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MRes

Handbook

Department of Theology and Religious Studies

nottingham.ac.uk/theology

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Contents

1. GETTING STARTED 3 1.1 Meet the PG Team 3 1.2 Building Access 3 1.3 Communication and Contact Details 4 1.4 Pigeonholes and Noticeboards 5

1.5 Study area provision 5

1.6 Considerate Working 5 1.7 Computing Facilities and Gaining Access 5 1.8 Printing and Photocopying Facilities 5 1.9 Telephones 6 1.10 Car Parking and Cycle Store 6 1.11 Library Facilities 7 1.12 The Graduate School 7

1.13 The Social Sciences and Arts Graduate Centre 7 1.14 The Language Centre 7 1.15 The Digital Transformations Hub 7 1.16 Health and Safety 7

1.17 Travel and Risk Assessment 8 1.18 Social Media Policy 12 1.18 Ethics 13 1.19 Sources of Funding 13

2. SUPERVISION AND RESEARCH TRAINING 14 2.1 Your Supervisors and Supervisions 14 2.2 Your Responsibilities 14 2.3 Your Place in the Research Community 14 2.4 Mandatory 60 Credits of Taught Modules 14

3. SUBMISSION AND EXAMINATION OF YOUR THESIS 15

4. ATTENDANCE AND MONITORING 17 4.1 Recording Attendance 17 4.2 Religious Observance 17 4.3 Illness or Prolonged Absence 17

5. STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT 18 5.1 Learning Community Forum 18

5.2 Disclosure and Confidentiality 18 5.3 Student Support in the School 18

5.4 Personal Difficulties 18 5.5 Academic Difficulties 18

6. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT 21

7. AFTER YOUR MRES/MASTER’S BY RESEARCH DEGREE 22

8. THE DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES 23 8.1 Your Master/s Degree – the Basics 23 8.2 Broaden Your Horizons 24

8.3 Attendance 25

8.4 And Finally 26 APPENDIX 1: Marking Criteria for Essays and Similar Assessments 28 APPENDIX 2: How to Submit Coursework via Moodle 32 APPENDIX 3: Glossary of Terms 33

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1. GETTING STARTED

This section provides you with basic information which will enable you to become

acquainted with the School during your first week to help you settle in. It starts with

more local, practical information and requirements and then provides details of other

departments, sections and services that you should seek out at the earliest opportunity.

1.1. Moodle Community Page

All information and resources relating to the Masters by Research programme and

opportunities for postgraduate students can be found on the Moodle Page. For taught

aspects of your course, you can find information on the PGT Moodle page, and for

research aspects of your course, you can find information on the PGR Moodle page.

Students will be able to access the Moodle page once they have completed registration

and have their University logon details.

1.2 Meet the PG Team

You will have the opportunity to meet your Departmental Director of Postgraduate

Studies and the Student Services PG Team during the School and Departmental

welcome week sessions. The name and contact details of your Department’s Director

of Postgraduate Studies is listed in the department specific section of this Handbook;

please refer to Section 8.

The School Director of Postgraduate Teaching is Zach Hoskins

(zachary.hoskins@nottingham.ac.uk, tel: 0115 95 14696) and the Postgraduate

Student Advisor is TBC.

The Student Services PG Team is located in the University Park West (UPW)

Student Service Centre (SSC), Room A23, Humanities Building, email: ss-pgr-

upw@nottingham.ac.uk, tel: 0115 95 15800 (or internal 15800). This team deals

with administration regarding maintenance of your student record, the dissertation

submission and examination processand general enquiries. There are several SSCs

open across the campuses, which can also be accessed, offering a wide range of

services to students. For a full list of services and locations, visit the Student

Services website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices.

The School Management and Research Office teams are based in Room A19,

Humanities Building. The School Operations Team (school-

operations@nottingham.ac.uk) organise the PG work stations and study area,

provision of storage space and Health and Safety issues. The Research and

Funding Team (research-funding@nottingham.ac.uk) provide assistance with travel

and conference funding and booking.

1.2 Building Access

From Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.30 am and 6.00 pm, access to the

Humanities Building and the adjacent building, Lenton Grove, is via the automatic

doors. Outside these hours, at weekends and during University days of closure, you

will need your University Card for swipe access. The University website gives details of

Semester and Term dates and University Holidays and Closure of Building dates.

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In the Music Building, access is via University Card at all times.

1.3 Communication and Contact Details

All students will be issued with a University email address upon registration and you

will be contacted via that address only. It is essential that you check your email

regularly. Personal email addresses will not be added to circulation lists.

It is very important that Student Services holds the correct details for you in case they

are required in an emergency, or in connection with your funding (if you hold a

studentship, for example). Please ensure that you keep your contact records up to date

with Student Services. If you change your mobile number, personal email address, move

address, change your bank account or do anything else that could impact on

administrative matters in relation to your study, please remember to pass on your new

information.

The Arts Faculty has a guideline timeframe within which an academic member of staff

is expected to respond to emails from a student, details of which are set out below:

The Faculty policy is that academic colleagues are expected to reply to

undergraduate and postgraduate student’s email within two working days of its

receipt.

Weekends, Bank Holidays/University Closure Days and annual leave are excluded

from this timeframe.

In practice this policy means that an email sent at 7 pm on a Friday should receive a

response by 9 am Wednesday morning, an email sent at 4 pm on a Friday should

receive a response by 4 pm the following Tuesday, and so on.

It may not always be possible to answer a student’s enquiry fully, in which case a

holding email would be appropriate (e.g. ‘I cannot provide an answer to your enquiry

now, but I will do so within the next x days’).

When on leave, academic colleagues are expected to create an Outlook Automatic

Reply (Out of Office) stating a return to office date and a contact if the email is

urgent.

Academic colleagues who work part-time are also expected to create an Out of

Office statement confirming when they will next be available to respond to emails.

1.4 Pigeonholes and Noticeboards

Student pigeonholes are located opposite the lifts on A Floor of the Humanities

Building. Each Department noticeboard also has a section for PG notices and these

can be found along the A Floor corridor.

In Music pigeonholes are located outside the administration office, A4.

1.5 Study Area Provision

The PGT study areas are managed by the School Operations Team in the School

Management and Research Office (A19, Humanities Building, email: school-

operations@nottingham.ac.uk).

Access to desks and a PC for both full-time and part-time Masters by Research students

is operated as a shared desk system. In Lenton Grove A25, there are 12 PCs and these devices are for use by

Humanities MA and MRes students only and are not individually allocated. Access

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to this area is via digilock and the code is: C34680 Please do not share this code

with any non-PG or non-Humanities students.

In addition, there is a quiet study zone for all Arts and Social Sciences PG students in Highfield House (Room B02).

