FILM AND TELEVISION STUDIES
OPTION STUDENTS’ HANDBOOK 2012/13
Table of Contents
Page Nos.
1. The Department: General information
- Location
- Members of Staff
- Communications
- The Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)
2. Resources
(i) Departmental:
- Films and film projection
- Health and Safety
(ii) Outside the department:
- The Library
- The DVD and Video Library
- IT
- Cinema provision on campus
- The Language Centre
3
3
4
4
5
6
8
9
10
10
11
3. Curriculum
- ‘Open’ options (Introduction to Film Studies, Hollywood Cinema)
- 2+2 degree in Theatre, Media and Text
- French with Film Studies, Italian with Film Studies
- Options for the part-time degree in English and Cultural Studies
- Gender and Cultural Studies
12
12
12
13
13
4. Teaching and Learning
- Attendance
- Mobile phone policy
- Screenings, lectures, seminars and individual study
- The reading and viewing week
- Timetable
14
15
15
16
16
5. Assessment
- The assessment system
- Essay deadlines
- Examination information
- Personal Development Planning
- Exam conventions and procedures
17
19
20
20
20
Appendix
1. Dates of terms
1
2. Guidelines for the writing of essays
3. Assessment criteria: guidelines
Marks deducted for poor scholarly presentation
5. Assessed work cover sheet
4.
This handbook contains information about the options offered by the department of Film and
Television Studies to students from elsewhere in the university, as well as students on the
following degrees: French with Film, Italian with Film, part-time degree in Literary and
Cultural Studies, 2+2 degree in Theatre, Film and Literature. It contains information about the
day-to-day running of the department as it affects these students. For information of a general
nature (for example to do with personal tutors and university-wide resources), we refer you to
the documentation provided by your home department. Please read this handbook carefully
and keep it for reference. It is designed to answer some of the questions that will arise during
your studies. (We would welcome any recommendations for changes that you think may help
next year’s students).
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1. THE DEPARTMENT OF FILM AND
TELEVISION STUDIES
The BA in Film and Literature, the BA in Film Studies and the BA in Film with Television
Studies are administered by the Film and Television Studies department, although modules are
taught by staff from Film and Television Studies, English, French and German. This means that
most administrative matters are handled by Film and Television Studies and all your personal
tutors are from this department. The information below centres therefore mostly on Film and
Television Studies, though at appropriate points references are made to matters that affect the
literature departments (see, in particular, ‘staff’ and ‘curriculum’ below).
Location
The Film and Television Studies department is situated on the ground and first floors of an
annexe to Millburn House. Staff offices, and most of the teaching and resources rooms, are
between rooms A0.12 and A0.28 on the ground floor and between rooms A1.12 and A1.28 on
the first floor of the building.
Common Room facilities
There is a Common Room space in the side entrance to the main Millburn House building
which is shared between students in Film and TV, History of Art and Theatre Studies. This is at
your disposal, to meet other students, wait for classes etc. There is a Costa Coffee stand in this
space selling drinks and food during term time.
Within the Film and Television Studies annexe, you may also congregate in room A1.23 in
between classes when this room is not in use for seminars or meetings.
N.B. These public spaces are for your own use and enjoyment - use them considerately, and
remember to leave them clean and tidy. (If these reasonable rules are not followed, the use of
these spaces may be withdrawn.) The whole of Millburn House is a no-smoking area.
The Departmental Office (A0.13)
The secretary and Administrator, Ms Tracey McVey, in room A0.13, plays a key role in
answering queries, and the booking of rooms and keys (see section 2, Resources). Please note
the office hours displayed on the door. They are normally:
Monday 8.30am – 6.15pm
Tuesday 8.30am – 6.15pm
Wednesday 8.00am – 1.00pm
Thursday 8.00am – 4.00pm
Friday 8.30 am – 4.00pm
The Film Booking Office and Departmental Secretary (A0.12)
16mm and 35mm prints of films for projection are delivered to and collected from this office,
which is staffed by Mrs Anne Birchall and Mrs Heather Hares. Anne is responsible for
collecting essays in addition to managing the teaching collection, and arranging video/DVD
screenings.
If you are responsible for collecting a DVD or VHS for screening it must be collected from
A0.12 (see Projection Supervision Guidelines, appendix 6). Anne’s office hours are:
Monday – Thursday 8.15 – 5.00
3
There are two display boards in the corridor outside the office, with information of a general
nature concerning events in the field of Film and Television Studies (e.g. conferences). Watch
general noticeboards, in the corridor, for announcements of open lectures by visiting speakers
to the department or the university (also posted on
http//www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/film/researchnews/seminars/)
Members of Staff
Permanent academic staff:
Room No.
Dr Catherine Constable (Head of Department)
A1.21
Mr José Arroyo
A1.17
Professor Charlotte Brunsdon
A1.18
Professor Stella Bruzzi (on research leave all year)
A1.19
Dr. Jon Burrows (Acting Senior Tutor Autumn 2012)
A1.20
Dr Ed Gallafent (Senior Tutor, on research leave Autumn 2012)
A1.20
Professor Stephen Gundle
A0.18
Dr Rachel Moseley
A0.19
Dr Alastair Phillips
A0.20
Dr Michael Pigott (On Research leave Autumn 2012)
A0.14
Dr Martin Pumphrey
A0.17
Dr Karl Schoonover
A0.23
Dr Helen Wheatley
A0.22
Tel. No.
50651
22361
22791
22436
24645
24645
28435
73000
22434
74318
73041
50684
73871
Post-doctoral and Postgraduate Teaching Staff
Dr Paul Cuff
Matt Denny
Greg Frame
Ivan Girina
Barbara Ottmann
Dr Nic Pillai
Dr Laura Sava
Anna Sloan
Dr Tom Steward
Dr Richard Wallace
A0.25
A1.13
A1.14
A1.13
A1.13
A0.25
A1.07 (Shared PG Space)
A1.07 (Shared PG Space)
A1.20
A0.25
Clerical Staff:
Ms Tracey McVey (Departmental Administrator)
Mrs Heather Hares (Graduate & Admissions Secretary)
Mrs Anne Birchall (Departmental Secretary)
A0.13
A0.12
A0.12
23511
22689
24696
Noticeboards
Module information, timetable and, at the appropriate times, lists of essay titles are displayed
on noticeboards. There is one board for each year and a general one with information
concerning all BA students. Keep your eyes open: information soon gets out of date. Tutors
may display notices on these boards concerning your modules.
4
Student/Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC)
The Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) provides a forum for discussing ideas and
addressing problems; it forms the basis for students’ views to be considered within the
department and on senior university committees and is a formal means of gauging student
opinion on academic matters. It should not be used to discuss individual problems which can be
dealt with by personal or module tutors. As a rule, student representatives should seek the
opinion of a significant number of students on issues to be discussed. These issues will vary
greatly, but recurrent themes include: syllabus, examinations and assessment, library provision,
computing and welfare issues.
The SSLC consists of student representatives from each degree course in every year of study
and three members of staff (the Head of Film and Television Studies, the Examinations
Secretary, who liaises with the departments teaching the Literature modules [English, French,
German], and the Subject Specialist Librarian). The SSLC meets twice a term to consider
matters brought to its attention by students or staff; issues are solicited by means of short
meetings at the end of a lecture and/or by notices on the SSLC notice board just past the main
entrance doors on the right, and issues can also be raised via the online SSLC web portal.
Second Year representatives act as Chairperson and Secretary of the SSLC meetings and will
also attend departmental staff meetings where appropriate.
Minutes are taken by the SSLC Secretary and should record in a concise form who was present,
what was discussed and what decisions were taken. They should be submitted to the Head of
the Department (as soon as possible after the meeting) who will circulate them to all SSLC
members as well as display them on the Common Room notice board. SSLC members may
report back to other students in a slot before or after a lecture, but should inform the lecturer in
advance to permit appropriate time-planning.
A booklet about the SSLC, produced by the Students’ Union, is available from the Students’
Union and the Academic Office. The Students’ Union organises training sessions for SSLC
representatives.
Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence (WATE)
The Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence give students and colleagues the opportunity to
recognise and celebrate excellence in teaching and the support of learning throughout the
nominee’s career at the University. The awards aim to:

Recognise and reward members of staff who have had exceptional impact on the student
learning experience.

Enhance the profile of teaching excellence at the University.

