IPA Excellence Diploma

Some personal advice on final assignments from someone whose

been there

Lesson One: Structure

1. Where you are now

2. Getting good grades

3. A few practical pointers

4. Any other questions

Where you are now

You’re on the home straight

A unique chance to take the spotlight

awaits

This is a sprint finish

Getting good grades

Remember where the marks come from

ORIGINALITY CLARITY REFERENCESAPPLICATION

It’s less about what you’ve read than what

you haven’t read

An opportunity to suggest something new

An invitation to disagree

Tell the judges something they don’t already know

My starters for ten1. Look outside the advertising bubble. What could we learn from..?

– Research science (chaos theory, complexity theory, dynamic network analysis, evolutionary biology, particle physics, rigour, experimentation etc…)

– Theatre (the masters of emotion and atmosphere, creativity, audiences etc…)– Stand up comedy/Jay Z/Jon la Joie/Banksy etc. etc. etc.

2. The future is complicated, how can we make it practical? Are the next breakthroughs in production and resources?

3. Dare to dream: What emergent technologies are out there that we could put to use and evolve? What game changing move would you make if you were China/Google/Duncan Bannatyne/Simon Cowell?

4. Pick a fight: What’s hope and what’s hype? Could taking a contrary view unlock some fresh ground?

5. Originality isn’t limited to topic - it’s a mindset for approaching the whole thing

The course reading should be your springboard

to uncharted waters

Don’t worry if you don’t know exactly where you’re heading

when you set off

Do pick a topic you’ll enjoy discovering

Make sure it’s big enough for 7,000 words

Application

Ensure your originality stays

grounded

One big case study or lots of little ones –

it’s up to you

Ask yourself: What’s the point?

Look far & wide

Original references are the best references

Find the experts

Content is half the battle, structure

the other

Remember you’re telling a story

A journey of 7,000 words needs signposts

Imagine how you’d feel if you had to read twenty 7,000 word essays

Then make it entertaining

Make it clear

Re-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-editRe-edit

A few practical pointers

Book yourself some thinking space

Get help

Find a bastard

You get out what you put in

Any

s

Matt Sadler

Download my (President’s Prize winning:) paper at www.infomagination.co.uk