There are two centrally managed Computer Resource Rooms in the Humanities and Lenton Grove Buildings. In each building the room is A17.

If you have special study space requirements (e.g. disability support), please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Officer (See Section 5.3) for further details.

1.6 Considerate Working

The School wants the MA and MRes study space to be a vibrant place where users can

exchange ideas and network with other students and staff. However, the study areas

are intended to be used as quiet, shared, working offices. Total silence is not a

reasonable expectation of a shared working environment, but we do expect students

and staff to be considerate of other users. In particular:

Please be considerate of other users when opening windows and check if

those who are sitting nearby mind – particularly in the colder months.

Please take longer and more social conversations to another location to avoid

disturbing those who are trying to concentrate.

If you wish to have music, please use a personal headset at a considerate

volume, so that others are not disturbed in their work.

Please do not move equipment or furniture without first consulting the School

Management & Research Office (SMRO) Team. Detailed databases of keys

and equipment location are kept and if items are moved it can be very

complicated to resolve.

The University is not responsible for personal belongings being lost or stolen.

Do not leave bags, purses/wallets, mobile phones etc., unattended for any

length of time. Ensure that you lock them away in the storage provided.

Please keep your desk area clean and tidy. The cleaning staff work early in the

morning and will not move items on desks to clean. If your papers drop onto

the floor, however, these could be cleared away, so be careful!

No books or papers should be left on shared desks at the end of a working

day. On no account should individuals take ownership of a shared desk by

leaving their belongings on it.

If you have any queries, please contact the school-operations@nottingham.ac.uk.

1.7 Computing Facilities and Gaining Access

When you registered online for your course via the Portal, the last part of registration

should have created your username and password for you. You should use these details

to access computer facilities. If you have not yet registered, you can go to an

Information Services (IS) computer room/area where there should be a registration

option when you log in. The credentials required will be your login details for registration

that will have been sent to you by email. Information Services can provide details to you

if you have not received them (see the IT Service Desk details below). IS computer

rooms/areas are located in the Humanities Building (Room A17), Lenton Grove (A17),

Trent Building (Rooms A93, A94, LG25 and LG27), Hallward Library, Cripps Computing

Centre, and elsewhere in the University.

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IS computer rooms/areas are not administered by the School but by Information Services.

Advice and help is available from IS Service Points, in libraries, resource centres and in

many IS computer rooms. The IT Service Desk can help with any difficulties or problems

you are experiencing. Phone 0115 95 16677 (internal 16677), log a support call online or

visit one of the Smart Bars.

1.8 Printing and Photocopying Facilities

There are several Xerox devices in the Humanities Building, two devices in Music and

four devices in Lenton Grove.

Access to the devices is via your University Card. When you send a document to be

printed, it is sent to a ‘print queue’, not a specific device. This means that you can print

your documents on any Xerox device anywhere in the University. Scanning, copying and

faxing is also available to you on these machines.

Once you are fully registered and have your username and password details and your

University Card you should be ready to use the printers/ copiers. When you try to print

you should see the four print queues:

Mono – Default black and white and duplex

Colour – Default colour and duplex

Draft – Default black and white, duplex and two pages per side

Booklet – this enables all the hole punching, stapling and folding options in

the driver

At the earliest opportunity, try to log into one of the Xerox machines using your

University Card. Hold your card over the top of the machine, on the left hand side. The

red light will turn green and the machine will log you in; you can also log in manually

using the same username and password which you use on the computers. If you are

not able to print for any reason, or you cannot see the print queues listed above, or

your card doesn’t allow you to log into the device, please contact the IT Service Desk

(see 1.7 above for contact details).

Printing and photocopying for your own academic-related purposes is free of charge for

PG students. Please use ‘Mono’ as your default printing option wherever possible, to

avoid the School incurring costs associated with colour printing when this is not

essential. The devices should only be used to print documents relating to your course

of study. Please be aware that both staff and student print usage is closely monitored

on a monthly basis, and this includes colour copying and printing.

There are Print Champions around your building who work on a rota system. Details

of the champions are displayed above each device. If you have any problems, please

call the person who is on duty at the time in the first instance.

1.10 Car Parking and Cycle Store

Students are not normally given car parking permits to park on the campus. There are

exceptions mainly for students with disabilities or mature students with dependent

children. All enquiries regarding parking must be directed to the Security Office (internal

ext. 13557, or 0115 951 3557).

For those who cycle, there is a run of cycle stands to the rear of the Humanities

Building. Alternatively there is a secure Cycle Store located on the left hand side of the

Cavendish Hall Car Park entrance, which is only accessible by University Card. Please

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note that the University does not accept responsibility for any damage to or loss of

cycles parked either in the cycle stands or store.

There are cycle stands to the front of the Music Building. There are further stands with

limited cover at the Lakeside Arts Centre and outside the Psychology Building. The

nearest secure Cycle Store is near the Biology Building.

For full interactive map on cycle facilities please see here.

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1.11 Library Facilities

There are several libraries located across the campuses, the main one being Hallward

Library on University Park Campus (building 9 on the Campus Map). Information

Services delivers an introduction to their services (including Hallward Library) and run

a number of useful teaching sessions on literature searches, etc. Details will be

circulated by Hallward Library when available. Full details of the services offered can

be found on the Student Services Website.

You can visit the libraries of many other UK universities by joining the SCONUL

Access scheme. You may also be eligible to borrow items. Take a look at the

SCONUL Access website for more information and guidance on how to join.

1.12 The Graduate School

The Graduate School is located in Highfield House (No 10 on the Campus Map). It is the

University’s main centre for providing services and guidance specifically for postgraduate

students. It runs a wide range of training courses for postgraduate students in research

skills, communication skills, and other skills that may help you in your research and

career development. For further information about the Graduate School and the training

initiatives offered, see its website.

1.13 The Social Sciences and Arts Graduate Centre

The Social Sciences and Arts Graduate Centre is located on the first floor of Highfield

House, University Park. It is a dedicated working space for postgraduate students and

research staff, and offers a wide range of support, including Arts-specific training and

career sessions. Accessible 24/7, this new space provides comprehensive facilities;

further details can be found on the website.

1.14 The Language Centre

During your course of study, it may be necessary to acquire new languages (ancient or

modern) or to improve existing language knowledge. You should discuss language

development skills with your supervisor or your department’s Director of Postgraduate

Studies. The University’s Language Centre, in the Trent Building, provides excellent

facilities for this, with resources such as a multimedia suite for computer-assisted

language learning. Further details can be found on the Language Centre website.

1.15 The Digital Transformations Hub

The Digital Transformations Hub (DTH)is located in Room A24 of the Humanities

Building and is open weekdays between 10 am and 5 pm during term time to all Faculty

of Arts staff and students who wish to use digital media in their teaching and research.

