Assessment and Tutorials

Assessment:

* Your overall mark for the module will be based on course work (30%) and examination (70%) The course work will consist of one essay, of approximately 2,000 words (accounting for 20% of your overall mark), and preparation for the seminars (where the formal presentation of one seminar paper will account for 6%, and your overall contribution to the other seminars will account for 4%). The examination, taken at the end of the year, will last for two hours and require you to answer two questions.

* An essay not handed in by the deadline will automatically receive no marks. An extension of the deadline may be given in the event of illness or serious personal circumstances. A request for an extension should normally be accompanied by a medical certificate or by other appropriate material. An extension for non-medical reasons can only be granted by the course tutor after consultation with the Honours Convenor.

* Two copies of the typed or word-processed essay should be handed in, one of which may be a photocopy. One copy will be retained by the course tutor for submission to the External Examiner. The mark awarded to the essay is a provisional one, subject to confirmation by the external examiner.

* All continuously assessed coursework (seminar papers and essays) will be marked anonymously. You are therefore required to include your matriculation number on each piece of written work that you hand in. You must NOT include your name on your work.

* In the introductory class meeting you will be assigned a seminar group, and in the introductory meeting of that Seminar Group we will work out provisional seminar paper topics. You must prepare and hand in two, typed or word-processed copies of a seminar paper of around 800 words at this seminar. During the seminar you will present your seminar paper, in an oral presentation lasting approximately five minutes. However, students may not read from or consult their seminar papers during these presentations. The point is to present your analysis of the assigned subject to your fellow students. This exercise is designed to aid in the development of presentational skills, and simply reading a piece of written work serves no useful function and does not aid in the development of such skills. Handouts, or other illustrative material may form a useful part of these presentations.

* Your essays and seminar papers should not be on the same or on closely linked topics.

CODE OF ASSESSMENT

First Class (I)
A1 A high level of excellence in the criteria listed in the Honours Classification Descriptors (page 17 of Honours Handbook).
A2 An excellent standard in most of the criteria, especially in relevance, analysis, use of evidence, structure, historiography, and independent reading; highly competent in other criteria.
A3 Excellent in relevance, analysis, use of evidence, structure, independent reading and historiography; highly competent in other criteria.

Upper Second Class (II i)
B1 A high level of competence in several criteria, particularly in relevance, analysis, use of evidence, structure, historiography and independent reading, good in all other criteria.
B2 A high level of competence in several criteria, particularly in relevance, analysis, use of evidence, structure, and independent reading, good in most other criteria.
B3 A high level of competence in several criteria, particularly in relevance, analysis, and independent reading, good in most other criteria.

Lower Second Class (II ii)
C1 Competent in most criteria, though answers are likely to be marked in this category because of weaknesses in relevance, analysis, structure, and historiography.
C2 Competent, particularly in factual accuracy, but likely to marked in this category particularly because of weakness in criteria 1-5.
C3 As C2, but likely to be marked in this category because of weaknesses in factual knowledge or significant failings in relevance, structure and analysis.

Third Class (III)
D1 As for D2, but may make some effort towards meeting criterion 1. Answers which have begun at II ii level, but which are short, rushed or badly organised may be marked in this band.
D2 Adequate for the award of a classified degree. Some factual knowledge, but very weak demonstration of other criteria, especially 1-6.
D3 Adequate for the award of a classified degree, but very limited competence in most criteria.

Pass
Very poor, with little or no evidence of independent reading, and an substantial level of factual error.

Fail
Exceptionally poor performance, which may be inaccurate or unintelligible, very short or fragmentary.

Plagiarism:

Students should be particularly aware of using materials from the web without proper attribution: this is plagiarism. The course tutor may use special educational software to check essays and papers for unattributed material from the web or from books or articles.

Students should not count on recycling material used in coursework essays in their exams. Special care is taken in the setting of examination questions, to ensure minimal overlap with essay questions.

The following is taken from the History Honours Handbook.

Plagiarism [Gen.14, University Calendar]

The University's degrees and other academic awards are given in recognition of a candidate's personal achievement. Plagiarism is therefore considered as an act of academic fraudulence and as an offence against University discipline. Plagiarism is defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, which is not one's own, without acknowledgment of the sources. (With regard to essays, reports and dissertations, a simple rule dictates when it is necessary to acknowledge sources. If a student obtains information or ideas from an outside source, that source must be acknowledged. Another rule to follow is that any direct quotation must be placed in quotation marks, and a source immediately cited.) Where a candidate for a degree or other award uses the work of another person or persons without due acknowledgment:

1. the relevant Board of Examiners may impose a penalty in relation to the seriousness of the offence;

2. the relevant Board of Examiners may report the candidate to the Clerk of Senate, for action under the Code of Discipline, where there is prima facie evidence of an intention to deceive and where sanctions beyond those in 1. might be invoked.

Under this regulation, the Board of Examiners in History may choose to award a mark of `0' for any plagiarised piece of work, award a mark of `0' for the entire paper, lower the class of degree below the level these marks penalties might otherwise entail, or even refuse to award any degree.

Do not engage in plagiarism, the penalties are severe.

Tutorials:

* Each student will be offered an individual tutorial, lasting approximately twenty minutes, to explore and discuss the implications of his or her work. Please regard these tutorials as an opportunity to discuss both strengths and weaknesses.

Student welfare:

* Do not hesitate to seek advice at any stage of the course. The best time to reach me is during my office hours: failing that, you can see me after class and make an appointment, or contact me by email at spn@arts.gla.ac.uk Formal proposals may be addressed to the School of History's Honours Staff-Student Committee. All of you will be asked your views on the module near the end of term. This will be in the form of the questionnaire. Any feedback prior to this time will be greatly appreciated.
* I am also available to discuss more general problems which may be affecting your work. Your advisor of Studies and the Student Counselling Service are also available to provide support if you require it.