Award winners and commendees with funding to further enhance practice.
All staff who teach or support student learning at Warwick are eligible to be nominated for
an award. Winners will receive an award of £5000 and commendees receive £2000.
Information will be circulation when nominations open and students can nominate staff
members or teaching Post-doctoral or Postgraduate students.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ldc/funding/wate/awards/studentnomination/
5
“More important than the curriculum is the question of the methods of teaching and the
spirit in which the teaching is given”
Bertrand Russell
2. RESOURCES
(i) Departmental:
Films and film projection
Films for module screenings (16mm, 35mm and digital formats are available) are hired by Film
and Television Studies and handled by our departmental projectionists, Frank Gibson and
Richard Allen. Frank and Richard are responsible celluloid and digital projection.
DVD/Video screenings
Screenings are either digital or celluloid. We use off-air recordings on DVD or Blu-Ray when
prints are unavailable. In some small modules, students act as projection supervisors on a rota
basis. If you are projection supervisor for a DVD/Blu-Ray screening, it is your responsibility
to collect the disc from A0.12 and stop it at the end of the screening. You should then return
the disc to the film librarian in A0.12.
A week by week list of all module screenings is posted on the notice board to the right of the
main entrance. You may attend screenings other than those prescribed for your module,
provided there are available seats in the room - which you should check with the relevant tutor.
The department owns a collection of about 100 film prints, mostly on 16mm, which you may
borrow and screen on the premises. Please contact Mrs Anne Birchall, who has the list.
Booking departmental rooms
You may also book rooms for individual or small group screenings. The procedure for
booking is described overleaf.
Rooms A0.26, A1.25, A1.27 and A1.18 are used for teaching, but may also be booked for
individual screening and/or viewing of film or video outside of teaching hours via the
departmental secretaries. Rooms A0.28 and A1.28 can only be booked online through Central
Timetabling (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/centraltimetabling). All of the teaching
rooms have video projection facilities for DVD and VHS. Rooms A0.26, A0.28, A1.25 and
A1.27 can also project Blu-Ray discs. Room A0.08 has a steenbeck table for 35mm viewing
and a 16mm projector. You can view DVD and VHS on a TV monitor in room A0.09, and
there is also equipment in this room which enables you to make copies of such materials.
Room A0.08 contains a PC with facilities for creating digital copies of still and moving images
from VHS and DVD sources, along with an A4 scanner.
Booking rooms and keys; looking after equipment and rooms
Locally-timetables rooms are booked, and keys issued, by the secretary during office hours (see
under ‘departmental office’). Please make sure you are familiar with the system and plan your
booking ahead. When you wish to book a room, check availability in the folder in the office,
and enter your name in the relevant slots. Always enter the title of film(s) to be screened on
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the sheet when making the room booking. Rooms for module screenings are already booked in
the secretary’s records. (See above for booking procedures concerning rooms A0.28 and
A1.28)
Keys for weekend use should be signed out on Friday, and returned on Monday morning.
Otherwise KEYS MUST NOT BE RETAINED FOR LONGER THAN 24 HOURS.
You are personally responsible for keys issued against your signature. DO NOT hand them to
anyone else. Keys must be returned to the secretary during office hours, and the earlier the
better. Make sure that your return of a key is noted in the issue book by signing your name.
VERY IMPORTANT: Never leave rooms unoccupied and unlocked, even briefly; we know
from experience that thieves and vandals can work with amazing speed. Make sure that the
video projectors (in A1.25, A1.27, A0.26, A0.28 and A1.28) are turned off after use.
Please REPORT any damage to films or failure of equipment to the departmental office, as
soon as possible and in the most clearly detailed terms. Things do go wrong; it is not
necessarily anyone’s fault, but we need to know. Equally, report faulty video tapes or DVDs to
the library when returning them.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING INSIDE ANY UNIVERSITY BUILDING. IF
YOU DRINK COFFEE, TEA, OR WATER, PLEASE TIDY THE CUPS UP AFTERWARDS.
DO NOT PLACE LIQUIDS NEAR OR ON EQUIPMENT.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety matters within the university are overseen by the Safety and Occupational
Health Services. Their website (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/safety) provides a range
of detailed information about Health and Safety issues and procedures. In particular, the
documents collected under the title of ‘Safety in the University’ (SITU) focus on such things as
Health and Safety Training, Risk Assessment, Disability issues, Health Promotion, Computer
Workstation/VDU set up, Occupational Health and Stress Management, Accident Reporting
etc. The Film and Television Studies department has a Health and Safety policy (hard copy in
the department office) and safety and risk assessments are carried out on a regular basis
throughout the year. Health and Safety concerns should be raised at Department meetings
and/or brought to the attention of the Department Health and Safety Officer.
Health and Safety Personnel
Department Health and Safety Officer: Martin Pumphrey
Film Studies First Aider: Tracey McVey
Further Advice
Director Safety and Occupational Health Services: Iain MacKirdy (Ext. 50824)
Health and Safety Adviser: TBC (Ext. 23208)
Senior Occupational Health Adviser: Jane Poole (Ext. 50082)
Fire Safety Officer: Chris Mayfield (Estates Ext. 22561)
Environmental Officer: Nick Hillard (Estates Ext. 23404)
Warwick University Health Centre (Ext. 24888)
Health and Safety Information
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Health and Safety information can be found on the Safety and Occupational Health Services
website noted above and (more immediately) on the notice board in the main entrance
1. If medical assistance is needed, university policy recommends the relevant services be
contacted by dialling 999. The Warwick University Health Centre is available for
consultation but is a GP practice not a walk-in centre. Their website gives you details
of how to contact two out-of-hour surgeries (02476674123 and 02476228606) and
provides maps for the closest Accident and Emergency provision at University Hospital
in Coventry and Warwick Hospital.
2. Accidents in the department should be reported. Accident report forms are held in the
Film and Television Studies office.
In the case of Fire (See also SITU 22.4)
Fire extinguishers are located in the Department corridor rather than in the teaching rooms,
offices or projection booths. University policy in the event of fire is that you should evacuate
the building as quickly as possible. The following procedures are recommended:
On discovering a fire: Raise the alarm by breaking the glass in the nearest Break Glass Point
which will be situated by main exit doors and along evacuation routes. Report the fire by
ringing 999.
On hearing a continuous ringing of the fire bells:
Stop what you are doing.
Leave immediately by the nearest fire exit. The person in charge of a class will direct students
to the nearest available exit. Do not use lifts.
Do not stop to collect personal belongings.
Do not attempt to put out a fire.
After any evacuation, stand well clear of the building you have exited from. You may be
directed to specified fire assembly points by university staff who will monitor and attend any
alarm in progress.
Do not re-enter the building until told it is safe to do so by the Fire Service or university
Security staff.
Personal Evacuation Plan
If there are reasons why evacuation from the building might present a significant problem for
you personally, you should consult the SOHS website about working out a Personal Evacuation
Plan and contact the department’s Health and Safety Officer.
(ii) Outside the Department
The Library
The library plays a crucial part in your studies. It is important that you become familiar with it
as soon as possible, in order to make the best possible use of its extensive resources.
Training sessions in Term 1 are arranged by Richard Perkins, the Film and Television Studies
Subject Specialist. Richard is available to help you right through your degree course. The best
way to contact him is by email at r.perkins@warwick.ac.uk . He is usually in the department on
Mondays in room A0.08. You can make an appointment in advance or just drop in if you need
help with finding resources.
8
Richard also covers Theatre and German. At the moment the Library has no Subject Specialist
for English or French, so do contact Richard for help in those areas too.
Locations
Most Film & TV books are on Floor 3 of the Library, classified in the range PN 3220 – PN
3279. There should be multiple copies of core texts, and key readings have been digitised onto
the Library website.
Material which is in heavy demand is kept in Short Loan on Floor 1. This includes the large
collection of DVDs and some videos. At any one time you may borrow 2 books and 2 DVDs in
addition to your normal allocation of 15 books.
In order to give everybody the chance to use this material, the loan period is very short, and
the fines for late return very heavy. Items are always due the next morning by 11 a..m. (or
Monday morning if borrowed Friday to Sunday); the fine rate is £1 per hour overdue! Short
Loan items can be booked in advance via the Library catalogue (Encore) for a specific day or
weekend slot. We strongly advise that you do this for important DVDs, as the collection is also
used extensively by students from other departments.
DVD / Video collection
As stated above, most films are kept in Short Loan, although some background viewing titles
are in Store (with a longer loan period). These can be requested via the catalogue, and are
usually made available same day (except at weekends). If you need to view films in the Library
there are DVD / VHS players on Floor 1. Ask at the Help Desk if you need headphones.
The collection is a key educational resource; many DVDs and tapes are irreplaceable and we
appeal to all users to treat them accordingly. Please report any faults to the Help Desk.
Study Space
The Library provides a range of study options. Floors 1 and 2 are designed for social / group
working, and the atmosphere is relaxed. Floors 3-5 are more traditional spaces for individual,
quiet study. If you prefer to work in complete silence there are two silent reading rooms on the
Floor 2 Extension, near the science books.
Closer to Millburn House you will find The Learning Grid, a space run by the Library in
University House. This is open 24/7, and caters for group working.
IT/Computer Facilities and Training for Students
The ability to use a computer for word processing, access to library databases and to the
catalogue, use of email and other Internet services, is absolutely vital. These are skills which
will be extremely useful to you in your studies and beyond.
9
You will have access by library card to the campus network via machines in open access work
areas. Printers are also distributed over the campus.
A student handbook produced by IT Services will be available at the Film and Television
Studies induction session. Help will be available from the Help Desk, on floor 1 of the library.
Students need to register as users of the central computing service before attending the
sessions. A self-registration procedure is available in the Computing Services Centre for
students who have already obtained a library card.
Links to internet based research resources can be found on our website
(www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/film/resources/internet/).
Cinema Provision on Campus
The Arts Centre Cinema, on campus, shows on average eight different films a week (with
two different screenings every evening). Films and special study days (to which members of
the department occasionally contribute) are widely publicised on campus. Course tutors may
draw your attention to specific films, but you must try to keep up with what’s on. Students
may work as ushers in the cinema (enquire with the Arts Centre).
The Students’ Union Film Society also shows a substantial programme of mainstream and
independent films. Only industry standard equipment is used, playing 35mm, 70mm and DCI
compliant movies in L3 on the Science Concourse. Membership is just £3.50 and ticket prices
thereafter are £2.50. For programme information or to join the Film Society visit:
http://www.warwicksu.com/societies/filmsoc or email: info@filmsoc.warwick.ac.uk
The Language Centre
The Language Centre, on the ground floor of the Humanities Building, organises a large
programme of language classes throughout the year. These are fee-paying, but the students’
rate is half price. In addition there are self-study facilities which include video and audio tapes,
CD-ROMs and satellite channels in a variety of languages. These are free of charge to
students (just bring your library card along). We encourage you to make use of these facilities,
for general purposes, or to broaden your background knowledge for particular modules, for
example on European literature or national cinemas.
IT facilities, especially film-related online databases. ‘Refresher’ sessions may be organised
at later dates, if necessary (see Richard Perkins).
The Short Loan section (on floor 1) is especially important. It contains books in heavy
demand and the video/DVD library.
Most film books are under classmarks PN3220 to PN3279, though some are to be found
under the classmarks of other disciplines, such as history, women’s studies, sociology etc.
Television books, in particular, can also be found on the 5th floor in Sociology (HD8500 to
HD 8599) and on the 3rd floor (PN1992 to PN1993). English literature books are under
classmark PR, French under classmark PQ, and German under classmark PT.
The library offers access to two major film and television databases (Film Index International
and International Film Archive). These, as well as the library catalogue (Webcat), can be
accessed from terminals in, as well as outside, the library. A version called Airpac is
10
available on smartphones. It is essential that you acquire the IT skills to make full use of
these resources which will help you locate material for essay writing (see below).
The DVD and Video Library
The video library, which consists of a substantial holding of DVDs and VHS tapes available
for educational purposes only, is located in the Short Loan Section of the central campus
library. The most frequently used titles are on the open shelves. The rest are in Store, but
available within 2 hours. You can reserve tapes and DVDs from the store online on the
Webcat.
Opening Hours
Tapes may be borrowed at the following times:
Monday to Sunday: 08.30 to 23.45
Catalogue
The tapes/DVDs are catalogued on Webcat by title and director.
Borrowing and returning
Tapes/DVDs can be borrowed using the Self-Issue machines in Short Loan. They are loaned
overnight and must be returned the next morning (or on Monday morning for tapes/DVDs
borrowed from Friday to Sunday), by 11am. There are substantial fines for the late return of
tapes/DVDs, increasing with every hour that the tape/DVD is overdue. The current rate is
£1.00 per hour. Students may borrow 2 items (tapes/DVDs) at any given time.
Reservations
Tapes/DVDs and books in Short Loan are bookable for a specific day via a link on the
Webcat. Certain tapes/DVDs are kept in store and are not available immediately, but can also
be requested in advance by clicking on the link in the catalogue entry. The best course is to
reserve in advance whenever possible. No tape/DVD in store is accessible after 3.00 pm, or
at all on weekends.
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12
Viewing
For legal reasons, tapes/DVDs of off-air recordings should not be taken off
campus. In addition, some tapes /DVDs required for film modules may be marked
for reference only and may not be taken out of the library. For this purpose, viewing
stations have been provided. Eight video/DVD players are situated on floor 1.
Headphones must be used, and are available from the Library Helpdesk on Floor 1, in
exchange for your library card.
Important
The video library collection is a key educational resource and must be used as such.
Many tapes/DVDs are irreplaceable and we appeal to all users to treat them
accordingly. Please remember to rewind tapes before returning them. Please report
any faults on the tape to Short Loan staff at the time of return.
IT/Computer Facilities and Training for Students
The ability to use a computer for word processing, access to library databases and
to the catalogue, use of email and other Internet services, is absolutely vital. These
are skills which will be extremely useful to you in your studies and beyond.
You will have access by library card to the campus network via machines in open
access work areas. Printers are also distributed over the campus.
A student handbook produced by IT Services will be available at the Film and
Television Studies induction session. Help will be available from the Help Desk,
on floor 1 of the library. Students need to register as users of the central
computing service before attending the sessions. A self-registration procedure is
available in the Computing Services Centre for students who have already obtained a
library card.
Links to internet ba sed research res ources can be found on our
website (www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/film/resources/internet/).
Cinema Provision on Campus
The Arts Centre Cinema, on campus, shows on average eight different films a week
(with two different screenings every evening). Films and special study days (to which
members of the department occasionally contribute) are widely publicised on campus.
Course tutors may draw your attention to specific films, but you must try to keep up
with what’s on. Students may work as ushers in the cinema (enquire with the Arts
Centre).
The Students’ Union Film Society also shows a substantial programme of
mainstream and independent films. Only industry standard equipment is used, playing
35mm, 70mm and DCI compliant movies in L3 on the Science Concourse.
Membership is just £3.50 and ticket prices thereafter are £2.50. For programme
information or to join the Film Society visit:
http://www.warwicksu.com/societies/filmsoc or email: info@filmsoc.warwick.ac.uk
12
13
The Language Centre
The Language Centre, on the ground floor of the Humanities Building, organises a
large programme of language classes throughout the year. These are fee-paying, but
the students’ rate is half price. In addition there are self-study facilities which include
video and audio tapes, CD-ROMs and satellite channels in a variety of languages.
These are free of charge to students (just bring your library card along). We
encourage you to make use of these facilities, for general purposes, or to broaden your
background knowledge for particular modules, for example on European literature or
national cinemas.
13
14
3. CURRICULUM
You will have received advance information on the modules below if you are
registered on them. Detailed programmes and reading lists will be handed out by
module tutors at the first session. For the timetable, see section (4) below. For
assessment, see section (5).
(a) ‘Open’ options
The department offers two options to students from other departments in the Arts
Faculty and from other faculties:
Introduction to Film Studies (FI 101)
Module tutor: Martin Pumphrey with Laura Sava 2 screenings per week
1 lecture per week (1 hour)
1 seminar per week (1 hour)
The Hollywood Cinema (FI 102)
Module tutors: Rachel Moseley (Autumn) and Ed Gallafent (Spring) Barbara Ottmann
(Autumn) and Matt Denny and Anna Sloan (Spring only)
2 screenings per week
1 lecture per week (1 hour)
1 seminar per week (1 hour)
NB.
1. Students wishing to take either option must make sure they are able to attend the
full module of lectures and seminars and two screenings a week (see timetable under
section 4).
2. The successful completion of the Introduction to Film Studies module is a prerequisite for taking the Hollywood Cinema module. Those who have completed
both modules may take options offered to third year Film and Television Studies
students. This is subject to the availability of places and the discretion of the module
tutor.
(b) 2+2 degree in Theatre, Film and Literature
-
Year one: Introduction to Film Studies (as above)
Year two: The Hollywood Cinema (as above)
(c) French with Film Studies, Italian with Film Studies
Students registered on one of the above degree programmes follow the set of modules
indicated below:
- Year one: Introduction to Film Studies (as above)
- Year two or three: The Hollywood Cinema (as above)
- Year four: Film Option (see below)
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15
FI 321 Contemporary Spanish Cinema: Pedro Almodovar (Autumn Term: 15
CATS) Module tutor: José Arroyo
2 screenings
per week 1
lecture per
week
1 seminar per week
FI 322 Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s (Autumn Term:
15 CATS) Module tutor: Karl Schoonover
2 screenings per week
1 lecture per week
1 seminar per week
FI 319 Italian Cinema: The Golden Age (Autumn Term: 15 CATS)
Module tutor: Stephen Gundle
1 Screening per week
1 Lecture per week
1 Seminar per week
FI 314 Postmodernism and New Hollywood (Spring Term: 15
CATS) Module tutor: Catherine Constable
1 screening per week
1 lecture per week
1 seminar per week
FI 317 Hollywood Comedy (Spring Term: 15
CATS) Module tutor: Martin Pumphrey
1-2 screenings per week
1 lecture per week
1 seminar per week
FI315 Swedish Cinema Spring Term: 15 CATS)
Module Tutor: Ed Gallafent
2 Screenings per week
1 lecture per week
1 seminar per week
(d) Options for the Part-time degree in English and Cultural Studies
The department normally offers two options, Introduction to Film Studies and The
Hollywood Cinema, which can be taken as day classes (see section (a) above), or as
an evening class, as follows:
Introduction to Film Studies (FI 101X)
Module tutor: Martin Pumphrey
1 evening session
(Screenings on take-home DVDs)
NB. The successful completion of the Introduction to Film Studies module is a
pre-requisite for taking the Hollywood Cinema module.
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(e) Gender and Cultural Studies
-
Year one: Introduction to Film Studies (as above)
Year two: The Hollywood Cinema (as above)
Year three: Film Option
4. TEACHING AND LEARNING
Attendance
Students are required to complete all components of each module to pass. Information
regarding the requirements of each module can be found on individual module
websites. This rule is in accordance with University Regulation 36.2, which ‘sets out
general requirements and expectations in terms of progress, attendance and the
completion of work.’ The following is excerpted from regulation 36.2:
1. Students are expected to engage fully with their course of study, take responsibility
for their own learning and co-operate with their department and wider University as
members of the University community. Students must comply with the requirements
for their course as set out by the department.
2. Students are expected to inform departments of any health problems, changes in
circumstances or other difficulties that may affect their progress. If a student fails to
inform the department, these circumstances cannot be taken into account.
3. Students may be required by the Head of Department to meet with staff in the
department. Students may also be required to meet with administrative staff in the
wider University.
4. If a student’s progress or behaviour persistently fails to meet the expectations set
out in this Regulation and departmental course requirements, the Head of Department
may recommend to a Continuation of Registration Committee that the student be
required to withdraw (under section 36.4.4).
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar/section2/regulations/reg36registrati
onattendanceprogress/
Attendance at lectures, screenings and seminars: FAQ
Why is attendance at classes important?
The Department expects all students to attend all the lectures, screenings and seminars
for each module followed. We take non-attendance seriously, as it affects both your
own learning and the collective progress of the group. It gives your teachers a
perspective on your work which can be fed into one-to-one tutorial situations as well
as in writing references.
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What must I do if I cannot attend a class?
In each module the seminar tutor will keep a record of who is present, and note all
absences. If you are unable to attend your seminar group you must inform the seminar
tutor, giving the reason for your absence. You are expected to do this in advance of
the class, but if it is not possible then it is acceptable to so within 48 hours of the class
taking place.
You must do this either by email, or by a note in the tutor’s pigeonhole in the office.
The note/email must be copied to your Personal Tutor.
Failure to notify your seminar and personal tutor within the 48 hours will result in the
absence being recorded as unexcused. The judgement as to whether the absence is
excused or unexcused will be made by your seminar tutor. He or she may consult your
Personal Tutor or the Departmental Senior Tutor if necessary.
What are acceptable reasons for absence?
This is largely a matter of common sense. If you are ill, or you have (say) a family
crisis which means you need to be away from the campus urgently, these can be
acceptable reasons. It is advisable to provide documentary evidence. You should bear
in mind that if you are persistently ill or in personal difficulties such that you cannot
attend for some time, you may be referred to the Departmental Senior Tutor, who may
discuss the option of temporary withdrawal with you, until you are fit to study again.
What are unacceptable reasons for absence?
You cannot be excused a class because you have an essay to write. You are expected
to organise your time to make space for this.
You cannot be excused for ordinary extra-curricular activities, such as film-making or
involvement in university societies.
Regular healthcare appointments, e.g. physiotherapy, counselling etc. should not be
made at times which repeatedly clash with a class. If you are receiving counselling
because you find the social and intellectual interaction of seminars difficult, this does
not exempt you from attendance, even if you feel you are not able to contribute a
great deal.
If you are suffering from psychological difficulties which prevent your attendance for
more than a brief period of time, you may be referred to the Departmental Senior
Tutor, who may discuss the option of temporary withdrawal with you, until you are fit
to study again.
What are the consequences of missing a significant number of seminars?
At the end of each term the department will consider the attendance records of all
students, and review the positions of those who have missed four or more seminars in
any module.
[1] Even if some of your absences are excused ones, you will normally be set a piece
of extra work (normally a 2,000 word essay or a piece of work broadly equivalent to
this) in order to ensure that you have fulfilled the learning requirements of the
module. The details of the work and the deadline for submission will be
communicated to you by the module leader. The work will be marked as a pass or a
fail. In order to pass the module the work will have to pass, and in these
circumstances your grade for the module will be unaffected.
[2] If there are four or more unexcused absences the Department returns a note to the
University Registry indicating the absences, and you will receive a letter about this.
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In these circumstances a deduction of 20% will be made from the total module mark.
You will be set a 2,000 word penalty essay, and completing this will enable you to
recoup some but not all of the lost marks. The maximum mark which can be awarded
for a penalty essay is 40, and the essay will count for 20% of the module mark. A
mark of 40 for one penalty essay would result, for example, in a module mark of 62
being reduced to 58. The details of the essay and the deadline for its submission will
be communicated to you by the module leader.
If you believe that you have a case for waiving any extra work set you can appeal to
the Head of Department. Two penalty essays can be set if you miss seminars in both
term one and term two.
What happens if I do not submit a penalty essay?
If the essay is not submitted by the required deadline 20% of the module mark will be
recorded as a zero. (A mark of zero would result, for example, in a module mark of
62 being reduced to 50).
Mobile Phone Policy
It is very important that mobile phone use is not disruptive. In lectures, screenings,
seminars and tutorials mobiles must be switched off. Sending and reading text
messages is not acceptable. Should your phone ring during a class, you must switch
it off immediately.
Screenings, lectures, seminars and individual study
Each of your modules runs for 22 weeks (including two reading and viewing weeks).
Each involves, on a weekly basis, two screenings for film modules (except for
Theories of the Moving Image), and a combination of lectures and seminars (see
section 3 above).
1. Screenings are a key aspect of film modules. You are required to attend two
screenings of each film. The first is designed to prepare you for the related lecture.
The second screening, placed after the lecture, allows for a more focused
examination. Learn to make notes during screenings, of factual points (e.g.
characters’ names, unless you have a printed list of credits), of your own impressions
or of points in response to tutors’ comments during the lecture. Most screening rooms
are equipped with low-level lighting. Re-reading and transcribing your notes soon
after a screening is a vital preparation for lectures and seminars.
Although video and DVD back-up is often available from the library, big-screen
communal viewings are crucial, providing the opportunity for a more thorough
examination of textual details, and replicating the ‘normal’ film viewing experience.
Note that there is no automatic guarantee of module films being available in the
library before related lectures and seminars are due to take place.
2. Lectures introduce or develop knowledge of a particular textual, historical or
theoretical/critical issue or area of which the week’s film or book is an illustration,
provide historical material and offer guidelines for a more informed second viewing
of the film, further library or audio-visual research, and signal points for discussion in
the seminars.
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Learning from lectures can be difficult. It is quite easy to lose the thread of a lecture
if your attention wanders even for a brief moment, although most lecturers do recap
during the lecture. Film lectures are usually illustrated with film extracts, which also
allow you a ‘breathing space’. During a lecture, you have to do three tasks
simultaneously:
i) follow and make sense of the argument(s)
ii) think about what is being said
iii) take notes
Do not write everything down: you cannot do that, listen and understand at the same
time. Try to write down the main points, and use seminars to clear up any queries.
3. Small group seminars normally emphasise close textual work, debate theoretical
issues prepared through reading, and test ideas exposed in lectures. Teaching
methods may involve split seminars and smaller group work and in some cases you
may be required to prepare short seminar presentations. Seminars are meant to be a
dynamic and supportive environment for the development of your ideas, as well as of
more general communication skills, especially the ability to construct and express
arguments.
Seminars work best if everybody contributes to them. This includes:
i) preparing: making notes on the screenings or on your reading, preparing topics
when required, doing the required reading.
ii) listening to what is being said, both by the module tutor and other students.
iii) talking: this includes making spontaneous interventions, not just speaking when
asked a question. Many students find this initially terrifying, because they feel
intimidated by the module tutor, or by other students in the group, or simply
because they are unused to speaking in public. To overcome this, bear in mind
that many people in the group will feel the same (even if they don’t look it). The
point is to advance a collective discussion, and that involves trial and error.
Remember that talking will be easier if you have prepared for the seminar and if
you listen attentively throughout. It is also valuable to write up your thoughts
after a seminar (perhaps as part of PDP – see below).
4. Individual study. This will be the newest and perhaps the most difficult aspect of
your work. The undergraduate study experience is very different from taking A
Levels in a number of crucial ways. Schools and sixth-form colleges are judged and
funded on students’ exam results, and you may have experienced schooling situations
in which A level teachers play a very direct role in assisting you in the preparation of
your coursework, even to the extent of carefully scrutinising drafts and correcting
mistakes for you before work is submitted. Universities are not subject to the same
pressures, and generally take the view that a study environment in which students
have to take the initiative for improving the quality of their work will offer better
preparation for life beyond education. Module and personal tutors offer office hours
to give you the opportunity to discuss how you might approach an assignment or act
on critical feedback, but you are expected to be proactive in making use of this
facility. Organising your own individual study time requires planning and discipline;
it will have a bearing on what you get out of lectures and seminars, and ultimately on
the overall quality of your work. Individual study includes sourcing books and articles
on reading lists (often frustrating and time consuming), reading and making notes on
them, planning and writing your essays, preparing seminar presentations, keeping up
with journals and with your film viewing outside module films (films shown on
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campus and those in the video library). Try to plan realistically: leaving essay
preparation and writing to the last minute is one of the most common problems. If
you have persistent difficulties planning your work, consult your personal tutor.
Reading and Viewing Week
The department has reading and viewing weeks in weeks 6 of the autumn and spring
terms. During these weeks no lectures or seminars are held. It is intended that you
should use the time for reading and viewing and to prepare material for the second
half of term.
Timetable
The timetable for your year of study is displayed on the Common Room noticeboards.
PDP (Personal Development Planning)
PDP is a University initiative which encourages you to reflect on your own learning,
performance and achievement and to plan for your personal educational (and career)
development. You will thus be encouraged to keep a record (on-line in a blog or offline in a file) of the developments of your ideas, of your approach to your studies and
our achievements, which you will be able to revisit, reformulate and apply to your
work (this record will be personal to you and confidential).
The aim is for you to pursue your degree more proactively and more effectively, to
use your initiative, to make you more organised and, if need be, more motivated.
The department supports this initiative in a variety of ways:
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through the process of assessment and module feedback
through SSLC
through discussion with your personal tutor
A website offers supporting materials:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/advantage/.
5. THE UNIVERSITY: SUMMARY OF USEFUL SUPPORT
SERVICES
The Senior Tutor and Student Counsellors
The Senior Tutor and Student Counsellors offer a confidential service dealing with
various academic and personal problems including financial problems, problems
connected with the law and university regulations, problems involving the provision
of facilities for students with disabilities, or harassment of any sort. You may consult
the counsellors of your own accord, or you may be referred to them by your personal
tutor. The Senior Tutor and Student Counsellors are to be found on the ground floor
of University House as part of Student Development and Support. The receptionists,
Marie Proctor and Ruth Leigh can be contacted on extension 23761.
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The Students’ Union
All students may become members of the Students’ Union and can join any student
society or run for office in the annual elections. The Union offers a number of
services including an Advice and Welfare Service which complements the help and
support provided by the Senior Tutor’s Office. The Students’ Union is constituted so
as to ensure that each Faculty is represented on the Union Executive. An Arts
representative will be elected early in the term. Anyone who has a problem that
cannot be resolved and who feels the Union can help should contact this
representative.
Lord Rootes Memorial Fund
Film students have been enabled to realise important and sometimes expensive
ambitions through assistance from the University’s Lord Rootes Memorial Fund.
Grants are available “to enable students to undertake, normally during the summer
vacation, projects or expeditions by individuals or groups entailing observation and
the intelligent use of experience in the scientific, technological, cultural, social or
business context”. Information about the Fund is usually publicised in the autumn
term with a deadline for submissions in December. Since applications need to be well
considered, persuasively presented, and fully costed it will be advantageous to make
an early start, especially if you wish to organise a group endeavour. You may find it
useful to browse through reports from past recipients of Lord Rootes awards; these
are held in the Modern Records Centre of the university library and are available for
consultation on request. You will find that a wide range of projects submitted by
students from this department has gained support and that the sums awarded have
been as much as two thousand pounds.
Student Careers and Skills
Careers support for Film and Television Studies students
The University’s Centre for Student Careers & Skills provides support and resources
to help you plan and manage your career effectively. A dedicated team of Careers
Consultants offers specialist advice and support to individuals according to their
department or their chosen area of work. The Centre also delivers one-to-one advice
and workshops to support academic and personal skills development and a team of
job search advisers are on hand to offer advice on job hunting.
The Centre is located in The Learning Grid in University House. Their enquiry desk is
staffed between 10:00 – 18:00 during term time, or you can contact the team by phone
or email. For further information of services on offer visit the Careers website:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/scs
To get ideas about the many opportunities to develop your skills and to book onto
careers workshops and events whilst at Warwick, visit Warwick Advantage:
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/advantage
Whatever your vision of career success, the process of career planning runs
throughout your degree. It can be tempting to leave it until the final year, but the
earlier you start, the wider the range of opportunities open to you after graduation.
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Undergraduate Skills Programme
Use the Undergraduate Skills Programme (USP) to develop your academic, personal
and professional skills, improve your marks, impress potential employers and network
with other Warwick students. USP Workshops are a series of skills specific
workshops designed to enable you to develop your personal, academic and career
management skills. Take a look at what is on offer at http://go.warwick.ac.uk/usp
Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme
The Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme (URSS) gives you the opportunity
to gain first-hand experience of research, to experience what it's like to be a member
of a research team and to participate in cutting-edge research.
Your research project will take between 4 and 10 weeks, and usually takes place
either full-time in the summer vacation, part-time in term time or part time in
vacation. For more information about the application process and what’s involved:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/scs/experience/urss/
Warwick Advantage Awards
The Warwick Advantage and Warwick Advantage Global Awards are a unique
collaboration between the Students’ Union and Student Careers & Skills. You can
apply to receive formal recognition for developing your skills or intercultural
capabilities through the extra-curricular activities you are involved in whilst at
Warwick. Award winners are invited to attend an annual Award Ceremony. Graduate
recruiters tell us they value highly the skills students develop through their
extracurricular activities and the Awards are a great way to enhance your graduate
employability.
You’ve made one good career decision, to study with us, but now the process
continues. Pursuing Film and TV Studies at Warwick can make you very employable,
but we do urge you to take advantage of all the opportunities open to you to get the
most out of your time here.
Sexual and Racial Harassment
The University and the Students’ Union regard all forms of harassment as
unacceptable and are prepared to take disciplinary action against offenders. Both the
University and the Students’ Union are committed to creating a community that is
free from harassment and discrimination. Sexual, racial and personal harassment can
seriously worsen conditions for staff and students at the University.
The University and the Students’ Union have prepared Guidelines on Sexual, Racial
and Personal Harassment (which can be seen on insite in the Campus Life [Health and
Welfare] section). The Guidelines include advice on identifying and addressing
harassment, formal procedures which can be followed and details of sources of
support. The Guidelines are also available from the office of the Director of Student
and Ancillary Services.
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The University Website
The website is major source of information, which many of you will no doubt have
already accessed. It is to be found at www.warwick.ac.uk. From here you can easily
navigate your way through a great deal of information about the university’s academic
departments and services.
University regulations and procedures are formally laid down in the Calendar, which
is available on the web at : www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar
If you wish to make an informal or formal complaint about a teaching-related matter,
detailed information about the procedures available is provided at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/aro/academiccomplaints/studentcomplaints
5. ASSESSMENT
The Assessment System: conventions and procedures
Film and Television Studies modules are assessed through a combination of essays
and unseen examinations, which take place at the end of each year.
Examinations test your understanding of critical and theoretical issues and your
coverage of the syllabus, as well as your ability to write concisely and at short notice.
Assessed essays give you the opportunity to display your command of close textual
analysis and historical research, and your ability to collect and organise evidence.
They develop your analytic, rhetorical and writing skills (see guidelines for the
writing of essays at the end of this handbook). They also allow you to learn from
comments and corrections by tutors.
You may not repeat material from your assessed essays in your examinations, (though
you may repeat material from unassessed essays). If in doubt about this, consult
module tutors or your personal tutor.
Essays will normally be returned to you within three weeks, with an agreed internal
grade and detailed comments from the first marker who, as the module tutor, is in the
best position to do so. The role of the second marker is to monitor the standards of
marking (rather than offer a second set of comments) and resolve the internal grade.
The internal grade may be adjusted later by the external examiners. It is felt
appropriate, however, to give you early feedback, as this forms part of the learning
process (this is also past students’ preference). Major adjustments, though they
happen, are very rare.
All modules are examined at the end of the year, with exams counting for 60% of the
overall assessment. The detail of essay to exam proportion is as follows:
Introduction to Film Studies (FI 101 - day and evening modules)
2 x 1,500 word essays
20%
1 x 3,000 word essay
20%
1 unseen examination (2 hours, 2 questions)
60%
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The Hollywood Cinema (FI 102)
2 x 3,000 word essays
1 seen examination (2 hours, 2 questions)
40%
60%
New 15 CATs modules (For French and Italian with Film Students who have
completed Hollywood Cinema)
Contemporary Spanish Cinema: Pedro Almodovar (Autumn)
Special Topic 1: Two Major Filmmakers (Autumn)
British Film and Television (Spring)
Postmodernism and New Hollywood (Spring)
Hollywood Comedy (Spring)
The above modules may be assessed in two different ways:
- 100% assessed:
1 essay of 5,000 words
- 100% examined:
1 unseen examination (2 hours)
You will be required to choose one of the above assessment options when you register
for your exams towards the middle of the autumn term.
Essay Lengths
You must provide a word count at the end of your essay. 10% variation on the
required length in either direction is acceptable.
Essay Deadlines
Two copies of essays should be handed in to the Film and Television Studies
departmental secretary (Room A0.12) by 12.00 noon on the day stated below with the
exception of the evening module students, whose essays should be handed in to the
module tutor at the beginning of the session at 6.30pm on the date indicated below.
Essays may not be submitted by fax or email.
All essays should be accompanied by a securely attached and fully completed front
sheet (see appendix 5). Copies of the sheet are available from the departmental office,
and should be collected in advance – not filled in when you arrive to submit the essay.
Mark and comments sheets will be attached to essays when they are returned.
Handing in Essays
Normally students hand their essays in personally. If for any reason it is not possible
to hand in the work in person, you are strongly advised not to leave the submission to
the last minute, and to ask the student entrusted with the task to phone you to confirm
that the essay has been signed it. But it should be clear that you are taking the risk of
an arrangement going wrong.
Essay Extensions
If there are circumstances which prevent your handing in an essay by the prescribed
deadline, you will have to apply for an extension. For Film Studies modules, the only
person who can grant extensions is the Head of Department. You will need to see him
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personally, and should collect and fill in an extension request form, and bring it, plus
any supporting documentation, with you. If the extension is agreed, you will be given
a copy of the countersigned form with the new deadline on it.
Extensions are given in the case of significant illness, accompanied by a medical
note, or comparable difficulty. They are not given to cover transport difficulties,
poor time management or mistaking or forgetting the time of deadlines. They are
not normally given for computer failure unless fully documented. Involvement
in extra-curricular university activities are never grounds for an extension if you
could reasonably have planned ahead and allotted your time accordingly.
You cannot be granted an extension by email, but you may wish to use email to alert
your module tutor and/or the chair if you are aware that circumstances are arising
which may cause you to require an extension.
Penalties for Late Submission without an Extension
When work is submitted late and no formal extension has been granted, there is a
penalty of 5% reduction of the mark per day.
In some circumstances in which you have not been granted an extension you may still
be advised to complete the assignment and hand it in. In these cases the work will be
marked and the mark reported to the appropriate examination board. The board will
consider how, if at all, the mark is to be taken into account.
Introduction to Film Studies (FI 101 - day module): Martin Pumphrey
Wednesday 31st October 2012 (Week 5, Autumn term)
1,500 words
Monday, 14th January 2013
(Week 2, Spring term)
1,500 words
Monday 22ndApril 2013
(Week 1, Summer term)
3,000 words
Hollywood Cinema (FI 102 - day module): Rachel Moseley, Ed Gallafent
Monday, 10th December 2012 (Wk 11, Autumn term)
3,000 words
Monday 22nd April 2013 (Wk 1 Summer term)
3,000 words
Examination information
The syllabus on which examinations are based will be made clear to you by each
individual module tutor, both at the beginning of the year and in the revision sessions
in the summer term. If in doubt, please consult module tutors in the first place.
Copies of past examination papers (since 1999) are available on line at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/electronicresources/exam_papers
Exam rubrics are posted on the noticeboards outside the common room in the summer
term and will be explained by module tutors in revision sessions.
Examination conventions and procedures
Students are awarded an overall mark based on assessment and examination and this
is passed on to their home department (with a breakdown of that mark). The scale of
marks equivalent to classification is as follows:
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70 and above
60-69
50-59
40-49
39 and below
First
2.1
2.2
3rd
Fail
17-point marking scale
Where an assessment or exam is a single piece of work, or a small number of long
exam answers, 1st and 2nd year work will be marked using the scale outlined below.
(The descriptors in the following table are interpreted as appropriate to the subject and
the year/level of study, and implicitly cover good academic practice and the
avoidance of plagiarism. We publish more detailed departmental marking criteria in
Appendix 4.)
With the exception of Excellent 1st, High Fail and Zero, the descriptors cover a range
of marks, with the location within each group dependent on the extent to which the
elements in the descriptor and departmental marking criteria are met.
Class
scale
Excellent
1st
First
High 1st
Mid 1st
Low 1st
Upper
Second
(2.1)
High 2.1
Mid 2.1
Low 2.1
High 2.2
Lower
Second
Mid 2.2
Low 2.2
Descriptor
Exceptional work of the highest quality, demonstrating
excellent knowledge and understanding, analysis,
organisation, accuracy, relevance, presentation and
appropriate skills. At final-year level: work may achieve or
be close to publishable standard.
Very high quality work demonstrating excellent knowledge
and understanding, analysis, organisation, accuracy,
relevance, presentation and appropriate skills. Work which
may extend existing debates or interpretations.
High quality work demonstrating good knowledge and
understanding, analysis, organisation, accuracy, relevance,
presentation and appropriate skills.
Competent work, demonstrating reasonable knowledge and
understanding, some analysis, organisation, accuracy,
relevance, presentation and appropriate skills.
High 3rd
Third
Mid 3rd
Work of limited quality, demonstrating some relevant
knowledge and understanding.
Low 3rd
Fail
High Fail
(sub
Honours)
Work does not meet standards required for the appropriate
stage of an Honours degree. There may be evidence of some
basic understanding of relevant concepts and techniques
Fail
Poor quality work well below the standards required for the
appropriate stage of an Honours degree.
Low Fail
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Zero
Zero
Work of no merit OR Absent, work not submitted, penalty in
some misconduct cases
For calculating module results, the points on this marking scale have the following
numerical equivalents:
Class
First
Upper
Second
Lower
Second
Third
Fail
Zero
Point on
scale
numerical
equivalent
range of marks for work marked using
all points on 0-100 scale
Excellent
1st
96
93-100
High 1st
89
85-92
Mid 1st
81
78-84
Low 1st
74
70-77
High 2.1
68
67-69
Mid 2.1
65
64-66
Low 2.1
62
60-63
High 2.2
58
57-59
Mid 2.2
55
54-56
Low 2.2
52
50-53
High 3rd
48
47-49
Mid 3rd
45
44-46
Low 3rd
42
40-43
High Fail
38
35-39
Fail
25
19-34
Low Fail
12
1-18
Zero
0
0
So, if an essay or exam answer is awarded the grade ‘Mid 2.1’ this means that it will
count as a numerical mark of 65 for the purpose of calculating your final grade for the
relevant module.
Further information about examinations may be obtained from your module tutors,
your personal tutor, or the department’s Examinations Secretary, José Arroyo.
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APPENDIX 1
DATES OF TERMS
2012 - 2013
Autumn Term
Monday 1 October 2012 – Saturday 8 December 2012
Spring Term
Monday 7 January 2013 – Saturday 16 March 2013
Summer Term
Monday 22 April 2013 – Saturday 29 June 2013
2013 - 2014
Autumn Term
Monday 30 September 2013 - Saturday 7 December 2013
Spring Term
Monday 6 January 2014 - Saturday 15 March 2014
Summer Term
Wednesday 23 April 2014 - Saturday 28 June 2014
2014 - 2015
Autumn Term
Monday 29 September 2014 - Saturday 6 December 2014
Spring Term
Monday 5 January 2015 - Saturday 14 March 2015
Summer Term
Monday 20 April 2015 - Saturday 27 June 2015
2015 - 2016
Autumn Term
Monday 5 October 2015 - Saturday 12 December 2015
Spring Term
Monday 11 January 2016 - Saturday 19 March 2016
Summer Term
Monday 25 April 2016 - Saturday 2 July 2016
2016 - 2017
Autumn Term
Monday 3 October 2016 - Saturday 10 December 2016
Spring Term
Monday 9 January 2017 - Saturday 18 March 2017
Summer Term
Monday 24 April 2017 - Saturday 1 July 2017
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APPENDIX 2
GUIDELINES FOR THE WRITING OF ESSAYS
Essay writing is a personal and creative activity but it is done within conventions of
scholarly practice. Getting a practical sense not just of the balance, but of the
relationship between these two aspects will be a large part of your progress.
1. The Purpose of Essays
Preparing and writing essays is one of the main ways in which students on the degrees
in the Department of Film and Television Studies develop their abilities. It is also
through essays, along with invigilated examinations, that the department tests
students. An essay is an opportunity to formulate ideas, to set out an argument and to
support it with evidence. The argument is yours but it is not just your opinion. Your
work should be original, not necessarily in the sense of presenting something never
previously thought of, but in taking responsibility for your own argument. Essays
sharpen analytic, rhetorical and writing skills that can then be applied to other tasks.
These ‘transferable skills’ are highly prized by potential employers who value good
communication.
2. Use of Background Material
In preparing your essay you will generally consult some historical, critical and
theoretical studies relevant to the topic. This background reading may in some cases
be less important than your close study of films and televisual works, but it is
essential to enable you to extend and focus your own responses. The department
encourages the development of individual analytical skills, backed by knowledge and
established sources. Essay writing will allow you to explore your own point of view,
supported by the evidence you have gathered.
With this in mind, make sure you note the details of secondary sources as you read
them (see (d) ‘Acknowledgement of sources’ below). Use the notes you have made,
but avoid confusing them with a formulation of your own view. The books and
articles you consult acknowledge their sources; this is normal academic practice and
you must follow it.
Note on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the abuse of secondary reading in essays. It consists first of the direct
transcription, without acknowledgement, of passages, sentences or even phrases from
someone else’s writing, whether published or not. It also refers to the presentation as
your own of material from a printed or other source with only a few changes in
wording. There is a grey area where making use of secondary material comes close to
copying it, but the problem can usually be avoided by acknowledging that a certain
writer holds similar views. All quotations from secondary sources, including the
Internet, must therefore be acknowledged each time they occur. It is not enough to
include the work from which they are taken in the bibliography at the end of the
essay, and such inclusion will not be accepted as a defence should plagiarism be
alleged.
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30
The university regards plagiarism as a serious offence. A tutor who finds plagiarism
in an essay will report the matter to the Chair of the Department. The Chair may, after
hearing the case, impose a penalty of a zero mark for the essay in question. This can
have serious consequences for first-year results. In the case of second-year and thirdyear students, the matter may go to a Senate disciplinary committee. If plagiarism is
detected in one essay, it is likely that other essays by the student concerned will be
examined for evidence of the same offence.
In practice, few students are deliberately dishonest and cases of plagiarism may arise
from bad scholarly practice. There is nothing wrong with using other people’s ideas.
In fact one good kind of undergraduate essay is an intelligent survey and synthesis of
existing views. The important thing is to know what is yours and what is not and to
communicate this clearly to the reader.
3. Scholarly Presentation
Observing certain principles of scholarly presentation for assessed essays is a basic
and transferable skill. It aids clarity of communication and enables you to provide a
full account of the argument you are putting forward.
N.B. Please note that from 2010/11 onwards we will routinely ask students to
provide an electronic copy of some of their essays, which will be scrutinised by
the online plagiarism source-matching service TurnItInUK, which scans
coursework for any evidence of collusion between students, unacknowledged use
of any source available online and also use of cheat sites.
(a) General presentation
 Students must submit their essays in word-processed form.
 A word count must be provided at the end of the essay, and recorded on the
front sheet. Footnoted references, along with bibliographies and
filmographies, should not be included in the word count, but all other text
(including quotations) must be.
 Use A4 size paper.
 Print on one side only of each sheet.
 Number all pages.
 Unless otherwise instructed, insert your name at the head of your essay, on the
right-hand side, and on the left-hand side the name of the tutor. Below this
should appear the title or question for discussion.
 Leave wide margins for tutors’ comments on either side of the page, with
space also at the top and bottom.
 Text must be double-spaced.
 Keep a copy of your essay for future reference.
 All essays must include both a bibliography and a filmography.
(b) Presentation of titles (films, books etc) and foreign words
 Titles of films, books, long poems first published individually, television
programmes, plays, paintings and periodicals must be italicised.
Examples: Citizen Kane; Film Art: An Introduction; Paradise Lost; Big
Brother; The Merchant of Venice; The Birth of Venus; Sight and Sound.
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31


