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School of Social and Political Science
TUTORS' MANUAL
2014-2015
School of Social and Political Science
University of Edinburgh
Chrystal Macmillan Building
15A George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LD
0131 651 3060
1
Version 2014/15
Contents
Welcome ..................................................................................................................................................................2
Tutorials in Context ................................................................................................................................................4
1. Information about SSPS Courses .......................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Degree Information ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
3. Students in SSPS................................................................................................................................................................... 5
The Roles of the Tutor............................................................................................................................................5
What You Can Expect as a Tutor ..........................................................................................................................5
1. Your Conditions of Employment .......................................................................................................................................... 5
2. Job Support ........................................................................................................................................................................... 6
a. Tutoring and Staff Support ...................................................................................................................................6
b. Opportunities for training and recognition ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Course Materials, Facilities and Resources .......................................................................................................................... 7
Your Responsibilities as a Tutor ...........................................................................................................................7
1. Teaching and Preparation ........................................................................................................................................7
2. Administration........................................................................................................................................................7
a. Taking Attendance ...............................................................................................................................................8
b. Keeping Track of Coursework ..............................................................................................................................8
c. Communication Matters .......................................................................................................................................8
d. Tutorial Representatives .......................................................................................................................................9
3. Support and Pastoral Care........................................................................................................................................9
4. Marking and Assessment ...................................................................................................................................... 10
The First Tutorial ................................................................................................................................................. 11
Appendix 1: Contact Details for Course Organisers and Secretaries (Year 1 and 2) ................................... 12
Appendix 2: SSPS School-wide Tutorial Rates ................................................................................................ 12
Appendix 3: Marking and Assessment .............................................................................................................. 21
1. Marking Descriptors ............................................................................................................................................ 23
2. Double Marking and Moderation .......................................................................................................................... 26
3. Plagiarism ........................................................................................................................................................... 26
4. Coursework Regulations and Procedures ............................................................................................................... 27
Appendix 4 Staff Guidance October 2013 on Improving Feedback………………………………………….…..30
Appendix 5 Staff Guidance November 2013 on Moderation…………………………………............................31
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
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Welcome
Welcome to tutoring in the School of Social and Political Science (SSPS).
Tutors play an essential role in teaching on SSPS courses. This manual is intended as an introduction and guide
for all tutors1 in the School. It contains general information about common procedures and advice to tutors
contributing to SSPS courses.
The tutors’ manual is intended to be used in conjunction with other sources of information, including:
1. SSPS staff web pages (you will need your EASE UUN and password for access). For general
information tailored to teaching staff, see:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/index
2. Within these pages, guidance for tutors, including a downloadable version of this manual, can be found
at: http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/guidance_for_tutors.
3. You should also consult the individual course guide for the particular course or courses on which you are
tutoring, which are given to all students on the course. There may also be specific course information for
tutors provided by your course organiser.
4. These pages are written for SSPS students, providing them with information they need. You may want to
be familiar with their content: http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad
5. In addition, the University has a Code of Practice on Tutoring and Demonstrating, which has useful
information about University tutoring regulations:
http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Codes/CoPTutoringDemonstrating2012.PDF
NOTE: As most tutors will be teaching on first and second-year courses, this manual mainly addresses issues
arising from teaching in these courses. As always, it is important to seek specific course guidance for the
courses that you are tutoring on.
1
The word ‘tutor’ as used in this manual refers to postgraduate and other part-time tutors within the School,
unless otherwise made clear in the text. The term ‘tutorial’ refers to small group teaching linked to a series of
lectures.
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Tutorials in Context
The School of Social and Political Science brings together the related subject areas of Politics and International
Relations, Social Anthropology, Social Policy, Social Work, Sociology and Sustainable Development, as well as
several other research and study centres including Science Studies, African Studies, Canadian Studies and
South Asian Studies. Its purposes are to improve the coordination of teaching, to enable innovation in teaching
and research, to provide better services for students and staff, and to support research activity. There are over
1200 students taking undergraduate courses in the School. Teaching and support staff in the subject areas and
centres listed above are located mainly in the Chrystal Macmillan Building (CMB) and in buildings nearby. The
School is part of the University’s College of Humanities and Social Science.
1. Information about SSPS Courses
The School offers a wide range of first and second half-year courses in the subject areas of Politics and
International Relations, Social Anthropology, Social Policy, Social Work, Sociology and Sustainable
Development and across our research and study centres including Science Studies, African Studies, Canadian
Studies and South Asian Studies.
Each of the first and second-year courses meets for 10 weeks, with two or three lectures and one tutorial per
week. Tutorials normally begin in week 2. At honours level in SSPS, the structure of lectures and tutorials
becomes more variable.
In semester 1, teaching will run straight through weeks 1 to 10. In semester 2 there will be a five-day Innovative
Learning Week [ILW] in what used to be week six. The ten weeks of teaching will run from weeks 1 to 5, then an
ILW break in week 6, followed by weeks 7 to 11. The majority of courses start their tutorials in week 2, although
some may begin in week 1. You should check with your course organiser to find out exactly how your course is
run.
Contact details and other information about the course organisers and secretaries for the various first and
second year half courses is summarised in Appendix 1.
2. Degree Information
The School offers single and joint four-year MA degrees in Global and International Sociology, Politics,
International Relations, Social Anthropology, Social Policy, Sociology, Sustainable Development (single honours
only) and a four-year BSc degree in Social Work. The SSPS staff pages provide useful information of the
fundamental objectives and structure of different degree programmes within the School:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad/subject_and_programme_specific_information. The Scottish degree system
requires students to study at least three subjects a year (three courses per semester) for each of their first two
years. If they complete this Ordinary level successfully, they usually progress to the MA Honours programme in
their chosen subject, which lasts a further two years. If not, students will normally transfer to the BA in
Humanities and Social Science for one more year of study. This all means that students taking first and second
year courses in Social and Political Science come from different disciplinary backgrounds and go on to follow
any one of a range of degree programmes. Some may be intending to progress to honours in a subject area in
Social and Political Science. Others will be taking our courses as a second or third (‘outside’) subject in order to
make up their complement of three as part of another degree. A third group of students are referred to as
'visiting': they are usually undergraduates at universities in other European or North American countries and are
spending a year or semester at Edinburgh as visiting students.
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3. Students in SSPS
There may be significant differences among students in your tutorials. For example, some Scottish students may
have entered university after taking Highers at age 17 though most Scottish students remain in school for a sixth
year to take Advanced Highers or further Highers. Many students also take a gap year before entering
university. Students who have done so, tend to be more vocal, self-confident and widely travelled. There are
also significant numbers of undergraduates who are mature students of very wide age range, some of whom left
school several decades ago but will have recent relevant study experience, for example through an access
programme for mature students . Their expectations of university study in general will be different from recent
school leavers and will be balancing different types of demands.
This diversity in the student population also means that students come to study in Social and Political Science
with a range of different needs and expectations, and with a wide range of commitment to the subject area. You
might explore these when you first meet each group (see item on ‘The First Tutorial’). Some students will have
completed a Modern Studies or Sociology course at secondary school. Most have no previous academic
background in the subject. Our teaching normally has to serve as a double introduction: to Social and Political
Science itself and to the demands and possibilities of university education.
The Roles of the Tutor
Tutorial teaching can be rewarding, for you as much as for your tutees, but can also be demanding. Your chief
responsibility is leading, managing and facilitating tutorials. In addition, there are other important tasks that come
with the job apart from the actual hours of teaching, including preparing for teaching, administration, support and
pastoral care, and marking and assessment.
Ideally, students should ask each other questions and the tutor's role would be that of a moderator or enabler
rather than a lecturer. The School is trying to emphasise active self-education in our teaching. We would like
students to read books and journals, observe their environment carefully and in new ways, and develop their
confidence to think and argue for themselves about what they find in books or in the world around them.
Moreover, we are trying to get students to value the particular subject material they are studying in Social and
Political Science. We therefore do not think it is necessary for tutors to master every text on the reading-list or be
prepared to come up with ‘right’ answers to students' questions. At the beginning of a course, however, you may
find that not all students possess the initial confidence to put forward their own arguments.
A successful tutorial requires students to feel both secure (‘I can say what I think without getting sat on or
humiliated’) and stimulated (‘the question I have been asked concerns something I recognise from my own
experience and identify for myself as something that matters’). The tutor's role is to help create a safe
environment for student learning, to encourage students to believe that they all have something worthwhile to
contribute, that they all can learn from each other, and that they will not suffer by expressing their opinions. The
tutor's role is not to give students extra lecturing on topics they may have already heard about; it is to help create
an atmosphere in which students feel that they can discuss the material in the course, and that it is worth
discussing.
