ASSIGNMENT

OUMH1203
ENGLISH FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
SEPTEMBER 2021 SEMESTER

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION:

1. Answer in English.

2. Number of words: 2500 – 3000 words excluding references and outline.

3. Present your responses to the task in a SINGLE file (Word format). Adhere to the
following structure:

i. Cover sheet
ii. Task 1: Essay Outline
iii. Task 2: Essay
iv. References

3. Submit your assignment ONLINE.

4. Submission date : 16 NOVEMBER 2021.

5. This assignment accounts for 60% of the total marks for the course.

1
 ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

There are TWO (2) tasks in this assignment

The Movement Control Order implemented in Malaysia has classified businesses into
essential services and non-essential services. Businesses that were categorised as non-
essential services were forced to close during the period. Currently, the government is being
urged to disregard the categorisation of businesses into essential and non-essential services
and allow businesses to operate with compliance to SOP to help with the country’s economic
status. (Adapted from The Star, 14 August 2021)

Based on the above statement, do you think that the government should allow non-
essential services to operate during this pandemic. Plan an essay that discusses on the pros
and cons of allowing non-essential services to operate at the time when cases are at its
height.

TASK 1

The first initial stage of writing an essay is the Pre-Writing stage, where you brainstorm, list
your ideas and prepare any type of drafts for the essay.

Prepare an outline for the essay.

Task Requirements:
1. Prepare an outline WITH a thesis statement. You can opt for the Sample Outline
Format below.
2. The outline should be written according to the format of an essay: introduction,
body and conclusion.
3. The outline must list the points that discuss the topic given. These points must be
arranged in a logical and coherent order to show a good flow of ideas.

2
 SAMPLE OUTLINE FORMAT

Introduction
- Introduction to the topic
- *Thesis Statement
Body
I. Point 1
A. Supporting Detail
i. Example
a) Sub-example (if any)

II. Point 2
A. Supporting Detail
i. Example
a) Sub-example (if any)

* (same structure for Point 3 and so on)

*one or two sentences encapsulation of your essay's main point, main idea, or main

(this outline is NOT included in the assignment’s word count of 3000 words)
(10 marks)

3
TASK 2

Write the essay (between 2,500 words and 3,000 words) to discuss the pros and cons of
allowing non-essential services to operate at the time when cases are at its height .
Elaborate comprehensively on the pros and cons.

You should discuss both sides of the issue and let the readers decide on their stand on this
matter.

Task Requirements:
1. Explain the situation before hand and what essential and non-essential services
refer to.
2. Discuss by elaborating the pros and cons of allowing non-essential services to
operate during the pandemic. Provide evidence for your discussion.
3. Weigh the discussions and evidence and make your conclusion.
4. The content of the essay must be written based on the essay outline that you have
prepared. Refer to the sequenced and numbered outline format stated on page 27
(3.1 Planning to Write Essays) of the OUMH1203 module and refer to the attached
sample outline format.

Note:
a. Avoid plagiarism. Support your discussion with evidence drawn from a review of
current and related literature (2016 – 2021). Use the APA format for in - text citations
and the reference list. There are many websites and videos on APA referencing, this is
one example:
https://youtu.be/bYk86hC9GzE
b. Refer to the assignment rubrics as a guide to achieve cohesion and coherence.

(50 marks)

[Total: 60 marks]

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 ATTACHMENT
ASSIGNMENT RUBRICS
OUMH1203 ENGLISH FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION / SEPTEMBER 2021
Unsatisfactory
Excellent Good Fair Poor Or
Max
No response
QN CLO Criteria Weight Marks
4 3 2 1 0
1 1 Essay Outline 2.5 Well-prepared outline Well-prepared outline with A moderately-prepared Outline is poorly written. No proper 10
with a comprehensively a good thesis statement. outline with a thesis outline
written thesis statement. statement that requires Wrong understanding of
Details are placed in a further understanding. a thesis statement.
Details are placed in a logical order, but the way in
logical order and the way which they are presented Some details are not in a Many details are not in a
they are presented sometimes makes the logical or expected order, logical or expected
effectively makes the outline less interesting. and this distracts the order. The outline is
outline very interesting. organisation of the unorganised.
outline.
2 1 Introduction 2 8
The introduction very The introduction clearly The introduction states There is no clear Introduction
clearly states the thesis states the thesis statement the thesis statement but introduction of the main presents no
statement and previews and previews the structure does not adequately topic or structure of the purpose.
the structure of the paper. of the paper. preview the structure of paper.
the paper.

