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Durham University
Undergraduate
Theology and Ministry Courses
in partnership with
Cranmer Hall St John’s College, Durham
Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership
The Wesley Study Centre St John’s College, Durham
ACADEMIC HANDBOOK
2011—2012
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction 3
1.1. About this Handbook 3
1.2. Induction Dates 3
1.3. Term Dates 3
1.4. Enrolment and Registration 3
2. Governance of the Theology and Ministry courses 5
2.1. The Training Institutions 5
2.2. The Governance Structure for the Theology and Ministry Courses 6
2.3. Student Engagement 6
2.4. Staff‐student Communication 8
3. Learning and Teaching 9
3.1. Programme Aims and Learning Outcomes 9
3.2. Your Programme Regulations 12
3.3. Statement on Departmental Teaching Methods 12
3.4. Academic Obligations 13
3.5. Absence and Illness 13
3.6. Changing Modules 15
3.7. Withdrawing from the Programme 15
3.8. Appeals and Complaints 15
4. Assessment 18
4.1. Modes of Formative and Summative Assessment 18
4.2. Principles for Academic Assessment 18
4.3. Benchmarks of Equivalence 18
4.4. Types of Assessment 19
4.5. Assessment Policy 18
4.6. Assessment Criteria – Guidlines for essays and other written assignments 21
4.7. Assessment Deadlines 25
4.8. Standards for Presentation 28
4.9. Writing Dissertations and Special Studies 35
4.10. Disclosure of Marks and Feedback to Students 38
4.11. Serious Adverse Circumstances 40
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4.12. Assessment Irregularities 40
4.13. Progression Regulations 43
4.14. Assessment Conventions: Working out your Degree Classification 45
5. Student Support 46
5.1. Teaching and Learning Support 46
5.2. Academic Guidance on Reading and Writing for Assessment 46
5.3. Services for Student with Disabilities 48
5.4. University Counselling Service 49
5.5. Careers Advisory Service 49
5.6. DSU Advice Centre 50
5.7. English Language Centre 50
6. University Codes of Practice 51
6.1. Diversity and Equality 51
6.2. Respect at Work and Study 51
6.3. Freedom of Speech 51
6.4. Other Codes of Practice, Policies and General Regulations 51
7. Useful Links and Resources 53
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. About this Handbook
This handbook provides information about the undergraduate courses in Theology & Ministry at Cranmer Hall, Lindisfarne RTP, and the Wesley Study Centre. Please read it carefully. If anything is unclear to you, please consult your tutor, the subject teacher, or your Director of Studies.
For information about the course structure, module descriptions, and information about how to choose modules, please see the companion undergraduate ‘Module Handbook’, available from the Academic Office, St John’s College, or the Director of Studies at Lindisfarne. Full details about all courses and modules are also available online via Duo (see below).
1.2. Induction Dates
Wednesday 5th – Friday 7th October 2011. (see separate programme for details)
1.3. Term Dates
Michaelmas term Wednesday, 5th Oct –Wednesday 14th Dec Reading week: 7th – 11th November Epiphany term Mon, 16th Jan – Friday 16th March Reading week: 13th –17th February Easter term (Cranmer) Monday, 23rd April – Friday 8th June Easter Term (WSC) Monday, 23rd April – Wednesday 13th June
1.4. Enrolment and Registration
1.4.1. Enrolment, Registration and Verification information
All new students are sent information on enrolment, registration and verification before they start their study.
• Enrolment is where you check, confirm and update your personal information held by the University, and accept the University's regulations.
• Registration is where you check, confirm and sign up for the modules and programme you are studying.
• Verification is where you provide us with evidence to prove your identity. You can enrol online before you arrive in Durham, and should complete the whole process within your first week.
Continuing students will enrol and register in June (continuing students do not need to verify their identity).
Further information on enrolment, register and verification for new and continuing students is available online: http://www.dur.ac.uk/spa/registration/
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1.4.2. Information on registration and module selection
a. Registration events will be held within St John’s College and Lindisfarne at the beginning of the academic year, and students will be informed of the dates and times of these.
b. All students must register for, study and be assessed in modules to the value of 120 credits at each appropriate Level of study, irrespective of the target award.
c. For students training for authorised church ministry the particular modules you take will be guided by your training institution (Cranmer Hall, Lindisfarne, or the WSC). You should discuss this with your tutorial staff. Independent students have greater choice, and tutorial staff will be able to offer assistance. Some information on module choice is included in the introduction to the module handbook.
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2. GOVERNANCE OF THE THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY COURSES
2.1. The Training Institutions
St. John’s College is an autonomous college within the University of Durham comprising two Halls. Cranmer Hall, within St John’s, exists primarily for the training of ordinands for the Church of England. Cranmer Hall is unique among the theological colleges of the Church of England in that it is part of St John’s College, which is a recognised, though independent, college of the University of Durham. The College is registered as a limited company and the Council acts as its Board. As the Council of the whole College it is answerable both to the Bishops of the Church of England and also to the Council of Durham University. It is therefore responsible for overall policy matters in the College as a whole and in its constituent parts. The Council has a subcommittee, the Cranmer Committee, which normally meets three times a year and oversees and reviews the life of Cranmer Hall. The Principal of St John’s College is the Revd Dr David Wilkinson. The Warden of Cranmer Hall is Revd Mark Tanner.
The Wesley Study Centre is an institute for ministerial training in the Methodist Church; it is closely connected to St John’s College by means of a formal Memorandum of Association, and located within the College. It is an integral part of the structure of the Methodist Church rather than an independent institution serving the Church (as is the normal pattern with the Church of England’s theological colleges). The Wesley Study Centre is part of the Discipleship and Ministries Cluster of the Methodist Church Connexional team, through which the Centre is responsible to the Connexional team and ultimately to the Methodist Conference. The Study Centre’s governance is exercised through its Management Committee which normally meets once each term. The Director of the Wesley Study Centre is the Revd Dr Calvin Samuel.
Lindisfarne is the title of the North East Churches’ Regional Training Partnership, established for the development of discipleship and public ministry in the two Anglican dioceses of Durham and Newcastle. The United Reformed Church and the Methodist Church in the region are also involved, although at the moment only in the Development of Discipleship (DD) and the Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD) of the churches’ ministers after year 7. The Methodist Church is involved in ordination training in the region through the Wesley Study Centre. Therefore, Lindisfarne’s ordination and Reader training work in years 1‐7 involves currently the two dioceses, working in association with the two Durham Theological Colleges (Cranmer Hall, and the Wesley Study Centre) to offer theological and ministerial training through Durham University’s Theology and Ministry programme. Lindisfarne is directed by the Board of Governors and managed by the Principal, Canon Cathy Rowling.
Each institution has a number of students preparing for lay ministry in different ways as well as ordinands. Each is concerned to serve the Church in the wider region of the North East, across the UK and internationally by offering a range of different courses to those in the catchment area. The institutions have an extensive history of co‐operation in the area of theological training. The programmes described in this handbook are Durham University courses. Students registered on these programmes are registered with Durham University, as well as to their Institution. The partnership between Durham University and the institutions is overseen by the Joint Management Committee, comprised of members of the Institutions and Durham University and chaired by a senior member of the University Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The Joint Management Committee is responsible to the Senate of the University for oversight and maintenance of the academic standards of the programmes.
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2.2. The Governance Structure for the Theology and Ministry Courses
Meetings for regular management of the Theology and Ministry course are held separately within St John’s College (Cranmer Hall and the Wesley Study Centre) and Lindisfarne. Within St John’s this is the Teachers’ Meeting, and within Lindisfarne the Board of Studies.
Across the whole programme representatives of all three training institutions meet in the Joint Working Group. This group has an overview of the programme as a whole and is responsible for preparing submissions to the University, and also dealing with the regular academic administration of the courses.
The University and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities oversee the courses through the Joint Management Committee. This committee comprises equal numbers of representatives of the University and of the training institutions, and is chaired by a senior member of Faculty staff. This committee is responsible for overseeing the academic standards and administration of the courses.
The Joint Management Committee itself reports to the Faculty Education Committee.
There is student representation at each of these levels.
2.3. Student Engagement
Durham is committed to developing academic communities of staff and students, communities which draw on the expertise and experience of both groups to reflect on and enhance the quality of the educational opportunities the University offers. Central to this approach is student representation on the various University committees and groups with responsibilities for the student experience.
At an institutional level, students are represented on: Senate, Education Committee, Research Committee, Quality and Standards Sub‐Committee, Student Experience Committee. Students are also represented on all Faculty Education Committees.
The policy for student engagement on the Theology and Ministry courses is as follows:
POLICY ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
1. Introductory Statements
a. Students in the Theology & Ministry programmes are encouraged to participate in shaping the future of the curriculum, through the formal and informal feedback they provide on their learning experience.
b. Staff members at Cranmer Hall, the Wesley Study Centre and Lindisfarne RTP regard informal dialogue with students as integral to the educational and ministerial formation process. The openings for such informal dialogue are many and varied, including the small class size, tutorials, shared meals, weekly liturgies, and various social events.
c. Four formal mechanisms provide those responsible for the programme with the necessary channels for receiving, considering and using student feedback. The nature, workings and importance of these feedback mechanisms are explained as part of the induction process for
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new students entering the programme. Those formal channels for considering and using student feedback are:
i. The participation of student representatives at the C/WSC Teachers’ Meetings and on the Lindisfarne Board of Studies (section 2)
ii. The Staff‐Student Liaison Forum, including the process for the Annual Review of the programme (see section 3)
iii. Student representation on the Joint Management Committee (section 4). iv. The module evaluation forms returned by students for each module taken (section 5)
d. The wider student body is kept informed about responses to student feedback. This is done by:
i. Publication of the minutes of the SSLF on DUO ii. Publication of the Annual Review, along with any action plans, on DUO iii. Feedback to student forums by the student representatives on C/WSC Teachers’
Meetings, the Lindisfarne Board of Studies, and SSLF.
2. Institution Level Committees
Two student representatives, one from Cranmer Hall and one from WSC, participate in the Cranmer/WSC Teachers’ Meetings that are held six times per year. Similarly, two Lindisfarne students take part in the Lindisfarne Board of Studies, which meets once each term. In both cases, student‐raised issues are a fixed item on the agenda.
3. Staff‐Student Liaison Forum
a. The SSLF, which meets once each term, provides a forum for students to raise and discuss overarching issues and concerns, and to make valuable contributions to decision‐making at partnership‐level. Student representatives are strongly encouraged and supported to be proactive in seeking out informal or more formal comment from their peers, and they are forthcoming in passing these comments on through the SSLF. The staff members of the SSLF are the members of the Joint Working Group.
b. The first SSLF meeting of the new academic year has a very important role in preparing the Annual Review of the Theology & Ministry programmes. The draft proforma relating to the previous academic year is discussed in detail. Students, as members of the SSLF, are directly involved in the consideration and discussion of student feedback as part of this annual review process. At this meeting, in consultation with all SSLF members, the Chair of the JWG
• draws out examples of good practice raised by students in their comments; • flags up areas of concern across modules, for example on learning resources; • identifies specific modules where direct action is needed to improve the student
learning experience, leading to action plans being drawn up with module tutors.
The Annual Review, along with any action plans, is published via DUO. Students are notified about and urged to consult these documents because they indicate the precise practical steps being taken to respond to their feedback.
Where specific points for action have been raised, these are kept under review at subsequent SSLF and at the C/WSC Teachers’ Meetings and the Lindisfarne Board of Studies.
c. The SSLF receives the annual reports from the External Examiners and the University Liaison Officers, and the partners’ responses to these, and student representatives are encouraged to consider and discuss these documents at the meeting.