This view of tutorials may need to be explained to students. It may help them, therefore, if you make your role as
a tutor explicit to your students in your first tutorial, as part of a set of ‘ground rules’ that are clarified to all. It
should also be made clear to them that they have a responsibility towards each other in contributing to their
tutorials because they will let each other (not you, the tutor) down by not doing so, or not showing up.
What You Can Expect as a Tutor
1. Your Conditions of Employment
You sign a contract to become a tutor in the School of Social and Political Science. For a contribution to teaching
of more than two months’ duration you will receive an open-ended contract, specifying a grade and grade step
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on the University’s staff pay scales, and guaranteeing hours for the forthcoming academic year. Appendix 2
provides further specific information on SSPS tutorial rates and contractual arrangements.
All other matters relating to your employment as tutors are handled by SSPS secretarial staff (please see contact
details for staff dealing with tutor contracts in Appendix 2). Each month the School notifies the University
Finance Office of the hours undertaken in the previous month for payment in arrears.
The rate of pay is calculated on the basis of a notional 'tutorial hour' (which includes preparation and other
associated administrative tasks) and for assessment (which includes all essays and take-home exams which
require substantive feedback to students). See Appendix 2 for further details on current SSPS tutorial rates.
As employees of the University, SSPS tutors are also entitled to join the University and College Union:
http://www.ucu.org.uk. UCU Edinburgh is the only trade union entitled to represent academic and academic
related staff at the University of Edinburgh.
2. Job Support
The School of Social and Political Science is committed to preparing you for and supporting you in your tutoring
position. This includes:
a. Tutoring and Staff Support
Course organisers are responsible for course administration, and they are supported by course secretaries and
sometimes other staff. Course organisers are available for consultation in case of any particular difficulties with
the course, your tutorials or individual students Each student has a named Personal Tutor (PT) responsible for
his or her academic welfare; for more information on when and how to contact a student’s PT, please see the
section on ‘Administration’ in this manual (pp. 8-9). Every student also has named Student Support Officer for
advice and guidance on all administrative and pastoral matters and is often the first port of call for students
needing assistance. The School of Social and Political Science have Student Support Officers for each named
degree programme but other Schools will have different arrangements.
For year 1 and 2 courses, your first point of contact for questions on tutorial-related matters is usually your
Senior Course Tutor. SSPS Senior Course Tutors assist the course organiser in arranging training and providing
support and advice to course tutors (including course meetings and induction sessions). Along with the course
organiser, they also provide guidance on marking and assessment. Both your Senior Course Tutor and your
fellow tutors in SSPS provide an important source of peer support for tutorial-related matters. For example, you
may want to compare particular teaching techniques or approaches with other tutors teaching on your course, or
with other tutors teaching on other SSPS courses.
You are expected to attend all training and briefing sessions agreed to by SSPS and the Course Organiser,
including but not limited to SSPS-wide tutor orientation meetings, individual course meetings, marking meetings,
and so on. An introductory meeting of the course organiser, Senior Course Tutor (if applicable), and tutors will
take place before tutorials begin, to discuss the course. You will also have a subject-level session of feedback
and marking midway through the semester, though specific timings will vary between different courses (see
Appendix 3 on ‘Marking and Assessment’). You will be paid for attending these meetings at the UE06 rate (see
Appendix 2 on ‘SSPS School-wide Tutorial Rates’).
Additional tutor training opportunities may exist in SSPS and will be advertised at the beginning of the academic
year, including, for example, tutor-run training sessions and/or additional SSPS-wide tutor meetings.
b. Opportunities for training and recognition
Additional support is also available from the Institute for Academic Development (IAD) in limited quantities for
tutors who cannot access local support for good reasons, and for more experienced tutors who have a particular
interest in developing their tutoring experiences further. See the IAD website for further details at:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development. Developing your teaching can lead
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towards Higher Education Academy (HEA) accreditation. There are several different routes you can follow to
seek HEA accreditation for your teaching at Edinburgh (http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/instituteacademic-development/learning-teaching/tutors-demonstrators/support/enhancement/developing-teaching)
3. Course Materials, Facilities and Resources
The Undergraduate Teaching Office (UTO) for SSPS is on the ground floor of CMB. This floor also contains
other facilities for the use of staff and students.
You will be provided with essential course materials (such as the course guide for the courses you teach on),
which will normally be distributed by the course organiser or Senior Course Tutor in course meetings at the
beginning of the semester (please refer to specific course guidance).
SSPS is unable to provide specific computing facilities for part-time tutors who are not also postgraduate
students in the School. Extensive computing facilities are also readily available in the Main Library; go to the
computing service reception desk on the ground floor and explain what you need.
Your Responsibilities as a Tutor
1. Teaching and Preparation
Apart from the actual hours of teaching, there will be other things that come with the job, for example, class
preparation. You will find that this becomes less time-consuming as the year goes on - you will feel more
confident in trying out different techniques. The Institute for Academic Development offers a number of useful
resources for supporting learning and teaching which is available at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schoolsdepartments/institute-academic-development/learning-teaching
These resources also provide helpful guidance on important tutoring issues. Tutors often complain that they
have difficulty getting students to speak in tutorials, and students for their part may regard an invitation to
participate as ‘being picked on. Part of the reason could be that students are unaware of the ‘ground rules’ for
tutorials. In the first tutorial, you could discuss expectations and ground rules - what you expect from students
and what they can expect from you – and establish a collective understanding between you and your students of
what tutorials are for and how they will work (see item on the ‘First Tutorial’). There are a range of possible
approaches and techniques that you can employ in tutorial teaching in order to make a class interesting and
enable healthy participation and discussion – for example, activities such as brainstorming, debates, or roleplaying. With experience, you will find different techniques which work for you, how you can adapt them to
different situations, and how to vary activities for different tutorial groups.
2. Administration
There will be some small but important administrative tasks that you will be asked to complete as part of your
teaching. The time you spend on these tasks should not be great. Course tutors are often the most frequent
and effective point of contact between a student and the University, especially for students in years 1 and 2.
Tasks such as noting absence or a poor academic performance therefore have an implicit welfare function. It is
not your job as tutor to counsel or otherwise intervene, but you should know how to refer problems appropriately.
Each student has a named Personal Tutor (PT) responsible for his or her academic welfare. Personal Tutors
are helped by trained Student Support Officers (SSOs), who deal with routine administrative queries in the first
instance. Staff in the Undergraduate Teaching Office is responsible for administration of all undergraduate
courses as well as the recording of marks for UG years one to four. Subject Secretaries (based on the first floor)
are also Student Support Officers and will deal with student support and with issues such as Special
Circumstances applications. Some questions may need to be referred either to the Personal Tutor or the Course
Organiser. If you need to contact a Personal Tutor, the Course Secretary can give you his/her name and e-mail.
For example, while you may want to provide letters of references to tutees as a favour in cases of academic
applications or job applications, you should normally consider asking your tutees to make the request of the
relevant person in the Undergraduate Teaching Office (for perfunctory character references or confirmations of
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attendance at university) or Personal Tutors (for academic references or job applications requiring detailed
comments). Please copy any emails related to particular students to the Course Secretary (see contact details
in Appendix 1), so that the School has a complete record for future reference. The information you record may
also be taken into account by examination boards.
Your administrative tasks include:
a. Taking Attendance
Since attendance at lectures and participation in tutorials are fundamental to good learning, students are
expected to attend tutorials. It is important that you keep an accurate record of tutorial attendance every
week. Although there are no set penalties for non-attendance at tutorials, students who fail to attend will not be
awarded marks for attendance and participation.
Please note: that pressure of work or problems of time management are not considered an acceptable reason
for non-attendance at tutorials
At your first tutorial, you will normally be given a list of students who have signed up for your tutorial. Please note
all absences and possible additions and return this information to the Course Secretary. By your second tutorial,
you will be given an attendance register with the names of all students in your tutorial group. Please complete
the register week by week and return to the Undergraduate Teaching Office after every tutorial.
b. Keeping Track of Coursework
It goes without saying that you must keep an accurate record of essay marks, as well as any extensions you
have given (for more on extension policies see the section on ‘Marking and Assessment’ in the manual, pp. 1112). By the time the first essay has been submitted, you will receive an electronic mark sheet from the Course
Secretary. Use it to record any essay penalties (for example, late submission), the grade you allocate, any
second marker’s grade, final grade and any additional comments. You should keep a copy of the mark sheet for
your own records. Since the School has a clear timetable of submission and return deadlines and penalises
students if they fail to meet their end of the bargain, tutors must honour the School’s side of the bargain and
ensure that essays are returned when promised. The university requires all assessed work to be returned within
15 working days. If feedback is to be properly moderated (and then processed by the UTO/GSO before being
released to students) then it needs to be marked within 10 working days, i.e. two weeks from when it was
handed in. A list of dates by which students are due to receive feedback will be made available to all students.in
their course handbooks. (see Appendix 3 on ‘Marking and Assessment’).
c. Communication Matters
Good communication between staff, students and course organisers is integral to the success of any course.
