you are working on. However, this work should not go unrecognised and more importantly, a bibliography records earlier reading that may be useful later when researching for future assessments or projects. If you have documented your reading, this can be located again with ease.

13. Appendices Core material – which is defined as text that the assessor would need to read in order to understand and appreciate your work fully – should NOT be placed in appendices. An appendix is not a “catch-all”, or a substitute for effective writing and editing of your assignment to meet the word count. You do not have to use appendices – indeed; it is considered best practice that assignments only include appendices in exceptional circumstances. For example, information that is not essential to your assignment, but validates the content of it, provides confirmatory evidence or provides information or material that the assessor would not otherwise be able to access, should be placed in an appendix. Documents that are available in the public domain should be referenced, in accordance with a recognised referencing system, rather than including them as appendices.

Examples of things which could be useful as appendices to an assignment include:

• Supporting evidence – feedback, testimonials, stakeholder interview outcomes etc. • Technical information presented in tables and graphs – organisational charts, statistics etc. • Supplementary data which adds useful information or insight, but is not essential to the

understanding of the personal statement – including organisation-specific material (ensure appropriate permissions have been sought for use outside your organisation).

Appendices should be presented in the order they are mentioned in your assignment, and it is essential to refer to each appendix within the text of your assignment. You should NOT include something as an appendix if it is not discussed within the assignment, nor should you include any material which is readily available in the public domain – it should be referenced in the text of the assignment using a recognised system of referencing.

Appendices do not form part of the word count for your assignment.

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14. Word Count The expected word count for your assignment will be highlighted on your assignment task. Your assignment can be up to 10% below the stated word count, or up to 10% higher than the stated word count. If your assignment exceeds (or falls short of) the stated word count by more than 10%, you may fail to gain marks under the structure and presentation section of the assessment criteria. The following are excluded from the word count:

• Front page • Contents Page • Executive Summary • Models, tables, diagrams, graphs etc. • Reference list • Bibliography and appendices

You must state your assignment word count on the assignment front sheet.

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15. Policies

a. Plagiarism Plagiarism is submitting someone else’s work as your own when you are not the author. The attempt to pass- off the ideas, research, theories, or words of others as one's own is considered to be a serious academic offence. Most students know when they are intentionally plagiarising, for example, copying an entire essay out of a book or buying a paper off the Internet. However, many students are tripped up by unintentional plagiarism – not giving proper credit for others' quotes, facts, ideas, or data. A good rule-of-thumb for students is to always give credit for any ideas that are not their own by citing their sources.

The most common forms of plagiarism are:

• Copying and pasting material from a website • Copying the work of another student (past or present) • Copying course material or lecture notes • Copying material out of a textbook, journal or other publication

You must take care when writing your assignment that the work you submit is your own. You are permitted to reproduce short extracts, diagrams, tables and illustrations from other publications. But, these must be clearly referenced and the source acknowledged. CIPS treats plagiarism very seriously and if your work is found to contain unacknowledged third party content you may fail your assignment.

In order to avoid plagiarism, whenever you use someone’s words directly, or make reference to the ideas or work of others, you must reference this appropriately using a recognised referencing system, such as the Harvard system of referencing or CIPS Referencing Guidance. Failure to reference the work of others, whether intentional or accidental is considered plagiarism, which constitutes a form of cheating (malpractice or maladministration) and is not tolerated by CIPS. The Malpractice and Maladministration Policy includes details of the consequences for students if they are found to have plagiarised.

b. Reasonable adjustment and special consideration CIPS has a responsibility to ensure that all candidates have equal opportunities to reach their full potential. In some instances, candidates may require adjustments to the assessment process to give them an equal opportunity, and CIPS has a responsibility to ensure that appropriate adjustments are made for each candidate.

Applications for a Reasonable Adjustment should be made in advance of the assessment. Candidates may apply for Special Consideration in exceptional circumstances that could not possibly be predicted. This also applies to candidates wishing to report any incident which may affect their assessment performance.

