Political Economy of International Business
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PEIBwritingmodules.pptx— The Political Economy of International Business
Writing modules
BUSM 4689_2050
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
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PEIB writing modules
Schedule
Week 1: Critical thinking, “theory” and group work
Week 2: The structure of an essay
Week 3: Proof reading, polishing and plagiarism
Week 4: Scholarly sources and references
Week 5: [Assignment 1 due - just working time]
Week 6: Essay ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s
Week 7: Essay writing: from good to great
Week 8: Efficient and effective writing
Week 9: [Assignment 2 due - just working time]
Week 10: Group work revisited
Week 11: Poster presentation advice
Week 12: [Assignment 3 due - just group working time]
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 1: Critical thinking and “theory”
This course looks in depth at several theories of international business.
What do we mean by “theory”? IB theory is not the same thing as IB strategy, which is more about firm-centric approaches to succeeding in business. Nor is it the same as ethical criticism of MNEs from a CSR perspective.
Instead, IB theory attempts to understand and explain the actions of MNEs from the outside, in a scholarly and disinterested way.
It is important to note that most important theoretical questions in IB are the subject of debate rather than consensus.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 1: Critical thinking and “theory” (cont.)
The “who is us” topic of assignment 1 is a good example of a theoretical debate.
Therefore, good essays must not only understand the perspectives of this debate, but realise that many positions within it are at odds with one another.
This involves not only understanding the perspectives in the readings, but thinking critically about the flaws in each one.
Critical thinking is therefore about independence of analysis: we are not only asking you to summarise the opinions of scholars, but to engage in the debates between them and tell us which perspective is the most persuasive.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 1: Group work
Group work has its advantages and pitfalls. As you will have done group projects before, you should already know the following:
Be good group members: respond to group emails, meet internal deadlines for sections, actively participate in the planning stages of the work, etc. Sadly we often have problems with equitable contribution, leading to students not receiving the same marks.
Group work is often let down by a group’s unwillingness to edit the work collectively, leaving an essay which is inconsistent and/or repetitive. Avoid this by imposing internal deadlines well before the project deadline and being willing to constructively criticise each other’s contributions. This is challenging, but honing this skill is one of the reasons why group work is an important part of your education
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 2: The structure of an essay
An essay has three core ingredients:
An single argument in response to a question (can be nuanced, but must be clear and consistent)
An understanding of the theoretical debates that relate to that question
A knowledge of the empirical data that grounds these debates and validates/invalidates certain theories.
These three core ingredients must be woven through the entirety of an essay.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 2: The structure of an essay (cont.)
Introduction
Clarification of question
Statement of argument
Plan of essay structure, key points
Paragraphs (“body”)
Clear topic sentence at start
Statements of evidence
At least three sentences
Clear link to overall argument
Conclusion
Summary of argument (no new evidence)
Hard to gain marks here, easy to lose them
Reference section
Only (all) cited sources
Not necessary:
Executive summary
Table of contents
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 3: Proof reading, polishing and plagiarism
Proof reading is a critical skill. No matter how good you are at writing, every essay draft can be improved by more proof reading. Successful journal articles and publications are read dozens of times before being printed.
This is not just about picking up typos and grammatical errors. Proofing will help you improve the clarity of your arguments so that the reader understands you point.
Some tricks to be a better proof reader:
Give yourself time between drafts. “Fresher” eyes are better at picking up mistakes than tired ones.
Use the “read aloud” function on word or pdf viewers. Ears are better then eyes at picking up errors. You can also read your essay out loud yourself.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 3: Proof reading, polishing and plagiarism (cont.)
Every year we catch students in plagiarism in this course. Students in their first offence (throughout their degree) are entitled to one warning and a penalty of up to 20%. After this they are subject to more severe disciplinary action.
Some misconceptions:
The Turnitin report score is a guide, but this number is not what we go by to find plagiarism. Instead, plagiarism is when you take any bit of text big or small and claim it as your own words by not labelling it a quote and attributing it to a source. Turnitin picks these things up straight away.
To avoid plagiarism you must attribute a reference (citation) AND label as a quote using quotation marks. Quotes that are referenced but not clearly marked as quotes are still instances of plagiarism.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 3: Proof reading, polishing and plagiarism (cont.)
We also have issues with papers that are copied from previous semesters, or taken from “essay bot” websites that replace words from copied text with synonyms in order to avoid plagiarism checkers. These are totally obvious to markers!
Last semester we brought many students in to explain their essays when we felt suspicious that they did not write them themselves.
Please note that colluding with other students to produce essay is as treated as plagiarism.
The most important thing: if you are struggling with your essays please speak with you tutor before the deadline - they are there to help you!!
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 4: Scholarly sources and references
One of the things which separates academic writing (including university essays) from non-scholarly writing is the practice of referencing.
