Unit information: Enquiry, Analysis and Communication in 2019/20

Unit name	Enquiry, Analysis and Communication
Unit code	EFIM10021
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Ayetuoma
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The aim of the unit is to provide students with the opportunity to develop the academic skills they need to succeed on management programmes. It will also encourage them to develop a multi-dimensional perspective of their field by requiring them to engage with a contemporary challenge facing those working in the field.

Students will be required to:

• engage with the concept of critical thinking
• reflect upon the relative use of information sources
• according to the given audience, encourage them to explore a range of ways to communicate an idea or concept.

Using a topic that relates to their chosen programme, students will be required to undertake a piece of desk-based research and present it to a given audience. Students will actively engage with the University Library and will become familiar with the range of sources of information available both inside and outside the University. Students will learn how to evaluate the relative value of sources of information and actively distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity and the sources of bias. They will then explore the range of ways in which information might be presented, both written and verbal, and recognise the conventions and requirement for attribution associated with each.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will:

1. Be able to identify and engage with a range of appropriate sources of information required to perform a given task.
2. Be able to critically appraise the relative value of information sources.
3. Be able to analyse the content of a range of information sources and synthesise them effectively to produce a response to a given task.
4. To appraise the information requirement of an audience and, given the required task, communicate the outcome in an appropriate format either written or verbally.

Teaching Information

Lectures and classes

Formative assessment

Students will develop a multi-level mind-map (i.e. deploy a critical thinking technique) to create a plan, structure and argument for the summative assignment.

Assessment Information

Summative assessment

3000 word essay. This assesses all learning outcomes.

Reading and References

There is no single set text for this unit. Instead a range of resources will be selected according to the required learning outcome and the task at hand.

Indicative reading includes:

Chatfield, T (2018) Critical Thinking, Sage, London

Smale, B., Fowlie, J. (2009). How to succeed at university an essential guide to academic skills and personal development, Sage, London

Williams, A., (2013) Research: improve your reading and referencing skills, Collins EAP, London

Geyte, E.van, (2013) Writing , Collins EAP, London