If you require a Reasonable Adjustment or Special Consideration, you should contact your CIPS programme lead who will be able to assist you. Further information about Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration can be obtained through the reasonable adjustment and special consideration policy which is available on the Learning Management System (LMS) under the FAQ section.

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c. Extensions beyond submission deadlines Extensions cannot be granted by tutors. Applications by students for an extension must be made in writing and submitted to their Programme Lead. These will then be considered by CIPS. The application for an extension should be completed 7 days before the submission deadline date.

All reasons for extensions require independent corroboration, usually from your employer or, in the case of medical problems, doctor. There are some circumstances which are regarded as acceptable reasons for granting an extension and some which are not. Examples are:

Acceptable reasons

• Holidays booked prior to start of programme • Significant medical conditions/concerns • Compassionate (e.g. family bereavement) • Verified work-related travel

Unacceptable reasons:

• Workload • Computer problems • Lost assignments • Desired books not in library • Unverifiable travel difficulties • Unawareness of the submission deadline

d. Assessment reviews and appeals Should you wish to appeal against your result you should apply to CIPS following the assessment review and appeals procedure within two weeks of the result release date. The assessment appeals policy can be found on the Learning Management System (LMS) under the FAQ section. If you wish to request a review of your assessment result, you should contact your CIPS Programme Lead who will be able to assist you.

16. Grading The assessment criteria (see Appendix 1) breaks down each section of the assessment criteria and indicates what is expected for each grade. The marks you are awarded for each section of the assessment criteria will be combined in order to arrive at a total percentage result. The grade you receive for your assignment is based upon this result as follows:

Fail less than 50% Merit 60-74% Pass 50-59% Distinction 75% or more

17. Marking and results Following submission of your assignment, it will be marked by a member of the CIPS assessment team, according to the assessment criteria (see Appendix 1). CIPS employs rigorous quality assurance processes which ensure a standard approach to assessment is adopted. The assessment outcomes and processes are evaluated by the CIPS Assessment Quality Board.

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When your result is released it can be accessed via the My CIPS section of the CIPS website. Your CIPS Programme Lead will also provide you with feedback following the release of your result. The assessment criterion (see Appendix 1) includes the following sections which are weighted in order to help you understand their relative importance:

• Structure and presentation (20%) • Research (20%) • Knowledge and approach (20%) • Application and insight (40%).

18. And finally This document is by no means exhaustive, but provides some guidance on how you might approach the development of your assignment submission. It is a guide on what is generally good practice in assignment preparation, which enables you to understand the implications of what you are doing and gives you the best opportunity to succeed in what you do.

Good luck with your assignment preparation.

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Appendix 1: Assignment Assessment Criteria Pass with Distinction:

75% + Pass with Merit: 60% – 74%

Pass: 50% – 59%

Failure: Less than 50%

Structure and Presentation 20%

Excellent presentation standards incorporating effective executive summary, structure and content. Supports work with references and bibliography appropriate to the assessment. Work is communicated innovatively to a very high and professional standard. Layout of work includes innovative use of graphics, tables, data, references, headings, numbered paragraphs and appendices. Composition of answers in keeping with any desired word count.

Effective presentation standards incorporating executive summary, structure and content; although refinement of these would achieve better marks. Supports work with references and bibliography appropriate to the assessment. Work is communicated effective to a high standard. Layout of work includes effective use of graphics, tables, data, references, headings, numbered paragraphs and appendices. Composition of answers in keeping with any desired word count.

Presentation makes use of an executive summary, structure and content. Supports work with references and bibliography appropriate to the assessment. Work is communicated to a satisfactory standard. Limited use is made of graphics, tables, data, references, headings, numbered paragraphs and appendices. Composition of answers in keeping with any desired word count.

Disappointing presentation standards demonstrating the need to improve its executive summary, structure and content. Limited use of references and bibliography. Work is communicated ineffectively. Layout of work makes limited use of graphics, tables, data, references, headings, numbered paragraphs and appendices. Composition of answers may not be in keeping with any desired word count.