The DTH includes PCs which have Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite including Photoshop,

InDesign, Lightroom, Acrobat and PremierPro. It has scanners (A0, A3, A4,

transparency, slide and book scanners), graphics tablets, a copy-stand with lighting

units with digital camera with macro lenses, a networked plasma screen for

presentations and workshops, and VR headsets (Oculus and Vive). Equipment is also

available to borrow by arrangement, including cameras — includes 3D and 360 degree

— audio recording devices and tablets (iPad and Android)

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The DTH also houses the 35mm slide collection, which includes sections devoted to fine

art, photography, sculpture, manuscripts, installation art, architecture and Classical

sites. Light boxes are available to view slides, and slide and digital projectors are

available by arrangement.

Staff/helpers are available weekdays to facilitate and advise on the use of DTH

equipment and software as well as on acquiring, manipulating and using digital images

in teaching and research and the copyright issues involved.

Staff and student helpers are available weekdays to facilitate and advise on the use of

DTH equipment and software,

You may even want to join the Student Volunteer Team and learn digital and

transferable skills for yourself!

For further details, visit the DTH website where you can also sign up and keep up to

date with our social networking pages and blog; pop in and see us; or email the team

at artsdigitalhub@nottingham.ac.uk.

1.16 Health and Safety

Tracy Sisson (tracy.sisson@nottingham.ac.uk, Room B48, Ext 66636) is the Health and

Safety Co-ordinator for the School of Humanities. She is assisted by Matthew Roe

(matthew.roe1@nottingham.ac.uk, Room A19, Ext 66015) as Health and Safety

Assistant.

A copy of the School Safety Policy is available on the Humanities PGT Moodle page. All

users of the building have a responsibility to ensure their own safety and that of others,

so please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the policy document as soon as

possible. The Health and Safety Co-ordinator/Health and Safety Assistant are happy to

answer any questions or queries you may have.

The School of Humanities operates a fire token system across all its buildings. Fire tokens

make it everyone’s responsibility to ensure the quick and efficient evacuation of the

building in an emergency situation. Full details of how the fire token system works can be

found in the Safety Policy, together with precise locations of the tokens. There will be a

system of drills in place for testing measures. This system is only as effective as the users

of the building make it, so please ensure that you understand how the system works and

be ready to help assist in operationalising it in the event of an evacuation.

Some other, and particularly important, aspects of health and safety are:

Accidents, First Aid and Emergencies

It is a requirement that ALL accidents in respect of any injuries sustained by any

person, in any part of the University, are reported online via the Incident Reporting

System. You log into the system using your usual University username and password

and incidents can be reported either by the person who has sustained an injury, or

someone on their behalf. The incident will then be routed to the appropriate Health

and Safety Co-ordinator for investigation.

There are a number of trained First Aiders in the School and signs are located around the

buildings indicating who these are. In case of emergency, contact one of the named

members of staff or, alternatively, telephone 18888 on an internal telephone, or 0115 95

18888 on a mobile, for Security, who will coordinate a response. Please do not telephone

999 in an emergency as this could cause delays if the emergency services don’t have

sufficient information on the exact location of where the emergency is. If the call goes

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through Security, they will call the emergency services, meet them on arrival and escort

them to the correct location.

Out of Hours Working

It is important that if you are working outside the ‘core hours’ in the Humanities and Music

Buildings that you ensure you sign the ‘out of hours’ book. In the event of an emergency

this enables the emergency services to know who is in the building and where.

Humanities Building

The main entrance automatic doors are open to public access between 8.30 am and

6 pm on weekdays, and these are the core hours. Outside these times, at weekends

and on days of University closure, access is by University Card only.

The Humanities Building’s ‘out of hours’ book is situated to the right of the main

entrance.

Music Building

Access to the building is by University Card at all times.

The Department has an ‘out of hours’ book which you must sign if you are working

outside of the above core hours. This is situated outside the Administration Office (A4).

Electrical Testing

All items of an electrical nature must be tested on an annual basis and this is co-

ordinated by the School Management and Research Office (SMRO). Please ensure that

you notify the SMRO of any electrical items that you bring into the School so that they

can be included on the next round of testing. No untested items should be used on

University premises.

Hazards

It is the duty of all staff and students to be vigilant in the School. Regular inspections are

carried out by the safety team, and we are audited regularly, but should you observe

any potential hazards or come across anything of concern, please draw this to the

attention of the Health and Safety Co-ordinator or Health and Safety Assistant, who will

deal with the issue accordingly.

Use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

It is important that you ensure your workstation is set up correctly. The University Policy

on the Safe Use of DSE is available on the Safety Office website, which covers the key

areas to consider. All staff and students are encouraged to undertake the online training

module which offers useful tips and information about what constitutes a good

workstation set up and how often to take breaks, and also provides advice on useful

exercises you can do to minimise the health effects of using DSE equipment. To

complete the module, which only takes 10–20 minutes (you work through at your own

pace), click on the link above and sign in using your usual University username and

password. You may get directed to a pre-screen first — if you do, you need to click on

‘Participate in this module’ and you will then be directed to the start page. If you have

any problems accessing the module, please contact the Health and Safety Co-ordinator

(Tracy Sisson, tracy.sisson@nottingham.ac.uk Ext 66636).

Securing Your Valuables

It only requires a few seconds for a thief to walk into an office, study area or laboratory

and steal a wallet, laptop, phone or other valuables. Please ensure that you always

keep bags and valuables locked away in your storage areas and do not leave them

unattended for any length of time. Please also ensure that you close windows if you are

the last to leave or lock doors where necessary.

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If you see anyone acting suspiciously, please report this to any member of staff in the

SMRO (A19, Humanities Building) or, out of hours, contact Security on Extension 13013

(0115 95 13013 from a mobile). If you need to report an emergency that requires

ambulance, fire brigade or police presence please call Ext 18888 (0115 95 18888 from a

mobile). If the emergency services are required, please do not call 999 — always call

Ext 18888.

1.17 Travel Off Campus and Risk Assessments

If you are undertaking research or fieldwork away from the University of Nottingham

campus (no matter how near or far), or attending UK or overseas conferences/events,

then you must ensure that the travel is appropriately booked in accordance with the

University of Nottingham Travel and Expenses processes. You must also complete a risk

assessment for all trips. This applies whether the trip is fully funded, self-funded or a

combination of both. The risk assessment forms part of the University’s duty of care in

relation to our students and also ensures that you are appropriately covered by travel

insurance, where appropriate, for your trip.

The Research and Funding Team in the School Management and Research Office (A19,

email: research-funding@nottingham.ac.uk) are responsible for supporting the

booking of student travel. You must ensure that you contact the team before

you make any bookings for rail, flights or accommodation – they can then advise you

on the correct process to follow depending on where you are going and how your trip is

funded.

