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Part 2 Overload!?

Forums › OBU Forums › Part 2 Overload!?

  • This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 4 years ago by henry1acca.
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • March 27, 2021 at 9:45 am #615311
    matb1994
    Member
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 1
    • ☆

    Hello!

    I’m currently completing my RAP (Topic 8 – Yes, I am the cliché!) and I seem to be writing too much in part 2!?

    To give context I have discussed my information gathering approach, including limitations and ethical issues (c.700 words). Then I start a discussion on accounting techniques and this is looking closer to c.1000 words just through discussing the different ratios I’ll be using in a fair amount of detail with references included.

    Then I’m talking about business models (PEST/SWOT) which is no doubt going to take up a lot of words… Part 2 is capped at 2,000 words as well!

    My question is should part 2 be fairly high-level when it comes to discussions on models? Which I can talk about in further detail in part 3?

    i.e. I’ll be using the following techniques, they …, limitations include…

    March 27, 2021 at 9:42 pm #615350
    GillianM – OBU Registered Mentor
    Moderator
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 518
    • ☆☆☆☆

    Part 2 Overload? Most definitely!

    The most important part of the RAP is Part 3 Analysis and Evaluation as this will mostly dictate if you pass or fail and what grade you will get. That being the case you need 5,000 words to do it justice.

    The most important bit in Part 2 is discussion of the limitations. So along with the other bits in Part 2 you should be able to wrap Part 2 up in no more than 1,800 words max

    March 27, 2021 at 10:09 pm #615351
    henry1acca
    Participant
    • Topics: 7
    • Replies: 60
    • ☆☆

    Hi Gillian,

    I have completed my RAP for topic 17 and is composed as the following –

    Part 1 – 960
    Part 2 – 2237
    Part 3 – 4303
    Total words – 7500

    Are you suggesting that i will fail as i haven’t done 5000 words for part 3?

    I have checked the oxford brookes info pack and it suggests that a report can have below –
    Part 1 – 1000
    Part 2 – 2000
    Part 3 – 4500
    Total words – 7500

    However this is only an advisory and it also states that a RAP can be 7000 – 7500 words long and so i figured that i could have part 3 as a minimum of 4000 words in which case i’m 303 words clear. Please can you correct me if i’m wrong?

    Thanks

    March 27, 2021 at 11:03 pm #615353
    GillianM – OBU Registered Mentor
    Moderator
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 518
    • ☆☆☆☆

    No I am not suggesting that you will fail but what I am saying is that for a good quality report you are best off reserving 5,000 words for Part 3

    I am well aware of the suggested apportionment of words in the Info Pack but markers are only interested in the overall word count and using 1,000 words in Part 1 is simply a waste of words.

    As a former marker I know that few markers bother reading Part 1 in detail and they don’t actually care why you chose topic. The only thing they tend to focus on in Part 1 are the report objectives and research questions. By contrast you need to do a good analysis and evaluation to pass -so why waste words 1,000 words on a section that counts for virtually nothing when those words could be put to much better use in Part 3???

    By the way my students struggle even with 5,000 for part 3 (and most of their Part 3s are 5,000 +)!!

    March 28, 2021 at 11:44 am #615359
    matb1994
    Member
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 1
    • ☆

    Great, thank you for your response!

    That has given me peace of mind as I was also curious about whether it would be bad to go over 4,500 words for Part 3 which I can already see myself doing!

    March 28, 2021 at 5:35 pm #615390
    henry1acca
    Participant
    • Topics: 7
    • Replies: 60
    • ☆☆

    Thanks for that – fair point. I think the info pack should reflect what the marker considers when marking the report which would give students a fairer chance at passing. If the info pack would of gave this information I would of allocated the desired amount of words you have suggested without wasting too much time on part 1 and 2.

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