SCHOOL OF MODERN LANGUAGES &

CULTURES

HANDBOOK AND STUDY SKILLS

GUIDE 2014‒15

CONTENTS

Overview and Introduction 1

Resources and Research Environment 4

Referencing and Styling 7

Writing Essays and Commentaries 11

Preparation, Assessment, and Feedback 14

Level Descriptors and Assessment Criteria: A Student’s Guide 16

First-Year Level Descriptors and Assessment Criteria 18

Second-Year Level Descriptors and Assessment Criteria 24

Final-Year Level Descriptors and Assessment Criteria 29

Advice & Contacts 34

Appendix I — Keeping of Term Regulations 35

Appendix II — Recording Classes 37

 Overview and Introduction

The Staff and Structure of the School

The School is a unitary Board of Studies, encompassing staff working in Arabic, Chinese, French,
German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese, Russian, as well as the Centre for Foreign Language Study. More
than 800 students are taking a substantial part of their degree in Modern Languages and Cultures, and a further
600 take a language as a subsidiary subject. The School is responsible for the following programmes, and for
key regulations, please click on the links below:

 BA Chinese Studies (T101)

 BA Chinese/Japanese Studies (TT12)
 BA Economics with French (L1R1)
 BA Modern European Languages and History (RV91)
 BA Modern Languages and Cultures (R000)

The School also participates in the University’s Combined Honours programmes. For enquiries concerning
your programme of study, you should contact the School Manager, Ms Denise Freeman
(d.a.c.freeman@durham.ac.uk) or the Head of School, Dr Alex Harrington (a.k.harrington@durham.ac.uk). A
list of the School’s teaching and administrative staff can be found on the School website:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/mlac/staff/. You can also browse individual profiles of our lecturers and professors and
find out about their areas of research expertise, activities, and publications.
Address for correspondence: School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Elvet Riverside, New Elvet,
Durham DH1 3JT. Tel: 0191 334 3420. Fax: 0191 334 3421. E-mail: modern.languages@durham.ac.uk. Web
address: http://www.dur.ac.uk/mlac. The School Office area is located in room A58 and is open from Monday
to Friday from 9:00—1:00pm and 2:00pm—5:00pm.

Liaison and Communication

Students are expected to check email and noticeboards regularly to ensure that they meet deadlines
and keep abreast of developments. Queries should be addressed to the appropriate member of staff during
Office Hours, where students may raise matters arising the programme or specific modules (including essay
writing), request advice on study skills and the resources available to support learning, ask for advice on
further reading or the content and delivery of presentations, or ask about how to catch up on work that has
been missed. In exceptional cases, students may request feedback that goes beyond the feedback already given
in written form or as part of oral feedback to the whole group. For this, students may seek clarification on
specific points, but should not expect a line-by-line discussion. Conversely, please note that tutors are not
required to comment on drafts of written work, treat consultation hours as additional individual supervision
sessions, request the remarking of a piece of work or question the mark that has been awarded, or expect
tutors to mark additional work that is not part of the module concerned. Each module is accompanied by a
guide that explains its aims and objectives and tells you how it is taught and assessed. These can be accessed
online (https://www.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/), and any queries that you might have should be addressed in
the first instance to the relevant module coordinator. To avoid missing important commitments, students are
expected to be available at all times during the academic year. Additionally, first and second year students may
be required to return to Durham to undertake resit examinations.

Academic Advisors
Undergraduates are assigned an Academic Adviser, who will be their point of contact for guidance
over academic matters for the first two years of study. As far as possible, you will have the same Academic
Adviser, but it may sometimes be necessary to assign a different adviser on a permanent or temporary basis
(for example, to take into account research leave or departure of staff members). Academic Advisers will
provide academic support and guidance in relation to pathways through the programme, particularly with
regard to the dissertation. They will also discuss performance in summative assessment at all levels, although
detailed feedback on specific modules should be sought from the relevant coordinators. You will have regular
group and individual meetings with your Academic Adviser (usually one per term), but will also be available to
see them during Office Hours. Conversely, matters of a pastoral nature should be raised with your college
and/or the appropriate specialist student support service. Academic advice is offered during the Year Abroad
by your TLRP supervisor, and in your final year, by your dissertation supervisor.

1
Personal Development Plan
The PDP, which is accessed through a tab on your DUO page, is an online resource designed to help
you recognize and reflect on your continued personal development. Self-awareness is at the heart of effective
decision-making, particularly in terms of understanding the relationship between your individual skills, qualities,
and personality traits, and the requirements of a specific career or employer. You will find that the learning
experience in our modules includes specific reference to the development of transferable skills such as giving
presentations, team management, critical thinking, and decision-making. These are designed to contribute to
the portfolio of skills that graduate employers demand beyond strictly academic distinctions. At a practical
level the PDP is an excellent way to document not only your employment and academic experiences but also
volunteering and extra-curricular activities. It offers preparation for competence-based application forms and
interviews and a useful approach to building an effective skills-based CV. For information on questions of
career choice and employability, see: www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/undergraduates/employability/pdp/.

Module Choices and Capping

The courses in Durham’s degree programmes are called modules. Students take 120 credits each year,
which usually equates to five or six modules, as ab initio modules are double, and worth 40 rather than 20
credits. In each year students take the core language module for each language that they are studying plus a
selection of optional modules. In some departments, some final-year modules are offered on an intensive (or
‘short-fat’ basis) and are taught in a single term. This is to ensure that students have access to a greater range
of modules than would otherwise be possible.
Please note that module choices are provisional until confirmed at the start of the academic year, and
while every effort is made to ensure an appropriate range, it occasionally happens that modules have to be
cancelled or changed at short notice. Note too that modules are capped in order to guarantee quality and
ensure appropriate group sizes. Details of caps are available in the online Faculty Handbook
(http://www.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/listdeptmodules/). Places on capped modules are allocated on a
random selection basis to students studying modern languages as an integral part of their degree and all
students will be asked to select alternative modules at registration and time-stamp their forms. Students who
are not successful in getting a place on a capped module will be informed within two weeks of registration.

