School of History and Anthropology
Undergraduate Handbook
Modern History Pathway
2011-12
History Office
School of History and Anthropology
15 University Square
Queen’s University Belfast
Belfast
BT7 1NN
Northern Ireland
Tel: 028 90 97 5101/3423 (international code +44 28)
Fax: 028 90 97 3440
(international code +44 28)
This publication is also available in alternative formats on request,
including large print, Braille, tape, audio CD and Daisy CD. For further
information, please contact the University’s Publications and Website
Unit on +44 (0)28 9097 5332.
Whilst all reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure that the
information contained in this handbook is correct and up-to-date, the
University CANNOT accept responsibility for any errors or omissions
therein.
1
Table of Contents
1
Preface
Welcome from Head of School .................................................................4
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Contacting the School ............................................................................5
History office .............................................................................................5
Key Administrative Staff ............................................................................5
Communication between us and you ........................................................5
Keep your personal details up to date……………………………………….. 6
History web site ........................................................................................6
3
Teaching staff in Modern History ………………………………………… .6
4
Dates of University semesters ...............................................................7
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
Learning, teaching and assessment ......................................................8
Teaching methods ....................................................................................8
Level 1 ......................................................................................9
Levels 2 and 3...........................................................................9
Module guides and course outlines ...........................................................9
Assessment of modules ............................................................................9
Feedback.................................................................................................. 10
Student evaluation of teaching ................................................................11
Student attendance .................................................................................11
Submission of undergraduate assessed work .........................................12
Student absences and illness/ medical evidence ....................................14
Resit examinations ................................................................................ 14
Student complaints .................................................................................15
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
6.10
6.11
6.12
Study and writing guide .......................................................................16
University IT facilities ..............................................................................17
Queen’s Online ......................................................................................17
Libraries and electronic resources ..........................................................17
Required books for modules ...................................................................20
Effective reading and note taking ............................................................20
Taking notes from lectures ......................................................................21
Making the most of tutorials ....................................................................22
Oral presentations...................................................................................22
Hints for effective essay writing ...............................................................23
Documentation ........................................................................................25
Presentation of essay............................................................................... 26
Plagiarism ............................................................................................. .26
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
Student representation and support ...................................................27
Staff-Student Consultative Committee…………………………………..... 27
Queen’s Historical Society……………………………………………….….28
Common Room
28
Support for Students at Queen’s…………………………………………....29
Starting University………………………………………………………….....29
2
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.9
7.10
7.11
7.12
7.12
7.13
7.14
7.16
7.17
7.18
7.19
7.20
7.21
7.22
7.23
Personal Tutor…………………………………………………………..….....29
Personal Development Planning / Student Plus
30
University Support………………………………………………………....…30
Accommodation……………………………………………………………….30
Chaplaincy……………………………………………………………………. 31
Counselling ……………………………………………………………........ 31
Disability ……………………………………………………………………..31
Finance……………………………………………………………………..….32
Health Centre……………………………………………………………....…32
Learning Development Service …………………………………….…… .33
Queen’s Sport (Physical Education Centre) ……………………………..33
Study Support ………………………………………………………………...33
Student Guidance Centre……………………………………….………… 34
Students’ Union……………………………………………………………….34
Part-time work whilst you study on a full-time degree………………..….. 34
International Student Support (non-NI)…………………………………… 35
Info for International students (non EU/EEA/CH)……………………… .36
Don’t drop out – drop in! ....................................................................... 37
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
Careers information and guidance ......................................................37
Careers, Employability and Skills ...........................................................38
Employability skills and initiatives ............................................................38
Access to recruiters of students and graduates.......................................39
Work Placement Centre and Student Jobshop........................................39
References and testimonials ...................................................................39
9
9.1
9.2
Guide for references and bibliography............................................... 41
Bibliography ..........................................................................................41
References (endnotes and footnotes)...................................................... 42
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Sample Tutorial Assessment Form .........................................46
Sample Oral Presentation Assessment Form ..........................47
Criteria for grading assessed essays ......................................48
Assessment and degree classification scheme .......................50
Student complaints procedure.................................................52
3
1 Preface
Welcome from Professor Peter Gray, Head of the School
of History and Anthropology
History at Queen’s takes two things very seriously: the study of the past, and the
welfare of the students for which we are responsible. Whether you come to us as a
single subject, major, joint or minor student, our aim is to help you to get as much
as possible out of your years at university, and to introduce you to the varied
possibilities that make History such an engrossing subject.
As a student in the School you have the opportunity to work with specialist
historians, whose areas of expertise range from the ancient world to the twentieth
century, taking in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. The 2008 Research
Assessment Exercise confirmed the School’s reputation as an internationally
leading research centre in History, and the 2011 QS World University Rankings
place History at QUB among the world’s top 100 departments.
.
At the same time as it offers excellence in research, the School is committed to
teaching of the highest quality. To achieve this we offer a combination of courses:
broadly based surveys to provide a foundation for interpretation and understanding,
specialised options, where you will work in small groups exploring the most detailed
and up-to-date literature on particular problems and dissertations and projects
where you will discuss your individual research with a staff supervisor. Methods of
assessment likewise vary. There are examinations, of course, but you will also
submit assessed essays and longer pieces of independent work. A growing
number of modules also assess participation in group work. In all cases our aim is
to ensure that every student gets full credit for whatever he or she brings to their
work within the School.
History provides a range of material on its website to support students with the dayto-day queries they may have and to keep you up-to-date with the ongoing seminar
programmes and conferences which students are encouraged to attend. However if
you have any questions or difficulties, your first point of contact is the History Office
where our friendly and efficient staff will either solve your difficulty or help you make
contact quickly with any member of staff to whom you need to talk.
This is what we try to provide. Other parts of your student experience are up to you.
There is an active Historical Society, run by students, which organises talks, social
events and field trips. There is also a Staff-Student Consultative Committee, which
meets regularly to discuss issues of concern to students. Here, as in the University
as a whole, the opportunity is there for every student to make his or her own
contribution during their time with us.
As a student you will be given huge amounts of official paper, often hard to find
your way through. This Handbook is intended to bring together in one convenient
place the information we think you need to understand, what we expect from you,
and what you can expect from us. We hope that you find it useful, and wish you
every success during your time with us.
4
2 Contacting the School
2.1 History office
All inquiries should be made in the first instance to the History Office located at 15
University Square, on the ground floor. The office is between 9.30 a.m. and 1.00
p.m. and 2.00 p.m to 4.30 p.m, Monday to Friday. The office is closed during
holidays and officially recognised university breaks.
Tel. 028 90 97 3423 or 5101
Fax 028 90 97 3440
E-mail: history@qub.ac.uk
Website www.qub.ac.uk/history
2.2
Key administrative staff (see www.qub.ac.uk/history for further
details)
Head of School
Prof Peter Gray
p.h.gray@qub.ac.uk
School Manager
Ms Frances Mercer
f.mercer@qub.ac.uk
Director of Education
Prof Mary O’Dowd
m.dowd@qub.ac.uk
Associate Director of
Education
History Pathway coordinator
Examination Officer for
Year 1
Examination Officer for
Level 2 –Semester One
Dr Graham McFarlane
g.mcfarlane@qub.ac.uk
Prof Catherine Clinton
catherineclinton@mac.com
Dr Andrew Holmes
a.holmes@qub.ac.uk
Dr. Todd Weir
t.weir@qub.ac.uk
Semester Two
Dr Sinéad O’Sullivan
s.osullivan@qub.ac.uk
Examination Officer for
Level 3 –Semester One
Dr James Davis
james.davis@qub.ac.uk
Semester Two
Dr. Scott Dixon
s.dixon@qub.ac.uk
Disability officer
Prof Brian Campbell
brian.campbell@qub.ac.uk
School Secretary
Catherine Boone
c.boone@qub.ac.uk
Senior Clerical Officer
Tricia Lock
history@qub.ac.uk
Clerical Officer
Siobhán McCartan
st.mcartan@qub.ac.uk
Clerical Officer
Jade McComb
history@qub.ac.uk
5
2.3
Communication between us and you
E-MAIL. Besides any personal e-mail addresses you may have, and may
choose to use in Queen’s, the university itself opens an e-mail account for
all students. CHECK THIS REGULARLY: it is the normal channel by which
the academic and administrative staff will communicate with you on an
individual basis. When e-mailing the History Office, please supply your
full name, student number, year of study and degree pathway. This
will enable us to deal with your query as quickly as possible.
2.4
Keep your personal details up to date
You are responsible for keeping your personal details such as address(es) and
telephone number(s) up to date. Use the facility on Queens-On-Line (qol) for this.
https://learn.qol.qub.ac.uk/home/
2.5 History Web Site
The History web site is located at http://www.qub.ac.uk/history and provides a
range of information for prospective and current students. The site includes an
introduction to undergraduate and postgraduate study at Queen’s, summaries of
staff research interests and recent publications, lists of current modules and
regularly updated listings of forthcoming lectures and other special events taking
place in the School. History also maintains a Facebook page (‘History at Queens
University Belfast’) hosting discussion about history activities in and beyond the
university.
3 Teaching Staff in Modern History
Listed below are names and contact information for full-time teaching staff in
Modern History. Individual staff will usually post student consultation times on the
noticeboards outside their door or list them in the module handout. Contact details
for staff and teaching assistants/university tutors can be found at:
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/History/Staff/ together with a detailed survey of staff
research and teaching interests.
Professor Catherine Clinton
catherineclinton@mac.com
ext. 5124
Dr Marie Coleman (leave until 5/2012)
m.coleman@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3255
Prof Sean Connolly
s.connolly@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3850
Dr Paul Corthorn (leave until 9/2012)
p.corthorn@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3896
Dr James Davis (on leave Sem II)
james.davis@qub.ac.uk
ext. 5037
Dr. Scott Dixon (on leave Sem I)
s.dixon@qub.ac.uk
ext.3253
Professor Marie Therese Flanagan
mt.flanagan@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3438
Prof Peter Gray
p.h.gray@qub.ac.uk
ext. 5101
Prof David Hayton
d.hayton@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3428
6
Dr Andrew Holmes
a.holmes@qub.ac.uk
ext. 1297
Prof Keith Jeffery
k.Jeffery@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3426
Dr Brian Kelly (leave until 9/2012)
b.kelly@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3435
Professor Colin Kidd
c.kidd@qub.ac.uk
ext 5101
Dr Daniel Kowalsky (leave Sem I)
d.kowalsky@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3436
Dr Chris Marsh
c.marsh@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3849
Dr Fearghal McGarry
f.mcgarry@qub.ac.uk
ext. 5277
Dr Eric Morier-Genoud (on leave Sem II)
e.morier-genoud@qub.ac.uk ext. 3881
Dr Sean O’Connell
s.oconnell@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3417
Professor Mary O’Dowd
m.odowd@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3427
Dr Sinead O’Sullivan
s.osullivan@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3425
Dr. Olwen Purdue
o.purdue@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3985
Dr Anthony Stanonis
a.stanonis@qub.ac.uk
ext. 5030
Dr. James Ward
j.ward@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3862
Dr Todd Weir (on leave Sem II)
t.weir@qub.ac.uk
ext. 3312
4 Dates of University Semesters 2011-2012
Autumn Semester
Weeks 1 – 12
Teaching
3 weeks
Christmas vacation
Weeks 13 - 15
Assessment
Inter-Semester Break
Spring Semester
Weeks 1 - 9
Teaching
3 weeks
Easter vacation
Weeks 10 - 12
Teaching
Revision Period
Weeks 13 - 15
Assessment
Monday 26 September –
Friday 16 December
2011
Monday 19 December
2011 – Friday 6 January
2012
Monday 9 January Tuesday 24 January
2012
Wednesday 25 January
– Friday 27 January
2012
Monday 30 January –
Friday 30 March 2012
Monday 2 April –
Friday 20 April 2012
Monday 23 April –
Friday 11 May 2012
Monday 14 May –
Wednesday 16 May
2012
Thursday 17 May –
7
Graduation
Saturday 2 June 2012
week beginning 2 July
2012 (provisional)
RAG Day: 23 March 2012
Holidays and Key dates when University closure applies:
Christmas/New Year: Friday 23 December 2011 - Tuesday 3 January 2012
(inclusive)
St Patrick's Day: Monday 19 March
Easter: Friday 6 April - Friday 13 April (inclusive)
May Day: Monday 7 May
July Holidays: Thursday 12 and Friday 13 July
Christmas/ New Year: Friday 21 December 2012 - Tuesday 1 January 2013
(inclusive)
5 Learning, Teaching and Assessment
History at Queen’s has a strong reputation for both research and teaching. The
2008 Research Assessment Exercise confirmed our reputation as an internationally
leading research centre in History. On the basis of 100% return of History staff at
Queen’s, the research profile produced by the panel graded 60% of our research
activity as world-leading or internationally excellent and 95% as internationally
recognised. This result puts History at Queen’s in the top 20 university departments
in the UK in terms of research power. History has been rated in the top 100 in the
2011 QS World University Rankings.
The School recently won a Climate Week Challenge, and the Cycling Award
Challenge for 2011, making it one of the most ‘green’ (environmentally aware &
active) schools within the university. Students are encouraged to participate in
these activities, and can consult our Environmental Champion, Patricia Lock in UQ
15, G01.
