1.

Assignment Details

Include a copy of the assignment brief.

2.

Assignment Content

Ensure that you have:
- answered every part of the assignment
- given due weight to the various parts
  [assume approximately equal weighting if individual proportions are not given
    in the assignment brief]
- not included any material that could be regarded as 'padding' or as irrelevant

3.

References

Assignments should typically include a List of References [HARVARD style] in which:

(1) All quotations and attributions should be cited e.g. Jones(2003) argues that..
(2)There is an alphabetic List of References in which every cited work appears
     e.g. Jones,A.(2003),The Theory of Essay Construction, Oxford
     Oxford University Press
(3)There is a 1:1 correspondence between the two.
     All cited works appear in the List of References AND no works should appear
     in the   List of References unless they have been cited.

Avoid using the term BIBLIOGRAPHY which can imply books consulted but not used. Instead, use the term List of References and deploy the HARVARD convention.
Use the following two sources in conjunction with each other:
(a) The Rules: Harvard system
(b) Applications:
      Referencing Using the Harvard System:Frequently Asked Questions

4.

Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar

The presentation of an essay can often be married by a poor standard of English expression.
The most common mistake is not to punctuate correctly into sentences, each of which contains a finite verb. Study the examples below and correct your style if you think you are in danger of falling into any of these errors.

[Incorrect use of 'however'] 'Organisation in this area has been poor,however with the arrival of a new management team, things should improve'
[Correct]' 'Organisation in this area has been poor. However, with the arrival of a new management team, things should improve'

[Incorrect use of a comma] 'This is natural in a business environment,if some companies grow larger it may well be at the expense of others'
[Corrected-1] 'This is natural in a business environment as if some companies grow larger it may well be at the expense of others'
[Corrected-2] 'This is natural in a business environment - if some companies grow larger it may well be at the expense of others'
[Corrected-3] 'This is natural in a business environment. If some companies grow larger it may well be at the expense of others'

[Incorrect - no finite verb] 'Revealing no real improvement in this area as the financial year progresses'
[Correct]
'This reveals no real improvement in this area as the financial year progresses'

If you are unsure of the correct use of the apostrophe (or you have never been taught it correctly), then the following Open University website on the Effective Use of English might help you.

Punctuation

A very frequent error to avoid is the following.
it's is a frequent and elementary error as in 'In it's present form...'
[It's, indicating possession, breaks the rule and does not take an apostrophe!]

It's should only be used to indicate 'it is' where the apostrophe takes the place of the missing 'i'. However, avoid constructions such as it's, can't, won't etc. in a formal essay but spell out in full ie. it is, cannot, will not, etc.

5.

Proof Reading, Spell Checking

Proof Reading
Always give yourself enough time to proof-read your assignment on paper. The eye catches more errors when you proof read a draft on paper than it does on the screen.
If you think to yourself 'There is at least one error on this page and I must try and correct it' then you will find that this does help. Reading your essay aloud (preferably to a friend) can help to eliminate errors.

Spell Checking
Always spell check your work but do with a degree of care - a spell checker will not appreciate that 'I do not know weather the whether will be fine' is incorrect and will not flag it as an error.

6.

Presentation and Layout

Ensure that your assignment:
- Includes the Assignment Title
- Includes the Declaration of Academic Integrity
- Includes a Table of Contents (if called for)
- Spacing is 1.5 lines (to allow for the insertion of tutor comments)
- Allow margins (left, right, top, bottom) of 1" (2.54 cm)
- Includes a blank line (white space) between paragraphs
- Includes a List of References
- Is page numbered
- Is spell-checked

7.

Time Management

Working to deadlines is a normal part of organisational life. Aim to finish your assignment a day or so before the due date to give time for a proof-reading and error-trapping.

8.

Professionalism

Take a pride in the finished appearance of your assignment - you are frequently judged in organisations by the quality of the documents that you produce. Be aware, though, that no amount of flashy presentation or graphics will compensate for a poor English style or a proliferation of grammatical/spelling errors.

9.

Useful websites

The following site from the University of Hertfordshire is a mine of useful advice...

10.

Plagiarism - Advice to Students

The Northumbria University is an essential site for all students.

See also the website written by Mike Hart on Plagiarism

11.

Further sources of advice

See the website especially written to give help on issues such as referencing, avoidance of plagiarism, correct grammatical usage etc.