Changing Registrations
If you decide to change a module, or the programme for which you have registered, please see Adam
Lowe in the School Office, who will be able to update University registration information. This can be done
directly during the first four weeks of the academic year, but after that time, all changes must be approved by
Faculty. If you are considering a module or combination of modules that is not laid down in your programme
regulations, please speak directly to the School Manager.

Research-Led Learning
Teaching in Durham is research-led. This means that as you progress through your degree, you will
be taught by internationally recognized experts whose interests feed into an exciting range of modules that
explore a variety of cultural forms and their historical and intellectual contexts. Research interests vary greatly
across the School, but you will be taught by experts in literature, film, visual culture, and other fields of
research from the Middle Ages to the present. Engagement with this work will place you at the forefront of
knowledge acquisition, allowing you to understand that a degree in languages and cultures is not simply a
question of learning words and grammar, but of engaging with a broader cultural and intellectual context.
Students are encouraged to engage as much as possible with MLAC’s research culture, and are welcome to
attend any of the research papers and presentations that are advertised in the School. For staff profiles,
including explanations of research interests and lists of publications, see: https://www.dur.ac.uk/mlac/staff/. For
details of how staff research interests may intersect with your own and to identify potential dissertation
supervisors, see here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/mlac/undergraduate/ongoingdiss/staff/.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

Precise aims and objectives vary from module to module, but they all share the assumption that the
MLAC degree has as much to do with the development of key skills as with the simple accumulation of
information. In core language classes you will be expected to develop a wide range of linguistic skills, aiming to
communicate effectively with native speakers in speaking and in writing. That means being able to handle
everyday social transactions and friendly chatter, but also being capable of producing well-argued, well-
structured written and oral discourse, often about complex ideas. You will become increasingly sensitive to
the way native speakers use their language, and will learn to vary tone and register according to circumstance.
At the same time as learning languages, you will also learn about languages, acquiring an ability to analyse their
structures and the differences between them. In modules dealing with literary, filmic, and cultural topics, you

2
will see how languages are used in context, and will share in the cultural memory of the nations whose
language you are studying. This engagement will enhance your understanding and develop your intercultural
awareness, allowing you to make informed comparisons between the cultures and the societies that produce
your target languages and your own view of the world. For aims and learning outcomes in specific MLAC
modules, see: http://www.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/listdeptmodules/.

Feedback Mechanisms
At the end of each module, students are expected to complete a brief on-line questionnaire (MEQ) in
order to give feedback and suggestions for further development. This is an important exercise, as it provides
an ideal opportunity to help shape the content and orientation of modules for the benefit of future generations
of students. The School also works with the Student Union to operate a unitary Student-Staff Consultative
Committee (SSCC), where staff and students come together in order to focus on issues thrown up by the
programme, and where applicable, to find solutions to aspects of learning and teaching policy.

The Year Abroad

The third year of the MLAC degree is spent abroad, giving all students the opportunity for first-hand
experience of the target culture. Detailed information about options, choices, and destinations is given to
students at the start of their second year, and for each language area, there is a designated Year Abroad
Officer who will prepare students for their time abroad. Arrangements are overseen administratively by the
School’s Year Abroad Secretary, Mrs Kathleen Lowson (ER A35).

TLRP and Dissertation

All students studying undergraduate degrees in Durham complete an extended research project. In
MLAC, uniquely, this means producing two extended pieces of work: a TLRP (Target Language Research
Project), which is completed during your year abroad and is focused on questions of intercultural awareness,
and a research-led dissertation, which constitutes the cornerstone of your final year of study and is taken in
conjunction with a cultural module (or modules) applicable to your chosen field of research. Essential
preparation for both tasks is given in your core language and optional modules, while a range of generic issues,
applicable to these and various other aspects of knowledge acquisition, are covered in the School’s Ongoing
Induction Programme. For more detailed information, see: https://www.dur.ac.uk/mlac/undergraduate/tlrp-diss/

Postgraduate Study
If you are interested in a career in higher education or in pursuing your undergraduate studies at a
more specialized level, you could take an MA or PhD. The School offers a range of well-regarded taught and
research Masters programmes. For information see the School web pages and contact the Director of
Postgraduate Studies, Dr Santi Fouz-Hernández (santiago.fouz@durham.ac.uk).

Attendance and Absence

Students are required to fulfil their academic obligations by attending classes and producing written
work. Failure to do so, or to perform to a satisfactory standard, can lead to sanctions. The procedures relating
to absence from classes, Academic Progress Notice, can be found in the Core Regulations of the University, a
copy of which is in the Faculty Handbook. The School has a Code of Practice for the implementation of
Academic Progress regulations. This is attached as Appendix I and is also displayed on DUO, noticeboards, and
on the School’s web pages.
In the event of illness or academic difficulty, you should inform your college and the Attendance
Secretary, Mr Adam Lowe (Room A58, e-mail: a.p.lowe@durham.ac.uk; tel. 0191 334 3420), who will inform
your tutors. Your college will be able to advise you about the procedure for self-certification of illness and
medical certificates, but if you find that your work is suffering, please see one of your tutors, the Head of
Department, the Head of School, or the School Manager. If you are unable to submit summative work, you
must contact the School Manager, who will log written evidence of your illness, supported by a medical
certificate, and seek a formal concession from the Chair of the Board of Examiners. Extensions are given only
where circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, prevent submission, and may not be granted by
individual tutors. Please note that if a student who has not been granted an extension fails to submit a piece of
summative work (including a dissertation) by the deadline, the work will not be marked and a mark of zero will
be recorded. Illness or any other circumstances seriously affecting a student’s performance can be taken into
account by the Board of Examiners, but only if a Serious Adverse Circumstances Form is received in advance of
the Examiners’ Meeting. You can obtain a copy from your college and it is advised that you complete it with
their help. The form will allow you to make your own case in relation to serious adverse circumstances which
should, if appropriate, be supported by a doctor’s note. It is therefore vital that you report any significant
problems to the School Manager.