Talk to other tutors about how you are getting on with your tutorial teaching; to other staff and to the students
you teach; and to the course organiser.
To ensure effective communication about the course, please make sure that the course organiser and the
secretary of the course on which you teach have a note of your contact information. Use your university mail
address to communicate with the School and members of your tutorials (the School will use this email address);
and please check your e-mail regularly to pick up any messages. IT support can help you to set up e-mail
access from home, forward messages and deal with any problems. Contact [email protected].
Each subject area will normally have a box or pigeon-hole for tutors’ course information, course handouts,
difficult to access readings and/or paper mail. These are usually located in CMB, but do check your specific
course guidance for the relevant location. You should also check your course notice-boards and your course
Learn page (if applicable) on a regular basis for course announcements, updated readings, lecture notes, and so
on.
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Communication with students is also important. Students automatically acquire a university e-mail account at
matriculation, and course organisers in many departments depend on them checking their e-mail regularly to
convey messages about the course. You should encourage your students to use this email account, as this will
facilitate matters for everyone. Make it clear that you expect them to check their university e-mail regularly
(along with course notice-boards and course Learn pages), and perhaps give them a reason for doing so, right
from the beginning of the course.
Each subject area will normally have a box or pigeon-hole for tutors’ course information, course handouts,
difficult to access readings and/or paper mail. These are usually located in CMB, but do check your specific
course guidance for the relevant location. You should also check your course notice-boards and your course
Learn page (if applicable) on a regular basis for course announcements, updated readings, lecture notes, and so
on.
Communication with students is also important. Students automatically acquire a university e-mail
account at matriculation, and course organisers in many departments depend on them checking their email regularly to convey messages about the course. You should encourage your students to use this
email account, as this will facilitate matters for everyone. Make it clear that you expect them to check
their university e-mail regularly (along with course notice-boards and course Learn pages), and perhaps
give them a reason for doing so, right from the beginning of the coursed. Tutorial Representatives
In first and second year courses, you will need to ensure that students choose one member of each tutorial
group (a tutorial rep) – normally by week 3 at the latest – to represent them at course liaison meetings. The
School is required to supply the Edinburgh University Student Association (EUSA) with the list of all tutorials reps
by the end of week 3. They have ‘packs’ and run training sessions to help improve existing communication and
evaluation measures between staff and students. Make it clear to tutorial representatives that they are required
to attend the first meeting with the course organiser, when normally two or three class reps are chosen to
represent the whole class at the subject area’s Student/Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC), which meets two or
three times a year, as well as other meetings throughout the year. These meetings are publicised by e-mail to
the reps and posted on course notice-boards.
You will need to give names and email addresses of tutorial representatives, by e-mail if you can, to either your
course organiser, Senior Course Tutor, or Course Secretary (please refer to specific course guidance for the
appropriate procedure). Tutorial rep names will also be posted on the LEARN pages for each course. You
should encourage discussion of course issues in tutorials in the weeks immediately prior to course
representative and SSLC meetings (please consult your specific course guidance).
3. Support and Pastoral Care
Students are advised to approach their tutor in the first instance if they have problems with their course work.
When someone needs extra attention, it is best that the tutor tries to sort this out at the end or beginning of a
class, However this may not work, and in these situations, it is up to the tutor to decide whether s/he is willing to
spend the extra time and energy handling the problem. Consider ways of encouraging students to seek and
lend support to their peers (e.g. encourage them to exchange work after it has been marked, proof-read each
other's assignments before handing them in, exchange lecture notes, and so on).
There may be students with disabilities in your classes. A common example is some form of dyslexia. Please
see SSPS staff pages on ‘Teachability and Disability Issues’, which outline the normal procedure for addressing
the needs of disabled students:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/teachability_disability_issues
In the case of other problems, including personal problems, the student should be referred to his/her Personal
Tutor (PT). You should also familiarise yourself with other University agencies that provide support to students
on a range of other issues, for example, the EUSA Advice Place. You may also want to consult the College of
Humanities and Social Science guidance, which provides information on pastoral care, attendance, and other
important issues:
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http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/humanities-soc-sci/undergraduate-academic-admin
Be sensitive to a student's plea for confidentiality, and by all means be supportive, but remember that problems
can be serious and that there are others officially responsible for, and trained to deal with, these situations. You
also need to be aware of boundaries: it is not appropriate to get involved with your students on matters not
directly related to their course work (for example, sensitive and complex matters such as immigration advice for
international students). Don’t do any more than you feel able to, are paid for, or indeed have a right to. It is
course organisers and Personal Tutors who are ultimately responsible for students' academic welfare and keep
st
their formal records. Tutors on 1 and year courses should also be available on a weekly basis for contact
outside tutorial hours for purposes of answering emails, personal meetings etc and this is recognised in the
current payment structure (see Appendix Two). Tutors on Honours courses who are routinely required to offer
post tutorial support should contact their course organiser in the first instance,
4. Marking and Assessment
You will be required to mark a student’s written assignments, which contribute to their final grades during the
year. This is time-consuming, especially if you are new to the job. It can be stressful, too, not least because
coursework can be the object of so much student anxiety. However, there are detailed notes in Appendix 3 on
marking and assessment procedures and standards, and guidance for handling particular difficulties that you
may encounter.
Right from the start of semester, and certainly well in advance of the time that students approach their deadlines,
you should be aware of the following. SSPS courses are usually assessed by a combination of coursework and
examination, although there is more variation at the honours level (see Appendix 3 for further information).
Students in all half courses normally have to produce one or more pieces of written coursework (check how
many for your specific course), which you are expected to mark. You can find the coursework deadlines for the
course you are teaching on in your course guide. Emphasise these well in advance in tutorials and ensure
students understand that the School will stick to them firmly. Please remember that the final authority on
individual students’ marks – for both course work and exams – is the Board of Examiners, made up of the
lecturers and the External Examiner. They meet after the second-semester exam diet. Remember also, and
remind students, that in most cases only you or the course organiser may grant extensions. In Appendix 3, you
will find more detailed information about arrangements concerning the granting of extensions, late submissions,
handling cases of plagiarism, and so on. You should also consult your specific course guidance, as
arrangements may vary between different courses and subject areas.
The quality, consistency and timeliness of feedback to students is currently a ‘lively’ issue in the University and
the School, and one we are seeking to improve on as best we can. Tutors are an important part of this and play
a significant role in shaping students’ perceptions about the feedback process. Tutorial feedback frequently
comes in regard to a specific assessment, for example written comments on an essay. Remember that an
important part of giving students feedback on their work is to help them learn high standards and to improve their
performance; your written feedback should be honestly critical but always constructive. For example, say ‘This
essay shows familiarity with the reading but would be strengthened if you had also commented on…’ rather than
‘Though you have done some reading there are gaps and your argument is weak.’
However, it also important to appreciate that not all feedback is linked to a specific instance of assessment. For
example, tutorial activities and discussions provide one of the most important opportunities for feedback,
allowing students to try out new ideas, explore their understanding of the course material, and raise questions
without the pressure of formal assessment. It is important therefore that you help students see this by, for
example, making them explicitly aware of all instances where your input might be of use to their assignments
and to call this ‘feedback.’ For instance, you could point out to them routinely that feedback comes in different
forms, that it is ongoing, and that what you discuss in tutorials is relevant to the completion of their assignments
in various and more subtle ways. When they are preparing a second and subsequent assignment, you could
draw their attention to comments that were issued on previous assignments or tasks, and to the need to pay
attention to general comments that were given to the class as a whole.
