Dept. of Psychological Sciences. BSc Psychology. Handbook. 3-Year Full-Time Programme

Transcription

1 Dept. of Psychological Sciences BSc Psychology Handbook 3-Year Full-Time Programme

2 Contents Introduction Welcome from Director of Undergraduate Studies 5 Programme of Study Aim and learning outcomes 6 Overall structure 6/7/8 BSc Regulations 9 Core, compulsory and optional modules 9 Modules needed to complete an award 10 Progression 10 Break in Studies 10 Timetable 11 Term Dates 2012/13 12 Programme General Contacting students 13 Cancelled lectures 13 Teaching and Learning Teaching methods 14/15 Attendance 15 Independent Private Study 16 Academic Support 16 Guidance on Essay writing 16/17 2

3 Assessment Examination and module confirmation 18 Exam Dates 18 Past Exam Papers 18 Exam techniques 19 Coursework guidance on presentation of work 19 Marking criteria 19 Submission Deadlines 19/20 Mitigating circumstances 21 Plagiarism policy 22/23 Referencing Results 26 Failure and reassessment of module 27 Number of attempts permitted 27 Appeals procedure 28 Completion of Award Programme requirements Award Scheme 31/32 Feedback Mechanisms for providing feedback 33 Student Staff Exchange 33/34 Student Support Services Student Centre 35 Personal Tutor System 35/36 Academic Support 36 College Study Skills Support 37 Disability Finance 42/43 Student Union 44 Counselling 45 Health 45 Careers 46 Catering 47/48 Learning Resources IT Library inc E-Learning Moodle 55 3

4 Accreditation and Further study British Psychological Society and Graduate Basis for 56 Chartered Membership Birkbeck Psychological Society 57 Department of Psychological Sciences Location 58 Key contacts Advice, Support and Complaints Appendix Module Outlines Assignment Cover Sheet 80 Marking Criteria 81 Essay Feedback Form 82/83 *Please note that the contents of this handbook may change during the academic year. For the most up to date version, see Moodle. 4

5 INTRODUCTION FOR NEW STUDENTS Welcome from Director of Undergraduate Studies On behalf of all the staff of the Department of Psychological Science may I welcome you to Birkbeck. This booklet contains a great deal of valuable information on the department, its staff, the content of the courses you will be following and the timetable, assessment arrangements, and many other useful bits and pieces. Keep it close! You have come to our department to pursue a BSc honours degree in Psychology. The course, accredited by the British Psychological Society, can lead to a variety of careers in psychology, besides being fascinating in its own right. It is worth pointing out, even at this stage, that the first year often sets the tone for your performance over the whole course, so aim for a good degree from day one. This Summer 42 out of 76 finalists received firsts (11) or upper seconds (31). A second class honours degree, preferably an upper second, is the pathway to postgraduate courses. Besides teaching, the academic staff of the department are also heavily involved in research and on pages 13 and 14 you will find a list of academic staff and their research interests. In the last nationwide Research Assessment Exercise this department was rated as 5', the second highest rank, fifth in the UK. This was a considerable achievement for a medium-sized department in a mediumsized college, and means that during the course you will have the opportunity to interact with psychologists working at the forefront of their fields. The final point I want to mention is your responsibilities on the course. Doing a degree course at Birkbeck is difficult, with pressures from college, work, and home. Our aim is to provide high-quality education which will enable you to fulfill your potential, but we also realise that problems can arise which make this difficult. Students are allocated a Personal Tutor and at least once per term you will be invited to discuss progress (of course you can meet more frequently if necessary) and we also monitor attendance and coursework. We will contact you if attendance, for instance, is patchy, but it is far easier if you contact us if you see problems developing. Talking to your Personal Tutor and/or Learning Coordinator (or any other member of staff if it is more convenient) can often nip problems in the bud, and prevent them escalating out of control. You will also have opportunities to comment on the courses you follow, and student representatives sit on the Student-Staff Exchange Committee where matters relating to teaching and examining are discussed. Your responsibilities are to keep up with the course, to do as well as you are able, to seek advice and help when necessary, and to offer constructive suggestions if you feel aspects of the courses could be improved. The course is intensive, but we also hope it is stimulating and, most importantly, that you enjoy your time in the Department of Psychological Science. Simon Green, Director of Undergraduate Studies 5

6 PROGRAMME OF STUDY AIMS This degree aims to equip you with a knowledge and critical appreciation of contemporary psychological theory and research. Although the scientific nature of contemporary psychology is emphasised, the degree also covers non-experimental approaches. If you wish to pursue a career in psychology - perhaps in academic psychology or in applied areas such as educational, clinical or occupational psychology - or if you have a keen interest in psychology as a science, this degree will be suitable for you. 6

7 Overall Structure Modules in the first year deal with the foundational aspects of psychology. You will explore in depth a range of core areas in the second and third years. In your final year, you will select modules from a range of options, carry out a supervised research project and attend modules in Critical Analysis and The History and Philosophy of Psychology. The following are the full range of modules, with module code and credit, that make up the BSc Psychology: Year 1 - all compulsory modules: General Foundations of Psychology (PSYC030S4) 30 credits Psychobiology (PSYC048H4) 15 credits Introduction to Research Methods (SCPS154S4) 30 credits Developmental Psychology (PSYC030S4) 15 credits Psychobiology II (PSYC044H5) 15 credits Year 2 - all compulsory modules: Research Methods (PSYC063S5) 30 credits Social Psychology (PSYC067S5) 30 credits Individual Differences (PSYC068S5) 30 credits Perception, Attention and Performance (PSYC045H6) Language (PSYC034H6) 15 credits 7

8 Year 3 Compulsory Modules: Advanced Research Methods (PSYC011H6) 15 credits Memory and Cognition (PSYC036H6) 15 credits Critical Analysis (PSYC025S6) 30 credits History and Philosophy of Psychology (PSYC076S6) 30 credits Year 3 Core Modules: Project (PSYC046S6) 30 credits Year 3 -Compulsory Psychological Options: Students choose one module from the Autumn term and one from the Spring term, or select certain combinations of modules which will allow them to take both optional modules in either the Autumn or Spring terms. Autumn Term Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (PSYC069H6) 15 credits Health Psychology (PSYC031H6) 15 credits Family Studies (PSYC028H6) 15 credits Theoretical Debates about Human Memory (SCPS151H6) 15 credits Spring Term Health Psychology (PSYC031H6) 15 credits Brain and Cognitive Development (PSYC019H6) 15 credits Genetics and Psychology (PSYC072H6) 15 credits Psychoanalysis (PSYC047H6) 15 credits Forensic Psychology: Sexuality, Psychology and the Law (SCPS001H6) 15 credits Plasticity, constraint, expertise and talent (SCPS153H6) 15 Credits Human Evolution and Evolutionary Psychology (TBA) 15 Credits N.B. Module outlines and descriptions are available in the appendices section of this handbook on pages Note that available optional modules may change from year to year. 8

9 Programme of Study BSc Regulations The BSc Psychology degree conforms to the Common Award Scheme. The degree is made up of 15 and 30 credit module totalling 360 credits required for the degree. Modules are assessed at Levels 4, 5 and 6 equating to the first, second and third year of a standard full-time degree.these are worked out as below: Module lasting 13 weeks or less = 0.5 course units = 15 credits Module lasting more than 13 weeks (normally the whole academic year) = 1.0 course unit = 30 credits The BSc is therefore made up of 12 course units, or 360 credits More on CAS regulations can be found at: The BSc Psychology Degree at Birkbeck Core, Compulsory and Optional Modules Years one and two of the BSc Psychology are composed of compulsory modules. These modules must be taken and passed in order to graduate, though regulations allow for compensated fails in certain situations. Students taking the final year of the BSc Psychology will take the following compulsory modules: PSYC025S6 Critical Analysis PSYC076S6 History and Philosophy of Psychology and the following core module: PSYC046S6 Project (This must be passed in order to graduate). In addition students will chose two Advanced Psychological Options; one to be taken in the autumn term; one in the spring term. These are listed on page 76. Students will be prompted by to select their Advanced Psychological Options in the summer term of their third year of study. 9

10 Modules Needed to Complete the BSc in Psychology Students must pass all core modules. They must also pass two Advanced Psychological option modules (or modules to the value of 120 points) to graduate. Progression Students may only take Research Methods (PSYC063S5) on the successful completion of Introduction to Research Methods SCPS154S4). Before being permitted to progress to Year 2, all first year students will be required to participate as a subject in psychological studies totalling 10 hours. Students may only take Advanced Research Methods (PSYC011H6) on successful completion of Research Methods (PSYC063S5). Students may only take Critical Analysis (PSYC025S6) or the Final Year Project (PSYC046S6) on successful completion of Advanced Research Methods (PSYC011H6) and all year 2 modules. Break In Studies Students who are unable to continue with the degree due to personal problems, can take a break-in-studies for up to two consecutive years. Students should the Administrator and the Learning Coordinator to request a break-in-studies. They should state the reason why they want a break-in-studies and the last date they attended a lecture. The Administrator will inform the registry of the student s decision confirm the break-in-studies by . 10

11 BSc Psychology Timetable 2012/13 Year 1 Module Code Module Title Terms Length Day of Week Time Type of Course Module Coordinator PSYC048H4 Psychobiology Autumn 7 Wednesday 6-7 & SCPS154S4 Introduction to Autumn 4 Wednesday Research Methods Spring Summer 4 PSYC0 30S4 General Foundations of Autumn 11 Thursday 6-7 Psychology Spring Summer PSYC026H5 Developmental Autumn 11 Friday 6-7 & Psychology PSYC044H5 Psychobiology II Spring 9 Friday 6-7 & Summer Year 2 PSYC063S5 Research Methods Autumn 11 Spring 11 Summer 4 PSYC067S5 Social Psychology Autumn Spring Summer PSYC068S5 Individual Differences Autumn Spring Summer PSYC045H6 Perception, Attention and Performance PSYC034H6 Language Spring Summer Year 3 PSYC0 Advanced Research 11H6 Methods PSYC036H6 Memory and Spring Cognition Summer PSYC025S6 Critical Analysis Autumn Spring Summer Lectures Lectures & Lab Lectures Seminars Lectures Lectures Lectures Lectures Monday 6-9 Lectures & Lab Thursday Tuesday 6-7 & & Autumn 11 Wednesday 6-7 & Wednesday 6-7 & Lectures Lectures Lectures Lectures Autumn 11 Thursday 6-9 Lectures & Lab 10 Thursday 6-7 & Lectures Monday 6-9 Lectures 7 & Lab 1 Dr Green Dr Meaburn Dr Green Dr Kirkham Dr Nicholls Dr Press Dr Eatough Dr Tasker Prof Eimer Dr Aydelott Dr Longo / Dr Smith Dr Davelaar Dr Shepherd Seminars PSYC046H6 Project Seminars Autumn 2 Monday 6-9 Seminars Prof Smith Option Autumn 11 Tuesday (Family Studies Wednesday) 6-7 & Lectures/ Seminars TBA Option Spring 11 Tuesday 6-7 & Lectures/ Seminars TBA PSYC076S6 History and Philosophy of Psychology Autumn 11 Friday 6-7 & Lectures Dr Green You can find the location of your lectures and seminars via your personalized timetable on your My Birkbeck profile page. 11

12 Term Dates 2012/13 Monday 1 October to Friday 14 December 2012 Monday 7 January to Friday 22 March 2013 Monday 22 April to Friday 5 July 2013 For holiday closures visit: 12

13 Programme General Contacting students The administrators in the Department will normally contact students by , using the address the College holds for you. It is therefore important that you provide an address you able to check regularly, and that you keep your personal information in your student profile updated via My Studies. Your lecturers will contact you individually via or using the Moodle Announcements page when communicating information to a large number of students. You should check you My Birkbeck profile page for your personalised timetable, and to check your module results in the summer. Cancellation of Lectures Occasionally, lectures are cancelled, due to staff illness or other unforeseen situation. Please check your and your My Birkbeck Profile (if possible) before you start your journey to Birkbeck College for your lecture, for announcements relating to your module(s). As soon as the Administrators have been informed that a lecture has been cancelled they will students and post amended details on their My Birkbeck Profiles. 13

14 Teaching and Learning Teaching Methods Formal lectures are used to give an overview of a particular field of study. These aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Lecturers are mainly the Academic Staff of the department, although some outside lecturers are also used. An introduction to the course will be given by the lecturer at your first lecture. A handout will usually be produced to accompany each lecture and is aimed at providing an outline of the lecture topic. Most handouts will be made available in a PDF or Powerpoint format after each lecture via Moodle. You should already have received a reading list via an from your administrator. Lecturers may also provide additional reading materials as the course progresses. Again, this will be via Moodle. Students will be assigned essays throughout the course. Most essays are mandatory, but students are advised to submit all essays, as they will receive feedback on all submissions, which will be valuable during the examination period. Revision sessions will take place, usually at the end of a course, or at the beginning of the Summer Term. Seminars in Year 1: provide opportunities for (i) directed reading, (ii) independently enquiring reading, (iii) discussion, (iv) organised writing, and (v) 'feedback' on one's writing by way of commentaries on essays. All five elements are essential to maximising the opportunities for learning that seminars and essay writing provide. Both reading and writing are essential. Reading is the more effective, the clearer the end in view. The object of some reading necessarily is the general one of acquiring an orientation to a topic, especially when the subject matter is new. Otherwise the more definite the objective and the purpose, the more appropriate selective reading can be. A question to be answered aids selection. Hence, for instance, the approach to a scientific article differs according to the emphasis in reading. It 14

15 may be on: (a) establishing the theoretical position of an author, for comparison with others; (b) criticising the conceptual basis of his/her position; (c) learning what inferences, as a matter of fact, he/she has drawn from their investigations; (d) examining the methodology of an inquiry and the relations between problems and plans of particular experiments; (e) examining the question of whether the plan, execution, data and data analysis support the inferences that have been drawn; (f) considering details of procedures and techniques with a view to adapting them for one's own use. Writing is essential for two reasons: (a) because writing puts one's organisation of a subject matter to the test, and (b) because feedback is possible only after the attempt to write has been made. Get it written; try to get it right as well, but certainly get it written. (c) It will ultimately help you in producing your final year project. Essays are an essential part of the learning process. Students will be required to write essays as part of the seminar programme. Seminars are an opportunity to participate in psychological discussion and also to get to know other people on the course. Students will be asked to give a presentation at some point in the seminar programme. Attendance Students are required to attend classes two evenings a week in Year 1 and three evenings a week in Years 2, 3, and 4. Attendance registers are taken at every class. When the register is passed around the class, students must sign their name. Students' attendance is recorded on a database so that it can be monitored. If a student misses three lectures or seminars in a row, they will be contacted by their administrator, who will offer help, or refer students to other agencies for assistance. If a student has not been able to attend their course module classes for a few weeks due to some difficulty, we suggest that they contact their Administrator to see if they can help in any way. 15

16 If possible, the student should also let them know when they expect to be able to attend classes again. The administrator may refer the student to their Personal Tutor, or the learning coordinator. The college understands that part-time students have heavy work and personal commitments and experience problems which may prevent them from attending classes from time to time. To ensure you and your peers have a rewarding learning experience in class students are asked to switch off their mobile phones, enjoy refreshments, and catch up with class mates before they come into class. Questions are welcome in class but lecturers will let students know when they will be taking questions. Independent Private Study Independent private study is a vital part of preparing for lectures and seminars, and following them up after class. The amount needed varies both with the topic being studied and with your own speed of work, but realistically you should plan to spend at least an hour in private study for each hour you spend in the classroom. Your Personal Tutor will be able to give you further advice if you feel this is needed. Academic Support Academic support is available to students from a range of sources. The College provides generic study skills courses which are publicised on the My Birkbeck home page. Study Skills support is also offered throughout the year by Birkbeck Students Union Psychology specific support is provided at and by the Learning Coordinator, Kirsty Rowan (k.rowan@bbk.ac.uk).students with special needs should contact the Disability Office to have their needs assessed and adjustments made if recommended (for further information see section on disability). Guidance on Essay Writing The following is an overview of essay writing, for more information contact the Learning Coordinator. 16

17 Content of an Essay An essay should: (a) Be selective of relevant evidence (rather than encyclopedic); (b) Develop logically in terms both of its structure and of its arguments; (c) Have a beginning, a middle and end. Essay beginning The beginning should be short. It should be addressed to the topic or question in three ways: it should: (a) State the problem to be discussed; (b) Indicate the sense of particular technical terms (rather than give formal definitions); (c) Distinguish the line of argument to be pursued and indicate the kinds of relevant evidence to be adduced. (It may also be appropriate to exclude explicitly lines of discussion which it is not intended to pursue). Essay middle The middle should develop the argument, citing the selected evidence. It may be necessary to refer to theoretical points of view, which may conflict. It may be necessary to refer to experimental findings. It will usually be necessary to do both. It may also be pertinent to include short accounts of how one or two experiments have been carried out by way of illustration, especially of methodological points. Tables and diagrams may be helpful. The objectives are to weigh the evidence, to evaluate the arguments and to reach logical conclusions (not to make statements of personal opinions, convictions or beliefs, still less of feelings). Evaluation is the opportunity for originality and inventive ideas. Essay end The end should follow from the beginning and the middle. It should refer to the problem and state the conclusions that follow from the argument, as definitely or as tentatively as may be appropriate. When the beginning and the middle have been well organised, the end will be implied by them. In writing and submitting essays, students should bear in mind the notes on plagiarism (please see the Assessment section of the Course Handbook). Feedback on essays will be provided using the Essay Feedback Form - see appendix, pages 82 and 83. This includes guidance for markers to consider in evaluating each dimension of the essay. 17

18 Assessment Examination and Module Confirmation Each academic year in December or January, you will receive an asking you to log on to your My Birkbeck Profile to confirm the modules you are taking are correct. Your list of modules should include all the modules you are taking in that academic year, not just those assessed by examination, but also those assessed by course-work, dissertation, project etc, as this will ensure the marks and grades you achieve are properly recorded and reported to you at the end of the year. You will need your Birkbeck ITS username and password to login. You will be also given the opportunity to notify us whether your require consideration for special examination arrangements for reason of health/disability, including dyslexia. You can also specify date(s) where religious authorities may prevent you from taking an examination, but please note although we will do our best, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to avoid such dates. It is important that you confirm your modules by the specified deadline, as the examination timetable is compiled from the student module records. We cannot guarantee to accommodate you for your examinations if you fail to confirm your modules by the given deadline. Exam Dates The majority of our examinations take place between 1 May and the end of June each year, although a small number take place outside this period (your academic department will inform you if this is the case). We would strongly advise you check your personalised examination timetable available on your My Birkbeck Profile page for the dates and timings of your examinations. 18

19 Past Exam Papers Exam papers from previous years are available for most modules on the BSc Psychology at Examination Technique Candidates for examinations are reminded that examiners set great store by clarity of expression, coherence of argument, and the use of supporting evidence. Students who have not taken examinations for some years will find it advantageous to practice writing examination answers under the appropriate time pressure. This also applies to students who have studied other disciplines which do not rely on essay type answers. Writing course essays is a good way of learning what psychology examiners expect all candidates to produce - structure of answer, extent and style of referencing the literature. Legibility of handwriting You are reminded that the legibility of your examination answers is important. You may be severely penalised if your answers are difficult to read. You should practice handwriting the answers to previous examination questions. Access to exam scripts by students Under college regulations, candidates will not be given access to their examination scripts under any circumstances. Marking Criteria All coursework and examinations will be marked in accordance with departmental or college marking criteria as appropriate. For more information, see appendix page 81. Submission Deadlines Your module convener will tell you the deadline for each piece of work that is set. The regulations governing assessment conform to the Common Award Scheme, details of which are available on the College website: 19

20 Key points to note are: Under the Common Award Scheme there are strict timetables for submitting coursework. There are two key dates: The first key submission date: work submitted by this date will be accepted without penalty. The second submission date: work submitted by this date but after the first submission date will be capped at the 40% pass mark unless mitigating circumstances apply. Work submitted after the second published deadline will receive a mark of 0%. Your module convener can advise you further. 20

21 Mitigating Circumstances If you feel that you have mitigating circumstances that affected your work and that you would like considered by the Sub-Board of Examiners, you should complete the appropriate form which can be downloaded from our website: circumstances.doc and submit it as soon as possible and before the second submission deadline. Please note: Not all mitigating circumstances may be considered valid. For a representative list of the kinds of mitigating circumstances that will be considered and those that won t, please visit our website: All valid mitigating circumstances will need to be supported with appropriate documentary evidence. If you are unable to submit one or more pieces of your coursework (or unable to attend and examination) due to mitigating circumstances you may apply for a deferral of the outstanding elements of your assessment. The completed mitigating circumstances form and documentary evidence should be submitted before the second submission deadline. You should note that mitigating circumstances will only be considered where there is clear evidence that the circumstances occurred in the short period leading to or at the time of the assessment. Please note that marks awarded are normally never changed. In exceptional circumstances marks may be raised by up to 2% to secure a pass where a student has marginally failed a piece of work if there is evidence that their performance was adversely affected by the mitigating circumstances where normally their performance is of a higher standard. Where a Sub-Board of Examiners judges that a student s performance was affected by mitigating circumstances the student will be offered the option of repeating that element of the assessment. This reassessment if taken up does not count as an attempt. 21

22 Plagiarism Policy The link below will take you to the Birkbeck Registry s information web pages on plagiarism. All coursework submitted will be put through the Turnitin plagiarism detection software. In preparing your coursework you will use a number of different sources: course materials (e.g. practical handouts) books, scientific papers, WWW sites and possibly conversations with other students and staff. All of these are necessary for the preparation of your assignment. However, it is essential that you always acknowledge your sources, supplying a full reference to authorship, e.g. name and year, and full details of the source. The marker of your assignment requires evidence of your understanding and effort. Borrowed material that is unacknowledged attracts no marks. Unacknowledged copying of text and/or ideas is called plagiarism, and YOU MUST NOT DO IT. You must ensure that all work you submit is entirely your own, unless you declare otherwise. Remember that plagiarism will incur severe penalties, which may include exclusion from your degree programme! There are two situations in which plagiarism commonly occurs: 1. Fraud. This applies when a student submits the written work of another person (who might be a fellow student) - in whole or part - as his/her own. Such fraud may occur with or without the authors consent, but having obtained the authors consent does not excuse the crime! Deception of this kind devalues the coursework of the perpetrator and is grossly unfair to his/her peers. Markers find this easy to spot as they keep some record of the coursework of past and present students. 2. Pirated text. This refers to copying (sometimes word for word) from a publication. Pirated text is not difficult to detect, for even if the marker does not know the source of the text (but often he/she will) the style of the plagiarised text betrays the fraud. The cohesiveness of argument, the structure of the text (formal scientific writing has a form seldom found in student essays) and English usage, always differ substantially from the usual output of the plagiariser. 22

23 Group Work is an area where students may be unsure, justifiably, about whether their submitted work constitutes plagiarism. The key to dealing with group work is to ensure that your coursework assignment has a content that is distinctively your own. You will encounter group work encompassing 1. Presenting seminar papers as a group, some or all group members participating in the presentation, but all contributing to the production. Project work in groups e.g. producing posters. In these types of coursework, you will be informed of the degree of permissible collaboration between group members in producing assessed work. A mark may be assigned to the group as a whole and the same mark allotted to each group member, so plagiarism is not a problem. In other cases, the group will work together for only part of the assignment and individuals will be responsible for completing the work on their own. You must list the group members on the cover sheet of the work submitted. 2. Collecting results in practical classes as a group. In some classes you may perform laboratory experiments together with one or more other students. Here, you will collect data as a group and will be encouraged to discuss the findings amongst yourselves. The assessment will usually take the form of a written report, and it is in production of this that plagiarism may arise. You must do two things: declare in your report the members of your group, and ensure that your report has a content that is distinctively yours. The distinctiveness will be possible: in any introductory section(s) of the report in the tabular and/or graphical presentation of the data in discussion of the results You are expected to produce such elements through your individual effort and not by copying text, graphs, mathematical work, etc. performed by others. For more information on plagiarism, visit the My Birkbeck site at: arism-guide 23

24 Referencing Referencing your work There are a number of different methods for referencing your work and you should ensure you use an appropriate system. As the Harvard system is one which is often used in the Social Sciences, and consequently is one which would be useful for you to become familiar with, it is the system that will be described in this guide. What to reference References are important. They enhance the credibility of your work, ensure that you avoid plagiarism by not claiming another's work as your own and they allow interested readers to use your sources for further information. It might be obvious that you must reference your source when you use the direct words of another author, but it is also important to do so when you put the information into your own words. The general rule is that if the information came from an identifiable source and is not either general knowledge or your own original idea, then you should provide a reference. This may mean that almost every paragraph in your written work may carry one or more references - this is perfectly normal and acceptable. Some sentences may even have more than one reference. In fact you should be wary of paragraphs you write that do not contain a reference. It is always safer to err on the side of caution and include a reference rather than not. Please remember that although fully referencing your work is an important aim in academic writing, it is also a skill that needs to be developed, don t worry if it takes several attempts before you feel confident in its use. How to reference Referencing within the text of your written work involves noting the author and date of the information source as shown below: Germov and Williams (1996) argue that... It also means having a Reference List at the end of your work which itemises in alphabetical order (by author's surname) the full details of the sources of information. 24

25 For a book Include the author s surname and initials, title (italicised or underlined), edition (where relevant), publisher and place. For example: Smith J., and Jones L. (1999) A Psychology of Consumerism: When enough is not enough, Oxford University Press, London. For a journal article Details should include author's surname and initials, article title (in single quotation marks), journal title (italicised or underlined), volume number and issue number (if relevant), and the page numbers of the article. For example: Ashley, J. and Tomasello, M. (1988) Cooperative problem-solving and teaching in preschoolers, Social Development, 7 (2), For a web page For web pages you should aim to include (where available) the author of the information (a person, group or organisation), date (most web pages have a date at the bottom of the page), title, URL, and the date you accessed the web page. It is important to include the access date as web information is prone to constant change and sometimes to disappear altogether. For example, the reference for a web page would appear in your Reference list as follows: Germov, J. and Williams, L. (1998) Social Appetite Web [web page] date accessed: 1 January If no author information is listed on the web page, you would simply write the reference as follows: Get Great Information Fast, [web page] (1998), date accessed: 1 January

26 Reference list or bibliography - what's the difference? The list of information sources cited at the end of a work can be called either a Reference List or a Bibliography. In most cases the two terms are interchangeable, but some disciplines maintain a distinction between the two terms. To be specific, a Reference list is a list of the actual references cited in the text of your written work, whereas a Bibliography is a wider list of information sources related to the topic, but not specifically quoted in the text. For this programme a Reference List is sufficient although you can also add a bibliography detailing any further reading around the subject that informed your understanding but which you have not directly quoted from. How to use the et al. abbreviation When there are more than two authors, and only then, it is acceptable to use the Latin abbreviation et al. (short for et alii meaning 'and others') to save space in the text. You can do this after you have written the names out in full once. Smith et al. (1988) argue that... Please note that when listing Smith in the Reference list you need to include the names of all the authors; et al. can only be used in the text. Further Information Further information on referencing and plagiarism can be obtained from the Birkbeck Library website (including a number of tutorials and more detailed guides) at Your tutor will also be able to provide you with additional advice and guidance. Notification of Results Online notification of results for all modules will take place in early August. You will be able to check your results via your My Birkbeck profile (see Student Support Services for more information): ts 26

27 Failure and reassessment of a module To satisfactorily complete a module, students must achieve an overall mark of 40% or more. A student who fails to pass a module at their first attempt may be reassessed or may be required to re-take. Re-assessment is where a student will re-attempt a failed element of a failed module; it does not require attendance at lectures and seminars. A re-take requires attendance at the module s lectures and seminars as well as another attempt at the assessment. A decision on whether you will be permitted to be re-assessed in one or more elements of a module that has not been passed is at the discretion of the sub-board of examiners. It is expected that normally a student whose module result is less than 30% will be required to re-take the module. Such students will need to re-enrol for the module, re-attend the course and retake the coursework required for the module. It is expected that normally a student whose module result is 30-39% overall will be given the opportunity to be reassessed in the failed element at the next available opportunity. Reassessment Resit examinations are arranged for all modules in the September preceding the start of a new academic year. Students must inform an administrator if they wish to take up an offer of reassessment. Number of attempts Students are permitted three attempts at passing a module (the original attempt plus two further attempts, of which only one may be a reassessment). Should a student fail any module for the third time, their place on the BSc Psychology will be withdrawn. 27

28 Notes on completion of modules: Students passing a module cannot retake a module to gain a higher mark. Appeal Procedure There is no provision for appeals against the academic judgement of Sub- Boards of Examiners in assessing the merits of assessment. Appeals may only be based on possible errors in the administrative processes. The grounds on which appeals may be made are outlined in section 39 of the Common Awards Scheme Regulations for Taught Programmes of Study (see for further details). 28

29 Completion of Award Award Scheme Scheme For The Award Of Honours The Scheme for the Award of Honours shown on the next two pages - The Scheme and examples of calculations - indicates how the examination marks awarded for each module contribute to the final percentage mark which forms the principal basis of the degree classification (First, Upper and Lower Second, Third, and Pass degrees). You will see that each module has a credit point value. Essentially, a Value of 1 credit point value indicates that the module is equivalent to about one evening a week throughout the academic year. Also, associated with each module is a Weight which reflects how advanced the module is in relation to the BSc programme as a whole. The final mark is arrived at by: 1. multiplying the credit point value by the corresponding Weights and summing the resulting numbers. (Sum of Val x Wt) 2. multiplying the examination mark by the credit point value and the Weight, and adding the results. (Sum of Val x Wt x Mk) 3. calculating (Sum of Val x Wt x Mk)/(Sum of Val x Wt) to give the average mark per weighted module. The examiners for the BSc in Psychology constitute the Sub-Board of Examiners in Psychology. It is a Sub-Board because it answers to the College Board of Examiners for the BSc Degree. Dr. Green will be pleased to answer any questions you might have about examining procedures. Classification For Honours Degree The College Common Scale of Marks is used by all College Schools for course unit examinations:- Class Percentage Mark First Class (1) Upper Second (2.1) Lower Second (2.2) Third Fail

30 Award Of Pass Classification May be awarded where a student fails to meet the criteria for an honours degree but has: a. accumulated credit worth at least 300 credits at Credit 4 or above b. of which 240 credits must be passed at credit 4 and above and c. no more than 60 credits as a Compensated Fail d. passed all the prescribed core modules for the honours programme The scheme complies with the Common Award Scheme details of which can be found on the College Registry on 30

31 BSc Psychology Programme 2012/13 The Scheme Candidates should normally have completed modules to the value of 360 credits. Modules will have the following weights: Weight 0 All level 4 modules Weight 1 All level 5 modules Weight 2 All level 6 modules Candidates should note that although a module may have a weighting of ZERO they will normally be required to pass it to gain the required number of credits (360) and to gain admission to next year's courses. This scheme is indicative only and is subject to alteration from time to time. It is published for the general guidance of students and is not the sole determinant of the classification of a degree. The final result for each candidate is determined not only on the basis of the grades or marks awarded to the candidate in the individual elements of the examination, but also on the assessment by the examiners, taking account of advice of Visiting Examiners, of the overall performance of the candidate. Various factors may be taken into account in arriving at the final result, such as the distribution of the marks awarded to the candidate over the various elements, the strength or weakness shown in certain elements in relation to that in other elements, and any special difficulties known to have been experienced by the candidate at the time of the examination (e.g., illness). The College reserves the right to alter existing schemes or assessment criteria without notice on the advice of Visiting Examiners or otherwise and with the approval of the appropriate College Authority. Students will be given fair warning of any changes. The College Boards and Sub-Boards of Examiners may require any finalist candidate to undergo oral examination. 31

32 Example of Calculations Year 1 Module Code Module Title Weight Credit Point Value Mark Value x Wt Value x Wt x Mk PSYC048H4 Psychobiology SCPS154S4 Introduction to Research Methods PSYC0 30S4 General Foundations of Psychology PSYC026H5 Developmental Psychology PSYC044H5 Psychobiology II Year 2 PSYC063S5 Research Methods PSYC067S5 Social Psychology PSYC068S5 Individual Differences PSYC045H6 Perception, Attention and Performance PSYC034H6 Language Year 3 PSYC0 Advanced Research H6 Methods PSYC036H6 Memory and Cognition PSYC025S6 Critical Analysis PSYC046H6 Project Option Option PSYC076S6 History and Philosophy of Psychology (Sum of Val x Wt x Mk)/(Sum of Val x Wt) = 966/16 = % Class indicated is 2:1 32

33 Feedback Students are given the opportunity to make their views known or raise issues through the following channels: 1) Immediate Feedback via Lecturer Students should feel welcome to feedback directly to their lecturer. However, in the interests of maintaining class focus, all such feedback should be held until either a break, or the end of the class. 2) Class Representatives They represent their year in the Student's Union and at the Student-Staff Exchange Meetings and can also approach the Programme Director or the Head of Department to raise issues on behalf of their year or individuals in their year. 3) Course Module Feedback Questionnaires These are distributed by the lecturers, usually at the last lecture. Students are asked to comment on the course module and the lecturer(s). These questionnaires are anonymous. Issues raised in these questionnaires are dealt with by the Programme Director, Course Organisers and Course Lecturers in order to improve the quality of the BSc Psychology degree. 4) Student-Staff Exchange Students of the BSc Psychology have an opportunity to bring matters relating to the degree for the attention of the Director of the BSc Psychology programme and also the Academic Staff via the Class Representatives who attend the Student-Staff Exchange Committee meetings. At these meetings, issues and problems are discussed and problems resolved as far as possible. For more information, please visit: -staff_html 33

34 Members of the Committee There are usually two class representatives from each of the four years of students. Staff Members are the Director of the BSc Psychology and one other member of the Academic Staff who teaches on the BSc Psychology degree, and also the Learning Coordinator. A list of members is available on the Intranet. For more information, please visit: Class Representatives Every year during the third week of October, usually two students are elected or re-elected by a show of hands, at the beginning of a Lecture. Meeting Dates of the SSEC Meeting dates are available on the Intranet. Meetings take place once a term: Autumn Term in November; Spring Term in February or March; Summer Term in May. Agenda About 10 days before each meeting, Class Representatives are sent an by the administrator requesting agenda points. Class Representatives should then contact their Year of Students to ask if they have any matters they would like to put on the Agenda. All agenda points should be ed to the Director of the BSc Psychology. Matters can be raised anonymously if appropriate. Minutes of the SSEC Meetings These Minutes are available on the department's Intranet. Departmental Teaching & Learning Committee Meetings Points discussed at the Student-Staff Exchange Committee Meeting are brought up by the Director of the Programme at Teaching & Learning Committee Meetings. 34

35 Student Support Services Student Centre The site below pulls together a range of information you will need to help you study at Birkbeck. If you are not sure where to start, have a look at the student guides at Personal Tutor System All Undergraduate students following the BSc Psychology programme will be allocated a Personal Tutor from our academic staff. Role of Personal Tutors Your personal tutor is there to advise and support you with all sorts of problems. You ll be able to talk to your tutor about things like: Modules and your course study Difficulties meeting deadlines Exam revision and study concern Timetabling difficulties Problems outside of Birkbeck that may have an effect on your studies. Names of Students and the names of their Personal Tutor Students and the names of their Personal Tutor are available on Moodle under the generic BSc Psychology space/personal Tutors. Personal Tutors and their Contact details This list can be found on the intranet link below, which gives their contact details ( , room no and tel. no.) New Students' allocation of a Personal Tutor New students will be assigned a Personal Tutor during the Autumn Term. What if a Student wishes to change their Personal Tutor A request to change a Personal Tutor should be put in writing (by ) to the Programme Director. How long does a Student keep the same Personal Tutor Students usually retain the same Personal Tutor throughout their degree. A student will be re-allocated another Personal Tutor when this cannot be avoided due to such reasons as retirement, illness, maternity leave or they leave Birkbeck College. 35

36 Contact and face-to-face meetings with Personal Tutors In the Autumn and Spring Terms, you will be invited by to meet with your Personal Tutor to discuss progress and any problems that may have arisen. It is also open to you to contact your Personal Tutor at other times when necessary. You can contact your Personal Tutor by , for advice or make an appointment, with a guarantee that a meeting will be arranged within a week. Learning coordinator and academic advisor Our Learning Coordinator (Dr Kirsty Rowan k.rowan@bbk.ac.uk), and Academic Advisor, (TBC) are available to students and provide academic and personal support, including workshops on study skills and advice on any difficulties with the course. Pastoral and Welfare Support Feedback At your last lecture, you will be asked to complete a Pastoral and Welfare Support feedback form. These forms are important as they give the Course Director, Personal Tutors, Course Organisers and Course Lecturers information about the students experience of welfare support in the department and college. Also it enables us to find out if there are gaps in the support which need to be dealt with. Academic Support Academic support is available from a number of sources within the College including via your School Learning Coordinator, Birkbeck s Study Skills support Team, Birkbeck Students Union and IT services. School Learning Coordinator For more information about Study Skills, please contact the Learning Coordinator, Department of Psychological Sciences, Dr Kirsty Rowan, k.rowan@bbk.ac.uk or the Academic Advisor, (TBC) Details of study skills courses will be put on the study skills noticeboard when available on the 5 th floor. 36