3
 Resources and Research Environment

Independent Learning and Time Management

The difference between school and university is that you are expected to take personal responsibility
for academic work (much of which will be undertaken outside the classroom) and so the aim of this section is
to help you improve study skills and engage in effective independent learning. Lecturers and tutors will provide
help and guidance, but ultimately, they can only point you in the direction of success. You need to discover
how to exploit the multiple resources offered by the university so as to gain the fullest benefit.
Managing and balancing conflicting demands is not simply a question of dividing up the day between
work and other activities, as there will be times when you will have to work intensively to complete an
assignment or prepare for an examination. You will need to plan your time well ahead, entering commitments
and deadlines in your diary, setting (and if necessary, revising) priorities so that you can create the
circumstances in which you can produce your best work. Be sure that you have an appropriate study space
conducive to efficient working practices and free from distractions.
You are expected to devote most of your time to independent work. Attending lectures and tutorials
and completing assignments are minimal requirements. You are expected to do extra reading around your
subject in order to consolidate your learning and allow you to extend your knowledge, range, and experience.
Independent work is important for students of modern languages. It does not simply involve reading
supplementary works recommended in module guides, although this is, of course, essential. Until your year
abroad, you will be studying in an Anglophone environment which provides you with few opportunities to
practice language skills or absorb the target culture in a natural way. You should take every opportunity to
speak, read, and listen to the language (through radio, TV, the internet, newspapers, magazines) and be sure to
join language societies and conversation groups, which provide you with opportunities to communicate in the
target language. You should select non-core modules with particular care as you proceed through your degree,
so as to acquire the skills necessary for the areas in which you wish to specialize. It is particularly important to
think in terms of pathways which will provide you with a sound knowledge base and understanding of
approaches and methods when it comes to taking the final-year dissertation.
The University assumes that successful completion of each 20-credit module requires 200 hours of
study: in other words, contact hours plus independent learning time (or twice this in the case of 40-credit
modules). As you are taking six modules in any year (120 credits in all), you should spend about seven hours a
week on work for each (for example, two hours of classroom time and five hours of reading and preparation
of assignments). Accordingly, over two-thirds of your time is likely to consist of private study and learning
outside the classroom during term time, with a reduced level of personal study in vacations.

Reading and Note-Taking

Background reading should be efficient and productive. You should give priority to the reading lists
provided by your tutors, and if necessary, ask for advice so that you can concentrate on items that relate
specifically to the work you are covering. However, you should also try to read tangentially and imaginatively
in order to engage creatively and originally with the subject under discussion. To understand why this is
important, and to see how such work is rewarded, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the assessment
criteria that appear later in this handbook.
There are many different types of reading. At times you will only need to scan a work to see if it
could be of use, concentrating on the introduction, the contents page, the index, and only reading more
attentively the parts that relate directly to the assignment. A more focused form of reading is to skim a text,
reading quickly to get the main points or to find sections that you should read more carefully (the first and last
sentence of each paragraph is a good way to do this). Most of the time, however, you should develop the habit
of active reading, making clear notes on the main facts and ideas that you encounter, highlighting significant
passages, and summarizing the main arguments. Make sure that you record precise bibliographical details of all
sources (including page numbers), so that you can provide proper references when you use material in an
essay. Make sure also that you pay attention not only to what critical and theoretical texts say, but to how they
say it. You can then assimilate successful rhetorical and structuring strategies into your work. The more
examples of academic discourse you see, the more successful you will become at articulating the types of
arguments and analyses that you are expected to produce.

University Library
The University Library (www.dur.ac.uk/library), with its substantial collection of books, journals, and
online facilities, is a major academic resource, and you should use it as often as possible. As part of induction

4
you will be given a guided tour of its facilities and collections, but you should still spend time finding your way
around, locating sections with books and journals that relate to your subject and identifying reference books
that you will need. Some books on your reading lists may be in the Reserve Collection, as there may be high
demand and only a limited number of copies. You should therefore read the recommended works as early as
possible to avoid the disappointment of finding them unavailable when working on an assignment. In general,
take time to browse: in addition to core books and articles, you will come across material that will enrich your
knowledge and provide tangential or theoretical insights into your area of study, in this way broadening its
scope. In researching a topic you may find that you will draw heavily on sections of the Library outside Modern
Languages (literary theory, sociology, history, gender studies, and so on). The Library catalogue can help you
search for related books, but you should also familiarize yourself with online search engines such as Jstor and
MLA Bibliography, which will be discussed as part of the Ongoing Induction Programme (for a guide, see:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/subject/modlang.htm). These are vastly superior to Google searches, which may
lead you to inaccurate or irrelevant information that, unlike the content of academic books and articles, has
not been scrutinized for quality. Note also that the Library has a number of working places, as well as
computing facilities, and it is possible for students to order books directly using the MoreBooks scheme, which
can be accessed via the Library web pages.

Elvet Riverside
The Open Access Area (ER 150–51 and 156) offers a congenial space for quiet research. The School
has copies of dictionaries and DVDs (subject to deposit) which you can borrow from A58. The Year Abroad
Room (A35) has information about the Year Abroad, including reports by previous students about their
experiences and information about employment. The School cannot undertake to find you a job for your Year
Abroad, but you are welcome to browse through the material we have collected. You should also consult the
Careers Advisory Service about vacation/Year Abroad work as well as long-term careers. The Russian World
(Russkii mir) Centre (A29) is available to students of Russian for study or for borrowing/during open access
hours. You will also be able to use the School’s Dark Room (ER 213) to view recommended videos and DVDs
which can be borrowed from A58.

