This document provides information about the Developing Skills for Business module for the 2019/20 academic year at Liverpool John Moores University. It outlines the module content, learning outcomes, weekly topics, assessment details, and teaching staff contact information. Students will develop skills in finding and evaluating information, academic writing, reflection, and creating an online blog. The module is assessed through a two-part portfolio and an online reflective blog. Students will receive ongoing feedback to support their learning and progress.

1. Module
Guide
2019/20
3100FNDLBS

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Contents
Welcome ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Teaching Staff ................................................................................................................................... 3
What you will study........................................................................................................................... 4
Timetable ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Assessment....................................................................................................................................... 7
References/Book List........................................................................................................................ 9

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Welcometo Developing Skills for Business.
We want you all to become confident and successful learners at university and to excel in your chosen
careers, so this module’s aim is for you to develop a range of personal, academic and professional skills.
These skills will be a solid foundation for your current and future studies and employment.
We hope you enjoy this module and find it useful.
If you have any questions, concerns or comments throughout the semester, do get in touch.
Teaching Staff
Rhian Wyn-Williams R.WynWilliams@ljmu.ac.uk
Jane Hennessy-Murdoch J.A.HennesyMurdoch@ljmu.ac.uk
Neil Roberts N.Roberts1@ljmu.ac.uk
Rhonwen Roberts R.M.Roberts@ljmu.ac.uk
Elizabeth Fitzsimons E.Fitzsimons@ljmu.ac.uk
Module Leader
Mike Franco M.Franco@ljmu.ac.uk

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What you will study
On this module, you will learn how to find information for your degree, communicate and debate your
ideas about that information, work effectively on your own and in a group, set personal goals and reflect on
your own progress.
Each week, you will have a two-hour workshop and one hour of online learning, as well as some additional
homework.
Module Learning Outcomes (what you will be able to do by the end of the module):
1. Find and evaluate information
2. Present a piece of writing in an academic style
3. Reflect on your personal development as an independent learner
4. Create an online blog
Your weekly learning:
Week Topic Lesson Objectives
1 Introduction to the module Explain the aims of the module and its
assessment details
Identify personal targets and goals
Reflect on prior experiences
Use appropriate digital resources
2 Where do you find information about
Business? How do you know what to use?
Identify appropriate sources of information
Apply strategies for finding appropriate
information
Evaluate the relative usefulness of different
sources of information.
3 Using information: getting to the point Describe and explain methods for identifying
key points in a source
Implement techniques for note-making and
summarising
Write a summary from a piece of text
4 Communicating about Business Recognise the conventions of academic
writing
Apply online learning to evaluate and correct
examples of academic writing
Structure effective paragraphs for academic
writing
5 Gathering ideas about Business Identify the argument in a piece of reading
Compare and contrast key points from a range
of reading

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Suggest reasons for differences between
pieces of reading
6 How are you doing? Time to reflect
(One-to-one tutorials)
Identify targets met/not yet met
Use feedback to assess own development
and inform future actions
7 Directed Study Week – no class
8 Using information: going beyond the point Explain what critical analysis is
Employ critical questioning to visual and
written sources
Evaluate the argument in a piece of text
9 Communicating about Business:
expressing your ideas
Recognise the features of an academic
argument
Implement techniques of academic writing to
present an argument
Evaluate effectiveness of techniques
10 Contemporary Issues in Business:
introduction to issues and debate
preparation
Gather relevant source material by applying
searching and evaluating skills
Discuss information and ideas in a group
Create an action plan as a group
11 Contemporary Issues in Business: group
debates
Present relevant information
Question information given
Construct and defend an argument
Evaluate an argument
12 How are you doing now? Time to reflect
(One-to-one tutorials)
Identify and express key areas of progress
this semester and those for further growth.
Reflect on how to make progress.
Self-assess current levels of self-efficacy.