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4. Joint Management Committee
A student from the programmes will be a voting member of the Joint Management Committee.
5. Module Evaluation Forms
Module evaluation forms are collected from each module. The rates of return are typically very high. The BATM and MATM Directors of Studies (C/WSC) and the Director of Studies (L) read through all of these, ask the teacher(s) of each module to respond to them in writing (proforma available) and include all this material in the end‐of‐year staff evaluation process. Each year the student responses to a group of modules are examined in the Cranmer/WSC Teachers’ Meeting and the Lindisfarne Board of Studies, which includes student representatives (see 4, above). Significant issues or partnership‐level issues arising from those meetings may be brought to SSLF as well as the JWG.
2.4. Staff‐student Communication
You will need to ensure that you can use DUO (Durham University Online). This is used to communicate with you via your durham.ac.uk e‐mail address. It is also an online learning environment, and can be used by module teachers to give you access to documents, library resources, assignment details, etc.
To get started go to:
https://duo.dur.ac.uk/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_17_1
DUO includes a ‘course’ entitled ‘THEO’ (from ‘Theology and Ministry Online’). You will be a member of this course, which will allow you access to various course information and e‐mail groups.
Please check your durham.ac.uk e‐mail address regularly.
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3. LEARNING AND TEACHING
3.1. Programme Aims and Learning Outcomes
The following Learning Outcomes describe the cumulative learning across the Theology and Ministry undergraduate programme. Some modules will teach and test some outcomes more than others, but cumulatively, over the course of your study, these are the learning outcomes you will be expected to demonstrate at each level of your study.
Subject‐specific Knowledge
• Be able to demonstrate comprehension of and intelligent engagement with the richness of the Christian faith and its practice in varied forms, with particular knowledge of Anglican, Catholic and Methodist traditions.
• Be able to evaluate and critically analyse a diversity of primary and secondary sources, including materials from different disciplines.
• Be able to demonstrate comprehension and critical analysis of a range of themes, debates and methods in the field of theology and ministry and, where appropriate, related disciplines from, for example, the Humanities or Social Sciences and evaluate a range of critical scholarship associated with these disciplines.
• Be able to discuss and demonstrate where appropriate critical comprehension of the following: hermeneutical, ethical, liturgical and missiological dimensions of ministry.
• Be able to demonstrate a critical awareness of other faith traditions and the dialogical and missiological issues of a multi‐faith multi‐cultural context for ministry.
Subject‐specific Skills
• Be able to represent views other than the student's own with intelligence, fairness and integrity, while as appropriate expressing their own identity without denigration of others, through critical engagement in a spirit of generosity, openness and empathy.
• Be able to reflect theologically on the practice of ministry. • Be able to use biblical and other sources of Christian tradition for the purposes of
worship, preaching, education and pastoral care and to inform ecclesial policy and practice.
• Be able to demonstrate intellectual flexibility through the practice of a variety of complementary methods of study, for example, philosophical, historical, systematic, phenomenological, linguistic, hermeneutical, and empirical.
• Be able to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of how personal and communal identities and motivations are shaped by religion and how this has both constructive and destructive effects.
• Be able to articulate a variety of approaches to vocation and ministry and be able to give an account of a personal sense of vocation.
• Be able to give a critical account of models of church leadership and ecclesial practice.
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Key Skills
• Be able to deploy a variety of methods of study. • Be able to communicate information, ideas, principles, and theories and develop an
argument effectively by appropriate oral, written and visual means, and relate materials to an intended audience.
• Be able to identify, gather, and analyse primary data and source material, whether through textual studies or fieldwork.
• Be able to engage with empathy, integrity and critical reflection with the ideas, convictions and behaviours of others.
• Be able to work collaboratively as a member of a team or group in a way which allows each individual's talents to be utilised effectively.
• Be able to undertake independent/self‐directed study/learning (including time management) and reflect on one's strengths and weaknesses as a learner.
• Be able to make discriminating use of a full range of library resources in order to identify appropriate source material, compile bibliographies, inform research and enhance presentations.
• Be able to show independence in thought, and critical self‐ awareness about one's own beliefs, commitments, and prejudices.
The following table (continued on the next page) shows the expectation of progression between the 3 undergraduate levels. It shows skills and attributes, and outcomes and responsibilities which characterize learning at these levels. Note that there is a progression from each level to the next in each of the capacities listed in the left column.
LEVEL DESCRIPTORS
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3
OVERVIEW Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate a factual and/or conceptual knowledge base within a given field or fields, together with an understanding of & ability to use terminology appropriate to the field(s) of study
Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate a broad and detailed knowledge of the subject(s), together with an awareness of an increased variety of the ideas, concepts, and contexts relating to it
Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate a comprehensive and accurately detailed knowledge of the subject(s), with areas of specialisation in depth, together with an awareness of the limitations of knowledge in the subject(s)
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SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
Knowledge a rigorous approach to a broad knowledge base
the understanding and application of major theories of a discipline
the ability to acquire a systematic and coherent body of knowledge
Understanding
awareness of basic concepts and intellectual frameworks appropriate to the subject
the ability to analyse concepts at an abstract level and apply them appropriately
the ability to critically review and consolidate the understanding of a systematic and coherent body of knowledge and apply it in complex situations
Subject‐specific skills
the ability to use a range of basic skills associated with the subject or programme
the ability to undertake and defend the use of alternative methods and techniques with minimal guidance
the ability to use a range of specialised technical or scholastic skills across an area of study with minimal guidance
Problem‐solving/ investigative skills
the ability to collect, categorise and evaluate information, and use it to develop investigative strategies to determine solutions to a range of predictable and less predictable problems or questions
the ability to collect, categorise and evaluate information, and use it to develop investigative strategies to determine solutions to a range of predictable and less predictable problems or questions
the ability to collect, categorise and critically evaluate information from a range of sources, and use it to develop solutions to novel and/or complex problems or questions
OUTCOMES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Autonomy in learning
the ability to undertake self‐directed learning activity, taking responsibility for the nature and quality of outputs to meet specified standards
to accept responsibility and accountability within broad parameters for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes
the ability to accept responsibility for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes
Independence
the ability to operate a range of contexts within broad guidelines
an ability to operate independently a range of contexts within broad guidelines
the ability to operate independently within broad guidelines in novel or complex contexts
Personal responsibility for wider issues
an awareness or understanding of any ethical, or health and safety considerations involved in the subject/discipline
an ability to debate issues in relation to ethical considerations involved in the subject/discipline and to take into account any wider social and
i t l
the ability to accept personal responsibility in relation to academic and professional codes of conduct, including an ability to incorporate a iti l thi l di i
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environmental implications of area(s) of study
critical ethical dimension into their work, where appropriate
3.2. Your Programme Regulations
The University Calendar (Volume II) contains the core regulations for undergraduate degree programmes. These regulations ensure a common standard for each award, whichever programme you study. The Theology and Ministry undergraduate courses are built up of modules worth 10, 20, or 40 credits, and are based upon these core regulations.
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumeii/undergraduate.programmes
The individual programme regulations for the Theology and Ministry undergraduate course are also available in the University Calendar (Volume II)
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumeii/validated.programmes/
Module outlines are contained in the Module handbook. You may also sometimes take modules from other University courses, and particularly those run by the Department of Theology and Religion. This will normally only be possible in second and subsequent years, and through discussion with your tutor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
The programme regulations will tell you how many modules you must take (see section 1.4.2 above) and which you may choose from. The module outlines will tell you, for each module:
• whether the module is running in 2011‐2012;
• whether the module must be taken with another module or modules (corequisites);
• whether there are other modules which you may not take if you take the module (excluded combination);
• and – for modules chosen in the second, third or fourth year – whether you must have successfully passed any specific modules previously (prerequisites);
Module outlines list the teaching methods, assessments, contact hours and learning outcomes for every module.
If you want to take a module not normally permitted by the regulations, or for which you do not have the appropriate pre‐ or co‐requisites, it may be possible for you do so if there is a valid academic reason. You will need permission from the Director of Studies for your training institution, and the Faculty. Please contact Andrew Lunn (St John’s) or David Bryan (Lindisfarne) in the first instance.
3.3. Teaching Methods
A waide range of teaching methods are used in the Theology and Ministry courses. These aim to provide a participative and engaged learning enviroment. Teaching methods include:
• lectures
• seminars
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• theological and practical reflection
• formative and summative assessment exercises (with ample written feedback)
• student presentations (including sermons recorded on audio or video media)
• supervised pastoral placements and organised reflection on field experience
• on‐site visits (for example to synogogues, mosques and other places of worship, to schools, funeral directors, crematoria).
These teaching methods all contribute in different ways to the learning outcomes of the courses. So, for example:
• Lectures and seminars convey information about the Bible, biblical interpretation, Christian history, and doctrine
• Seminars, presentations, and assessed written work (with feedback) help students to learn to reflect critically on those traditions.
• More interactive classes based around certain texts allow students to understand and participate with methodological and analytical skills.
• Seminars and presentations on different texts and themes encourage the skills needed in the clear expression and articulation of theology for specific audiences.
• The pastoral placements (including regular tutorials) and practice in homiletics and in designing and presenting liturgies enable students to develop the necessary skills for effective pastoral ministry
• Site visits and pastoral placements introduce students to some of the practicalities of ministry in different situations.
Students have access to online reference resources, and online learning and teaching is becoming a significant component of the training instutions’ strategic thinking. Many modules will have on‐line resources provided through Duo.
3.4. Academic Obligations
The University requires you to fulfil your academic obligations. This includes completing registration procedures, attending classes and submitting work required on the dates and times when it is due. It is your responsibility to make sure that you know which classes are compulsory and when and where work has to be handed in.
The Faculty Handbook contains a list of compulsory activities for all modules. Assessment deadlines for pieces of work on the Theology and Ministry courses are available below, on page 25. If it's not clear, ask.
3.5. Absence and Illness
3.5.1. Minor illness and Self Certification
If you are ill for a few days but it is not serious enough to go to the doctor, the first thing to do is to tell your tutor so your teachers are aware that you will be absent from classes. You are allowed to self‐certify illness for up to 5 days using the appropriate form, but only twice in any one term. You should send the form back as quickly as possible after you recover.
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• Self certification form: http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/learningandteaching.handbook/Section6/a6.04.doc
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3.5.2. More Serious illness and Medical Certification
If you are more seriously ill or have a minor but recurrent problem, please go to the doctor. You should also inform your training institution. If the doctor judges that your illness is serious enough to disrupt your studies they will be able to provide you with a medical certificate to explain your situation to the training institution. If your illness is very serious, you may need to seek a concession to suspend your studies, or to return and repeat a year.
There is a procedure to help your college to obtain a medical certificate from your doctor, details of which are available in the Learning and Teaching Handbook:
• Application for medical certificate: http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/learningandteaching.handbook/Section6/a6.08.doc
3.5.3. Grace Periods
If a member of your family is ill and you have to go home, it is important to inform your training institution if you need to take time out of study. There is a procedure called a grace period which can be applied for which allows you to miss classes and submit work late for a limited period if appropriate.
• Procedure for seeking a Grace Period: http://www.dur.ac.uk/learningandteaching.handbook/2/3/7/
3.5.4. Illness that Affects Assessed Work
If you have an illness which affected your performance in an assessed activity, please follow the process outlined on page 40 – Serious Adverse Circumstances
3.6. Changing Modules
If you wish to change a module after registering, please contact Andrew Lunn (St John’s) or David Bryan (Lindisfarne) at the earliest opportunity. It will not always be possible for you to change modules – it will depend on the training pathway you are on, your suitability for the module, the availability of places and the amount of work which you will need to catch up on – and the longer you leave it, the less likely it will be.
