Coursework
Deadlines, penalties and document limits
Items of coursework, such as essays and write-ups, will normally have strict deadlines. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you know both when the deadline for each submission is, and how the work has to be submitted (e.g. on paper to a particular office; electronically to a particular person or site). As your programme is preparing you for the world of graduate employment, where deadlines are often very strict indeed, you should treat School deadlines like train departure times (just a few seconds after the time has passed, it is very likely you will have missed the train!). Unless specifically exempted or mitigated, late submission of any piece of assessed coursework, including Project Reports, will result in a reduction of 10 marks per day (or part thereof beyond the deadline) for 5 days after which a mark of zero will be awarded. Exceeding the specified page limit will result in a deduction of 20 marks per page or part thereof.
ect Reports, will result in a deduction of 10 marks per day o
r part thereof beyond the dead line. Exceeding the specified page limit will result in a deduction of 20 marks per page or part thereof.
Coursework will normally have a specified content limit. This will normally be a number of pages, but in some cases may be a number of words - it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you understand exactly what the limits are and how they are to be achieved. Again, in post-graduate work you will usually find that documents, such as applications for grants, reports etc., have stringent word or page limit requirements - with line spacing, font, margins etc. specified. The standard School of Biological Sciences instructions for coursework including essays, reports and write-ups follow, but it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any alternative requirements for a particular piece of work:
The [submission] must not exceed [x] pages of text excluding the list of references. Text must be in Arial, 10 point, one and a half line spacing, with margins of at least 2.5 cm all around the text. ALL supporting material, such as figures, tables, text boxes etc. must be included in the page limit, and you are advised to ensure that any such items are sufficiently large enough to be read and understood with ease.
If you prefer to prepare your work in a different font, font size or format you are advised to check frequently that the material will convert to the above for submission, as penalties will normally be imposed for exceeding the limits (e.g. a percentage of marks lost for each page over the limit or part thereof). If the work needs to be converted to a PDF for submission you should check very carefully that the conversion is accurate and conforms to the guidelines well in advance of the submission deadline.
Time Management
Some deadlines may be shortly after the delivery of the material, some quite a way off, and this may well differ for different cohorts of students. This mixture mirrors the graduate world of work, and the requirements of your final year programme, so you are advised to plan ahead! Anticipate a few days of ill-health that might impact on your ability to complete assignments on time, and start wok early on items with far-off deadlines. Mastering time management is one of the most essential goals you should set yourself. To help you, every course where there are assessments/assignments/deadlines will have all the deadline dates available to you within the ‘Assessments’ area of Blackboard in the left hand menu. Any non-course-specific deadlines, such as essays, can be found in the Tutorials courses on Blackboard. Please note that it is possible that some dates may be adjusted throughout the semester at the Unit Coordinators discretion, therefore you should check your deadlines for each course regularly and complete work as early as possible.
Plagiarism, collusion and other forms of academic malpractice
These topics form an important part of the first stage of the Writing and Referencing skills modules in Y1 & 2 but general guidelines and advice are given hereunder.
Plagiarism is a serious offence - it is treated as seriously as cheating in exams.
- As a student, you are expected to cooperate in the learning process throughout your programme of study by completing assignments of various kinds that are the product of your own study or research. Coursework, dissertations and essays submitted for assessment must be your own work, unless in the case of group projects a joint effort is expected and this has been indicated by the Unit Coordinator. For most students this does not present a problem, but occasionally, whether unwittingly or otherwise, a student may commit what is known as plagiarism, or some other form of academic malpractice, when carrying out an assignment. This may come about because students have been used to different conventions in their prior educational experience or through general ignorance of what is expected of them or of what constitutes plagiarism.
- This guidance is designed to help you understand what we regard as academic malpractice and hence to help you to avoid committing it. You should read it carefully, because academic malpractice is regarded as a serious offence and students found to have committed it will be penalized. At the very least a mark of only 30% would be awarded for the piece of work in question, but it could be worse; you could be awarded zero (with or without loss of credits), fail the whole unit, be demoted to a lower class of degree, or be excluded from the programme, depending on the severity of the case.
Academic malpractice includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results and anything else intended by those committing it to achieve credit that they do not properly deserve. You will be given exercises and guidance on plagiarism/academic malpractice in tutorials and if you are unsure about any aspect of this you should ask your Personal Advisor for advice. In addition, further guidance is available on the intranet (see ‘Plagiarism - Resources for avoiding Plagiarism’ which includes helpful exercises and explanations relating to plagiarism and referencing on the web. There is also information in My Learning Essentials. It is well worth visiting these sites in your spare time to ensure that you fully understand.