The titles of articles published in periodicals, essays in edited collections, and
short poems in anthologies should be presented in single quotation marks.
Example: Laura Mulvey argues in her essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative
Cinema’ that…
Words or brief phrases in foreign languages, unless they are part of a larger
quotation, should also be italicised.
Example: A common feature of fin de siècle novels was…
(c) Quotations
 All quotations, from whatever source, should be exact in wording, spelling and
punctuation.
 Short quotations embedded in the main text should be enclosed in single
quotation marks and should be accommodated to the syntax of the sentence in
which they occur. Three dots (ellipsis) are used to indicate where words or
phrases have been cut from a quotation. Accommodation to syntax of sentence
is indicated by the use of square brackets ([ ]).
Example: In Hollywood Genres, Thomas Schatz claims that ‘the gangster
genre has had a peculiar history ... [and that] its evolution was severely
disrupted by external social forces’.
 Quotations within quotations should be differentiated by putting double
quotation marks within single ones.
Example: According to Schatz, ‘in the words of Johnny Rocco (Edward G.
Robinson) in Key Largo: “There are thousands of guys with guns -- but there’s
only one Rocco”’.
 Long prose quotations (i.e. those which take up more than three lines of text)
and quotations in verse should be indented by one tab stop from the left hand
margin, single spaced – though separated from the surrounding text by an
extra line space before and after – and presented without quotation marks.
Example:
In Jarman’s Edward II, as Edward embraces Gaveston, Annie Lennox sings
Cole Porter’s lyrics:
Every time we say good-bye
I die a little,
Every time we say good-bye
I wonder why a little.
The significance of this anachronistic choice of song is…
(d) Acknowledgement of sources
 Every time you insert a quotation, refer to information, or paraphrase an idea
drawn from another writer, you must provide a reference which clearly
indicates the original source.
 There are several referencing systems in operation. Below are guidelines on
using the ‘author-title’ system which is the set of conventions most widely
used by other departments in the Faculty of Arts and humanities disciplines
generally, and which we strongly recommend. For a more exhaustive account
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