3.7. Withdrawing from the Programme
We hope that you will enjoy your time on the Theology and Ministry course, and that you complete your programme with success. However, if you intend to withdraw from your programme, please contact Andrew Lunn (St John’s) or David Bryan (Lindisfarne) as soon as possible.
Independent students should note that if you withdraw from your programme under certain circumstances you will still need to pay part of your fees.
3.8. Appeals & Complaints
3.8.1. Appeals & Complaints Overview
While we try to ensure that our students all enjoy a happy and successful period of study on the Theology and Ministry undergraduate course, we do recognise that things can go wrong, and the University has clear procedures in place to try to resolve issues when necessary. There are two
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main processes for resolving issues: the academic appeals process, and the student complaints process.
A summary of the initial stages of each process is available below. More detailed information on complaints and appeals, and links to all of the relevant forms and regulations, are available online:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/gsu/appeals
3.8.2. Academic Appeals
What is an academic appeal? An academic appeal is a request for a formal review of an academic decision of the University. In practice most undergraduates appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners or against an Academic Progress decision.
Is there an informal appeals process? Prior to initiating a formal appeal you might want to discuss your concerns informally with the Chair of the Board of Examiners, Dr Jocelyn Bryan ([email protected]).
How do I appeal formally? If you want to lodge a formal appeal you must act quickly. Your appeal must be received at the relevant office, currently within 21 days of the date of notification of the decision against which you are appealing.
You must appeal using a Faculty Appeals Proforma and you should consult the General Regulation VII Academic Appeals, and the Code of Practice on Appeals and Complaints to help you complete the proforma.
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/university.calendar/volumei/current/regs.appeals.pdf
Please note that the only grounds of appeal related to marking and assessment (apart from student health) are 'material defects' in the assessment process. In essence this means that an appeal must show that the marking was done incorrectly in some procedural way (e.g. that the wrong assessment criteria were used, or the relevant parts of the module not given the right weighting). It also means that an appeal cannot be based simply upon contesting the professional judgment of the marker in their subject.
3.8.3. Other Grievances
What is a complaint? Basically a complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction that requires a response.
How do I make a complaint? The University’s complaints procedures are based on the belief that the many problems are due to misunderstandings and that the majority of complaints can be resolved informally. So, if you have a problem, you should discuss the matter first with whoever is directly responsible for providing the service or support.
On the Theology and Ministry courses, that means you should discuss it with the relevant member of staff, or with the principal of your training institution.
A complaints procedure, rules of conduct and policies, for example on safety, security and privacy and personal harassment, are set out in the training institutions’ handbooks.
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If, on the other hand:
• your complaint is about a Durham University academic or support service, you should discuss the problem with the Head of the Service or his/her Deputy;
• your complaint is about general publicity information provided by the University, you should discuss the problem with the Director of Communications;
• your complaint concerns the relevant Department or Service or the Director of Development and Communications, you should obtain a copy of the formal complaints procedure from the webpage listed above.
If you are unhappy about approaching the relevant person yourself, you can ask a tutor, supervisor or the DSU Advice Centre to approach that person on your behalf.
What should I do if I am still dissatisfied? If the person you approached did not sort out your problem you can pursue your complaint formally, using the formal complaints procedure available from your training institution handbook or the webpage listed above.
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4. ASSESSMENT
4.1. Modes of Formative and Summative Assessment
All modules have summative assignments. These count towards the final classification of your award. (See the ‘Assessment Policy’ section 4.2 below for details of how this is calculated.)
Most modules have some kind of formative assignment (the remaining ones offer feedback on your progress in other ways). These give you an opportunity to explore the subject content and methods of study for a module and get feedback on your work before submitting a summative assignment.
Details of the summative assignment[s] required for each module are given in the Modules Handbook. The module tutor will explain what formative assignments are required for the module.
4.2. Principles for academic assessment
Within the Theology and Ministry courses a range of assessment is used, and the assessment for each course is kept under review. The mix of different elements will vary from student to student according to their particular route through college. Taken together these different elements provide assessment of both the academic programme learning outcomes (see Section 3.1 above) and the learning Outcomes set by the denomination (See: DUO>Theology and Ministry Courses>Documents>Denominational Learning Outcomes)
The following principles have been followed in drawing up the assessment for the Theology and Ministry courses:
• Assessment methods should be the most appropriate to the skills, subject and/or discipline being tested.
• There should be sufficient formative assessment to help students develop the key skills before summative assessment, especially in the early stages where people may be returning to study after some time.
• The overall amount of assessed work should be appropriate to the qualification. • Bench marks of equivalence should be followed throughout the assessment of the modular
courses. • Assessment should be capable of a fair comparison with the assessment of qualifications at
the same level of Higher Education and therefore reliable and consistent with the best practice in the relevant disciplines.
4.3. Benchmarks of Equivalence
20 credit module summative assessment • 4 000 word essay, exegesis or other written work • 45 minute seminar • 30 minute presentation • 60 minute structured assessed conversation • 180 minute unseen examination
or some combination of the above.
10 credit module summative assessment • 2 500 word essay, exegesis or other written work • 30 minute seminar
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• 15 minute presentation • 30 minute structured assessed conversation • 90 minute unseen examination
or some combination of the above.
4.4. Types of Assessment
All forms of assessment test, to some degree: • ability to undertake reading and research on a topic • ability to prepare an argument from various sources • coherence of thought • ability to analyse and evaluate • ability to experience personal experience with reading and research.
In addition the following range of assessments, used in various different modules, provides evidence of further skills as follows:
1. Essays and reports • coherence in writing • clarity of expression • written presentational skills
2. Oral presentation or structured conversations
• ability to communicate clearly and effectively on given subject • ability to respond to ‘on the spot’ questions • ability to prepare concise summaries from a variety of sources For ordained ministry, oral communication is a vital skill. Use of these methods is sometimes supplemented by audio or video feedback.
3. Leading seminars
• ability to organise both content and process in leading discussion and study • communication • educational understanding of the ways people learn The process of preparation and delivery often results in strong personal engagement with and extended understanding of the material.
4. Group presentations
• ability to work with others (including utilising group resources, leadership, and division of tasks)
• communication skills • ability to undertake research using a variety of resources and people
5. Take‐away examination papers
These are given out some time before submission dates, but with restricted word lengths. • Ability to gather information and write in a concise way • Understanding a range of topics • Integration of aspects of a subject • Ability to use sources in limited time
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6. Unseen written examinations
• Knowledge of a range of topics in a subject • Ability to think ‘on the spot’ • Ability to cope with unexpected questions The process of preparation for examination may also aid integration of various strands of study.
4.5. Assessment Policy
This section is a summary of the regulations for the Theology & Ministry undergraduate courses, and the Instructions to Examiners. The regulations covering the undergraduate programme are Durham University’s Core Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes, supplemented by the core regulations for Validated Programmes and the regulations for the undergraduate programmes in Theology & Ministry at Cranmer Hall, the Wesley Study Centre & Lindisfarne. All these documents are available from:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar
(the last through the link for ‘Validated Programmes of Study in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities’).
1. Two hard copies of all summative work are required of students. When systems are fully connected with Duo, an additional electronic copy will be required. One hard copy is returned with an agreed provisional mark; the other retained by the lecturer and submitted to the Chair of Examiners for the External Examiner. One hard copy is required for formative assignments.
2. Candidates who do not submit work for assessment by the required date without an extension are deemed to have failed that piece of work.
3. Summative work is assessed by two markers, the second acting as a moderator. For non‐written assignments, moderation may be on a representative sample of assignments, following University guidelines.
4. Candidates who do not pass modules at the first attempt will be allowed one further attempt, when they may resubmit any summative assignments which have been marked at less than 40%. Dates for resitting examinations in the Biblical language modules will be set by the Board of Examiners or its Chair acting on behalf of the Board. Resubmitted assignments must be handed in within a month of being notified of failing them. For any module there can be only one opportunity to resit/resubmit. The maximum mark that will be awarded for a resubmitted assignment or an examination resit is 40%.
5. Examination viva voce is used sparingly, and only at the request of the External Examiner (typically, in marginal cases). A viva shall never be used to disadvantage a candidate. Candidates unable to present themselves for viva voce examination (should they be offered one) on the day of the Board of Examiners shall not be entitled to any benefit they might have received from the viva.
6. Candidates are advised to ensure that they do not write on the same topic for different assessed assignments.
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7. Disclosure of examination marks
a. After the publication of the pass list, candidates may obtain an oral report of the marks awarded in each component from the Director of Studies, or from members of staff nominated by him/her.
b. Candidates who require a written record of their marks must apply to the Examinations Office of the university, which will require a fee to be paid. The Academic Office (St John’s) or the Administrator at Church House (Lindisfarne) can advise on the process of application.
8. Classification of awards:
a. The class of the Certificate and Diploma is based on the mean of the marks awarded.
b. The class of the Degree is based on a weighted mean of modules taken at Levels 2 and 3, with a differential weighting of 2:3 between the Levels (i.e. between the 2M and 3M years of the degree).
4.6. Assessment criteria – Guidelines for essay and other written assignments
Assignments for modules are designed to test learning against the overall Learning Outcomes of the Theology and Ministry undergraduate programme, the specific learning outcomes for the module, and the quality of work appropriate to each level.
This section gives you information about what tutors will be looking for in the assignments you submit for assessment in your course. In all assignments you should consider the eight questions below when preparing and presenting your work.
Eight attributes of students' written work are considered when assigning marks:
1. Answer (Does the work answer the question?)
2. Structure (Is the general structure of the work coherent?)
3. Flow (Does each statement follow sensibly from its predecessor?)
4. Argument (Is there a convincing line of argument running through the work?)
5. Evidence (Are claims supported by relevant evidence from the literature?)
6. Analysis (Are sources accurately analysed and, where appropriate, critically evaluated?)
7. Integration (Are theory and practice integrated, where appropriate?)
8. References (Are citations in essay and matching reference list, appropriately‐formatted?)
When these attributes are mapped on to the scale used for assigning marks, the descriptions below indicate what work in each category is likely to exhibit. These descriptions should be taken as indicative rather than prescriptive. Assessment of Level of performance is multi‐dimensional, and excellence in one dimension can sometimes compensate for poor performance in another.
The following table sets out the characteristics of each band of work.
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86‐100
Brilliant. Exceptionally sophisticated work, written with fluent and stylistic flair, and conceptually ambitious. Approaches the question with adventurous independence of mind and insight, even originality; a searching and commanding answer, demonstrating remarkable breadth and depth of reading and a highly developed understanding of the topic and its wider overall contexts. Also demonstrates unusually insightful integration of theory and practice. Manages complex critical or theoretical argument, and sustains force, coherence and relevance throughout; controlled, lucid, wide ranging yet precisely focused, and very effectively structured. Abundant excellent evidence to show that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are fully satisfied.
76‐85
Outstanding. Sophisticated and convincing work, fluently expressed, in an individual style. Approaches question with independence of mind, energy and initiative; uses the answer to the full, to analyse the text(s) or topic, drawing on extensive reading and understanding of the subject, displaying a grasp of relevant contexts and a command of telling details. Demonstrates a consistent integration of theory and practice throughout and shows lively intellectual engagement, and considerable critical analysis and evaluation throughout. Answer illuminates the terms of the question, and is thorough, relevant, closely argued, cogent and well presented, based on first‐hand thinking, and offering some surprising, non‐standard, insights or angles. Excellent evidence to show that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are fully satisfied.