The following documents are available on the PGT Moodle page in the ‘Health and

Safety and Risk Assessments’ section:

School Process-Off Campus Trips

Risk Assessment Forms

Guidance on Preparing a Risk Assessment

Health and Next of Kin Form

Conduct Form

1.18 Social Media Policy

The Social Media Policy for Students aims to offer guidance and direction on student use

of social media while studying at the University of Nottingham. While social media can

offer many social, academic and professional benefits, there is an inherent risk attached

to its use, and this policy can make individual students aware of the impact that misuse

of social media can have on themselves, their fellow students, members of staff and the

University’s reputation. It advocates the use of social media, but encourages a cautious

and considered approach, while outlining the standards of conduct expected from

students.

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1.19 Ethics

The University of Nottingham requires all of its staff and students who are engaged in

research to maintain the highest standards of integrity in the conduct of that research.

Where research involves the participation of human subjects, their data and/or their

tissue, then the research must undergo ethical review and receive approval before

work can begin. This also applies to the use of digital data including (but not limited

to) social media data, online comments, email correspondence and instant messaging

transcripts. This applies to all research involving human subjects, regardless of the

country in which it is conducted. Methodologies that require ethical approval include (but

are not limited to) the following:

Interviews (in person and via email, Skype or other virtual means)

Focus groups (in person and via email, Skype or other virtual means)

Questionnaires (online and hard copy)

Ethnography/participant observation

Digital data

Psycho-physiological measure (e.g. response times, eye tracking, ERP,

EMG, GSR etc)

Intervention studies (e.g. pre-test, language learning stimuli, posttest)

Personal documents (e.g. letters, memos, diaries, oral history recordings) of

living human subjects that have not been placed in an archive or repository.

Use of data produced by students (e.g. their essays)

Not obtaining ethical approval for research is considered an academic offence under

the University’s Quality Manual.

The Faculty of Arts has a dedicated ethics policy. All researchers in the Faculty should

familiarise themselves with this policy. Full details of the process, and necessary forms

for completion, can be accessed via the PGT Moodle page

Within the School of Humanities, the School Ethics Officer is TBC

1.2 Source of Funding

There is a scheme to which you can apply to support conference attendance and to build

your experience and skills.

If you are successful in applying for this award, please speak to the Research Team in

the SMRO BEFORE you start making travel arrangements. There are insurance

implications if you are travelling on University business (even as a student), and if you do

not follow the University procedures, it could mean that you are not covered by

University insurance whilst on your trip. This could jeopardise your trip and personal

security.

School Small Research Grant

Please note that this grant is not available to M4C funded postgraduate research

students, who are able to access funds from the M4C Student Development Fund. Full

details of the Student Development Fund scheme are available by contacting the M4C

team at pg-funding@nottingham.ac.uk.

This grant allows Humanities research students who do not have other sources of

funding available to them to apply for funds towards research visits or conferences at

which the student will be presenting a paper. Each full-time research student is entitled

to apply for up to £120 per year; part-time students may apply for £120 biennially. In

order to apply for this fund, students must in the first instance consult with their

supervisor, then complete the School Small Research Grant application form and submit

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this to the Research Team in the SMRO at research-funding@nottingham.ac.uk, copying

in their principal supervisor for approval. Full information and an application form are

available on Moodle. Some departments may offer additional funding support to

research students. See Section 8 of the handbook for details.

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2. SUPERVISION AND RESEARCH TRAINING 2.1 Your Personal Tutor

See the department specific section of this handbook for details of who is your personal

tutor. You may consult your personal tutor on any academic or relevant nonacademic

matter. You may also consult the Head of Department.

2.2 Your Responsibilities

It is essential that you should take responsibility for your own progress by planning

and carrying out your work methodically and co-operating fully with your supervisor.

Principal among your responsibilities are to attend supervisions at agreed times; to

submit written work punctually; to comply with the University’s policies on research

ethics and research conduct; and to adhere to the research and training plans that you

will have developed in consultation with your supervisor, to ensure timely completion

of your thesis. For a full statement of your responsibilities see the University’s Quality

Manual.

2.3 Your Place in the Research Community

It is important to your development as a researcher that you acquire research skills and

make contact with others carrying out research in your discipline and cognate areas

through seminars and other research events.

Your most immediate interpersonal research activities will be focused within the

department, but you should also look to network further afield by attending workshops

and conferences. Postgraduate workshops are increasingly popular and many of our

research students have distinguished records of presenting at them. Further details on

the main conferences and workshops within your discipline are outlined in the

department specific section of this handbook.

2.4 Mandatory 60 Credits of Taught Modules

Students must complete 60 credits of taught modules in addition to their thesis. Students

must pass all 60 credits in order to achieve their masters. The mark received for these

modules is not taken into account when classifying a student’s thesis, which is marked on

a Pass Fail basis. More information can be found in the Quality Manual or in your Course

Specs.

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3. SUBMISSION AND EXAMINATION OF YOUR THESIS

The quality of your thesis is the main factor determining a pass or a fail. You should

show your entire draft thesis to your supervisor in good time to allow him/her to read

and discuss it with you and for you to make consequent changes before submitting the

thesis. The Submission date is September 1st, 2020.

You will find information on the University procedures relating to the submission and

examination of your thesis in the Quality Manual.

The Student Services Website provides some useful guidance for Research Students,

particularly in relation to the submission of their thesis. There is also a very useful

Submission Pack, which can be accessed via the Quality Manual or the Student

Services website. The Submission Pack contains comprehensive information on all

aspects of submission, including the required documents and information on thesis

layout, examination, and graduation.

3.1 Extension to Thesis Pending Research students cannot obtain an extension for submission of their thesis or

dissertation beyond the University submission deadline by submitting an extenuating

circumstances form.

Where extenuating circumstances are likely to prevent a student from submitting their

thesis by the submission deadline, students may put in a request for extension to thesis

pending even though they are not entitled to a thesis pending period. Further details of

the policy and process, and the extension to thesis pending request form can be found in

the Quality Manual.

3.2 Late submission MRes students cannot submit later than the University deadline by paying a late

submission fee, as there is no recourse for them to do so. Instead, students must obtain

an extension by completing a request for extension to thesis pending (see 3.1 above).

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4. ATTENDANCE AND MONITORING 4.1 Recording Attendance

The University monitors the attendance of all students on set dates throughout the

year, and staff are required to confirm to Student Services that a minimum number of

interactions between student and supervisor have occurred.

It is extremely important that Supervision Record Forms are completed and that copies

are sent to the UPW PG Team, email: ss-pgr-upw@nottingham.ac.uk (promptly after

each meeting), so that accurate reporting can take place.