of the rules of use for this system please consult the MHRA Style Guide
(London: Modern Humanities Research Association, 2002), available in the
library.
In the author-title system, references are presented as footnotes or endnotes. A
numeral in the main text will direct the reader to the equivalent footnote or
endnote containing the reference details. All modern word-processing
applications have the facility to insert and auto-format footnotes/endnotes.
(N.B. The numerals in the main text should ideally be placed at the end of a
sentence rather than in the middle of one – even if this means they do not
immediately follow the close of a quotation.)
On the first occasion that a particular source is referred to, the reference must
include full bibliographic details for the source along with the relevant page
number. The full references for published sources should always be presented
in the format shown below.
Examples:
1
Robert Sklar, Movie-Made America: A Cultural History of American Movies
(New York: Random House, 1975), p. 56.
2
Richard Maltby, ‘“Grief in the Limelight”: Al Capone, Howard Hughes, the
Hays Office, and the Politics of the Unstable Text’, in James Combs (ed.),
Movies and Politics (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1992), pp. 104-105.
3
Barbara Klinger, ‘Digressions at the Cinema: Reception and Mass Culture’,
Cinema Journal, 28:4 (Summer 1989), pp. 3, 5.
N.B. Observe that whilst the references for single-author monographs and
edited collections must indicate the place of publication and the name of the
publishers of the book concerned, references to periodicals do not. ‘28:4’ in
the reference to Cinema Journal means volume 28, issue 4; periodicals which
are published less than four times a year tend to count issues by number only.
Also note that if a single page is referenced, the abbreviation for the page
number is ‘p.’; a reference to more than one page is indicated by ‘pp.’.
If you make successive references to the same source, then the Latin
abbreviation ‘Ibid.’ (short for ibidem, which means ‘in the same place’) is
used in place of the author’s name and the title of the source etc. ‘Ibid.’ is all
that is needed if you are referring to the same page from this source in
successive references. If you are referring to a different page this must be
indicated.
Example:
1
Robert Sklar, Movie-Made America: A Cultural History of American Movies
(New York: Random House, 1975), p. 56.
2
Ibid.
3
Ibid., p. 58.
When further references to the same source do not immediately follow the
initial citation, ‘ibid.’ cannot be used. But all subsequent references are
shortened to the author’s surname and a succinct version of the source title.
Example:
3
Barbara Klinger, ‘Digressions at the Cinema: Reception and Mass Culture’,
Cinema Journal 28:4 (Summer 1989), pp. 3, 5.
4
David Bordwell, Janet Staiger and Kristin Thompson, The Classical
Hollywood Cinema: Film Style and Mode of Production to 1960 (London:
Routledge, 1985), p. 23.
5
Klinger, ‘Digressions at the Cinema’, p. 11.
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33
6