I
70‐75
Excellent. Lucid and persuasive work, presented with some sense of style. Addresses the topic in detail over a full answer, often using enterprising or imaginative approaches, selecting appropriate materials and deploying effective, well‐structured arguments in a critical dialogue with the question and/or the text(s). Shows excellent awareness of critical issues and draws on wide ranging reading and thoughtful independent analysis, informed by intelligent knowledge of the subject and of relevant contexts. Critical concepts and examples integrated fully into flow of discussion and the integration of theory and practices is consistent. Some minor lapses may be acceptable if compensated by sustained excellence in other areas. Excellent evidence to show that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
II(i) 65‐69
Very good. Well focused work, showing intelligent grasp of the text(s) and/or topic and of appropriate critical approaches and significant contexts; answer is generally strongly argued, lucid and well presented, but lapses in one area may be compensated for by very good elements elsewhere. Gives evidence of reading well beyond the standard examples and sources, and shows awareness of complexities, but may not always demonstrate the independent thinking or active dialogue with the question that characterises the bands above. There is evidence of the integration of theory and practice. Some answers at this level will offer lively, even original, observations and arguments, but, to do their ideas justice, need further attention to expression, structure or presentation of evidence. Very good evidence to show that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
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60‐64
Good. Generally well informed, and relevantly argued work, showing good knowledge of text(s) and topics, and a grasp of relevant critical issues and/or contexts. Offers some first‐hand perceptions, going beyond standard examples. Answer displays an ability to integrate theory and practice, and to structure reasoned arguments, drawing on precise detail in support. Insufficient development of good ideas, infelicities of expression, structural weaknesses, or a injudicious matching of question to material may keep otherwise very good answers in this band. Unusual engagement, integration, detail or energy overall may compensate for occasional local lapses. Good evidence that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
55‐59
Sound. Conscientious and satisfactory work. Shows accurate knowledge and some critical engagement, but tends not to go much beyond standard examples. Mainly descriptive rather than analytical: tackles the question in a way that tends to simplify more complex critical issues. Shows evidence of a partial integration of theory and practice. Presents the general outline of an appropriate argument, and maintains a general sense of relevance and understanding, though sometimes lacks drive, structure or focus, and potentially good observations may remain undeveloped. Communicates clearly, but may fail to engage dynamically with the question. Sound evidence that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
II(ii)
50‐54
Fair. Broadly relevant but sometimes unreflective or unfocused work, drawing on generally accurate knowledge of the more obvious aspects of the texts or topic. Often over‐dependent on straightforward descriptive approach, ignoring many dimensions of the material. May offer a substantial and detailed account of the text or topic, but make only a token gesture at the actual question. May sometimes offer potentially sound ideas, arguments or observations, but without sufficient supporting argument, detail or development. Answer may remain short, thin or sketchy, be wavering in structure or unclear in expression, or offer information unrelated to a broader argument. Shows evidence of a limited and partial integration of theory and practice. Sound but limited evidence that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
III 45‐49
Adequate but weak. Limited work, displaying some restricted sense of relevance and understanding, and offering some knowledge of the topic, though often at a distance from the texts or the question. Answer may have no clear line of argument or fail to produce evidence for claims; it may lack a clear structure or framework, or suffer from factual inaccuracies or crude simplifications. It may sometimes be unusually short or suffer from poor expression or weak presentation. Shows little attempt to integrate theory and practice. Acceptable but significantly restricted evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that module are satisfied.
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40‐44
Adequate but very weak. Acceptable work, making some attempt to answer the question but giving limited evidence of understanding, or engagement with, the question, texts or topics. Typically suffers from more than one of the following failings: poor expression; slip‐shod presentation; significant errors of fact or understanding; no clear line of argument or interpretation; muddled thinking; lack of cohesion or direction; or it may largely miss the point, or offer little or no evidence to support claims. Demonstrates some of attempt to integrate theory and practice but fails to recognise obvious flaws in integration. May be very short answer. Barely sufficient evidence that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the module are satisfied.
35‐39
Poor. Narrowly but clearly fails to be acceptable. Work makes a small or moderate number of points on the topic; or makes a moderate or large number of points on a related topic area, showing only partial understanding, and often failing to relate statements to each other. While integrated of theory and practice may be attempted, it shows lacks coherence and fails to recognise obvious flaws in integration. Typically also suffers from many of the defects in the band above, without compensatory elements to take the script over the border. Offers some evidence that most of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
30‐34
Very poor. Unacceptable work, offering a few points on the topic, or a moderate number of points with general theological content. May repeatedly fail to relate statements to each other. Typically also suffers from most of the failings in the two bands above, without compensatory strengths. Integration of theory and practice is weak or not attempted. Offers some evidence that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that module are satisfied.
20‐29
Extremely poor. Unacceptable work, offering some points in general answer to the question, but failing to relate these to each other, or to the detail of the texts. Answer likely to be short, with little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to this level, no attempt at integration and demonstrating that only a few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
10‐19
Inept. Unacceptable work, answer likely to be of extreme brevity, only tangentially relevant to the question, confused and largely ignorant of the text(s) or topic. Typically also very poorly expressed and carelessly presented. Provides negligible evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to this level and shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
Fail
0‐9 Without merit. Unacceptable work, likely to be of extreme brevity, (almost) total irrelevance, incoherent and ignorant of the text. Provides no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to the level and module are satisfied.
Some modules have additional specific assessment criteria designed especially for that piece of learning. Module teachers will always provide you with a written account of any such specific assessment criteria at the beginning of a module, and an opportunity to ask questions. You should always ensure you are clear about the assessment criteria before beginning a piece of work.
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4.7. Assessment Deadlines
Please make a careful note of the deadlines that apply to you. If you are in doubt, contact your Director of Studies.
4.7.1. St John’s College Deadline dates 2011‐12
Michaelmas Term 2011 (Wednesday, 5th October – Wednesday, 14th December)
Week
Date
Status
Mod
ule
Returned
by
Teache
rs
Returned
to
Stud
ents
In‐class or on‐going exercises
F
THMN1037 Diaconal Studies THMN1117 NT Greek THMN1137 Christian Spirituality THMN1177/2167 Methodism THMN2021 New Testament Texts THMN2057/3117 Practical Theology THMN2087 Liturgies of Initiation and Eucharist THMN2097 Formational Theology: Leadership and Ministry THMN2187/3067 Anglicanism
Through discussion with course teachers
F THMN1011 Introduction to Old & New Testaments (OT) THMN3037 Issues in Pastoral Ministry THMN1061/2061 Mission
21st Nov 28th Nov
S THMN2127 MSB THMN2227‐2237 Pastoral Experience and Reflection
28th Nov 5th Dec 5 14th Nov
THMN1187/THMN2157/THMN3132/THMN3141 Literature Review Project/Special Study/Dissertation/Short Dissertation proposals due
21st Nov 28th Nov
28th Nov F
THMN1021 Christian Tradition THMN2011 Old Testament Texts THMN2031 Systematic Theology THMN3011 Bible in Christian Ministry
5th Dec 12th Dec 7
30th Nov F THMN1341 Preaching 1 Two weeks after presentation
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Epiphany Term 2012 (Monday, 16th January – Friday, 16th March)
Week
Date
Status
Mod
ule
Returned
by
Teache
rs
Returned
to
Stud
ents
In‐class or on‐going exercises
F
THMN1091 Practical Theology THMN2077 Themes in Church History (seminars) THMN2107 Christian Education THMN2177 Christian Ethics
Through discussion with course teachers
2 23rd Jan S
THMN1021 Christian Tradition (essay 1) THMN1137 Spirituality THMN1177/2167 Methodism THMN2021 New Testament Texts (essay) THMN2031 Systematic Theology (essay) THMN2187/3067 Anglicanism THMN2207/3167 Christianity & Other Faiths THMN3037 Issues in Pastoral Ministry
6th Feb 13th Feb
2 23rd Jan F THMN2291 Ordained Pioneer Ministry 30th Jan 6th Feb
1‐3 19th/26th Jan, 2nd Feb S THMN2057/3117 Practical Theology (seminars) 15th Feb 19th Feb
2‐7 26th Jan, 2nd/ 9th/16th Feb, 2nd/9th Mar
F THMN3107 Contemporary Issues in Methodist Ecclesiology and Practice (seminars)
One week after seminar.
20th Feb S
THMN2097 Formational Theology 2: Leadership THMN1011 Intro to OT & NT (NT Gobbets) THMN1021 Christian Tradition (essay 2) THMN2011 Old Testament Texts (essay) THMN2207/3167 Christianity and Other Faiths THMN2087 Liturgies of Initiation & Eucharist THMN2127 Mission Studies Block THMN2177 Ethics THMN2227‐2237 Pastoral Experience & Reflection
5th Mar 12th Mar5
22nd Feb F THMN2197 Preaching and Apologetics (radio talk) THMN2341 Preaching 2 (radio talk)
Two weeks after presentation
13th Mar S THMN1061/2061 Mission (group presentations) 27th Mar 3rd Apr
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Easter Term 2011 (Monday, 23rd April – Friday, 8th June)
Week
Date
Status
Mod
ule
Returned
by
Teache
rs
Returned
to
Stud
ents
30th Apr S
THMN1037 Diaconal Studies THMN1061/2061 Mission (essay) THMN1091 Practical Theology (1: Practical Theology essay) THMN1341 Preaching 1 (sermon and reflection) THMN2107 Christian Education THMN2077 Themes in Church History (takeaway paper) THMN2197 Preaching and Apologetics (sermon and reflection) THMN2207/3167 Christianity & Other Faiths THMN2341 Preaching 2 (sermon and reflection) THMN3101 Methodist Ecclesiology and Practice
14th May 21st May
30th Apr/ 1st/2nd May
THMN2041 Death and Dying (videoed funeral address) Assessment takes place as part of module.
2
30th Apr F
THMN1081 Sexuality and Gender 7th May 14th May
14th May S
THMN1011 Introduction to OT & NT (NT take‐away paper) THMN1091 Practical Theology (2: Pastoral Ministry) THMN1187 Literature Review THMN2021 NT Texts (take away paper) THMN2157 Special Study THMN2291 Pioneer Ministry (essay) THMN3011 Bible in Christian Ministry THMN3132 Dissertation THMN3141 Short Dissertation
28th May 4th Jun 4
w/b 14th May
S THMN1117 NT Greek (exam) THMN2031 Systematics (SAC)
28th May 4th Jun
7 28th May S THMN1081 Sexuality and Gender THMN2041 Death and Dying
4th Jun 8th Jun
4.7.2. Handling Assessment Deadlines
In order to allow you to pace your workload, get an indication of your progress, and allow markers to assess work properly, there is a system of deadlines for work to be submitted throughout the academic year. Please note the following:
1. Please note: If you submit work late it will receive a mark of 0. Make sure that you know when and where to hand in work. Plan ahead and leave time for last‐minute problems such as the computer crashing or queues for printing. Always back up work.
2. The Theology and Ministry course has a procedure for requesting an extension to a deadline in the case of genuine problems, but you must put the request in as soon as the problem arises (i.e. before the deadline passes). You should fill in and return the extension application form,
28
available from the Academic Office at St John‘;s College or, from the Administrator at Church House for Lindisfarne students. Permissible reasons for seeking an extension include severe illness or injury of yourself or a family member you care for, or bereavement. Poor management of your time is not grounds for an extension, and it is your responsibility to allow sufficient time to overcome problems caused by recalcitrant computer equipment. Where an extension is, exceptionally, sought on the grounds of time management, an application form must be returned to the Academic Office or Church House at least one week prior to the deadline. All requests for an extension must be approved by both the module tutor and the Director of Studies of your institution.