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If you have insights or suggestions about our feedback processes and how they might be improved, please
contact the SSPS Deputy Director of the Undergraduate School, Paul Norris, [email protected]
The First Tutorial
In the first tutorial of the course, the students are unlikely to start on substantive course work, but it is an
important tutorial because it establishes a pattern of interaction. You need to do a number of things (See also
previous sections on ‘Teaching and Preparation’ and ‘Administration’, pp. 8-9):
•
Introductions: explain to students who you are. You might share your background, experience, interests and
qualifications. Then find out who they are and learn their names. Try to get an idea of how much they know
about the subject area of the course and whether they've studied it before. Encourage them to talk to each
other as much as to you by, for example, breaking into pairs or small groups or having students introduce
one another to the rest of the group. The sooner students start speaking and getting acquainted with one
another, the better.
•
Ensure that all students in your tutorial group have been registered for the course. (See the section on
‘Administration’ in this Manual.)
•
You might want to take a note of students' e-mail addresses. Although that information is available through
the Course Secretary, it might take a week or two to filter down to you. Make sure students know how to
contact you if they need to; encourage them to use University e-mail explaining that this is our main form of
contact with them, for official and unofficial matters. Also ask that they keep to respective office hours when
contacting tutors and other staff.
•
Ensure that you understand the aims, objectives, and structure of the course and discuss this with your
students. The course organiser will have spent time doing that in the first week of lectures, but you might
reinforce it and answer any questions.
•
Establish a collective understanding of what tutorials are for. Different students may have different ideas,
and you may need to be firm. State what level of preparation you expect. The task may vary according to
the tutorial, but you can reasonably ask (and expect) that students spend a couple of hours during the week
doing it. Impress on them that they are expected to contribute actively by speaking and listening and
responding to others. If you want students to do presentations, talk through what is expected and provide
guidance to help with presentation skills.
•
Explain what is to happen in next week’s tutorial and how they should prepare for that session.
•
Smile a lot, emphasise that questions are always welcome and offer lots of opportunities for students to ask
you things.
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
11
Appendix 1: Contact Details for Course Organisers and Secretaries (Year 1 and 2)
POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Course
Course organiser
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
Introduction to Politics and International
Relations
Carmen Gebhard
650 4622
[email protected]
2.01CMB
Political Thinkers
Lynn Dobson
651 1285
[email protected]
4.25CMB
International Cooperation in Europe and
Beyond
Daniel Kenealy
650 4080
[email protected]
21 George
Square
Fundamentals 1:PIR
Philip Cook
651 5177
[email protected]
2.01 CMB
Fundamentals 2: PIR
Kieran Oberman
[email protected]
58 George
Square
Comparative Politics in a Globalized
World
Christina Boswell
650 9924
Introduction to Political Data Analysis
Ailsa Henderson
651 1618
[email protected]
3.10 CMB
Politics Course Secretaries
Amelia Hodgson
Sopita Sritawan
Andra Roston
Edwin Cruden
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
International Law
Paul Behrens
651 4290
[email protected]
Old
College
Law Course Secretary
Krystal Hanley
650 2056
[email protected]
194 Old
College
[email protected] 3.21 CMB
SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Course
Course
organiser
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
Social Anthropology 1A: An Introduction
Stefan Ecks
650
6969
[email protected]
4.28 CMB
Social Anthropology 1B: The Practice of Social
Dimitri Tsintjilonis
Anthropology
650
3934
[email protected]
5.30CMB
Social Anthropology 2: Into the Field
Jon Bialecki
651
5534
[email protected]
5.01CMB
John Harries
650
4051
[email protected]
5.12 CMB
Fundamentals: Studying Anthropology
Alice Street
651
5181
[email protected]
4.26 CMB
Fundamentals: Reading and Writing
Anthropology
Rebecca
Marsland
6)51
3864
[email protected]
3.20 18
Buccleuch
Ethnography: Theory and Practice
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
12
Place
Fundamentals: Anthropological Practice
Tobias Kelly
Fundamentals: Ethnographic Theory
Alice Street
Social Anthropology Course Secretaries
Elaine Khennouf
Ewen Miller
Claire Moggie
650
3986
651
5181
6513060
[email protected]
5.10 CMB
[email protected]
4.26 CMB
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
SOCIAL POLICY
Course
Course
organiser
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
Social Policy and Society
Morag Treanor
650
3918
[email protected]
3.01
CMB
Politics of the Welfare State
Elke Heins
650
4049
[email protected]
3.01
CMB
European Social Policy
Daniel Clegg
650
3998
[email protected]
3.23
CMB
Social Policy Enquiry
Lindsay Paterson
651
6380
[email protected]
3.24
CMB
Fundamentals: Social Policy 1
Jochen Clasen
650
9922
[email protected]
2.04
CMB
Fundamentals 2: Social Policy
Lindsay Paterson
651
6380
[email protected]
3.24
CMB
6513060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
Social Policy Course Secretaries
Amelia Hodgson
Sopita Sritawan
Andra Roston
Edwin Cruden
SOCIAL WORK
Course
Course
organiser
Social Work: Making a Difference
Gary Clapton
650 3903
[email protected]
2.28
CMB
Social Work: Policy and Legal Frameworks.
Gary Clapton
650 3903
[email protected]
2.28
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
13
CMB
From Research into Practice: Landmarks in
Social Work Research
Steve Kirkwood
650 6646
[email protected]
2.22
CMB
Working and Relating
Ruth Forbes
651 1485
[email protected]
2.29
CMB
Elaine Khennouf
Ewen Miller
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
st
nd
1 and 2 year Social Work Course
Secretaries
SOCIOLOGY
Course
Course
organiser
Sociology 1A: The Sociological Imagination:
Individuals and Society
Susie Donnelly
650 8258
[email protected]
5.12
CMB
Sociology 1B: The Sociological Imagination:
Private Troubles, Public Problems
Angus Bancroft
650 6642
[email protected]
6.23
CMB
Sociology 2a: Thinking Sociologically
Hugo Gorringe
650 3940
[email protected]
1.02 22
George
Square
Sociology 2b: Researching Social Life
Ross Bond
650 3919
[email protected]
5.08
CMB
Fundamentals: Developing Sociological
Imagination
Ross Bond
650 3919
[email protected]
5.08
CMB
Fundamentals 2: Sociology
Susie Donnelly
650 8258
[email protected]
5.12
CMB
Sociology Course Secretaries
Elaine Khennouf
Ewen Miller
Claire Moggie
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
SCHOOL-WIDE COURSES (2
Course
Course
organiser
nd
YEAR)
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
Scotland: Society and Politics
Nicola Mcewen
6)51 1831
[email protected]
3.01
St
John’s
Land
Scotland: Society and Politics Course
Secretaries
Amelia Hodgson
Sopita Sritawan
Andra Roston
Edwin Cruden
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
14
Doing Social Research with Statistics
Doing Social Research with Statistics
Secretraies
Course
Sustainable Development 1a
Sustainable Development 2a
651 3060 [email protected]
Edwin Cruden
G.04/
5
CMB
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Course
Tel No.
E-mail
Office
organiser
651
Isabelle Darmon
[email protected] 6.27 CMB
1574
651
Isabelle Darmon
[email protected] 6.27 CMB
1574
Amelia Hodgson
Sustainable Development Course
Secretaries
Sopita Sritawan
Andra Roston
651
3060
G.04/5
CMB
[email protected]
Edwin Cruden
Course
SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES
Course
Tel No.
organiser
South Asian Studies 2a
Crispin Bates
650 3765
[email protected]
1.23
WR
Wing
South Asian Studies 2b
Crispin Bates
650 3765
[email protected]
1.23
WR
Wing
South Asian Studies Course Secretaries
Elaine Khennouf
Ewen Miller
Claire Moggie
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
Course
COURSES WITHIN STIS
Course
Tel No.
organiser
E-mail
E-mail
Office
Office
Science and Society 1b
Lawrence Dritsas
650 4011
[email protected]
Old
Surgeons’
Hall, High
School
Yards
History of Science 1
John Henry
650 4262
[email protected]
Chisholm
House
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
15
Technology in Society 2
Robin Williams
650 6387
[email protected]
Old
Surgeons’
Hall, High
School
Yards
651 3060
[email protected]
G.04/5
CMB
Amelia Hodgson
STIS Course Secretaries
Sopita Sritawan
Andra Roston
Edwin Cruden
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
16
Appendix 2: SSPS School-wide Tutorial Rates
Individuals employed in tutor roles are offered a formal contract of employment (hereafter, “HR contract”),
issued with a statement of terms and conditions of employment (appropriate to grade) and paid through
the University’s main payroll. Newly issued HR contracts will guarantee a number of hours to be paid for
contributions in the forthcoming academic year i.e. semester 1 and semester 2. That number of hours may
be subsequently revised upwards. Any such revisions would be the subject of a subsequent letter from
the School, rather than a revised HR contract. The HR contract will indicate the grade and title of the post
and stipulate the hourly rate to be paid plus the additional percentage to be paid in lieu of holiday
entitlement.
•
You will be paid monthly retrospectively by direct transfer to your Bank or Building Society
account. Hours worked in October, for example, will be paid in November, and so on.
•
Payments are made on the 28th of the month unless this falls on the weekend or Bank Holiday
th
when payment is normally made on the last working day prior to the 28 .
•
You will be paid at the current salary scale grade UE06 with multipliers attached (see below) per
contact hour, as relevant. In addition, you will get a 15.3% holiday pay allowance and therefore will not
accumulate any Annual Leave days on your tutoring post. For links to pay scales within the University of
Edinburgh please follow
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/human-resources/pay-reward/pay/pay-scales
•
For each HR contract an incremental advance takes effect within the relevant scale, subsequent
to each year’s fulfilment of responsibilities within that contract.
•
The guaranteed hours include time for preparation, marking and feedback for each group you
undertake and already reflect the application of the multiplier as applied to the contact hours, where
applicable. You may of course be paid more than the guaranteed hours stipulated on the contract
depending on the number of tutor groups you undertake each week, number of exam scripts that are
marked, attend essential meetings such as training and induction etc. Payment rates are listed below.
•
Senior tutors’ guaranteed hours are based on actual class size for the semester and the numbers
of hours to be paid are listed in the table below. You may be paid for additional hours if you are also
undertaking tutoring responsibilities.
•
Timesheets for each tutor are prepared by the relevant secretary and are sent to Payroll each
month. The secretary looking after your timesheet (details below) will contact you to let you know when it
is ready for signing.
•
Payslips are sent to tutors via the School, which is the normal practice for staff in the University.
•
If you are a Tier 4 visa student you must ensure that you do not exceed the permitted number of
hours allowed by your visa (for work both at and out with the University) and report any concerns as soon
as possible to relevant staff.
•
If you know you are going to be unavoidably absent on the day you are holding tutorials, please
inform your course convenor (and senior tutor where applicable) and arrange for a colleague to cover your
tutorial group. Please also let the secretary looking after your timesheet know the dates and reason for
your absence. You should also ensure that the cover tutor is adequately briefed in advance and remind
them to note students’ attendance and participation.
•
If you are on sickness leave on a day on which contact hours are scheduled, you would receive
payment in relation to those contact hours, as permitted within the provisions of the relevant University
policy:
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
17
http://www.docs.csg.ed.ac.uk/HumanResources/Policies/Absence_Management-Policy.pdf
The Policy clarifies where medical certification would be required – generally, where such instances
involve an absence from the workplace of longer than seven calendar days (irrespective of the number of
days, within that range, on which contact hours were scheduled).
Payment Rates 2014/15 *
Category
Hours Allocated / Notes
Tutorials
2 hours per Tutorial group meeting - including
preparation and administration, but not including
marking of essays or exams. Where a course
requires that the Tutor provide marks on Tutorial
participation, an additional 2 hours per group will be
reported for payment at the course’s end.
Items of Assessment
Of less than 1,500 words
20 minutes
1,500 -2,000 words
30 minutes
2,500 -3,000 words
45 minutes
3,500 - 4,000 words
1 hour
Exam Script Marking
30 minutes per script, including all questions. Not
including Take-Home Exams.
“Office Hour” (for Tutors leading Yrs
1 & 2 groups)
1 hour per Tutor for each week in which Tutorials
take place, in recognition of post-tutorial
administration; see Note 8, below
Senior Course Tutor
See Appendix 2a
Course Convener
210 Hours
Required meetings and training
1 per contact hour
Lecture
6 per contact hour
Hons / MSc Dissertation Supervision
6 hours
Hons / MSc Dissertation Marking
4 hours
*This table describes the dominant categories and rates used for these purposes in SSPS. Social Work
applies some variants in respect of its Sessional Tutors, given the duties applying to those roles that are
unique within SSPS.
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
18
Notes
1.
“Assessment” includes essays and take-home exams, all of which are assumed to require
substantial feedback to students. The word-counts indicated in the above table correlate to the wordcounts as will be specified in the course guidance. If any assessment does not require feedback to
students, the Hours Allocated would be reduced from those specified above by 33%, except in the case of
Assessments of less than 1,500 words, where it is already assumed that feedback is not a significant
factor. The Exam Script Marking rate assumes that feedback is not required.
2.
Hours Allocated are the hours which would be paid in respect of specific contributions. All
Tutoring and Supplementary Teaching is contracted on the Grade UE06 section of the pay scale. At the
time of writing, the hourly rate at the base of UE06 is £14.40 ph. Tutors and other providers of
Supplementary Teaching receive an additional premium in lieu of holiday.
3.
Newly enhanced rates for marking as of 2014/15 (ie. hours allocated over and above the previous
“standard” rate) are in relation to evolving SSPS policies regarding feedback as received by Tutees, and
are provided in recognition of Tutor time required for this work. In addition to this measure, training and
development provision for Tutors as of 2014/15 will include new focus on the academic and time
management skills conducive to Tutors’ provision of feedback.
4.
As of 2014/15, the Honours rate for Tutoring “with marking” no longer attracts the “x 3” hours
multiplier which previously distinguished it from the “x2” rate applicable on Pre-Honours and Honours
(without marking) Tutoring; the newly discrete Marking rates apply to Honours as to Pre-Honours, which
means that [a] Honours Tutors will not be newly disadvantaged in terms of pay, and [b]will receive pay
correlating in volume to the work actually undertaken, with the rates recognising the different volume of
work required for the marking of longer assessments
5.
The Essay Marking Bonus is discontinued, given the introduction of discrete Marking rates
6.
Tutors would be expected to undertake mid-semester assessment work in respect of their Tutorial
Groups – that is, a Tutor with 3 groups would be automatically Allocated hours for marking in respect of
those groups. By the start of each semester, there may be scope for clarity on the number of groups each
Tutor will be undertaking in that semester, although equivalent clarity on the student numbers within those
groups, and hence the hours that will be allocated in respect of assessment, would not be possible before
the 3rd or 4th week of the semester concerned. Tutors would also be expected to be available to
contribute to the marking of exam scripts as required by the course organiser at semesters’ ends.
7.
Fundamentals sessions: where a Tutor is preparing for, and leading, a session in the way that
Course Tutors do, that session will be paid at 2 hours per contact hour. Where there is no such
responsibility to prepare for and lead a session, pay will be at 1 hour per contact hour.
8.
“Office Hours”: Post-Tutorial Administration
Tutors leading groups in Years 1 and 2 must be available to their Tutees on a weekly basis for contact
outside Tutorial hours, for purposes including answering emails, and in-person meetings as tutees may
request – for example, subsequent to the issue of feedback. Also within any given semester, Tutors are
required to contribute in attendance monitoring from their groups, on which the volume of work required
would be likely to be small, but irregular and unpredictable.
Historically, Years 1 & 2 post-Tutorial contact has occasionally been structured in terms of a weekly “office
hour”, during which a Tutor would be available to Tutees at a specified time and place. While the
provision of a physical “Office Hour” is not the only way this can be provided, we need our Tutors to
engage with Tutees, by email most usually but in person occasionally, on questions and issues which
cannot, be answered or resolved within the Tutorials themselves.
In recognition of “post-Tutorial” contributions by Years 1 and 2 Tutors, and therefore - in addition to the
Hours Guaranteed in respect of Tutorial preparation / delivery, assessment), as of 2014/15 - each Tutor
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
19
for Years 1 and/or 2 will have one additional Hour Guaranteed for Post-Tutorial Administration for each
week in which Tutorials take place.
APPENDIX 2a
Senior Course Tutors
Senior Course Tutor roles are often available on large Years 1 and 2 courses (of at least 50 students)
requiring co-ordination of multiple Tutors and Tutorial Groups. The Hours Allocated for these roles vary
according to the size of the course involved (please see Table, below).
Senior Course Tutors are answerable to the Convener and Secretary of the course to which he/she has
been appointed. The duties of the Senior Tutor will be to assist the Course Convener with the following
tasks, although the balance of responsibilities may vary from course to course:
1.
Advising on the recruitment of new tutors and arranging where necessary for emergency cover.
2.
Arranging training and providing support and advice to course tutors, including induction sessions;
the development and dissemination of tutorial ideas and practice; and guidance on marking and
assessment.
3.
Supporting the Course Secretary in organising tutorial times; ensuring rooms are suitable and the
appropriate number available; reviewing tutorial lists of students registered for the course and drawing any
discrepancies to the attention of the Course Convener.
4.
Collaborating with the teaching group and Course Convener in the preparation and distribution of
course materials; supporting the Course Secretary in revising and editing course handbooks; proofreading course handbook; and advising on the preparation of tutorial reading packs.
5.
Checking library holdings and web-based resources against readings listed in course handbook;
placing relevant items on reserve; notifying Convener of any missing materials and/or purchases needing
to be made.
6.
In conjunction with the Course Convener, organising meetings of tutors and liaising between
course tutors and the teaching group.
7.
Advising the Course Secretary when communicating with students and Personal Tutor / Student
Support contact on behalf of the Course Convener, especially in relation to registration, non-attendance
and failure to complete coursework.
8.
Liaising with the Course Secretary over assessment submissions; checking and chasing up nonsubmissions.
9.
Contributing to management of the assessment process, including preparation of a timetable for
marking, moderating and returning essays; arranging double-marking pairs; and calling meetings to check
and discuss marks prior to return of essays.
10.
Compiling a list of students who have failed to complete the work of the course, in time for
convener to issue warning letters to defaulters.
11.
Collating and analysing completed course evaluation questionnaires; compiling quantitative tables
and lists of qualitative comments to assist convener with preparation of the audit report.
12.
Assisting with the preparation and upload of web-based teaching materials.
13.
Informing Administrative Secretary responsible for tutor contracts, of attendances at meetings of
course tutors.
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
20
14.
Other appropriate responsibilities, as agreed with the Course Convener.
Class Numbers
50-150
151-250
251-350
351-450
450+
SCT Hours Allocated
36
45
54
63
72
Secretarial Staff Dealing with Tutor Contracts
Karen Dargo – Room 1.03 CMB
Gillian Macdonald – Graduate School Office, CMB
Ruth Winkle – Room 1.11, CMB
Jane Marshall – Room 1.07, CMB
Course
Sociology year 1 & year 2
tutorials / Senior Course
Tutor payments/Honours
Statistical Literacy
Sociology course
assistance / exam marking
/ course convening
Social Anthropology year 1
& year 2 + Ethnography:
Theory and Practice /
Senior Course Tutor
payments/Honours
Social Anthropology course
assistance / exam marking
/ course convening
Sustainable Development
Senior Course Tutor
payments / exam marking
Canadian Studies 1 & year
2 tutorials / Senior Course
Tutor payments / exam
marking
Science and Society 1 &
year 2 tutorials / Senior
Course Tutor payments /
exam marking
Technology in Society 1 &
year 2 tutorials / Senior
Course Tutor payments /
exam marking
Scotland: Society and
Politics tutorials / Senior
Course Tutor payments /
exam marking
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
Secretary
Karen Dargo
Email
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Karen Dargo
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
21
South Asian Studies year 2
tutorials
Politics year 1 & year 2
tutorials / Senior Course
Tutor payments/Honours
Politics course assistance /
exam marking / course
convening/
Social Policy year 1 & year
2 tutorials / Senior Course
Tutor payments/Honours
Social Policy course
assistance / exam marking
/ course convening
Canadian Studies
Tutoring postgraduate
courses
Social Work
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
[email protected]
Ruth Winkle
Gillian
Macdonald
Jane Marshall
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
22
Appendix 3: Marking and Assessment
SSPS courses are usually assessed by a combination of coursework and examination. For years 1 and 2,
the normal assessment load is one piece of coursework (usually 1500 – 2000 words) and one two-hour
exam. The normal balance is coursework 40% and exam 60%, although there are exceptions to this.
Assessment practices are more variable at honours level, both between courses and between subject
areas. In most courses only lecturing staff, and not tutors, mark the degree examinations; check your
specific course guidance or ask your course organiser.
Tutors are generally expected to mark and provide feedback on any items of assessment: coursework,
essays, group presentations, exams, or dissertations. Most courses and subject areas have specific
forms and criteria to ensure consistency of approaches to marking and feedback; all of these should
conform to both University-wide and School-wide procedures.
1. Marking Descriptors
To make your job easier and to ensure consistency, tutors are asked in some courses to use a standard
feedback form; you should consult your course-specific guidance for more information. There is also a
common marking scheme that is used by both lecturers to assess work in all SSPS courses to which this
Manual applies. Marks must be allocated following the University-wide Common Marking Scheme. SSPS,
like all other Schools, specifies its own set of ‘Marking Descriptors’ to match the University-wide grades.
You must ensure that you follow those descriptors in allocating marks and making comments, so that
there are no serious discrepancies between your comments and the School-wide descriptors that match
the marks you give. For example, the descriptor for a B grade essay is ‘A very good answer that shows
qualities beyond the merely routine or acceptable’, so you must not award a B if your comments describe
the essay in general as merely ‘satisfactory’ or ‘routine’ rather than ‘very good’.
It is University policy that markers are encouraged to write some comments directly onto students’
coursework and essays, but markers must NOT write on exam scripts as external examiners need to see
uncontaminated scripts. It is usually advisable to keep comments written directly on essays short, and to
cross-refer where applicable to overall comments on a feedback sheet.
Many courses and subject areas use a standard feedback form for marking essays. If there is a standard
form with a tickbox list of criteria, this is likely to reduce the amount that you need to say in your overall
comments.
Whether or not there is a standard form, it is always good practice to ensure that your comments include
attention to:
 Specific strengths
 Specific weaknesses
 Ways this essay could have been improved
It is also good to ensure that your evaluation of strengths and weaknesses gives consideration to:
 analytical and evaluative skills (interpretation, logic of argument, justification, etc.)
 knowledge (accuracy and scope); and
 communicative writing skills (clarity of writing, structuring, use of diagrams, etc.)
It is very important that when you comment on an essay, you specifically address the essay in question.
While general feedback remarks are easiest to dispense, they do little to help students understand what is
wrong with this particular essay. Be as pointed as possible, including page numbers and specific
examples when possible
The common marking scheme, as outlined below, serves as a guide to both staff and students about what
is normally expected of work receiving a particular grade, and is reproduced in most course handbooks. It
Tutors’ Manual 2014/15
23
is also available on the School webpages at:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/marking_descriptors
A1 (90-100%) An answer that fulfils all of the criteria for ‘A2’ (see below) and in addition shows an
exceptional degree of insight and independent thought, together with flair in tackling issues, yielding a
product that is deemed to be of potentially publishable quality, in terms of scholarship and originality.
A2 (80-89%) An authoritative answer that provides a fully effective response to the question. It should
show a command of the literature and an ability to integrate that literature and go beyond it. The analysis
should achieve a high level of quality early on and sustain it through to the conclusion. Sources should be
used accurately and concisely to inform the answer but not dominate it. There should be a sense of a
critical and committed argument, mindful of other interpretations but not afraid to question them.
Presentation and the use of English should be commensurate with the quality of the content.
Example: This is an exceptionally well-written essay. While you could have drawn more
substantially on the Romanian case and could have fleshed out the discussion on the failure of
symbols as relates to civic identity more clearly, a focused answer is given showing your
commendable authority on the subject. Regarding sources, you neglect Wright and would have
benefited from more use of works by Clausen and Henderson rather than merely relying on Jones
for their points of view. However, this answer is stylistically strong, there is a good layout and you
clearly understand the question. There is a strong engagement with the literature. The essay
reads well, has strong transitions and carries a clear argument throughout. Also of note is good
referencing and grammar, making this essay easily assessable to readers. [This essay received an
82]
A3 (70-79%) A sharply-focused answer of high intellectual quality, which adopts a comprehensive
approach to the question and maintains a sophisticated level of analysis throughout. It should show a
willingness to engage critically with the literature and move beyond it, using the sources creatively to
arrive at its own independent conclusions.
Example: You start by giving me a good bibliography which provides a foundation for in-depth
literary analysis and critical engagement with the literature. This leads to strong, persuasive
content. Unfortunately, you have a few factual errors which consistently take away from what is
otherwise a strong essay; see page 3 and information on binge drinking and page 8 regarding traffic
violations. Nonetheless, you conclusively discussed the state, welfare and policy initiatives, though
you have a slight tendency to rely too much on quotes. This is a well-conceived essay of which you
should be very proud. [This essay received a 75]
B B- (60-63%) B (64-66%) B+ (67-69%) A very good answer that shows qualities beyond the merely
routine or acceptable. The question and the sources should be addressed directly and fully. The work of
other authors should be presented critically. Effective use should be made of the whole range of the
literature. There should be no significant errors of fact or interpretation. The answer should proceed
coherently to a convincing conclusion. The quality of the writing and presentation (especially referencing)
should be without major blemish. Within this range a particularly strong answer will be graded B+; a more
limited answer will be graded B-.