With a collective expertise spanning fourteen centuries, the School is particularly
strong in Irish and British history, but includes staff who are research-active in
broader European history and who specialise in the history of Africa, Asia, and the
Americas. In addition, members of staff bring to the School a variety of
perspectives on the past: some focus on political or economic and social history
while others specialise in religious or military history, labour history, or the history of
women or immigrants. In short, whatever your particular area of interest, there are
highly-qualified, professional historians within the School who can help you pursue
a fulfilling course of study.
5.1 Teaching Methods
Although teaching staff make use of a wide range of teaching techniques and
differing personal styles, their common objective is to offer you stimulating modules
which make use of the best resources available to deepen your knowledge of
8
particular aspects of the past and challenge you to think critically about the
problems that arise in assigned materials.
Level 1
Your first year of study is structured both to introduce you to very general ideas
about how historians undertake the study of the past and to allow you to specialise
in a specific area that you might want to pursue at Levels 2 and 3. The modules
also focus on particular skills that will enable you to make the best use of your
study time. The modules in the first semester will include exam and essay writing
workshops and practice exams. In the second semester, the module will help you
to develop a number of vital skills for progression to Level 2 including careful
analysis of an individual historian’s work and reflection on the process of tutorials.
Levels 2 and 3
The Survey and Option Modules you will enrol in at Level 2 form an intermediary
step—more concentrated and intensive than the introductory course you studied in
your first year, but not so narrowly focused as the more advanced modules you will
study in Year Three. Here you will be expected to demonstrate your ability to work
in different historical periods and across geographical boundaries. At Level 3, you
will work more extensively with historiography and the interpretation of primary
sources, and will be expected to undertake a certain amount of independent work.
The progressive course of study is thus designed to produce skilled, literate history
graduates who are both broadly trained and capable of intensive, focused work.
5.2 Module Guides and Outlines
For semester-long modules, you will usually receive a module guide during the first
week of the semester. The module handout should provide you with the basic
information you will need for a particular module, including the tutor’s name(s),
office location, e-mail address, and telephone extension; the times at which
lectures, seminars, and tutorials are held; an outline of the topics that will be
covered during the semester; a summary of the module content, intended learning
outcomes, and method of assessment; and a list of suggested or assigned
readings. In most cases this material will be made available on the web as well, via
Queen’s Online.
5.3 Assessment of Modules
Level 1
The level 1 modules are assessed in a number of ways including essay writing,
written exam, contribution to class and engagement in group work. The form of
assessment for each module will be outlined in the module handout.
Levels 2 and 3
Methods of Assessment at Levels 2 and 3 vary considerably. The most common
method is an assessed essay combined with a two-hour examination, in which
normally two questions have to be answered. A number of modules make use of
other forms of assessment, such as oral presentations (by individuals or in groups),
tutorial contribution. Specimens of the forms used for assessing tutorial
participation are included in the Appendix to this Handbook.
9
Single honours History students have to take the Dissertation module, which is a
double weighted course. For students taking History as their Major honours
subject, the dissertation is optional. The dissertation is undertaken in the second
semester of their third year of study. Those taking this module will have the
opportunity to carry out a significant piece of individual research and to submit an
extended piece of historical writing.
Students frequently ask why methods of assessment vary in this way. There are
two main reasons. The first is that each method of assessment has its own
strengths and limitations, so that tutors naturally differ in their judgements about
which is most suited to the modules they teach. The second is that different types
of module require different types of testing: the form of assessment best suited to a
survey course, where candidates are expected to develop an overview of a whole
period, may not suit a more specialised option, where the aim is to get to grips with
a more limited range of issues. However, the aim in every case is to find the best
means of enabling students to do themselves justice. Each module handout will
contain a statement of the aims and intended learning outcomes of the
module, of what students are expected to achieve, and of how they will be
assessed. It should also provide information on the type of feedback that you
can expect on your written and oral work for the module.
The annual review of modules carried out by the School’s Education Committee
includes an examination of the pattern of marks awarded, in order to ensure that
assessment, whatever the method used, is fair to all concerned. Copies of
Module Review Documents are available on request from the History Office,
15 University Square, and can be consulted before you select your modules.
5.4 Feedback
The School is committed to providing students with detailed and helpful feedback
which will assist them in enhancing and improving their work in the future. The
feedback that you receive will take several different forms:
1. Throughout the semester, your tutor will give you oral feedback on your
class contributions and presentations. This may be done at an individual as
well as at a group level.
2. Written feedback will be provided on assigned written work prepared
for tutorials and on non-assessed essays. Staff will aim to do this as
quickly as possible. Unless the tutor indicates otherwise, you should
receive feedback on assigned work within two weeks after you submit it.
3. Tutors and convenors will provide advice on essay writing and
bibliography for particular essay titles. This is usually done at an
individual meeting with the tutor or during essay writing tutorials or
workshops. You may request a consultation with your tutor if none has been
scheduled.
4. Students are entitled to receive written feedback on assessed essays. If
the essays are due by week 10 of the semester, then you should receive
feedback on it by week 12. If the essay deadline is at the end of the
teaching period, then feedback will be available after the examination
process is completed when the written comments of the examiners can
be collected from the History Office or from individual tutors.
10
5. Essay and examination comments will also be made available for download
via the 'Assignments' section in Queen's Online..
6. At the end of the examination period, you will be contacted by email by the
module convenor outlining a time and date when he or she will be available
to discuss the feedback on exam scripts and assessed essays. In order to
get the most out of these meetings, it is essential that you read in advance
the written comments of the examiners on your exam scripts and assessed
essays.
7. All full-time staff also have office hours when they are available to meet
individually with students. If you have any concerns about your work or how
to improve it, you should take advantage of these times to consult with the
module convenor or tutor. Office hours are usually listed on the door of the
member of staff’s office. If your tutor is a part-time member of staff, you can
email him or her to arrange a time to discuss your work.
Take advantage of all opportunities for feedback. It will help you improve
your work and develop your skills at writing essays and making oral
presentations.
5.5 Student Evaluation of Teaching
Some time during the last several weeks of the semester, you will be asked to
complete teaching evaluation questionnaires used by the School to monitor our
effectiveness in teaching. Where appropriate, you will be asked to evaluate the
lectures, tutorials, and the overall coherence of the module in which you are
enrolled. These surveys are completely anonymous, and are generally completed
on-line. Please take your time in filling out these forms, and try to provide thoughtful
feedback on your impressions. Your evaluations are one of the important means by
which tutors can take stock of their effectiveness in the classroom, and can often
provide valuable suggestions for improving modules. Tutors may also carry out less
formal student comment exercises earlier in the semester.
5.6 Student Attendance
Most modules are organized in such a way that lectures and tutorials complement
one another: absence from lectures can make it difficult to take full part in tutorial
discussion, while lectures themselves can seem incomprehensible if you’ve missed
out on the detailed discussion that tutorials encourage. It is therefore in your best
interest to attend both on a regular basis, and to arrive punctually and fully
prepared. Unwarranted absence from tutorials, in particular, places an unfair
burden on your classmates, who are forced to carry a discussion for which all
should be responsible. But most of all, it will affect you yourself. You may find it
difficult to keep pace with the class schedule once you have fallen behind. For
modules where part of the final degree classification is based on tutorial
participation, absence from tutorials can have a considerable impact on the marks
for the semester.
11
5.7
Regulations for the Submission of Assessed Work
Students must submit one electronic copy (via Queen’s Online) and one hard copy
of all written assessments, which must be accompanied by an ‘Assessed Work
Coversheet’. Coversheets must be completed prior to visiting the History
Office to submit your work. In order for your assessed work to proceed to marking,
both copies must be submitted by the specified deadline.
The electronic copy and paper copy submissions must be identical.
5.7.1 Procedures for Submitting Assessed Work to the History Office
1. Download the coversheet from the ‘Current Students’ section of the History
website at:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofHistoryandAnthropology/CurrentStud
ents/Undergraduate/HistoryAssessmentEssayGuidelinesandFeedback/Cour
seSubmissionDocuments/
2. For ease of use, complete all sections of the coversheet online.
3. Print off one copy and staple to the top left hand corner of your essay.
4. This coversheet will be stamped and dated by a member of the History
General Office staff. Work will not be accepted for assessment without
this form.
5. You will also be required to sign a submission list.
5.7.2 Procedures for Submitting Assessed Work Online
1. You can submit electronic essays by uploading via the Assignments
section of your module on Queen's Online. This is also where feedback will
be made available.
2. A coversheet is not required for the online submission.
PLEASE NOTE:
All assessed coursework is anonymously marked. Therefore students must ensure
that their name does not appear on any part of their essay, except for the
coversheet.
5.7.3 Penalty for Exceeding the Word Limits of Assessed Essays
Word counts are required to be posted on all cover sheets. This
count should include all endnotes or footnotes,
BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The length of tutorial essays will be stipulated by individual tutors. Details of length
will be provided in the module handout or in a separate guide by the module
convenor.
12
Limits have been determined as follows:




Essays worth 20% are 1,500-2,500 words
Essays worth 30% are 2,500-3,500 words
Essays worth 40% are 3,500-4,500 words
Essays worth 50% are 4,500 to 5,500 words
The prescribed penalty of 5 marks will be subtracted from the final mark for the first
1-500 words above the maximum word limit. For each additional unit of 500 words
over the stated word limit, a student may receive an additional five mark penalty.
5.7.4 Penalty for Late Submission of Assessed Work
Coursework must be submitted electronically and to the office by 12.00 noon
on the dates specified in the module handbooks for each course.
Coursework submitted after 12:00 will be marked ‘LATE’.
The School is required by the University regulations to enforce strict submission
deadlines for assessed work. All assignments must be handed in to the School
Office AND SUBMITTED ONLINE no later than 12 noon on the due date. If either
copy is late a penalty may be imposed.
Presentations sent by e-mail, e-mail attachment, or fax will not be accepted.
Students presenting their work late will have 5 marks deducted for each working
day thereafter [12 noon on each working not including weekends or Bank
holidays], up to a maximum of five working days, at which point a mark of
zero will be recorded.
Exemption from penalties for late submission
The deadline represents the latest date on which a piece of work may be submitted
without penalty. It is your responsibility to manage your time so that you can be
sure of doing so. This includes leaving a margin of error for contingencies such as
computer failures and transport difficulties on the day of submission.
Late work may be accepted without penalty where there is clear evidence of
exceptional extenuating circumstances. The university guidelines on extenuating
circumstances are available on the ‘Current Students’ section of the History
website at:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofHistoryandAnthropology/CurrentStudents/Un
dergraduate/HistoryAssessmentEssayGuidelinesandFeedback/CourseSubmission
Documents/
If such circumstances arise in your case, do NOT approach the module tutor or
convenor for an extension. Once announced, deadlines cannot be varied. (The
only exception is where students are registered with Disability Services and there
has been a specific request for flexibility with deadlines. Where this applies,
students must consult with their tutors in advance in order to make suitable
adjustments to deadlines). Instead there are two courses of action:
13
(a)
If the work can be submitted within five working days of the deadline,
complete a formal application for exemption of penalties (also available on the
‘Current Students’ section of the History website - see web address above).
Please note that this form must be submitted to the School Office within three
working days of the deadline, and must be accompanied or followed by medical
certificates or other written evidence. All applications will be reviewed by the
relevant Examinations Officer and a decision taken at the examination board.
Students will be notified of the outcome by letter.
(b)
If the work cannot be submitted within five working days, write to the
relevant Examinations Officer with a statement of the extenuating circumstances,
enclosing medical certificates or other evidence. The Examinations Board will then
decide whether the work can be submitted without penalty in time for the next
examination board, and/or a suitable revised deadline.
5.8 Student Absences and Illness
Whenever possible, you should notify the School Office or the tutor in advance if
you expect to be absent or late for seminars or tutorials.
Medical certificates
Medical documentation for any illness that prevents you from attending is to be
handed into the History Office as soon as possible.
You are reminded that documentary evidence of any medical or other extenuating
circumstances that may affect your examination performance must be submitted
to the History General Office at 15 University Square within three days of the
relevant examination.
Any application for remission of penalties for the late submission of coursework
because of medical or other extenuating circumstances must be made within three
days of the first deadline for submission, on the appropriate form - available at
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofHistoryandAnthropology/CurrentStudentsHis
tory/UndergraduateHistory/AssessmentandFeedback/CourseSubmissionDocument
s/
5.9
Resit examinations
Students who fail modules (F) or are absent without providing evidence of medical
or other extenuating circumstances (Abs) are expected to resit those modules.
Students returned as AbsM (absent due to medical or other extentuating
circumstances) or RF (referred) have the opportunity to complete outstanding
elements of a module where these were originally missed due to extenuating
circumstances. All students returned as F, Abs, AbsM or RF will have the
opportunity to register for the August resits via QSIS registration wizard.
Level 1 Resits
Level 1 students who fail modules or are absent should register for resit
14
examinations that are held in late August, which students normally need to pass in
order to progress to Level 2. Their mark will then be calculated on the basis of
100% examination and capped at 40. Students may not submit another essay for
assessment and their participation mark will not be taken into account. A student
who, for reasons of illness, which must be substantiated by a medical certificate, or
other accepted extenuating circumstances does not sit the examination, may take
the supplementary examination in late August. Then the overall mark will be
calculated so as to include the original assessed essay mark and tutorial
participation. Students who fail 'History and Historians' (HIS1001) will also have to
take a supplementary examination in late August (two questions from a choice of
eight). No coursework can be resubmitted for HIS1001.