3. Marks given for summative work are only provisional and may be amended by the Board of Examiners: marks are sometimes changed in this process, and may go down as well as up.
4. On most deadlines, more than one assignment is due. You are responsible for planning your work so that you can submit these assignments on time. Your tutor will be happy to help you with this, if required. Note that the availability of library books often makes it difficult to complete assignments at the last minute. The deadline is the last date to submit the assignment: nothing prevents you from submitting it earlier.
5. Some modules have special arrangements for formative or summative assessment, such as an assessed conversation, videoed interview, or take‐away exam. You will be notified of dates and arrangements for these if you are registered for one of these modules.
4.8. Standards for Presentation
4.8.1. General Presentational Issues
1. Good presentation is an important part of the work you submit, and is assessed within the eight attributes used when marking your work (see 'Assessment Criteria' above). Assignments that do not follow the standards below will be penalized accordingly.
2. Assignments should be typewritten or word‐processed, unless exceptional permission has been obtained from the Director of Studies to submit a hand‐written text.
3. Assignments should be carefully proof‐read. It takes a long time to learn how to spell accurately, but only a couple of minutes to run the spell‐check on your word‐processor. This is not a substitute for proof‐reading—there are many mistakes it will not catch—but markers will not look favourably on assignments with errors that could have been simply caught by spell‐checking.
4. You should complete fully the relevant cover sheet for formative or summative assignments.
5. There should also be a title page setting out: the full title of the piece; the student's name and college; the module code and name; and the date. (The cover sheet is not a substitute for a title page.)
6. Pages should be numbered.
7. There should be a margin of 2.5 cm on each side and top and bottom of your text.
8. Text should be 1.5 or double‐spaced, to allow markers space to comment on your text.
9. You should use a font of reasonable size that is easy to read. Times New Roman 12 pt is a good
29
choice.
10. Notes should preferably be set at the foot of the page.
11. Quotations within the text should have single inverted commas; double inverted commas should be used for quotations within quotations. Quotations of more than a few lines should be indented and the inverted commas omitted.
12. When you refer to a source, paraphrase it, or quote from it, you should put a reference to it in a footnote (or if necessary endnote: see paragraph 9 above). The style for formatting these references is given at the end of this section.
13. A bibliography of works consulted, including those cited in the text, should always be included at the end of your assignment, following the format specified below.
14. Word Length
a) The actual word length of your assignment must be stated on the cover sheet of your assignment. This should include all footnotes and endnotes, but exclude the bibliography.
b) Work that exceeds or falls short of the stipulated word length by 10% or more is liable to be penalised. In some cases subject teachers may be prepared to accept longer submissions without penalty. You must, however, obtain their consent to exceed the word limit before submitting your assignment. No exceptions will be made for Dissertations or Special Studies.
15. Pages should be stapled together in the top left corner so that the text is not obscured. Use a paper clip to attach the cover sheet and duplicate copy (for summative assignments). Do not use plastic sleeves: these are awkward for markers (and are unlikely to be returned).
16. Avoid language that is gender‐exclusive. For example, ‘man’ should not be used to refer to all people: use an alternative such as ‘humankind’. However, you should not edit sources that you are quoting to follow this practice (though you could choose to paraphrase them instead to avoid the problem).
4.8.2. Referencing sources in footnotes
1. Books should be given with their author, title (in italics), place of publication, publisher, and year of publication, like this:
K. M. Kenyon, Archaeology in the Holy Land (London/New York: Benn/Norton, 1971).
and articles with author, article title (in single inverted commas), journal title (in italics), volume, year (in brackets) and page range, like this:
K. I. Parker, ‘Solomon as Philosopher King? The Nexus of Law and Wisdom in 1 Kings 1‐11’, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 53 (1992), 75‐91.
Chapters in edited books should be specified like this:
Rowan Williams, ‘Barth, War and the State’ in Nigel Biggar (ed.), Reckoning with Barth: Essays in Commemoration of the Centenary of Karl Barth's Birth (London: Mowbray, 1988), 170–90.
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2. If you have quoted text from a source, or if you otherwise need to refer to a particular page, include the page number or range after a comma, e.g.,
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance (eds.), vol. IV/1 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1956), 211.
John Webster, ‘On the Frontiers of What Is Observable’, Downside Review 105:1 (1987), 172.
(You can omit the page range for journal articles when referring to a particular page, as in this last example.)
3. In subsequent references to the same source, you can avoid repeating all this information by using the author’s surname and a shortened version of the title, e.g.,
Kenyon, Archaeology, 35.
Parker, ‘Solomon as Philosopher King’, 78.
Williams, ‘Barth’, 175.
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4. In referring to the Bible, use standard abbreviations of biblical books (listed at the beginning of many Bibles) without a full stop, and separate chapter and verse with a colon, e.g.,
Gen 1:1–3 Jer 13:15 Mk 12:34
Include references in brackets in the body of your text, rather than using footnotes (which quickly become cumbersome), e.g.,
Jesus affirmed the teacher of the law’s interpretation of the two love commandments (Mk 12:34).
If, however, the reference is part of a sentence it should not be in brackets. Thus:
In Mk 12.34, Jesus affirmed…
If you include quotations from the Bible, you should specify the translation you have used in your bibliography (see below).
5. References to documents on the World‐Wide Web
Refer to the web site with the author, if given, the title of the article or page, the URL (usually beginning ‘http’) and the date of the visit.
'British Methodism and the Poor' at The John Rylands Library, John Wesley: An On‐line Exhibition at http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk visited on 1 June 2000.
As web sites are regularly changed, it is advisable to keep a printed copy of the material used in case the marker or examiner wishes to consult or confirm the original.
6. CD‐ROM references
Specify the author, article title, editor (if any), title of book or CD‐ROM, and details of the CD‐ROM edition, e. g.
Thielman, F., ‘Law’, in Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin & Daniel G. Reid (eds.), Dictionary of Paul and his Letters (Leicester: IVP, 1993), CD‐ROM edition: The Essential IVP Reference Collection, 2000.
If no page numbers are available, use section numbers in place of them to refer to particular locations in documents.
4.8.3. In bibliographies
In your bibliography, you should list your sources in order of author surname, and use the same format as that specified for the first reference to a source above, except that:
• You should list the surname of the author first, e. g. ‘Biggar, Nigel’.
• You should always include the page range for journal articles and sections of edited books.
• If an item has multiple authors or editors, only reverse the name of the first: the others should be given with the surname last.
• In the rare cases where no author or editor is identified (e. g. the Catechism of the Catholic Church), just put the title with the other publication details at the top of your bibliography.
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• Where you have quoted from the Bible, include a sentence such as ‘Bible quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version’ at the top of your bibliography.
Baxter, Christina A., ‘Karl Barth’, in R.J. Coggins and J.L. Houlden (eds.), A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation (London: SCM Press, 1990), 77–79.
Biggar, Nigel, The Hastening That Waits: Karl Barth's Ethics (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993).
Wharton, James A., ‘Karl Barth as Exegete and His Influence on Biblical Interpretation’, Union Seminary Quarterly Review 28 (1972), 5–13.
4.8.4. More information
Below is a worked example of referencing sources and footnoting. Notice that the long quote is indented from the main text without inverted commas, and shorter quotes are included in the body text with inverted commas.
If you want more detail about how to format references, and tips on other style issues, the Durham University MATR Handbook has a good section on academic style, and is available from the postgraduate section of the Theology and Religion website. A very detailed account of what is known as the ‘Chicago Style’ of referencing can be found in:
Turabian, Kate L. revised by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, and the University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, 7th ed (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007).
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Worked example of quoting and footnoting
Consider Zymunt Bauman’s diagnosis of the crisis confronting our attempts to live morally
at the turn of the twenty‐first century:
we need moral knowledge and skills more often, and more poignantly, than either
knowledge of the ‘laws of nature’ or technical skills. Yet we do not know where we can get
them; and when (if) they are offered, we are seldom sure we can trust them
unswervingly… It is, essentially, this discrepancy between demand and supply that has
been recently described as the ethical crisis of postmodernity.1
Unprecedented freedom of choice together with a lack of trust in authority leave individuals
burdened with the ‘haunting responsibility’ of making decisions without any clear grounds for
doing so.2 Baumann’s answer is that we should start again with morality, which has the touching
naïveté of the conclusion to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, where Lyra states ‘We
have to be all those difficult things like cheerful and kind and curious and brave and patient … and
then we’ll build … the republic of heaven’.3
Richardson claims that Barth’s theology cannot help us respond to this postmodern crisis
because ‘we live in a different world’,4 but while Barth was a theologian alert to events in the
world,5 his thought was not wholly bound by this context.
1 Zygmunt Bauman, Postmodern Ethics (Oxford: Blackwell, 1993), 16‐17. 2 Bauman, Postmodern Ethics, 21. 3 Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials: Northern Lights; the Subtle Knife; the Amber Spyglass (London: Scholastic, 2000), 1015–6. 4 Alan Richardson, ‘Review of Cornelius Van Til, The New Foundations of Modernism’, Theology 51:331 (1948), 30. 5 Timothy Gorringe makes this point well in Timothy Gorringe, Karl Barth: Against Hegemony, Christian Theology in Context (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1999).
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4.8.5. Avoiding common errors in constructing sentences
The following should help you to avoid the three main types of defective sentences. They are: running two sentences together (examples 1‐2); using ‘dangling modifiers’ (examples 3‐4); and writing sentences that are incomplete (examples 5‐6).
A complete sentence needs a subject (the cat, in these sentences) and a finite verb (sat; ate); it often includes a direct object (fish) and various other elements as well.
The numbered sentences below are correct. The others are not.
Correct Incorrect Explanation
1. The cat sat on the mat. The cat ate the fish.
2. The cat sat on the mat and ate the fish.
NOT
The cat sat on the mat, the cat ate the fish.
Using a comma to join two complete sentences is incorrect; it is called a comma splice or a run‐on sentence.
3. Sitting on the mat, the cat ate the fish.
4. Having sat down on the mat, the cat ate the fish.
NOT
Sitting on the mat, the fish was eaten by the cat.
Here the first verb, ‘sitting’, is a participle and the words as far as the comma are a phrase, not a sentence. They are incomplete: you cannot tell who or what is doing the sitting. Whatever comes next answers that question, in this case ‘the cat’. (In the incorrect example, since ‘the fish’ follows the comma, this would mean that the fish was sitting on the mat; fish do not sit.)
5. The cat sitting on the mat looked at the fish.
NOT
The cat sitting on the mat.
The only verb here, ‘sitting’, is a participle, not a finite verb. So this is an incomplete statement.
6. Similarly:
Although he was not hungry, the cat ate the fish.
NOT
Although he was not hungry.
Note that the first part of this is not a sentence: you cannot stop at ‘hungry’.
Use of Colons and Semi‐colons: “Grammatically complete units can be separated off by lighter punctuation than the normal full stop, either to link parallel statements (semicolon) (e.g. I wasn’t going to leave; I’d only just arrived) or to lead from one thought to the next (colon) (e.g. I wasn’t going to leave: I stood my ground)” (Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar [London: BCA, 1983], 324).
