analysing contemporary workplace issues

Weight: 60%
Task:
The key objective for this task is to produce a scholarly report analysing contemporary workplace
issues for communication professionals. You will contribute to and draw from two interviews with
communication workers about their career and their industry, and analyse one or two issues raised
in the interviews using concepts and theories from the subject.
In groups, students will create a set of semi-structured interview questions, which will be used as
part of an interview with industry specialists. The subject coordinator in collaboration with teaching
staff arranges and conducts the interviews.
Preparation for the interviews will include individual and group work activities, in which students
research the workplaces of the interviewees and their relevant industries to develop a question list.
Following the interviews students will submit individual written reports in which they reflect on one
or two key issues raised in the interviews. Students will also participate in a group reflection on the
interviews.

GROUP WORK COMPONENT OF A2
Interview Preparation (Weeks 4, 5)
In class we will set up small groups, in which you will discuss and prepare questions for the industry
interviews.
As far as is possible, you will work with people from your discipline to organise the field interview
with a professional from an industry you wish to work in. However, this may not always be possible,
so please keep this in mind.
In Weeks 4-5, before the interviews, we will discuss the methodology of semi-structure interviews
and complete an ethics module.
Each small group must develop a full interview for the communications professional Q&A, based on
the materials studied in class. The interview needs to be crafted to the specifics of the
communications professional’s career, and you will research their career and industry (using the CV
they will provide to us as a starting point). Some topics we have studied may not be relevant to the
person you are interviewing, so you must ensure you research well to prepare an appropriate
question list.
You must develop the questions for the interview in your MS Teams Group Chat for your small
group.
Interview Reflection
After the Interviews are completed and you have listened to them, your group will provide a brief
reflection on the content of the interview, which forms part of the second criterion for this
assessment (10%). Students will use their MS Team group chats to complete this component of the
assessment task.
INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT OF A2
Report on Contemporary Workplace Issues
Keep in mind this is an academic writing task and the report will analyse one or two themes from the
interviews, using scholarly material.
What is the report?
Following the interviews students will submit individual written reports of 1500 words (excluding the
bibliography) in which they reflect on one or two key issues raised in the Q and A and on their
workplace observations. The report should have the form of an essay.
The issue/s might include, but are not limited to: secure and insecure work; formal and informal
work; internships and free work; exploitation; creative careers; risk and work; gender in the
workplace; career planning; technological change; etc. Whatever issue you chose, you MUST use
scholarly literature to analyse it alongside what the interviewees said about the issue.
You need to tackle one or two key issues in depth, so do not pick three or four issues.
How should it be structured?
Start with an opening statement about your project and the task, so that it is clear why you are
discussing the issues and scholarly literature you’ve selected. You might discuss the interviews
separately, or you might discuss them at the same time and structure the report around themes or
ideas. Either way is fine.
The report should contain the following components (not necessarily in this order):
Introduction
A short section on the methodology, embedded in scholarly research (i.e. the semi-structured
interview methodology and your observations about this)
Reflection on key issue/s from the interviews, embedded in scholarly research
Reflection on observations of the workplaces (only if directly relevant to your argument)
Conclusion
What should my discussion include?
You need to articulate WHY you have chosen a particular issue/s. You need to articulate WHY you
have chosen each source and how it supports your analysis of the particular issue/s. You MUST make
an argument.
What are independent research and scholarly sources?
Each report must demonstrate independent scholarly research. Independent research is research in
addition to the materials provided in the subject outline. You must show that you have researched a
topic and read about it, then analysed the interviews using those materials.
What are scholarly sources? What other types of sources are there?
All academic essays and report must use scholarly sources. Scholarly sources are:
Academic books
Chapters from within edited academic books
Refereed journal articles
Conference papers or working papers by academics (though these are not as of high quality as a
refereed journal article)
Thesis (like a Masters by Research or PhD).
Other types of sources can be used in addition to this, but not to replace scholarly sources:
Other things written by academics: opinion pieces, newspaper articles, interviews with academics,
etc.
Data: statistics produced by governments, companies, or other people or bodies. Always sure you
think about the quality and reliability of data. Data from a government source would be considered
high quality/reliability; a statistic from Wikipedia would be considered extremely low
quality/reliability.
Other sources: magazines, newspapers, encyclopedia, website, political material, annual reports,
ephemera, etc.
You must always apply the CRAP test when using any source — Currency, Relevance, Authority,
Purpose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0VF3kh1ffk
Do I include a bibliography?