Unauthorised absences are reported to Student Administration and recorded as

appropriate. Where there is continued absence without authorisation, Student

Administration will write to the student in order to resolve the situation, which could

result in the student being deemed to have withdrawn from their course. Where

appropriate for Overseas students, the University will also report non-attendance to

appropriate authorities, such as the Home Office.

4.2 Religious Observance

The University of Nottingham and the School of Humanities respect the rights and

religious views of students, and recognise that students may wish to not to attend

University on certain days or at certain times of the year for religious reasons. A

student who is unable, on religious grounds, to attend or partake in specific activities

should discuss the matter with their supervisor at the earliest opportunity, who will

make a note of the request, and liaise with administrative staff to make alternative

arrangements where appropriate.

4.4 Illness or Prolonged Absence

Regardless of the reason, it is important to keep your supervisor (and, if necessary, the

UPW PG Team) informed if you expect to be unable to attend to your studies for any

significant amount of time (more than a few days in a normal working week). Illness

should be reported as soon as possible to your supervisor or the UPW PG Team. Should

unexpected circumstances, such as prolonged illness, occur during your period of study, it

is important that a voluntary interruption of study be applied for, for an agreed period.

Your supervisor will be able to advise you in such a case.

Students who hold funding awards should be aware that interrupting your registration

may affect payment of your funding award and you should seek advice, before taking

any action, either from the Awarding Body direct from the Award Administrators located

at the University or from the PG Team.

International students should be aware that suspending your registration may affect

your visa status; you should seek advice from the Visa and Immigration Team.

17

5. STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT

5.1 Learning Community Forum

Within the School the Postgraduate Learning Community Forum (LCF) is the official

forum through which the collective views of postgraduate students can be made known

to staff, including the advancement and discussion of proposals to promote the

academic and general well-being of postgraduate students in the School and your

particular Department. Departmental LCFs are held once a term, with a combined

School PG Forum occurring once in each semester. Meetings are attended by elected

postgraduate representatives from all departments and by key staff, which includes the

Departmental Directors of Postgraduate Studies. Details of the student representatives,

academic staff members and dates of forthcoming meetings can be found on your

department’s Moodle Community page. Each year, PG students from each Department

elect their new Departmental student representative, and the School postgraduate

community as a whole selects a new School student representative. Invitations to

nominate candidates or to submit a self-nomination for Departmental and School roles

will be circulated by Student Services soon after the start of each academic session. The

student representatives fulfil a vital function in promoting the views and interests of

their peers, and you are strongly encouraged to consider taking on one of these roles in

the course of your period of registered study.

5.2 Disclosure and Confidentiality

The School of Humanities and University of Nottingham welcome disabled students and

aims to ensure, as far as possible, that appropriate support is offered to meet your needs

and that you are not unduly disadvantaged as a result of your disability.

If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty/dyslexia and have not disclosed

this to us, we would encourage you to do so. The sooner that we know of your

requirements, the better we are able to put the appropriate support in place. You can

do this by:

Contacting the relevant University Department, e.g. Student Services

Indicating your disability on the annual registration forms

Contacting an appropriate member of staff, e.g., the Student Support and

Wellbeing Officer for the School (see details below), your supervisor or the

Director of Postgraduate Studies for your Department

The information that you provide will be used to enable us to liaise with those

colleagues who need to know about the support that you require, in order for this to be

arranged to best serve your interests. Your information will not be disclosed for other

purposes without your consent, except where there is a legal obligation to do so or

where exceptional issues of personal safety arise. The information will be processed

and held in the University administration systems and used for the administration of

your academic related support and any other legitimate University purpose. In doing

so, the University will observe at all times the data protection principles embodied in

the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

5.3 Student Support in the School

Student Support and Wellbeing Officers are available at any of the Student Service

Centres on campus, although in the School we also have a dedicated Student Support

and Wellbeing Officer— Laura Miller — whose role it is to offer pastoral support to any

students in difficulty, and to be a central point of contact to help ensure students make

18

contact with the right support services. The key things the Student Support and

Wellbeing Officer can advise on include the following:

Any welfare concerns you may be having;

Any matters which may affect your studies;

How to access support at the University.

You can arrange to see Laura by emailing ss-welfare-upw@nottingham.ac.ukor

through any of the Student Service Centres.

5.4 Personal Difficulties

There are occasions when postgraduate students might experience problems of a

personal nature. If this applies to you at any stage of your studies, you have a range of

options for support.

As a general rule, it is often best to speak in the first instance to your supervisor, who

may be able to direct you to the most appropriate person or Department, but

depending on circumstances you may prefer to approach another member of your

Department (such as the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Studies or the Head of

Department) or the School (such as the School Postgraduate Student Advisor, School

Director of Postgraduate Teaching or the Student Services UPW PG Team).

If problems or difficulties cannot be dealt with internally within the School or your

Department, or referral is needed, there are a number of sources of support elsewhere

in the University, including the Counselling Service and the Mental Health Advisory

Service.

The Accessibility team — Academic Support (AS) (Support for students with Dyslexia

and other Specific learning Difficulties) and Disability Support (DS) — are located in

Cherry Tree Lodge on University Park Campus, and by appointment on our Jubilee and

Sutton Bonington campuses, as well as other teaching sites.

You can contact the Academic Support Team by phone (+44 (0)115 8466115) or by

email (dyslexia-support@nottingham.ac.uk). The Disability Support Team can be

contacted by phone (+44 (0)115 9515992) or email: disability-

support@nottingham.ac.uk. Alternatively both teams can be contacted via a Student

Service Centre.

The University of Nottingham ACCESS Centre (UNAC) provides assessments for students

who have applied for Disabled Students’ Allowances.

The Postgraduate Students’ Network is the representative body for all postgraduate

students at The University of Nottingham. Students can sign up for free membership to

receive news and information on events to your University email. Throughout the year,

the Postgraduate Students’ Network plans events, activities, sports, conferences and

Balls to help make your time at Nottingham as rewarding as possible.

5.5 Academic Difficulties

Academic problems, though fortunately very rare, do also arise from time to time. In

general, as soon as you are aware of a problem or a potential problem you should

discuss it with your supervisor who, if necessary, will keep the Departmental Director of

Postgraduate Studies informed. If you are unable to discuss the matter with your

supervisor then you have the option to either approach the Departmental Director of

Postgraduate Studies directly or arrange a meeting with the School Postgraduate

Student Advisor (TBC). Alternatively, you may contact the School Director of

19

Postgraduate Teaching (zachary.hoskins@nottingham.ac.uk). Academic problems are

treated with the strictest confidence.

The Quality Manual includes detailed procedures for student grievances, complaints and

appeals.

