Presentation Guidelines

Presentation Guidelines for Assessment Items in the School of Information Studies

View Presentation Guidelines for Assessment Items in SIS Subjects in pdf format, suitable for saving and printing.

The following guidelines are designed to support you with presenting assessment items in the School of Information Studies.

Good presentation assists your work and helps you to clearly communicate your responses to assessment tasks. In every assessment task in your subject outline you will find specific presentation requirement details. Always abide by these in the first instance and if in doubt, contact your subject coordinator.

Always provide a title page

All of your assessments should include a separate title page at the start of your work. This should include: your name and student number; the subject code and name; the assessment item number; a title; and a word count.

Do not try to fancy up the title page with framed borders, excessive graphics and other unnecessary details as doing so can interfere with us readily marking your work online.

Formatting

Use 1.5 line spacing in your work
Use 2.5 cm margins
Use a standard font in 12p size (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri)
Use a footer to add page numbers (excluding the title page)

Word count

Always work to the word limit specified in your assessment task as they have been determined by your teaching staff for a reason. Keep in mind that the following also applies:

Being within a 10% over or under word count range is acceptable
The word count does include in-text citations
Check your assessment task description carefully to see if tables, figures, appendices or other items are included in the word count
The word count does not include Reference lists

If in doubt, check with your subject coordinator.

Referencing

The School of Information Studies uses CSU APA referencing. We refer to in-text citations as being the references within the body of an assessment and we use the term Reference list (or References) for the full list of items used which goes at the end of your work. Always begin a fresh page for a Reference list. Comply with CSU APA rules and put your work in alphabetical order.

The most up-to-date guide produced by the University is available through the link below. You are advised to download a copy of this for regular reference to it:

https://cdn.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/294977/CSUs-APA-Referencing-Summary-V2.pdf

It is recommended you use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation for legal materials.

If you need further information, visit the Referencing at CSU webpage. The Library also has a useful database called APA Style Central which can be helpful when looking for information not covered in the Referencing Guide.

Appendices

Appendices are not required for all assessment tasks and should only be included when specified in the assessment item description in your subject outline. They are often allowed, in a report, for example to include additional material that is of relevance and value to the task.

Keep in mind:

Appendices can include various types of items – such as a questionnaire; charts or tables; policy documents; images; and many others as appropriate to the task
Appendices must go after the Reference list and should always begin on a new page
Each appendix should begin on a separate page and be clearly labelled (eg. Appendix A)
In the main text you should refer to appendices by their labels

Proofing your work before submission

Make sure that you always proofread your work before submission. Work submitted with errors can reduce its quality and distracts the reader, making it more difficult for them to follow and assess your work.

Consider the following when you are proofing:

Avoid the use of contractions (i.e. don’t) in academic writing
Ensure you have explained abbreviations or acronyms clearly
Check your punctuation and avoid the use of overly long sentences and paragraphs
Do not rely solely on the use of Microsoft Word’s inbuilt Spell and Grammar check
Make sure you have acknowledged all of your sources correctly throughout

Submitting your work

Most assessment items must be submitted through the University’s online system - EASTS (Electronic Assignment Submission Tracking System). The link to EASTs appears in your student portal and is also available through your subject sites. General guidelines for submitting through EASTS include:

Submit one final digital copy of your assessment item only. It is not acceptable to submit too early and then continue to revise and submit new versions. If you have accidentally submitted an incorrect file please email your subject coordinator and let them know so that they can ensure they have the correct file for marking.
Submit a single file, not a series of separate files even if your assessment has multiple sections. In such cases, combine the files if appropriate.
Most written assessment items should be submitted in Word if possible, not pdf (unless otherwise specified in the assessment task description)

Always ensure you have backed up your file before submission just in case it is needed.