Example: A good answer. This author has an understanding of the question and can write fluidly.
Some sincere thought and analysis has gone into this essay. Unfortunately, too much time in the
beginning of this essay has been used discussing how the question is ‘hard, near impossible’ to
answer (see pages 2-4); this cuts significantly into a word count that could have used a stronger
persuasive element throughout. Similarly, though the information about Canada is nominally
persuasive, the example of Cambodia is not and the author would have done well to express this
case more substantially. This essay occasionally lacks purpose and a sense of progression.
However, there is a critical analysis of the literature and the broad range of sources are used well.
[This essay received a 62]
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C C- (50-53%) C (54-56%) C+ (57-59%) A satisfactory answer with elements of the routine and
predictable. It should be generally accurate and firmly based in the reading. It may draw upon a restricted
range of sources but should not just re-state one particular source. Other authors should be presented
accurately, if rather descriptively. The materials included should be relevant, and there should be
evidence of basic understanding of the topic in question. Factual errors and misunderstandings of
concepts and authors may occasionally be present but should not be a dominant impression. The quality
of writing, referencing and presentation should be acceptable. Within this range a stronger answer will be
graded C+; a weaker answer will be graded C-.
Example: You show from the outset that you have a basic understanding of the topic suggested by
the question. The primary concern with this essay is the lack of relation to theory. There should
have been a strong discussion here of realism, neo-realism and neo-liberalism which was absent.
The writing style is choppy and often lacks clarity. Basic grammar mistakes are highlighted by an
overly informal tone. Nonetheless, you clearly have a good grasp of the question and attempt to
give a direct answer. [This essay received a 53]
D D- (40-43%) D (44-46%) D+ (47-49%) A passable answer which understands the question, displays
some academic learning and refers to relevant literature. The answer should be intelligible and in general
factually accurate, but may well have deficiencies such as restricted use of sources or academic
argument, over-reliance on lecture notes, poor expression, and irrelevancies to the question asked. The
general impression may be of a rather poor effort, with weaknesses in conception or execution. It might
also be the right mark for a short answer that at least referred to the main points of the issue. Within this
range a stronger answer will be graded D+; a bare pass will be graded D-.
Example: This is a passable answer. You have an acceptable understanding of the question and
have shown that you have a nominal familiarity with the relevant literature (Blount 2010, Richmond
1998 particularly). You do give examples to support your key points (the use of knives as street
weapons, Cheshire and water purity); however, these examples lack connection to the question and
only a minimal amount of analysis. Generally, your essay lacks structure and purpose. While the
grammar is acceptable, a poor referencing style and an overly informal tone make this essay hard
to follow. In the future, better referencing and a stronger interaction with the question at hand would
go far in helping you receive a better mark. [This essay received a 47]
E (30-39%) An answer with evident weaknesses of understanding but conveying the sense that with a
fuller argument or factual basis it might have achieved a pass. It might also be a short and fragmentary
answer with merit in what is presented but containing serious gaps.
Example: My primary concerns with this essay are a seeming misunderstanding of the topic and
the difference between member states and the institution of the WTO. This confusion is most easily
highlighted in the examples used. While use has been made of them, they are generally poor
examples. On the whole, member states have a strong role in WTO trade policies, while their role
in security policy is weaker, a point clearly misunderstood by the author. You would do well to
remember that simply because a state is affected by a policy does not make them influential in
shaping that policy (see pages 3, 5 and 6). It is also vital that you revisit this works cited page and
make the necessary corrections. In short, greater attention to factual accuracy and critical analysis
would have achieved a pass. [This essay received a 38]
F (20-29%) An answer showing seriously inadequate knowledge of the subject, with little awareness of
the relevant issues or literature, major omissions or inaccuracies, and pedestrian use of inadequate
sources.
G (10-19%) An answer that falls far short of a passable level by some combination of short length,
irrelevance, lack of intelligibility, factual inaccuracy and lack of acquaintance with reading or academic
concepts.
H (0-9%) An answer without any academic merit which usually conveys little sense that the course has
been followed or of the basic skills of essay-writing.
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Please Note: In this system, the vast bulk of marks tend to fall well below 80 and well above 30, but you
can and should mark outside this range if you think it is appropriate after consulting the grading criteria.
The most important thing is to try to use the full range of marks as much as possible to discriminate
between different levels of student performance. It may be helpful to decide first to which class a piece of
work belongs, and then adjust up or down from there. Borderlines are always difficult. Logically, the
scheme assumes that you develop a sense of what mid-grades (75, 65, 55, 45, and 35) really stand for. A
2:1 with slight weaknesses is therefore 62-63; one about which you have reservations is just 60; a good
2:2 is 58-59. By the same token, a straightforward or clear first should be marked at, say, 75 or above, not
just 70-72.
For more on general assessment policies in SSPS see:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/general_assessment_policies
In this system, the vast bulk of marks tend to fall well below 80 and well above 30, but you can and should
mark outside this range if you think it is appropriate after consulting the grading criteria. The most
important thing is to try to use the full range of marks as much as possible to discriminate between
different levels of student performance.
It may be helpful to decide first to which class a piece of work belongs, and then adjust up or down from
there. Borderlines are always difficult. Logically, the scheme assumes that you develop a sense of what
mid-grades (75, 65, 55, 45, and 35) really stand for. A 2:1 with slight weaknesses is therefore 62-63; one
about which you have reservations is just 60; a good 2:2 is 58-59. By the same token, a straightforward or
clear first should be marked at, say, 75 or above, not just 70-72.
In order to pass first and second year courses, students must pass the exam and gain a pass mark overall
for the course (i.e. 40%), but do not necessarily have to attain a pass mark on the coursework element.
2. Double Marking and Moderation
A sample of coursework essays is routinely double-marked during the year, usually by your course
organiser, who may also examine the spread of marks across the course as a whole (as most courses
have multiple tutors). Double-marking and moderation are intended to reassure teaching staff, students,
and external examiners that appropriate standards are being applied across the course. Please remember
that the final authority on individual students’ marks – for both coursework and exams – is the Board of
Examiners, made up of the lecturers and External Examiner. The specific arrangements for doublemarking and moderation vary between different courses; please seek specific guidance from your course
organiser and/or Senior Course Tutor (if applicable).
Students may want additional comments and advice on their coursework, where appropriate. If a student
wants to discuss their coursework further (or is concerned about their mark and/or coursework
comments), they should contact their tutor in the first instance. If, after discussion, the student is not
satisfied, you should refer the student to the course organiser. Students should be aware that if they ask
for a mark to be reviewed, and this request is granted, the mark could be revised either upwards or
downwards.
3. Plagiarism
The University treats plagiarism as a serious offence and this is reflected in the elaborate mechanisms
employed for checking whether or not it occurs and in the seriousness of the penalties occurred should it
be found. It is important therefore that you discuss plagiarism with your students by creating opportunities
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for them to check exactly what it means to plagiarise and how they can avoid it and to endorse the
seriousness of deliberately cheating.
The processes by which students’ work is checked and cases of suspected plagiarism are dealt with and
penalised are as follows:
Each piece of coursework a student submits must be accompanied by a statement by the student
confirming that they understand what plagiarism is, and the consequences if it is detected in their work.
This takes the form of a box that must be ‘ticked’ at the point of electronic submission. Remind your
students that the School uses the Turnitin plagiarism detection system for all undergraduate essays.
Turnitin compares every essay against a constantly-updated database, which highlights all plagiarised
work. This system checks student essays against the web overnight, and produces a report for each
essay indicating the amount of material it has in common with other sources (including the other student
essays submitted along with it). Due to shared titles and bibliographic sources, all essays will show some
level of duplication. Markers must make a judgement about what level of duplication warrants closer
scrutiny to see if the essay does involve plagiarism.
If you suspect that any coursework contains plagiarised material, please contact your course organiser in
the first instance. Serious cases of plagiarism will be forwarded by the course organiser to the College
Academic Misconduct Officer who handles further investigation, interviews the student and decides
whether to refer the case as a disciplinary matter.
While you may never come across a serious case of plagiarism, you are likely to come across several less
serious cases of poor scholarship; for example, you are likely to come across an essay where an
unacceptably high proportion of the essay is direct quotations and/or paraphrases of course readings or
lecture notes, some of which may not be properly attributed. It is important to be clear in making students
aware that these practices are unacceptable and that this is reflected in the mark.