Open Access Centre

The Self-Access Centre (A30/31) is open to staff, students, and members of the public, and offers self-
tuition materials in over forty languages, using audio and video cassettes and live satellite TV. News broadcasts
are recorded on a daily basis in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Computer-assisted
language learning programs (CALL), multimedia learning materials, films, and DVDs are also available. Some
resources will be directly relevant to your studies, with materials that complement the work you do in classes.
The CFLS also runs its own network, LANGNET, which can be accessed from the Centre and from ER 224.
This is linked to the University network but caters specifically to the needs of language learners. To use the
facilities, you only need to show your Campus Card to the Centre assistant; and to contact the CFLS, ask for
advice, register as a LANGNET user, or request learning materials, you should contact Mary Fender (ER 219,
tel. 42241, e-mail: mjs.fender@durham.ac.uk). Opening hours in term time: Monday-Friday, varies according to
teaching so check A30 timetable. Saturday, 10 am – 1 pm. Vacations: Please ring the School Office (0191 334
3420) as opening times vary.

Information and Communications Technology

Word-processing and other ICT skills will be of use to you during your course and after you have
graduated, and so you are strongly encouraged to make the most of facilities and training opportunities. You
will be required to word-process your academic assignments, and all modules make use of DUO, which
provides a framework for communication and access to learning materials. A guide for new students is
available at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/ltteam/DUO/infopages/student.pdf. Four of the University’s computer rooms
are in Elvet Riverside (150, 151, 156, & 247), and all computers are connected to the University’s Networked
PC Service, which gives access to a range of software, email, and the internet. Many college computers are also
connected to these networks. Durham’s IT Service is responsible for providing training on IT packages, and
you will receive an information sheet about how to access facilities and training opportunities; module tutors
will only provide instructions and training for module-specific skills. Please note that when you register as a
user, you agree to regulations that stipulate that ‘facilities are provided for the academic work and normal
University duties of members and employees of the University’ and that users ‘shall not deliberately waste IT
resources, including wasting time on an IT facility’ (see http://www.dur.ac.uk/its/policy/regulations). The
University is not interested in policing your use of the internet, but it does expect you to use expensive and
heavily-used facilities in a responsible way for purposes relevant to your academic work.

Lectures

5
 Lectures are an invaluable source of information, and as they are highly concentrated, you should
attempt to derive maximum benefit from them. You should prepare by familiarizing yourself with preliminary
information given on DUO or in the module booklet and by reviewing notes from previous sessions. You
should be mentally alert, well briefed, and ready to take notes, resisting the temptation to daydream or
wander off the point. Make sure that your notes are clearly set out and legible so that they will be of use for
revision. Major points should be highlighted, and any factual information of which you are uncertain should be
marked so that you can verify it in reference works after the lecture. Do not try to write down everything
that the lecturer says. Listen for signposts to structure, which will help you organize your notes, and to
significance, which will to help you discriminate between the most/least important features of the lecture.
After the lecture, check your notes against handouts (if provided) or materials uploaded onto DUO,
particularly PowerPoint Presentations, but be sure to do this while the lecture is still fresh in your mind,
highlighting its main points, and if necessary, filling in any gaps. If anything remains unclear, do not be afraid to
approach the lecturer (either during Office Hours or in later classes) so that you can raise issues that you did
not understand. The lecturer will appreciate your interest and will be happy to assist. Please note that the
University has strict regulations on the recording, use, and dissemination of lectures and other forms of
presentation, which are appended as Appendix II.

Seminars
Lectures are generally supplemented by small group seminars, which provide an opportunity for
students to play an active role in the learning process as they participate in debate and discussion. It is
important to prepare for seminars by doing whatever preliminary reading you have been asked to do and by
preparing notes and questions. During the seminar, make sure that you take additional notes on the key ideas,
information, and arguments that emerge. But make sure also that you engage intellectually. Seminars will allow
you to develop skills that are highly valued in graduates: an ability to analyse a line of reasoning, identify flaws in
an argument, and/or present an argument clearly, coherently, and persuasively. You should never hesitate to
disagree with critical arguments by tactfully criticizing flaws, exceptions, and/or defective logic. In fact, the
purpose of the seminar is undermined if students do not offer contributions and/or sit back and allow a
minority to monopolize class discussion. To gain maximum benefit, you should adopt a proactive attitude and
should not only take part in discussions, but make suggestions on topics and questions to be discussed. These
initiatives will not only be welcome, but are essential to the success of the seminar system.

Seminar Presentations
In some modules, seminars are student-led and structured in the form of presentations. To gain
maximum benefit, you should prepare your presentation by researching the topic as you would a written
assignment, producing bullet points that can be linked in performance rather than by attempting to rely on the
inspiration of the moment or a fully-written draft, which will often sound inauthentic and monotonous. Be sure
that you are aware of the format and time limit, and be realistic in your expectations: in a ten-minute talk, for
example, you will only be able to make about three points in any real detail. In order to gain your audience’s
interest and attention, start with a brief outline, and preface your remarks with an anecdote, a question, or a
statement that can be explored in the presentation and/or used to prompt discussion afterwards. Try to
conclude with a statement that goes to the heart of the matter, or better still, a question that will prompt
discussion arising from your presentation. If you prepare a handout or PowerPoint presentation, make sure
that they are relevant, focused, and concise.
Some students feel nervous about talking in front of an audience, either because they are naturally
diffident or because they are afraid of making mistakes. However, giving presentations is one of the skills that
lecturers and employers expect graduates to have mastered, and so you should take advantage of the
opportunity to practice the skill in a supportive environment. Regard it as a performance that you can
rehearse beforehand and deliver perfectly on the day. When you address the class, adopt a confident posture
and make eye contact. Project your voice, and vary the pitch and speed of your delivery in order to avoid
monotony. Avoid gestures such as fiddling with hands, hair, glasses, or pen; and if there is one, do not try to
hide behind the lectern. If you are using a PowerPoint presentation, make sure that you do not talk to the
screen or focus your attention on the computer. The text and visuals should support what you say rather than
detract from it, and so you should use the slides to emphasize key ideas and provide visual illustration.