Bordwell, Staiger and Thompson, Classical Hollywood Cinema, p. 23.
When you quote something from a source you have not directly consulted, but
which is cited in another secondary source, this must be clearly indicated in
your reference.
Example:
Laura Mulvey has written that ‘Hollywood films made with a female audience
in mind tell a story of contradiction, not of reconciliation’.7
7
Laura Mulvey, ‘Notes on Sirk and Melodrama’, Movie 25 (Winter 1977-78),
p. 56; quoted in Richard Maltby, Hollywood Cinema (2nd edn.; Oxford:
Blackwell, 2003), p. 353.
Bibliography
All assessed essays must include a bibliography at the end which lists every written
source which you have directly consulted. Each entry must include the same amount
of publication information provided in the initial reference to the source in your
footnotes/endnotes. The only differences in the way this information should be
formatted in your bibliography are:
 Author surnames are listed first (the bibliography must be ordered
alphabetically by surnames). If the source consulted was authored
anonymously then ‘Anon.’ or ‘ANONYMOUS’ should be written in place of a
surname.
 Page numbers are not needed for listing monographs, but bibliographic entries
for essays in edited collections and articles in periodicals should indicate the
page range occupied by the essay/article.
 When an essay from an edited collection is listed, the book itself should be
listed separately under the surname of its editor(s) – see the Geraghty/
Brunsdon example below.
Example:
Bibliography:
Banton, Michael, The Idea of Race (London: Tavistock, 1977).
Brunsdon, Charlotte (ed.), Films for Women (London: British Film Institute,
1986).
Fischer, Lucy (ed.), Imitation of Life: Douglas Sirk, Director (New
Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1991).
Geraghty, Christine, ‘Three women’s films’ in Brunsdon (ed.), Films For
Women, pp. 138-145.
Malbert, Roger, and Coates, John, Exotic Europeans (London: South Bank
Centre, 1991).
Newman, Kim, review of Sin City, in Sight and Sound 15:6 (June 2005), pp.
72-74.
Vincendeau, Ginette, ‘Gérard Depardieu: The Axiom of Contemporary French
Cinema’, Screen 34:4 (Winter 1993), pp. 343-361.
Internet citations
References must be given for all written material consulted and cited, including
internet sources. The conventions for quotations from books and journals (see above)
also apply to internet sources, and all such sources should be included in your
bibliography.
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34
The agreed conventions for internet citations take the following basic form:
Author of page/s, name/title of page/s (in inverted commas), name of website
(italicised), date of posting (in parentheses; write ‘n.d.’ if this information cannot be
ascertained), page number (if indicated)*, URL, date accessed.
Example:
Ghosh, Arup Ratan, ‘Satyajit Ray’s Male Gaze’, Views, Reviews, Interviews,
(2000) <http://www.geocities.com/arghosh/malegaze.html>, accessed 18 May
2003.
Online journals often indicate an issue number, just like a published periodical, rather
than a specific posting date, and, in such cases, the way in which publication
information is presented at source should be duplicated.
Example:
Norton, Glen W., ‘Nostalgia for the Present: The Godard Renaissance
Continued’, Senses of Cinema 35 (April-June 2005)
<http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/05/35/godard_renaissance.html>,
accessed 12 June 2005.
*An increasing number of hard-copy journals are published simultaneously in an online format, and the
latter generally replicate the exact layout of the printed version to the extent that they indicate page
breaks and page numbers.
Citations of unpublished/non-written sources
Lectures
There may be occasions when you wish to make clear that certain statistics or ideas
which you are presenting in an essay have been taken from a course lecture. The
convention for indicating this in a footnote/endnote reference is demonstrated below.
Example:
9
Charlotte Brunsdon, lecture given at the University of Warwick, Coventry,
21 January 2007.
N.B. Such sources should not be indicated in your bibliography.
Films
 When a film is first mentioned within the text, details of director and/or
production company and/or country of origin and the year, should be included.
Example:
The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, Warner Brothers, USA, 1944).
 On the first occasion that you refer to a particular character in a film, you
should indicate the identity of the actor playing him/her.
Example:
The main protagonist Philip Marlowe (Elliot Gould) is first seen…
 All essays must include a filmography, following the bibliography, which
should provide details of all films viewed in the preparation of the essay and
referred to in the text.
 A film entry in a filmography usually begins with the title (italicised), and
includes the director, the country of origin, and the year. You may include
other details that seem pertinent, such as the names of the principal performers
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35