Comprehensively Adequately elaborates the Generally, elaborates the Some attempts to  No attempts to
elaborates the current current situation and what current situation and elaborate the current elaborate at all.
situation and what essential and non-essential what essential and non- situation and what
essential and non- services are. essential services are. essential and non-
essential services are. essential services are.

2 Content: 2.5 Fully addresses all aspects  Adequately addresses the Generally, writes about Some attempt to address  A weak attempt 10
Discussion on pros of the writing assignment. writing assignment. the topic but with a few the writing assignment. at addressing
of opening non- digressions in parts of the the written
essential writing. assignment.
businesses.

5
2 Content: 2.5 Ideas are very  Some ideas may not be Ideas may not be Organisation of ideas  Off - topic for 10
Discussion on the comprehensive, coherent, arranged logically and arranged logically and lacks clarity and may the most part.
cons of opening and organised logically. coherently. coherently. lead to confusion.
non-essential Examples are very  Examples are relevant Examples are moderately Lack of examples.  Not a discursive
businesses. relevant and sufficiently and elaborated. written. essay.
elaborated
Full and rich development  Clear and complete Development of content Development of content
of the content. development of content. is adequate. is limited, may be
incomplete or unclear.
Main points are very  Main points are quite Some main points may Most main points are not
convincing with convincing good not be fully convincing; convincing, serious lack
comprehensive discussion discussion that support of supporting details may of supporting details.
that support of relevant relevant details. not be relevant or
details. adequate.
Excellent use of discursive  Good use of discursive A moderate use of Lack of discursive
techniques and devices. techniques and devices. discursive techniques and techniques.
devices.
Comprehensive and well  Good ideas Moderate suggestions Lack of suggestions.
discussed ideas. given.

1 Conclusion 2 Conclusion skillfully The conclusion is The conclusion is Conclusion is weak. Conclusion is 8
reinforces thesis and gives recognizable and ties up recognizable but does not out of topic /
closure to essay. almost all the loose ends. tie up several loose ends. unrecognisable.

1 Coherence 1 Details are placed in a There are clear attempts to There are attempts to use Writing contains major Writing is 4
logical order and the way use cohesive devices to link cohesive devices but mistakes in the use of confusing and
they are presented details but in one or two writing lacks direction cohesive devices that has a lot of
effectively keeps the places, writing appears that affected reader’s affected general gaps. No or
interest of the reader. incoherent. comprehension. understanding. limited number
of cohesive
devices used to
assist
comprehension.
2 Language/ 1 Sentence style fits the Sentences are generally Sentence structures are Contains several Contains many 4
Sentence Skills paper’s purpose. clear, well structured, generally correct, but awkward or awkward
Sentences are varied, yet focused, though some may sentences may be wordy ungrammatical sentences.
clearly structured and be awkward or ineffective. or repetitive. sentences. Displays general
carefully focused. Sentence structure is inability in
simple or monotonous. writing

6
 grammatical/m
eaningful
sentences.

Language is excellent with Language is satisfactory Frequent errors in Very frequent errors in Errors in
hardly any error in with some errors in grammar, lexical choice, grammar, lexical choice grammar,
grammar, lexical choice, grammar, lexical choice, and punctuation, which and punctuation that lexical choice
and punctuation. and punctuation, which do may impede seriously impair and punctuation
not seriously impede understanding and understanding and are too
understanding and clarity. clarity. clarity. frequent and
severe, making
it highly difficult
to understand
the message.
2 References 1.5 A reference of more than A reference of 3 relevant A reference of 3 articles, A reference of LESS than No articles used 6
3 relevant articles. articles. but not necessarily 3 articles, but not as reference.
relevant. necessarily relevant.

All the references are Most of the references are References are References are References are
effectively used, correctly effectively used, correctly sometimes not effectively inappropriately/unclearl not
cited, and correctly listed cited, and correctly listed in used, and/or correctly y incorporated. incorporated or
in the reference list the reference list according cited and/or correctly incorporated
according to APA style. to APA style. listed in the reference list inappropriately.
according to APA style.

Total 15 60
*QN = Question Number