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Faculty of Humanities

First few weeks

It is suggested that students are advised of the following items during the first few weeks of semester 1.

There are symbols next to each item, which suggests methods by which students should be provided with the information. There is a key to the symbols below..

Key to symbols

  • HB - handbook
  • F2F - face-2-face
  • web - -website
  • PG - peer group meeting
  • AA - Academic Adviser
  • IC - in class
  • BB - Blackboard
  • TC - targeted communication
  • CG - Crucial Guide

Academic

Assessment, what is expected, marking criteria etc

(Hb, F2F, Web, AA, IC, BB)

In Section 6 of the Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality in Higher Education, the QAA states that 'assessment' describes any processes that appraise an individual's knowledge, understanding, abilities or skills. There are many different forms of assessment, serving a variety of purposes.

Assessment: 

  • provides the means by which students are graded, passed or fail
  • provides the basis for decisions on whether a student is ready to proceed, to qualify for an award or to demonstrate competence to practise
  • enables students to obtain feedback on their learning and helps them improve their performance
  • enables staff to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching 

Students need to be made aware of: 

  • how their work will be assessed
  • how assessment results will be communicated
  • details of the assessment criteria and learning outcomes
  • submission deadlines
  • any rules for submission e.g. submission of 2 copies of coursework, completion of a cover sheet etc
  • penalties for late submission of coursework 

It is good practice to: 

  • specify the nature and extent of feedback that students can expect in relation to particular types and units of assessment and whether this is to be accompanied by the return of assessed work
  • provide students with feedback comments in a typed rather than handwritten format
  • Identify common issues which can then be raised within a particular cohort for use within a collective feedback session
  • ensure that students have clear information about the timing of individual assessments and how they relate to one another and to the overall programme assessment, where appropriate
  • provide a glossary of assessment terms to accompany the marking criteria
  • review assessment feedback mechanisms regularly as part of a programme review
  • seek student views, via the SSLC, on the provision of feedback on assessment
  • encourage students to write their own action points as a result of feedback 

Dissertation timeline / process

The dissertation / final year project (or equivalent) is probably the single most important assignment that a student will undertake whilst at university. Dissertations normally provide students with an opportunity to work independently, at length, on a topic that particularly interests them. Students should be given advice about how to approach, undertake and evaluate their own dissertation.

It is good practice to inform students about: 

  • what a dissertation is
  • what a dissertation might look like
  • how to set about initial reading and writing
  • time management
  • managing notes
  • planning and staging deadlines
  • maintaining academic ethics, referencing and intellectual honesty 

The Faculty of Humanities Study Skills website has information on: 

  • what is a dissertation
  • focus on a topic
  • research proposals
  • literature review
  • abstracts
  • introductions
  • research methodology
  • presenting and discussing findings
  • research ethics
  • citations and referencing 

Fieldwork

(Hb, F2F, Web)

Preparing students for fieldwork is essential. It is often failures in communication mechanisms that can lead to incidents and accidents, good face-to-face communication prior to a field trip minimises these possibilities. Information needs to be provided well in advance of the fieldwork. Students need to be made aware: 

  • of any safety requirements
  • that it is their responsibility to heed, understand and observe any instruction given to them by the fieldwork leader/supervisor
  • that it is their responsibility to bring any questions or problems to the attention of the fieldwork leader/supervisor
  • of any cost implications of the fieldwork session 

It is good practice to: 

  • have face-to-face sessions prior to the field trip which includes opportunities for students to express concerns and anxieties
  • provide a student information pack which is easy to read and understand
  • provide in writing information which may be required in an emergency 

Plagiarism and Academic Malpractice (e.g. collusion)

(Hb, F2F, Web, AA, IC, BB)

It is essential that students are made aware of acceptable and unacceptable practice in terms of completing assignments that are a product of their own study and research (as they may have been used to different conventions in their prior educational experience).

It is good practice to:

  • discuss plagiarism in introductory sessions and again just before assignments are due for submission
  • teach students how to avoid plagiarism with active learning techniques
  • carry out a trial session of submitting a piece of work to the University’s plagiarism detection system in order to demonstrate to students how work can be checked for originality
  • provide opportunities for discussion, practice and feedback
  • discuss plagiarism in supervisory sessions
  • disseminate anonymised cases of plagiarism to highlight the consequences as a deterrent

Referencing and bibliographic requirements

(Hb, F2F, Web, AA, IC, BB)

It is essential that students are made aware of what is acceptable and unacceptable practice in terms of completing assignments that are a product of their own study and research (as they may have been used to different conventions in their prior educational experience).