Level 2 & 3 Resits when capped at 40
Resits for modules (assessed by examination and coursework) at Levels 2 and 3,
require the following to be completed:
• In all cases the student must resit the examination component in August.
• If any assessed element was originally passed (eg. coursework, tutorial
participation), the mark will be carried forward and will be included in the
resit mark (at the original proportion).
• No coursework can be resubmitted for the resit. The resit examination will
constitute the remaining proportion of the resit mark that is not covered by
previous passed elements. If all previous elements were failed, the resit will
be by examination only (for 100% of the resit mark).
Level 2 & 3 Resits when Not Capped
The mark will not be ‘capped’ if a student has been absent from an examination for
medical reasons and provided documentary evidence (AbsM), or if, in exceptional
circumstances, a student has been allowed by the School Student Progress
Committee to resit without restriction (the relevant tutors will be informed regarding
these exceptional cases). In these circumstances, in addition to taking the resit
examination, coursework and tutorial participation marks will be carried forward.
Only if coursework was failed (or not submitted) due to accepted extenuating
circumstances will the student be allowed to repeat it (see the rules regarding late
submission above). Similarly, tutorial participation marks will take into account any
accepted extenuating circumstances, supported by documentary evidence.
Any correspondence on this subject should be directed to the appropriate
Examinations Officers.
It is the student’s responsibility to inform the School in good time that they
do not intend to take a resit examination and to ensure that they are
registered for that examination. For students who are required to resubmit
coursework a deadline will be set for the penultimate Monday in August.
5.10
Student Complaints
Minor issues that arise can usually be sorted out between a student and the
relevant tutor, and issues of concern to the student body as a whole (library
provision, safety concerns in the School, exam-related issues, etc.) can be taken
15
up with the Staff-Student Consultative Committee. Occasionally, however, serious
issues may arise that require immediate attention. Queen’s is committed to
maintaining an environment of equality, tolerance and mutual respect for all its staff
and students.
Where a dispute has arisen between a member of staff and a student, or a student
against another student, either party can approach a University Mediator, details
about
which
can
be
found
on
the
University’s
website
at
www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/AcademicAffairs/DisputeReso
lutionPolicy/Filetoupload,229631,en.doc
Where a member of staff in a School becomes aware of a dispute, or is
approached by an individual about a dispute that may lead to the instigation of
either the Student Complaints Procedure or the Conduct Regulations (where the
complaint is against another student) the School, in consultation with the Director of
Academic and Student Affairs should consider whether the Dispute Resolution
Process may be used. Where this is considered appropriate, contact should be
made with a University Mediator to discuss whether mediation may be possible.
However, the final decision on whether an individual wishes to take part in
mediation remains their right, as does the right to withdraw from the process at any
time.
The University encourages an informal means to resolve problems, but also
maintains formal student complaints procedure.
A mediation procedure for students is outlined in the complaints procedure in
APPENDIX 5.
The Student Complaints Procedure (outlined in Appendix 5 of this Handbook) is
based upon the following principles: 1) complaints by a student against a member
of academic staff should be made in writing to the Head of School, or in the case of
a complaint against the Head of School, to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences; 2) all written complaints shall be treated seriously
and fairly, and the identity of those concerned shall be confidential; 3) students who
are dissatisfied with the outcome of the procedure have the right to refer their
complaints to the Vice-Chancellor.
6 Study and Writing Guide
Making Study your Priority
This brief guide is intended as a practical resource for students in the School, but is
not intended to take the place of more detailed instructions you might receive from
individual tutors. It is virtually impossible to excel in the study of history without
devoting a good deal of your time to critical reading of assigned materials and
developing your ability to communicate orally and on paper. The sooner you
develop a study routine that fits your particular situation, the more likely you will
perform to the best of your ability.
Teaching staff are aware that most students today may have part-time paid
employment, and that many are attempting to balance their commitment to
16
scholarship with family obligations or other important demands on their time. None
of this means, however, that you cannot excel at Queen’s. What it does mean is
that you need to pay careful attention to developing a study routine and sticking to
it; you need to have a realistic approach to managing your time so that, whatever
the demands outside the university, your studies remain your priority.
6.1 University IT Facilities
The University funds centrally managed Student Computer Centres (SCCs) on
different sites around the campus. Details of location and times of opening can be
found on the Website of Information Services at:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/InformationServices/StudentComputing/
6.2 Queen’s Online
Queen’s Online (QOL) is the University intranet for students and staff. It is a very
important facility which allows you to access the services and resources you need
to assist you during your time at the University. Queen’s Online is a secure system
- password protected and available only to students officially registered on a
particular course/module. All students have access to Queen’s Online by using
their University username and password supplied at registration. If you have
forgotten your University e-mail, username or password, you should contact the
Student Records office to have these re-issued. There is a small charge for this
service.
You can log on to Queen’s Online at https://login.qol.qub.ac.uk/home/
6.3 Libraries and Electronic Resources
Reading for yourself constitutes the most important part of the learning process at a
university. The stunning new Queen’s Library in College Park is one of the most
modern university libraries in the world. Its facilities include a large collection of
books relating to history and the humanities and a special collection of mainly Irish
related material, all on the first floor. There is also a Short Loan Collection on the
ground floor which has multiple copies of books in high demand. The library also
has computer and printing facilities which students can access with their student
number and password. There are excellent guides to the library facilities on its
website:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/InformationServices/TheLibrary/GuidesPoliciesa
ndRegulations/GuidestoLibraryServices/
The full library catalogue is available online at http://qu-lms.qub.ac.uk/search~S3
Probably more than any other undergraduates in the university, students of history
need to develop a thorough knowledge of what resources are available to them in
the campus library. Take some time early in the academic year to familiarise
yourself with the cataloguing and the shelving systems. Know where to find the
reference materials that you will require, and orient yourself sufficiently so that you
have a rough idea of where books on particular topics in history are located even
before you go to the catalogue. Browse the current periodicals’ shelves on the
17
first floor of the library, identify one or two journals that specialise in topics of
interest to you, and make it a point to check them regularly for reviews and articles
related to your course of study.
Electronic journals and e-books
Queen’s subscribes to an increasing number of historical journals in electronic
format, and is acquiring digitised versions of an expanding number of books. The eversions are identical to the print versions, allowing many students to access a
work at the same time. Off-campus access is available through an authentication
process similar to that required for accessing QOL. An A-Z list of electronic journals
to which Queen’s subscribes is available at
http://metalib.qub.ac.uk:3210/sfxlcl3/azlist/default
A list of e-books is at
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/InformationServices/TheLibrary/OnlineResources
/E-Books/
Browsing around the Queen’s e-journal and e-book subscriptions, like browsing in
the library, will probably be much less productive than reading the materials
suggested by your lecturer. The works you find may have been undermined by
other research. However if you are researching a specific interest and have no
reading list, the internet can be a good way to locate materials.
Google Scholar (scholar.google.com ) will search across many different academic
databases, but Queen’s may not subscribe to an item you wish to view; if you
cannot access it online, note down the details and consult the paper version in the
library.
Online sources
The ‘information age’ has transformed the modern library and the historian’s
working practices. Increasingly, materials that would be accessible only if one had
considerable time and money at their disposal are being made available through
the Internet. Every student of history should attempt to become proficient at making
use of the vast resources now available on the web, and at being able to
distinguish between reliable and second-rate sources.
The web now has a large volume of digitised primary sources. Use these with
caution. Only use online sources from large transcription projects housed by major
universities or research academies. Watch out for transcription errors, note which
edition has been transcribed, and be sure that you can obtain a page reference
(printed works) or the document reference (manuscripts). Where feasible, you
should check against the paper version and reference that instead. Only give the
online reference (using the citation system below) if consultation of the paper
version is impossible.
Queen’s holds subscriptions to a number of online source projects. These can be
searched through the interface at metalib.qub.ac.uk/.
Image and multimedia portals
Images found online may be interesting, but beware of using them as evidence;
they are easy to take out of context and can be readily misinterpreted. However
18
images of the individuals and places you are studying can enhance presentations.
Image search engines like Google Images may lead you to useful pictures. Some
major galleries and archives have digitised images. Beware of the misleading
labels and descriptions attached to online images, particularly when the images are
hosted by non-academic organisations including Wikimedia Commons.
For twentieth-century history, you may find video online of key speeches and
important moments, though beware that most of the historical multimedia material
online consists of excerpts from poor-quality documentaries. If you are prepared to
wade through a lot of rubbish for the occasional gem of contemporary footage,
check Google Video – and you may find something like this:
http://tinyurl.com/2d6zvo .
Maps
You should always ensure you are familiar with the locations of places you are
studying. For detailed information you will need an offline atlas, preferably the
Times Atlas series. You may find online maps such as Google Maps, Google
Earth and MSN Maps to be useful in locating major places.
Biographical databases
The Library subscribes to a number of scholarly online biographical databases,
including the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, and the Dictionary of Irish
Biography; both are available via metalib.qub.ac.uk/.
Other websites
The internet provides access to some essential tools for your studies but it can also
offer you misleading or low-quality information. Most of the most reliable and most
useful online resources are subscription-based materials that you can access
through the Queen’s Library catalogue using your student number and password.
Other reliable sites are those generated by universities which in the UK normally
end with the address ‘ac.uk’ (as in www.qub.ac.uk) or in north America with ‘edu’
(as in www.harvard.edu)
Consulting public access websites may seem like an easy option, because they are
readily available and written in accessible language, but in fact these are harder to
use productively than scholarly materials. Web-published materials generally do
not have to meet academic publishing standards. It can be difficult to establish their
reliability, and their content can often be limited and superficial. They should
usually be used for background information only
When you are looking at something on the web, the first questions to ask yourself
are, ‘Who put it there?’ and ‘Why?’ If someone put something on the web for free,
you need to judge the reliability of the information. If the domain name is unfamiliar,
look at the home page to find out whether you’re on the website of a political
extremist group, an amateur historian, or the Singapore Cat Welfare Society.
Wikipedia
An online user-edited compendium (wikipedia.org), has some of the same
strengths and weaknesses as asking a group of strangers in the pub. You may
learn some surprising things, but some of those things maybe complete rubbish. It
can be useful when you come across unfamiliar names and want some basic
information, but relying on arguments you find there is likely to earn you poor
19
grades. Close reproduction of Wikipedia is likely to lead to an outright fail for
plagiarism.
DO NOT take notes from Wikipedia, quote it or footnote it UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES. Wikipedia is not a properly vetted source or an
encyclopaedia.
DO NOT cut and paste, or paraphrase, from Wikipedia. Not only is this
plagiarism, but it is plagiarism of something which is likely to be wrong. Your
examiners will notice.
DO NOT regard anything you read in Wikipedia as correct unless you see it
substantiated in a published academic source.
DO:
Exercise scepticism
Use Wikipedia briskly for an introduction to unfamiliar names and events.
Remember that there are many ways for information to be unhelpful. Even when
Wikipedia is ‘right’, it’s often only partly right; or it is factually correct but misses the
point. Sometimes, it’s plain wrong.
6.4 REQUIRED BOOKS FOR MODULES
The books listed on module handouts will be available in the Main Library. There
will normally be additional multiple copies of essentials works in the Short Loan
Collection. There are limits, however, to the Library’s ability to meet the needs of
the entire student body and you should therefore purchase some books for
yourself, normally at least one book per module.
Waterstones (Fountain Street) and No Alibis Bookshop (83 Botanic Avenue) may
stock copies of the books recommended for student purchase on module handouts.
No Alibis also welcomes any special order service.
6.5 Effective Reading and Note Taking
The study of history necessarily involves a substantial amount of reading of a
variety of different materials. In a single module—sometimes over the course of a
single week—you are likely to be expected to read and assimilate both primary
sources (original documents such as letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, census
or court records, etc.) and secondary materials (articles, monographs, i.e. an
academic book devoted to a particular topic, chapters in textbooks) that interpret
these original sources to craft an argument or a narrative about a particular series
of events. Occasionally, you may also be asked to incorporate images or audio
recordings into your study of the past. Whichever of these methods you may use in
a particular module, it is essential that you develop an effective routine for reading
and assimilating the material you will be asked to draw upon over the course of a
semester.
As you read, have your specific assignment in mind. Know what you’re looking for,
and think about your assignment as you read (critically and selectively). It is a very
good idea to read swiftly through the text first, without making any notes. If you
take your notes when you re-read the text, you will find that you have a clearer idea
20
of what you need to write down. Always try to engage with the material, rather than
simply transcribing it. As you proceed, note your own queries and responses. In
this way, you make the notes your own, and you render them more memorable to
you. At the end of your notes, write a line or two to yourself on what seems to be
the main point of the article or book, and its main relevance to you.
Your notes should be full enough to be useful, but concise enough to be
manageable when you need to draw on them. Concentrate on what is most
directly relevant to your main purpose (but don’t just ignore the rest!). Your main
purpose is to ensure that you will not have to return to the text itself when you write
your essay or revise for your examination. So:




Take full notes of the examples and quotations that you think will prove
useful.