All students are required to confirm that they have read and agree to the University’s declaration on Academic Malpractice as part of the online registration process.
Further information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic.
The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnitinUK, the plagiarism detection service used by the University.
As part of the formative and/or summative assessment process, you may be asked to submit electronic versions of your work to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University (this requirement may be in addition to a requirement to submit a paper copy of your work). If you are asked to do this, you must do so within the required timescales.
The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University.
Please note that when work is submitted to the relevant electronic systems, it may be copied and then stored in a database to allow appropriate checks to be made.
You will be given an opportunity within the tutorials to submit a draft essay through this system, and it is very much in your best interests to do this so that you understand how it works.
Please see the document Guidance to students on plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice.
eLearning (Blackboard)
As a student at the University of Manchester, you will find that many of your units contain sections of work that you have to complete online (known as electronic (e)Learning). The University uses a website-like environment for this called Blackboard.
Online eLearning support for your course means that it is easy to fit your learning into your everyday life, as you can complete the work from almost any computer in the world with an internet connection. We are encouraging the use of students’ own mobile devices to support teaching and learning in lectures and tutorials. However, if the session requires a mobile device and you do not have one, one will be supplied.
Your eLearning work will often have strict deadlines and marks will be awarded for successful completion of assessments. Every Blackboard course is different, so read the rules regarding the course before you start, to ensure that you don’t miss any work.
Technical support from the eLearning team is available between 9:00 and 17:00 on all working days. This is accessible by selecting ‘Technical Support’ and then ‘eLearning enquiries’ from the menu bar on the left of your online courses; the eLearning team will reply to your University email address.
More information on eLearning in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health will be available on the Blackboard area of individual courses.
Tutorial assessments
Although work submitted in tutorials in the final year is not assessed, it will prepare you for your two degree programme-specific papers. You should make the most of the opportunity that this tutorial work affords you to prepare for these papers, as the two programme papers are significantly different to the lecture-unit examinations you will sit.
Examinations
The Final Year Examinations consist of written papers, normally of two-hour duration, in each of the final-level lecture units. The Final year examinations will normally include two special programme papers in which essay writing (1.5h paper) and problem-solving and data handling/analysis (2.5h paper) are tested. Training for these papers is given in programme-based tutorial time.
Written exams will be sat during the examination period at the end of the semester in which the unit is taught (i.e. January or May/June). Units that run across both semesters will normally be examined in the May/June exam period. Units taken from other Schools may be examined at a different time.
Students should note the requirement of taking and displaying their student card in all examinations as proof of their identity. Attendance at all appropriate examinations is compulsory.
To prepare for examinations, you are encouraged to use any quizzes and practice exercises posted on Blackboard and to look at copies of past examination papers. These can be obtained from the My Learning tab in your MyManchester portal, where you can search for papers by Faculty, School, exam name or code, year or semester. If the unit has no past papers the Unit Coordinator should make questions that are representative of the kind that will be set in the examination available at least 6 weeks before the exam which will be representative of the kind that will be set in the examination. Please note that there are no past problem papers, although example questions will be made available through programme-based tutorials.
Criteria and marking for answers on theory examination papers
Criteria for marking theory papers is available on the Faculty intranet: https://app.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/public/downloads.aspx?docId=131640.
Research Projects
Your final year project has two components; a 10 credit Literature Review of the current bioscience related to your project topic conducted in the first semester of final year, plus a 30 credit Project that spans both semesters of final year. We offer a range of different types of project, and a link to these can be found in the next section.
Please note that this is not applicable for BSc Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology students.
To allow you to gain experience in:
- the scientific method and a logical approach to problems, e.g. how to design experiments, or to develop strategies to test hypotheses or address bioscience questions.
- working independently or as part of a group/team as required (research group, LSEP team etc.) to address a particular bioscience question or topic
- scientific and other techniques appropriate to the investigation.
- developing critical and creative thinking skills (develop ideas, data analysis and evaluation skills)
- literature searching and critically reviewing the literature in a particular field, and relating your own research to that in the existing literature
- the communication of scientific results by written and oral presentation.
Allocation
During Semester 4 of your second year, or during your placement year, you should have received details of how projects can be pre-arranged or allocated according to student preferences. Allocation of projects will be made at the start of the teaching period in your final year and will be based upon student preferences for project types and disciplines, and your second year examination results. However, we cannot guarantee to meet students’ aspirations in particularly popular areas.
