STC1204 Assignment March 2010

Assuming you are an airline manager. Explain what data you need to keep and analyse and provide the

rationales for this. Provide an example of a time series methodology how these data have helped you as a

manager, in managing the airline better.

Assignment Format & Rules

Rules:• Not more than 10 pages• Be handed in latest 17 May 2010 at 5.30pm. 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.2/2

2 Adequate of principles and concepts provided related to topic.

5/5

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

8/8

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

3/3

5 Overall grammar and sentence structures

2/2

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 data chosen of your assignment

– Definition of time series methodology – 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: (2~3 page/s)– Background of your data– In depth definition of data chosen– Concept and importance of data– In depth definition of time series methodology – Concept and importance of time series– Examples, graphs, charts and pictures to support

points

Main body: Content

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

and time series concept– Proper elaboration for each points– Examples, graphs, charts and pictures to

support points

Main body: Content

• Implementation/Application of your topic: (2~3 page/s)– Provide an example to forecast your data

using time series method– The example ought to be logic and realistic– Question, formulas, time series trend,

equations and graph is compulsory– Conclusion to your final answer

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!