Always use quotation marks when you are transcribing direct quotations
(this is especially important in avoiding the danger of plagiarism).
Take down all the relevant page numbers for later referencing.
Give yourself enough to go on, but not so much that you’ll find your notes
daunting when you need to use them.
6.6 Taking Notes from Lectures
Note-taking in lectures is a very different exercise. When reading a book, you can
look over a sentence or paragraph again and again if you wish; when listening to a
lecture, however, the speaker’s sentence, once uttered, is gone, living on only in
your memory. Moreover, when you try to write it down, the lecturer is probably
articulating his or her next thought. Taking useful notes from a lecture is therefore
one of the most critical skills required of university students.
Decide what you want from the lecture. Is it of central importance for an essay or
other assignment? Is it so interesting to you that you feel compelled to strain your
fingers in order to get as much as possible down on paper? Or will it be adequate
for you to note only the main points and key examples?
As far as possible, try to engage with the material rather than simply receiving it. If
you can do this, you will make it your own, and render it more memorable. Of
course, it isn’t always easy to follow this advice when you are under pressure to
‘get it down’. A good alternative is therefore to read through your notes carefully
shortly after the lecture. You can then use this activity in order to engage more
personally with the ideas and evidence that the lecturer provided. It is also useful
to talk the lecture over with a fellow listener. Do you agree in your responses?
Think critically about the way in which the lecturer puts his/her material across.
What works, and what does not? Use these thoughts when you come to make
presentations of your own in tutorial.
Many lecturers will make available on QOL copies of their powerpoint presentations
and some may even post a list of the main points of the lecture. Some will do this
before the lecture but others prefer to do it after the lecture when it can act as a
21
useful recap and reminder of the main points. Consulting these posted
documents is no substitute for lecture attendance.
6.7 Making the Most of Tutorials
In addition to helping you develop your historical skills, learning with others in a
tutorial group helps develop interpersonal skills. Provided that you take the trouble
to get to know fellow members of your group and your tutor it can also be one of
the most enjoyable learning experiences at Queen’s. Fellow tutorial members can
facilitate the informal exchange of information, books, and reference material.
Members can also meet informally at times convenient to themselves. Fellow
tutorial students can also provide support should you experience difficulties and fall
behind. Many students go through a rough patch at some time, and even the most
diligent students can fall behind, overwhelmed by work or family pressures or for
reasons beyond their control and at its best the group setting of the tutorials can
offer important support.
Tutorial work typically involves three key elements:
1. preparation: using the materials provided in the module handout,
supplemented by additional reading (it is anticipated that preparation
should take approximately three hours per tutorial).
2. participation: actively and constructively sharing your thoughts and views
with others during the tutorial discussion.
3. interaction: listening to what others say and responding constructively to it,
i.e. being willing to learn from one another.
Remember, attendance at tutorials is an integral element of the module. The
more you put into your tutorial work, the more you will get out of it and the more
you will enjoy the course.
6.8 Oral Presentations
The chief purpose of seminar and tutorial presentations is to help students develop
oral communication skills. When giving a presentation, neither you nor your
audience will be much enlightened by a mass of information and long quotations.
The best presentations pose questions and discuss alternative ways of answering
them rather than impose solutions. A presentation should be clearly and audibly
delivered, using handouts, an overhead projector, or PowerPoint to focus attention
on the key concepts and issues. Individual tutors will provide advice on the length
of presentations. You should talk rather than read, making eye contact with your
audience. Valuable guidelines on oral communication may be found on the QUB
‘Key Skills’ website at. http://www.qub.ac.uk/keyskills
Those listening to presentations should come prepared to ask questions. The
object is not to “trip up” the speaker, but to help. If something in the presentation is
not clear, say so. Simple questions such as ‘I was interested in what you said about
x. Could you say a bit more about the y aspect of it, please?’ can be illuminating for
all concerned. Better still: ‘What you said about x is similar to what I read about y…
What do you think explains this similarity?’ Or: ‘What you said about x contrasts
with what I read about y… What do you think explains the differences?’ A question
22
which challenges a generalisation is: ‘Can the case of y be fitted into your general
explanation of x’s account?’ Responses to such questions should be rational rather
than emotional. The object is not to win points aggressively but to enhance
understanding. However, you should not accept criticism passively.
Your attendance alone won’t guarantee you any marks for tutorial participation.
Those who say nothing will be graded as a 0. Assessment of tutorial work takes
account of your readiness to prepare, talk, listen, and respond. A copy of the
standard assessment form appears in Appendix 1 of this Handbook.
6.9 Hints For Effective Essay Writing
Essays form an integral part of your history programme and your success in all
history modules will depend on your ability to express yourself effectively in writing.
To do this, precise thinking and careful organisation are essential. This means that
attention must be given not only to content, but also to presentation, notably
spelling, grammar and style. There is useful information on good essay writing
practice on the QUB Key Skills website at: http://www.qub.ac.uk/keyskills
See also the advice and courses provided at:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/learning/
Before You Start To Write
Make sure you understand the essay title before starting to collect material. If you
are uncertain, consult either your tutor or classmates. Think carefully about the
question before you even start your reading. Underline key words, and add your
own initial comments. Get it into your head. What is it getting at? Then, when you
read, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for.
Reading
First read one of the recommended textbooks to get an overview. Then turn to
more specialised works, taking the module reading lists and other bibliographies as
starting points. However, researching an essay does not simply mean hunting for
books and reading them. It means exploiting them with definite questions in mind.
This requires you to be selective and to develop the ability to absorb key chapters
or sections of a book.
Note taking
Essays should not be written from open books, but from notes made while reading.
There are various methods of note taking: small cards or pieces of paper with one
point to each card is one method. Continuous notes on a sheet of A4 as you read
is another. But whatever your preferred method, always take notes that are full
enough to provide you with the evidence you need, but concise and selective
enough to be manageable for the purposes of reference and revision.
Planning
Having read as much of your prescribed reading as possible, organise your
thoughts. Identify the important factors as they occur to you, continuously defining
and refining your perception of the topic so that you develop a coherent thesis.
Look again at the question after you’ve taken your notes. Has your understanding
of it changed as a result of all that reading? You now need to begin planning: allow
the question itself to suggest a broad overall essay structure to you. Then
23
construct an essay plan outlining your thesis in a logical manner. Is your plan
strong, systematic and interesting? If not, you may need to adjust it. Can you
summarise your main line of argument in a few sentences (a good test of a clear
mind)?
Writing the Essay
The essay should have three (unequal) parts: an introduction, main text, and
conclusion.
Introduction
The essay should begin with an introductory paragraph that sets out the problem
that the essay is to discuss, or the question that it is going to try to answer. In
addition, make sure the introduction is clear, indicating the historical and (where
appropriate) historiographical context of the question.
Main text
This should explain in a logical way the reasons why you hold your particular
thesis. Each paragraph devoted to one particular point should have an obvious link
to the question, and developing sentences that expand on the idea with which you
opened the paragraph, and supporting sentences that reinforce your view,
including your factual/historiographical evidence.
Conclusion
A final paragraph should summarise and unify your arguments. It should remind
the reader of the validity of your argument and why your particular interpretation is
accepted.
Language and writing style
Good academic writing is precise. Your essay will be marked on the basis of your
interpretation/argument, including its coherence, balance, relevance and originality,
your depth of knowledge and use of detail, and (except in the case of students with
dyslexia) your presentation—language, fluency, clarity, grammar and spelling, and
bibliography (including method of citation). Try to use words that express your
intention exactly, keeping your language clear and to the point. Try to avoid
generalisations such as ‘the people’ or ‘society’ unless you are certain that they are
appropriate.
Revision
If time permits, put your essay away and read it again the next day. Ask yourself if
you have effectively answered the question. Is your argument clear and logical? Be
sure to proof-read for spelling and punctuation. It might be helpful to show the
essay to a friend or family member who knows nothing about the subject to indicate
what s/he does not understand and therefore requires clarification.
Length
Word counts are required to be posted on all cover sheets. This
count is meant to include all endnotes or footnotes,
BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The length of tutorial essays will be stipulated by individual tutors. Details of length
will be provided in the module handout or in a separate guide by the module
convenor.
24
Limits have been determined as follows:




Essays worth 20% are 1,500-2,500 words
Essays worth 30% are 2,500-3,500 words
Essays worth 40% are 3,500-4,500 words
Essays worth 50% are 4,500 to 5,500 words
The prescribed penalty of 5 marks will be subtracted from the final mark for the first
1-500 words above the maximum word limit. For each additional unit of 500 words
over the stated word limit, a student may receive an additional five marks penalty.
6.10 Documentation
Many of the ideas presented in your essay will derive from other sources—from
class readings or other materials you have found in the library, on the Internet, etc.
It is necessary that the sources for these ideas be acknowledged. All quoted
material should be acknowledged as outlined below in the section on
references. Quotations from sources can be effective if they are short, highly
relevant, and when they do not interrupt the flow of the argument you are trying to
make; long block quotations strung together by a few of your own sentences do not
make an effective essay. In general, quoted material should be used sparingly,
since it is best to train yourself to write what you think in your own words. All quoted
material must be inside quotation marks, otherwise you are committing the offence
of Plagiarism (see 6.11 below), for which you will be penalised.
Endnotes and Footnotes
Notes may be placed either at the bottom of the page, or at the end of the essay.
Follow the School’s Guide for Bibliography and References in Section 9 of
this Handbook.
Bibliography
All works consulted should be indicated in the bibliography, including electronic
sources. Follow the School’s Guide for Bibliography and References in
Section 9 of this Handbook.
6.11 Presentation
Paper submissions should be:
1. word processed
2. employ double or 1.5 line spacing in the main text (single spacing for
footnotes)
3. be presented in 12 point Times New Roman (footnotes 10 point TNR)
4. have continuous pages numbers throughout
5. have footnotes numbered sequentially throughout (i.e. not starting at 1
on each new page)
25
6. have footnotes and bibliography laid out in accordance with the
department’s guidelines, Follow the School’s Guide for Bibliography
and References in Section 9 of this Handbook.
7. have justified, i.e. flushed, right-hand margins in the main text, the
footnotes, and the bibliography
IN THE CASE OF PAPER COPIES, THE SCHOOL ENCOURAGES DOUBLESIDED PRINTING, to conserve paper
Electronic Copies should be presented:
• As above
• Normally, electronic copies should be submitted in Word or Word-compatible
format. You may be asked to resubmit an electronic copy if it cannot be
properly downloaded by the School.
6.12 Plagiarism
Plagiarism can be described broadly as copying the work of another and
passing it off as one’s own. You are deemed guilty of plagiarism if you submit
written work for assessment that has been copied either directly or with only minor
changes of working from books, articles, the Internet, or another student’s work
without acknowledgement and reference. This is both unethical and equivalent to
cheating at examinations and illegal under copyright laws. Plagiarism also reveals
an unwillingness to think for oneself, being therefore diametrically opposed to the
spirit of university studies. Direct copying from a book, an article, or a site on the
Internet without adequate acknowledgement and references will therefore be
penalised. All quoted material must be inserted in quotation marks and properly
referenced (a footnote reference alone is not sufficient when a sentence is
substantially the same as written in the original source, book, article, website, etc).
See also our advice on using internet sources in Section 6.3.
Submitted written work must be the result of your own efforts. The Assessed
Coursework/Essay work form requires you to sign a declaration declaring that the
work is your own.
Plagiarism is viewed as a serious breach of the University’s examination
regulations. The University’s General Regulations define plagiarism as ‘passages
from other works (or a paraphrase of such) incorporated without acknowledgement
and with the intention of it being taken to be the candidate’s own work’ (see
University Calendar, Book I, General Regulations) and stipulates strict penalties for
violations.
Plagiarism is defined as follows: to present as new and original an idea or product
derived from an existing source. This existing source may be the work of others
submitted without appropriate acknowledgement, or the writer’s own previously
submitted work. This includes auto-plagiarism (to use excerpts from your own
previous work without appropriate acknowledgement) and self-plagiarism (to
26
submit a piece of work more than once, eg one which has been previously
submitted for a different assignment).
It is an academic offence for students to plagiarise. Resources about referencing
and essay writing, as well as workshops and one-to-one support are available from
the Learning Development Service.
The School is committed to upholding the highest standards of scholarship and will
not tolerate violations of this fundamental rule.
7. Student Representation and Support
The University takes the view that all aspects of student life offer opportunities for
learning and development. Schools work closely with student support services and
the Students’ Union to support your personal development planning, providing a
range of academic and personal support services and developmental opportunities
during your time at Queen’s. Support and development opportunities for students
are offered through your academic School, as well as centrally in the Student
Guidance Centre, International and Postgraduate Student Centre and the Students’
Union.
If you are not sure where to go when you have a question about any element of
University life, ask one of the Information Assistants in the Student Guidance
Centre or International and Postgraduate Student Centre.
Don’t drop out – drop in!
We want you to do well during your time at Queen’s and all these services are here
to help you. Staff and Sabbatical Officers have a long and successful history of
supporting students in a range of situations, so do not hesitate to ask for help.
