STC1204 Assignment Preparation

Nov 2010

 

Assignment Format & Rules

Rules:• Not more than 10 pages• Be handed in latest 21st Feb 2010 at 5.30pm Monday. Any Delay: I mark off per day.• Not be plagiarised lest the copier will be awarded 0 mark.• Include the AMC format pages in front.• Note: your maximum assignment score is 20 marks.

Format:• Font: Times New Roman Size 12. No color font• 1 ½ line spacing• Justify text alignment • No point/bullet format• Have Table of Content• Bibliography (Full address link)

Assignment Marking Scheme

Item Max Scores1 Adequate definition or understanding of topic or

issue.1/1

2 Adequate of principles and concepts provided related to topic.

4/4

3 In-depth application (or knowledge or arguments) and relevant conclusion of principles and concepts.

6/6

4 Overall own paragraph structure and logical flow (not cut and paste)

2/2

5 Overall grammar and sentence structures

2/2

The QuestionAirAsia passenger numbers and passenger load factor: 1Q08 to 3Q09

 

Describe the concept of time series forecasting. With the statistical data above, provide a conclusion that could best explain AirAsia passenger numbers and passenger load factor (PLF) between 1st quarter of 2008 to 3rd quarter of 2009; and forecast the number of passenger and PLF in four future dates.

How to structure an essay

Foreword/Acknowledgement/Introduction: What is the essay about? What is its question? How is it structured?

Main body: methods of data collection, data analysis, interpretation/discussion or discussion of relevant literature

Conclusion: summary, answer to essay question, open questions

Introduction• A “roadmap” to the assignment (1 page)• 100% percent your own words• Key points in your introduction:

– Definition of Statistics– Definition of the Time Series– Purpose in making this assignment– Introduction of your structure assignment

“In this assignment, I will discuss…”

“This assignment looks at/discusses/investigates…”

“This assignment is structured as follows:…”

Key phrases:

Main body: Content• Introduce your topic: (1~2 page/s)

– Concept of Time Series– How time series forecasting works?– In depth definition of time series methodology – Concept and importance of time series– Examples, graphs, charts and pictures to support

points. (related to your points)

Main body: Content

• Benefit/Advantages of your topic: (2~3 page/s)– Provide advantages of the time series

concept and relate with aviation industries– Importance of time series in aviation

forecasting. – Example of aviation data– Examples, graphs, charts and pictures to

support points. (related to your points)

Main body: Content

• Implementation/Application of your topic: (2~3 page/s)– Solve the time series problem question: Time

Series Trend (Tt), intercept & slop of the trend line (bo & bt)

– All the details work flow has to be mentioned. (equations, table etc)

– Time Series Graph (neat & tidy)– Conclusion on the time series trend.– Four future dates forecasting. (plagiarism)

Conclusion• Sum up the argument: Where did you start out from and what did you find?

What’s the answer to the question? What could still be done? (1 page)• 100% percent in your own words• Your final understanding of the topic• Your personal opinion of the topic.

Key phrases:“These results suggest that…”

“To sum up/in conclusion,…”

“Further research into… could show if…”

Bibliography

• after your conclusion• list all sources in one section• list in alphabetical order:

Sloan, W. (2003) Title. Publisher.Smith, A. (2004a) Title. Publisher.Smith, A. (2004b) Title. Publisher.Smith, T. (2001) Title. Publisher.

web sources: give as much information as available, give exact URLs and access dates

list all, and only the sources quoted in the essay

Paraphrase or plagiarism?

To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you use:

• another person's idea, opinion, or theory; • any fact or information that is not common

knowledge; • quotations of another person’s actual spoken or

written words; or • paraphrase of another person’s spoken or

written words.

Long quotations

Long quotations take the form of a separate paragraph with margins adjusted:

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (author year: page number).

Some more of your text here.

Short references

– As Smith (2000) has argued, we should not discriminate based on accent.

– People tend to judge accents based on their preconceptions about the speakers who use that accent (Bloggs 1998: 32-34).

– It has been found that “people tend to make inferences about the speaker based on his or her accent” (Bloggs 1998: 32).

Do not use footnotes for references!

Both quotations and paraphrases of a source MUST have a short reference

The most important rules:

• ALWAYS answer the question!

Reference EVERY fact or idea you got from the literature!

Structure your essay, its sections and sentences, so as to make it EASY on the reader!