or the production company. It is recommended that you include the names of
the major characters in brackets after the names of the performers.
Example:
To Have and Have Not. Dir. Howard Hawks, Prod. Warner Brothers, USA,
1944. Main cast: Humphrey Bogart (Harry Morgan), Lauren Bacall (Slim),
Walter Brennan (Eddie).
References to films in both notes and main text should include full title with
initial capitalisation according to the accepted style of the language concerned.
(For courses like National Cinemas I & II where foreign language films are
extensively studied, the module leader will explain how titles should be
capitalised in the relevant language.) Titles should always be italicised. In the
case of non-English language films, original release titles in the original
language should be followed by the US and/or British release title.
Example:
L’Amour violé/Rape of Love.
Television or radio programmes
 When television or radio programmes are discussed or alluded to in your
essay, they must also be listed in your filmography. Information for such
sources usually appears in the following order:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Title of episode or segment, if appropriate (in quotation marks)
Title of programme (italicised)
Country of origin
Name of channel or network
Transmission date. This is abbreviated to ‘tx’, and can be found for all
programmes broadcast in the UK after 1995 in the online Television and
Radio
Index
for
Learning
and
Teaching
(TRILT)
at:
http://www.trilt.ac.uk/index.php.
Example:
‘Sold’, episode one, Band of Gold, first series, UK, Granada, tx. 12.3.1995.
Writer: Kay Mellor, Dir: Richard Standeven, Prod: Tony Dennis
Main cast: Cathy Tyson (Carol), Geraldine James (Rose), Barbara
Dickson (Anita), Ruth Gemmell (Gina).