20

6. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

The University states that ‘any improper activity or behaviour by a student which may

give that student, or another student, an unpermitted academic advantage in a

summative assessment is considered to be an act of academic misconduct and

unacceptable in a scholarly community.’ For most research students, the most important

summative assessment they will undertake is their thesis. Examples of academic

misconduct include plagiarism, false authorship, collusion, fabrication or

misrepresentation (including providing false evidence of extenuating circumstances),

failure to disclose previous experience or qualification, and failure to obtain ethical

approval.

It is essential that all students are aware of and have an understanding of the

University’s policy and procedures in respect of academic misconduct. The Quality

Manual contains details of on the University of Nottingham’s Academic Misconduct Policy.

One of the most common examples of academic misconduct is plagiarism. The

University describes plagiarism as representing another person’s work or ideas as one’s

own, for example by failing to follow convention in acknowledging sources, use of

quotation marks etc. This includes the unauthorised use of one student’s work by

another student and the commissioning, purchase and submission of a piece of work, in

part or whole, as the one’s own.’ It is incompatible with your personal academic

development and constitutes a violation of the intellectual property of others and is

subject to disciplinary procedure and may lead to a penalty being imposed.

Consequently, you must take all measures to avoid plagiarism. Passages paraphrased

from books, articles or other sources, including web sources (whether published or

unpublished) MUST be acknowledged by a footnote (at the foot of the page), endnote (at

the end of the chapter or essay), or by a reference incorporated in a sentence. If you

transcribe word for word into an essay or dissertation a passage from a book, article or

other source, electronic or printed, it is essential that you indicate this by the use of

quotation marks around the extract, and that you cite the source. Be especially careful

when taking notes that you later use again in your written work.

Plagiarism often occurs when students are experiencing difficulties in their work. It is not

a solution to those difficulties, however, and will always make them worse. Instead,

discuss your problems with your supervisor or department’s Director of Postgraduate

studies.

The penalties for academic misconduct are severe:

If academic misconduct is suspected, the student will be called to a meeting with the

Head of Department or authorised deputy. If they are satisfied that an academic offence

has been committed, he or she may refer the matter to the University’s Academic

Offences Committee, which may impose more severe penalties. A list of the potential

outcomes of an Academic Misconduct Case can be found in section 7 of the Academic

Misconduct Policy in the Quality Manual.

Students should note that because full guidance on what plagiarism is and how to

avoid it is provided to them, students who state that they have not understood that

their act constituted plagiarism can still be deemed by the School to have committed

plagiarism intentionally.

Students will be required to read an ‘Academic Misconduct Statement’ on the PGT

Moodle page during their first week and confirm that they have read and understood

the statement.

21

7. AFTER YOUR MRES/MASTER’S BY RESEARCH DEGREE

The MRes is an ideal component of preparation for a research career, following the suggested model

of one-year research training MA plus 3-year PhD favoured by the AHRC. There are a range of

career options that you might pursue after the completion of your degree. You should

make a point of speaking to your supervisors about your hopes and intentions at an early

stage, so that they can advise and support you appropriately.

Most academic job vacancies in the UK, and many abroad, are now advertised online at

www.jobs.ac.uk. There are also often subject-specific mailing lists, via which relevant

vacancies are circulated to all members of the list. It can be useful to subscribe to such

lists at an early stage, in order to gain a sense of the job market within your field.

Other students begin postgraduate study already knowing that they intend to pursue a

career outside academia, or decide this during the course of their studies. A

postgraduate course in a Humanities subject can lead to a wide range of career

options; many employers value very highly applicants who have demonstrated the

ability to engage independently in a long-term, in-depth project of this nature.

Naturally your supervisors may be less sure of themselves when it comes to advising in

this area (though in fact many of them have worked outside academia as well), and for

this reason there are a number of resources offered by the University to support

students considering non-academic paths, including the Graduate School and the

Careers and Employability service.

The University Careers and Employability Service will support your career development

whether you intend to continue toward an academic career or are considering career

options outside academia. There are a number of Careers staff who work specifically

with the Faculty of Arts and with postgraduate students, including MRes students.

22

8. THE DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES 8.1 Your Research Master’s Degree – the basics

Full regulations and structure of the course for the Master of Research (MRes) are set

out in the Quality Manual.

Please do take time to read them and to discuss them with your supervisor in order to

tailor your programme of study to precise needs. Students are required to take a total

of 180 credits.

8.1.1 Generic Training Programme

This component requires the satisfactory completion of generic training equivalent to

20 credits. These credits can be accumulated from courses offered from within the

Research Training Programme run by the Graduate School or other units offering ge-

neric training within the University, or from within any other generic training courses

run within individual Schools. The generic courses will be selected in consultation with

the supervisor(s) and should be cognate with the student’s research topic. This

element of the degree will not be assessed but candidates are required to attend at

least 70% of the course(s). The selection of these modules is at the discretion of the

student’s School. Guidance on the appropriateness of the content of modules is

available from the Graduate School.

8.1.2 Dissertation and Assessed Taught Elements The candidate will take at least 20 credits of research training modules, and a further 40 credits from taught modules (i.e. 60 taught credits in total). The remaining credits consist of a dissertation on a subject agreed by you and your supervisor. The dissertation is worth 120 credits and is limited to

25,000 words inclusive of footnotes and bibliography. The dissertation should embody the

result of the candidate’s advanced study and research. The dissertation must be

presented within one year of the start of the course in the case of full-time study or

up to four years in the case of part-time study. The 40 credits of taught modules

must be selected from level 4 level modules (or, exceptionally, level 3) and must be

clearly cognate with the student’s research topic. In this instance the candidate will

be required to take any relevant assessments associated with these modules.

Grading

Postgraduate Masters, Diploma and Certificates will be awarded to students who

achieve a final credit-weighted mark of more than 50%; with merit to students who

achieve a final credit weighted mark of at least 60%; and with Distinction to students

who achieve a final credit-weighted mark of at least 70%. The borderline threshold

for Distinction will be 68%; for merit it will be 59% and for pass it will be 49%.

Department criteria for deciding borderline cases are that students must achieve 120

credits (out of 180) in the upper assessment category in order to earn that degree

class.

The qualification of Postgraduate Certificate in Theology / Religious will be awarded

to a candidate who registers for and completes the course but fails to achieve the

pass criteria for the MRes or MA by Research, provided the candidate has completed

taught modules amounting to 60 credits and has achieved an overall average in

those modules of at least 50%.

Your Supervisors and Supervisions:

Your supervisors are the most important source of support for your research while you

are at Nottingham, so it is vital that you arrange an initial meeting as soon as possible

23

after your arrival:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/researchdegreeprogra

mmes/responsibilities-of-the-supervisor.aspx

The supervisors’ basic responsibility is to guide and assist you in your research. This

includes, among other things: checking that you have received the appropriate initial

information and are settling in; helping you plan your research; providing regular

supervision; requesting written work as appropriate and commenting on it; discussing

and planning your skills training and participation in seminars and conferences; and

advising you on the timing, construction and presentation of your thesis.