6
 Referencing and Styling

Plagiarism
When writing academic work, you are expected to draw on information and ideas from a range of
sources. However, you should not be tempted to lift sections from textual or internet sources and then to
pass them off as your own work. This constitutes plagiarism, a form of cheating, for which there are severe
penalties. Plagiarism is academically fraudulent, dishonest, and an offence against University discipline
requirements (see General Regulations, Section IV, 2a.viii). All summative work is analysed by plagiarism
detection software, and suspected cases are investigated. The penalties for plagiarism range from being
awarded a mark of 0% for the module concerned to being expelled from the University. You therefore must
identify the source of any ideas that have contributed to your work. You do not need to do so for matters of
common knowledge (for example, the date of the battle of Waterloo), but you must identify the source of
detailed statistics, original interpretations of texts or events, and theoretical statements on which you base
your arguments. Likewise you must identify the source of material quoted or referred to, including page
numbers. Your sources will appear in your bibliography at the end of the piece of work, and you should use
the method of referencing set out in this section. Tutors are experienced in detecting the difference between
the way students tend to write and the way experienced authors write and will soon notice disparities in style.
Cobbling together other people’s discourse with your own leads to bad, inconsistent writing, and the lack of
coherence will be obvious. You should learn how to produce appropriate academic discourse by paying careful
attention to the style of the published work you read, but this must not involve recycling other people’s
material. In fact, plagiarizing makes your writing worse. Thus, follow the simple rule: if the words or ideas are
not yours, you must cite your source. If you do so, your writing will be more consistent, your tutor will be
better able to judge your work and help you improve it, and you will develop your own writing style. For full
details on the University’s procedures for assessment irregularities see:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/learningandteaching.handbook/6/2/4/

Collusion
Collusion is defined as working with one or more students to produce work which is then presented
as one’s own in a situation in which this is inappropriate or not permitted and/or without acknowledging
collaboration. Collusion is as serious as plagiarism, and easily discernible by experienced examiners, attentive
to inexplicable variations in the level of students’ performance in both language and content work.

Multiple Submission
Multiple submission is the inappropriate submission of the same or substantially the same work, and in
in extreme cases, it may be classed as a dishonest practice under Section IV, 5a.x of the General Regulations
and may lead to expulsion. If multiple submission is suspected, work may be uploaded to a plagiarism detection
system such as Turnitin. The system may also be used routinely to screen work for multiple submission: for
this purpose students are required to sign a declaration at registration authorizing the uploading of their work.
See: www.dur.ac.uk/resources/university.calendar/volumei/current/regs.examinations.pdf. Students should be
aware that cases of plagiarism, collusion, or multiple submission will be recorded in annual reports, which form
the basis of references for prospective employers. Most employers expect referees to comment on the
honesty and integrity of applicants, which means that plagiarism or collusion (prime examples of dishonest
practice) can have long-term consequences. Please note that the offence of unacknowledged copying applies
not only to books, articles, and electronic media, but to unpublished work such as that of postgraduates or
fellow undergraduates.

Scholarly Referencing
Scholarly referencing serves two purposes. First, it allows you to acknowledge the source of
significant ideas and arguments that you use in your assignment. This is not necessary for questions of common
knowledge (for example, that Flaubert was the author of Madame Bovary), but it is dishonest practice to pass
off ideas that you have borrowed as your own. Note that all academic work builds on the work of earlier
scholars, and accurately acknowledging earlier work is a central aspect of academic writing. Second, it indicates
the source of quotations, so that it is possible for someone reading your essay to go to the same book and
locate the precise page on which it appears.
One of the aims of the MLAC degree is to train you in the effective presentation of written work,
following the conventions of academic writing. This is a valuable skill, as most graduate professions will require
you to write reports using a specific house style or set of conventions. It is important that you learn to apply

7
conventions consistently and accurately. In the following section, take note of the precise format in which
references are presented, including punctuation and italicization, as School marking criteria include
presentational issues such as the ability to reference correctly and provide a comprehensive bibliography.

The Author-Date System

References to primary and secondary texts should be given using the author-date system. This means
that books, articles, and other sources are referred to using the author, date of publication, and page number,
where applicable. References should be incorporated into the body of the text rather than in footnotes, and
full publication details given in the bibliography, which should be presented in strict surname alphabetical
order.

In the case of books, the bibliography should include the author, date of publication, title and subtitle (in italics),
place of publication, and publisher:

Barthes, Roland (1970), S/Z, Paris: Seuil.

Buck-Morss, Susan (1989), The Dialectics of Seeing: Walter Benjamin and the Arcades Project, Cambridge,
MA: MIT Press.

Articles from journals should include the author, date, title of the article, title of the periodical (in italics),
volume number of the periodical, and page-span, as follows:

Fritzsche, Peter (2005), ‘The Archive’, History and Memory, 17, 15–44.

Presner, Todd Samuel (2004), ‘“What a Synoptic and Analytic View Reveals”: Extreme History and
the Modernism of W. G. Sebald’s Realism’, Criticism, 46, 341–60.

Chapters from edited collections should be listed as follows (note that when referring to such chapters, you
use the name of the author of the particular chapter and not the editor(s) of the volume, and so the following
would be referenced as Cartwright 1995 and Harley 1992):

Cartwright, Lisa (1995), ‘Gender Artifacts: Technologies of Bodily Display in Medical Culture’, in
Lynne Cook & Peter Wollen (eds), Visual Display: Culture Beyond Appearances, Seattle: Bay Press, pp.
219–35.

