Assessment Brief
Module Name: Data Skills: AS2
| Module Code | Level | Credit Value | Module Leader |
| UNL002 | 3 | 30 |
| Assessment code and title: | AS2 |
| Weighting: | 50% |
| Word limit: | 1,000 words Where the submission exceeds the stipulated word limit by more than 10%, the submission will only be marked up to and including the additional 10%. Anything over this will not be included in the final grade for the assessment item. Abstracts, bibliographies, reference lists, appendices and footnotes are excluded from any word limit requirements. |
| Submission deadline: |
Please read this assessment brief in its entirety before starting work on the Assessment Task.
The Assessment Task
The Data Skills module is designed to help students gather, calculate, analyse and evaluate data for both academic and professional scenarios. This assessment designed to develop your ability to make informed decision based on the data presented. Additionally, you will be able to garner data from either primary or secondary sources and be able to critically assess such data.
The Assignment
The Coronavirus Pandemic has impacted the labour market in the United Kingdom. During the last 24 months both employers and employees have complained about job market – employers find it difficult to hire trained, qualified and experienced personnel while some employees are finding it difficult to find jobs in their chosen sector. Given this backdrop, select one of the sectors listed below and answer the questions 1 and 2.
- Hospitality
- Business and finance
- Business and marketing
Question 1
Explain the difference between
- primary and secondary data
- qualitative and quantitative data
both explanations must be illustrated with examples from your chosen sector.
(Between 100 and 200 words)
Question 2
You are the Data Analyst for an organisation operating in your chosen sector. You are tasked with writing a report to the General Manager on the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the labour market in your chosen sector. You need to provide your manager with a balance view of both sides (employers and employees) based on the statistics available on the ONS website (or other credible data you may have researched).
Required:
You are required to use the tables provided below as a guide to produce charts, graphs and diagrams that will help to explain the problems occurring in the labour market within your chosen sector. You will need to discuss how the Coronavirus Pandemic has affected the growth and development of the labour market in your chosen sector. In order to complete this assessment, you must provide data (that is, any combinations of graphs, charts, tables and diagrams) from your own research on this topic.
Your research should cover the last 24 months (April 2020 – March 2022) and your report should include:
- Title
- Contents List
- Introduction
- Discussion – analysis and evaluation
- Unemployment figures for the 24 months complete with graph
- Number of jobs available in your chosen sector for the 24 months complete with graph
- Summary and conclusions
- Recommendations
- Appendix (optional)
(Between 900 and 1,000 words)
| Table 1 | ||
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (AGED 16 AND OVER, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) | ||
| DATE | RATE | |
| 2019 DEC | 3.9% | |
| 2020 JAN | 4.0% | |
| 2020 FEB | 4.0% | |
| 2020 MAR | 4.1% | |
| 2020 APR | 4.1% | |
| 2020 MAY | 4.1% | |
| 2020 JUN | 4.3% | |
| 2020 JUL | 4.5% | |
| 2020 AUG | 4.8% | |
| 2020 SEP | 5.0% | |
| 2020 OCT | 5.1% | |
| 2020 NOV | 5.2% | |
| 2020 DEC | 5.1% | |
| 2021 JAN | 5.0% | |
| 2021 FEB | 4.9% | |
| 2021 MAR | 4.8% | |
| 2021 APR | 4.8% | |
| Source: Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted) – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) |
| Table 2 | |
| EMPLOYMENT RATE (AGED 16 TO 64, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) | |
| DATE | RATE % |
| 2019 DEC | 76.5 |
| 2020 JAN | 76.6 |
| 2020 FEB | 76.3 |
| 2020 MAR | 76.0 |
| 2020 APR | 75.8 |
| 2020 MAY | 75.7 |
| 2020 JUN | 75.6 |
| 2020 JUL | 75.4 |
| 2020 AUG | 75.0 |
| 2020 SEP | 74.9 |
| 2020 OCT | 74.9 |
| 2020 NOV | 74.7 |
| 2020 DEC | 74.6 |
| 2021 JAN | 74.7 |
| 2021 FEB | 74.7 |
| 2021 MAR | 74.7 |
| 2021 APR | 74.8 |
| Source: Employment rate (aged 16 to 64, seasonally adjusted) – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) |
The Format
The format of the assessment will be as prescribed in your module for presenting a business plan. You will be required to demonstrate your ability to present compelling arguments in support of your business model.
How you will be marked
The assessment will assess Learning Outcomes (LO) b and c, however you will be required to demonstrate knowledge of Learning Outcome a through computations required to complete this assessment.
Computations and charts. You will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate core mathematical skills gleaned from your first trimester Data Skills and present accurate calculations and presentations of graphs, charts and tables (LO a). Additionally, you are expected to use these graphs, charts and tables to make meaningful analysis and evaluation of your findings and to make reasonable conclusions.
Effective Communication and Argument. For LO b and c, you are being assessed on your ability to communicate and present compelling written arguments clearly and effectively. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to glean data from other sources to support your discussion.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:
| Demonstrate understanding of the way in which data needs to be used in both academic and professional environments |
| Employability & Changemaker Skills Collect, use and explain data from a range of sources and undertake a simple and straight-forward research task |
Academic Integrity and Misconduct
Unless this is a group assessment,the work you produce must be your own, with work taken from any other source properly referenced and attributed. For the avoidance of doubt this means that it is an infringement of academic integrity and, therefore, academic misconduct to ask someone else to carry out all or some of the work for you, whether paid or unpaid, or to use the work of another student whether current or previously submitted.