Each research student is supervised by a team of at least two supervisors. At least

one member of the supervisory team will be currently engaged in research in the

relevant discipline(s), so as to ensure that the direction and monitoring of the

student’s progress is informed by up to date subject knowledge and research

developments. The other member(s) need not necessarily have relevant discipline

expertise, so long as the breadth of experience and knowledge across the

supervisory team means that the student will always have access to someone with

experience of supporting research student(s) through to successful completion of

their programme.

One supervisor will normally be designated as the “Principal Supervisor”, and will have

primary responsibility in the areas described in the Quality Manual. The second or

support supervisor will also assist in supporting and guiding your research, and wi ll

normally be able to provide complementary expertise (e.g. in a different subject area,

or using a different approach to the subject); (s)he will also be able to provide

continuity when necessary, e.g. in the event of unavoidable absence of the lead

supervisor. Sometimes, especially when a student’s research topic spans two very

different subject areas, the principal supervisor’s role may be divided between two

joint supervisors, one of whom, in appropriate cases, may be from a different

Department or School.

Full-time students receive at least ten supervisions a year, and part-time students

receive at least six. The exact date of these is to be determined between yourselves

and your supervisor. A written record will be made of each supervision meeting.

Copies of this record will be kept by you and your supervisors, and another copy must

be submitted to the School Research & Management Office and placed in your School

file within two weeks of the supervision meeting. Do consult your supervisors about all

matters relating to your research progress, and do let him or her know straight-away

of any difficulties that you encounter.

It is essential that you should take responsibility for your own progress by planning and

carrying out your work methodically and co-operating fully with your supervisors.

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/researchdegreeprogram

mes/responsibilities-of-the-student.aspx

Questions:

If you have any queries about research degrees at the University of Nottingham,

there’s a very handy guide on the Student Services website:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/currentstudents/examinations/rese

archstudent/index-research.aspx

Your taught modules may include lectures, group discussions, practical sessions and

presentations. You are also expected to attend the weekly Department research

seminars and any associated Master Classes which run in both the Autumn and Spring

semesters.

24

Training points: we highly recommend that you undertake external training and

development. These can be in courses offered by the Graduate School that are open

to Masters (by Research) students and by Central Short Courses.

Students should assess their own training needs and consult their Supervisors and

Special Topics Convenors to construct their training programme.

The Departmental Seminar: this takes place on Wednesday afternoons and meets

about 6 times over the course of the year. All the academics of department try to

attend and priority in questioning our visiting scholars is given to Postgraduate

students. It is highly recommended that you participate even on those occasions when

the topic seems far from your own so that you can see the range of methods and

discourses that take place under the heading of theology and religious studies. You

will receive notice of seminars through your university email.

8.2 Broaden your horizons

Beyond the requirements of your course, there are further opportunities for you to

broaden your experience.

Postgraduate Student Society: The Postgraduate Students’ Network is the

representative body for all postgraduate students at The University of Nottingham.

Students can sign up for free membership to receive news and information on events

to your University email. Throughout the year, the Postgraduate Students’ Network

plans events, activities, sports, conferences and Balls to help make your time at

Nottingham as rewarding as possible.

The Graduate School: The Graduate School offers a variety of opportunities for

students, including information about funding and research training. Find out more

here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/index.aspx

25

8.3 Attendance

University attendance policy (Taught Component)

Students must attend all teaching activities necessary for the pursuit of their studies,

undertake all associated assessments and attend meetings and other activities as

required by their School or the University. Where students face difficulty in attending

sessions or undertaking assessments and examinations, it is their responsibility to

inform their School of this fact and to provide a satisfactory explanation. Please see the

Quality Manual further details on attendance regulations at the University.

It is the responsibility of students to ensure they attend lectures and seminars and

that they make the department aware of any extenuating circumstances they may

have.

University attendance policy (Research Component)

The University monitors the attendance of all students, and staff are required to

confirm to Student Administration, on set dates throughout the year, that a minimum

number of interactions between student and supervisor have occurred.

It is extremely important that Supervision Record Forms are completed and that

copies are sent to the UPW Student Service Centre (promptly after each meeting), so

that accurate reporting can take place. Thesis pending students who have an active

Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) certificate are included in the monitoring

census. For students who are located elsewhere during their thesis pending period,

the completion of Supervision Record Forms may not be practical. However,

supervision should continue by whatever means is most suitable and all

correspondence should be retained should it be required later on. In such instances,

the administration staff will liaise with supervisors to check that the student has

continued to engage with their studies.

Unauthorised absences are reported to Student Services and recorded as appropriate.

Where there is continued absence without authorisation, Student Services will write

to the student in order to resolve the situation, which could result in the student

being deemed to have withdrawn from their course. Where appropriate, the

University will also report non-attendance to appropriate authorities, such as the UK

Border Agency.

8.4 And Finally We hope you enjoy your time with us at Nottingham, and if there is anything that

concerns you, please do talk to us!

Professor Thomas O’Loughlin

Director of Postgraduate Studies

Room C32, Humanitiesbuilding

thomas.oloughlin@nottingham.ac.uk

Tel: 0115 95 15672

31

APPENDIX 1: Marking criteria for essays and similar assessments (Masters) The criteria are indicative, and may be supplemented by more detailed criteria in

individual Schools. Discipline-specific tasks may require different criteria, but will follow

the same categorical marking.

The criteria below indicate the threshold which should be crossed if an essay is to be placed in that degree class, though a single piece of work may of course contain elements of mixed quality. The descriptors (poor, excellent, etc) are applied as appropriate to postgraduate level.

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Distinction

(upper range)

100

98

95

92

90

88

85

Superb structure,

maintained

throughout, that

helps to highlight

salient points

Precise, focused

argument

Innovative and

original thought

Exemplary answer

to the question

Outstanding

knowledge and

understanding of

the relevant

material

Well-formed in

response to

existing debates,

with outstanding

criticism of others’

arguments

Exemplary

integration of wide

reading, as

appropriate

Sure handling of

analytical terms

and critical

concepts

Exemplary analysis

of evidence/

examples

Lucid style and

accurate English

at an outstanding

professional

standard

Outstanding

professional

presentation,

including

referencing and

bibliography as

appropriate

At MA level, an answer in this range is likely to contain elements

of publishable quality (depending on the discipline, topic and

task).