Harley, J. B. (1992), ‘Deconstructing the Map’, in Trevor J. Barnes & James S. Duncan (eds), Writing
Worlds: Discourse, Texts and Metaphor in the Representation of Landscape, London: Routledge, pp. 231–
47.

Newspaper articles should be listed as follows (it is not necessary to give a page number):

Romer, Stephen (2002), ‘Beyond Strangeways’, The Guardian, 6 July.

Films should be listed as follows:

Fellini, Federico (dir) (1973), Amarcord, Italy: FC Prodizioni.

Lang, Fritz (dir) (1927), Metropolis, Germany: UFA.

TV and Radio Broadcasts should be listed as follows:

Zeeman, Michael (1998), Kamer met Uitzicht – Max Sebald, Peter Nadas, dir. Antoinette Grote Gansey.
VPRO, Netherlands. Broadcast on 12 July.

Paintings should be listed as follows:

Botticelli, Sandro (about 1445–1510), Mystic Nativity, National Galley, London, oil on canvas, 108.6 x
74.9 cm.

8
 Zurbarán, Francisco de (circa 1640), Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth, Cleveland Museum
of Art, oil on canvas, 201 x 256 cm.

Sound Recordings should be listed as follows (note that the date refers to the date of the recording, not the
date of composition or publication):

Schoenberg, Arnold (2001), String Quartet No. 1, Schoenberg Quartet. Audio recording: Chandos
9939(5).

Thomas, Dylan (1992), Under Milk Wood, read by Anthony Hopkins & Jonathan Pryce. Audio
recording: LPF 7667.

Websites are the only exception to the author-date rule. When quoting them, refer to the author of the page
in parentheses in your text if possible, as follows: ‘The conservative literary establishment admire the style out
of nostalgia, while younger writers like Salman Rushdie reject it out of concern for the future’ (Mitchelmore).
Include in your bibliography as much of the following as can be determined: author of the content, title of the
page, title or owner of the site, and date accessed (note that if the page author is not named, include a
reference to the URL):

Mitchelmore, Stephen, ‘A Thwarted Empathy: Austerlitz, by W. G. Sebald’. Spike Magazine.

http://www.spikemagazine.com/1201sebald.php (accessed 15 June 2007).

Blogs should be referenced as follows:

Pearson, Peter, comment on “The New American Dilemma: Illegal Immigration,” The Becker-Posner
Blog, comment posted March 6, 2006, http://www.becker-posner-
blog.com/archives/2006/03/the_new_america.html#c080052 (accessed March 28, 2006)

As a general rule, you should use websites and blogs with extreme caution, as they have not been subject to
the same rigorous publication process as printed publications. Wikipedia, while extremely useful for checking
factual information, should not be depended upon as a source in academic writing.

Referencing
The author-date system eliminates the need to use footnotes for bibliographical references, and
although you may see this frequently in academic writing, it is becoming increasingly obsolete and should not
be reproduced in your essays. If footnotes are used, they should be used to supply information (in the form of
data or additional context) that is relevant to the main argument but which would disrupt the flow if included
in the main text. They should, however, be used sparingly, and are often not necessary at all.
There are various possible ways to refer to sources in the author-date system, and so take note of
the following:

 Walter Benjamin ‘opened up to philosophical understanding the phenomenon of fashion that is specific
to capitalist modernity’ (Buck-Morss 1989: 97).

 As Buck-Morss notes, Benjamin ‘opened up to philosophical understanding the phenomenon of fashion

that is specific to capitalist modernity’ (1989: 97).

 Buck-Morss (1989) analyses Benjamin’s contribution to the philosophy of fashion, and argues that he was
the first to open fashion up to philosophical understanding (97).

Note that the author name and/or date need not be repeated if they can be unambiguously deduced from
context.

Referencing e-Books and PDFs

Books formatted for reading as PDFs on electronic devices such as Kindle, Nook, and iPad follow
standard rules and should be referenced in the following way:

Bhabha, Homi K. (1994), The Location of Culture, London, Routledge. iPad file.

9
 Oliver, Kelly (1993), Reading Kristeva: Unraveling the Double-Bind, Bloomington, Indiana University
Press. Kindle file.

Most electronic readers include a numbering system that tells users their location in the work. Do not cite this
numbering, as it may not appear consistently to other users. If the work is divided into stable numbered
sections such as chapters, the numbers of those sections may be cited, with a label identifying the nature of the
number (for example, ch.2, section 6; and thereafter, 2.6). Conversely, if the work is a PDF file with fixed
pages, you may cite the page numbers.

Basic Style Rules

When you read books and journals, look at the way that information is conveyed to the reader and
how conventions of styling and presentation are used or organize information systematically and effectively.
When you write, leave spaces after standard aspects of punctuation (, ; : . ?, !) but not between quotation
marks and the words quoted. Use italics for titles of books, plays, films, and periodicals; for foreign words that
you are using in English (‘the movida of the 1980s’, ‘the nouveau roman’); and (sparingly) for special emphasis.
Use single inverted commas for titles of short stories or poems that form part of a larger collection (for
example, Mikhail Lermontov’s ‘Bela’ or Emily Dickinson’s ‘I heard a fly buzz when I died’). In the case of lyric
poems without a title, give the first line instead, also in inverted commas. Put short quotations between single
quotation marks in the main body of your text (note that most American books and journals use double
quotations, a practice which you should avoid). Do not format quotations in bold or italics, and anything longer
than about three lines should be set out in a separate, indented paragraph (without quotation marks).
Quotations should always be given as they appear and should not be paraphrased or translated. You must
respect foreign characters and be sure to include them when you word-process documents (advice on Arabic,
Chinese, and Russian characters can be obtained from the respective departments). There are various ways to
produce foreign characters in Word (see help menu), but you can also use DOS codes, which have the
advantage of working in various other applications. For the following, make sure that Number Lock is on, then
hold down the Alt key and type numbers using the keypad at the right-hand end of the keyboard:

á 160 é 130 í 161 ó 162 ú 163 ñ 164 ¿ 168

Á 181 É 144 Í 214 Ó 224 Ú 233 Ñ 165 ¡ 173
à 133 è 138 ì 141 ò 149 ù 151 ç 135 « 174
À 183 È 212 Ì 222 Ò 227 Ù 235 Ç 128 » 175
â 131 ê 136 î 140 ô 147 û 150 ß 225 ª 166
 182 Ê 210 Î 215 Ô 226 Û 234 º 167
ä 132 ë 137 ï 139 ö 148 ü 129 ½ 171
Ä 142 Ë 211 Ï 216 Ö 153 Ü 154 ¼ 172
ã 198 õ 228
à 199 Õ 229

Further Reading
Cottrell, Stella (2003), The Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Donald, Sydney G. and Pauline E. Kneale (2001), Study Skills for Language Students: a Practical Guide, London,
Arnold.
Phipps, Alison & Mike Gonzalez (2004), Modern Languages: Learning and Teaching in an Intercultural Field, London,
Sage.
Palgrave Macmillan: http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/subjectareas/foreign/

10
 Writing Essays and Commentaries

Writing an Essay
An essay is not merely a test of comprehension. It is an opportunity to investigate a problem or topic,
reflect on it, and communicate ideas in a lucid and coherent manner informed by reading. It is an exercise in
self-tuition under guidance. At its best it will turn out to be a well thought-out piece of criticism; at its worst it
will be a mere rehash of other opinions. The purpose of the essay is not to find out if you have read the text
or if you can describe the plot. In fact, purely descriptive or factual information should be kept to an absolute
minimum. What interests the reader (who is familiar with the facts of the text) is your ability to analyse,
construct a coherent argument supported by critical reading, and engage with the topic on an imaginative and
intellectual level.
Before you begin to plan and write the essay, you should read around the topic, not only as widely as
you can, but, more importantly, as relevantly as possible, all the while thinking through the implications of the
question. An important part of the preparation of an essay is to investigate the precise meaning of the key
terms that you will be required to use. Words and expressions such as hero, irony, point of view, and structure
have many shades of meaning, and the success of your argument may depend on a clear understanding of the
ambiguities of such terms. A dictionary will not be enough: at university level, you will need to engage in
research culture by reading in a lateral and theoretical way, and if necessary, by looking at books and articles
that have no immediate relevance to your subject areas. The Library catalogue provides many ways to do this,
but you should also look at online search engines such as Jstor and MLA Bibliography, which will allow you to
combine search terms such as hero + irony, hero + novel, hero + anti-hero, and so on. The important point is that
you should be imaginative and creative, so as to make original and innovative connections between different
academic discourses. (To see how this is rewarded, take a look at the School’s assessment criteria.)
Essay topics are infinitely varied, but tend to fall into two basic categories. They commonly assume
the form of a problem or a controversial opinion relating to the text, film, or subject under consideration,
inviting you to discuss its implications. As there will inevitably be a contradictory view contained (perhaps
implicitly) in the question, you are expected to treat the topic in its complexity. The facets of your argument
will provide a ready-made structure for your essay. Alternatively, more straightforward topics invite you to
analyse a feature of a literary work or other cultural product (for example, the use of a particular technique or
representation of a particular issue). Essays on this type of topic will tend to consist of two major phases: (a)
definition and demonstration — explaining the precise nature of the feature concerned and illustrating its
presence in the text; and (b) interpretation — discussing its relevance to the interpretation of the text.
When you have thought through the implications of the question and completed your preliminary
reading, you are ready to draw up a plan. This is an essential stage in the process of writing. The plan need not
be highly detailed, but it should make clear the function of each part of the essay and, importantly, make clear
how you intend to proceed from one part to another. This will ensure that you avoid clumsy transitions and
unnecessary digressions, which will lose marks. The essay must start with an introduction, which should
primarily be an introduction to your argument, setting out how you see the problem (briefly including
contextual information about author, text, or topic which is relevant to your argument) and indicating the
approach you will take. You should avoid any kind of conclusive statement at this stage. An essay which has its
conclusion in the introduction does not maintain the reader’s interest. The best essay strategy is to keep
arguments and evidence until it is appropriate to include them. The reader should have the impression that
your essay is leading somewhere and, when reaching the conclusion, the impression that a problem has been
clearly, adequately, consequentially, coherently solved.
When writing up your essay, always stick to the point, avoiding clichés, jargon, buzz words, and
colloquial forms of expression. It is always better style in academic writing to avoid first-person, subjective
formulations such as ‘I think that…’ or ‘I feel that…’. Remember that the main task is not to reproduce
information but to construct a logical argument in response to the question, supported by carefully selected
information and views (suitably acknowledged) from relevant sources and your own analysis and arguments. Be
ruthless, therefore, with the inessential, as irrelevant or purely descriptive material will add nothing and cost
marks. Be sure that you are following the guidelines outlined above to the letter. Remember also that correct
punctuation, a neat lay-out, and a scrupulous respect for word-count will give added value to your work. Once
you have produced a final draft, read your essay carefully for any factual or grammatical mistakes. Look out, in
particular, for obscurities of meaning, especially if you are writing in the target language. There may be turns of
phrase that seem clear to you, but which will seem obscure or convoluted to the reader. Review the essay
when you have received feedback from your tutor and do not hesitate to seek clarification on any corrections
or comments that you do not understand.