Every year we come across students who wish they had asked for help sooner, so
take their advice and come and speak to one of the support services. And if you
are not sure which service to go to, come to the Student Guidance Centre and
speak to one of our friendly Information Assistants who will be able to point you in
the right direction.
7.1 Staff-Student Consultative Committee
The Staff-Student Consultative Committee (SSCC) consists of students from each
year in the school and members of the teaching staff. The committee meets at least
three times a year to discuss issues which affect students in the department such
as degree pathways, modules, examinations, library and resource facilities and any
other area of concern. The SSCC is an important point of contact for students, and
representatives of the committee are available at any time during the academic
year. Membership of SSCCs can be found in the ‘Current Students’ section of the
School website:
27
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofHistoryandAnthropology/CurrentStudents/StaffStu
dentConsultativeCommittees/
Minutes of previous meetings will be made available in a Shared student resources
site in QOL. Log in at: https://vle.qol.qub.ac.uk/sites/SHIS
7.2 Queen’s Historical Society
The Historical Society aims to provide a friendly and informal context in which
students with an interest in History from throughout the University can get together,
meet new people and share their knowledge and interests. Membership is not
restricted to those who study history.
The Society organises a wide range of events and activities every year: from
'historical' pub crawls and quizzes to coffee mornings and charity fund raising
events. In addition to annual events such as the Christmas Party, History Formal,
and Final Fling, the Society co-ordinates academic exchanges with other
universities, organises field trips and guest speakers, and sponsors prizes for
academic achievement. It is affiliated to the Irish History Students’ Association,
and sends delegates to the Association’s annual conference in February. Make
the most of your experience as a student by getting to know new people ... and
joining the Queen’s Historical Society!
The Society has a Facebook site at: http://facebook.com/qubhistsoc
7.3 Common Room
The School Common Room is 13UQ G.01, and all students are welcome to use its
facilities. The room can be booked for Student meetings via the History office. Staff
will be available to talk to students informally in the Common Room (13UQ G01) at
lunchtimes every Wednesday in term time.
7.4 Support for Students at Queen’s
The School works closely with both the Student Guidance Centre and the Students’
Union to provide a full set of support services during your time at Queen’s.
Services located in the SGC include:








Careers, Employability and Skills
Centre for Educational Development
Counselling Service
Disability Services
Income and Student Finance
Learning Development Service
Science Shop
Student Services and Systems (Student Records and Examinations, Qsis)
The Centre holds information and resources for a range of services both on- and
off-campus.
28
Not sure who to ask? Information Assistants on the first floor will help you with all
your queries about the University, from getting a new student card, to where to
submit a form, or taking advantage of specialist advice from one of the services.
The Centre also offers a comfy seating area, internet access, coffee, newspapers
to read and laptops that you can borrow for use within the Centre.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
T: +44 (0)28 9097 2727
E: sgc@qub.ac.uk
http://www.qub.ac.uk/sgc
The University takes the view that all aspects of student life offer opportunities for
learning and development. This is reflected in the range of services to both support
you and help you develop your skills as you study.
7.5 Starting University
Moving to higher education is an exciting time and a new phase in your life. Whilst
you may have been looking forward to it for some time, don’t be surprised if you
find it overwhelming at times – it’s normal to feel this way. For those of you who
have recently left compulsory education, studying for a degree is very different. You
have much more freedom to decide what you want to learn, and you will be asked
to consider and debate about the content of your course. You will be expected to
be more self-directed in how you approach your studies. Unlike school, your
lecturers and tutors will guide you but will not direct you as much as your teachers
may have done in the past.
This will be quite a change for you, which is why we offer you the services of
academic advisers and personal tutors, so you can discuss this transition and
receive guidance on how best to approach any difficulties you may be having.
Personal Development Planning is a very helpful tool as you identify what study
and skills related changes you need to make to be even more effective as an
undergraduate. Our experience shows that students who use personal
development planning do better academically than those who choose not to. Don’t
forget Personal Development Planning is not just about helping you study, but will
also help you develop skills for all aspects of your life at Queen’s and beyond.
More information on PDP can be found at:
www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/CentreforEducationalDevelop
ment/CurriculumDevelopment/StudentProgressFilesPDP/PDPInformationforQueen
sStudents/
7.6 Personal Tutor
Each Level 1 undergraduate student is assigned a personal tutor whose role it is to
be a point of contact for advice and guidance in your School. We strongly advise
you to speak to your tutor if you have any concerns relating to your time at
Queen’s, particularly if you think it will affect your progression.
29
Personal tutors will listen, advise and, where appropriate, refer you to a central
University or Students’ Union service for specialised assistance. There will be
scheduled meetings with your personal tutor throughout the year but if you need to
speak to yours outside of these scheduled meetings, feel free to approach them for
an appointment.
You will receive a handbook for the Personal Tutor programme.
7.7 Personal Development Planning / Degree Plus
Personal Development Planning is a tool to help you plan your own development,
take control of your learning needs and reflect on what you need to do to improve
your academic experience. Our research suggests that students who use the PDP
toolkit are better equipped to study that those who do not. Have a look at the
material on the Careers Service Website or talk to your Adviser of Studies or
Personal Tutor.
More info at:
www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/CentreforEducationalDevelop
ment/CurriculumDevelopment/StudentProgressFilesPDP/PDPInformationforQueen
sStudents/
You will also be able to engage with Degree Plus - a programme that allows you to
use a range of extra curricular activities, such as volunteering or engagement with
clubs and societies, to build your skills portfolio as you learn.
More info at: http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/degreeplus/
7.8 University Support
The University takes the view that all aspects of student life offer opportunities for
learning and development. This is reflected in the range of services we offer to both
support you and to help you develop your skills as you study.
Specialist support services are offered both through the University’s Student
Guidance Centre and the Students’ Union. The Student Guidance Centre and the
Students’ Union work closely together to provide comprehensive services. The
Students’ Union is located on University Road, opposite the Lanyon Building. The
Student Guidance Centre is also on University Road, above the Ulster Bank and
Post Office.
What follows is a brief summary of support that is available and how to access
them. If you are not sure which service is most appropriate, call the Student
Guidance Centre on 028 9097 2727 and one of the Information Assistants will point
you in the right direction.
7.9 Accommodation
The University has a range of accommodations for students based mainly at the
Elms Village which is a 15 minute walk from the main campus. If you would like to
30
be considered for a place in University accommodation, need assistance in
searching for private accommodation or if you are a resident and have any queries
please contact:
Accommodation Office Elms Village
78 Malone Road
Tel: 028 9097 4403
Email: accommodation@qub.ac.uk
If you are living in the private sector and need advice on tenancy issues or any
other matter related to your accommodation contact:
Brian Slevin
Education & Welfare Adviser
Student Advice Centre
2nd Floor, Students’ Union
University Road
Tel: 028 9097 1135 / 028 9097 3106 Email: b.slevin@qub.ac.uk
7.10 Chaplaincy
The University Chaplaincy is available to support students regardless of their own
personal convictions. The Chaplaincy website is the best source of information
however the four main chaplaincy centres and points of contact are:
Roman Catholic
Presbyterian
Church of Ireland
Methodist
28 Elmwood Avenue
49A Derryvolgie Avenue
20 Elmwood Avenue
24 Elmwood Avenue
Rev Gary Toman
Rev Steve Stockman
Rev Patrick McGlinchey
Mrs Gail Mercer
7.11 Counselling
Whilst we hope your time at Queen’s is trouble-free, there may be times when you
find things difficult for a range of reasons. If that is the case then please speak to
the Counselling Service. Staff are friendly, approachable and experienced in
dealing with issues that University students have to cope with. Don’t leave things
until the problem escalates; speak to them at the earliest opportunity. Counselling
is free and confidential to any student of the University.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 028 9097 2727
Email: counsellor@qub.ac.uk
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/StudentGuidanceCentre
/CounsellingService/
7.12 Disability
31
The Disability Service assists students with disabilities in arranging study related
support. This includes specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. If you have a
disability or have become disabled since studying at Queen’s staff are happy to
help you get the support that you need.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 028 9097 2727
Email: disability.office@qub.ac.uk
www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/disability
7.13 Finance
The Student Income and Finance Office deals with all the administration in relation
to fee payments for your course. If you have any concerns about your fee
assessment speak to staff in the office who have experience in advising students
on these matters. They also administrate a range of bursaries and hardship funds
to help students in financial difficulty and which do not need to be repaid.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 028 9097 2767
Email: IncomeOffice@qub.ac.uk Website: www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/finance
The Students’ Union Advice Centre also has two members of staff who provide
advice and guidance on personal finance, debt management, income maximisation
and applying for bursaries.
Connie Craig
Advice Centre Manager (Financial Adviser)
Student Advice Centre
2nd Floor, Students’ Union
University Road
Tel: 028 9027 1049 / 028 9027 3106
Email: connie.craig@qub.ac.uk
Debbie Forsey
Money Management Adviser
Student Advice Centre
2nd Floor, Students’ Union
University Road
Tel: 028 9097 1166 / 028 9027 3106
Email: d.forsey@qub.ac.uk
7.14 Health Centre
The University Health Centre at Queen’s is a General Practice that provides
student focused health services and University funded services for non-NHS
32
services for Queen’s students. We strongly recommend you register with us even
if you come from Northern Ireland. This is so we can provide you with care should
you become unwell at University. International Students in the UK for 6 months or
more on a student visa are entitled to free NHS care and can also register with the
practice.
University Health Centre
5 Lennoxvale
Belfast BT9 5BY
028 9097 5551
Email: reception.157@uhcq.gp.n-i.nhs.uk
www.universityhealthcentreatqueens.co.uk
7.15 Learning Development Service
The Learning Development Service is available to help you with any study related
support you need. You can have a one-to-one appointment or attend a range of
workshops such as Time Management, Essay Writing, Exam Techniques and
Preparing for Exams. You can find out more on their website or by calling into the
Student Guidance Centre to make an appointment.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
Belfast BT7 1NN
028 9097 2727
Email: sgc@qub.ac.uk
www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/learning
7.16 Queen’s Sport (Physical Education Centre)
The PEC is a unique facility for students at Queen’s. It’s newly renovated facilities
offer a state-of-the-art gym, a range of indoor facilities for team sports, a climbing
wall, exercise studios, a comprehensive class timetable, an outdoor training area
and much more. The PEC is located in Botanic Park, a five-minute walk from the
main Queen’s campus. All fully enrolled Queen’s students are automatic members
of the PEC and are entitled to subsidised, All Inclusive memberships. Some
students may also qualify for a bursary for heavily subsidised membership – please
contact the Income and Finance Office.
Physical Education Centre
Botanic Park,
Belfast BT9 5EX
Bookings and General Enquiries: Tel: 028 9068 1126
Membership enquiries: Tel: 028 9038 7670/028 9038 7684
Email: sport@qub.ac.uk
www.qub.ac.uk/sport/
7.17 Study Support
33
Speaking to your Personal Tutor and using some of the material on personal
development planning can be helpful ways of supporting your studies. You may
also benefit from more specific help. See the section on Learning Development
Service for details on the support they can offer you, or go to:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/AcademicStudentAffairs/StudentGuidanceCentre
/LearningDevelopmentService/
7.18 Student Guidance Centre
Student Guidance Centre is a co location of a number of support services for
students including Student Administration (Exams, Records and Graduation),
Admissions and Access Services, the Widening Participation Unit, Disability
Services, Counseling Services and Student Affairs. The Centre has a reception
desk with trained Information Assistants who will be your first point of contact and
will happily help you or refer you to someone who can help with your query.
Student Guidance Centre
University Terrace
Belfast BT7 1NN
028 9097 2727
sgc@qub.ac.uk
Website: www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/
7.19 Students’ Union
The Students Union offers a range of membership services including entertainment
venues, food and other retail outlets, non-alcoholic study space in the Beech
Room, a student enterprise centre, a Welfare Advice Service, clubs and societies,
student volunteering, campaigns and representative work and much more. There is
something for every student in the Students’ Union. The Sabbatical Officers,
elected from the student body for a year to run the Union, as well as the full-time
members of staff, work with the student body to ensure the improvement of
facilities and support services for students of Queen’s.
More info at: http://www.qubsu.org/
7.20 Part-time work whilst you study on a full-time degree
We recognise that some students may have to work whilst they study. Some do
this to help pay their bills, others because it is a good outlet from being in a student
environment all week and others to help improve career prospects.
Our experience however is that students who work too many hours each week
seriously disadvantage themselves academically. Whilst at Queen’s, you are first
and foremost a full-time student even if you do not have timetabled contact hours
every day. Non-timetabled hours are primarily for your self-directed learning,
research and preparation for seminars, tutorials, presentations and group work. If
you use all this time to work you are effectively putting yourself at a disadvantage
to other students.
34
The University would not go as far as prohibiting part-time work, as some have
done in England but we do urge you to be sensible about how you manage your
study, work and social time to get the best result you can from your degree.
If you do have financial pressures that mean you have to work more hours than is
advisable, please, please come and talk to us. Both the Student Income and
Finance Department in the Student Guidance Centre and the Students’ Union can
give you advice on funds that are available to help students in your position. The
Learning Support Service can also offer advice on time management.