Yes, you should include a correctly referenced (UTS Harvard style) list of the texts discussed. You
should use in-text citation in your discussion to reference each text and any specific pages cited. The
bibliography is not included in the word count, but the in-text citations are. Check the UTS Harvard
instructions if you are not sure: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/referencing/harvard-utsreferencing-guide
Do I reference the interviews?
Yes. The first time you mention the interview put an in text citation like (Baxter 2018), and include it
in the reference list. In the reference list it should be in UTS Harvard style, similar to this: Garnaut, R.
2002, Interview with Damien Cahill , October 1. (use your name and the correct year and date for
each interview obviously). You do not need to put an in text citation every time you mention the
interview, only the first time and if it is otherwise unclear that you are referencing the interview.
QUESTIONS?
Do you have questions not covered in the information in this document? Let the subject coordinator
Mark or your tutor know and they can add answers.
MARKING RUBRIC
Criteria % Fail Pass Credit Distinction High Distinction
Thoroughness of
preparation and
contributions to
the interview
materials.
Insightfulness of
reflection on the
post-interview
session.
Clarity and
originality of
analysis in report
on issues raised in
the interview.
Integration of
ideas and concepts
explored in the
subject into
analysis of
workplace issues
raised in the
interview.
Coherence of
report structure
and clarity of
expression
20 The team did not collaborate
or communicate well and/or
a lack of respect and regard
was noted.
10 Unsatisfactory or no
participation and reflection
during the Q&A session and
the post interview reflection.
30 Inadequate clarity and
originality of analysis in
report. Minimal or no
evidence of structured
argument, with inadequate
or no evidence of reading
around the question.
Inadequate or no research
skills demonstrated.
30 Inadequate or no integration
and elaboration of ideas and
theories introduced in class.
10 Inadequate expression and
editing. Significant errors in
spelling and grammar, with
content obscured. Very poor
use of referencing, or too
little information to locate
sources.
The team worked together at
a basic level, with
occurrences of
communication breakdown
or failure to collaborate
when necessary. Members
were mostly respectful of
each other.
Basic participation and
reflection during the Q&A
session and the post
interview reflection.
Descriptive rather than
critical/analytical response to
issues raised in the Q&A and
interview. Adequate
competency in report-writing
with some integration of
evidence, but clear areas for
development. Limited
demonstration of research
skills. Evidence of basic
reading of the literature only.
Basic grasp only of essential
ideas and theories
introduced in class, and
minimal integration.
Adequate expression and
editing. Some errors in
spelling and grammar but
content communicated to
basic level. Many errors or
areas for improvement in
referencing.
The team worked well
together most of the time,
with only a few problems in
communication, or failure
to collaborate when
necessary. Members were
respectful of each other.
Competent participation and
reflection during the Q&A
session and the post
interview reflection.
Competent coverage and
insight in responding to
issues raised in the Q&A and
interview. General
competence in report
writing, with possibly with
room for improvement in
structuring and/or
argumentation. Evidence of
research and reading among
sources beyond set readings
and some capacity to utilise
that reading to sustain a line
of argument.
Some evidence of a capacity
to identify and integrate
ideas and theories
introduced in class.
Good expression and editing.
No or rare errors in spelling,
grammar. A few errors or
areas for improvement in
referencing, but possible to
locate sources.
The team worked well
together to achieve
objectives. Each member
contributed in a valuable way
to the project. All
data sources indicated a high
level of mutual respect and
collaboration.
High level, insightful
participation and reflection
during the Q&A session and
the post interview reflection.
Evidence of insight and
original thought in
responding to issues raised in
the Q&A and interview. A
well-structured and soundly
organised report, with wellintegrated materials.
Evidence of good research
skills and wide reading and
an evident capacity to
engage with relevant
literature.
Strong integration and
elaboration of a wide range
of ideas and theories
introduced in class.
Careful expression and
editing. Few errors in
spelling, grammar. Correct
referencing throughout with
very few errors.
The team worked at a
superior level together to
achieve objectives. Each
member contributed in a
central way to the project. All
data sources indicated a
superior level of mutual
respect and collaboration.
Superior, insightful
participation and reflection
during the Q&A session and
the post interview reflection.
Significant insight and
original thought in
responding to issues raised in
the Q&A and interview.
Outstanding command of
ideas and argument in a
skilfully structured report,
with superior integration of
evidence and data. Evidence
of excellent research skills
and wide reading in scholarly
sources beyond set texts.
Identification and superior
integration of a
comprehensive range of
ideas and theories
introduced in class.
Superior expression and
logical and coherent
structure. Superior editing
with rare errors. Correct
referencing throughout with
no errors.