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4.9. Writing Dissertations and Special Studies
This section aims to help you through the process of developing an idea for your research project, finding a supervisor, submitting a proposal, and writing and submitting the special study or dissertation. The Special Study/Dissertation proposal form and Supervision Record Form are available from the Academic Administration Offices, or online in the documents section of Theo. You should also consult the BATM Dissertation and Special Study Handbook.
4.9.1. Timetable
• Michaelmas Term: choose topic, begin reading, find supervisor, develop and submit proposal.
• End of Michaelmas Term: receive approval for proposal (possibly with required amendments, or suggestions for revision from the staff Joint Working Group which scrutinizes proposals)
• End of Michaelmas Term – beginning of Easter Term: research and writing.
• Easter Term: final drafting and submission.
(See the list of deadlines above for the exact dates for submission of proposals and completed Special Studies and Dissertations.)
4.9.2. Choosing a subject
The choice of a subject within the scope of the field of Theology and Ministry is primarily your own, though the projects we are able to supervise and assess are limited by the range of expertise of the staff. Hopefully at some point in your studies up to this point, you will have come across a topic you would like to do some more thinking about. A Special Study (4,000 words), Short Dissertation (8,000) or Dissertation (12,000) is the ideal place to follow up on a particular interest in more depth than is usually possible within other assignments. In choosing a topic, you should consider your own theological interests and experience, identifying and defining an interesting issue, and the literature available to support the project. Your project should normally be a sustained argument for taking a particular view of the topic you opt to tackle. If you are unsure about choosing an appropriate topic talk to relevant subject tutors, your Director of Studies, or your personal tutor.
4.9.3. Finding a supervisor
If the topic you have chosen is obviously within the field of a particular member of the teaching staff, you should approach them and ask whether they would be prepared to act as your supervisor. Usually staff will agree to proposals in their field, though sometimes you may find they have already taken on all the students they can support adequately. If you don’t know who would be the appropriate supervisor for your project is, or the supervisor you approach is over‐subscribed, arrange a meeting with your Director of Studies to discuss an appropriate person to approach. It is your responsibility to arrange to meet with your supervisor during Michaelmas Term so that you have sufficient time to consider and finalize a dissertation proposal together.
4.9.4. Developing a proposal
The form for submitting a proposal is available from the Academic Office, or online in the ‘THEO’ course on DUO. The first thing the proposal asks for is a title, and it is important that this accurately reflects the project you are planning. It needs to be specific enough to make your treatment of the topic realistic and feasible within the length of the study—a Dissertation title of
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‘Wealth and Poverty in the Bible’, for instance, is much too general. Be aware that an important criterion for assessing your work will be whether you have succeeded in answering the question you set for yourself at the outset.
Your proposal should also provide an outline of the aim of your study, how you will approach the topic, the key texts, persons, or themes you will discuss, and the structure you will use. (See ‘Research’ below for tips on locating material for your bibliography.) Most Dissertations can helpfully be divided into a number of chapters to organize the material; Special Studies should usually have similar sub‐divisions. The clearer you are able to be about the structure of your project at this point, the easier you are likely to find the research and writing of it.
4.9.5. Supervision
The role of the supervisor is to assist you in defining a topic to study, to advise on research procedures and techniques of planning and writing the dissertation, and to give you feedback on your developing argument and writing. You can expect to see your supervisor for three or four meetings after your dissertation proposal has been approved. The supervisor will advise, and read and comment upon draft chapters as appropriate, but should not normally read a final draft of the whole dissertation.
The Supervision Record Form (or online equivalent in Theo) is a brief summary record of the supervisions. You should take responsibility for its completion at the end of each supervision, so that you and your supervisor are each clear about what you have decided, and what is expected of each of you before the next supervision. It is kept by the supervisor, but at the end of your project you must obtain a copy to submit with your project, or print off the online version.
4.9.6. Pacing your work
One of the challenges of working on a longer research project is maintaining an appropriate pace, and the first supervision following proposal approval will normally include agreeing together a schedule for when each section of the project will be completed. While your supervisor will support you in planning your time, the responsibility for timely completion and submission of the project is entirely your own. Setting deadlines for completion of different sections of your research and writing is crucial: even in the event you are unable to keep to a deadline for some unforeseen reason, the schedule will make you aware that you need to make up time to meet the final submission date. Make sure you budget sufficient time week by week for your Dissertation or Special Study: you should expect to spend at least as much time as you would for the equivalent single or double module.
4.9.7. Research
It is crucial to identify the literature relevant to your area of study. Your supervisor will assist you with this, but you should independently seek out relevant books and articles from:
Books
• the College library
• the University library
• other libraries (you can search the unified catalogue of all UK research libraries at http://www.copac.ac.uk, and order items using the University Library’s Document Delivery Service, for a small fee)
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If you are in a position to purchase one or more books for your project, you may find it helpful to search an online bookseller (such as http://www.amazon.co.uk, or http://www.abebooks.co.uk—an excellent source for second hand theological books)
Articles
• the ATLA database of articles in theological journals, available to search from any computer on the University network via the CD‐ROM service (abstracts of articles are provided, and you can then search the library catalogue to see if the library subscribes to the journal, and otherwise order the article using the Document Delivery Service for a small fee)
• Web of Knowledge, or Firstsearch bibliographical databases, accessible via the University Library web site (http://www.dur.ac.uk/library) (many articles available in full text versions online)
• the Ingenta full text e‐journals service (http://www.ingentaconnect.com), many of which the University subscribes to
• the British Library ZETOC table of contents service (http://zetoc.mimas.ac.uk/)
Many theological journals are available online through the University Library site: the College and University libraries also have good holdings of periodicals in print form. An excellent guide to the electronic resources available for research at Durham is available online in the documents section of Theo. Please note that because of licensing agreements some on‐line journals are not available to students on validated programmes.
4.9.8. Writing
The basic skills involved in writing a Dissertation or Special Study are similar to those required for other written assignments: see the ‘Assessment Criteria’ section of this handbook for guidance on the thinking and communication tasks involved. Since your project will be more specialized than other assignments, the constructive task of presenting your own position as a result of your research is crucial. Since it is a longer piece of work, a clear structure and discipline in following it are important if your reader is not to become lost along the way. Your introduction should define the problem you are addressing and the way you will approach it; your conclusion should draw out the key points from the intervening chapters in order to answer the question you set yourself as clearly and directly as you are able. Be aware that how well you have responded to the issue you defined in your title will be a focal concern of those assessing your work.
4.9.9. Do not plagiarize
As in any other assignment, you must acknowledge all the sources you use. Plagiarism is a major academic offence that we take very seriously: if you are found to have misrepresented the work of others as your own the consequences of disciplinary action may go far beyond the module concerned. Please consult the section of this handbook on references or your Director of Studies if you are unclear about how to refer appropriately to sources. For the Programme Guidelines on Plagiarism, see below p.33.
4.9.10. Presentation
A Special Study or Dissertation should conform to the presentation standards set out above for all assignments, and it is particularly important that you observe the rubrics for referring to sources in footnotes and bibliography. It should consist of a title page, a table of contents, the body of your text with footnotes, and a bibliography. You may also include a list of abbreviations, appendices
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and illustrations. (In appendices, you may provide supplementary information in support of your argument, but they will not usually be considered in relation to the assessment of your research.)
Unless otherwise agreed with your Director of Studies, Dissertations and Special Studies should be word‐processed on numbered A4 pages, with 1.5 or double line spacing, and with 3 cm margins. The pages should be fastened together securely: a staple in the corner may be sufficient for a Special Study; Dissertations require a plastic spine, spiral binding, or similar.
You are also required to submit an electronic version of your text on CD, in Microsoft Word, RTF or PDF format. (Most word processors can save files in one of these formats.) This version may be used to confirm your stated word count, and to verify that the work is your own.
Ensure you plan enough time before the submission deadline to proof‐read your work carefully for errors of spelling, punctuation, footnote and page numbering and typing. Presenting your work well is a key element of the assessment criteria, and assessors’ expectations are higher in relation to research projects.
An important aspect of good presentation is observing the word count: 4,000 words for the Special Study; 8,000 or 12,000 for the Dissertation. All footnotes are included in this limit; the contents, bibliography, and any appendices are not. A margin of 10% above or below the word count is NOT permissible in the case of the Special Study or Dissertation. Submissions that fall above the word count will be returned for resubmission, or penalized, at the discretion of your Director of Studies and the markers. If the mark penalty is applied, it will normally be at least 1% for each 1% you exceed the permitted word count.
4.9.11. Submission
On or before the deadline specified in the list of deadlines above, you are required to submit:
• A completed summative cover sheet
• Two copies of your Special Study or dissertation
• A copy of the Supervision Record Form (or the online equivalent printed from Theo)
• A CD containing the electronic version of your submission in Microsoft Word, RTF or PDF format.
As for all other assignments, assignments submitted late or incomplete without an extension are liable to be marked as zero. You should also be aware that there is very little flexibility for extensions given the proximity of the deadline to the end of year Board of Examiners.
4.10. Disclosure of Marks and Feedback to Students
You will receive various feedback on your work, both formative and summative. Formative feedback will vary, depending on the module. Sometimes it will be given to you orally, but often it will be written. Feedback on summative work is always provided in written form, and usually from both markers. The feedback you receive should help you to identify ways in which you can develpo and improve your work in the future.
Markers will aim to return feedback to you by a specific date. Where such dates apply, they are listed above (section 4.7). The form we use for feedback is shown below.
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ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
Name:______________________________________Personal Tutor: ________________________
Course/year: Certificate 1D 2D 3D 1M 2M 3M MA Special
Module code/title: THMN ______________________Subject Teacher: _______________________
Type of work (essay, written practical, etc.): ______________________Word length:____________
Topic/title: I certify that the material contained in this work is my own, and that my indebtedness to other writers, where it occurs, has been properly acknowledged. Student Signature:_________________________ Date submitted:_____________
See your DUO account for feedback
Assessment of thinking and communication tasks (see Academic Handbook for descriptions)
Poor Adequate Good Outstanding Comment
Answer Structure Flow Argument Evidence Analysis Integration References
First marker’s comments:
Feedback on this assignment (continue overleaf): Your future work in this and other modules could be improved by: Mark of First Marker: ________________
Second marker’s comments: (may be blank if this assignment was not sampled)
Mark of Second Marker: _______________ (may be blank if this assignment was not sampled)
Rationale for agreed mark: (required if marks straddle class boundary or differ by 5 marks or more) Agreed Provisional Mark: _______ Second Marker (initials): ____________Date entered:
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4.11. Serious Adverse Circumstances
The University defines Serious Adverse Circumstances (SAC) as exceptional personal circumstances, outside of your control, that have prevented you from either acquiring or demonstrating the skills, knowledge or competencies required to meet the learning outcomes associated with an assessment that contributes to the qualification for which you are studying.
It is University's policy is to take immediate account of SAC outside your control, therefore we require you to let us know of any SAC, within five days, using the form and procedure available in the Learning and Teaching Handbook.
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/learningandteaching.handbook/Section6/a6.11.docx
This will enable us to offer you appropriate support to manage your circumstances straightaway. Some examples of the support we can offer include, where appropriate, giving you an extension to the hand‐in deadline for some assessed work, or allowing you to take your examinations at the next opportunity or to repeat the year.
Do not wait to see how you perform in examinations or assessed work before letting us know about your SAC, because there is no University rule requiring the Board of Examiners to take SAC into account retrospectively to decide upon a degree classification, or a progression decision, or for an appeal to be upheld on this basis.