Within the main text, the first (and only the first) reference made to a
television programme should be dated from the year of first transmission and,
in the case of long-running serials, the duration of the run should be indicated.
Details of production company, channel, country, may be supplied where they
are relevant to the argument but otherwise are best left for inclusion in the
filmography.
Example:
Coronation Street (Granada, 1961 -) is notable for its emphasis on strong,
witty and independent-minded women.
Where writers or producers are credited their role should be indicated.
Example:
Where the Difference Begins (Writ. David Mercer, BBC, 1961) was one of
Mercer’s most important contributions to television drama.
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36
DVDs
The conventions for referencing information or quotations taken from the audio
commentary on a LaserDisc or DVD take the following basic form:
Name of speaker, name and date of origin of film, media format, publisher of disc,
place and year of disc publication, ASIN code (usually listed on retail websites like
Amazon if not on the disc packaging).
Example:
4
Kenneth Bowser, audio commentary on Sullivan’s Travels (1941) (DVD,
Criterion Collection, USA, 2001) ASIN: B00005JH9C.
Marks deducted for poor scholarly presentation
Your mark and comment sheet will indicate if you have lost marks for poor scholarly
presentation. The conventions which markers use for this are included as Appendix 4
to this handbook.
(e) Problems with English
There is a close relationship between quality of thought and excellence of expression.
One of your goals should be to develop the clarity, vividness and elegance with which
you use language as you increase the breadth of your knowledge and the depth of
your understanding. A first aim must be to ensure correct usage in spelling,
punctuation and vocabulary. Distinguished work presents interesting observations and
arguments in a precise and pleasing style, but poor English will affect the level of
success you achieve on the degree and will be detrimental to most job prospects. If
your spelling is shaky, begin with the list of ‘commonly misspelt words’ at the end of
this section. In addition, special care should be taken with the spelling of titles,
characters and authors of works being discussed.
Do not rely on the ‘spell-check’ facility on your computer. These programs identify
non-existent spellings but will fail to respond to typographical errors if the mistake
results in an existing word – for example if you type ‘way’ for ‘was’. Students are
expected to proof-read essays to eliminate such errors.
Whether or not your spelling is weak, use a dictionary regularly. An etymological
dictionary and/or a thesaurus can sharpen your style. Certain words are misused with
particular frequency. Before using the following, please check their meaning and
their grammatical usage: ‘disinterested’, ‘due to’, ‘refute’, ‘imbue’, ‘infer’, ‘quote’
‘elide’. Check also that you understand the difference between it’s (a contraction of
‘it is’ which you should avoid using in an academic essay) and its to indicate
possession (as in ‘the production has its problems’); under the section ‘commonly
misspelt words’ you will find other pairs of words often confused with each other.
(i) Tutors will indicate where you have made errors of grammar, punctuation and
spelling. You are expected to find out why these are errors and not to repeat them.
If unsure, consult a grammar. Common faults in grammar include writing sentences
with no main verb in them (if you don’t understand what this means, consult a
grammar straight away), incorrect use of the colon and semi-colon and misuse of the
apostrophe.
(ii) Also bear in mind the fact that logically structured argumentation cannot be
properly achieved without dividing the different stages of your analysis into separate
paragraphs. If you end up writing long passages of text which continue without any
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37
pause over several pages then you will fail to communicate your ideas effectively and
convincingly.
Further reading
Some of the information in this handbook is based on Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook
for Writers of Research Papers (New York: Modern Language Association of
America, 1984), the MHRA Style Guide (London: Modern Humanities Research
Association, 2002), and R.M. Ritter, The Oxford Guide to Style (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2002). We strongly recommend that you consult these sources if you
have any further queries.
Vocabularies in film and television
Film and Television studies draw on many disciplines. Some of the language in your
required reading may initially be daunting. If you come across concepts you do not
understand, the following dictionaries are recommended:
Bottomore, Tom, Harris, Laurence, Kiernan, V.G., and Miliband, Ralph, A Dictionary of
Marxist Thought (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1983).
Bullock, Allan, Stallybrass, Oliver, and Trombley, Stephen, The Fontana Dictionary of
Modern Thought (2nd edn.; London: Fontana Press, 1988)
Hayward, Susan, Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts (2nd edn.; London: Routledge, 2000).
Kuhn, Annette with Radstone, Susannah, The Women’s Companion to International Film
(London: Virago, 1990).
Stam, Robert, Burgoyne, Robert, and Flitterman-Lewis, Sandy (eds), New Vocabularies in
Film Semiotics: Structuralism, Post-Structuralism and Beyond (London: Routledge, 1992).
Williams, Raymond, Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society (London: Fontana
Press, 1976).
The glossaries in the following books are also useful:
Bordwell, David, and Thompson, Kristin, Film Art: An Introduction (7th edn.; London:
McGraw Hill, 2003).
Kawin, Bruce F., How Movies Work (Berkeley, Oxford: University of California Press, 1992).
Maltby, Richard, Hollywood Cinema (2nd edn.; Oxford: Blackwell, 2003).
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COMMONLY MISSPELT WORDS
accommodate
accumulate
achieve
affective
(effective)
aggravate
allusion
(illusion)
*(ante(antiapparent
appropriate
argument
aural (oral)
biased
blatant
*(climactic
(climatic
committee
commitment
*(complement
(compliment
conscious
council
counsel
criterion
(criteria pl.)
crucifixion
deceive
definite
degradation
*(dependant
(dependent
desperate
detached
development
dilemma
*(discreet
(discrete
divine
*(dual
(duel
embarrass
emerge (immerse)
empirical
existence
extravagance
fulfilment
goddess
harass
heroes
hierarchy
humorous
hypocrisy
incite (insight)
imminent
independent
ideology
infinite
irrelevant
irresistible
led (lead)
lightning (lightening)
loneliness
lose (loose)
loth (loathe)
medium (media pl.)
metre (pentameter)
necessary
occasion
occurrence
parallel
perceive
personification
pursue
portrayal
*(practice
(practise
precede
proceed
*(principal
(principle
privilege
professional
*(prophecy
(prophesy
recurrence
reminiscent
repellent
repetition
repress
rhythm
stratum
(strata pl.)
suppress
separate
simile
subtly
subtlety
succumb
supersede
symbolic
tendency
transience
truly
*make sure you understand the difference between pairs of words marked by an
asterisk
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39
APPENDIX 3
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: GUIDELINES
The criteria of assessment always relate to the purpose and content of specific
assignments. However minimum requirements can be stated because there are some
qualities common to all acceptable work in our subjects. These are, primarily:

Accuracy in accounts of texts and in references to historical events and
circumstances. These references and accounts display consistency and accuracy of
detail.

Coverage - The work shows familiarity with the range of texts prescribed for
study and appropriate to the project.

Understanding of texts and arguments, shown sometimes by restating or
summarising them in the writer’s own terms, and sometimes by offering the writer’s
own views and applications of them.

Argumentation - The work presents the grounds of its understandings in
forms that allow the reader to engage with its claims.

Relevance to the topics under discussion is made clear in the presentation of
particular arguments and observations.

Expression is clear, and the writing is correct in its grammar, syntax and
spelling. Vocabulary is adequate to the needs of the discussion; the central terms are
used clearly and with consistency.

Organisation within the prescribed length and format is effective; the
presentation has an appreciable shape and development.

Scholarly presentation - The work is acceptable to the community of
scholarship. So that its data may be reliably checked its references are presented in a
consistent form. Sources are identified for all material used, whether through
reference, paraphrase, or direct quotation. Whenever material is quoted, quotation is
acknowledged in one of the received forms. (For details of scholarly conventions, see
‘guidelines for the writing of essays’ in this handbook.)
Satisfactory work meets these requirements and has only minor lapses. It is likely to
be awarded a mark in the mid-fifties. Work which is adequate in several of the above
respects, but weak or defective in some of them, or work which is partially
satisfactory but damaged by significant lapses, is marked on the scale which extends
downwards from the low fifties to a bare pass at forty per cent.
Good and very good work is awarded marks (in the high fifties to mid sixties) that
declare the extra range and individuality of its achievements. The qualities that carry
it beyond the scale of the satisfactory are most often those of thoroughness and
penetration in the grasp of the subject, with liveliness of expression and lucidity of
organisation. Clarity is attained while more complex approaches to the topic are
embraced and a more ambitious range of material is brought under discussion.
Intellectual skill is shown in comparing and co-ordinating disparate sources.
Excellence is recognised when work meets the above criteria fully but surpasses them
so as to display remarkable strengths in terms of industry and insight, and
distinguished skills in argument and expression. (The grades run from the high sixties
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40
to the seventies.) Some aspects of excellence can be further specified in relation to the
criteria stated above:

Coverage becomes enterprise in going beyond the prescribed texts or
previously explored instances to discover new material, or new relevance in familiar
material. The work has taken on a research dimension in which initiative and
imagination are combined with discipline and a consciously systematic investigation.

Comprehension is developed so that the work makes individual use of the
concepts and arguments derived from the scholarly literature. It shows command of
the topics by its shrewd location and negotiation of conflicting positions; its choice
and development of examples shows the sharpness of its insight. It demonstrates an
awareness of the wider consequences of its own choices in interpretation and
evaluation.

The argumentation remains clear and plausible but also achieves originality
through the vigour in its exploration of texts and topics. The work shows a grasp of
the interest of problems, an awareness of the range of ways in which its issues might
be negotiated, and both an ability to identify and a readiness to confront instances and
arguments that may pose difficulties for its own approaches.

Correctness of expression gives way to eloquence. The critical vocabulary is
wide, varied and precisely nuanced. A balance is achieved between clarity and force
on the one hand and complexity, roundedness on the other. Concepts are presented
and ideas are expressed as plainly as their depth allows.
Numerical grades
Evidently the above qualities are attained to differing degrees. Some work submitted
for assessment has all the above strengths and no significant weaknesses; it makes a
distinctive contribution to our fields of scholarship. More often excellent work shows
particularly fine quality in some rather than all of the above respects and a judgement
has to be made of the relative weight of its most and least impressive aspects. It is in
order to lessen the risk of arbitrariness in making these assessments that the final
determination of all grades is made through the system of double marking and the
consensus reached at the examination boards with the assistance of external
examiners.
A numerical grade is necessarily a blunt way of stating the outcome of the process of
judgement, and of relating very different achievements to one another qualitatively.
One essay might be awarded a mark of 65% because its generally competent
discussion, with no serious defects, is enlivened by passages of particularly
stimulating insight; another might receive the same mark in recognition of a strikingly
original approach with minor flaws or with passages of clumsy argument. The
percentage mark represents an attempt, guided by experience and consultation, to
aggregate the merits and weaknesses of your work in fair comparison with the
achievements of others. In this respect it mirrors the aggregation of marks from
different sources that yields the overall result for a module, as well as the final
classification of a degree.
The university does not allow students to challenge the academic judgement of the
examiners once a numerical grade has been given for a piece of work. The only
ground for any questioning of a grade is if there is evidence of irregularity in the
procedures by which the mark was determined.
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41
APPENDIX 4
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
DEPARTMENT OF FILM AND TELEVISION STUDIES
ASSESSED WORK COVER SHEET
Please check that you have followed these rules of presentation:
1.
2.
3.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.









You have submitted TWO copies
Essay is double spaced
One side of paper only
Page numbers
At least 12 point font
Bibliography
Filmography
References
Your essay has been proof-read
Student ID No.:________________________________________
Degree Course________________________ Year____________
Title of Module ________________________________________
Seminar Tutor’s Name___________________________________
Short Title of Essay_____________________________________
Length of Essay as set _______________ words
Length submitted____________________ words
I am aware of the note on plagiarism in the Department handbooks and of
Regulation 11B in the University Calendar concerning cheating in a university
test. The attached work, submitted for a university test, is my own.
Student Signature _______________________ Date_________
This form must be securely attached to your essay
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