Research 20%

Work demonstrates excellent collation of appropriate primary, secondary, quantitative and/or qualitative research. Evidence of analysis of research with a reasoned critique provided. Work refers to purposeful and relevant sources of research. Extensive references and bibliography.

Work demonstrates collation of appropriate primary, secondary, quantitative or qualitative research. Evidence of the analysis of research is provided. Work refers to appropriate sources of research. A range of references and bibliography.

Work demonstrates limited collation of primary, secondary, quantitative or qualitative research. There is scope to create an analysis or refinement of the research presented. Work refers to sources of research. A reasonable number of references and bibliography.

Work demonstrates a lack of primary, secondary, quantitative or qualitative research and there are evident gaps in the work that the candidate has undertaken. Small number of references and bibliography.

Knowledge and Approach 20%

Work demonstrates a full understanding of relevant theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus that are appropriately selected to formulate answers. Applies a well thought-out methodology to develop answers.

Work demonstrates an effective understanding of relevant theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus that are appropriately selected to formulate answers.

Work demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of relevant theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus that are appropriately selected to formulate answers.

Work demonstrates a limited or sporadic understanding of relevant theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus selected to formulate answers.

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Pass with Distinction: 75% +

Pass with Merit: 60% – 74%

Pass: 50% – 59%

Failure: Less than 50%

Application and Insight 40%

Work demonstrates the fitting application of theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus. Candidate creates proposals for change that can achieve business improvements whilst recognising boundaries that can affect their implementation. The work is supported by an innovative or appropriate business case or implementation plan when relevant.

Work demonstrates an effective application of theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus. Candidate creates proposals for change that can achieve business improvements. The work is supported by an effective business case or implementation plan when relevant.

Work demonstrates the application of some limited theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus. Candidate creates limited proposals for change that can achieve business improvements. A limited business case or implementation plan is presented when relevant.

Work demonstrates limited or sporadic application of theory, models, techniques, processes, outcomes or other aspects of the syllabus. Candidate's proposals for change lack justification. The work lacks an effective business case or implementation plan when relevant.

Appendix 2: Command Words Command Word

Definition

Analyse Examine a topic together with thoughts and judgments about it, by dividing the topic into its separate parts and looking at each part in detail

Appraise Evaluate, judge or assess something Argue Provide reasons for or against something, clearly and in proper order, using or citing evidence

so that a case can be proved. Also compare with Discuss Assess Evaluate or judge the importance of something, referring to the special knowledge of experts

where possible. This may involve from other texts Comment on Write notes explaining your own criticism and observations of something Compare Examine one thing in relation to another thing, so that points of similarity or difference

become evident Consider Take something in to account, or make allowance for something. Think carefully about

something or reflect upon it Contrast Emphasise the differences between two opposite or dissimilar things Criticise Give your judgements about the good or bad qualities of theories or opinions, supporting

your decision with evidence Define Explain the exact meaning of a word or phrase Describe Give a full account or a detailed representation of something Discuss Consider something by writing about it from different points of view. Evaluate Calculate or judge the value of something; include your personal opinion in your evaluation

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Command Word

Definition

together with appropriate reasons for your opinion Explain Give reasons for, or account for something, so that it is clear or easy to understand Identify Identify to state or briefly mention items of information Illustrate Clarify or explain something by using examples or diagrams Interpret Use your own ideas to explain the significance of something Justify Show good reasons for decisions, recommendations or conclusions, perhaps by referring to

other texts List Mention items separately in number order or by using bullet points Outline Give the main features, facts or the general idea of something, omitting minor details Propose Put forward (for example a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for consideration or

action Reconcile Show how two apparently conflicting things can appear similar or compatible Relate Establish a connection or association between things to show how they affect each other or

how they are alike Review Examine and assess a subject critically Show Explain thoroughly or prove something, so that the truth can be established State Put something into words clearly and briefly Suggest This means that there may be more than one answer. You must give the most appropriate

answer, or answers. It is good practice to state why it is the most appropriate answer Summarise Give a brief, concise account of the main points of something, leaving out details and

examples