How To Write Your TMA?
This session
• Why do you need this…
• Online resources..
• Marking TMAs..
• How to do it..
Why do you need this..?
• To understand content of directed reading within taught
modules
• To be able to write essays or reviews of published
literature
• To be able to plan and conduct your TMA where there
is an element of research in the investigation or the
evaluation of what you have done.
• 20-30% of the overall evaluation is devoted to TMAs
• TMAs help understand theories and their applications.
• TMAs prepare students for their exams.
Yes! You can
visit your e-library
• [Link]
• Click e-library to access the Electronic Library.
• Collection of self study books relevant to TMA and
projects
• Most available in .pdf or .html format (free download)
• Series includes…
– Research Methods
– Electronic books, Electronic Journals
– Information Citation and Control
– Reference sources, Electronic Databases
– Research interviews
– Planning a sample survey
– Thinking it through: an introduction to critical thinking
Yes! You can visit
E-library
Marking TMAs..
• What are tutors looking for when marking?
• Addressing the question..
• Use of theory..
• Matching theory..
• Use of diagrams..
• Sourcing of referencing..
• Overall presentation..
- Page layout, Readability, Introduction and
Conclusion.
Addressing the Question..
• Start with an Introduction:
• Address the question..
• Show the importance of the issue you are
going to write about.
• How are you going to present it?
Use of Theory..
- Read the theory that you learned.
- Identify and discuss concepts you learned?
- Critically reviewing the literature:
Identifying different approaches,
contradictions between contributions,
analysis of strengths and weakness.
- Need to have the scope of the review carefully defined:
Not too big such that adequate coverage is infeasible and there is too
much literature to review and the review becomes unfocussed (and
thereby not useful)
Not too narrow such that there are too few papers to include.
Matching Theory...
- Practice and apply theories:
- Read case studies.
- Look at newspapers.
- Apply from your work experience.
- Take some ideas from your friends.
Qualitative Analysis...
- Try to use qualitative approach in your analysis.
- Collect data, classify types of incidents, produce analyses, make
recommendations based on analysis.
- Use descriptive analysis provided in Excel.
- Use correlations and regression methods.
- Try to build your own statistical model: (Recommended)
- Use help in Microsoft Excel to learn how to use regression or
search in the web and learn how to do it.
Use of Diagrams..
- Turn your data into graphs. (Business Prog.)
- Analyze the content of the graphs.
- Use different graphs:
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40 West 3rd Qtr
30 North 4th Qtr
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Sourcing of References..
- Make sure that you acknowledge your sources with
quotes.
- Make sure that you list all your references at the end of
your TMA.
- Your source of references could be:
Books, Newspapers, Journals,
Internet sites, Company publications
Interviews, Questionnaires,
Conference proceedings,
Important to differentiate between reported investigation
and reported opinion.
Harvard system Referencing Guide Example:
- Dielman, Terry E.: Applied Regression Analysis for Business and Economics, PWS-
Kent, Boston, 1991.
• Whetton, D.A., & Cameron, K.S. (1991) Developing Management Skills 2nd ed. New
• York: HarperCollins.
• Broadbent, J. Jacobs, K. & Laughlin, R. (1999) 'Comparing schools in the U.K. and
New Zealand: Individualising and socialising accountabilities and some implications
for management control'. Management Accounting Research, 10: 339-361.
• BBC, (2000, February 19) 'Oil reaches $30 a barrel'. (BBC News), Available:
ttp://[Link]/hi/english/business/newsid_644000/[Link] (Accessed:
2004, February 20).
• Wiegran, G., & Koth, H. (1999) 'Customer retention in on-line retail'. (Journal of
Internet Banking and Commerce), Available:
[Link] 4(1), (Accessed: 2004, February 20).
- [Link]
- The Times (1973) 'Oil Crisis Impacts on Learning'. 9th July: 3.
- Smith, C. (1991) 'From 1960s' Automation to Flexible Specialisation: A déjà vu of
technological panaceas'. In A. Pollert (ed.) Farewell to Flexibility: 138-157. Oxford:
Blackwell.
- British Telecom (1999) Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement. London:
British Telecom.
Overall Presentation..
- Submit your TMA word processed.
- Attach your PT3 form with full and correct data.
- Submit your TMA before the cut-off date.
- Write your own conclusion.
- Put your summary.
- State your implications.
- Recapitulate your findings.
