Word count: 1500 words, +/- 10%
Moodle (Turnitin) submission
File name format: <Student number>-SAB23-2
Submission date: 11pm, Friday 12th May

Associated learning outcomes

• Investigate, analyse and review methodologies relating to Information Systems Analysis and Design.
• Compare, contrast, evaluate and select appropriate approaches for developing Information Systems.
• Develop a strategic understanding of systems analysis in modern organisations.

Specification

Critically discuss what you have learned from this module which will be useful to help your approach to an MSc project topic, and why.

This coursework is about applying the systems thinking you have learned on this module to a particular subject area. Think about a subject area that either (a) you are doing an MSc project in or (b) that you could do a project in. Refer to the MSc Project Moodle site for lists of project ideas.

You should reflect on how the systems ideas from TWO sources on Moodle are helping you to think about how you do / would do the project.

NB IMPORTANT: YOU SHOULD ONLY USE THE CHECKLAND SOURCE AND ONE OTHER FROM THE SAB MOODLE SITE FOR THIS WORK.

USE OF ANY OTHER SOURCE IS NOT PERMITTED AND WILL RESULT IN DEDUCTION OF MARKS.

Task 1: Give the title of your idea. Explain the scope and purpose of your idea (you should state this briefly – 150 words maximum).

Task 2: You should have TWO sources: the given source and an article of your choice.

The given source is: 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.

For your own choice, select ONE article (text, not a powerpoint presentation) from ONE of four topics presented on Moodle:

• Stakeholders and perspectives
• Knowledge management
• Systems thinking
• Information systems

Cite example statements (A QUOTATION) from these sources (author, year, page number).

Explain what is interesting and/or useful about each statement, from the point of view of how it will help you with your chosen project topic. You should also indicate why the statement is/would be interesting and relevant for your project topic.

A simple example would be the importance of taking different stakeholder perspectives into account (provide citation). This would be useful when interviewing subjects either to collect data to answer a research question (study project) or to gather information contributing to the requirements specification (engineering project).

Note that you should comment on how the different topics we have covered in the module will help you develop a strategic understanding of your MSc project topic. This work may eventually be included as an appendix for your MSc project and should be shared with your There will be the opportunity for formative feedback on your drafts, and examples of project topics and good work will be put onto Moodle.

Guidance

• Take the time to read the Moodle material for each section. Remember that we are looking for you to choose a source (not slide show) from one section, and to explain how it helps you think about your project.
• You may find a mind map useful, for recording the ideas you have chosen and your thoughts about them.
• You need to give an exact quotation from the chosen source (with citation) to show what the idea is.
• Write a draft, then check:
• have you included a (short) description of your project? Have you written about ideas for each source? Have you thought carefully about what the ideas are saying? Have you applied them to the approach to your project, not the artefact (engineering project ) or subject (study project) itself?
• If you have issues with academic English, please seek advice from the Academic Skills Unit (academicskills@port.ac.uk). They can go through a draft with you.
• If you need to refresh your knowledge of referencing and citation, please visit https://library.port.ac.uk/referencing/. Please make sure that you are using paraphrasing and short quotations properly. The referencing convention used at this University is APA 7.

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 APA format.
See https://library.port.ac.uk/ref/page2.html for details.

Grammar and spelling

Correct UK English grammar and spelling is expected in critical essay writing. You will be marked down on Structure and Presentation if your grammar and spelling are deficient. You may be marked down in other sections 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.