7.21 International Student Support
Non-Northern Ireland students
Queen’s has a tradition of being a friendly regional university and we are delighted
that you have chosen to come and study in Belfast.
One of the challenges that non-Northern Ireland students face is not having
anywhere to go at weekends. Students going home at weekends is not unique to
Queen’s – it happens at many universities, however it can be a difficult adjustment
for non-Northern Ireland students, given that travelling home for you may not be as
easy or convenient.
This is something that the University and the Students’ Union recognises and are
working hard to address. The SU has recently appointed a sabbatical officer to
support the development of a student community and Halls of Residence have
employed three Community Workers to help enhance the student experience in
Halls. The School also organises social away days for students from outside NI.
We advise students to take advantage of initiatives to help you settle into Northern
Ireland – these may take the form of weekend socials or events in Halls. Getting
involved in SU clubs and societies will also help you widen your group of friends. It
may take a little while to adjust. If you want to talk to someone about this, speak to
your Personal Tutor, SU Sabbatical Officers, staff in Halls of Residences,
University counsellors or your peers.
If you are on a student visa and are here for more than six months or more, you are
entitled to free health care on the NHS. We strongly advise that you register with
the University Health Centre as you can only receive treatment if you are registered
with them.
Opticians offer eye care and tests and are available on the High Street. You will
have to pay for treatment and any glasses or contact lenses you need.
Dental treatment is available through Dentists throughout Belfast. Some are NHS
which means that you pay a reduced fee. Others are private and you will be
charged significantly more. For information on how to find an optician, dentist or
any other queries you may have, call into the Student Guidance Centre and the
Information Assistants will be happy to point you in the right direction.
International Student Support is based on the ground floor in the International and
Postgraduate Student Centre. The team aims to support, guide and advise
35
international students, enabling them to maximize their student experience at
Queen’s. Core services include advice on student-related visas and immigration
issues; welcome and orientation; general support and advice; and cultural
awareness training.
International Student Support Team
International and Postgraduate Student Centre
Queen's University
University Road
Belfast
BT7 1NN
+44 28 9097 3899
Email : internationalstudentsupport@qub.ac.uk
http://www.qub.ac.uk/isso
7.22 Information for International Students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss
National)
All the services listed in this guide are equally available to international students
and staff are happy to support you during your time at Queen’s. In addition, the
International Students Support Office (ISSO) has staff specifically trained to provide
advice, support and guidance for international students.
The staff in the ISSO are the only staff in the University who are permitted to
provide advice or guidance on immigration/visa matters. The ISSO is located in the
International and Postgraduate Student Centre (IPSC). We offer a wide range of
services including confidential advice on immigration, problems affecting your
studies or personal concerns. We provide information on matters relating to arriving
in the UK, opening a bank account, police registration, healthcare and doctors,
safety and security, working in the UK, driving in the UK, activities in the University,
local activities and events, travel, British culture, local shops and services, facilities
for families. More general support is provided to help with settling in the UK, life in
Belfast, academic life and study methods, homesickness and culture shock and
schools and childcare.
It is very important that international students meet the conditions of their visa while
they live in the UK. This means that if you have a job you must not work more
hours than you are permitted.
If you want to work (paid or unpaid) you should make an appointment with the
ISSO to discuss what you are allowed to do in the UK.
The UK has introduced new immigration rules called the Points Based System.
This affects both you and the University. The University has a number of
obligations to meet for the UK Border Agency, which include (but are not restricted
to) keeping copies of your immigration documents, monitoring your
arrival/enrolment and you attendance. The International Student Handbook
contains a list of the recording and reporting obligations which must be carried out
by the University. If you have any questions about these please contact the ISSO.
36
You can contact the ISSO at internationalstudentsupport@qub.ac.uk with any
questions, enquiries or to make an appointment. Alternatively you can drop into the
IPSC where we will be delighted to meet you and help with any problems you may
be having.
When you attend an appointment at the ISSO you should always bring your
passport with you.
International Student Support Office
International and Postgraduate Centre
Ground Floor
T: +44 (0)28 9097 3899
E: internationalstudentsupport@qub.ac.uk
7.23 Don’t drop out – drop in!
We want you to do well during your time at Queen’s and all these services are here
to help you. Staff and Sabbatical Officers have a long and successful history of
supporting students in a range of situations, so do not hesitate to ask for help. You
certainly will not be the first!
If you are thinking of withdrawing from University, you can start the process by
talking to your personal tutor or by submitting a request to withdraw online. If
submitting online, someone from the School will get in contact with you to see if
there is anything we can do to help you stay on your course.
If you decide now is a good time to take a break in your studies, we strongly advise
that you do so formally using the mechanism outlined about to ensure you get the
full fee rebate to which you are entitled.
8 Careers Information and Guidance
Although a degree in history is not vocational in a strict sense (and many students
undertake it for reasons of intellectual pleasure and satisfaction) it does equip
students with a set of transferable skills applicable to many careers. A degree in
history trains you to sift large quantities of often conflicting data, to evaluate
critically differing interpretations, and to present complex issues is a lucid and
convincing fashion, both orally and in written form. These qualities enable history
graduates to excel in a wide range of careers in law and accounting, investment
banking and consultancies, the civil service, teaching, museums, archives and
libraries, publishing, journalism and the media.
Sorting out what you might do after graduation takes time. You should start this
process early by:



considering your career options and planning ahead
gaining work experience and placements
building employability skills
37

developing career management skills.
8.1 Careers, Employability and Skills Unit
The Careers, Employability and Skills Unit has a range of facilities including a drop
in services, appointments, workshops, careers fairs and other events to help
students map their career path. It is never too early to visit the Centre and talk
about how you can use your time at Queen’s to enhance you employability.
Student Guidance Centre
University Road
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 028 9097 2727
Email: careers@qub.ac.uk
www.qub.ac.uk/careers/
The Centre has a team of Careers Advisers to provide a full range of professional
guidance services. Speak to a Careers Adviser if you need help with:








Making decisions about what you will do after you graduate
Choice of modules - how this can affect future career choice
Change of course
Implications of exam results
Taking time out during your course
Completing application forms or drawing up a CV
Preparation for interview or other forms of selection
Deciding between options, e.g. job or course
8.2 Employability Skills and Initiatives
While studying History at university does not automatically qualify you for a
particular form of employment, it is worth bearing in mind that it does equip you
with transferable skills that are regarded as essential by a wide variety of
employers. The programme in Modern History at QUB fosters intellectual
independence and the ability to understand complex processes and to marshal
arguments about them, having taken on board often competing perspectives. It
also encourages the appreciation of non-reductionist arguments, producing
graduates who do not simply accept the first monocausal explanation they can find
for the intellectual problems they encounter. The study of History also fosters
general research skills, such as the ability to set research agendas and questions
and to solve problems by sifting large quantities of evidence. The History student is
encouraged to demonstrate these skills through an ability to communicate lucidly,
both verbally and in writing, in a sustained and structured manner. Modern History
at QUB strives to provide undergraduates with every opportunity to hone the
generic skills that are acquired through the study of History. According to the QAA
History Benchmark Statement these are


Self-discipline; self-direction.
Independence of mind, and initiative.
38








Ability to work with others, and have respect for others' reasoned views.
Ability to gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information.
Familiarity with appropriate means of identifying, finding, retrieving, sorting
and exchanging information.
Analytical ability, and the capacity to consider and solve problems, including
complex problems.
Structure, coherence, clarity and fluency of oral expression;
Structure, coherence, clarity and fluency of written expression;
Intellectual integrity and maturity;
Empathy and imaginative insight.
Careers, Employability and Skills also offers programmes that are open to students
of any degree discipline and support the development of employability and career
management skills, prepare students for graduate recruitment and provide insight
into the graduate labour market. Careers and Employability Information to access
information and self help materials. For the full range of programmes and services
available see the website: www.qub.ac.uk/careers/
8.3 Access to Recruiters of Students and Graduates
Make the most of opportunities to meet recruiters on campus. Discover the facts
and gain insight into life in the graduate workplace, how to be effective in selection
and recruitment and career development opportunities in your chosen career area.
The Student Guidance Centre facilitates student/employer networking through:
 Careers Fairs
 Employer led skills workshops
 Company Presentations
 On-Campus recruitment interviews
8.4 Work Placement, Work Experience and Student Jobshop
During your time at Queen's, develop your employability skills and business
awareness by making use of the wide range of vacation work and placement
opportunities available to students. Careers offers:
 personal guidance in relation to work experience
 programmes designed to help you find placement, prepare for placement and
relate it to your own career development.
 access to part-time jobs on and off campus through the Student JobShop
 information bulletins on vacation placements, vacation courses and year-long
industrial placements.
8.5 References and testimonials
Staff-members regard it as a pleasure as well as a duty to act as referees when
requested to do so by students with whose work they are familiar. It should be
remembered that recommendations normally take account of interpersonal as well
as academic skills, and accordingly observing the following recommendations will
help staff-members to do justice to students’ requests for references.
39
Full documentation relating to the course or appointment should be supplied.
Referees should have details of the student’s address and telephone number to
facilitate communication.
 As much notice as possible should be given to referees; and the final date for
submission of the reference or testimonial should be clearly specified.
 It is desirable for the referee to have an updated copy of the applicant’s
curriculum vitae to provide background to the writing of a reference. It is
unreasonable to expect staff to go to the trouble of writing a reference if you do
not take the trouble to supply a curriculum vitae. It should indicate degree
pathway, results of university examinations to date, and also relevant extracurricular activities, such as voluntary work, sports, travel etc.
 Staff-members always appreciate a brief note informing them of the outcome of
applications for courses or appointments.
40
9 Guide for References and Bibliography
9.1 Bibliography
Essays should include a BIBLIOGRAPHY of works used, including books,
articles and also any electronic sources. It is not necessary to include lecture- or
class-notes. Full, accurate, and consistent information should be provided. It is
sensible to make a note of these details when undertaking your preparation for
the essay. If necessary, check the original, or the relevant entry in the library
catalogue.
Listing of secondary works in bibliography
In the bibliography a distinction should be made between secondary works,
primary sources and internet materials. Your bibliography should include all the
material that you have read for your essay even if you have not cited it in the
text of the essay. The citation should be in the format outlined below and the
author’s surname should come first.
Books, chapters and articles should be listed alphabetically according to the
author’s surname.
For example:
Butterwick, R., Poland's last king and English culture: Stanislaw August
Poniatowski 1732-1798 (Oxford, 1998).
Flanagan, M. T., 'Irish and Anglo-Norman warfare in twelfth-century Ireland' in
T. Bartlett and K. Jeffery (eds), A military history of Ireland (Cambridge, 1996),
pp 52-75.
Garnham, N., 'How violent was eighteenth-century Ireland?' in Irish Historical
Studies, xxx (1997), pp 377–92.
Johnson, D., ‘Aspects of a liberal education: late nineteenth-century attitudes to
race, from Cambridge to the Cape Colony’ in History Workshop, 36 (1993), pp
162-82.
O’Connell, Sean, Credit and community: working-class debt in the UK since
1880 (Oxford, 2009).
Turton, K., Forgotten lives: the role of Lenin’s sisters in the Russian Revolution,
1864-1937 (London, 2007).
You will usually find the date and place of publication on the title page or on the
first or second page of the book. Note the different formats for books, chapters
in books and journal articles:
Books:
• Author (surname then initials)
• Full title (in italics, and using capitals as in normal text, i.e. only at the start
and for proper nouns like names or places)
• Place and date of publication (but not publisher's name)
Articles in journals:
• Author (surname then initials)
41
• Title of article (in single quotation marks, using capitals as in normal text, i.e.
only at the start and for proper nouns like names or places)
• Title of the journal (in italics, using capitals for all nouns)
• Volume number (preferably in roman numerals)
• Year of publication (in brackets)
• Page number abbreviated to ‘p.’ or page numbers abbreviated to ‘pp’.
Articles in books:
• Author (then surname then initials)
• Title of article (in single quotation marks, using capitals as in normal text, i.e.
only at the start and for proper nouns like names or places))
• Editor(s) of book (initials, then surname)
• Title of the book (in italics)
• Place and year of publication (in brackets)
• Page number abbreviated to ‘p.’ or page numbers abbreviated to ‘pp’.
Items accessed via Queen’s Online
Material accessed through Queen’s Online should be cited by reference to their
original publication, where possible, in the same way as for books and articles
above. Nearly all the articles and book chapters made available via QOL are
also available in hard copy in the library. If necessary, these should be checked
for the correct citation and page numbers.
Listing of primary sources in the bibliography
Primary sources should be divided into (i) manuscript sources (normally only
used for dissertations), arranged alphabetically by name of archive (ii) edited
primary sources (iii) printed contemporary material (divided into newspapers,
pamphlets, official reports or other contemporary literature. The citation should
be as below. The material should be listed alphabetically under each
subheading.
When documents are cited in the footnotes from an edited or printed collection
of various documents, the bibliographical reference should refer only to the
edited volume, giving the initials and surname of the editor, the title of the book
in italics, and the place and date of publication. A bibliographical reference to an
edited edition of one document, such as a diary, should give the first name and
surname of the author of the document, the title of the book in italics, the initials
and surname of the editor and the place and date of publication. If there is
more than one volume, give the volume number(s) cited. Contemporary
pamphlets and other printed literature can be cited in the same way as books.
