The Assignment (Project Management and Control)
The project plan is very important to the success of any type or size of project. This is particularly true for large and complex projects where poor or incomplete planning will result in the project not delivering on time or within budget or even complete failure and abandonment of the project.
For this assignment you must produce a critical reference research report on the current thinking on: Ways of ensuring a plan is accurate
How plans should be structured
Using the project plan to assist with monitoring and control of a project
Each of the above areas should be given their own section in the report and should have equal coverage
The assignment must have the following sections Cover page
Introduction
Ways of ensuring a plan is accurate
How plans should be structured
Using the project plan to assist with monitoring and control of a project Conclusion
Reference list
References
It is expected that you will mainly use appropriate academic literature (journals, articles and conference papers) to support your findings. All data sources used and cited in the report should be correctly referenced utilising the Harvard Reference System.
An assignment should use at least eight academic literature references.
A good assignment will have at least sixteen academic references and a really good assignment will have a lot more. Except in exceptional circumstances all references must be less than ten years old.
References from general project management textbooks are not acceptable.
References from commercial and other web pages are to be use very sparingly and will not be counted as an academic literature reference. Excessive use of such web pages will be reflected in a reduction of the use of references mark, due to using none academic references
Your list of cited references at the end must have the heading Reference List. There must be a single line space between each reference in the reference list. A general reading bibliography must not be included.
The Harvard Reference System must be used, see link on module web page.
Failure to use the Harvard reference system will result in the ‘Use of references’ mark being 0 (zero). There will be no exceptions to this rule.
Further Information
The assignment must be presented as a simple report and not as an essay.
The report should be professional in its nature and of a high standard and quality.
The report should be 3000 words long + 10%. The reference list is not part of the word count. The report must be typed in ‘Times New Roman’, the body of the report being font size 12pt. The report should be single spaced.
Marks will be awarded as follows:
Element Weighting
Quality, relevance and coherence of report narrative 45%
Use, interpretation and relevance of references 40%
Logical sequence of presentation within the report and presentation 15%
A – 70% and above
• Thorough understanding of key theories and distinguishing features/factors and trends; • Overview of the field used as a basis for independent judgement;
• Clear structure and good critical analysis;
• + points below.
B – 55-69%
• Accurate description and understanding of the distinguishing factors; • Reasonable interpretative analysis of the factors;
• Evidence of use of background knowledge and reading;
• Sound structure and good ‘flow’;
• Presence of reasonable critical evaluation;
• Demonstration of knowledge across substantive areas;
• + points below.
C – 40-54%
• Clear understanding of processes and factors;
• Adequate structure and evaluative conclusion;
• Question analysed and material relevant;
• Grasp of basic issues in substantive areas;
• Attempt to relate material to the essay or report question; • Some reading in evidence and appropriately incorporated;