In reality there are very few cases in which SAC can reasonably be taken into account retrospectively, quite simply because it is not fair or safe for anyone to guess how you might have performed if unaffected by SAC.
A serious adverse circumstances claim must be brought to the Board of Examiners before their meeting at which your work is to be discussed. The date of the meeting is available from the Directors of Studies. The claim form is available on Duo and may be completed with the help of your tutor and in consultation with your Director of Studies, to whom it should be returned when it is completed.
4.12. Assessment Irregularities
4.12.1. Assessment Irregularities
Any form of malpractice associated with assessment of any kind is a very serious matter which can result in expulsion from the University without the award of a qualification.
Such malpractice may take the form of:
• plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation or close paraphrasing of other people's writing, amounting to the presentation of another person's thoughts or writings as one's own. This includes material which is available on the world‐wide web and in any other electronic form;
• Multiple submission that is the inappropriate submission of the same or substantially the same work of one's own for summative assessment, in connection with an academic award.
• collusion : working with one or more other students to produce work which is then presented as one's own in a situation in which this is inappropriate or not permitted and/or without acknowledging the collaboration;
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• impersonation : presenting work on behalf of someone else as if it were the work of the other individual;
• cheating : using any inappropriate or unauthorised means to achieve credit for a piece of coursework or an examination answer;
• use of inadmissible material: using material which is not permitted to achieve credit for a piece of coursework or an examination answer.
The Theology and Ministry partnership reserve the right to check student work using the JISC Plagiarism Detection Service software and provision for this is made in our Data Protection Policy to which all students agree at registration. Screening may also be used routinely on an occasional basis to screen work for plagiarized text, and students are required to sign a declaration that they will supply electronic copy of their assignments if requested to do so and give permission for it to be uploaded into a plagiarism detection system.
On all assignment cover sheets, each student will sign the following declaration:
• I certify that the material contained in this work is my own, and that my indebtedness to other writers, where it occurs, has been properly acknowledged.
It is also a disciplinary offence to use your academic work produced at Durham for an unethical purpose or in a way which would bring the University or the Theology and Ministry partnership into disrepute. For example, it would be an offence to supply a copy of your own essay to a web‐site which would allow other students to plagiarise your work. 'Buying' an essay from a web‐site or any other source, or any similar practice, is, of course, cheating and is a very serious offence. Also be aware that the use of services offered as 'proof reading' or 'editorial services' may constitute cheating.
The Theology and Ministry partnership has zero tolerance towards any form of malpractice associated with assessment of any kind, including plagiarism or cheating in examinations. We consider these and the other offences listed above to be a very serious matter and students found guilty of such offences risk being expelled from the University.
Above all, it is imperative not to resort to cheating or plagiarism if you run out of time or cannot understand your work. If you cheat or plagiarise you will be found out and punished severely.
If you are struggling with your academic work, please go to see your tutor or Director of Studies straightaway. Do not struggle on regardless until it is too late. It may be possible for your training institution to negotiate an extension for you, or arrange for you to take time away from University to recover if you are too ill to carry out your studies effectively at present.
4.12.2. . Procedures for Dealing with Suspected Plagiarism and Collusion
1. Plagiarism and Collusion in Formative Assessment
In formative assessments (i.e., work which does not contribute to the overall mark for a course or module) plagiarism or collusion will be dealt with informally, but the serious nature of the dishonest practice will be made known to the student concerned.
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2. Plagiarism and Collusion in Summative Assessment
In summative assessed work the possibility of plagiarism and/or collusion occurs in essays, dissertations, projects and reports of practical work. The following procedures involve academic judgments upon which other decisions will be made. At the first stages therefore the procedures are part of the assessment process and not a disciplinary procedure:
1. If a marker suspects that a student has plagiarised the work of another or others in a summative assessment or is guilty of collusion, a report detailing the evidence should be made immediately to the Chair of the appropriate Board of Examiners. Where two markers have been appointed to assess a piece of work they should consult over the matter before submitting a report. If one of the markers is the Chair of the Board of Examiners, a Deputy, appointed by the Programme Head, will act in his/her place.
2. If an external examiner suspects that a student has plagiarised the work of others or is guilty of collusion, he/she will consult the marker(s). The latter will prepare a preliminary report detailing the evidence and submit it immediately to the Chair of the Board of Examiners.
3. If, in the view of the Chair of the Board of Examiners, the report of the marker(s) provides sufficient detailed evidence of a significant level of plagiarism or collusion, a sub‐group panel of the Board of Examiners, appointed by the Chair, shall be formed comprising the Chair, a University Liaison Officer, and one other member of the Board (but excluding the reporting examiners) to consider the case. After listening to the evidence presented by the marker(s) and to the student the panel has the task of assessing the case and deciding on an appropriate sanction.
4. The student concerned shall be summoned to meet the panel together with the reporting marker(s), and may choose to be accompanied by his/her tutor. The student will normally receive at least 5 days’ notice of the date of the meeting and be told of its purpose. In the case of final year students where the case of alleged plagiarism or collusion is brought to light at the end of the degree programme it may be possible to hold a meeting without the 5 days’ notice, provided that the student concerned agrees in writing to this procedure. This course of action may be necessary in order to permit the Board of Examiners the opportunity of considering the case without necessarily causing any delay to the normal process of consideration for the award of a degree to the student concerned.
Cases of suspected plagiarism or collusion will, however, be reported immediately (as noted in item 1 above), and there should be no delay over taking action on the matter, since the consideration of such allegations at the end of the academic year can give rise to additional complications.
The evidence of alleged plagiarism or collusion will be shown to the student, and the student will be asked to account for the work that he or she submitted.
A written record of the meeting will be made.
5. After the meeting, the panel (not including the reporting examiner[s]), in the light of the evidence and the account given by the student, must decide upon the quantitative and qualitative extent of alleged plagiarism or collusion and come to a view as to whether the alleged offence amounts to a dishonest practice and should therefore be penalized.
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In reaching their decision, the following possible indicators may be taken into account:
• To what extent can a student's own contribution be identified?
• Would the mark that could be given for the student's own contribution be so low that it might lead to a fail result in the module in question?
• Has the student previously been officially warned about or penalized for plagiarism?
At this stage the student will be informed in writing by the Chair of the Board of Examiners:
Either: that the allegation of plagiarism or collusion was not proved and no further action would be taken.
Or: that a written report of the work submitted, together with the student's explanation and the decision of the panel, will be presented to a meeting of the Board of Examiners for ratification.
If necessary, an ad hoc meeting of the Board may be called for this purpose. The decision of the panel will reflect their judgment about the extent and willfulness of the plagiarism. In extreme cases this may include a recommendation to expel the student from the validated programme. Wherever examiners assess a piece of work which is judged to include plagiarised material or material resulting from collusion, a mark must be awarded which takes into account only the student's own contribution to the work. Where all or most of a piece of work has been plagiarised or results from collusion or where the non‐plagiarised material or the material which has not resulted from collusion is of no merit a mark of zero is appropriate. The panel will decide (subject to the ratification by the Board of Examiners) whether or not the student should be allowed to re‐do and re‐submit (on a different topic) the assignment that was found to be plagiarized. If resubmission is permitted, the resubmitted assignment may gain a maximum of 40% (undergraduate) or 50% (post‐graduate).
The external examiners will be consulted over cases involving work submitted for final honours.
4.13. Progression Regulations
The University requirements for progressing in your degree are summarised below. The summary provides information on how many modules you must pass to proceed from one year to another, what happens if you fail a module, and how many credits worth of modules you will need to complete successfully to qualify for an honours degree (or ordinary degree, or diploma, or certificate).
These requirements should be read in conjunction with your programme regulations:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumeii/validated.programmes/
and the progression flowcharts:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/faculty.handbook/studentsurvivalguide/2009/Progression_Flowchart_1‐3_2009.pdf
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1. A student must gain credits as follows subject to any specific requirements in the programme regulations:
• Certificate: a total of 100 credits at Level 1 or above.
• Diploma: a total of 200 credits including at least 60 at Level 2 or above and no more than 140 at Level 1.
• Ordinary Degree: a total of 300 credits including at least 60 at Level 3 or above and no more than 240 at Levels 1 and 2 together.
• Bachelors degree with Honours: a total of 360 credits including at least 80 at Level 3 or above and no more than 280 at Levels 1 and 2 together.
2. A student may be allowed to take a module whose Level differs from the level of study of the student him/herself (e.g., a student may take a Level 1 module as part of his/her Level 2 study.) This will normally be restricted to:
a. adjacent Levels of study such that a module is taken from the Level below the level of the student’s level of study;
b. a total of 40 credits at any one Level; and should not normally contravene the credit requirements for the programme of study concerned as set out in the paragraph 6 above.
3. A Certificate, Diploma or Degree will be awarded only if the student has undertaken study within the Theology and Ministry programme of at least two‐thirds of the credits for the award. Thus:
a. remission of modules by APL will not normally exceed 40 credits for each Level of study towards the target award;
b. a matriculation concession for direct entry to the second or subsequent Level of a programme will not normally exceed one‐third of the credits for the target award based on 120 credits per Level;
c. the award of an exit qualification below the Level of the target award will not be permitted if the student has been remitted more than 40 credits per Level of study for the exit qualification.
4. A module may be passed by compensation if:
• you have achieved a mark of at least 30 in the module; • your overall average for modules taken at either: Levels 2 and 3 (for the award of an
honours degree), or Level 2 (for the award of a Diploma), or Level 1 (for the award of Certificate), is above 40;
• the module is not deemed to be ‘non‐compensatable‘ under the programme regulations (non‐compensatable modules are marked in the regulations with a ~ symbol)
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4.14. Assessment Conventions:Working out Your Degree Classification
Diplomas and certificates are awarded in classes as follows:
• Distinction shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of 70% or greater;
• Merit shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of 60% but less than %70;
• Pass shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of 40% but less than 60%.
Honours degrees are awarded in classes as follows:
• First Class Honours shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of 70% or greater;
• Second Class Honours (First Division) shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of at least 60% but less than 70%;
• Second Class Honours (Second Division) shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of at least 50% but less than 60%;
• Third Class Honours shall be awarded to a student who achieves an arithmetic mean of at least 40% but less than 50%.
For the BA honours degree only modules taken during Levels 2 and 3 are included in the mean calculation. When the mean average is calculated, modules studied in the second and third years are differentially weighted 2:3.
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5. STUDENT SUPPORT
5.1. Teaching and Learning Support
Our aim is to provide the support you need to pursue successfully the courses we offer and reach your full potential. This support includes:
• Help with study skills such as use of the library, reading for assignments and essay planning techniques.
• The provision of teaching resources in a form that you can access (including, for example, in large print, or in electronic form)
• Referral where appropriate to specialist services that can provide a full assessment of special academic needs and access to specialized support and funding (see below).
To obtain additional teaching and learning support, please contact:
• Your module teacher, for help with issues specific to particular modules.
• Your Director of Studies (Andrew Lunn – Cranmer/WSC; David Bryan – Lindisfarne) for support issues that apply across your course and information about accessing resources outside your institution.
• Your personal tutor for consultation about the support you need.
If at any time you feel that you are not receiving the support you require, please contact your personal tutor or your Director of Studies.