For example:
Primary Sources
Manuscript Sources
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
T/3301 Account book of the Orr family, Co. Down
42
Trinity College Dublin
Frederick H. Boland Papers
Edited Primary Sources
Keith, A. B. (ed.), Speeches and documents on the British dominions, 19181931 (London, 1932)
The correspondence of Daniel O’Connell vol 3 (1824-1828), ed. M. O’Connell
(Dublin, 1974)
The Synge letters: Bishop Edward Synge to his daughter Alicia, Roscommon to
Dublin, 1746-1752, ed. Marie-Louise Legg (Dublin, 1996)
Printed Contemporary Literature
Newspapers
Belfast News-Letter
Connecticut Observer
The Times
Pamphlets
Swift, Jonathan, The drapier’s letter to the good people of Ireland (Dublin, 1745)
Wollstonecraft, Mary, A vindication of the rights of woman: with strictures on
political and moral subjects (London, 1792)
Official Publications
Report of the commissioners for inquiring into the conditions of the poorer
classes in Ireland: first report, HC 1835 (369) xxxii, pts 1 & 2
Report of the royal commission on prisons in Ireland 1884 [C.4233-1], HC 18845, xxxviii
[For further advice on the citation of parliamentary papers see Rules for
Contributors for Irish Historical Studies at http://www.irishhistoricalstudies.ie/].
Listing of Internet Sources in bibliography
Internet sources should be listed under a separate heading. Sources consulted
on the internet should include a description of the document, the website
address and the date on which it was consulted. If possible, also include the
author or group responsible for the website.
For example:
Register, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
(http://www.yard.ccta.gov.uk/cwgc/register.nsf) (5 July 1999).
Ulster Historical Foundation, ‘Distribution of surnames in Ireland in 1890’
(www.uhf.org.uk) (2 Jan. 2003).
Books and articles downloaded from the web should be fully referenced in
the same format as above. For example:
43
Jacob Riis, How the other half lives (New York, 1890), available at New York
City Museum, Five Points History Project, (http://R2qsa.gov/fivept/fphome.htm)
(9 June 2001).
Material on CD-ROM should include the name of the author/compiler, the title
of the work in italics, the identification CD-ROM, place of publication, publisher’s
name, and date of publication in brackets. For example:
Roy Rosenzweig, Steve Brier and Josh Brown, Who built America? (CD-ROM,
New York: Voyager, 1993).
9.2 References (endnotes or footnotes)
It is necessary to provide REFERENCES in the text of an essay for particular
points. This should be done by means of a numbering system, with the number
inserted as follows in superscript or brackets: 1 or (1). The references should
then be listed separately as 'endnotes' or ‘footnotes’. Footnotes are preferable.
Normally, references are not needed for matters of fact, but must be used for




Quotations
Statistics
Arguments or interpretations made by individual authors. References
indicate that you are aware of where the information or ideas come from
and that you are able to distinguish clearly between what is yours and
what is someone else’s output.
Footnotes should also be used to establish your range of reading and to
clarify that you recognise the importance of particular texts for crucial
steps in your argument.
Secondary Sources
An abbreviated form can be used for all footnotes that reference secondary
sources. This should give the author’s surname, an abbreviated title of the
article or book, and the page number abbreviated to ‘p.’ or page numbers
abbreviated to ‘pp’. When book titles are abbreviated they should be given in
italics. When the titles of book chapters or journal articles are abbreviated, they
should be given in single quotation marks.
For example:
Butterwick, Poland's last king, p. 116.
Flanagan, 'Irish and Anglo-Norman warfare', pp 53-4.
Garnham, 'How violent was eighteenth-century Ireland?', pp 389-90.
When abbreviating books or articles by the same author, make sure that the
information in the abbreviated format provided enables the reader to distinguish
between similar titles.
Primary Sources
44
You will often be expected to access and refer to primary sources in your
essays. These can include manuscript material which normally only students
undertaking a dissertation need to consult; edited sources such as
correspondence, court records; printed collections of sources relating to a
particular period in time; contemporary printed material such as pamphlets; and
official records such as printed government reports. The School guidelines for
citation follow the Rules for Contributors for Irish Historical Studies which can, if
in doubt, be consulted online at http://www.irishhistoricalstudies.ie/.
Footnote citation of manuscript material should include a description of
the document, the date, if known, the name of the archive where it was
consulted and the reference provided by the archive. The name of the
archive may be abbreviated for subsequent citations. For example:
Diary of Sir Basil Brooke, 24 January 1950 (Public Record Office of Northern
Ireland (P.R.O.N.I.), D/3004/D/41).
Thomas Mark to Charles O’Hara, 13 March 1778 (P.R.O.N.I., T/28/12/17/5).
Printed primary sources can be abbreviated in the footnotes as follows:
Keith (ed.), Speeches and documents, p. 62.
Thomas Jones, Whitehall diary, ed. Middlemas, iii, p. 33.
If you are quoting from a newspaper give the title of the newspaper,
followed by the date. For example:
Belfast News-Letter, 25 October 1911.
Connecticut Observer, 28 July 1800.
The Times, 19 May 1950.
Contemporary pamphlets and other printed literature can be abbreviated
in the footnotes in the same way as books. For example:
Swift, The drapier’s letter, pp 4-6.
Wollstonecraft, A vindication, p. 2.
Internet sources
Internet sources should not be abbreviated in the footnotes and should be given
in full. For example:
Ulster Historical Foundation, ‘Distribution of surnames in Ireland in 1890’
(www.uhf.org.uk) (2 Jan. 2003).
Use of Ibid
The term ibid is short for the Latin ibidem meaning 'in the same place' and is
used when the next reference is the same as the last one.
45
Appendix 1
Sample Tutorial Participation Assessment Form
Tutorial Assessment is based upon
participation, and interaction with others
Class
1*
1
2.1
2.2
3
Fail
Fail
0
Discoun
t
three
elements:
preparation,
Requirements
Mark
Outstandingly well prepared, made focused and constructive
contributions to discussion, and listened to and responded to
the contributions of fellow members of the group.
Was thoroughly well prepared, made a constructive
contribution to discussion, worked well with other members of
the group and valued their contributions.
Was fully prepared, took an active part in discussion, and
responded positively to the views of others.
Own contribution could have been better prepared, some
effort to participate and listen to others was needed, but
relied on others to do most of the work.
Preparation was inadequate, participation was limited, left
others to do most of the work.
Was poorly prepared, made little effort to participate, and was
uninterested in what others had to say.
Made no preparation and/or was generally negative in their
attitude.
8090
Was absent and DID NOT provide a legitimate explanation.
Was absent and DID provide a legitimate explanation.
75
6268
5258
4248
1535
0
X
d
Tutorial Marks:
Tutorial
Mark
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Final
Average
Overall Comments:
46
Appendix 2
Sample Oral Presentation Assessment Form
School of History
Oral Presentation Marking Sheet
Student’s Name
______________________________________
Module code
______________________________________
Date of presentation _______________________________________
Effective
Needs
work
Comments
Delivery: speed, eye contact,
clarity, audibility, tone
Content: sets out relevant
issues, explains key terms,
confident with material, aids
understanding
Structure: logical, easy to follow,
provides headings, each section
relates to overall purpose
Use of visual aids uses handout
or other visual aids, relevant to
content
Response to questions: willing
to answer questions, actively
seeks questions
47
Appendix 3
Criteria for grading assessed essays
Essential elements required for ALL essays
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Relevance: it directly answers the question
Understanding of the topic
Evidence of the use of appropriate material (e.g. books, journal articles,
etc.)
Organisation of material into a coherent structure: introduction, argument
and evidence, conclusion
Clear style, including accurate spelling, clear sentence construction and
punctuation*
References
Bibliography
Use of own words, except where directly quoting from another source
Language: avoidance of inappropriate slang, racist or sexist language
*with due allowance made for students registered as dyslexic
The following features are deemed to be evidence of quality
1
2
3
Evaluation and analysis of a wide range of material and sources
Ability
to understand
to discuss critically abstract ideas, theories and concepts
Argument - well formulated, substantiated, and with evidence of critical and
independent thought
Grading
First Class (above 70%)
A first class essay will typically demonstrate excellence in the following:
accurate integration of a wide range of material and resources
high level of critical analysis and independent judgement
quality of arguments in response to the question
sources fully and accurately identified
originality of exposition or treatment
in addition to incorporating all of the elements required of all essays (above)
Second Class, First Division or 2.1 (60-69%)
There were be very good use of many or most of the aspects outlined in the first
class essay, but certain features may be less fully realised. Thus, for example, a
typical 2.1 essay will
include a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of all relevant
issues
display a very good level of independent and critical judgement
involve conceptual analysis in relation to certain issues of the argument
in addition to incorporating all of the elements required of all essays (above)
48
Second Class, Second Division or 2.2 (50-59%)
There will be good use of some of the features of the first class essay, although
several elements will be only partially realised. Thus, for example, a typical 2.2
essay will display some independent thought (e.g. through the use of original
examples), but
may have uneven coverage of relevant issues, with some explored in more
detail than others
may lack sustained conceptual analysis, tending to accept uncritically the
principal arguments in an area
will include most of the elements required of all essays, but not all, for
example, there may be some confusion in the use of terms
the referencing may be inaccurate or inconsistent
there may be use of inappropriate language
Third Class (40-49%)
There will be a satisfactory use of a limited number of the features outlined for
the first class essay, but significant elements will be underdeveloped. Thus, for
example, a typical third class essay may
display little evidence of independent thought and critical judgement
include a partial and rather superficial coverage of the key issues
lack critical analysis
while some of the elements required of all essays are present, they are not
necessarily adequate. The essay may display, for example, a satisfactory
grasp of the topic, be relevant to the question, but it may
it may be poorly structured
it may include some waffle (i.e. deploying lots of words without meaning
very much
the language may lapse into colloquialism
references may be inadequate and inaccurate
Fail (below 40%)
There will be an inadequate use of a significant number of the features outlined
for the first class essay. A typical Fail essay may be characterized by the
following:
major inaccuracies and omissions
offers unsubstantiated opinion
demonstrates no evidence of critical judgement
there may be an attempt to respond to the question, but the essay as a
whole will not answer it
may be badly written
there may be no references
there may be little evidence of reading
49
Appendix 4
Assessment and Degree Classification
Level 1, 2 and 3
Modern History uses conceptual equivalent grades for each element of assessment
for Level 1, 2 and Level 3 modules. Each essay, assignment, or individual
examination answer will receive a conceptual equivalent score agreed by the
examiners. The final overall mark for a module, calculated from the sum of the
various individual elements, is not, however, rounded up or down to the nearest
conceptual equivalent point. This mark is used (along with other module marks) to
determine your degree classification.
Conceptual Equivalent Point Scores
Conceptual equivalent
Percentage Point
High/Excellent 1
Definite 1
Low 1
High/Excellent 2.1
Definite/Solid 2.1
Low/Clear 2.1
High 2.2
Definite/Solid 2.2
Low/Clear 2.2
High 3rd
Definite 3rd
Low/Clear 3rd
Marginal Fail
Weak
Poor
Nothing of merit
80
75
68
65
62
58
55
52
48
45
42
35
25
15
0
90
Degree Classification Scheme
The degree classification scheme has general application throughout the
University.
The degree classification for students is as follows:
From September 2009, the new intake of students will be classified on the basis of
EIGHTEEN module marks taken in Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, with a weighting being
given to modules taken at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in the ratio 10:30:60. The final
weighted average is rounded up from .5 and above, and rounded down from .49 and
below.
The borderline bands are as follows:
67.0-69.49 with 9 or more 1st class marks (weighted) = 1st by predominance
57.0-59.49 with 9 or more 2.i marks (weighted) = 2.i by predominance
47.0-49.49 with 9 or more 2.ii marks (weighted) = 2.ii by predominance
50
The method for determining whether the contributing weighted module marks qualify for
the award of the higher classification is as follows:
(N1x10) + (N2x30) + (N3x60) ≥ 300
where N1, N2 and N3 are the number of modules at Levels 1, 2 and 3 respectively
in which the mark is in the relevant, higher classification band.
In addition, the Examinations Board may at its discretion discount one mark from
the calculations for your final degree classification if that mark is significantly out of
line with all your other module marks. In the School of History, the identified module
mark for discounting must be at least one class lower and at least three conceptual
equivalent marks lower than the next highest module mark. A mark can only be
discounted if reasonable supporting evidence can be provided that this mark is out
of line with the student’s normal mark profile and unrepresentative of their expected
performance in the module. Relevant evidence may include the student’s
attendance record and tutorial performance for the module in question. A module
can also be discounted for medical or other extenuating reasons.There must also
be an impact on the final classification rather than simply a change in the final
average degree grade. A fail or resit mark cannot be discounted. A double module
cannot be discounted. The discounted mark will be replaced, for degree calculation
purposes, with an average of your other marks at the same level.
