First coursework assignment (20% weighting)

Individual coursework. No conferring please.

Word count: 1000 words, +/- 10%

Moodle (Turnitin) submission

File name format: UP********-SAB23-1

Submission date: 11pm, Friday 17th March

Associated learning outcomes

1 – Investigate, analyse and review methodologies relating to Information Systems Analysis and Design.
3 – Develop a strategic understanding of systems analysis in modern organisations.

Specification

Using the Checkland source from the Moodle Systems Analysis for Business website, produce an annotated set of notes, explaining what the source says and recording ideas it has suggested to you.

This coursework is about making sense of the systems thinking material provided in this module and developing your analytical capabilities.

You have access to the source: Checkland, P. (2000). Soft Systems Methodology, a thirty year retrospective. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 17, pp. S11-S58.

You can find this in the Systems Thinking section on Moodle.

Task 1: Using the attached template, prepare an annotated set of notes.
● In Box 1, give the full reference of the article, according to APA7 format
● In Box 2, give a detailed summary of the article, using (3-5) bullet points
● In Box 3, record the understanding / ideas that you have had while reading the article, against the bullet points in the article which suggested them. For each bullet point make 2-3 comments (as bullet points)

Each bullet point should be a complete sentence. The template has a worked example for you.

Task 2: Create a mind map highlighting the main reflections as discussed in your task 1 (based on boxes 2 and 3).

Refer to the sources in Moodle for what makes a good mind map. This task will be outside the word count for the assessment.

Plagiarism and referencing

It is your responsibility to understand the concept of plagiarism and poor scholarship. You are required to read and think for yourself, and to avoid a copy-paste approach. Please accurately reference your work using the APA7 format. Please ensure it is your own work – no colluding.See https://library.port.ac.uk/ref/page2.html for format advice.

Grammar and spelling

Correct UK English grammar and spelling is expected in academic writing. You may be marked down if poor language usage makes your meaning or argument difficult to follow.

Anonymity

All coursework must be anonymous. You must not put your name on your work. Work should only be identified by your student ID number in the document (see above instructions about file name format).

Marking and feedback

Marks and feedback will be given to students within twenty working days of the submission date.