Referencing obliges authors to:
prove the accuracy of their factual data by attributing it to a reliable source, and
attribute other theoretical opinions and perspectives to authors in the literature
Therefore you should insert a reference whenever you are revealing data of any kind, or when you are paraphrasing or quoting another author. There may be some facts that are so consensual that they do not need a reference (e.g. that Washington DC is the capital of the USA), but when in doubt about whether something is in this category or not, always err on the side or providing a reference.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 4: Scholarly sources and references (cont.)
Each year essays are marked down because they do not provide references when they are necessary, or do so with improper or inconsistent formats.
Formatting references is a pain, but it is necessary. Some key points and advice:
RMIT uses the Harvard in-text referencing system. See this useful link for more details. You may use a different system, as long as it is consistent.
There is free software available (Mendelay, Zotero) that allows you to insert references and bibliographies automatically. These take a few hours to download and learn, but they will save you much more time over your degree!
Make sure that you reference as you go, and do not rely on your memory to recall sources of information at the end of the writing process.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 6: Essay ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s
Quotations:
Only use a quotation if you cannot paraphrase the point in your own words (with a reference). Sometimes you can get the best out of a quotation by snipping the most important few words and embedding them in your own prose. Consider these alternate examples:
‘According to Gereffi et al (2005:78-79) “Two of the most important new features of the contemporary economy are the globalization of production and trade, which have fuelled the growth of industrial capabilities in a wide range of developing countries, and the vertical disintegration of transnational corporations” ’
‘Gereffi et al (2005:78-79) attribute the “vertical disintegration” of MNEs to increasingly globalised patterns of production and trade.’
Notice how the first example crowds out the author’s voice and is too wordy for the necessary points. Students can often ‘hide’ behind quotations like this. The second is more efficient, and could be inserted into a body paragraph in a more readable way.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 6: Essay ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s
Word limit
Rule of +/- 10% applies. Never exceed this – it is a rule not a guideline, and you will be docked marks (we do check)! This must be applied consistently
Lateness
This is enforced strictly, and is a silly way to lose marks. Aim to have a full draft ready a week before the due date.
Make sure you reference as you go – leaving it until the hour before the deadline is a common way to either miss the deadline or under-do the references.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 7: Essay writing: from good to great
Essays can “check all the boxes” of standard rules but still not receive a high distinction. These are some features that separate good from great essays:
Sophisticated grasp of theory
A great understanding of theory does not just summarise the “headline” arguments of that theory, but probes deeper into the core implications and meaning of that theory.
This means showing an understanding of the subtle differences between different perspectives and an ability to articulate the differences between them.
Think about “frontier” debates of this theory and any limitations that may restrict it.
Understanding counter-arguments
Great essays are able to articulate counterarguments. This shows an awareness of the ‘case against’ your argument, telling the author that you have accounted for any alternatives.
Doing this without diluting your own argument is a key skill.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 7: Essay writing: from good to great (cont.)
Deep research
Great essays show not only a minimal number of references, but a deep search into the literature in order to find data and theory that is useful to your case.
You can’t “fake” this – having a long reference list is not the same thing as using literature well. The only way to achieve it is to read widely in preparation for your essay and allow this reading to materialise organically in your writing.
A good trick is to look for the papers cited in articles that you read – these are often pathways to the core debates and texts of a literature.
This should take you beyond the set reading list.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 8: Efficient and effective writing
This is a very difficult skill to learn and master, but one that will serve you very well.
Some points that differentiate between well written and poorly-written essays:
Good writing is about clarity and efficiency because these features allow a writer to convey more information to the reader.
Avoid repetition.
Sentences should as short as possible, not as long as possible.
As George Orwell said: never use a long word when a short word will do.
Instead, a good vocabulary should be used to reduce the length of a sentence, not increase it.
Use a professional prose that you would read in a scholarly journal. Avoid words and phrases that you might use in speech or online conversations
Never refer to yourself (“I”, “me”, etc.). State your opinion as if it is a fact.
This is something that simply comes with practice, so make sure you are proof reading your work enough times to improve it with every iteration. When doing so, ask yourself: “does this sound like something I would read in a published text?” This may set the bar high, but this is how we improve!
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 10: Group work revisited
Group work has its advantages and pitfalls. As you will have done group projects before, you should already know the following:
Be good group members: respond to group emails, meet internal deadlines for sections, actively participate in the planning stages of the work, etc. Sadly we often have problems with equitable contribution, leading to students not receiving the same marks.
Group work is often let down by a group’s unwillingness to edit the work collectively, leaving an essay which is inconsistent and/or repetitive. Avoid this by imposing internal deadlines well before the project deadline and being willing to constructively criticise each other’s contributions. This is challenging, but honing this skill is one of the reasons why group work is an important part of your education
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
Writing module 11: Poster presentation advice
Word limit is 500-1,000 words (this is a strict range, posters with 1,001 words will be docked marks).
This means that you don’t have too much time to get bogged down explanation, and you will need to edit your text multiple times to make it read seamlessly and avoid any duplication.
Use graphs and images to provide some background to your text.
Break the text into sections that have a clear logical flow.
List references, but remember that these will not count in the word limit.
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RMIT Classification: Trusted