5.2. Academic Guidance on Reading and Writing for Assessment
How to read for an assignment
If you haven’t studied for a while, learning how to read efficiently can make a big difference in getting to grips with written assignments. Different people have learning styles, so you will have to develop over time your own strategies, but you may find it helpful to consider the follow three basic points:
1. Direct your reading to the question you are answering
Even a short reading list for an essay may have six or eight books on it. Reading all of all of them would take a long time and is not necessary. Not all of every book will be important for the question you are answering, so read intelligently. Look at the table of contents to find which chapters are likely to be most helpful. If you find yourself reading something that’s irrelevant to what you’re working on, skip it. In a field that’s very unfamiliar to you, it may be harder to decide what’s important, but after a time you’ll develop a better sense of this. During your reading, begin to think about how you’ll tackle the assignment: the clearer you are about what you’re going to write, the easier it is to decide what you need to read.
Hopefully there will be times in your reading when you get excited about what an author’s saying and want to pursue it even though it’s not relevant to your assignment. What you learn by following your enthusiasms in this way may be among the most significant insights you gain while studying. Consider talking to your subject teacher about whether you could write the assignment on the topic you’ve discovered instead of one of the set questions.
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2. Note what is relevant
When you come across a fact, point, idea, argument, or quote that you think might be relevant to your assignment, make a note of it, with a page number so that you know where to find it again. It’s not usually necessary to attempt to summarize in your notes the whole of what an author is saying, though this may be helpful occasionally as an aid to your understanding. If, while reading, you begin to see where you might want to introduce a point in your writing, make a note of that too.
3. Review your notes
As you make progress through your reading, keep reviewing the notes you’ve made. When you sense you have sufficient material for your essay, stop reading and read back through your notes to remind yourself of what you’ve learned. This should start to give you a sense of how you might address the question you’re working on. One of the commonest mistakes students make is to spend too much time reading and not enough time writing. Reviewing your notes will help you assess when you’re ready to plan your essay and start writing it. You can always go back and read a bit more after you’ve begun writing if you realize that you need a better understanding of a particular point.
How to write an essay
There is no one way to write an essay: different people approach writing in different ways. Good essays share many attributes, however, and considering the following questions may help you improve your writing.
1. Why write?
The aim of an essay is to persuade your audience that they should share your beliefs about the topic you choose. You have considered the topic carefully, taken a wide range of sources into account, and have come to a conclusion. Your essay communicates the results of this reflection to others.
2. What have I got to say?
If you have nothing to say on a topic, your essay will say nothing, so don’t write it! Essays must be more than summaries of what other people have said: they must show evidence of your own original thought. Choose an essay question that interests you, and before you write make sure you are clear about what your answer is. This is your thesis. If you can state the point of your essay in one (not overlong) thesis sentence, it is a good sign you know where you are going. You may well want to include this sentence in your introductory paragraph.
3. How shall I say it?
Remember that your aim is to convince your readers that your answer to the question is the right one. To do this you will have to show you’re informed about the issue, have learned from what others have thought, and have good reasons for coming to the conclusion you have. (See the section on ‘Assessment Criteria’ above for more information on these tasks.) Aim to take a reader’s eye view of your work, which means you will:
a. Structure your essay to lead your reader through the points you will make. How long can you listen to someone who talks on and on at you about a subject without going
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anywhere? That will be the experience of your reader if you don’t structure what you want to say.
Once you have a clear thesis sentence, make an outline of the points you will have to cover in order to argue convincingly for it. Then check that each point in your outline is relevant to your thesis, and rethink the points that don’t advance your argument.
Finally, as you write, lead your reader through the structure of your paper. You may find it helpful to use an introduction like: ‘In this paper I will argue… First I will describe… Next, I will consider… Finally, I will show.’ Then in the body of your paper, make sure the reader is clear where you are in your structure, and when you are moving onto your next point.
Your conclusion should be a strong and persuasive statement showing how the paper has demonstrated your thesis, and the significance of the position you have reached.
b. Write clearly and concisely to make your arguments easy for your reader to follow. Be imaginative and creative to engage your reader’s attention. Each paragraph should relate clearly to the structure of your paper and to the paragraphs before and after it: make clear to your reader why you’re saying what you’re saying when you’re saying it.
If a paragraph or sentence doesn’t help you towards convincing the reader of your thesis, it’s irrelevant: leave it out. Correct spelling, grammar, and good presentation are also vital in communicating clearly to your reader.
4. What do I need to change?
When you have reached the end of your essay, go back and reread it. If you can’t bring yourself to read what you have written, it is unlikely that your reader will be enthusiastic. The best time to do this is the following day, so you can look at it afresh. Aim to take a reader’s eye view of what you have written, asking yourself what would be difficult for a reader to follow approaching it for the first time. If you have the chance, ask someone else to read it and give you comments.
And finally, do not plagiarize
Plagiarism is representing the work of others as your own. This includes direct quotation or paraphrase of any source, such as books, journal articles, material you find on the World‐Wide Web, or the work of other students. The University and the partner institutions running the Theology and Ministry programme take the offence of plagiarism extremely seriously, and the consequences may go far beyond your marks in the module concerned. Whenever you submit an assignment you will be asked to declare that you have acknowledged when you have used the work of others: see the section on formatting references above for appropriate ways of doing this.
For the Programme Guidelines on Plagiarism, see below p.33.
5.3. Services for Students with Disabilities
Durham University Service for Students with Disabilities (DUSSD) aims to provide advice and practical support so that a student on a Theology and Ministry course can minimise the effects of their disability and make the most of their time here.
DUSSD can provide information, advice and assistance to any students whose studies are affected by a disability. This includes specific learning difficulties, and medical or mental health condition.
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DUSSD is located:
• in Durham, at Pelaw House, Leazes Road, near the School of Education and the College of St Hild and St Bede ;
• in Queen's Campus, in the Student Services area on the ground floor of the Holliday Building.
More information is available from the DUSSD webpages: http://www.dur.ac.uk/dussd/
5.4. University Counselling Service
Free and confidential time‐limited counselling is provided by a team of professional counsellors to help students of all years with personal, emotional and mental health difficulties, particularly when the problems affect your studies.
This service is located:
• in Durham: in Elvet Riverside I (top floor)
• at Queen's Campus: in the Student Services Centre in the Holliday Building
For further information, or to make an appointment, please visit the Counselling Service webpages: http://www.durham.ac.uk/counselling.service/
Faith‐based counselling services are also available, with financial assistance available in some instances for Anglican ordinands and Methodist student ministers. This would normally be initiated in discussion with your tutor.
5.5. Careers Advisory Service
While most students on the Theology and Ministry courses are training for authorised ministry in the church, those who are independent students may wish to be aware of the Durham University Careers Advisory Service. This provides careers education, information and guidance related to employment, postgraduate study and professional training. Careers Advisers work with academic departments to provide all Durham students and graduates with tailored career and employability support.
Online resources including website, blog and Facebook page, have been established to enable you to collaborate with CAS and improve your access to relevant information.
Information is also available from alumni and current students so that you can benefit from their experiences. Employer‐led workshops offer you the chance to develop your skills and improve your understanding of the graduate workplace. The Durham Award, developed in partnership with students and employers, formally recognises extra‐curricular activities and gives you the opportunity to think about the skills you have gained and how to market these to an employer; helping you stand out from the crowd.
The service is located
• in Durham: at 49 New Elvet (adjacent to the DSU)
• at Queen's Campus: in the Learning Resource Centre, Ebsworth Building
For further information, or to make an appointment, please visit:
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• http://www.dur.ac.uk/careers‐advice /
5.6. DSU Advice Centre
Located on Level A (the top floor) of Dunelm House, the main Union building in Durham, DSU's Student Advice and Information Bureau is open every working day to help with any problems you might have.
Whether you're having problems with money, your landlord, your course, College or companies you've bought things from, DSU can help.
Affiliated with Advice UK (http://www.adviceuk.org.uk/) and the National Association of Student Money Advisers (http://www.nasma.org.uk/), and completely independent of your College and the University, you can rely on their professional staff to provide you with confidential advice.
They will take time to explain all your options and help you make the best decision for you. No problem is too big and no problem is too small.
To make an appointment, pop into our office, call us on 0191 334 1775 or email us at [email protected]. Appointments are also available at Queens Campus, and to make an appointment either contact DSU directly, or contact your student welfare officer in College.
5.7. English Language Centre
Durham University provides English language and literacy support as part of the university's overall tuition package which is provided free of charge to Durham University students. All students wishing to receive this support are required to take the University's English language assessment so we can provide you with the tuition you need and help you join the most appropriate classes.
The University also provides a range of interactive English language activities via the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) toolkit which you can access from your personal computer in your University College room or any other computer in the University. The EAP toolkit is located on the in‐sessional webpage in DUO. Once you have taken the English language assessment and are registered for in‐sessional support, you will have automatic access to the toolkit.
For further information please contact the English Language Centre
• in Durham: Elvet Riverside Building, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3JT, UK
• at Queen's Campus: Holliday Building, Queen's Campus, Stockton‐on‐Tees, UK
• On the web: http://www.dur.ac.uk/englishlanguage.centre/englishlanguage.courses/currentstudents/
• By email: [email protected],uk
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6. UNIVERSITY CODES OF PRACTICE
6.1. Diversity & Equality
You have a right to be able to live and study in Durham free from prejudice and harassment. The University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive work and study environment that respects the dignity of staff and students and assists all members of the University community to achieve their full potential, regardless of age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender, marital or parental status, religion, political belief or socio‐economic background.
• Further information is available from: Diversity and Equality webpages: http://www.dur.ac.uk/diversity.equality/
6.2. Respect at Work and Study
Students and staff have jointly drawn up a policy and code of practice on respect at work and study to discourage harassment of all kinds. The University is committed to providing a working and learning environment that is completely free of personal harassment. The University regards harassment of one member of the University community by another as wholly unacceptable behaviour. If you feel that you are being subjected to harassment in any form, do not feel that it is your fault or that you have to tolerate it.
• Further information is available in the Code of Practice on Respect at Work and Study: http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumei/codes_of_practice/respect_at_work_and_study/
6.3. Freedom of Speech
It is a fundamental policy of the University as an academic institution that there should be freedom of expression within the law on its property and in its activities. Pursuit of knowledge and the exchange of ideas should be conducted within the University in a tolerant manner and without interference. The University, however, must also take into account other legal obligations: a speaker, for example, who incites an audience to violence or to a breach of the peace or to racial hatred, transgresses the bounds of lawful speech.
If you are involved in organising a meeting or activity and have reason to believe that this may be disrupted because of the nature of the speaker, the views of any person attending or the nature of the subject being discussed or contained in written material, that the personal safety of anyone attending might be at risk because of the nature of the activity or the coincidence of an activity with another activity, you must tell the Registrar as soon as possible. The Registrar will then inform you whether the activity may go ahead.
• Further information is available in the Code of Practice on Freedom of Expression: http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumei/codes_of_practice/freedom_of_expression_relating_to_meetings_or_other_activities_on_university_premises/
Infringement of this code will result in disciplinary action.
6.4. Other Codes of Practice, Policies and General Regulations
A full list of the University’s General Regulations, Code of Practice, Statues and other core
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governance information can be found in Volume I of the University Calendar Online:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumei/
A full list of the University’s Core and Programme Regulations can be found in Volume II of the University Calendar Online:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumeii/
A full list of the University’s supporting policies on matters of Learning, Teaching and Assessment can be found in the Learning and Teaching Handbook online:
• http://www.dur.ac.uk/learningandteaching.handbook/
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7. USEFUL LINKS AND RESOURCES
IT Service: http://www.dur.ac.uk/its/students/
Library: http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/
Durham Students‘ Union (DSU): http://www.dsu.org.uk/
Sport at Durham: http://www.teamdurham.com/
Faculty Handbook: http://www.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/