For further guidance on what constitutes plagiarism, contract cheating or collusion, or any other infringement of academic integrity, please read the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. You will also find useful resources on the VLE: Referencing and Academic Integrity page.
N.B. The penalties for academic misconduct are severe and can include failing the assessment, failing the module and expulsion from the university.
Assessment Submission
To submit your work, please go to the relevant to the module page –
Assessments tile and submit to Turnitin. Please note that essays and text-based reports should be submitted as Word documents and not PDFs or Mac files.
Written work will be subject to anti-plagiarism detection software. Turnitin checks student work for possible textual matches against internet available resources and its own proprietary database.
N.B Work emailed directly to your tutor will not be marked.
Late submission of work
For first sits, if an item of assessment is submitted late and an extension has not been granted, the following will apply:
- Within one week of the original deadline – work will be marked and returned with full feedback, and awarded a maximum bare pass grade (D-).
- More than one week from original deadline – grade achievable LG (L indicating late).
For resits there are no allowances for late submissions.
Extensions
The University of Northampton’s general policy with regard to extensions is to be supportive of students who have genuine difficulties, but not against pressures of work that could have reasonably been anticipated.
For full details please refer to the Extensions Policy. Extensions are only available for first sits – they are not available for resits.
Mitigating Circumstances
For guidance on mitigating circumstances please go to Mitigating Circumstances where you will find detailed guidance on the policy as well as guidance and the form for making an application.
Please note, however, that an application to defer an assessment on the grounds of mitigating circumstances should normally be made in advance of the submission deadline or examination date.
Assessment Criteria
| Learning Outcomes addressed through this assignment | Distinction | Merit | Commended | Pass | Fail | No Evidence |
| Demonstrate understanding of the way in which data needs to be used in both academic and professional environments | Displays exceptional ability in creating and using data charts, diagrams and tables and using these as a tool for analysis and evaluation of a set of data. Used data in either an academic or professional setting. | Displays excellent ability in creating and using data charts, diagrams and tables, with minor errors, and using these as a tool for analysis and evaluation of a set of data. Used data in either an academic or professional setting. | Displays good ability in creating and using data charts, diagrams and tables, with minor errors, and using these as a tool for analysis and evaluation of a set of data. Limited use of data in either an academic or professional setting. | Displays satisfactory ability in creating and using data charts, diagrams and tables, with errors, and using these as a tool for analysis and evaluation of a set of data. Basic use of data in either an academic or professional setting. | Displays basic ability in creating and using data charts, diagrams and tables, with major errors, and using these as a tool for analysis and evaluation of a set of data. No use of data in either an academic or professional setting. | Work submitted is of no academic value |
| Collect, use and explain data from a range of sources and undertake a simple and straight-forward research task | Displays exceptional ability in conducting primary and secondary research task. Exceptional skill in analysing and evaluating the results of data. Used data to make informed decisions. | Displays excellent ability in conducting primary and secondary research task, with minor errors. Demonstrated excellent skill in analysing and evaluating the results of data. Used data to make informed decisions. | Displays good ability in conducting primary and secondary research task, with minor errors. Demonstrated some skill in analysing and evaluating the results of data. Limited use of data to make informed decisions, however incorrect conclusions are drawn. | Displays satisfactory ability in conducting primary and secondary research task, with errors. Demonstrated little skill in analysing and evaluating the results of data. Limited use of data to make informed decisions, however incorrect conclusions are drawn. | Displays basic ability in conducting primary and secondary research task, with errors. Demonstrates no skill in analysing and evaluating the results of data. No decisions or conclusions drawn. | Work submitted is of no academic value |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:
b) Demonstrate understanding of the way in which data needs to be used in both academic and professional environments
Employability & Changemaker Skills
c) Collect, use and explain data from a range of sources and undertake a simple and straight-forward research task
Academic Integrity and Misconduct
Unless this is a group assessment,the work you produce must be your own, with work taken from any other source properly referenced and attributed. For the avoidance of doubt this means that it is an infringement of academic integrity and, therefore, academic misconduct to ask someone else to carry out all or some of the work for you, whether paid or unpaid, or to use the work of another student whether current or previously submitted.
For further guidance on what constitutes plagiarism, contract cheating or collusion, or any other infringement of academic integrity, please read the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. You will also find useful resources on the VLE: Referencing and Academic Integrity page.
N.B. The penalties for academic misconduct are severe and can include failing the assessment, failing the module and expulsion from the university.
Assessment Submission
To submit your work, please go to the relevant to the module page –
Assessments tile and submit to Turnitin. Please note that essays and text-based reports should be submitted as Word documents and not PDFs or Mac files.
Written work will be subject to anti-plagiarism detection software. Turnitin checks student work for possible textual matches against internet available resources and its own proprietary database.
N.B Work emailed directly to your tutor will not be marked.
Late submission of work
For first sits, if an item of assessment is submitted late and an extension has not been granted, the following will apply:
- Within one week of the original deadline – work will be marked and returned with full feedback, and awarded a maximum bare pass grade (D-).
- More than one week from original deadline – grade achievable LG (L indicating late).
For resits there are no allowances for late submissions.
Extensions
The University of Northampton’s general policy with regard to extensions is to be supportive of students who have genuine difficulties, but not against pressures of work that could have reasonably been anticipated.
For full details please refer to the Extensions Policy. Extensions are only available for first sits – they are not available for resits.
Mitigating Circumstances
For guidance on mitigating circumstances please go to Mitigating Circumstances where you will find detailed guidance on the policy as well as guidance and the form for making an application.
Please note, however, that an application to defer an assessment on the grounds of mitigating circumstances should normally be made in advance of the submission deadline or examination date.