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Timetable
Friday 9-11 Group 6
Tutor Rhian Wyn-Williams
Room JF/107E/IT
Group 5
Tutor Elizabeth Fitzsimons
Room Wks 1, 3, 6, 8-10: JF/207/IT
Wk 2: JF/IT Suite B
Wks 11-12: JLADB/PC Lab
Friday 11-1 Group 4
Tutor Jane Hennessy-Murdoch
Room JF/IT suite C
Group 3
Tutor Rhonwen Bruce-Roberts
Room JF/107E/IT
Friday 2-4 Group 1
Tutor Neil Roberts
Room JF/IT suite C
Group 2
Tutor Elizabeth Fitzsimons
Room JF/207/IT

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Assessment
You have two assessments, designed to meet the module’s learning outcomes:
Assessment 1: Learning Outcomes 1 and 2
Assessment 2: Learning Outcomes 3 and 4
Each week’s session will help you prepare fully for the assessments.
Assessment How much is
it worth?
When and where
do I submit it?
When and how
do I get my
marks and
feedback?
What do I need to do?
Two-part
portfolio.
1000 words
in total
25% of your
module mark
22 November 2019
by 5pm.
On canvas: go to
Assessments tab
and open the
Assessment 1 link.
6th
December 2019.
You will find your
mark and tutor
feedback on
Canvas in the
Assessment tab.
You will also
receive feedback
and advice for
future progress
during your one-to-
one on 13th
December 2019.
Part 1) 500 words.
a) Describe the process of
finding and selecting reading
material with examples from
your weekly reading and
summarising activities.
Include print outs of articles
you refer to.
b) You have had to choose one
piece of reading from a
choice of three for Part 2 of
this assignment. Why did
you choose the one you are
using?
Part 2) 500 words.
Compare and contrast two short
articles. Refer to similarities and
differences in the arguments being
put forward and the type of
information the authors use.
Please note, you will personally be
given one of the two articles to use
in Part 2 and you will select the
second from a choice of three.
Online
reflective
blog.
Equivalent to
2,500 words
75% of your
module mark
10th
January 2020
by 5pm.
On Canvas: go to
Assessments tab
and open the
Assessment 2 link.
31st
January 2020.
You will find your
mark and tutor
feedback on
Canvas in the
Assessment tab.
Throughout the course of this
module, you will be working on an
online blog. You will be given
guidance on how to create a blog at
the start of the module.
Each week, you will add to it with
summaries of what you have learnt
and reflections on your own

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You will be offered
a one-to-one
Personal Tutorial
(Assessment
Performance) early
in Semester 2 to
discuss assessment
performance and
to advise on future
requirements for
continued
academic success
personal, academic and professional
development. You will be
encouraged to use it to demonstrate
your developing writing skills and to
make it visually appealing.
We understand that sometimes you experience things that make it difficult to get work completed and
submitted on time. If you are finding it difficult, talk to your tutor. You can also get advice from Student
Advice and Wellbeing. You can contact them through the You and Your Studies link on Canvas:
If you need to complete an Extenuating Circumstances Form, you can find it by going to MyLJMU and
selecting Services.
You will get an opportunity to submit work in the summer referral period.
Referral Period
If you have not submitted your work or have not passed it, you will need to submit or re-submit it at the
end of the year.
What will I need to do? When and how will I submit it? When will I get my marks and
feedback?
Assessment 1: see above for details 30th
June 2020 by 5pm
Use the Assessment tab on Canvas
and open the link for Referral
Assessment 1
31st
July 2020
You will get your mark and tutor
feedback on Canvas.
Assessment 2: see above for details 3rd
July 2020 by 5pm
Use the Assessment tab on Canvas
and open the link for Referral
Assessment 2
31st
July 2020
You will get your mark and tutor
feedback on Canvas.

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References/Book List
Allan, B., 2009. Study Skills for Business and Management Students Maidenhead: McGraw-
Hill Open University Press [e-book]
Copus, J., 2009. Brilliant Writing Tips for Students Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Godfrey, J. 2014. Reading and Making Notes 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Godfrey, J., 2016. Writing for University. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan
Godfrey, J., 2017. The Business Student’s Phrase Book: key vocabulary for effective writing.
London: Palgrave Macmillan
Pulman, A., 2017. Blogs. Wikis, Podcasts and More. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan [e-
book]
Williams, K. Woolliams, M. & Spiro, J. 2012. Reflective Writing Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan