CONTENTS
Page
1
Introduction and Welcome
5
2
University and Programme of Study Regulations
9
3
The Structure of the Degree
11
4
Departmental Procedures: Some Frequently Asked Questions
14
5
Academic Study: Essays and Dissertations
25
6
Course Requirements
35
7
Assessment and Examination Regulations and Procedures
37
8
Unfair Means - Plagiarism and Cheating
43
9
Possible Problems and Solutions
44
10
Student Progress Committee and The Senior Tutor
48
Annex 1
Personal Supervisor Guidelines
49
Annex 2
Referencing Guidelines
57
Annex 3
Mitigating Circumstances Form
67
Annex 4
Personal Development Planning (PDP)
71
Annex 5
The Academic Year
77
Annex 6
Members of Staff and their Research Interests
79
Annex 7
Departmental Map
85
Every effort is made to ensure that the information in this handbook is accurate and up-todate at the time of publishing. However, matters detailed in this handbook are subject to
review and change during the year. The online student handbook contains the most up-todate information.
1
2
This handbook forms part of a two tier structure of handbook information
available to you as a student of the University. While this handbook, produced by
the Department, seeks to give you information of immediate concern relating to
the Department and your programme of study, it also provides you with sections
identifying University policies and procedures which are directly relevant to you,
and with which you must familiarise yourself. In addition the University produces
a second handbook which is available on-line. This provides additional
information covering University regulations, policies and procedures – including
links to the full text version of each regulation, policy or procedure – and
information about University facilities and services. It also contains more detailed
information about your rights and responsibilities as a student, and information
about the structure of the University. The on-line handbook can be accessed at:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook
It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the contents of this handbook,
and make sure that you use it as the first source of information and guidance on
matters relating to your programme and status as a student. You will not be
permitted to rely on ignorance of regulations, policies or procedures contained in
this handbook as a ground for mitigation, special treatment or appeal.
Every effort is made to ensure that the information in this handbook is accurate
and up-to-date at the time of publishing. However, matters detailed in this
handbook are subject to review and change during the year. The online student
handbook contains the most up-to-date information.
3
4
INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME
Welcome – or welcome back – to the Department and the University. We are very happy
to have you with us.
The University of Hull is a well-established university, with a national, and in some
cases international, reputation for the quality of both teaching and research. It describes
itself as “the friendly University”, and we believe that appellation fits both the University
itself and the corner of England where it is situated. Certainly friendliness is much more
than a marketing strategy for us, as generation after generation of students can testify. If
you are a new student, we hope you will come to know and like the area and its people
as much as those of us who work here do. If you are a returning student, we hope that
the University and the city continue to provide an enjoyable scholarly and living
experience, one of which you are proud.
The Department of Politics and International Studies, a constituent member of the
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, was created in 1997, though, the Department of
Politics and International Studies was constituted as far back as 1961.
The Department offers a range of distinctive degree programmes, ones which have
stood the test of time but which have been consistently updated to ensure that the
teaching you receive is at the cutting edge of the discipline.
You will find that everyone who works here, whether academic, administrative or
secretarial, will do their best to look after you by creating a stimulating, efficient and
helpful environment. We are – or try to be – very approachable and supportive. Our
expectations are high, but we do what we can to help you meet them.
But of course we can only go so far, and at the end of the day you will stand or fall by
your own efforts. To this end there are rules and regulations to be followed as well as
rights and privileges to be enjoyed. This Handbook is therefore a vital document, one
which you must read and absorb, because it outlines your ‘contract’ with the
Department.
It is not a legal document of course, and nor does it aspire to be comprehensive. But it is
a vital starting point. If anything in it changes during the year, or proves to be inaccurate,
we will do our best to let you know, but we have to insert the usual disclaimer that we
cannot be responsible for any errors which the Handbook may contain.
We shall work on the assumption that you know and understand everything in the
Handbook, so ignorance of the rules will be no excuse! But if anything in here isn’t clear,
and especially if you think it’s wrong, please tell your supervisor.
It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the contents of this handbook, and
make sure that you use it as the first source of information and guidance on matters
relating to your programme and status as a student. You will not be permitted to rely on
ignorance of regulations, policies or procedures contained in this handbook as a ground
for mitigation, special treatment or appeal.
One further thing you will need to know, whether you are new student or old hand, is the
University’s teaching structure. The first semester will run for 14 weeks (including 2
weeks of assessments), with assessments being completed after Christmas, and the
second semester lasting 16 weeks (including 4 weeks of assessments), split by the
Easter vacation. The following are the semester dates. A more detailed plan of the
academic year can be found in annex 5.
5
Programme of Study Information
Semester One
29 September 2008 to 31 January 2009
Examination
Weeks
19 January 2009 to 30 January 2009
Vacation
22 December 2008 to 18 January 2009
Semester Two
2 February 2009 to 13 June 2009
Examination
Weeks
18 May 2009 to 12 June 2009
Vacation
28 March 2009 to 19 April 2009
Note that the academic year for taught postgraduate programmes, starting on 29
September 2008, is deemed to run until 21 September 2009 (representing 45 weeks of
study time plus vacations).
Regulations govern the use of the libraries and computer facilities (whether provided in
departments or the computer centre). They are designed to ensure that all students gain
maximum benefit from learning resources. The University takes very seriously any
misuse of library facilities or computers. The full text of the regulations can be found at:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/advice/regs.html.
Library Services at the University of Hull
The Brynmor Jones Library situated on the Hull campus is the largest library in the
University. There is also a library at the Scarborough campus - the Keith Donaldson
Library. The student card that you receive on registering with the University is also your
library card and you will need it to borrow material and to enter the Libraries. The
Libraries have over 1,800 study spaces and some small group study rooms. The
University’s Libraries hold more than a million items including books, journals,
multimedia and maps. All of this material is listed in a web-based catalogue which you
can access from anywhere in the world. You can download searches from the catalogue,
check which items are on loan to you, and renew and reserve items. You may also
renew items once by telephone provided that they are not reserved by another reader.
The library is not just a local storehouse of books; it is also your gateway to a huge
range of information resources that you won’t find on Google. There are over 500
electronic databases covering all subject areas. These include over 17,000 full-text
electronic journals, newspapers in full text, online reference works, electronic books,
other library catalogues and much else. In order to help you get the best from a search
for information using these resources, the Library offers training, via a range of methods
including online tutorials. Also one-to-one help in finding information is available at the
enquiry desk.
Further details of the services available from the Universities Libraries are available on
the Library Services Website, http:/www.hull.ac.uk/lib.
6
Departmental Bookshop.
Mindful of the rising cost of books and the falling purchasing power of students, the
Department has for many years operated a scheme under which we buy politics and
other relevant books from graduating students, and resell them to new and continuing
students. Book sales are held at key points in each academic year, and Mark Stuart is
available to purchase books from students who no longer require them. Depending on
condition we pay up to 35% of the original price and sell them for up to 50% of this price,
all surpluses being ploughed back into the system.
The first book sale is held early in the first semester and details will be posted on the
notice-board. A wide selection of books at much reduced prices will be available. You
are strongly recommended to avail yourself of this service.
Keeping your contact details and personal information up to date
It is your responsibility to ensure that at all times the University has complete and
accurate contact details for you. Students can manage their contact details and review
personal information that the University holds through the student portal at
https://port.hull.ac.uk. You can access the portal using your user name and password. If
you are unable to make changes in relation to your personal information the portal will
inform you of what documentation may be needed and what areas of the university you
need to see. Alternatively, changes to your details can be notified to your department
using the approved University form, available from your department, Student
Administrative Services or downloaded from the portal.
Rules governing absence from the University
You are required to be in attendance on week days during each semester. All students
are required to inform their department within two days if they are absent from the
University as a result of illness or for any other reason. A GP’s medical certificate will be
required for absences of more than seven days. If you become ill and are unable to
inform the departmental office, you should arrange for someone to communicate on your
behalf. For further information see
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/absence.html
If your absence is related to a disability, please contact Disability Services for advice.
7
8
University and Programme of Study Regulations
The Programme of Study for which you have registered, and therefore the qualification
you are seeking, is governed by regulations which operate at two levels. First, the
University level, applying consistently to every programme of study. Second, at the level
of the individual programme, setting out which modules you must take, which modules
you can opt for, and (where applicable) the way in which those modules are weighted to
determine the final classification of the degree.
Therefore to qualify for the award you are seeking you must abide by both levels of
regulations. Any action outside regulations can only be taken if the approval of the
University Student Progress Committee (explained later) has been obtained by your
department.
The following summarises the key points of the University regulations which you should
be aware of, but the full version can be viewed at:
http://www.hull.ac.uk/policyregister/qualityhandbook/section_b_index.html
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each programme is divided into stages representing each set of 60 credits. For
example the taught masters degree is made up as follows:
o Certificate stage (first 60 credits – equivalent to the first semester fulltime)
o Diploma stage (second 60 credits – equivalent to the second semester
full-time)
o Masters stage (third 60 credits – commonly the dissertation undertaken
during the Summer period)
to qualify for the award of the degree you must successfully complete all 60
credits for each stage
the pass mark for modules is 40
you can be reassessed once in any failed module unless the Module Board has
denied reassessment as a result of you not complying with the attendance and/or
submission requirements of the module
the mark for any module passed following reassessment is capped at 40
in very limited circumstances, involving no more than 20 credits, a narrow fail can
be treated as a pass (called ‘compensation’), although no change is made to the
mark awarded for the module
a candidate may have up to 20 credits disregarded (called ‘condonement’) in
deciding the candidate's eligibility for the degree provided certain conditions are
met
a candidate at the Diploma stage who fails more than 60 credits, is automatically
deemed to have failed the programme, without being permitted to be reassessed
in the failed modules. However, such a candidate may be permitted to repeat the
stage at the discretion of the Programme Board of Examiners. Student Progress
Committee has determined that the following factors should be considered in
exercising this discretion: (i) the profile of marks, ii) the candidate’s
attendance/submission record, (iii) the candidate’s potential to succeed in the
repeated stage and whole degree, (iv) any mitigating circumstances properly
notified
a candidate who is not allowed to progress to the Masters stage but is allowed to
undertake reassessment in failed modules, may not begin the research for the
Masters stage dissertation until the reassessments have been successfully
completed unless no more than 40 credits have been failed and the candidate is
permitted to continue by the Programme Board of Examiners
9
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

where a candidate has to be reassessed and is not permitted to continue as
explained above, the three month period for undertaking the final stage will be
deemed to commence once you are notified that you have passed the
reassessments and are allowed to commence the final stage
if you do not successfully complete a stage you can be awarded a lesser
qualification, at which point your programme of study will be at an end
a candidate may not repeat a stage except with the approval of the University
Student Progress Committee. Such approval will only be given where medical
circumstances or exceptional personal circumstances are established of a kind
which clearly affected the candidate's performance throughout the year. Repeat
years are not given lightly. Equally you may not reapply for the same degree
without the approval of the Student Progress Committee. The same criteria as for
a repeat stage will apply.
Masters degrees are awarded as a pass, but will be awarded with ‘distinction’,
where the candidate has achieved an average of 70+ over all 180 credits, and
with a mark of no less than 67 in the masters (dissertation) stage. Students on a
Taught Masters programme who have gained admission to the University of Hull
on the basis of APL (Accredited Prior Learning) should be mindful that they
cannot attain a Distinction without (a) at least 120 credits gained from the
University of Hull (b) 60 credits gained in their dissertation from the University of
Hull. These 60 (dissertation) credits may, or may not, be part of the 120 credits
gained from the University of Hull.
10
THE STRUCTURE OF THE DEGREE
THE MODULAR SYSTEM
University awards are designed to comply with the Quality Assurance Agency’s
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and other external reference points
(Information is available at http://www.qaa.ac.uk). In particular all departments have
produced programme specifications for all of their taught programmes, which set out
what you can expect to be able to do if you successfully complete the programme.
These are referred to as intended learning outcomes.
In common with most universities, Hull modularized its degree programme some years
ago. This has a number of benefits, including ensuring a consonance between the
demands made of students by different departments, giving you more choice, and
permitting greater flexibility for you to ‘build up’ credits to degree level over a number of
years. The approach is consistent with the national policy of creating a system-wide
qualifications framework in UK universities1 currently under development.
But in the view of many the approach has a more problematic potential too, though this
varies from discipline to discipline. In most disciplines there is core knowledge necessary
if a student is to claim mastery of the area, and this core knowledge is sometimes best
taught over a more extended period than is possible under a modular system. What we
believe this core knowledge to be in Politics is represented in our decisions as to the
modules you are required to take.
But we are also committed to exploiting the flexibility of the modular structure in order to
give you an increasing level of choice in designing the architecture of your own
programme. It means that you have an excellent opportunity to study from a wide range
of specialist areas of staff interests, and in many cases to explore with staff topics in
which they have international reputations.
Like most modular systems the Hull scheme is quite complicated. But the main things
you need to know are the following. We do, however, stress that these are
simplifications, and you may encounter exceptions to which we will alert you as they
arise:
1 As you will have seen from University Regulations on page 8, each full module is
normally worth 20 credits. In each semester you normally take a total of 60 credits. If
you assume this means 3 modules per semester you will usually be right.
2 There are two categories of module for each degree programme. These are:
 Core Modules (compulsory for your degree)
 Optional Modules (modules taught within the Department and identified as
appropriate to, but not necessary for, your degree)
A detailed list of Core and Optional Modules is available on e-bridge pages:
e-bridge.hull.ac.uk, and will be made available to you as hard copy by the Departmental
Office. Please note that not all Optional modules may be running in any given year
1
This framework already operates at the University of Hull to the extent that if you leave without completing your degree,
a full set of semester 1 credits entitles you to a ‘Certificate’, and semester 1 + semester 2 credits entitle you to a
‘Diploma’ (see page 6). But you cannot, we are afraid, claim more than one of these qualifications, so if you complete the
course successfully you receive a degree and nothing else!
11
Benchmarking and Transferable Skills
A significant national trend which has developed in recent years has been the creation of
benchmark standards in all (or almost all) subjects taught in universities. These have
been produced by groups of subject specialists as a means of identifying the kinds of
knowledge and skill which graduates in a particular subject area should be able to demonstrate
they have acquired. The benchmark statements are wide-ranging, however, and universities
approach them in many different ways. The Politics and International Relations benchmarks are
on http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/benchmark/politics.pdf
We have reviewed the benchmarks carefully, and though they have necessitated
relatively little change to our teaching you can be confident that we continue to address
them in planning and reviewing our teaching, and that your degree from Hull will be a
state of the art one so far as national standards of content and excellence are
concerned.
Related to benchmarking is the national concern to ensure that graduates have
transferable skills as a result of their degree study. This concern derives from a
number of sources.
First, a few influential employers have commented critically on the fact that nationally
some graduates seemed to lack the basic skills required for beginning employment.
These comments have resonated with a government anxious to diminish any ‘skills
deficit’ in relation to other EU member states. Second, some post-1992 universities
(former polytechnics and colleges of higher education) have sought to market
themselves as ‘vocational institutions’ to try to increase the employability of their
graduates as against those of traditional ‘blue chip’ universities. Third, every university is
aware that its graduates are not only seeking employment in an increasingly competitive
work environment, but are doing so with the burden of financial debt around their necks.
Accordingly we at Hull are genuinely anxious to help you market yourself effectively, and
ensure that we really can demonstrate that the study of politics makes our graduates
very attractive employees indeed.
You will be pleased to know that the evidence here is very much in our favour. Hull’s
students generally are among the country’s most successful in securing employment,
and Politics students are in especially strong demand by both public and private bodies.
But it can only help to make explicit some of the skills with which we believe the study of
politics equips students, and we are delighted to do so. The transferable skills listed in
the Benchmark statement are of two kinds – Generic Intellectual Skills and Personal
Transferable Skills – the latter having to do with communication, the use of technology,
the capacity to work both independently and collaboratively. These skills you will acquire
during your time in Hull.
Of course the pursuit of transferable skills of this kind is quite distinct from the pursuit of
an overarching ‘vocational route’ in course design. In our view for us to engage in any
such endeavour would be a mistake. This is because we believe that a strong academic
education remains of immense value, both substantively and instrumentally – that is to
say both in its own right and as an avenue to senior employment. Happily the evidence
is overwhelmingly that the best employers agree.
In short, therefore, you have joined a department which, while traditionally academic in
orientation and approach, is nonetheless alert, and in many cases sympathetic, to
developing trends in higher education. Above all, however, we are committed to you, our
students, and shall continue to do all we can to protect and enhance the enviable
position which your predecessors have had in the UK and international job market.
12
DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES: OUR EXPECTATIONS OF YOU
Bearing all this in mind, we have recently reformulated our expectations, making them
more explicit than before. Here they are:
(1) On completion you should have:
• acquired an understanding of the subject based on reasoned argument,
critical appraisal and the application of analytic skills
• developed an ability to think clearly and logically on political questions, enabling
you to exercise independent judgement about political issues, events and
processes
• improved your abilities to research independently, communicate your findings
orally and in writing, and to summarise and present complex and contested
arguments in an informed and reasoned manner
• developed a reflective and self-disciplined approach to learning suitable for further
training and/or research.
(2) This may sound daunting when you start, but it will seem less so as you proceed.
Accordingly we have also formulated our expectation of where you should be
intellectually at the end of each level of study. Politics/IR students, therefore, should also
have acquired:
• at Certificate, a knowledge and understanding of the concepts, approaches and
methods of study in your general field, and the distinctive elements of the subdisciplines in particular
• at Diploma, a broader and deeper understanding of the subject through
theoretical, conceptual and comparative analysis as well as an increasing ability
for independent self-directed study
• at Degree, a specialist knowledge of selected aspects of the disciplines, and a
facility for identifying and analysing evidence, data and information from various
sources to provide a coherent and informed aspect of your investigations.
13
DEPARTMENTAL PROCEDURES: SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A
SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE
1
How will the Department keep in-touch with me?
It is your responsibility to ensure that at all times the University has complete and
accurate contact details for you. Students can manage their contact details and review
personal information that the University holds through the student portal at
https://port.hull.ac.uk. You can access the portal using your user name and password. If
you are unable to make changes in relation to your personal information the portal will
inform you of what documentation may be needed and what areas of the university you
need to see. Alternatively, changes to your details can be notified to your department
using the approved University form, available from your department, Student
Administrative Services or downloaded from the portal.
2
I see all students are allocated a ‘supervisor’. What is a supervisor?
Personal Supervisors: Guidelines for Staff and Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate
Students: The University guidelines which govern the system of personal supervision set
out both what you can expect from your department and supervisor and what is
expected of you, to ensure that the supervisor can provide effective support. You should
familiarise yourself with the guidelines, which are set out as annexe 1 to this handbook.
Your supervisor is a member of academic staff who should be your first port of call if you
have personal problems affecting your academic work or, simply, for day-to-day
academic advice. Your supervisor’s role is separate from, but complimentary to, that of
your module tutors. Module tutors should be approached when you have a problem
which relates specifically to their module. Your supervisor can help with issues of
pastoral care and general advice and guidance. The supervisory system (often called a
‘tutorial system’ in other universities) ensures that one member of staff is well
acquainted with you, and can speak about you in the Department and supply a reference
when you are job hunting.
You will be told who your supervisor is during registration, and where you can find him or
her – in fact you probably have this information already. You are required to meet your
supervisor at the beginning of each semester to check that everything is going well for
you. Your supervisor will also give you your examination results personally to enable us
to discuss whether you have any academic problems with which we can help you. If
there are factors affecting your exam performance – illness or family difficulties for
example – it is your supervisor whom you should tell about them. But you must do so
right away since your supervisor will be responsible for ensuring that they are brought to
the attention of the Board of Examiners, the body which in practice determines your final
marks.
3
How do I know when I can see my supervisor?
All members of academic staff set aside time each week in which to see students
without appointment. These ‘surgery times’ are noted on staff members’ doors: they
change year on year because of teaching and other commitments so we cannot list
them for you. You should call to see your supervisor at one of his or her times. If,
however, you would like a longer appointment, and especially in the case of an
emergency, you should feel free to look in ‘on spec’ at other times. Often, however, the
easiest way to contact your supervisor is by e-mail, when you will be given an
appointment at a mutually convenient time. Staff e-mail addresses are listed in this
14
Handbook. Please note that academic staff make their own appointments; except in the
case of the Head of Department this is done through the departmental secretaries.
4
What if I have a problem I do not want to discuss with my supervisor?
The University’s confidential Counselling Service is located close to the campus at 138
Cottingham Road and is staffed by qualified counsellors. You can see a counsellor for a
brief consultation in the Drop In. To do so simply call in at the Counselling Service
reception any semester weekday between 12.00 pm and 1.00 pm.
You can make a full fifty minute appointment to see a counsellor, either by calling in to
reception, by telephoning on 01482 465166 or by emailing us at
studentcounselling@hull.ac.uk.
You
can
find
out
more
http://www.hull.ac.uk/counselling/
about
the
Counselling
Service
at
If your problem is of a difficult or distressing nature it may be better that you go and talk
to a counsellor rather than to your supervisor. This is partly because your supervisor,
though concerned for your welfare, is not trained in counselling techniques, and partly
because the level of confidentiality your supervisor can offer is lower. For example, there
could be circumstances in which concealment of sensitive but relevant factors in
references could be legally actionable by future employers.
But your supervisor does need to know if your problems are affecting your academic
work, either in terms of quality or of your ability to submit on time. So please ensure that
he or she knows the situation in outline at least: we shall be as sympathetic as possible,
and your situation will be dealt with in a fair and consistent way.
5
What do I do if I do not get on with my supervisor?
This is an important point because you may well keep the same supervisor for your
entire degree programme: we find this is the best way to build up rapport and trust. Just
occasionally there is a clash of personality, and no offence will be taken if you ask to
change supervisors. If it is not easy to discuss this with your supervisor you should go
and talk to the Head of Department. Something will be sorted out without bad feeling or
embarrassment.
6
Does the University Union offer welfare support?
Yes: Advice Centre. The aim of the Advice Centre is to provide free, impartial,
confidential, advice and information to all students at Hull University. Semester drop in
advice times are between 11am and 3 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
They are also available outside these times but by appointment only.
The Advice Centre is located on the 3rd floor of the Students’ Union Building, University
House. To make an appointment telephone 01482 466263 or email huu-advicecentre@hull.ac.uk.
For Advice throughout the night Hull University Union provides Nightline. Nightline is a
confidential, listening and information service run by students for students open every
night of semester from 8pm to 8am. For a Listening Information Drop-in Service you
can visit them at 138 Cottingham Road (above Dr Jones’ Surgery) from 8pm-11pm and
6am-8am. Telephone 466272). Further details can be accessed on
http://www.hullstudent.com/.
15
Volunteers are often being sought too, so if you are interested keep an eye open for
posters. By the way, female students in particular should note that attack alarms can be
purchased from Nightline, price £5. While we hope you never need one, much better
safe than sorry.
7
I have heard reference to the existence of a “senior tutor”. What is that?
A senior tutor is a member of academic staff from another Department who advises the
University on ‘student progress’ issues.
The Senior Tutor has two principal functions. First, playing a support, advisory and
mediating role on behalf of students who find themselves in difficulty within the
department and who cannot resolve matters directly. Second, Senior Tutors play an
important role in the University's disciplinary procedure. Students who do not meet
attendance or course work requirements receive letters of warning and may be invited to
an interview by the Senior Tutor, who may then issue a University Warning. Senior
Tutors also approve requests for intercalation, repeat semesters or repeat years. Your
Senior Tutor is Dr Graham Scott of the Department of Biological Sciences; Tel no
(01482) 466424 or e-mail G.Scott@hull.ac.uk
8
What provisions do you make for students with a disability?
The University is very proud of its arrangements here, which include the state of the art
Disability Service, on the third floor of the Student Union Building. At Hull we try to give
support to students with a range of disabilities – whether it is their mobility, their sight or
hearing or their academic presentation which is affected. Further details are on the
University internet at http://www.hull.ac.uk/disability/ As a department we have a
range of support mechanisms, and if you have not already been contacted by us, you
should make yourself known to our Disability Officer, Professor James Connelly (Tel
01482 465754 or e-mail J.Connelly@hull.ac.uk).
We cannot help you unless you make your disability known to us, so if you are affected,
please make contacting Professor Connelly a matter of high priority.
9 You say that you set us high academic standards but help us meet them.
What does that mean?
Government policies to increase the participation rate of 18 year olds in higher
education, combined with a very considerable interest from ‘mature’ candidates have
had an impact on universities’ teaching and learning strategies.
In addition to the pastoral support and advice on essay writing outlined in this Handbook,
the department runs a Study Skills Programme which we strongly recommend you
attend. The first year course covers basic writing skills, time management, reading and
note taking for essays and seminars, essay writing and literary skills. The second year
course focuses on the ‘academic jump’ from first to second year. It explains the higher
demands we make of, and expectations we have of second year students and provides
advice on how you can meet these. The final year course focuses on dissertation writing
and careers guidance. All of the courses run in the induction period before the start of
teaching, and fuller details are available in a separate document. If you have not
received this, please check the notice-board or contact Mr Simon Lee on either Tel
01482 465978 or e-mail S.D.Lee@hull.ac.uk. You can also log onto our Study Skills
ebridge site available at http://ebridge.hull.ac.uk.
16
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING (PDP) AND PROGRESS FILES
In addition to personal supervision, students will also be provided with Personal
Development Planning.
All students are entitled to a regular review of their progress on a programme. PDP is
defined as 'a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect
upon their own learning, performance and / or achievement and to plan for their
personal, educational and career development' (Quality Assurance Agency).
It is intended to help students:
 become more effective, independent and confident self-directed learners;
 understand how they are learning and relate their learning to a wider context;
 improve their general skills for study and career management;
 articulate their personal goals and evaluate progress towards their achievement;
 and encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.
Further information about Personal Development Planning and Progress Files can be
found on the student portal at https://port.hull.ac.uk, and on the Quality Assurance
Agency’s website: www.qaa.ac.uk/students/guides/UnderstandProgFiles.asp.
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION
1
Here are useful contacts in the Department which you need to know about.
Head of Department: Mr Justin Morris
Director of Postgraduate Studies Dr Colin Tyler
Year Head Dr David Lonsdale
Disabilities Tutor: Professor James Connelly / Acting Postgraduate Director Semester
1
Staff/Student Committee: Dr Cristina Leston-Bandeira
PDP Co-ordinator: Dr Chris Martin
Study Skills Co-ordinator: Mr Simon Lee
Departmental Secretary: Claire Hairsine.
2 I imagine the Departmental Office will be a regular port of call in the event of
queries. Is this right?
There are certainly times when you will need to visit the office, and the Politics
secretaries – currently Claire, Gemma, Paula, Pam and Sophie – will always do their
best to be helpful. If you have a query just go to the Reception Desk. As you know,
however, the secretaries are very busy, and there are some unavoidable pressure points
throughout the year. We try to provide a speedy service, but we may occasionally have
to ask you to be patient.
17
During semester time the office is open every weekday morning from 9.30-12.30 and
2.00-4pm. Opening times during vacations are variable, and we suggest that if you have
a query during the vacations you check first (telephone 466209).
3. What are the main reasons for contacting or going to the Departmental Office?
The main reasons are:
(i) Submission of Written Work. Essays must be submitted, with a completed Essay
Receipt Form (available from the racks outside the Office), to the Departmental Office by
12.00 noon. The Office will remain open until Noon on these dates in order to receive
essays.
Essay submission dates are as follows:
SEMESTER ONE
Essay 1
Monday 1 December, 2008
Essay 2
Monday 19 January, 2009
SEMESTER TWO
Essay 1
Monday 27 April, 2009
Essay 2
Monday 18 May 2009
Dissertation
Monday 21 September 2009
The University operates a system of anonymous marking, so please ensure that your
registration number (you can find it on your student card) and your tutor's name (but not
your name) appear on both the essay and the form. Essays should not be handed to
tutors or left outside their rooms: if you do either of these things you have not formally
submitted your work.
Comments on assessed essays, with provisional marks, will be distributed by the tutor.
The essays themselves are retained by the Department unless a second copy is
provided.
(ii)
Illness or Absence Notification. You are required to be in attendance on week
days during each semester. All students are required to inform their department within
two days if they are absent from the University as a result of illness or for any other
reason. A GP’s medical certificate will be required for absences of more than seven
days. If you become ill and are unable to inform the departmental office, you should
arrange for someone to communicate on your behalf. For further information see
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/absence.html.
The Departmental Secretary will draw notifications to the attention of the Head of
Department and relevant tutors. In the event of frequent absences, especially ones
which affect tutorial presentations, you may also be required to produce medical or other
appropriate evidence.
If your absence is related to a disability, please contact Disability Services for advice.
(iii) Collecting Course Related Information. Course materials such as module
handbooks will be distributed in the packs you receive when you register with the
18
Department or in lectures/tutorials. If for any reason you fail to receive a module
handbook you should speak to your tutor in the first instance. Further copies are
available for you to download free of charge from the Departmental site on the
University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) eBridge. Alternatively they can be
obtained from the Departmental Office for £1.00. Similarly, only one copy of this
Departmental Handbook is available free of charge. If you lose this you can obtain
another one from the Office, priced £2.00.
Copies of last year's examination papers are also available from the Departmental site
on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) eBridge or alternatively, back
issues are stored in the Library.
4
Can I use the Departmental Office to take messages or to make phone calls?
No! We are sorry but this is impossible. There are two exceptions to this. First, the
telephone number (466209) may be given to friends and relatives for emergency contact
purposes, and secretarial staff will do their best to locate you. Second, in extreme cases
such as sudden illness during the day, call in and we will make medical or transport calls
on your behalf. But this is an exceptional, not a routine, service.
5
Apart from the Departmental Office, what else do I need to know?
The following pieces of information should be helpful. We make no attempt to be
comprehensive, though, and this is just to get you started. If you have any queries not
covered here, ask (or e-mail) your supervisor.
(i) Staff/Student Committee. The Department has a Staff/Student Committee. This is of
great importance to us. It provides advice to the Head of Department and debates
current matters of importance within and affecting the Department. More informally, it
facilitates a free flow of relevant information between staff and students and exemplifies
the spirit of collegiality so central to our culture and approach.
The Committee has representatives from each year, and two postgraduates.
Representatives for the forthcoming academic year are elected either at the end of the
preceding year (Year 2 and 3/4) or at the commencement of the year (Year 1 and
Postgraduate). If you would like to nominate a classmate, please submit the nomination
(including a note of their agreement to stand) to the Departmental Office within the
period prescribed on the nomination form.
The minutes of each meeting are displayed on the Departmental notice-board and are
posted on the Department’s eBridge site. You should contact your year representative if
you wish to have any issues raised at a committee meeting. If you remain unsure what
action has followed discussion of a particular issue ask your representative, who will, if
necessary, approach the Head of Department for clarification.
(ii) Receiving information from the Department. We will use a number of ways to
communicate information to you. There are a variety of notice-boards around the
Department. Please familiarise yourself with the notice board for your year. If you
cannot find it, ask in the Departmental Office. You should consult the notice boards
regularly.
As required, we will also send information to your university email account. We’re
sorry, but other email accounts cannot be used for this purpose. We will assume that
you check your email regularly.
19
Another way in which we will send you information is through the VLE, either
Blackboard or eBridge. Just as with email, we will assume that you check the VLEs
regularly.
Finally, in a limited number of circumstances we will contact you by post. It is your
responsibility to make sure that we have your up-to-date correspondence addresses. To
change your correspondence addresses, go to https://port.hull.ac.uk - personal
information.
The above means of communication will be used to convey vital information such as
Teaching and Examination Timetables, as well as urgent messages and details of
timetable changes, etc. .We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that such
information is sent to you as soon as practically possible, but similarly you are
responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that you are aware of what is
happening in and around the Department.
(iii) The Politics Society. The Politics Society is a student-run body that organises a
number of speaker meetings and social events throughout the year. All students in the
Department are invited to participate. If you would like to be involved, please keep an
eye on the notice board at the beginning of the academic year.
(iv) The Directory of Politics Graduates in Public Affairs. This Directory is likely to be
of interest to recent graduates, who will be eligible for entry if they take up a post in
public affairs. It is also available for finalists to consult to get an idea of the kind of jobs
which their predecessors have taken up. For further information, please consult Lord
Norton on P.Norton@hull.ac.uk.
Students interested in Public Affairs, especially Westminster, are also encouraged to
check the web site: http://www.w4mp.co.uk.
(v) University Policy on Smoking. This effectively prohibits smoking by any person in
University buildings. The full text of the Policy can be accessed at
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/regulations/smoking_drugs.
(vi) General University Regulations. Please be aware that as a student you have both
rights and obligations in respect of your fellow students, members of staff, and others
who come into contact with the University. The University has a set of general
regulations governing the conduct of students, as well as specific policies and
procedures. These are supported by a Code of Discipline, under which you could be
penalised for conduct of a non academic nature (such as possession of drugs or
damage to property). You also have rights to freedom of speech, freedom from
harassment, and to have your personal information handled in accordance with the Data
Protection Act, but you also have obligations to respect other peoples’ right to free
speech, freedom from harassment, and protection of their personal information.
Further details of the relevant regulations, policies and procedures which affect you as a
student
are
available
in
the
on-line
handbook
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/regulations/.
(vii) Complaints by Students. The University has in place detailed regulations
governing your right to make a complaint if you have cause for concern about any
aspect of the University’s provision to you as a student. These regulations require that
your complaint is first made to the department or service which is the subject of your
complaint. If it cannot be resolved at that level - formally or informally - you have the
right to take the matter to the University Complaints Investigation Officer (CIO). The CIO
20
is an experienced member of staff who will be independent of the department or service
about which you are complaining.
Full
details
of
the
Complaints
Regulations
can
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/regulations/complaints.html.
be
accessed
at:
(viii) Registration and the Payment of Tuition Fees. You are required to register
annually and pay, or make appropriate arrangements for the payment of, your tuition
fees with Student Financial Services. You will be advised by your department of when to
register. Registration information will be on your registration document, but you must
note that you will not be allowed to register if you are in debt to the University.
Information about tuition fees is available from Student Financial Services. If you
encounter any difficulties in paying your fees you must consult Student Financial
Services without delay. Failure to register means that you cannot receive tuition,
access University facilities, or receive any award, transcript or other official document.
(Overseas students may also be in breach of their student visa). Further information
about
registration
can
be
accessed
at
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/essentials/registration.html. The majority of fees due
to be paid directly by students will be collected by direct debit. Information about this will
be sent to you before the start of the academic year starts and at registration.
Advice on the payment of tuition fees can also be obtained from the Students’ Union
Advice Centre (01482 466777, hullstudent@union.ac.uk) or Student Welfare (01482
465577, studentwelfare@hull.ac.uk).
(ix) Financial Support for Students. Limited help is available for students who
experience financial difficulty. International students are required to possess sufficient
funds both to pay their tuition fees and for day to day living and study before they enter
the UK.
Home students may be eligible to apply to the HEFCE Access to Learning Fund if they
can demonstrate that taking their income and allowable expenditure over the academic
year as a whole they have a deficit. Further information is available at
http://www.hull.ac.uk/handbook/finance, plus a copy of the guidelines and application
form. Additional support is available for particular categories of students, such as those
with child care commitments.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties you are encouraged to seek guidance and
support from the Students’ Union Advice Centre.
(x) Student Employment (full-time students) The University recognises that students
come from a diversity of backgrounds with a variety of external and personal/family
commitments. It further recognises that studying for an academic qualification will have
differing financial pressures depending on individuals’ circumstances and lifestyle
expectations. As a responsible education provider, the University would wish to remind
students that external work commitments may affect their academic performance. In
order to inform the choice about working patterns, students should be mindful that the
guidance is that for a 20 credit module the expected overall work load will equate to
approximately 200 hours. For a full-time student this would equate to approximately 40
hours
per
week,
including
formal
contact
and
private
study.
xi) Library Services at the University of Hull. The Brynmor Jones Library situated on
the Hull campus is the largest library in the University. There is also a library at the
Scarborough campus - the Keith Donaldson Library. The student card that you receive
on registering with the University is also your library card and you will need it to borrow
21
material and to enter the Libraries. The University’s Libraries have over 1,800 study
spaces and some small group study rooms. The Libraries hold more than a million items
including books, journals, multimedia and maps. All of this material is listed in a webbased catalogue which you can access from anywhere in the world. You can download
searches from the catalogue, check which items are on loan to you, and renew and
reserve items. You may also renew items once by telephone provided that they are not
reserved by another reader.
The Library is not just a local storehouse of books. It is also your gateway to a huge
range of information resources you won’t find on Google. There are over 500 electronic
databases covering all subject areas. These include over 17,000 full-text electronic
journals, newspapers in full text, online reference works, electronic books, other library
catalogues and much else. In order to help you to get the best from a search for
information using these resources, the Library offers training, via a range of methods
including online tutorials. Also one-to-one help in finding information is available at the
enquiry desk.
Further details of the services available from the University’s Libraries are available on
the Library Services website, http://www.hull.ac.uk/lib.
(xii)
Support Services. Within the University there are a range of support services
which have been developed to assist you in overcoming academic or personal
difficulties. These include the Students’ Union Advice Centre, Study Advice Service,
Careers and Appointments Service, and the Counselling Service. For further details go
the on-line handbook http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/support/
Disability Services offer a wide range of support to meet individual students’ needs and
disabled students are strongly encouraged to contact Disability Services (01482 466833)
to discuss any reasonable adjustments that can be made available to them to enable
them to study more effectively. For more information see: www.hull.ac.uk/disability.
Overseas students may find it useful to contact the University’s Immigration and Cultural
Adviser:
Mr Ting Cheng
Email: international@hull.ac.uk
Telephone: 01482 466904
(xiii) Fire Evacuation Procedures. In the event of a fire vacate the premises at the
nearest exit. Do not take anything with you and report to the nearest assembly point.
(xiv) Higher Education Carbon Management Programme. The University of Hull
has recently signed up to Phase IV of the Higher Education Carbon Management
(HECM) Programme (see link below).
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/carbon/publicsector/he
Step 3 of the programme involves identifying and quantifying carbon reduction
opportunities.
The HECM team has created an ‘ideas generator’ to capture ideas from students and
staff. If you have an idea to help the University reduce its carbon footprint then please
send it to us using the link below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=YJmkHUXAje7Glv_2b6jOIAgA_3d_3d
22
The University of Hull is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities for disabled
students and staff and is working towards creating an environment in which all students
and staff are able to participate fully in the academic and social life of the University.
Disability Services offer advice and support to all students and staff covering a wide
range of impairments including: physical and mobility difficulties, hearing impairments,
visual impairments, specific learning difficulties including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Asperger’s
syndrome and ADHD, mental health problems, medical conditions.
The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
University awards are designed to comply with the Quality Assurance Agency’s
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and other external reference points
(Information is available at http://www.qaa.ac.uk). In particular all departments have
produced programme specifications for all of their taught programmes, which set out
what you can expect to be able to do if you successfully complete the programme.
These are referred to as intended learning outcomes.
23
24
ACADEMIC STUDY – ESSAYS & DISSERTATIONS
ESSAYS
INTRODUCTION
Academics often assume that students arrive with all the basic skills necessary for their
university career. Experience suggests that this is, in fact, far from true. We hope the
following notes will provide useful guidelines on such matters as note taking, exam
writing and organising work; but remember that if anything is still unclear you should
take it up with your supervisor – and sooner rather than later!
As time goes on, you will develop your own style of writing and methods of work; by then
you will have outgrown these notes, which are designed simply to help you find your
feet.
The first basic principle is to strike a good balance between work and play. It is quite
possible to get a good degree and also to enjoy yourself. But to make the most of what
the University has to offer, organisation is essential.
Essay deadlines are included in module reading lists. It is imperative that you keep to
them. Write your essays and prepare your tutorial papers well in advance. Remember
that many marks can be lost by allowing insufficient time to check your work carefully.
Make sure that what you have said is just what you want to say – and that it is correct!
Draw up a timetable with your commitments in mind – set yourself a number of hours or
a specified amount of work to do each day, and having established a pattern, stick to it.
Draft essays and essay plans - In order to ensure equity, the Department has adopted
a new policy on the reading of draft essays and essay plans. Students may submit an
essay plan, consisting of headings and sub-headings, of no more than one side of A4
paper. Alternatively students may discuss with tutors the broad plan of their essay.
Tutors will not comment on draft essays. Please note that the purpose of submitting
an essay plan or discussing an essay is to gain advice on essay content. Students
concerned about essay preparation and writing skills (e.g. footnoting, bibliography, use
of English etc.) should refer back to the Department’s study skills programme and/or
seek advice from the University’s Study Advice Service. (For further details see
http://www.studyadvice.hull.ac.uk/)
Copies of last year’s examination papers are also available from the Study Skills
Blackboard site; or alternatively, back issues are stored in the Library
WHAT IS AN ESSAY?
Definition
An essay is an answer, in extended prose form, but normally within a specified number
of words, to a specific question.
There are certain academic conventions to be followed in essay writing, and this section
outlines some of them and provides further reading. If you have queries about to relate
this section to a specific essay, speak to your subject tutor or supervisor.
25
Structure and Content
a) An essay should have a beginning, a middle and an end, and all of them should
contribute to answering the question you have been set. It should begin with an
Introduction outlining your structure and argument. This is important since it
enables the reader to know what to expect and to be able to check that you have
done what you say you are going to do. It should continue with the main part of the
work, the Thesis – the deployment of rational and sequential arguments to answer
the question. The Thesis should be logical and progressive, with each sentence a
consequence of the previous one and a preparation for the following one. New
themes should be marked by a fresh paragraph. The essay should end with a
Conclusion. This should (i) summarise your main points, (ii) identify issues which
arise incidentally but are not germane to the argument, or which, if they are, you
have not had space to consider in detail, and (iii) state clearly your final opinions on
the question.
b) The essay should be cohesive and coherent: cohesive in containing a unified
argument throughout and coherent in being based on reason not simply emotion.
Your arguments must be balanced and defensible, and you must not include any
statement you are not wholly confident you can defend. Two tips: (i) avoid lengthy
descriptive material unless you can link it direct to your thesis – irrelevant pieces of
‘historical background’ impress no one; (ii) when you are writing, keep a copy of the
question you are answering on your desk, and after every paragraph check that it is
relevant to the question. If it isn’t take it out and get yourself back on track.
Structuring and maintaining a tight argument is a necessary academic skill.
c) The bulk of the essay should be the Thesis – the main argument. Two tips: (i) when
you have written the essay go carefully back over the Introduction to check that what
you have done is exactly what you said you were going to do. If not, bring them into
consonance by changing either the Thesis or the Introduction. To do this properly is
harder than you might think; (ii) never regard the Conclusion as an afterthought to be
batted off in half an hour. It is an integral part of the essay, and you will lose marks if
you do not treat it as such. So allow plenty of time to think hard about the Conclusion
and leave yourself plenty of time and space to say what you want to say.
d) Essay length should normally be:
Semester One:
1 X 2,000 words
1 X 4,000 words
Semester Two:
2 X 3,000 words
Presentation
a)
Some brief points:

Essays must be word-processed and double-spaced. Keyboard skills are vital, and
will be particularly so in the dissertation.

Essays should not contain abbreviations.

All quotations and uses of sources must be acknowledged by the use of footnotes.
26

You must also include a Bibliography at the end of the essay.

Plagiarism – passing off the work of others as your own, submitting the same piece
of your own work more than once, either in part or in whole, for assessment at this
institution or any other institution constitutes plagiarism, it is a very serious
academic offence, and both the University and the Department have clear policies
to deal with it: if you wish to see the policy please ask your supervisor. Serious
cases can result in a mark of 0 with no permission to resubmit. Students who reoffend may have their programme of study terminated. This issue is dealt with in the
Study Skills programme, but if you have any doubt on whether your proposed use of
sources constitutes plagiarism please see your tutor or supervisor before you
submit. This is very important.
b)
Footnotes, either in acknowledgement of a direct quotation or of an idea or
argument found in a particular source, should give the following details:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
author(s);
title, italics or underlined;
edition, if other than first;
place of publication;
publisher;
date of publication;
specific page(s).
Here are some examples:
Goldstein, Joshua S. International Relations. (4th Edition. New York: Longman, 2000)
p.24.
Gallant, T. ‘Brigandage, Piracy, Capitalism, and State-Formation: Transnational Crime
from a Historical World-Systems Perspective’, in States and Illegal Practices, ed. J.
Heyman, (Oxford: Berg, 1999), pp.30-32.
Draper, A.J. ‘William Eden and Leniency in Punishment’, History of Political Thought,
Vol. XXII No.1 (Spring 2001), pp.106-130.
When successive references to the same work are made without any intervening
reference, the abbreviation ibid., is used, followed by the page number(s). A nonconsecutive second reference requires the author's surname followed by the
abbreviation op. cit., and the relevant page number(s). Other useful abbreviations
frequently employed in the footnotes are: cf. – ‘compare’; ff. – ‘and in the following
pages’; passim – ‘in various places in the text’.
Footnotes should be placed either at the bottom of each corresponding page of text
or at the end of the complete text, and numbered consecutively.
c)
All direct quotations in the text of more than three lines in length should be
indented ten spaces from the normal margin of the text and should be single spaced
without quotation marks.
d)
A Bibliography must appear at the end of your essay, indicating which sources
have been consulted. When, in your third year, you come to write a dissertation, you
will realise the great importance of the Bibliography. All materials found to be of use
in the preparation of the essay must be acknowledged in the Bibliography. The
information for each item is as for the footnotes, though works must be listed
alphabetically and you do not refer to specific pages.
27
e)
Further information and advice can be found in:
Cassie, W.F. and Constantine, T. Student’s Guide to Success (London: Macmillan,
1977)
Dunleavy, P. Studying for a Degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences,
(Basingstoke: Macmillan Education, 1986)
Leftwich, A. Writing Essays: Some Guidance, (York: Department of Politics, University of
York, 1996)
See Annex 2 for detailed guidance on how to reference your work in accordance with the
Department’s recommended system.
C READING MATERIAL
a) First, be certain to go on one of the guided tours of the Brynmor Jones Library and
find out how it works. Make sure you understand the catalogue, can use the
computerised data retrieval system and the electronic data increasingly available,
and know where the books are shelved. If in doubt, don't hesitate to ask a member
of the Library staff – they are there to help you.
Also, as demands on our Library tend to be heavy, join the Hull Central Library, in
Albion Street near the city centre – it has many useful books (and, incidentally, an
excellent record library). Just collect an application card from the Central Library and
have it countersigned by the University Administration. There is no charge.
You must, however, expect to buy some of the recommended books. Many may be
obtained second hand from the Departmental Bookshop and sold back at the end of
the year; some key texts you may well wish to keep anyway, to build up your own
library.
b) We do not expect you to read everything on the reading list! We do not teach ‘a
chapter a week’ here, so most tutors will recommend more than you can possibly
read. This is partly to provide you with a choice, given restrictions on library
purchasing, and partly to help you develop the skill of independent learning. Every
year some students find what they consider the best book isn’t on the reading list at
all! So be adventurous: skim the Contents and Index of any book which looks as
though it may be helpful. If one book isn’t right for you, just try another one: our
reading list system enables you to shop around.
As a very rough rule of thumb, for a weekly seminar (for which you’re not giving the
presentation) you should expect to refer to around 4-5 book chapters or journal
articles. If you are giving the presentation then you must research more widely as
this is a major part of your academic programme. Module tutors and/or handbooks
can give more guidance on this.
c) It's likely to be beneficial if you keep up with politics as it happens by reading one of
the broadsheet newspapers, one of the weeklies such as The Economist and
magazines such as Prospect.
At a more academic level you should refer to the extensive collection of journals to
which the library subscribes. Use of academic journals is an essential part of your
research. Module handbooks will provide specific guidance on the journals which
are most appropriate for each module. The vast majority of journals are also
available on-line, so accessing them is very easy.
28
On the subject of on-line resources, you must be discerning in the manner in which
you use these. Remember, almost anyone can post almost anything on the web and
the fact that it’s there doesn’t mean it’s authoritative. Similarly, sites such as
Wikipedia are not suitable as academic sources at this level of study. Last, but by
no means least, make a habit of book-marking the most useful politics Websites.
You will quickly find your own favourites and once again module handbooks and/or
tutors will be able to give more advice on this.
d)
Library and Computing Regulations:
Regulations govern the use of the libraries and computer facilities (whether provided in
departments or the computer centre). They are designed to ensure that all students gain
maximum benefit from learning resources. The University takes very seriously any misuse of
library facilities or computers. The full text of the regulations can be found at:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/advice/reg.html
READING TECHNIQUES
a) Contents pages and indices are invaluable, so do use them. The Contents pages
will tell you what's in the book generally, and the Index will tell you whether a book
contains material on precise topics and help you locate it efficiently if it does.
Journal articles must usually be read in full as they will be devoted mainly or entirely
to one topic, and are usually short anyway. Sometimes authors provide subheadings, however, which can be put to good use, and some journals include a
summary – usually called an abstract – at the beginning.
b) This brings us to the actual process of reading. First, try 'skimming' the relevant
sections, concentrating on the beginning and end of each paragraph. Then, when
you've identified the sections you wish to study, go through them in detail,
assimilating the arguments and critically assessing the evidence which supports
them, and – to clarify what you're reading and assist in its later recall and use –
make notes.
NOTE MAKING
a) Some people find it helpful to read something through and then make notes from
memory; others jot down headings and main points as they read. Try both ways and
adopt the one you find the more helpful.
b) Try to avoid making disconnected summaries. Notes should be organised
thematically. So rather than summarising, say, Rose's Do Parties Make a
Difference?, Hennessy's Whitehall and Norton's Does Parliament Matter? try
grouping your notes under relevant headings. These might be 'The role of political
parties', 'the impact of the civil service' or 'The influence of the back-bencher in the
House of Commons'. You can then build up a file on each, with notes from books,
articles, lectures, tutorials, newspaper cuttings, relevant Websites, etc. This will yield
complementary, contrasting or contradictory perspectives on each topic, enable you
to evaluate the views of leading authorities, and develop your own position.
c) Don’t write things down just for the sake of it. If the book is one you are likely to be
using frequently, buy it. Then you can mark important points and passages, make
notes in the margins, and so forth. Alternatively, get key articles photocopied in the
Library: though this is not especially cheap it may be worth considering for important
passages. But never deface library copies – even though previous borrowers
may have done so.
29
The point of the exercise is to master the material. A sensible way to do this is to
make good notes on the basic facts from one textbook, and then to add further
information from other sources. If you can get into the habit of storing this data on
computer this will prove much more effective in the long run. Your notes will prove
very useful for revision.
Remember, however, that if you are identifying passages you may want to quote you
must copy them absolutely accurately – down to the last comma and apostrophe.
You must also note the page reference and the edition you used: new editions may
be quite different. For example, parts of the 4th edition of Joshua Goldstein’s
International Relations are almost unrecognizable even from the third edition, never
mind the first!
d) Notes then serve four functions:




organising and summarising your material
generating ideas
assisting your understanding by the act of putting things in your own words
assisting in the later recall of the material for essay or exam purposes.
Notes must be clear to you, and the first aid to clarity is SPACE. Space them out, use
sub-headings, numbers, letters etc. to categorise them. Underline passages, and use
different colours, especially if you find that colour associations help your memory.
e) Abbreviate – use accepted abbreviations and make up your own – though don't
abbreviate in essays or examination papers.
f)
Bring out points of emphasis or arguments which you think are important, or which
you feel strongly about. Underline important points or print them in block letters. Be
sure that important or controversial matters will catch your eye quickly as you read
through the notes. Record your own reactions as well as the material itself.
g) Writers don't always organise themselves too well, and in any case you may think of
alternative uses and combinations for the material. Indicate related material in
different parts of the notes by such devices as ringing material and putting an arrow
linking it to earlier related material. Notes organise your ideas as well as your facts.
h) Note down words you don't understand, look them up and write down the meaning:
you will expand your own vocabulary, and, with it, your analytic skills.
DISSERTATIONS
Introduction
1
It will be helpful for everyone to have an advance note of what the dissertation will
entail. A full version of the Dissertation Regulations is available from the racks.
2
Much of what we have said about essays applies here too. Hence you should see
this section as an addition to, not a substitute for, Section I. In particular, please
refer to that section for technical advice on referencing and footnoting.
3
In addition to this information, however, for the dissertation:
(a) footnotes should be renumbered (starting at 1) at the start of each chapter
30
(b) the bibliography assumes much more significance for the dissertation, and is, in
fact, one of the most important parts of the work. You should begin to compile it
methodically from the very start of your preparation, being sure to include all
materials you have used.
4
You may, in particular, find it helpful to think of the dissertation as not so much
requiring new skills as demanding an extension of the skills, both specific and
transferable, you have already acquired.
5
So you should not be daunted by the prospect of writing a dissertation. In fact a lot
of students like to think of it as a series of closely linked essays (each chapter is, in
effect, an essay). All the chapters contribute in different ways to answering the
dissertation question, and all of them must be brought together in the concluding
chapter.
Procedures
1
Dissertations must be no longer than 15,000 words.
2
When you have a proposed topic you should approach an appropriate member of
staff as a prospective supervisor. He or she will give you informal advice on
feasibility, and agree or not to act as your supervisor. You must meet your
supervisor at least once a semester, but should feel free to do so more often.
3
After the preliminary meeting you must submit a proposed title and a 150 word
synopsis by 12 noon on 18 May 2009 for approval by your supervisor and the
Head of Department.
4
The closing date for the submission of dissertations is 12 noon on Monday 21
September 2009. Dissertations (two copies and a separate one-page synopsis)
must be submitted to the Departmental Office (not to your supervisor).The deadline
for the submission of dissertations is treated in the same way as an examination
date; if you fail to submit on time you will receive a mark of zero, just as you would
receive a zero mark if you failed to attend an exam.
Once again, an electronic copy must be submitted in addition, in accordance with
Departmental procedures. See the Postgraduate Notice Boards.
5
Extensions will not be given under any circumstances. Students should always
endeavour to submit work on time, but if you are unable to do so you should submit
the work as soon as possible, accompanied by an explanation (and where
appropriate supporting documentary evidence, e.g. a medical certificate) as to why
submission was delayed. Submission dates have now been standardised across
each academic year. Time management is an essential study skill and it is your
responsibility to ensure that all stipulated deadlines are complied with.
5
Please remember the importance of the comments in Section I about plagiarism,
and remember that where plagiarism is substantial a mark of 0 will be recorded. As
before, if you are uncertain about whether your proposed use of source material is
legitimate or not, you must seek the advice of your supervisor.
6
We have to ensure equity between students sitting examinations and those
submitting dissertations. Hence there are limitations as to how much help your
supervisor can give you. You are entitled to advice on the choice of topic, title,
reading and sources, mode of analysis, arrangement and presentation. In addition,
your supervisor may agree to look at a preliminary draft if available well before the
final deadline for submission. With your supervisor’s agreement you may approach
31
other members of staff for advice in areas of their expertise, but should refer mainly
to your supervisor for advice and guidance.
7
Presentation and length: dissertations must be double spaced, typed on single
sides of A4 paper, and with a left hand margin of at least 1.5 inches for binding.
They should be up to 15,000 words long.
8
Both copies must be bound: the Library will do this, but do allow sufficient time.
One copy is retained in the Departmental Office for consultation by your successors;
the other is returned to you.
9
You should have a title page which conforms to the structure on the following page:
32
THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS
[Title of dissertation]
being a dissertation submitted for the Degree of
[Title of degree]
by
[Name in full]
[month & year submitted]
33
34
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
ATTENDANCE AT CLASSES
1 You are required to be in attendance at the University on week days during each
semester, and require the permission of the Head of Department to be absent. For
further information see:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/rights/inform.html
2 Attendance at ALL CLASSES (i.e. tutorials/seminars AND lectures) is
compulsory and will be monitored accordingly. Failure to attend compulsory classes
is a disciplinary offence. Students are also required to attend punctually. Students
who arrive ten or more minutes after the scheduled start of a class will be marked as
absent, though they will be permitted to remain in the class and to participate.
3
Students absent from tutorials will be reported to the Head of Department.
4 Students absent from two classes or who have failed to present a tutorial paper will
normally receive a Departmental Written Warning unless they are able to produce a
medical certificate or equivalent evidence of inability to attend. Written warnings will be
noted on students' records.
5 Students who have been absent for more than two consecutive classes and who
have already received a Written Warning may receive an official Faculty Warning.
6 Students not responding to a Faculty Warning will be reported to the Senior Tutor
and may receive a University Warning.
7 Students who have not satisfied the course requirements with regard to attendance
at courses may be denied the right of reassessment or excluded from sitting their
examinations.
SUBMISSION OF ESSAYS
The University and Department have a number of regulations and policies regarding the
submission of assessed coursework. Further details of these are provided in Sections 7
and 9 of this handbook. For full details you should consult the University’ Student
Handbook available at:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook.
35
36
ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES
EXAMINATIONS
ASSESSED ESSAYS
There are three examination periods in each academic year, which in 2008/09 will be:
19 January 2009 to 30 January 2009
18 May 2009 to 12 June 2009
24 August 2009 to 4 September 2009
It is part of the requirement of your degree that you are available during each of the
three examination periods. It will not be regarded as ‘good cause’ if you are unavailable
during the August/September period, with the reason that you did not expect to have to
sit an examination and have made another commitment. Note that only in the most
exceptional circumstances will you be given permission to sit an examination other than
at the University. Student Progress Committee will decide whether circumstances meet
this criteria, but has made it clear that it intends approval to be rare.
The examination timetable for each period is produced by Student Administrative
Services. This information will be available through the portal or from your department. It
is your responsibility to check the dates of your examinations, and if you have any
clashes, to report those to the department as a matter of urgency.
Refer to appropriate section explaining methods of assessment within the department
Instructions for Candidates for Written Examinations
The following text must be included:
These are detailed in the on-line handbook –
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/writtenex.html, and also posted outside
each examination hall. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with them.
Alternative Examinations Arrangements
The following text replaces the text previously headed ‘Special Needs in Examinations’
If you have a disability and require alternative arrangements for examination you should
contact Disability Services. If you have any other special circumstances which may
require alternative arrangements you should contact your department.
Getting your Results
Where appropriate marks for individual pieces of assessed work are given to you during
the module, to enable you to utilise feed-back in completing the module. However, such
results are provisional, that is they can be changed by the module board - for example
on the advice of the external examiner - and they are not therefore final until that Board
has met. The fact that a Module Board reduces a mark previously notified to you as
provisional does not constitute a ground for appeal.
At the end of the first semester your provisional results will be available on the portal
(https://port.hull.ac.uk)
37
At the end of the academic year your results will be notified to you by post by Student
Administrative Services. It is your responsibility to make sure that your home address is
correct or that an alternative correspondence address has been added to your contact
information on the portal. To change your home address or add a correspondence
address, go to https://port.hull.ac.uk - personal information. Any changes to addresses
must be completed before the end of the examination period. Your results will also be
available on the portal from the day after the official release date. You will not be
able to get your results before those deadlines, and under no circumstances will your
results be given to you over the telephone, nor will they be given to another person on
your behalf.
Finalists will receive an Official Transcript and a European Diploma Supplement detailing
their performance across the whole of the degree programme.
References
You are likely to require a reference during, or at the end of, your period of study.
Normally it will be your personal supervisor whom you approach for a reference. Your
rights and responsibilities are set out in the University’s Guidelines for Supervisors (see
annexe 1). Supervisors (and other staff) are not automatically obliged to provide a
reference, although refusal should be exceptional. In providing a reference your
supervisor is required to provide a fair and accurate assessment, which may include
negative factors, but s/he should normally discuss such factors with you first.
When seeking a reference you are obliged to seek the supervisor’s agreement (do not
cite him/her as a reference without asking first), provide sufficient information about why
the reference is needed, and an up to date CV, provide reasonable notice to the
supervisor. Help, for example on writing CVs is available from the University Careers
Service.
Transcripts
In addition to receiving an official transcript at the end of your programme of study, you
may need copies during your period of study to assist in applying for employment or
further study. You should approach Student Administrative Services - further details:
http://www.student-admin.hull.ac.uk.
You should note that you will be refused a transcript if you are in debt to the University
(as well as any degree or other certificate).
ASSESSED ESSAYS
All modules are assessed by essays. Marks obtained on these essays count towards the
final degree. Assessed work is classed as a University examination: it is subject to
double-marking and external examination, and therefore cannot be returned. So please
retain a copy before submission.
Students will receive detailed written feedback on all assessed essays. This will provide
details on: content; organisation; use of sources; grammar, punctuation and spelling;
and further general comments. You should consult with your tutor should you require
further feedback.
1 Essays should be handed into the Departmental Office with a completed essay
receipt form attached. Essays should not be handed to tutors or left outside their
rooms: if you do either of these things you have not formally submitted your work.
All assessed work must be submitted to Turnitin UK (see module handbook).
38
2 It is essential that you are familiar with our policy with regard to the late submission of
essays. Essay extensions will NOT be given under any circumstances. You should
always endeavour to submit work on time, but if you are unable to do so you should
submit the work as soon as possible, accompanied by an Mitigating Circumstances
Form (and where appropriate supporting documentary evidence, e.g. a medical
certificate) stating why submission was delayed.
3 Essay submission dates have now been standardised across each academic year.
This means that you will have several essays to submit on one day, but it does not mean
that you should start work on them all at the same time! Remember, time management
is an essential study skill and it is your responsibility to ensure that all stipulated
deadlines are complied with.
4 At the end of the academic session the Department's Academic Progress Committee
will consider evidence submitted by students who have failed to comply with submission
deadlines and decide as to whether any penalty should be applied. In the absence of
evidence demonstrating good cause, a deduction of five percentage points
(marks) per day will be levied (excluding weekends and Bank holidays). The
imposition of penalties begins from the deadline on the day of submission (12.00
noon), with the deduction of a further five percentage points for every subsequent
24 hours which pass without submission. (Examples: The following assume a
submission deadline of 12.00pm (noon), Monday, 1st December; late submission without
good cause; and that, without penalty, the essay would receive a mark of 60%. Example
1: Essay submitted at 3.00pm on Monday 1st December. Outcome: Essay deducted 5
percentage points and receives a mark of 55%. Example 2: Essay submitted at
11.00am on Wednesday, 3rd December. Outcome: Essay deducted 10 percentage
points and receives a mark of 50%. Example 3: Essay submitted at 3.00 pm on
Wednesday, 3rd December. Outcome: Essay deducted 15 percentage points and
receives a mark of 45%.)
5 Students who do not submit an essay by the deadline will also be reported to the
Head of Department and may be subject to additional disciplinary procedures. Students
should be aware that, in accordance with the University’s Regulations, a student who
has not met deadlines for submission of coursework may be excluded from assessment
for the module or have his/her programme of study terminated. Students who fail to
submit assessed coursework WILL BE denied their right to reassessment.
6 Penalties incurred under these rules will be carried over from one academic session
to the next. The consequences of certain penalties (such as denial of reassessment
may be that a student is not able to proceed to the next stage.
7 Essay Length Handouts clearly specify the length of the essay which you must
submit. It is important that your essay conforms to this. Essays which are too short,
or too long, will be penalised in as set out below. There are two reasons for this:
firstly, being able to produce work of a specified length is an important skill and an
integral part of essay writing; secondly, ensuring that students submit work of a similar
length provides essay assessment with greater equity.
Please note that citation footnotes and your bibliography do not count as part of
the word count. However, textual footnotes do count. A citation footnote is one
which simply shows the source(s) you have used e.g. J. Goldstein, International
Relations (4th Edition New York: Longman, 2000). A textual footnote is one which is
composed of prose and which is intended to provide the reader with information
additional to that contained within the main body of text.
39
You must state the word length of your essay on the cover sheet. You should also
note that an inaccurate word length declaration may be treated as an attempt to
cheat and will therefore be dealt with as a use of unfair means.
Amount over
word limit
Marks deducted
Up to 25%
26-50%
10 marks
25 marks
Mark of zero
awarded
Over 50%
Note 1. The penalties to be applied operate across all modules in any one year.
Note 2. The mark you receive on your essay feedback sheet WILL NOT take account of
any penalties levied.
Note 3. The mark you receive on your essay feedback sheet WILL NOT take account of
any penalties levied for late submission.
CLASSIFICATION CONVENTIONS
In order to translate your run of marks into a nationally-recognized system of degree
classifications, Boards of Examiners operate conventions which are approved within the
University as consistent with the University’s own requirements for the award of degrees.
Your final degree classification is determined by your performance in 180 credits.
The Board of Examiners may take exceptional or extenuating circumstances into
account. It may also arrange to examine a candidate viva voce (orally), though this is
exceptionally rare.
The conventions operated in the Department are given in the ‘University Programme
Regulations: Chapter VIII Taught Masters Degrees’, which can be accessed at the
following web address:
http://www.hull.ac.uk/policyregister/qualityhandbook/section_b/B08.doc#_Toc107724312
MARKING CRITERIA
The following criteria are for guidance only, and do not preclude the need for the
application of sensible discretion by examiners. They are used in the context of
nationally developing norms for the standard of a degree (including the Table on
Threshold levels of Achievement in the Politics Benchmarking Statement and
Qualifications Framework) and discussion with external examiners.
Distinction (70% and above)
An outstanding answer to the question:
• Clear, sharply focused and incisive argument displaying impressive skill in
elucidating concepts, conducting analysis and marshalling evidence.
40
•
•
•
•
Shows wide knowledge of the topic, with signs of sophisticated understanding and
negligible errors and omissions.
Displays originality in handling the problem.
Excellent literary style and presentation, including economy of expression, good
grammar and punctuation, and legible text.
Referencing up to current professional standards.
Good Pass (60%-69%)
A very good answer to the question:
• Clear, well-focused and logical argument displaying skill in elucidating concepts,
conducting analysis and marshalling evidence.
• Shows evidence of reading in breadth and depth, with signs of sound understanding
and minimal errors and omissions.
• Adopts a thoughtful, non-standard approach in handling the problem.
• Effective literary style and presentation, including adequate economy of expression,
good grammar and punctuation, and legible text.
• Referencing of a high standard.
Solid Pass (50%-59%)
A good answer to the question:
• Reasonably clear, fairly well focused and generally coherent argument displaying
some skill in elucidating concepts, conducting analysis and marshalling evidence.
• Shows familiarity with the main sources, with signs of a satisfactory grasp of the
main points, few errors and omissions, and minimal padding.
• Adopts an acceptable but rather standard approach in handling the problem.
• Adequate literary style and presentation, including reasonable economy of
expression, generally acceptable grammar and punctuation, and legible, text.
• Referencing of an acceptable standard.
Pass (40%-49%)
A fair answer to the question:
• Somewhat vague, ill-focused and/or inconsistent argument nevertheless displaying
some skill in elucidating concepts, conducting analysis and marshalling evidence.
• Shows evidence of reading of the main sources, but some of the main points poorly
grasped, some significant errors and omissions, and/or some padding.
• Approach in handling the problem either quite routine or compromised by uneven
understanding.
• Weak literary style and/or presentation, possibly including clumsy expression, some
unacceptable errors or grammar and punctuation, and/or illegible text.
• Referencing of a questionable standard.
Fail (39% and below)
A minimal answer to the question:
• Unclear, unfocused and/or illogical argument displaying only minimal skill in
elucidating concepts, conducting analysis and marshalling evidence.
• Shows some evidence of reading or other learning but poor understanding of the
issues raised, with many errors and omissions, and/or significant padding.
• Approach in handling the problem largely unsound on account of carelessness or
lack of essential information.
• Poor literary style and/or presentation, probably including clumsy expression, many
unacceptable errors of grammar and punctuation, and/or illegible text.
• Referencing of an unacceptable standard.
41
E
ACADEMIC PRIZES
The Department of Politics & International Studies awards the following prize:
Parekh Prize, named in honour of Professor Lord Parekh, for many years Professor of
Political Theory in the Department of Politics, is awarded to the postgraduate student
who has achieved the most outstanding performance in examinations in political theory.
42
UNFAIR MEANS - PLAGARISM & CHEATING
The University Regulations on the Use of Unfair Means – available at
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/unfair.html govern all forms of illegitimate
academic conduct which may be described as cheating, and also including plagiarism.
The term ‘unfair means’ is used in the regulations to indicate that a very wide range of
behaviour is punishable. The regulations give examples, including
 cheating in an examination by using materials prohibited in the examination room
 falsifying the results of laboratory, fieldwork or other forms of data collection
 impersonating another during an examination
 using false statements to obtain an examination withdrawal or coursework
extension
 removing, hiding or destroying library materials without permission
 falsifying a transcript or other official document.
Conduct is punishable when undertaken by any University of Hull student on any
programme, whether acting alone or with others, and conduct which amounts to an
attempt to use such means is also a breach of the regulations. The regulations define the
procedures which must be followed when an allegation is made, stating the rights of the
student, including the establishment of an Adjudicating Panel which is required to
determine whether the breach of the code has been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
It is essential, therefore, that you recognise that the University takes very seriously any
form of illegitimate conduct, especially plagiarism, and that if you are judged to have
breached the code this could result in you not being awarded your degree.
The plagiarism declaration
When you submit any piece of work for assessment you are required to attach a cover
sheet which contains a declaration, which you must sign. Your work will not be accepted
unless the declaration has been signed. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have
understood the guidance you have been given about referencing – and therefore how
not to commit plagiarism. If you have any doubts you must seek advice from your
supervisor or tutor.
The plagiarism caution
The caution procedure defines limited circumstances in which a student who has
committed plagiarism may be issued with a ‘caution’ instead of Adjudication Panel
proceedings being instituted at certificate stage (usually first 60 credits) only.
Plagiarism and how to avoid it
You must provide detailed guidance – relevant to the specific discipline and the types of
assessment method used – to explain the department's requirements for referencing
work, and therefore what constitutes good academic practice. Pay particular attention to
methods of assessment which might cause confusion, such as group work, especially
where a combination of group work and individual work is involved.
See annexe 2 for detailed guidance on how to reference your work in accordance with
the department’s recommended system.
43
Possible Problems and Solutions
You are reminded of the importance of discussing any problems you might be
experiencing with appropriate staff, whether your personal supervisor, academic tutor or
somebody independent of the department such as the Students’ Union Advice Centre,
Student Support Services or Study Advice Services.
For further details go to the on-line handbook: http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/advice
A number of the ‘solutions’ identified below may involve changing your status part way
through an academic year. You should be aware that as you will be taking two modules
which span two semesters, this will create difficulties if you wish (for example) to
recommence your studies part way through the following year, e.g. at the start of the
second semester. You should discuss this with your personal supervisor. (Departments
have been issued with guidance on possible options).
Changing Modules
You may wish to change a module during your programme. While core modules must be
taken, and options must be chosen from within the permitted range for the programme
you are taking, if you do wish to change module you must first find out whether the new
module is permitted within your programme. You will need the approval of the
department responsible for offering the module, as well as the approval of your home
department.
If you do wish to change module you should consult with your personal supervisor and
the member of staff responsible for the module, and then complete the University
change of module form (available from your department or the student portal), following
the procedure set out on the form.
Changing Programme of Study
There are several reasons why you might want to change your programme of study. You
should discuss this with your personal supervisor and, if the programme is from another
department, consult with staff responsible for that programme.
In all cases where you are considering a change of programme, you must obtain the
consent of the department offering the new programme, as well as the department
which you are leaving (where the two are different). You must complete the change of
programme of study form (available from your department or the student portal). You will
also be required to take or send the form to Student Financial Services, to ensure that
appropriate arrangements are made for payment of tuition fees. You will then take the
form (stamped by Student Financial Services) to Student Administrative Services and
the changes will be made to your record. If you are LEA/SLC/DfES funded Student
Administrative Services will inform the appropriate body. If the start of the course you
wish to transfer to does not coincide with the current date you may need to temporarily
withdraw before starting the new programme, and you must complete the relevant
Temporary withdrawal form (available from your department or the student portal).
Withdrawing from the University
Again there may be a number of reasons why you might contemplate leaving the
University without completing your programme. If you are in that position there are a
range of staff and services within the University who will try to help you a) decide
whether this is the right course of action b) help you to achieve it if you have decided it is
the right thing to do. Your personal supervisor should be your first port of call, but
44
Student Welfare produces a leaflet indicating the range of support services whom you
can contact, including the Students' Union Advice Centre and the Careers Service. Go to
http://student.hull.ac.uk/support/.
If you do decide to withdraw you must confirm this in writing using the approved
University form available from the department or student portal giving the last date on
which you attended your programme, and return the form to Student Administrative
Services. If you are LEA/SLC/DfES funded Student Administrative Services will inform
the appropriate body. This form also includes a questionnaire which invites you to
indicate the reasons which resulted in you deciding to leave. This is designed to help the
University to monitor trends and respond to them. No personal information about you will
be reproduced when the questionnaires are analysed.
One of the benefits of a credit accumulation system is that it is often possible to take any
credits gained where you have not completed your programme and use them in the
future, for example to resume your studies at this or another University. At Hull credits
are considered to have a ‘shelf life’ of 9 years, although re-admission would be up to the
department responsible for the programme. To assist you, you may wish to obtain an
‘official transcript’ confirming the credits you have achieved – see the section on
transcripts.
Suspending Your Studies - ‘Intercalation’
An alternative to withdrawing from the University might be to suspend your studies for a
period of time - referred to as ‘intercalation’. This might enable you to resolve the
difficulties which are affecting your studies, whether medical, personal or financial.
Occasionally intercalation is also used to enable you to undertake some form of work
experience not forming part of the programme of study.
Again you should discuss this option with your personal supervisor, but if you do decide
intercalation is appropriate you must put your request in writing to the Head of
Department, indicating the length of time requested, the reasons, and the last date you
wish to attend the programme. You will be required to provide suitable supporting
evidence - e.g. medical evidence. Provided the request is for no more than one year the
Head of Department will be able to approve the request. Requests of more than a year,
or extensions of existing intercalations, require the approval of the Student Progress
Committee. You should also be aware that each stage of the programme must be
completed within 3 years, including any period of intercalation.
The University also has the power to require a student to intercalate where a student is
considered unfit to study by reason of posing a risk to him/herself or another, but only
provided that a defined procedure has been followed. For more information see:
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/advice.
Repeating a semester or a whole year
In very special circumstances it may be appropriate to repeat a complete semester
(including the teaching and assessment periods) or a complete year. The effect of this is
that any (and all) credits gained during the period being repeated cannot be counted
towards the programme of study in question (and they will not appear on your official
transcript). Again you should seek the advice of your supervisor and ensure that you
obtain any documentation appropriate to support the request, including medical
certificates if appropriate. Requests should then be made in writing to the Head of
Department. The formal approval of the Student Progress Committee will be required
and you will be written to once a decision has been made. Normally the Senior Tutor will
wish to interview you.
45
You must note that a repeat period will only be approved where you can clearly establish
either medical circumstances or exceptional personal circumstances or, in some cases,
disability related concerns which have been so serious that they have had a significant
affect on your ability to undertake your studies, and that they have lasted for a large part
of the year. Requests to repeat will not be accepted in cases where a student has simply
performed poorly and wants ‘a second chance’. In all cases, you must submit a medical
certificate or information from a reliable and verifiable source other than yourself. Again
you should also be aware that each stage of the programme must be completed within 3
years, including any period of intercalation.
The above rules also apply to any request to reapply for the same programme of study.
Mitigating Circumstances
When you undertake an examination or other form of assessment, this may be done
while experiencing the effect of circumstances which might affect your performance.
Boards of Examiners are empowered to take such circumstances into account if they
consider that the circumstances have had a significant effect when determining your
module marks or your overall degree classification. However, it is your responsibility to
make the department aware of such circumstances before the relevant Board of
Examiners meets. Appeals are very rarely allowed where evidence is raised after such a
meeting when it was available before.
The University refers to this as "mitigating" (sometimes known as "extenuating")
circumstances, and has established a procedure to enable you to inform departments of
such circumstances. You must use the same form as for absence with good cause
(available from your department and at the student portal). In all cases you must submit
evidence to support your application, such as a medical certificate or information from a
source other than yourself which will enable the University to confirm the circumstances
you are claiming. Applications must be submitted within 7 days of the examination or
assessment deadline. Applications after that date will be referred to the Student
Progress Committee to determine whether they may be considered in the light of the
lateness of the application.
Absence from Examinations and Coursework Extensions for ‘Good Cause’
If you are likely to be unable to sit an examination or submit a piece of work by the
stated deadline it is possible to obtain permission to withdraw from the examination or be
granted an extension – this is called ‘absence’ or ‘extension’ ‘with good cause’.
You may apply for absence with good cause from an examination, or for an extension
for a piece of coursework (of any kind), provided this is done no later than 7 days after
the examination or deadline for the coursework. Permission will only be given where you
can establish that you have ‘good cause’ according to criteria approved by the University
Student Progress Committee. These are printed on the application form guidance and in
the on-line handbook at http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/absence.html.
Where an application is refused you will be awarded zero for the ‘event’ in question (i.e.
examination or piece of coursework). The Module Board will then determine the overall
mark for the module, taking into account any other assessment events.
46
Academic Discipline
Resit not Permitted
If you do not comply with the attendance or submission requirements for a module the
Module Board of Examiners is entitled to refuse you permission to be reassessed if you
fail the module at the first attempt. This means that you do not get the credits for the
module and as a result may not be able to progress further with your programme of
study, or may be transferred to the Ordinary Degree.
‘First’ Warnings
This is the generic title given to warnings which may be issued at Departmental - or
sometimes Faculty - level and will be issued if you fail to comply with the attendance and
submission requirements of your programme without good reason.
University Warnings, Exclusion from Assessment and Termination
Failing to improve your academic conduct after receiving a ‘first’ warning may result in
the Department requesting a University Warning from the relevant Senior Tutor. This is
part of a scale of penalties which may lead to you being excluded from assessment or
having your programme terminated. Further details are provided in the online handbook
at http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/discipline.html.
Academic Appeals
The University has a detailed set of regulations governing your right of appeal against
academic decisions - these can be accessed at
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/appeals.html
along with a copy of the appeal form.
It is important to be aware that you cannot appeal simply because you disagree with a
decision of your department - for example to award 55 for a piece of work. You must be
able to show that there has been some defect in the process by which that decision was
made, such as not following procedures, bias or prejudice on the part of the examiner, or
failure to consider relevant factors (such as mitigating circumstances). Appeals must be
lodged within 14 days of you receiving notification of the decision against which you wish
to appeal.
Finalists are reminded that you cannot lodge an appeal after graduating, as graduating
(or receiving the degree in absentia) constitutes acceptance of the award and any
decisions relating to it.
47
STUDENT PROGRESS COMMITTEE & THE SENIOR TUTOR
Student Progress Committee is the University Committee which acts on behalf of Senate
in awarding qualifications to undergraduate and taught postgraduate students. It is also
responsible for overseeing all matters of student progress, including academic appeals
and develops and reviews policies and procedures to enhance the support available to
students and to ensure consistency and fairness across all programmes. As indicated in
the section on ‘possible problems and solutions’ it deals with a range of matters such as
repeat periods, University Warnings and terminations of programme, and is the final
arbiter on the application and interpretation of University programmes regulations.
The Committee is constituted of a Chair (who is an experienced academic) and seven
Senior Tutors (two based at the Scarborough campus). Senior Tutors are allocated a
number of departments, not including the one in which they work, and therefore have
responsibility for students in those departments when matters of academic progress or
academic discipline, of the kind described elsewhere, arise. In particular if you are in
dispute with your department over a matter of your academic progress which cannot be
resolved with the department you are entitled to approach the Senior Tutor for advice
and assistance. The Senior Tutor is independent of your department. Your department
will tell you whom the Senior Tutor is (and in which department s/he is based but for
further details go to http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/SPC.html see page 15.
48
Personal Supervisors: Guidelines for Staff and Undergraduate and Taught
Postgraduate Students
Document Reference:
Identifier:
Version :
Personal Supervisors
QH:K:6
2 01
Approved By:
Originator:
Date for Review:
Student Progress Committee
Quality Office
tba
Expiry: n/a
Responsibilities:
Personal Supervisors
Summary/ Description:
Updated Feb ’06 to include reference to PDP
Contacts:
Quality Office: 01482 46 6704
Applications for exemptions to:
Report Exemptions to:
Date : February 2006
Student Progress Committee
Quality and Standards Committee
Further Guidance:
This document is available in alternative formats from
The Quality Office
49
Contents:
page no
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 50
Being allocated a supervisor................................................................................ 51
Changing your supervisor .................................................................................... 52
Obtaining advice from your supervisor............................................................... 52
Advice and Guidance available ............................................................................ 53
The Role of Disability Tutors ................................................................................ 53
Record-keeping and confidentiality ..................................................................... 54
Personal Development Planning .......................................................................... 54
References ............................................................................................................. 55
Access to the Senior Tutor ................................................................................... 55
Feedback ............................................................................................................... 56
Introduction
These guidelines explain the commitment of the University of Hull to provide
undergraduate and postgraduate taught students1 with the support of a personal
supervisor or access to equivalent academic and pastoral support. They define a
relationship which is based on a partnership between staff and students and therefore
set out the minimum obligations of both through which an effective supervisor system
can operate. They set out minimum obligations because each academic department is
free, and encouraged, to enhance the support provided, which may be achieved, for
example, by providing group supervision in addition to personal supervision.
The guidelines should be seen as one part of a comprehensive network of support
provided by the University which includes a number of specialist support and advice
services, covering such matters as careers, disabilities, counselling, study advice and
money matters. Some services are provided by the University, others by the Students’
Union. The supervisor provides the vital link to each student’s academic department and
programme of study, for example if difficulties begin to affect academic performance and
therefore need to be acted upon by the department. All services, however, adhere to
appropriate confidentiality safeguards.
The guidelines have been approved by the University Student Progress Committee and
will be subject to regular review. All academic staff who act as supervisors are expected
to be familiar with them. The guidelines – and therefore the commitment to provide a
personal supervisor – apply to all undergraduate and taught postgraduate students with
one exception whether they are undertaking a certificate, diploma or degree on a full or
part-time basis on the University campuses or elsewhere, or exchange students or
single module students. In certain circumstances it can be expected that modifications
may be made for example in terms of accessibility where a student is based other than
on the campuses.
1
Students undertaking taught postgraduate programmes should not confuse the role of
personal supervisor with the supervision provided by a member of academic staff for the
dissertation. Separate procedures apply to that relationship.
50
The one exception referred to above applies to some departments and students at the
Scarborough campus for whom the Consultation Tutor system operates. This does not
involve the allocation of a single member of staff to provide pastoral support, but
equivalent support is provided by academic staff being available at published times to
provide support and referral to specialist services. A separate document (in the
University handbook at http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook) explains how the
Consultation Tutor system operates.
Being allocated a supervisor
The basis of the scheme is that the department responsible for a student’s programme
of study is obliged to ensure that a named member of staff is identified as the student’s
personal supervisor. In doing this they will make arrangements to ensure that the risk of
a conflict of interest is minimised, for example by requiring that a member of staff does
not act in a disciplinary role in respect of his/her supervisees.
Students on Joint or Combined Honours Degrees: These degrees involve two or
more departments. The departments concerned are responsible for ensuring that in
addition to the appointment of a personal supervisor, a further supervisor is made
available in each additional department responsible for the degree programme. Each
department is also responsible for ensuring that there is effective communication
between the departments and that each department is fully aware of the arrangements
in the other department(s). For example, if a student discusses difficulties with his/her
supervisor in one department it should be the responsibility of that supervisor to inform
the supervisor in the second department, rather than the responsibility of the student to
tell both supervisors.
Students undertaking ‘franchise years’ (e.g. at Hull or Wyke College): Departments
are responsible for ensuring that such students are provided with a personal supervisor
and are fully aware of these guidelines, including how to access the supervisor.
Departments will need to determine what additional pastoral support will be provided at
the college delivering the programme, and the means for ensuring effective
communication between the college and the University department.
Students on industrial placement/study abroad: Departments are responsible for
ensuring that support from the personal supervisor is available in a practical manner
while the student is away from the University, and that the student is clear about how to
access that support. The Department is also responsible for ensuring that appropriate
arrangements exist at within the organisation/institution at which the student is based for
providing pastoral support.
Students returning from intercalation2 or undertaking a repeat period of study:
Departments should be aware of the importance of ensuring that students returning from
intercalation or repeating a period may need additional support, for example to help
them to re-adjust, especially where there has been a significant gap since their previous
study. This may take the form of more regular supervision than for other students.
Exchange students: students who are studying at the University on an exchange or
similar programme from an overseas University are also covered by these guidelines.
Each student will be allocated a ‘home’ department, irrespective of the modules they are
undertaking, and that department will be responsible for allocating a personal
supervisor.
2
i.e. where the student has suspended his or her studies for a period of time.
51
Modules taken from outside the Department: Increasingly students will take optional
or free elective modules from other departments. Where this is the case these
departments are not required to provide a personal supervisor.
As a student you can expect your department
 to allocate you a named supervisor, normally during the first week of your
programme of study
 to ensure that if your supervisor is away for more than one week during a semester
or four weeks during a vacation another member of staff is clearly identified and
available to you
 to appoint a replacement supervisor if your original supervisor is away for a semester
or more (for example because of study leave) or leaves the University
 to make clear the methods by which information will be made known to you about
the supervisor system and how you can expect supervisors to communicate with you
 to define any specific departmental requirements as to how often you should see
your supervisor.
As a student you are expected
 to read any information provided to you about whom your supervisor is and the
methods by which the department will communicate with you
 to comply with any departmental requirements as to how often you should see your
supervisor.
Changing your supervisor
The University recognises that there will be occasions where students feel that the
relationship with the supervisor is not ‘working’. In such circumstances it is important that
there is an opportunity for a student to request a change of supervisor. However, this
should not be done lightly, and should normally occur only after any problems have been
aired with the supervisor or another appropriate member of staff.
As a student you can expect your department
 to provide an opportunity to discuss any difficulties you are experiencing in the
supervisor relationship either with your supervisor or another member of staff
 to make known the procedure through which you can request a change of supervisor
 to take seriously any request for a change and either provide a new supervisor or
give clear reasons why a change is not being agreed to.
As a student you are expected to
 Use any opportunity provided to discuss any difficulties either with your supervisor or
another member of staff
 Use the published procedure for requesting a change of supervisor but only in good
faith and after the above discussions have taken place.
Remember that the University is committed to preventing harassment of any member of
the University whether staff or student. This is published in a University Policy available
to you through the on-line handbook at http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook. No member
of staff will act to a student’s detriment as a result of a request for a change of
supervisor.
Obtaining advice from your supervisor
The effectiveness of the supervisorial system depends on the commitment of both
parties, and the recognition that a supervisor has responsibility for a range of matters
and students.
52
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 to inform you as to when and how you can contact your supervisor, whether through
making an appointment, ‘open access hours’, e-mail, telephone etc.
 to respond to any request for an appointment/advice and be available as promised
 to advise of specific times when s/he requires you to attend a meeting whether on a
one-to-one basis or as part of a group.
As a student you are expected to
 Use the published methods for contacting your supervisor (e.g. making an
appointment where required or only using published ‘open access hours’)
 Attend any meeting of which you are (reasonably) required to attend by your
supervisor, or notify your supervisor of your inability to attend and the reason for that,
and arrange a new time to meet.
Advice and Guidance available
The following section explains the kind of advice/guidance which students can expect to
receive from their supervisors. However, the University – centrally and through each
department – aims to provide comprehensive and user-friendly information about
University regulations, academic progress and support services so that it should not be
necessary to contact your supervisor to answer ‘basic’ questions. Supervisors will be
able to devote much more time to more difficult issues if they are not constantly
answering questions which could be answered through other information readily
available within the University.
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 To provide you with guidance on your academic progress on your programme of
study, including explaining the implications of marks awarded and on possible
courses of action in the light of those marks
 To provide a ‘first line’ point of support and guidance on pastoral matters. This may
include advising on your rights and obligations or referring you to the most
appropriate specialist support services (e.g. Counselling, Careers, Study Advice
Services, Disability Tutor or Disability Services, Students’ Union Advice Centre,
Student Loans and Hardship Office, Mature Students Advisor).
As a student you are expected
 To be aware of other sources of information and to utilise these to answer
‘straightforward’ questions before approaching your personal supervisor – especially
through the departmental/programme handbook and University on-line student
handbook – http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook and www.hull.ac.uk/student-support
 To inform your supervisor of any difficulties you may be experiencing which might
affect your studies, (including any periods of absence from the University) even if you
do not require specific help from your supervisor, for example because you have
approached a support service directly for help
 To comply with the procedures within the department for notifying absences from
compulsory classes, absences from the University and use the University’s
procedures for notifying mitigating circumstances, applying for absence from
examinations, or for coursework extensions.
The Role of Disability Tutors
Each academic department is required to appoint a member of staff as a Disability Tutor
to carry out the following role:
 Providing a point of liaison between Disability Services staff and academic staff
 Making academic staff aware of individual student’s academic support requirements
 Monitoring the implementation of those requirements
53
 Providing advice to individual students relating to curriculum accessibility (e.g. field
trips, placements), assisting in the arrangement of adaptations, and referring
students to specialist support services where appropriate
 Monitoring the implementation of Disability policy within the department, including
raising awareness and advising colleagues.
As a student you can expect your department
 To appoint a Disability Tutor, and provide him/her with the support and facilities to
undertake the specified role
 To advertise the name of the Disability Tutor and how to contact him/her
 Ensure that all staff in the department are aware of the identity of the Disability Tutor,
and the nature of his/her role.
As a student you are expected
 To consider whether you would benefit from consultation with the Disability Tutor and
to comply with any advertised means for contacting him/her, e.g. using published
office hours
 To make known to your supervisor if you have any difficulties in contacting the
Disability Tutor.
Record-keeping and confidentiality
Supervisors are not required to keep detailed records as a matter of course but it is
important that a basic record is maintained and that this is handed on to any other
colleague who takes over supervision for an individual student. (Disability Tutors are
required to keep more detailed records).
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 To maintain a basic record of meetings held with you including the date and a note of
the nature of the meeting and any advice given
 To respect the confidentiality of matters discussed with you, subject to any overriding
duty of disclosure.
As a student you are expected
 To recognise that there may be circumstances in which information must be
disclosed and to discuss with your supervisor any issues or concerns relating to
confidentiality.
Personal Development Planning
The University has a system of Personal Development Planning (PDP) for all students.
Each academic department will have its own scheme, within overall University
structures.
As part of the PDP scheme, each student will have access to a member of staff within
the department responsible for PDP. The person responsible for PDP may be the
student’s personal supervisor.
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 To give you basic guidance on PDP in general, and how it is implemented in the
department.
 To either act as your contact for PDP, or to supply you with details of who in the
department that contact person is.
54
As a student you are expected
 To make yourself aware of the PDP scheme running in your department, and to avail
yourself of the opportunities that it presents if you feel that it would be of benefit to
you.
References
The personal supervisor is likely to be someone whom a student approaches for a
reference either part way through a programme, towards the end, or even after
programme has ended. There is no automatic obligation for a supervisor to provide a
reference, but refusal should be exceptional. A supervisor might legitimately refuse to
provide a reference for example where a supervisee has failed to comply with
departmental requirements to attend meetings with the supervisor.
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 To provide a fair and honest assessment of you/your work according to the criteria
specified for the reference (if specified). This does not mean that the supervisor is
not permitted to include anything which may be negative about you, but the
supervisor should normally discuss any such matters before writing the reference.
This does not mean that the content of the reference will be ‘negotiated’ with you. It
is for the supervisor to decide – in his/her judgement – what should be included
 To discuss with you if s/he feels unable to provide the reference for any reason and
in such a case to suggest another person who might provide the reference
 To obtain information, where practicable, from colleagues who have known/taught
you to get a broader picture of you
 To advise you whether the reference will be provided on a confidential or open basis
(such as providing you with a copy).
As a student you are expected
 To contact your supervisor to request the reference – never put somebody down as
a referee without seeking their permission first
 To provide your supervisor with sufficient information about the purpose for which
the reference is required to enable him/her to judge what is appropriate; this should
include details of the post/course for which you are applying if possible
 To provide your supervisor with a full and current CV (approach the University
Careers Service if you need help with this) and discuss, or highlight, any particular
skills, attributes or achievements which you believe are particularly relevant and of
which the supervisor should be aware
 To ensure that you give the supervisor reasonable notice of the need for the
reference so that s/he has time to complete it. Make clear any deadlines which apply.
Access to the Senior Tutor
The University Student Progress Committee is responsible for overseeing all matters
relating to the academic progress of undergraduate and taught postgraduate students,
as well as approving the award of qualifications and administering the system of
academic appeals. The Committee is comprised of Senior Tutors - experienced
members of academic staff who each have responsibility for students in a number of
departments other than the one in which they teach. Students have ultimate right of
access to the Senior Tutor responsible for the department in which the student is
studying, for example where the student is in dispute with that department. However,
Senior Tutors also provide a support role both for students and supervisors by providing
advice on regulations and procedures in unusual or complex cases. They do not act as a
kind of second personal supervisor and therefore do not provide the kind of advice listed
under the section ‘advice and guidance available’.
55
Specifically Senior Tutors will be involved in the following types of case and may wish to
interview you to obtain appropriate information and ensure that you understand the
issues raised in the situation in question:
 Extensions of intercalations
 Repeat years
 University Warnings (Senior Tutors are responsible for deciding whether to issue
a student with a University Warning, in cases where departmental warnings have
not been complied with)
 Extensions for ‘final stage’ dissertations beyond 12 months (postgraduate taught
masters students only)
 Exclusions from assessment/termination of programme of study
 ‘Special cases’ (defined as those falling outside programme or University
regulations).
Such matters are formally decided by the Student Progress Committee on the
recommendation of the Senior Tutor and once a decision is made you will be informed in
writing. All of these matters are explained in the University on-line student handbook –
http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook.
As a student you can expect your supervisor
 To advise you of matters which require the approval of the University Student
Progress Committee and where the Senior Tutor will need to be involved
 To advise you of whom the relevant Senior Tutor is and how to contact him/her
 To advise you of the relevant procedure which needs to be followed in a given case.
As a student you are expected
 To use the information provided in departmental and University handbooks
 To raise issues of dispute or potential dispute with your supervisor before seeking to
involve the Senior Tutor to see if they can be resolved satisfactorily
 To contact any sponsor or funding body (whether LEA or other) where you are
proposing a course of action which may affect your funding status (such as a request
to repeat the year or transfer to another course)
 To not expect your supervisor to give decisions or assurances on matters which can
only be decided by the University Student Progress Committee.
Feedback
These Guidelines have been revised by the Student Progress Committee after extensive
consultation with academic departments, support services and the Students’ Union.
Constructive feedback is welcome at any time either through your supervisor,
Staff/Student Committee or the Committee via its Secretary (write to Student
Administrative Services or e-mail: student-admin@hull.ac.uk).
56
REFERENCING GUIDELINES
Introduction
The golden rules of referencing:

Be consistent – use only the guidelines provided by your department and stick to them for
all your work, unless a lecturer tells you otherwise. For ‘Joint’ or ‘With’ students, and
students undertaking a Free Elective, you will normally be expected to follow the
referencing guidance from the department that is running the module. If you are unsure
about
this,
you
should
ask
the
module
co-ordinator.

Follow the details in these guidelines absolutely, for example punctuation, capitals, italics
and underlining. If you do not do this, you may lose marks for your work. Referencing is all
about attention to detail.

If the source of information you are referencing does not fit any of the examples in your
referencing guidelines (see below), choose the nearest example and include enough
information for your reader to find and check that source, in a format as close to the
example as possible. For further guidance on these types of references, see “Frequently
Asked Questions” section (below).

Gather all the details you need for your references whilst you have the sources of
information in your possession. If you forget to do this and cannot find the sources of
information again (they may have been borrowed from the Library, for example, by
another reader), you cannot legitimately use them in your essay. If you do so without
referencing them, you could be accused of plagiarism.

Keep the referencing details you have gathered in a safe place. You can use small index
cards for this or an electronic database such as the EndNote program. This enables you
to sort your references into the order laid down in the guidelines – usually alphabetically by
author’s surname.
What referencing is
Referencing is acknowledging the sources of information (originated by another
person) that you have used to help you write your essay, report or other piece of
work. In your academic work, you should use the existing knowledge of others to
back up and provide evidence for your arguments. The sources of information
you use may include books, journal articles (paper or electronic), newspapers,
government publications, videos, websites, computer programmes, interviews
etc.
Why you must reference your sources of information
There are several reasons why you must reference your work. In no particular
order,
these
are:

As courtesy to the originator of the material.
57

To provide evidence of the depth and breadth of your reading.

To enable your reader to find and read in more detail, a source of information to which you
refer in your work.

To allow your lecturer/marker to check that what you claim is true; or to understand why
you have made a particular mistake, and teach you how to avoid it in future.

To enable you to find the source of information if you need to use it again.

To avoid accusations of plagiarism.
What plagiarism is
In its Code of Practice on the Use of Unfair Means (http://www.studentadmin.hull.ac.uk/downloads/code.doc), the University of Hull defines plagiarism
as follows:
Plagiarism is a form of fraud. It is work which purports to be a candidate’s
own but which is taken without acknowledgement from the published or
unpublished work of others. (University of Hull, 2004)
In other words, plagiarism is using the work of others without acknowledging your
source of information; that is, passing off someone else’s work as your own
(stealing it).
Consider the following (correctly quoted and referenced) passage:
“The enduring mystique of compulsory universal military service is reflected in the difficulty and
belatedness with which provision for conscientious objection was made in France and the extent to
which it is still not accepted by public opinion. Between 1952 and 1961,470 conscripts were
imprisoned because, on conscientious grounds, they ‘refused to obey’ orders to join the services,
many of them being Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 3
1. Jack Hayward, The One and Indivisible French Republic (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson,
1973), p.139
Plagiarism would be to use this section as part of your own essay and not
acknowledge the source.
The enduring mystique of compulsory universal military service is reflected in the difficulty and belatedness
with which provision for conscientious objection was made in France and the extent to which it is still not
accepted by public opinion. Between 1952 and 1961,470 conscripts were imprisoned because, on
conscientious grounds, they ‘refused to obey’ orders to join the services, many of them being Jehovah’s
Witnesses.
Or to paraphrase it without brackets
Jack Hayward writes that the enduring mystique of compulsory universal military service is reflected in the
difficulty and belatedness with which provision for conscientious objection was made in France and the
extent to which it is still not accepted by public opinion.
58
The same Code of Practice lays down severe penalties for committing
plagiarism, which is regarded as a serious offence. Further information can be
found at http://student.hull.ac.uk/handbook/academic/unfair.html
When you must use a reference in your work
You must use a reference whenever you:




Use a direct quotation from a source of information.
Paraphrase (put into your own words), someone else’s ideas that you have read or heard.
This is an alternative to using a direct quotation.
Use statistics or other pieces of specific information, which are drawn from a recognisable
source.
Quote or paraphrase your own work.
How to use quotations in the text of your work
Quotations should be used sparingly, for example as primary source material or
as evidence to support your own arguments. They should be fairly brief if
possible, so that there is room in your work for plenty of your own arguments, not
just those of others. When using quotations in your work:



Copy the words and punctuation of the original, exactly, except when you wish to omit
some words from the quotation. In this case, use three dots … to indicate where the
missing words were in the original.
If the original has an error, quote it as written but add [sic] in square brackets to tell your
reader that you know it is an error but that this is what the original says.
Make minor amendments to grammar if necessary, so that your writing and the quotation
flow naturally. Put your amendments in square brackets, for example: “In his
autobiography, Churchill says that ‘[he] was born at an early age’…” The original says “I
was born at an early age…”
You must also explain how to format and present quotations within the text of your work, depending on
your department’s preferences. One example is:


If the quotation is a line long or less, incorporate it into your text and enclose it in quotation
(speech) marks.
If the quotation is longer than a line, put it in an indented paragraph (start it on a new line;
indent it at either side; single space it; and do not use quotation (speech) marks).
Jack Hayward has observed the following in regard to French military service in the 1960s:
“The enduring mystique of compulsory universal military service is reflected in the difficulty and
belatedness with which provision for conscientious objection was made in France and the extent to
which it is still not accepted by public opinion. Between 1952 and 1961,470 conscripts were
imprisoned because, on conscientious grounds, they ‘refused to obey’ orders to join the services,
many of them being Jehovah’s Witnesses.” 4
2. Jack Hayward, The One and Indivisible French Republic (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1973),
p.139.
Alternatively you can paraphrase as follows
59
According to Jack Hayward, the French military service of the 1960s, which was compulsory and
universal, had major difficulties to take into account conscientious objection. Furthermore, Hayward
writes that several conscripts were sent to prison due to their conscientious objections to the military
service, “many of them being Jehovah’s Witnesses”. 5
3.Jack Hayward, The One and Indivisible French Republic.(London:Weidenfeld and Nicolson
1973),p.139
Referencing in the text of your work
In the text of your work you are expected to reference your sources of
information in an abbreviated (short) format, which signposts your reader to the
full details of the sources in the list of references/bibliography at the end of your
work (see below). You do not use full references in the middle of your work
because they are bulky; they break up the flow of your writing; and they are
included in your word count.
‘In his twenties, the Scotsman slithered into a career crisis’ (Porter,2000:89)
The relevant work is then cited in the list of references/bibliography as follows:
Roy Porter (2000) Enlightenment: Britain and the creation of the modern world (London: Allen Lane)
Where you include more than one piece written by a particular author in a particular year in your
bibliography, you must label the first piece with an ‘a’, the next a ‘b’, and so on. For example
(Tyler, 2000a: 4) and (Tyler, 2000b: 120), (Tyler, 2000c: 420), (Tyler, 2000d: 150).
Alternatively you use footnotes at the bottom of the page in which you are quoting the passage, or
endnotes at end of the essay or chapter.
‘In his twenties, the Scotsman slithered into a career crisis’(1)
At the end of page or essay you quote as it is
(1) Roy Porter, Enlightenment: Britain and the creation of the modern world (London: Allen Lane
2000), p.89.
You can use the following abbreviations with footnotes, endnotes and the Harvard method:
Ibid.
Op.cit.
passim
Used, followed by page numbers, when references to the same work
follow each other, without any intervening reference
Used after the author’s surname and before the relevant page numbers
for a second reference to a different work
Used after the relevant page numbers to show that the issue keeps
coming up in these pages, although it is not their main focus
Referencing at the end of your work
The references at the end of your work must give the full details of your sources
of information, which are signposted from the short references in the text of your
work. These full references enable your reader to find and check your sources of
information if they wish to.
60
A list of references includes all the sources of information which have actually
been quoted from, paraphrased or referred to in the text of a piece of work.
This is used mainly in conjunction with the short in text Harvard reference
system. It is important that the author is followed by the year before you just
include the rest of the quotation.
Edward Caird (1999) The Collected Works of Edward Caird, 12 vols., edited by C. Tyler (Bristol:
Thoemmes)
Philip Cowley (1942) My Part in the Abyssinian Campaign (London: Croom Helm)
Robert E. Goodin and Philip Pettit, eds., (1947) Contemporary Political Philosophy. An Anthology
(Oxford: Blackwell)
Simon Lee (2001) ‘The Political Economy of the Canadian Celery Trade, 1992-1999’ Journal of
American Research in Science and Economics, vol.15,no 3 (April), 15-17
Justin Morris (1817) ‘Playing Nicely: International Law and the Use of Force’, in C. von Clausewitz,
ed., The State of War (Berlin: Hempel), pp.40-73
Roy Porter (2000) Enlightenment: Britain and the creation of the modern world (London: Allen Lane)
Colin Tyler (2000a) ‘My Nobel Prize for Literature’, The Times, 27 July
------------- (2000b) ‘ “Dangerous Drug of Violence”: Making sense of Bernard Bosanquet’s theory of
punishment’, Collingwood and British Idealism Studies, vol.7, pp.116-40
Richard Woodward (1969), Fetlock Love (Nottingham: Spanner)
A bibliography includes all references, plus all the other sources of information
which have been used to assist with the writing of a piece of work, but which are
not actually quoted from, paraphrased or referred to in the text of a piece of work.
A bibliography shows better than a list of references, how widely a student has
read around his/her subject.
Organise your bibliography according to authors’ surnames:

Alphabetically by authors’ surnames, with all the sources of information in one list:
Edward Caird The Collected Works of Edward Caird, 12 vols., edited by C. Tyler (Bristol:
Thoemmes 1999)
Philip Cowley, My Part in the Abyssinian Campaign (London: Croom Helm, 1942)
Robert E. Goodin and Philip Pettit, eds., Contemporary Political Philosophy. An Anthology (Oxford:
Blackwell 1997)
Simon Lee ‘The Political Economy of the Canadian Celery Trade, 1992-1999’ Journal of American
Research in Science and Economics, vol.15, no 3 (April 2001),15-17
Justin Morris ‘Playing Nicely: International Law and the Use of Force’, in C. von Clausewitz, ed. The
State of War (Berlin: Hempel 1847), pp.40-73
Roy Porter, Enlightenment: Britain and the creation of the modern world (London: Allen Lane 2000)
Colin Tyler, ‘My Nobel Prize for Literature’, The Times, 27 July 2000
------------- ‘ “Dangerous Drug of Violence”: Making sense of Bernard Bosanquet’s theory of
punishment, Collingwood and British Idealism Studies, vol.7 (2000), pp.116-40
61
Richard Woodward, Fetlock Love (Nottingham: Spanner, 1969)
Or by types of information sources and then alphabetically by authors’ surnames:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Primary sources (government publications: documents, diaries, etc);
Secondary sources (further divided into books and periodical articles);
Miscellaneous sources (newspapers; pamphlets, cd-roms, internet sources.);
Interviews.
Type of information source: Quotation examples
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author(s)
(ii)
Title,
italics
or
underlined
(iii)
Edition, if other than
first
(iv)
Place of publication
(v)
Publisher
(vi)
Date of publication
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author(s) of chapter
(ii)
Title
(iii)
Editor(s) of book
Title
of
book,
underlined or italic
(iv)
Place of publication
(v)
Publisher
(vi)
Date of publication
(vii)
Page numbers pp.
BOOKS
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
Roy Porter Enlightenment: Britain and the creation of the
modern world (London: Allen Lane 2000)
Philip Cowley, My Part in the Abyssinian Campaign
(London: Croom Helm, 1942)
CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
Justin Morris ‘Playing Nicely: International Law and the Use
of Force’, in C. von Clausewitz, ed., The State of War
(Berlin: Hempel, 1847), pp.40-73
Michael Smith and Rebecca Stephenson, ‘The EU and the
United States’, in Christopher Hill and Michael Smith, eds.,
International Relations and the European Union (Oxford:
Oxford University Press 2005),pp.343-363
PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC JOURNAL AND PERIODICAL ARTICLES
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
(i)
Author(s) of article
Simon Lee ‘The Political Economy of the Canadian Celery Trade, 1992-1999’
(ii)
Title of article
Journal of American Research in Science and Economics, vol.15, no 3 (April
2001),15-17
(iii)
Journal title
Ferdinand Müller-Rommel, Katja Fettelschoss and Philipp Harfst, ‘Party
Volume number
government in Central Eastern European democracies: A data collection(1990(iv)
Number of issue
2003)’.European Journal for Political Research, vol.43, no 6 (October 2004),
(v)
(Month and Year)
pp.869-893
(vi)
Page numbers pp.
Kurt Richard Luther, ‘Consociationalism, Parties and the Party System’ Special
issue on “Politics in Austria: Still a Case of Consociationalism” edited by Kurt
Richard Luther and Wolfgang C. Müller, West European Politics, vol.15, no 1,
January 1992, pp.45-98
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author(s) of article
(if there any)
(ii)
Title of article
(iii)
Newspaper title
(iv)
Date (dd.month.yyyy)
ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPERS
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
Colin Tyler(2000a) ‘My Nobel Prize for Literature’ , The
Times, 27 July 2000, p.5
62
(vi)
Page numbers pp.
‘Washington’s Mega Merger’ The Economist 23 November
2002, pp.51-52
‘President names candidate for PM’ New Europe, 2-8
February 1997, p.26
ARTICLE FROM PDF ON WEBSITE OR HTML ON WEBSITE
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
(i)
Author(s) of article or Paul Rogers, ’A letter from BISA Chair’, BISA News. Newsletter of the British International
Studies Association. no 81,June 2004, pp.1-2
document
(ii)
Title of article or http://www.bisa.ac.uk/bisanews/0406/Default.htm (accessed on 17 August 2005)
document
Bridget Kendall, ‘Analysis: Putin’s drastic measures’ BBC news, 13 September 2004,
(iii)
(Journal
title, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3653084.stm
newspaper title)
(accessed on 17 August 2005)
(iv)
(Volume number)
Robert Tait, ‘All Change but no Change’ The Guardian, 17 August 2005
(v)
(Number of issue )
http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1550810,00.html (accessed on 17
(vi)
(Month and Year)
August 2005)
(vii) Page numbers pp.
‘Commission allocates € 9.3 million to aid Sahrawi refugees’, Brussels 10 August 2005,
(viii) Website address
IP/O5/1051
(ix)
(accessed on date)
http://www.europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/1051&format=HTML&a
ged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en (accessed on 17 August 2005)
European Commission, European Humanitarian aid: Values and principles.(European
Commission: Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid-ECHO 2005) pdf file
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/echo/pdf_files/leaflets/values_principles_en.pdf (accessed on 17
August 2005)
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author
(ii)
Title,italics
or
underlined
(iv)
Thesisubmitted at the
Department of ….. of
the University of……
(v)
Date of submission
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author(s)
of
programme
(if there are any)
(ii)
Title of documentary
(iii)
Title
of
periodical
programme(if so)
(iii)
Television channel
(iv)
Date (dd.month.yyyy)
(vi)
Time of broadcast
THESES
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
Tom Kane, Getting it there: the relationship between military
logistics and strategic effectiveness. PhD-Thesis submitted
at the University of Hull. Hull, 1998
Philip Norton, Intra-party dissent in the House of Commons:
The Conservative Party in government. Thesis submitted to
the University of Sheffield, Sheffield, 1977
TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
‘The University of Hull Undercover’ Panorama, BBC 1, 25
August 2001 ,10.15-11.15 pm
‘The Political Culture of Britain’ Dispatches, Channel Four,
10 February 2003, 8.30-9.30 pm
‘The Splendid Cooking Abilities of the Hull Politics
Department’ BBC2, 25 December 2000, 2-3 am
TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY
63
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
(i)
Author(s)
(if there are any)
(ii)
Title of article
(iii)
Title of cd-rom
(iii)
Year of publication
(iv)
Firm publishing it
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
‘Karl Marx’ Encyclopaedia Britannica. Millennium. Second
edition, 2001. Focus multi-media
‘Spain’ Encarta Deluxe. 2003 Edition. Microsoft
INTERVIEWS (CONDUCTED IN RESEARCH TRIPS
ELEMENTS OF QUOTATION
ORDER OF ELEMENTS AND FORMAT OF REFERENCE
(i)
Interviewee(you
can
name
it
or
quote Bill Clinton, former President of the United States of
him/her anonymously)
America, New York, 23 March 2002
(ii)
Institution
of
interviewee
Hans Grosser, Member of the German Bundestag, Berlin,
(iii)
Place of interview
10 October 2001
(iii)
Date of interview
Interview 59, Ministry of Justice, Belgium, Brussels, 1
November 1989
Frequently asked questions
1.
What do I do if there is more than one author? If there is more than one author, you
have to quote all of them in the bibliography. In footnotes, endnotes, or Harvard style references
you can quote the first name and add ‘et alia’ or ‘et al.’ (it means ‘and other’).
For example:
‘José Magone, Justin Morris, Colin Tyler, Philip Norton’ can be abbreviated in references to ‘José
Magone et alia’ or ‘José Magone et al.’
2.
What about sources of information with no acknowledged author? If it is news in a
newspaper, you just put the title. If it is a book or article you put
Without author, title…..
Or
s.a. (abbreviation for sine autore), title…..
3.
What about sources of information which have an editor, not an acknowledged
author? If it is a newspaper or newsletter with an editor, you just put the title in brackets and the
newspaper, newsletter (see example on newspapers and newsletter above).
If it is a chapter in a book without author, you can quote either as ‘Without author, title…’ or ‘s.a.,
title’. You should double check if maybe the editor has written some of the chapters.
4.
What is the difference between an edition and a reprint? An edition is a new book
with either new material or major changes to previous material. A first edition is a completely new
book, while further editions include updated and revised material.
5.
How do I reference a quotation by an author, which I found as a quotation in a book
written by someone else? You just quote the author with the full details and then make
reference from where you have taken it. For example:
Quotation: ”The best scholars are always pessimists…..,this is the essence of life”
64
Noel O’Sullivan, The Politics of Conservatism (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2000), p.85, quoted in Colin
Tyler, The Politics of Optimism (London: Routledge, 2004), p.969.
6.
What do I do if the source of information has no date? If the source of information
has no date, you just write either ‘without date’, or ‘n.d.’ (for ‘no date’) or ‘s.d.’ (‘sine datum’,
meaning ‘without date’ in latin)
Philip Norton, A Socialist reminder (London: Methuen, s.d.)
For individual help with referencing, you can contact the Study Advice Services
by email (studyadvice@hull.ac.uk), or make an appointment by telephoning
(01482) 466344 or visiting the Study Advice Services Desk on the ground floor of
the Brynmor Jones Library (turn left immediately after entering the Library).
The Study Advice Services website has a comprehensive leaflet on referencing,
available at www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice.
65
66
SAS - M
STUDENT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
The University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
: 01482 465809 / 465032  student-admin@hull.ac.uk
MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES FORM
This form must be used by students who wish to inform the University of mitigating
circumstances which they feel may have affected their performance in assessments or
led to them being absent from an examination, or to request an extension to an
assessment deadline.
Before completing the form, please ensure that you read in full the notes at the back.
This form is available to students, and should be completed by the student, or on their
behalf with their knowledge and agreement.
Section 1 – Student Details – to be completed in all cases
Your Full Name
________________________________________________
Registration Number __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Programme of Study ________________________________________________
Faculty _____________________
Department
Location of Study
Scarborough
Hull
Current Year of Study __
Full time
______________________
Other
Part time
Section 2 – Details of assessments affected (see notes for explanation of codes)
Module title
Request
Module code
Date of exam or
Type of
Coursework Deadline (Tick box)
MC
AGC
EXT
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
67
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
____________________
__ __ __ __ __
___/___/______
Section 3 – Information regarding circumstances
Provide details of the circumstances that you claim have affected your assessments.
Explain clearly what the problems have been, and how they have affected you.
Continue on a separate sheet if necessary, and attach securely to this form. You must
also securely attach as much supporting evidence as possible. For claims based on
medical circumstances, you must provide evidence of the medical problem, issued by a
relevant medical practitioner (GP, nurse, counsellor, etc).
Section 4 – Declaration
I declare that I have read and understood the notes attached to this form before
completing, and that the information provided on, and with this form is accurate and
complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that to seek to gain an advantage
or benefit (such as a new exam attempt, or coursework extension) through providing
false or misleading information is liable to action being taken against me under the Code
of Practice on the Use of Unfair Means.
Student signature
______________________
Date
Section 5 – Academic Department Use Only
Date received in Department ________________
____________________
68
by
____________
Action taken by Department
Forward to SAS only if received more than 7 days after the assessment in question or in
cases that prove difficult to resolve and advice is sought. Please attach to form SASS, as a “Special Request”.
NOTES
General Notes for Students
This form must be used to notify the University when you have suffered problems which
have affected your ability to perform to your normal standard in assessments. These
problems may be medical or exceptional personal circumstances.
Section 1 – student information
This must be completed in full, in all cases
Section 2 – details of assessments affected
You must clearly state each assessment that you believe has been affected by the
mitigating circumstances.
Each assessment may be the subject of one of the following claims:
MC – Mitigating Circumstances
Use MC where an assessment was taken, but you do not feel that you performed to your
true ability, because your performance was impaired by mitigating circumstances.
Examples are: you took an exam whilst ill, or completed coursework whilst experiencing
exceptional personal problems.
AGC – Absence with Good Cause
Use AGC where you failed to take an examination at all, due to the mitigating
circumstances.
EXT – Extension of Coursework
Use EXT where your ability to complete coursework has been hampered by your
mitigating circumstances, and you require an extension to the deadline for completion.
Section 3 – information regarding circumstances
Use this space, and any further sheets, to describe fully the circumstances that have
affected you, and the effect on your ability to perform in your assessments. You should
put as much detail as possible, to ensure that a decision is reached on full information.
You must also securely attach to the form as much supporting documentation as
possible, to back up your claim. If you do not supply evidence of the problems, it is
likely that your application will be refused.
Section 4 – declaration
You must sign and date the form, confirming your knowledge of the procedures
69
General Information for Students
After completion, you are advised to make a copy for your own records, and then you
must submit the form to your home department (the one responsible for your
programme of study).
Notification of mitigating circumstances must be submitted no later than 7 days after the
exam or assessment deadline in question. Forms submitted within 7 days of the exam
or assessment deadline will be considered by your department.
In cases where the form is submitted after more than 7 days, or where the department
wishes to obtain external advice, the form will be forwarded to the University Student
Progress Committee. A Senior Tutor will then examine the case, and together with the
Chair of the Committee, a decision will be taken as to whether or not the department can
consider the circumstances.
Where you are claiming Absence from an exam with Good Cause, there are only 3
acceptable reasons for the absence:
1.
2.
3.
medical circumstances occurring at the time of the examination (provided they
are supported by a medical certificate issued by a qualified medical practitioner
or a qualified counsellor)
bereavement of family or close friend (including attendance at funeral) (a letter
from an appropriate person confirming the details should be provided – a copy of
the death certificate is not required)
being unable to get to the examination because of the failure of properly made
travel arrangements beyond your control (corroborating evidence will be
required). (Your car breaking down on the way to the examination will be
accepted; not arranging a flight which will arrive in good time will not).
If your circumstances are not accepted:
The original mark for the assessment will stand, (or you will receive a mark of 0 for non
attendance).
If your circumstances are accepted:
For MC – the circumstances will be passed to the Module Board of Examiners who will
decide to either:
1.
2.
3.
4.
award you a new attempt at the examination or assessment, if you so wish
raise the module mark by an amount it deems fair and appropriate
pass the matter to the Programme Board of Examiners for consideration later
decide that the circumstances do not merit any action
If you are awarded a new attempt, and you accept the offer, your original attempt is
wiped from the record and your original mark is lost, and cannot be used, even if you
later fail the new attempt.
For AGC – you will be awarded a new attempt at the examination, to be held at the next
available occasion.
For EXT – you will be given a new deadline for the submission of the work.
70
INTRODUCTION - WELCOME TO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
All students are entitled to Personal Development Planning (PDP). PDP is not
compulsory. However, we strongly recommend that you avail yourself of the
opportunities which PDP offers to strengthen your intellectual and personal
development. Moreover, it is anticipated that PDP will become an invaluable (and
potentially mandatory) resource as you move from the world of education to the world or
work.
PDP is integral to your development as an independent lifelong learner. It is designed to
enable you to take control of your own learning and personal development. What follows
in this introduction is a brief guide about how you can manage the PDP process so that
you are better able to identify your own learning needs and future development
objectives.
CORE COMPETENCIES
We have identified four core groups of competencies, explained below, that most, if not
all, university graduates will be expected to exhibit. These are personal skills,
transferable skills, intellectual skills and academic skills. This is not an exhaustive list of
competencies. During your time at University you may identify other competencies which
you wish do develop or that are essential as you make the transition to being an
independent life long learner.
Personal Skills. Personal skills refer to the manner in which you approach your own
work and the way in which you interact with others.
Transferable Skills. Transferable skills refer to the practical expertise which is
essential, or at least highly desirable, for further study or success in the work place.
Intellectual Skills. Intellectual skills refer to your proficiency in analysing, evaluating
and presenting data, arguments and concepts with a view to constructing and sustaining
a logic argument.
Academic Skills. Academic skills refer to your knowledge and understanding of your
chosen subject/s of study.
WHAT DOES YOUR PDP CONTAIN?
The first element of your PDP consists of your academic transcript. This records
your academic achievements and the credits you have been awarded. This is based
upon an objective judgement of your academic work by the internal and external
examiners appointed to your programme of study. The second element of the PDP
consists of your own Personal Development File (PDF). Here you will be responsible for
identifying your own learning requirements, setting your own targets and objectives, and
devising a plan of action in order to ensure they are achieved. Finally, it may be helpful
to complete a ‘Learning Event Log’ in which you can record any particular events which
you feel have had a particularly significant impact – whether positive or negative - on
your learning experience. PDP is operationised through a series of meetings with your
Personal Supervisor. These will give you the opportunity to discuss your learning needs
and development objectives. In other words, this is a process of self-managed
development: it is subjective in the sense that you are responsible for assessing your
71
own needs, level of achievement and goals. PDF is a contract with yourself - it is
designed to be developmental not judgemental.
The PDP process is grounded in a belief that you, in conjunction with your
personal supervisor and the various professional advisory services offered by the
University, are in the best position to make the transition to become lifelong learners.
YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS A PROGRESSIVE LEARNER
One of the key concepts underpinning your learning experience is that of
progression. Progression will manifest itself in a number of ways as you undertake your
studies. Firstly, it will be reflected in the increasingly challenging academic demands, or
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs), which you are expected to satisfy as you progress
through the various levels of your Programme of Study. The mark which you must
achieve in order to pass a module (e.g. 40% at undergraduate level) indicates that you
have met its ILOs; the mark which you are awarded for you work indicates your level of
performance relative to this threshold.
The idea of progression can also be applied to the competencies on which you
are asked to reflect in your PDF, though here these are not formally assessed. In
completing your PDF you are asked to reflect on where you think you stand in relation to
the competencies. You are also asked to consider how you would like to further develop
in regard to each competency and how you think you can do this. Since your PDF is
personal to you it is recognised that while you may exhibit some of the competencies
listed you are still to develop others. What is important is that as you develop as a
learner you acquire, build upon, refine and develop new skills and competencies. Each
time you complete a PDF document you should refer back to the previous one, and in
this way you will be able to monitor your own competency progression. In addition you
should also consider ways in which you can evidence your learning - it is not enough to
think that you have certain skills, you must be able to demonstrate them! There are a
variety of ways in which you will be able to do this: an essay feedback form may
evidence good written communication skills; peer assessment, recorded in a Learning
Log Event Report, may evidence team-working and leadership skills and so on.
Remember, your PDF is intended to be a highly flexible learning tool which you can
adapt to suit your own particular circumstances and objectives.
RESPONSIBILITIES
(a) University Responsibilities
The University is responsible for ensuring that effective Progress File schemes are in
place to meet the requirements of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The University
is also responsible for providing students with their transcript at the end of their degree
programme.
(b) The Department’s Responsibility
Your department is responsible for providing support for PDP related activities and for
making it explicit what that support is and how it is provided. Your department will also
make you aware of relevant support services provided in the rest of the University.
The following are examples of how your department may support you in planning your
personal development:
72









Induction
Personal supervision
o Progression interviews
o Discussions and meetings
Study and learning skills documentation
Programme and module specifications outlining learning outcomes
Professional and study skills development within programmes/modules
Email contact
Workshops/surgeries
Electronic support (e.g. online forums)
Electronic resources for self-study purposes
Other Sources of Support for PDP
The following support services may also be helpful in planning your personal
development:





Study Advice Service
o Transition from pre-HE to HE study
o Learning skills
o Study skills
o Dealing with stress
o Exam technique
o Academic English
o
Language Institute
o Foreign Language courses
o English language courses for overseas students
o
Students’ Union Societies
o


Development of team working, leadership, communication skills by
participating in Union activities.
o
Careers Service
o
o
o
o
Psychometric testing
Advice on development of CVs
Interview technique
Assessment Centres
(c) Your responsibilities
Progress Files are about your academic and personal development and therefore belong
to you. You are responsible for:



Maintaining and developing your academic, personal and professional knowledge
and skills
Attending meetings with your Personal Supervisor plus any additional meetings
you may be either asked to attend or you wish to have as a result of your
individual circumstances
Complying with the Department’s attendance and coursework submission
requirements
73


Keeping your PDF updated and being adequately prepared for appraisal
meetings with your Personal Supervisor
Carrying out independent study and learning
PDF - HOW WILL IT WORK?
At the beginning of each academic semester (and at the end of your final
semester) you will receive via e-mail a Personal Development File document. This
should be completed and e-mailed back to your Personal Supervisor within a fortnight
of receipt, supplemented if you wish with a Learning Event Log. You may then negotiate
with your Personal Supervisor a mutually convenient time in which to discuss your PDF.
In additional to you regular PDF supervisory meetings your Personal Supervisor
is available to discuss any matters of an academic and pastoral nature as and when they
arise. You are strongly recommended to maintain regular contact with your Personal
Supervisor, even if you are not experiencing any problems.
Overtime your PDF documents, accompanied by your academic transcript and
any other relevant material (e.g. a Learning Event Log) will develop into a
comprehensive learning portfolio. Remember that most graduate employment
opportunities will require you do demonstrate that you can take responsibility for your
own learning and personal development.
REMEMBER IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN YOUR PDF.
THE PDF PROCESS
The PDF process will require you to do three things on an ongoing basis:
(a) To identify your current level of achievement and existing competencies (Where
am
I
now?)
(b) To identify your future objectives in the short, medium and longer terms (are
there any matters which require immediate remedy? Where do you want to be by
your next appraisal? What do you want to achieve during your time at University?
What do you want to achieve beyond that time?)
(c) To identify how I will ensure that my personal, intellectual and developmental
objectives are met (How do I get there?)
Initially you are expected to consider these questions in the context of the four areas
previously identified (personal, transferable, intellectual and academic).
Designing SMART objectives
PDF objectives must be SMART. The SMART methodology ensures that your
objectives are meaningful and can succeed.
SMART objectives are:
74
Specific - be clear and precise about what you want to achieve
Measurable - how will you know if you have met your objective?
Attainable - can you realistically achieve the objective?
Realistic - can you find the means to achieve the objective?
Timebound - set yourself a deadline by which you will have achieved your
objective.
Examples of SMART and ‘unSMART’ objectives will be added.
Justin Morris, Head of Department
Dr Chris Martin, PDP Coordinator
June 2007
75
76
ANNEX 5
THE ACADEMIC YEAR
Week Commencing
Year Structure
Week Nos for Room
Booking Purposes
Week Nos for
Timetabling Purposes
29 Sept 08
06 Oct 08
13 Oct 08
20 Oct 08
27 Oct 08
03 Nov 08
10 Nov 08
17 Nov 08
24 Nov 08
01 Dec 08
08 Dec 08
15 Dec 08
22 Dec 08
29 Dec 08
05 Jan 09
12 Jan 09
19 Jan 09
26 Jan 09
02 Feb 09
09 Feb 09
16 Feb 09
23 Feb 09
02 Mar 09
09 Mar 09
16 Mar 09
23 Mar 09
30 Mar 09
06 Apr 09
13 Apr 09
20 Apr 09
27 Apr 09
04 May 09
11 May 09
18 May 09
25 May 09
01 Jun 09
O8 Jun 09
15 Jun 09
22 Jun 09
29 Jun 09
06 July 09
13 Jul 09
Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Wk 7
Wk 8
Wk 9
Wk 10
Wk 11
Wk 12
Christmas Wk 1
Christmas Wk 2
Christmas Wk 3
Christmas Wk 4
Exam Wk 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
20 Jul 09
27 Jul 09
03 Aug 09
10 Aug 09
17 Aug 09
Exam Wk 2/Degree Ceremonies
Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Wk Wk 77Wk 7
Wk 8
Easter Wk 1
Easter Wk 2
Easter Wk 3
Wk 9
Wk 10
Wk 11
Wk 12
Exam Wk 1
Exam Wk 2
Exam Wk 3
Exam Wk 4/marking Wk 1
Marking Wk 2s
Board of Examiners
Results/Research
Research
Research
Degree
Ceremonies/Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
77
44
45
46
47
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
24 Aug 09
31 Aug 09
07 Sep 09
14 Sep 09
21 Sep 09
Research
Re-sits Wk 1
Re-sits Wk 2/Marking
Board of
Examiners/Results
Research
78
48
49
50
51
52
MEMBERS OF STAFF & THEIR RESEARCH INTERESTS
JUSTIN MORRIS, LLB (CNAA), MA (HULL)
International organisations, especially the UN; the role of the international law in international
relations, great power leadership and responsibility.
Publications include: (with H. McCouobrey) Regional Peacekeeping in the Post-Cold War Era,
(The Hague: Kluwer, 2000); R. Burchill, N. White and J. Morris (eds.), International Conflict and
Security Law (Cambridge: CUP, 2005), J. Morris, 'Normative Innovation and the Great Powers',
in A. Bellamy (ed.) International Society and Its Critics (Oxford: OUP, 2005); ‘Law, Politics and
the Use of Force’, in Baylis et al (eds.), Strategy in the Contemporary World (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2006), pp. 101-21; (with N. J. Wheeler) ‘Justifying Iraq as a Humanitarian
Intervention: The Cure is Worse than the Disease’ in W.P.S. Sidhu and Ramesh Thakur (eds.),
The Iraq Crisis and World Order: Structural and Normative Challenges (Tokyo: United Nations
University Press, 2006), pp.444-63.; with N. J. Wheeler, ‘The Security Council’s Crisis of
Legitimacy and the Use of Force’, International Relations, Volume 44(2/3), March/May 2007,
pp.214-31.
PROFESSORS:
RAPHAEL COHEN-ALMAGOR BA (TEL AVIV), MA (TEL AVIV), D. PHIL. (OXFORD)
Media Ethics; Medical Ethics; Free Speech; Political Extremism; Israeli Politics; Culture Studies;
Legal Theory and Jurisprudence.
Publications include: Speech, Media, and Ethics: The Limits of Free Expression (Houndmills and
New York: Palgrave-Macmillan, 2001, 2nd. Ed. 2005). The Right to Die with Dignity: An
Argument in Ethics, Medicine, and Law (Piscataway, NJ.: Rutgers University Press, 2001).
Euthanasia in the Netherlands: The Policy and Practice of Mercy Killing (Dordrecht: SpringerKluwer, 2004). Editor, Israeli Democracy at the Crossroads (London: Routledge, 2005). Editor,
Israeli Institutions at the Crossroads (London: Routledge, 2005), The Scope of Tolerance:
Studies on the Costs of Free Expression and Freedom of the Press (London and New York:
Routledge, 2006).
JAMES CONNELLY, BSC, PHD (SOTON)
Environmental politics and ethics; political philosophy; philosophy of history, R.G. Collingswood
and British idealism, electoral and voting systems.
Publications include: Politics and the Environment: from theory to practice (with G. smith),
Routledge, 2nd edition, 2003; Metaphysics, Method and Politics: The Political Philosophy of R.G.
Collingwood, Imprint Academic, 2003; An Essay on Philosophical Method by R.G. Collingwood
(edited and introduced), Oxford University Press, 2005; ‘Patrolling the Boundaries of Politics:
Collingwood, Political Analysis and Political Action’, British Journal of Politics and International
Relations, Vol. 7, 2005, pp.67-80; ‘Respecting Nature’, Res Publica, vol.12, pp.97-108, 2006;
‘Character, Duty and Historical Consciousness’ in British Idealism: Moral, Social and Political
Philosophy ed. W. Sweet, Imprint Academic 2007.
CAROLINE KENNEDY-PIPE, BA, MSC ECON (WALES), D.PHIL (OXFORD)
International Relations, international Security Studies, Terrorism and Political Violence,
International History, Cold War History, Women and War, the origins of major wars.
Publications include: The Cold War; Origins, Palgrave. October 2007, Russia and the World The
Making and Unmaking of Soviet Foreign Policy 1917-1990 (London; Edward Arnold 1998) 229pp,
The Origins of the Present Troubles in Northern Ireland (London; Addison Wesley Longman,
1997) 204pp, Stalin’s Cold War, Soviet Strategies in Europe 1943-1956 (Manchester, Manchester
University Press, 1995) 218pp
79
PROFESSOR THE LORD NORTON OF LOUTH, BA (SHEFFIELD), MA (PENNSYLVANIA),
PHD (SHEFFIELD), FRSA, ACSS
British Politics and government, with special reference to Parliament, the Constitution, and the
Conservative Party; comparative legislatures; the politics and government of the USA.
Publications include: Parliaments in Western Europe (ed., 3 volumes, 1998-2002), The British
Polity, 4th edition, 2001, Parliament in British Politics 2005, Politics UK, 6th edition (with others)
2006, Post-Communist and Post-Soviet Legislatures: The Initial Decade (co-ed) 2007.
RESEARCH PROFESSOR:
JACK HAYWARD, BSC (ECON) PHD (LONDON), FBA
Comparative European politics, with particular interest in France; policy coordination in European
government.
Publications include: After the French Revolution, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1991 De Gaulle to
Mitterand, Hurst 1993. Industrial Enterprise and European Integration, Oxford University Press,
1995. Governing the New Europe (jt ed), Polity, 1996. Elitism, Populism and European Politics,
Oxford University Press, 1996. The British Study of Politics in the Twentieth Century (jt ed),
Oxford University Press, 1999. Governing from the Centre, Oxford University Press, 2002.
Governing Europe (jt ed), Oxford University Press, 2003.
NOËL K. O’SULLIVAN, BSC (ECON), PHD (LONDON)
Contemporary European and American political philosophy; history of political thought; sources of
political extremism in modern European politics, especially fascism and terrorism; conservative
doctrine in Western Europe and the USA; postmodern political theory.
Publications include: Fascism (2002; 2nd ed. of Czech trans.). ‘Power, authority and legitimacy’,
in R. Axtmann ed., Understanding Democratic Politics (Sage, 2002) ‘Conservatism’, in T. Ball &
R. Bellamy (eds.), Cambridge History of Twentieth Century Political Thought (CUP, 2003).
European Political Thought Since 1945 (Palgrave, 2004. Chinese trans., 2006). ‘Philosophy,
Politics and Conservatism in the Thought of Elie Kedourie (1926-1992)’, in special issue of
Middle Eastern Studies, vol. 41, no. 5, 691-718, Sept. 2005. ‘Liberalism, Nihilism and Modernity
in the Political Thought of John Gray’, in special issue of Critical Review of International Social
and Political Philosophy, vol. 9, no. 2, 285-304, June 2006.
READER:
RÜDIGER WURZEL, MA (AUGSBURG), MA (HULL), PHD (LONDON)
European Union; Environmental Policy and Politics; German Politics; West European Politics;
Comparative Public Policies and Politics.
Publications include: Environmental Policy-Making in Britain, Germany and the European Union.
The Europeanisation of Air and Water Pollution Control, Manchester: Manchester University
Press (new in paperback 2006) http://www.hull.ac.uk/pas/NEPIs%20book2.pdf. The EU
Presidency: 'Honest Broker' or Driving Seat?, London: Anglo-German Foundation (2004).
'New'Instruments of Environmental Governance? National Experiences and Prospects, Jointly
edited with Andrew Jordan and Anthony Zito. London: Frank Cass (2003)
http://www.hull.ac.uk/pas/NEPIs%20book2.pdf. 'New Environmental Policy Instruments (NEPIs)
in the European Union. From Government to Governance?', with A. Jordan and A. Zito, Political
Studies (2005, vol. 53, No.3, pp.477-96). 'The Europeanization of German Environmental Policy:
An Environmental Leader State under Pressures?' in Klaus Goetz and Kenneth Dyson (eds),
Germany and Europe: A Europeanized Germany?, Oxford: Oxford University Press (2003,
pp.289-308).
SENIOR LECTURERS:
80
XIUDIAN DAI, BA, MA (NANKAI), PHD (SUSSEX)
The politics and political economy of new media and communications technologies with particular
reference to China and the European Union (EU); Chinese and European technology policies;
EU-China relations; economic development in China and Southeast Asia; European governance
and integration in the information age; politics of the internet.
Publication include: ‘The Internet and Parliamentary Democracy in Europe’, special issue of The
Journal of Legislative Studies, 13 (3), 2007 (eds with P. Norton); The Digital Revolution and
Governance, Aldershot: Ashgate 2000; Corporate Strategy, Public Policy and New Technologies,
Oxford: Pergamon, 1996; ‘Google’, New Political Economy, 12 (3), 2007; ‘Prospects and
Concerns of e-Democracy in the European Parliament’, in The Journal of Legislative Studies, 13
(3), 2007; ‘Political Ethics Online: Parliamentarians’ Use of Email in Europe’, The Journal of
Legislative Studies, 13 (3), 2007; ‘The Digital Revolution and Development: The Impact of
Chinese Policy and Strategies’, Development, 50 (3), 2007; 'A New Mode of Governance?
Transnationalisation of European Regions and Cities in the Information Age', Telematics and
Informatics, 20 (3), 2003; 'Towards a Digital Economy with Chinese Characteristics?', New Media
and Society, 4 (2), 2002; ‘Chinese Politics of the Internet: Control and Anti-control’, Cambridge
Review of International Affairs, 13 (2) 2000.
SIMON LEE, BA (HULL)
Political economy; the politics of Gordon Brown; national political economy, with special reference
to England; international political economy of competitiveness; political economy of fiscal policy
and public expenditure; global governance, with special reference to the IMF; and politics of
English national identity.
Publications include: Best for Britain? The Politics and Legacy of Gordon Brown (Oxford:
Oneworld, 2007); (with Stephen McBride) (ed), Neo-Liberalism, State Power and Global
Governance (Dordrecht: Kluwer Springer, 2007); 'The politics of globalisation and the war on
terror',and 'Building institutions for freedom: The economic dimension of the "war on terror", in
M.Mullard and B.Cole (ed.), Globalisation, Ciitizenship and The War on Terror (Cheltenham:
Edward Elgar, 2007); 'Gordon Brown and the British Way", The Political Quarterly, 77, 3, 2006:
369-78; ‘Global Governance and the International Monetary Fund’ in G.Hook and H.Dobson
(ed), Global Governance and Japan: The Institutional Architecture (London: Routledge,
2007);'The Governance of Fiscal Policy in the United Kingdom and Canada', Journal of
Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 5, 2003, 165-85;‘The International
Monetary Fund’, New Political Economy, 7, 2, 2002, 283-297;and ‘The International Monetary
Fund’ in R.Allen (ed), The Political Economy of Financial Crises (Cheltenham, Edward Elgar,
2004).;
CRISTINA LESTON-BANDEIRA, BA (LISBON), PHD (HULL)
Comparative legislatures; Parliament in new democracies, in particular the Portuguese
Parliament; Parliament and the internet; Research methods
Publications include: ‘Dissent in a Party Based Parliament: the Portuguese Case’, Party Politics,
2008; ‘The Impact of the Internet on Parliament’, Parliamentary Affairs, 60, (4), 2007; ‘Are ICTs
Changing Parliamentary Activity in the Portuguese Parliament?’, The Journal of Legislative
Studies, 13, (3), 2007; Southern European Parliaments in Democracy (ed.) Routledge, 2005;
From Legislation to Legitimation, Routledge, 2004; Da Legislação à Legitimação: o papel do
parlamento português, ICS, 2002; O Parlamento Português: uma reforma necessária, (with A.
Araújo, et al.), ICS, 2002; ‘Internalising the lessons of stable democracy: the Portuguese
parliament’ (with A. Freire), The Journal Legislative Studies, 9, (3), 2003, ‘Parliament and
Citizens in Portugal: still looking for links’, in P. Norton, Parliaments and Citizens in Western
Europe, Frank Cass, 2002, ‘The Portuguese parliament: the development of a new institution in
its first two decades of democracy’, West European Politics, 24, (1), 2001.
COLIN TYLER, BA (READING), MA, DPHIL (YORK)
British idealism; Critical global governance; Critical political economy; Hegelian political
philosophy; History of political thought, especially early modern and the classical utilitarians
Publications include: (Ed) Collected Works of Edward Caird, 12 vols. (1999); “‘This Dangerous
Drug of Violence’”, Collingwood and British Idealism Studies, (2000); “Strangers and
Compatriots: The politics of cultural diversity”, in J Rex and G Singh (eds.), Governance in
Multicultural Societies (2004); “‘A Foundation of Chaff’?: A critique of Bentham’s Metaphysics,
81
1813-1816”, British Journal for the History of Philosophy (2004); “Hegel, War and the Tragedy of
Imperialism”, History of European Ideas (2004); (Co-author) “State of the Art: British Idealist
Political Philosophy”, British Journal of Politics and International Relations (2005); (Ed.)
Unpublished Manuscripts in British Idealism, 2 vols. (2005) Idealist Political Philosophy (2006);
“Human Well-being and the Future of the WTO”, in S.D. Lee and S. McBride, eds., Neoliberalism, State Power and Global Governance (2007); “History’s actors? Insights into the war
on terror from International Relations Theory” and “Citizenship, rights and Tony Blair’s doctrine of
international community”, in M Mullard and B Cole, eds., Globalisation, Citizenship and War on
Terror (2007); The Social Liberalism of T.H. Green (2008).
LECTURERS:
MATT BEECH, BSC ECON, MSC ECON (WALES) PHD (SOUTHAMPTON)
British Politics: ideologies, parties and their history. Political Thought: New Labour, social
democracy, communitarianism and conservatismChristianity and politics
Publications include: Labour’s Thinkers: The Intellectual Roots of Labour from Tawney to
Gordon Brown, with K. Hickson, London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 2007, The Political
Philosophy of New Labour, London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 2006. The Struggle for Labour’s
Soul: Understanding Labour’s Political Thought since 1945 with R. Plant and K. Hickson, (Eds.),
London: Routledge, 2004.
CORNELIA BEYER, DIPLOM (BERLIN)
Security Studies, Counterterrorism and Terrorism, Global Governance, IR Theory
Publications include: Die Strategie der Vereinigten Staaten im “War of Terror” (LIT: 2006),
Violent Globalisms – Conflict in Response to Empire (Ashgate: 2008).
BHUMITRA CHAKMA, BA, MA (JAPAN), PHD (QUEENSLAND)
Strategic and Security Issues; Global Nuclear Politics; Asia-Pacific Security; South Asian Politics;
International Relations Theory; Ethnic Identity and Nationalism
Publications Include: Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons (London: Routledge, forthcoming); Strategic
Dynamics and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation in South Asia ( 2004; Bern: Peter Lang)
MAHRUKH DOCTOR, MA (The Johns Hopkins University, SAIS), DPHIL (OXFORD)
Political economy of development; Brazilian trade and industrial policy; foreign direct investment;
regional integration; infrastructure policy (ports); business-state relations; policy network analysis;
corporatism; Latin America.
Publications include: ‘Institutional Modernisation and the Legacy of Corporatism: the Case of
Port Reform in Brazil’, Journal of Latin American Studies (2003); ‘Beyond the Century of
Corporatism? Continuity and Change in Brazil’ with Timothy Power in Wiarda (ed),
Authoritarianism and Corporatism in Latin America, Revisited, (2004); ‘Scenarios for Untying the
Knots in Market Access for Goods’ with Sandra Rios in Valladão, Messerlin & Peña (eds),
Concluding the EU-Mercosur Agreement: Feasible Scenarios, (2004); ‘Boosting Investment and
Growth: the Role of Social Pacts in the Brazilian Automotive Industry’, in Oxford Development
Studies (2007); ‘Why Bother with Inter-regionalism? Negotiations for a European Union-Mercosur
Association Agreement’, Journal of Common Market Studies (2007); ‘Brazil: Mixed impact of
financial crises on the manufacturing and financial sectors’ in Justin Robertson (ed), Power and
Politics
after
Financial
Crises:
Rethinking
Foreign
Opportunism
in
Emerging Markets, co-author Luiz Fernando de Paula (2007); ‘Lula’s Development Council: NeoCorporatism and Policy Reform in Brazil’, Latin American Perspectives (2007).
THOMAS KANE, MA (CLAREMONT), PHD (HULL)
Strategic studies; international relations; foreign policy; political theory.
Publications include: “What Money Couldn’t Buy - And what it Did”, in from Asymptotes to
Aygophytes, Orono, ME, University of Maine System, 1996’ ‘Tilst and napoleon’s Grand Strategy’,
War Studies Journal, volume 2, issue 2, Spring 1997, (Co-authored with Captain Kevin Falk, US
Army Intelligence Reserve); ‘The Maginot Mentality’, in Parameters, Vol. 28, No 2, Summer 1998;
‘Sins of Omission’, in Comparative Strategy vol. 17, Autumn 1998; ‘Softening the Vlow’, in
82
Defence Digitalisation Bulletin, vol 2 November 1998.
Military Logistics and Strategic
Performance, Frank Cass, 2001; "China's Foundations," Comparative Strategy, January-March
2001; (With Dr. Lawrence Serewicz), "China’s Hunger: The Consequences of a Rising Demand
for Food and Energy," Parameters, Autumn 2001; Chinese Grand Strategy and Maritime Power,
Frank Cass, 2002; “To Hear the Thunder,” Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, JanuaryMarch 2002; “Not Just a Word,” Comparative Strategy, October-December, 2002; “Testing the
Waters – Or Ruffling Them? Changes to America’s Military Footprint have Greater Diplomatic
than Operational Significance,” Perihelion, the Journal of the European Rim Policy and Investment
Council, November 2003; “Dragon or Dinosaur: China’s Nuclear Weapons Programme in the 21st
Century,” Parameters, Winter 2003-04; “Slippery Business: The role of oil in Iraqi conflict,” Energy
and Environment, January 2004; With numerous others, Space 2030: Tackling Society’s
Challenges, OECD Publishing, 2005. Theoretical Roots of US Foreign Policy, London: Routledge,
2006.
DAVID LONSDALE, BA (ABERDEEN), MA, PHD (HULL)
Strategic Theory, Strategic History, Contemporary Strategic Issues
Publications Include: The Nature of War in the Information Age: Clausewitzian Future, (London,
Frank Cass, 2003); Alexander, Killer of Men: Alexander the Great and the Macedonian Art of
War, (London, Constable and Robinson, 2004); Alexander the Great, Lessons in Strategy,
(London, Frank Cass, 2007); ‘Clausewitz and War in the Information Age’, in Hew Strachan (ed),
Conference Proceedings for Clausewitz and the 21st Century, University of Oxford, March 2005,
(Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007); ‘The Art of Strategy’, in Speller, Lonsdale et al,
Understanding Modern Warfare, (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming); ‘The
Strategy of Pre-Emption: Dealing with the post-9/11 Security Environment’, Defence Studies, 3/2
(Summer 2003); ‘Information Power: Strategy, Geopolitics, and the Fifth Dimension’, in Colin S.
Gray and Geoffrey Sloan (eds), Geopolitics: Geography and Strategy, (London, Frank Cass,
1999).
CHRIS MARTIN, BA (WOLV), MA (STAFF), PHD (SALFORD)
British maritime history, strategy, policy and development
Publications Include: The Naval War Plans 1907 and the Second Hague Peace Conference, a
Case of Propaganda, Journal of Strategic Studies, August 2005, Admiral Sir John Fisher and the
Entente Cordiale, Review Historique des Armees, 2005, The Royal Navy and the Limits of
Eurocentricity, 1904-1912’, in Refocusing on Europe? International Relations from the Entente
Cordiale to the Outbreak of the First World War, 1904-1914, Frank Cass, 2006
ELIZABETH MONAGHAN, BA, MA (SHEFFIELD), PHD (NOTT)
European Union, Civic Society, EU Representation and Legitimacy.
RICHARD WOODWARD, BA, MA (HULL)
Global political economy; globalisation and governance of financial markets; the City of London;
small states; offshore financial centres; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and
Development.
Publications include: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,
Routledge, forthcoming 2008. 'The OECD: Meeting the Challenges of hte 21st Century?' in S.
Lee & S.McBride (eds.) Neo-liberalism, State Power and Global Governance Kluwer, 2007. 'Age
Concern: The Future of the OECD' in World Today Vol. 62 (8-9) , 2006. Governing Financial
Globalization: International political economy and multi-level governance (co-edited with A.Baker
& D.Hudson), Routledge, 2005. 'State Strategies in the Global Political Economy: Small Islands
and the case of the EU and OECD Harmful Tax Competition Initiatives' in Cambridge Review of
International Affairs Vol.19 (4), 2006. ‘Offshore’ or ‘Shorn Off’: The OECD’s Harmful Tax
Competition Initiative and Development in Small Island Economies’ in G. Harrison (ed) Global
Encounters: IPE, Development and Global Governance, Palgrave, 2005, pp.195-212. ‘Global
Monitor: the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’ in New Political
Economy Vol.9 (1), 2004, pp.113-27.
83
We hope that you have found the information contained in this Booklet to be helpful.
Please remember that the Department will assume that you are familiar with its contents.
Please therefore ensure that you keep it to hand.
We have tried to include as much relevant information as possible. However, we have not
sought to test your patience by trying to offer an exhaustive statement of all the material
you will need to have during your period with us. As we mentioned earlier, you will be
supplied separately with module reading lists. If anything in this Booklet is unclear, or you
require further information, please see your supervisor or go to the Departmental Office.
We would welcome your suggestions as to how this Handbook could be improved. If you
have any suggestions please contact Pam Docherty on p.docherty@hull.ac.uk
84