Guidance about plagiarism is given at:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/plagiarism_procedures
In addition, you may want to be familiar with these pages, which provide helpful information for students
on ‘What Is Plagiarism and How To Avoid It’:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad/on_course_students/on_being_a_student/what_is_plagiarism
4. Coursework Regulations and Procedures
SSPS has moved to electronic submission for all course work. Further guidance for students and staff is
on the Wiki at https://www.wiki.ed.ac.uk/display/SPSITWiki/ELMA.
Essays received by the deadline are distributed to tutors shortly thereafter (usually by the Course
Secretary). Essays submitted after the deadlines are distributed to tutors as they arrive by the Course
Secretary; the Course Secretary will indicate the submission date and time. Emphasize to your students
that there is no grace period for coursework deadlines, i.e. for a 12 pm deadline, a piece of work handed
in at 12.05 pm would be treated as late. The standard penalty for late submission of coursework is five
marks per working day (i.e. excluding weekends and University holidays) for up to five days. Work handed
in more than five days late will not be assessed, and a mark of zero will be recorded. On year 1 and 2
courses, there is also a penalty for excessive word length: one mark will be deducted for every additional
20 words over the limit. Students must provide a word count on their coursework cover sheet.
Extension policies vary between year 1 and 2 courses and honours courses. On year 1 and 2 courses, if
there is a good reason for not meeting a coursework deadline, a student may request an extension from
either their tutor (for extensions of up to five working days) or the course organiser (for extension of six or
more working days). A good reason is illness, or serious personal circumstances, but not pressure of work
or poor time management. Supporting evidence may be requested. Extension requests should normally
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be made before the deadline. If you decide to grant an extension request, you must send an email to your
Course Secretary indicating your support for the request. Please consult your specific course guidance for
more information on the procedure for granting extension requests in the courses you are teaching on.
In honours courses, tutors do not grant extension requests. Instead, honours students who submit work
after the deadline must fill in a ‘Lateness Penalty Waiver (LPW) Form’ (which are available through
student support officers) stating the reason for the request. The form should be submitted as soon as
possible, preferably before the deadline in question. However, students should always submit an LPW
form when work is late, even if they are unable to submit the form until after the missed deadline.
For more on SSPS coursework policies, see:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/intranet/teaching/info_ug_teaching/index
You may also want to be familiar with SSPS student web pages concerning coursework requirements:
http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad/on_course_students/assessment_and_regulations
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Appendix Four – Staff Guidance October 2013 on Improving Feedback
Improving Feedback in SSPS
The purpose of this document is to outline minimum expectations for feedback provided to undergraduate
and postgraduate students. While there are many great examples within the School of constructive and
pedagogically valuable feedback, there have also been instances of poor or inadequate feedback
practice. With these brief guidelines we hope to get everybody on the same page as to what best practice
is. The implementation of ELMA will now allow course conveners and senior tutors to review all feedback
before it is returned to students.
The following key principles are worth bearing in mind:

Formative
All courses within the College are now required to include a component of formative assessment.
In other words, the feedback we give should include a clear indication of how the student’s work
can be improved in future. This aspect of feedback is sometimes referred to as ‘feedforward’, i.e.
feedback which is explicitly directed at improving student performance later on in the course, and
in the degree more generally.

Constructive
It should probably go without saying that all feedback should be constructive, but please
remember that there is little place for sarcasm in feedback. It’s as important to point out where
students went right as to where they went wrong.

Consistent
Different kinds of assessment obviously require different kinds of feedback, but it is essential that
students receive consistent feedback for the same assessment. We cannot have one student
receiving two sentences of feedback, and another two pages of feedback, for the same
assessment.

Prompt
The university requires all assessed work to be returned within 15 working days. If feedback is to
be properly moderated (and then processed by the UTO/GSO before being released to students)
then it needs to be marked within 10 working days, i.e. two weeks from when it was handed in. A
list of dates by which students are due to receive feedback will be made available to all students.
If this deadline is missed, the course convener will be required to email the students explaining
why.
Extensive guidance on good feedback practice can be found at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schoolsdepartments/institute-academic-development/learning-teaching/staff/advice/assessment
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Appendix Five – Staff Guidance November 2013 on Moderation
SPS Guidelines on Undergraduate Marking and Moderation
These guidelines outline key ways in which we ensure that our marking is fair and consistent. They cannot
cover every possible eventuality and all those involved in the marking and moderation process will
therefore need to exercise their judgment when anomalous issues arise. For further information, please
refer to the full university guidance on moderation which can be found at:
http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/AcademicServices/Guidance/Moderation_Guidance.pdf
Key responsibilities
Exams convenor
The exams convenor is responsible for ensuring that moderators have been identified for all courses
within a subject area and that a rigorous system of moderation is in place. They are also responsible for
ensuring that marking and moderation take place within the specified time frame.
Course convenor
In some cases (usually Honours courses), the course convenor will also be a marker whose work is
moderated by somebody else. In other cases (usually First and Second year courses), the course
convenor will moderate work marked by others. In both of these cases, final responsibility lies with the
course convenor to ensure that moderation has taken place, that original markers have been notified of
any adjustments, and that the course team in the UTO has been informed that all coursework has been
fully marked and moderated and is now ready for release to students.
NB. It is the responsibility of the course convenor to oversee the recording of any changes implemented
by the moderator. The moderator should inform the marker of any changes made to the original marks,
but they should NOT, except in exceptional circumstances, return work to markers to be remarked. The
course convenor’s confirmation of moderation should be the final step in the process before marks are
returned to the UTO.
Marker
The marker is responsible for marking accurately and fairly, and for providing adequate and appropriate
feedback.
Moderator
The moderator is responsible for moderating a specific piece of assessment and then notifying the Course
Convenor and original marker of any necessary adjustments.
Types of Moderation
Checking
If a piece of assessment counts for a relatively low proportion of the overall mark and full moderation is
not possible or appropriate, then the assessment is “checked” rather than moderated. Checking means
that the course convenor ensures a standard spread of marks and ensures that appropriate comments
have been provided. Tutorial participation would usually fall into this category. Only in exceptional cases
would a moderator make any adjustments when “checking” an assessment.
Normal moderation
Normally, moderation would involve looking at a sample of coursework, all fails, and any problematic
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cases. This should normally comprise approximately 25% of the total. It should include:
 at least one example of work in each of the ranges 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and above;
 all other fail marks
 any other uncertain or problematic cases on which the first marker would like a second opinion.
Sample marks should not usually be changed in isolation, as this is potentially unfair both to students
whose work was selected and to those whose work was not. If a moderator should disagree significantly
with the mark awarded to a piece of work provided as an example of a range, they should moderate all the
work in that range (or, for very large courses, a sufficient proportion to enable a confident judgment to be
reached). Should the moderator have concerns about the whole sample such that rescaling would be
appropriate, this should be discussed with the first marker/Course Convenor, and if necessary additional
second marking done to confirm this.
NB. Throughout the process, small differences of opinion between first and second markers are common.
Minor disagreements should result in no further action.
Throughout, the student’s anonymity must be maintained and work identified only by the student number
provided.
Normal Sequence of Marking and Moderation
The following sequence must ensure that work is returned to students within 15 working days. In most
cases, this means around 10 days for marking, 3 days for moderation, and 2 days for final processing by
the UTO. NB. This is the “normal” sequence; there will inevitably be some exceptions, such as
dissertations, for example.

The relevant course secretary will indicate to markers when work is ready to be marked.

Mark all work, and ensure that marks and comments are consistent with the Common
Marking Scheme (CMS) mark descriptors.

Once marking has been completed, the relevant marked materials should be made available
to the moderator (or moderators).

The moderator reviews the grade distribution, undertakes a review of a sample of marks, and
checks feedback, ensuring that marking is consistent, that marks and comments accord with
the CMS, and that comments are clear and helpful.

In large courses with several moderators, the course convenor will review the moderation
process to ensure consistency.

First markers and moderators should ensure that the mark on the feedback sheet matches
that on the final marks spreadsheet.

Markers should review a sample of Turnitin reports for the submitted work, focussing on
reports flagged as a high percentage attributable to other sources.

Finally, the course convenor should contact the relevant course secretary, via email,
indicating that marks are ready to be released to students.
[This document is based on guidance written by Nick Prior and Liz Stanley for Sociology, and by Luke
March and Richard Freeman for the Graduate School]
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