Students should be informed:

  • of why referencing and bibliographic citation is undertaken
  • when sources should be cited
  • the preferred way, in the discipline, to reference sources
  • how to cite correctly
  • that bibliographic citations and references must be consistent throughout the work
  • the penalties for academic malpractice 

EndNote is a bibliographic management software package that helps to control bibliographic references and create bibliographies easily and automatically.

Student life

Expectations of studying in HE

(Hb, Web, AA, BB)

Studying at University can be a very different experience from study at school/college and managing students’ expectations is a crucial factor for retention. Entering higher education can be a very daunting and stressful experience with students unsure of what to expect. The academic culture, especially for students from overseas may differ considerably from what they are used to.

It is good practice to let students know:

  • the average number of contact hours per week that they can expect
  • the amount of personal time they are expected to devote to study
  • work and attendance requirements
  • how to contact academic and administrative staff and the support available to them
  • what feedback means and how they will receive it
  • how academic and administrative staff will communicate with students
  • the teaching and assessment methods used
  • how they can provide feedback 

Initial meeting with peers

(F2F)

Students should be given an opportunity to meet their peers and teaching staff, whether in programme or discipline-specific groups.

It is good practice to:

  • Invite students along from higher years, in order that they can share their experience with first years
  • hold events for students who live at home, in order that they can identify those in a similar position and create friendship or study networks 

Icebreakers at welcome events

Icebreakers are the perfect opportunity to ease people through the discomfort that comes with getting to know strangers. They are used to help participants relax and ease into a meeting or training, and to help participants learn each other's names and personal/professional information.

When choosing an icebreaker it’s important that your activity doesn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable. No one should be forced to reveal extremely personal information or participate in a stressful environment.

If the icebreaker’s sole purpose is to introduce participants to each other and get things moving along say so.

The secret of a successful icebreaking session is to keep it simple: Design the session with specific objectives in mind and make sure the session is appropriate and comfortable for everyone involved.

The Students as Partners Programme, based in the central Teaching and Learning Support Office, can provide you with examples of effective icebreakers that can be used for groups of up c. 1000 students. Contact the Teaching & Learning Adviser, William Carey (william.carey@manchester.ac.uk).

International Society (reminder)

(F2F, AA)

At this stage it might be useful to remind students of the services offered by the International Society. It provides a social and supportive environment for all international students.

Societies

(Hb, Web, PG)

There are lots of societies, clubs and projects for students to get involved in. During Welcome Week students can visit the Students' Fair, where there are stalls representing all of the societies and clubs available. There are also opportunities available for volunteering and community work.

Student Representation (recruitment)

(Hb, F2F, Web, IC)

Student representation and feedback are vital to the continued development of the provision offered by academic disciplines and by the School as a whole.

After informing students earlier in the semester of the roles, resources and responsibilities of representatives, now is the time for them to elect their representatives and students should be provided with information on how to do this.

For more information, see the Policy on Student Representation for Postgraduate Research Students.

Sport

(Hb, Web, CG)

The University's SPORT Manchester site explores the different sports available, as well as information on scholarships and sponsorship.

Learning Support

Careers, opportunities for further study

(F2F, AA, IC, TC, CG)

The Careers Service website contains a wealth of careers advice, as well as information on how to find and register for careers events.

Employability Toolkit

The Employability Toolkit has been produced by staff in the Careers Service, the Teaching and Learning Support Office and the Humanities Faculty together with consultation with academic and support staff from 12 Schools across the University.

It is aimed at all staff in the University and provides examples of employability development from across the University as well as a section designed to support academics in directing students towards suitable resources they can use to audit their employability skills. There is also a section aimed at supporting academics in auditing and developing the content of a programme with regard to the provision of employability skills.

If you wish to discuss employability issues regarding your particular Faculty or School, please contact Andrew Whitmore, Assistant Director, Careers Service.

Services

Legal Advice Centre (AA, CG)

The School of Law's Legal Advice Centre based on campus aims to offer a reliable service to those with legal and associated difficulties and to provide practical experience for the School's law students who are supervised by legal practitioners.