Content, assessment and penalties
Detailed information on the content and assessment criteria for all the different types of projects can be found on the intranet page on ‘Undergraduate Research Projects’ https://app.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/education/cm/projects/default.aspx Your work will be marked by your supervisor and moderated by another member of staff. Over-length submissions will be subject to a penalty of 20 marks per page (or part thereof) over the limit. Submission dates are given on the front page of this handbook. Late submission will be penalised; if you miss the deadline you will lose 10 marks per day (or part thereof). N.B. Printer or computer failures are NOT valid reasons for seeking an extension see section Submission below). The same applies to theft of pcs, laptops, discs, memory sticks, etc - always back up your files on the p-drive, in cloud storage, or keep back-up copies in a location distant from your computer.
Projects involving humans and other animals
ALL final year project students are required to complete a brief Ethics Survey to determine whether their project requires further ethical approval, which will be flagged up by the survey.
Any project using human volunteers in a physical test (or possibly through completion of a questionnaire) MUST be covered by ethical approval. This takes time, and it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that the survey, and any subsequent application, is submitted in a timely fashion and that NO work on humans is carried out until approval has been given. Further information and the relevant forms are available in Blackboard and the ‘Undergraduate Research Projects’ page of the intranet at https://app.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/education/cm/projects/ethicalapproval.aspx.
In other projects, you may need to undertake techniques that are covered by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986. It is your responsibility, and that of your supervisor, to ensure that you have a Personal Licence under the Act and that all necessary techniques are detailed on that Licence.
If your project will generate a product that needs evaluation, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure, at an early stage, that members of the intended target audience will be available to do this. However, if the target group is the class of another member of staff (i.e. not belonging to your supervisor), you MUST NOT contact them directly; your supervisor should be able to liaise on your behalf. The Student Support office cannot supply contact details of students to other students or send out emails on your behalf.
Amount and timing of the work
This will depend on your particular Degree Programme and more details will be given to you by your Programme Director and/or supervisor. Note that 10 credits of project work should be equivalent to about 100 hours of work and that all work in University laboratories must be supervised, with the timing agreed by mutual consent with your supervisor. N.B. All laboratory-based projects must be subject to a risk assessment, prior to starting work - see section Health and Safety and also https://app.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/hs/coshh/default.aspx.
Suggested Stages in all projects (except BSc Cognitive Neuroscience)
Please see the precise requirements for your particular type of project in Blackboard.
First semester of final year (Semester 5)
- Meet with your supervisor to discuss a topic for your Literature Review and identify a research question or area based on this for your project-proper. It is essential to think from the start about how your Literature Review relates to your Project.
- Attend supporting seminars depending on your project type. Ensure that you are aware of the dates of relevant seminars, workshops and/or lab meetings, plus submission deadlines, and attend seminars appropriate for your project type
- Perform a literature survey and write your Literature Review. Keep detailed records of all the sources you consult (see Section Plagiarism, collusion and other forms of academic malpractice). References are best stored using bibliographic software like Endnote. If you have not used this before, or have forgotten how, you can consult the archives for BIOL21701 Critical Writing Skills on Blackboard. You must be aware of copyright restrictions on the use of images in your project and reference images accordingly, or acknowledge the sources of images that are freely available under a Creative Commons copyright license. The deadline for the submission of the Lit Review is at the front of this handbook.
- Plan your project in detail with your supervisor (research question, initial experiments, target group and product specification, poster for Enterprise projects etc) and discuss with your supervisor an evaluation strategy (and statistical analysis where appropriate) before starting work. A Project Proposal providing an overview/outline of your project should be presented at the end of the Literature Review. Complete Lab Induction (Lab projects) including reading and signing all COSHH and risk assessment forms for work you will be undertaking before starting ANY work.
- Begin work on your project as appropriate in weeks 10-12; this may involve shadowing staff, learning how to use equipment or software, growing plants or culturing cells, making up solutions, analysing your target group, initial research etc
Second semester of final year (Semester 6)
- Review your plan and start work in earnest. Try to generate your own ideas for your research if appropriate (experiments/products/etc), but always discuss these with your supervisor before you do the work. Plan ahead especially if you have a number of concurrent tasks to deal with. NOTE: Lectures will start in week two of semester two to allow you to make a good start on your project .
- Seek support: at the outset of practical work you may need day-to-day help from post-docs, postgrads, your supervisor or other staff; eventually you should become more independent. eLearning students (and other Science Communication students as appropriate) must attend supporting workshops. Also, talk about your work to fellow students and think about what you are doing and why you are doing it.
- Record your progress daily in your eLab book (experimental details, product development, notes from meetings, ideas, to-do lists, progress, challenges etc). Write critical comments on your results. Draw conclusions and plan future work. Your supervisor will probably want to see your eLab book and discuss your progress and results. Analysing data as you go along, where appropriate, will help you to plan the next stage of the project.