Class
Average % mark
first class
upper second class (2.1)
lower second class (2.2)
third class
fail
70+
60-69
50-59
40-49
below 40
The secondary rule for classification is based on a predominance rule, whereby
candidates whose average mark falls into a ‘borderline’ band just below a class
division can be awarded a degree in the higher class based on a profile of their
modular marks. The borderline bands are as follows:
67-69 with 6 or more 1st class marks (weighted) = 1st by predominance
57-59 with 6 or more 2.1 marks (weighted) = 2.1 by predominance
47-49 with 6 or more 2.2 marks (weighted) = 2.2 by predominance
In addition the Examinations Board may at its discretion discount one mark from
the calculations for your final classification if that mark is significantly out of line
with all other marks and provided that the board is satisfied that there are
extenuating circumstances (primarily medical) or there is evidence, e.g. from
tutorial or essay performance, that your mark is below what would normally have
been expected of you. The discounted mark will be replaced, for calculation
purposes, with an average of your other marks. A fail mark cannot be discounted.
If you have any questions, please direct these in the first instance to the
Examinations Officer for Levels 2 and 3, via the School Office.
51
Appendix 5
Student Complaints Procedure
The following is taken from the University Regulations
Introduction
9.1 The University is dedicated to the highest international standards of teaching,
scholarship and research, and to the advancement of knowledge, in an environment
of equality, tolerance and mutual respect for all its staff and students. To help
achieve and maintain these highest standards, the University has in place a range of
quality assurance mechanisms, including the following Student Complaints
Procedure.
Scope of the procedure
9.2 The procedure is restricted to circumstances not already covered by existing
regulations or procedures and cannot be used to challenge academic judgement
(see Study Regulation 6.58 i). Where appropriate procedures exist, these should be
followed and the Complaints Procedure cannot be invoked.
9.3 All student complaints about staff shall be investigated initially using the Student
Complaints Procedure, unless or until staff disciplinary action is felt to be more
appropriate. In complex cases, where several different procedures apply, the
Academic Registrar and the Personnel Officer (or their nominees) will together
decide the nature and sequencing of any procedures to be followed. The aim is that
no more than one investigation should be underway at any one time.
9.4 Complaints against staff of harassment or discrimination shall be investigated
under this procedure by the appropriate Dean or Director, with the advice and
involvement of the University's Equal Opportunities Unit (EOU). Clarification of any
form of conduct which may be considered to be harassment or discrimination may be
obtained from the EOU, Level 4. Administration Building.
9.5 The Complaints Procedure is designed to avoid protracted disputes or litigation
but nothing in the procedure should be construed as diminishing any student's rights
in law or prejudicing the complainant's academic progress, and use of the procedure
shall not affect existing rights to appeal to the Board of Visitors. The Board of Visitors
shall normally only investigate complaints when the internal complaints procedures
have been exhausted. Further information on the Board of Visitors can be obtained
from Ms P. McKnight, Level 1, Administration Building.
Representation
9.6 A student shall have the right to be accompanied and represented by a
registered student of the University or a member of the staff, University Chaplaincy or
Student Counselling Service at any stage in the procedure. A member of staff who
during the investigation wishes to be interviewed as a witness shall also have the
right to be accompanied and represented by a recognised union official or a member
of the University staff or University Chaplaincy or by a registered student. No Legal
representation shall be permitted at any stage during the procedure, and
complainants or witnesses cannot be represented by another person in their
absence.
Confidentiality
52
9.7 All persons involved in the Complaints Procedure shall be expected to maintain
strict confidentiality, both during and after investigation. Complaints should not be
unnecessarily personalized and should be conducted in a civilised manner.
Vexatious, Mischievous or Malicious Complaints
9.8 A student who makes a complaint which is found to be vexatious, mischievous or
malicious, following investigation under the Student Complaints Procedure, shall be
deemed to be in breach of the Conduct Regulations (Rules of Discipline). The onus
is on the student to present sufficient evidence to warrant investigation under the
procedure.
Victimisation
9.9 No student shall be victimised as a result of making a complaint, whether the
complaint is upheld or not. Victimisation shall be grounds for a further, separate
complaint.
Anonymous Complaints and Complaints From Third Parties
9.10 Complaints made anonymously shall not normally be investigated. Complaints
from third parties shall only be accepted if the student confirms in writing that the
third party is acting on his/her behalf and the student wishes the complaint to be
investigated.
Submission and Investigation of Complaints
First stage: informal approach at school/unit level
9.11 Most complaints can be quickly and satisfactorily resolved at local level by
informal means. The person to approach shall normally be the person who has
handled the matter, but could be the lecturer, Adviser of Studies, Head of School/unit
or service provider closest to the perceived problem without being personally
involved.
9.12 A student will be expected to seek a resolution to the complaint at the School or
unit level and, if necessary, the complaint should be put in writing to the Head of
School/unit. For complaints involving any area within the academic support sector,
the Academic Council Office can identify which office or officer to approach in the first
instance.
9.13 The complainant shall receive notification of the outcome of any investigation
normally within 10 working days. When the complaint is submitted in writing, a written
response shall be provided, detailing both the reasons for the decision reached and
any actions taken in response to the complaint.
9.14 If the complaint originates during a work or study placement, in the first instance
the student should raise the matter with the member of staff in the School at the
University responsible for placements.
9.15 When the complaint relates to specific members of staff, those staff shall have
the right to see copies of relevant documentation, to present evidence to the
investigating person, and to be informed of the outcome of the complaint.
Second stage: formal written complaint to Academic Council Office
9.16
i A student who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint made at School or
unit level, or who has substantive reasons for not wishing the complaint to be
handled at local level, should put the complaint in writing to the Academic Council
53
Office, indicating that he/she wishes to invoke the Student Complaints Procedure.
It shall then be forwarded to:
the Dean, for complaints of an academic nature or relating to staff of that
Faculty;
the appropriate Director, for complaints relating to staff or services in the
academic-support sector;
the Vice-Chancellor, when the complaint relates to a Dean, Pro-ViceChancellor or Director as above.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
A complaint specifically against the Vice-Chancellor as an individual (rather than
the University) shall be directed to the Secretary of Senate.
The written complaint must normally be submitted within 10 working days of the
outcome of the first, informal stage (where this has been carried out), and
normally not later than 25 working days after first becoming aware of the incident
or issues giving rise to the complaint. The student shall receive an
acknowledgement from the Academic Council Office within five working days of
receiving the complaint.
The recipient of a complaint under Study Regulation 9.16(1) may:
ask the Head of School/unit to investigate on his/her behalf, where no
such investigation has already taken place; or
review the findings of any earlier investigation at local level; or
undertake such further enquiries as are deemed necessary.
The student shall have the right to meet the Dean or person investigating on
his/her behalf, and to be accompanied as in Study Regulation 9.6.above.
The student shall receive a written response from the Dean/Director normally
within a further 15 working days of the acknowledgement of receipt of the
complaint. The response shall indicate what action is proposed to resolve the
complaint, or else the reasons for not upholding the complaint.
Third stage: appeal
9.17
i. Any student still dissatisfied after the second stage may appeal to the Academic
Registrar within 10 working days of receiving notification of the outcome of the
second stage investigation. Receipt of the appeal letter shall normally be
acknowledged within five working days, and a Complaints Review Panel shall
then be convened, to meet normally within 25 working days of receipt of the
appeal letter. The Panel meeting may be deferred pending the outcome of any
other internal procedure already underway.
ii.
The Panel shall normally comprise:
a Pro-Vice-Chancellor (in the Chair);
a Dean or Head of School from outside the student's Faculty;
a senior administrator from outside the student's
Faculty;
the President or other sabbatical officer from the Students' Union.
Panel members shall not have had any prior involvement in the case. The
Panel membership shall be chosen as far as possible to reflect the diversity
of the Northern Ireland community.
iii. The complainant shall forward copies of previous correspondence and any
supporting documentation to the Panel, and shall have the right to appear before
the Panel accompanied by a registered student of the University or a member of
the academic staff or University Chaplaincy.
54
iv. The Panel may seek written evidence from any witness or person who in the
Panel's judgement may have relevant information to contribute. Any such person
shall have the right to see relevant documentation to be considered by the
Panel, in advance of the hearing, and shall have the right to appear in front of
the Panel if he/she wishes, accompanied as in Study Regulation 9.6 above.
Should the appellant fail to appear before the Panel at an appointed time and
without valid reason, the Panel shall have the right to reach a decision in the
appellant's absence. However, neither the appellant nor any witness shall be
required to appear in front of the Panel.
v. The Panel's findings and recommendations shall be communicated to the
complainant and to relevant witnesses within 10 working days of the Panel's
final meeting. The Panel shall also send reports to the Academic Registrar and
the relevant Dean/Director, summarising the complaint and the Panel's
conclusions and recommendations, including redress where appropriate.
Deadlines
9.18 The deadlines set out in this procedure relate to investigations carried out in
term-time only, and it may prove impossible to meet these deadlines when key staff
are on leave, or otherwise indisposed.
Central Monitoring of Student Complaints
9.19 The University sees complaints, if substantiated, as opportunities to put things
right for the complainant(s), and to learn lessons which might ultimately lead to
improved service. Accordingly:
i
the nature and outcome of all student complaints received shall be reported
to the appropriate Dean or appropriate Director in the academic support
sector;
ii.
each Dean and each Director shall send an annual summary of the nature
and outcome of any student complaints received to the Academic Council
Office, in December of each year;
iii
the Academic Council Office shall prepare a summary report, preserving
anonymity, for Academic Council each year.
Further information
9.20 Advice and information leaflets for students can be obtained from the Academic
Council Office, Faculty Offices and the Students' Union.
Student Dispute Resolution Policy
1. Policy Statement
The University recognises that encouraging positive working relationships
between individuals will have a positive impact on staff and student well
being and performance. When disputes arise, they can have a detrimental
and long lasting impact on those involved. This policy aims to provide an
expeditious informal resolution in these situations.
The University wishes to support staff and students to work together to
resolve disputes at a local level which will ensure minimum disruption to the
delivery of the University’s priorities and objectives. It is clear that the earlier
a dispute can be settled, the better it will be for all concerned, and
55
mediation and other alternative dispute resolution techniques are an
effective means of achieving early resolution.
This Policy can be used by students who are in dispute with University staff
or other students as an objective, impartial and alternative first stage of the
Student Complaints Procedure to resolve a dispute. However, using the
procedure does not preclude the use of the Student Complaints Procedure
for complaints against staff, or the University’s right to invoke the
Disciplinary Procedure for complaints against students.
2. Resolving a Dispute
Mediation can be defined as a voluntary method of dispute resolution that
brings those in disagreement together with an objective third party, in an
attempt to find a solution on an informal basis that is acceptable to all
concerned.
The process is most effective when individuals enter it voluntarily and where
it enables the participants to identify their own solutions and negotiate
equally to reach agreement. Throughout the process mediators are
impartial to the dispute and seek to help all parties equally, they do not
express opinions or make judgements about who is right or wrong.
3. Process
Where a dispute has arisen between a member of staff and a student, or a
student against another student, either party can approach a University
Mediator, details about which can be found on the University’s website at
www….
Where a member of staff in a School becomes aware of a dispute, or is
approached by an individual about a dispute that may lead to the instigation
of either the Student Complaints Procedure or the Conduct Regulations
(where the complaint is against another student) the School, in consultation
with the Director of Academic and Student Affairs should consider whether
the Dispute Resolution Process may be used. Where this is considered
appropriate, contact should be made with a University Mediator to discuss
whether mediation may be possible. However, the final decision on whether
an individual wishes to take part in mediation remains their right, as does
the right to withdraw from the process at any time
4. Where Mediation is not Appropriate
There may be circumstances where mediation would not be appropriate,
examples of which may include the following:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
where the issues relate to the University’s statutory
obligations or duty of care;
where there is a risk to safety or well being;
where formal action has already been instigated;
where there has been a breach of the University’s Conduct
Regulations.
5. Protocol
When a student or member of staff has contacted a University Mediator, the
following procedure shall apply:
56
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
the mediator shall arrange separate meetings with the parties
involved, normally within five working days of the request having
been received;
the initial one to one meetings shall allow the parties to speak to the
mediator independently and to provide them with the opportunity to
relate their experience;
where possible, all parties shall be invited to attend a joint face to
face meeting, where, with the support of the mediator acting as a
facilitator, all parties shall work towards a mutually satisfactory
outcome;
where possible, the mediator shall assist the parties to draw up a
confidential agreement unless it is agreed by everyone that it shall
be shared with the University (where for example, the agreement
may include a request for action by the University)
6. The Meetings
When the meetings are convened they shall be designed to ensure that
everyone;
(i)
(ii)
understand the issues;
is asked to consider the key issues identified by the mediator at
the initial
meeting so that they are better prepared for the joint meeting;
(iii)
understands and has confidence in the mediation process and
the mediator;
(iv) begins to look for solutions about the dispute in which they have
become involved;
All parties shall be required to sign a pre-mediation agreement, in which
they undertake to use their best endeavours to arrive at an agreement.
Information given or documents produced as a result of any mediation shall
not be used in any further University proceedings. The exceptions to this
rule are where there is evidence of a serious breach of University
Regulations or where there is evidence of serious risk to health and safety.
In these cases the process will be terminated.
7. Completion
It is anticipated that at the end of the Dispute Resolution process an
agreement will be reached which will not only resolve the immediate
dispute, but will also lead to improved working relationships between the
parties making it less likely for a reoccurrence of disputes in the future.
57