BUSS4: Don’t be a Story-teller – Be an Expert Pundit

Ronnie Corbett is a superb story-teller. Once he begins, you can sit back, relax and allow the story to unwind, step by step. His stories ramble on and on…and on. Each story is filled with superfluous details, with Corbett easily side-tracked by related memories and very slowly getting to the point. Eventually you get to the punch line, but it’s the journey or story that mattered.Corbett’s method of story-telling neatly sums up the approach taken by too many BUSS4 students in their use of evidence and examples in their essays.

The BUSS4 examiners have often criticised the tendency of clearly well-researched candidates to write all they know about a particular business or industry. Without thinking, the candidate launches into a detailed description of a superb example, packing the evidence with detail, laying out the actions taken by the firm step-by-step-by-step. The evidence builds and builds; line after line. The objective? To prove to the examiner beyond reasonable doubt that the candidate is the best-prepared, most meticulously researched student taking the exam.

Trust me. Story-telling is the last thing you should do if you want to score high marks in a BUSS4 essay.

Instead, you approach should be more like that of Gary Neville, the Sky Sports football pundit. Because in BUSS4, it is much better to be an Expert Pundit rather than a Storyteller.

Next time you get chance, watch what Gary Neville does at half-time when he presents his analysis of the first half action.

Neville has just a few minutes to make a couple of key points. He has to pick out what he considers is a key issue, explain what the issue is and then illustrate it with some footage from the game. Often the line of attack Neville takes is to look at cause and effect; a defender out of position which creates an opportunity; a tactical switch in formation which changes the balance of play.

The expert pundit approach is very similar to the requirement for each paragraph point in a BUSS4 essay.

Neville is clear before the cameras roll what point or points he wants to make – he’s done his planning. So should you. Be absolutely clear what paragraph point you want to argument – and how it helps address the essay question being tackled.

Then explain the point – ideally using a little theory (or in Gary Neville’s case, his great experience) to explain why the point is relevant.

Then pick some evidence to help support the explanation. Pick out the key elements of the examples to explain how and why.

Then finish off by explaining how compelling the evidence is; how strong the paragraph point is and what factors might the point depend on?

Remember – you’re under pressure in the exam hall writing essays. Don’t waste that time regurgitating all your research examples. Play the expert pundit and make the best use of the time available.

And if you don’t believe me – ask Gary Neville.