- Meet with your supervisor regularly. Make appointments to discuss your ideas, progress and results with your supervisor at regular intervals. Use your eLab book as a starting point for discussions.
- Finish your project work before the Easter break if possible in order to allow sufficient time for report writing, obtaining feedback on a full draft of the report, and revision for exams! Evaluation of any resources created is a key part of Science Communication Projects (see item 3), so make sure this is completed in a timely fashion.
If, for reasons beyond your control, your project fails to give adequate results or the product is not completely finished, you will not be penalised nor disadvantaged.
Feedback
All types of projects include an element of formative feedback – an opportunity for you to submit material, e.g., an outline, and get feedback from your supervisor that will allow you to improve on submissions for summative feedback (observations and marks which contribute towards your final marks). It is in your best interests that you seek an appointment specifically for this purpose and your responsibility to arrange it at a mutually convenient time.
Submission
Dates of submission of major pieces of written work are cited on the front page of this handbook. You will receive further information on the format of each submission nearer the time, via email; you will be required to submit your project report (and resource for EDU/ELP/SMP)) electronically.
The deadlines will be strictly enforced. Late submission will not be permitted without an approved extension accompanied by appropriate documentation. Your supervisor CANNOT grant an extension for submission of a literature review or project report - this can only be done by the Senior Advisor or the School’s Chief Examination Officer. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with any additional submission requirements of your particular type of project.
Oral presentations
All project students are required to give a 10 minute tutorial presentation about their project during semester 6. This is a pass or fail component of the tutorial programme and is arranged and marked by the Academic Advisor.
Ordinary Degree Project Requirements
For students on an Ordinary Degree Programme the project requirement is an Extended Literature Review and tutorial Oral Presentation (see section 44.9). The written submission must not exceed 15 pages of text excluding the title page and the list of references. Number all pages. Text must be in Arial, 10 point, one and a half line spacing, with margins of at least 2.5 cm all around the text. ALL supporting material, such as figures, tables, text boxes etc must be included in the page limit, and you are advised to ensure that any such items are sufficiently large enough to be read and understood with ease.
An electronic PDF copy of the Extended Literature Review should be submitted via Blackboard. The deadline for submission is given on the front page of this handbook.
If you prefer to prepare your work in a different font, font size or format you are advised to check frequently that the material will convert to the above for submission, as penalties will normally be imposed for exceeding the limits (20% of marks lost for each page, or part thereof, over the specified limit).
Guidelines on feedback to students
Feedback is a broad term, which can be interpreted in different ways. The purpose of this section is to define the activities associated with feedback mechanisms, as they relate to lecture-based BIOL or HSTM units so that you are aware of the feedback available for any unit which you decide to take.
Lecturers are expected to provide general guidance to students on appropriate reading material and other learning resources for the unit in advance of the start of the unit on Blackboard.
We encourage you to ask questions both during lectures or later during the year when, for example, you are revising for exams. However, if the lecture course has finished, then we suggest that you seek confirmation of the answer to your own question. What do we mean by this? Lecturers are unlikely to respond favourably to questions phrased along the lines of ‘Can you tell me the answer to this? Thus, if you want to ask a question, particularly by email, please make sure you include your own interpretation of the answer, including the literature sources that you used, and ask only for confirmation that you are correct. For example:
Wrong format: Can you tell me the primary role of voltage-gated sodium channels?
Correct format: It is my understanding that voltage-gated sodium channels are primarily responsible for the depolarising phase of the action potential. I used Kandel’s Principles of Neuroscience to obtain this information. Is this correct?
NB: The School does not normally publish marking schemes or answers to examination questions - you are expected to deduce these yourself using text books, peers, and PASS sessions.
In addition to providing the mandatory level of feedback, Unit Coordinators may provide more detailed feedback on your work. You should consult the feedback entry within the unit description in this handbook for further details on the additional feedback provided.
Examination feedback
Students have a right to receive feedback on their examination performance from Unit Coordinators. This may be done in a number of ways. A Unit Coordinator may
- publish a general feedback document outlining how questions were answered, addressing general strengths and weaknesses of students and giving a general indication of how well the questions were answered.
- hold a feedback session, to which students are invited.
- review an answer paper for a student and summarise his/her feedback via email.
- provide online feedback.
A student may seek individual feedback, in which the Unit Coordinator will obtain their exam scripts and report feedback on their answers including, where appropriate, any written comments recorded on the manuscript. A student does not, however, have the right to challenge any academic judgements on the quality of the answer. This means there is NO opportunity for papers to be re-marked.