31

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Distinction

88

85

82

80

78

75

72

70

Excellent structure

Clear, coherent

argument

Independence of

thought and/or

evidence of

originality,

especially at the

upper range

Comprehensive

and effective

answer to the

question

Excellent, wide-

ranging

knowledge and

understanding

Well-digested and

extensive reading

(as appropriate

for the task)

Sure handling of

analytical terms

and critical

concepts

Accurate analysis

and effective

criticism of others’

arguments

Excellent

discussion of

evidence/

examples

Clear writing and

accurate English

style

Professional

presentation,

including

referencing and

bibliography as

appropriate

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Merit

68

65

62

60

Good to very good

structure

Sound argument,

generally well-

directed to the

question

Some

independence in

thought and

approach

Thorough answer

to the question,

covering most or

all aspects

Good to very good

knowledge and

understanding

Wide reading (as

appropriate),

generally well-

digested

Appropriate

handling of

analytical terms

and critical

concepts

Critical awareness

and satisfactory

analysis of

different points of

view

Good to very good

discussion of

evidence/

examples

Generally clear

writing and

acceptable

English style

Good to very good

presentation,

including

referencing and

bibliography as

appropriate

31

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Pass

58

55

52

50

Generally

coherent

structure

Adequate and

generally relevant

argument

Some signs of

independence in

thought and

approach, but

often derivative of

existing

scholarship

Adequate to good

answer to the

question, covering

the main aspects

Adequate to good

knowledge and

understanding

Fair amount of

reading

Some awareness

of different points

of view, maybe

with some

deficiencies in

analysis and

characterization

Serious attempt to

make appropriate

use of analytical

terms and critical

concepts, maybe

with some

deficiencies

Some discussion of

evidence/

examples

Generally

coherent

structure

Some deficiencies

in clarity and

English style, but

generally

adequate to good

Moderate

presentation,

including

referencing and

bibliography as

appropriate

Typical weaknesses in this class include over-reliance on one or

two authorities; some irrelevance; some incoherence in

argument and/or structure.

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Fail at MA Level

48

45

42

40

Adequate to weak

structure; there

may be some

irrelevance

Some ability to

interpret

questions and to

convey

information

adequately, but

weak argument

Little evidence of

independence in

thought and

approach

Some aspects of

the question

addressed

adequately, but

failure to address

important aspects

of it

Limited

knowledge, with

serious errors

and/or omissions

Limited to

adequate reading

Limited discussion

of evidence/

examples

Moderate level of

fluency and

technical

competence, with

errors in

grammar and/or

vocabulary

Poor presentation,

with poor or

perhaps

incomplete

referencing and

bibliography

31

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Soft Fail quality

38

35

32

30

Little or no

discernible

structure

Little or no

discernible

argument

Could scarcely be

considered a

serious attempt at

the task

Failure to address

the question

adequately

Typically brief

and/or incomplete

Failure to address

the question

adequately

Little evidence of

knowledge and/or

understanding

Little or no

evidence of

relevant reading

Some

demonstrable

ability to

communicate

information about

relevant material

Widespread

incoherence

and/or irrelevance

Minimal

acceptable level

of fluency and

technical

competence;

comprehensible

overall even if

characterized by

errors in grammar

and/or vocabulary

Poor or very poor

presentation, with

poor, incomplete

or no referencing

and bibliography

Structure and

Argument

Knowledge and

Understanding

Writing and

Presentation

Hard Fail

28

25

22

20

18

15

12

10

8

5

2

0

Extensive

incoherence

and/or irrelevance

Could not be

considered a

serious attempt at

the task

whatsoever

Typically very

brief and/or

incomplete

Failure to show

understanding of

the question

Failure to show

evidence of any

knowledge and/or

understanding

Failure to show

evidence of

relevant reading

Little ability to

communicate

information about

relevant material

An unacceptable

level of fluency

and technical

competence,

characterized by

serious errors in

grammar and/or

vocabulary

Very poor

presentation, with

poor, incomplete

or no appropriate

referencing and

bibliography

31

APPENDIX 2: How to submit coursework via Moodle Electronic submission for Humanities modules is done using Turnitin, which can be

accessed via Moodle. Failure to submit your work to Turnitin via Moodle may be treated

as non-submission so make sure that you have self-enrolled on Moodle for all the

modules you are taking this semester. You can collect instructions on how to self-enrol

for modules at and Student Services Centre.

Once your coursework is ready for submission, save it somewhere you can easily

access it, for example, your desktop. Do not include your name in the submission title.

You may wish to save your coursework as a PDF, particularly if you have track changes

enabled. Avoid any non-standard formats such as Open Office as Moodle may not

support them.

Log in to Moodle – recommended browsers for best Moodle functionality are

Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Find the correct module on your home screen. Go to

the Turnitin submission icon. Click ‘Submit Paper’ which will bring up the submit

paper window. You can now fill in your submission title, upload or drag and drop

your essay and confirm that the submission is your own work.

Click ‘Add Submission’

A window will pop up confirming your submission with a digital receipt and a Turnitin

submission ID.

The system by default will only allow one submission and Turnitin records the time and

date of that submission. Late submission penalties may apply if work is not submitted

promptly so it advisable to upload electronic copies of any assessment well in advance

of deadlines.

31

APPENDIX 3: Glossary of Terms The University of Nottingham has introduced a new student records system across its campuses in the UK, Malaysia and China. Students will access the new system through a web portal called MyNottingham. MyNottingham has some new terminology that you will need to understand and become familiar with. The guide below has been developed to help prepare you for this change.

MyNottingham Language

Current Language

Definition Examples

Academic Plan Course or Programme of Study

An approved plan of study that provides a coherent learning experience and

leads to a qualification.

BSc Nursing – Adult; Chemical Engineering MEng; Music and

Philosophy BA; Brewing Science MSc; Law with French and French Law BA.

Accommodation Reasonable adjustment

Learning adjustments for a student’s particular circumstances (not a reference to living accommodation).

Alternative examination arrangements.

Advisee Tutee/ Student

A student receiving advice from a tutor, supervisor or advisor.

N/A.

Career No direct equivalent

Qualification level. Undergraduate, Postgraduate.

Class No direct equivalent

An umbrella term for specific units of teaching.

Lectures, seminars or labs.

Course Module A self-contained, formally-structured unit of study, with a coherent and explicit

set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

Applied Ethics, Advanced Financial Economics, Biochemistry of Disease,

Public Health and Epidemiology.

eDocs No direct equivalent

Electronic document repository for documents that are uploaded and attached to a student

record

Evidence in support of an extenuating circumstances claim etc.

Financial Aid No direct equivalent

An umbrella term for any scholarships, stipends or

other funding awards given to students.

Core bursaries, Aspire scholarships, industry

scholarships etc.

Session No direct equivalent

A specific teaching period, usually one semester but other defined teaching periods may exist.

Autumn Semester, Spring Term etc.

Term Academic

Year

A defined period of time,

refers to the academic year, which runs from September to August.

September 2017 to August

2018.