11
Writing a Literary Commentary
The commentary is an exercise which requires you to analyse a passage in detail and demonstrate
that you are aware of two things: (a) the possible meanings of the text in relation to the work as a whole; and
(b) how the text generates meanings through the particular way it is constructed. Thus, one aspect of the
commentary will be thematic, analysing what is said and represented; the other aspect is formal, involving a
study of the style, rhetoric, strategies, and subterfuges of the text.
Before beginning your commentary you should read the text several times, looking up words or
cultural allusions that you do not understand, reflecting on the overall meaning and effect of the passage, and
working out its logic in terms of internal development and structure. Whether the passage is in prose or
verse, you should constantly ask yourself the question ‘How is the writer using language in this text, to what
particular effects, and in order to persuade/move/enlighten the reader about what?’ You should then be able to
approach the commentary with confidence.
In your introduction, start with a brief overview of the passage, considering its major themes and
techniques in a couple of sentences, and place the passage in the context of the text as a whole, relating it if
necessary to events that precede and follow the passage. This will give an opportunity to say something about
the general significance of the passage. Is it a turning-point? Does it introduce a new character or a new plot
development? If the passage is a complete poem, it might be relevant to indicate how it relates to the
collection from which it is taken, or how it responds to a previous poem by another poet. If biographical
information essential to the meaning of the passage/poem and relevant to your analysis, it can be briefly
outlined in this introductory section (for example, the death of the poet’s mistress). This introduction leads
the reader into the analysis by way of the external context.
Moving intrinsically into the text, you should then comment on what the passage is about in general
terms and consider the general tone of the passage. This will allow you to demonstrate how the text is
organized as a whole. If, for example, it is a description, you can indicate how it is organized (external to
internal/head to toe/body to soul/and so on). If the passage is in verse, you should comment on the formal
features of the poem: the rhyme scheme (if it follows a set pattern), the types and variations of line, the
category to which it belongs (sonnet, ballad, ode, and so on), all the time explaining how these relate to
semantics and convey meaning.
The main body of the commentary should offer a detailed analysis of the significant individual features
of the passage. You should group together commentary on the different aspects of the text in order to avoid
repetition. You might organize the commentary according to the constituent parts of the passage that you
have already defined. Comment in detail on the writer’s use of linguistic, stylistic, rhetorical, or dramatic
effects and on their significance. Among the various aspects to look out for are: sentence structure and its
variations; key words and phrases and their qualities (abstract/concrete, archaic/neologisms, technical/
vague/precise); figurative language (use of metaphors, similes, personification, oxymoron, allegory, irony, and so
on); rhetorical devices for forcing the reader’s attention (exclamation, apostrophe, rhetorical questions, and so
on); the implied reader to whom the text seems to be addressed; strategies of persuasion and argumentation;
interesting grammatical features; sounds (assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and so on). You should not, of
course, comment on every word, which would lead you to give as much weight to the trivial as to the
significant. Concentrate instead on analysing the important characteristics and the effects that they generate:
making a selection and prioritizing these in your commentary is a key part of the exercise. Remember that you
are writing a commentary. It is not enough to state that this or that word/image/expression/feature is to be
found in the text; you need to attempt to explain why and to what effect.
In your conclusion you should end with a brief paragraph assessing what the passage has achieved and
what it adds to your understanding of the text. You may also (or alternatively) end with an evaluation of the
text from the perspective of a twenty-first century reader (in Britain). Or you may draw a revealing
comparison with another work of a similar kind. Whatever your emphasis, your commentary should reveal a
coherent approach and argument, and avoid simply itemizing features from the extract. You should use the line
numbers to refer to details from the text. Be sure that you are following the guidelines for the submission of
written work, including respecting word limits.

Writing a Film Commentary

Film commentary involves the detailed analysis of a short clip from a longer film. The purpose of a film
commentary is to demonstrate awareness of the meanings of the extract in relation to the work as a whole,
and how visual and auditory aspects construct meaning in the extract. Your analysis must pay attention not
only to what is said and shown, but to the filmic strategies and style through which the content is presented.
The first step is to watch the film, and then to watch the extract several times. Make sure that you
understand the dialogue. Reflect, too, on the function of the clip, in its own terms and in relation to the film as
a whole. When thinking about film, make sure that you are aware of how the episode is constructed. Despite

12
the cliché that the camera never lies, film is not a transparent window on the world. It is a carefully-made
artefact, put together in a certain way in order to produce a series of intended (or unintended) effects. In
writing a commentary, you have to take account of this construction, which means paying attention to
cinematography, sound, editing, and other formal features. When you are thoroughly acquainted with the
extract, you can begin the process of writing.
In your introduction, briefly situate the extract in context. The relationship between part and whole
might be thematic, structural, or both. In terms of theme, does the extract contribute to the exposition or
development of the themes of the film? Remember in analysing the thematic aspects of the extract that some
modules ask you to concentrate on specific areas. If the module asks you to concentrate on gender, that is the
topic you should address, and so do not get sidetracked. In terms of structure, does the extract contribute to
the development of the characters and/or plot? Is it a turning-point? When considering the structural function
of the episode, consider the consequences of the scene for the development of the storyline. Keep an eye out
for visual clues that might signal future plot developments, for example a close-up of a knife that will later be
used in a murder.
As you move into an in-depth analysis, think about the structure of the episode, relating this to the
function of the extract in the context of the film. You can then move to a consideration of formal aspects.
There is no hard and fast rule about how to organize this part, but you may find it most useful to go through
the extract chronologically. Alternatively, you may find that this results either in repetition, or in merely
paraphrasing the content of the scene. Both of these are to be avoided. It is up to you to organize material in
the most effective way. The important thing is to comment in detail on the important features of the clip, and
to draw substantive conclusions about the extract’s significance.
Things you may wish to consider include the following. Spatial setting: how significant is the spatial
setting of the episode? Does the setting have a thematic or symbolic function? Remember that few, if any,
details in a film’s spatial setting are accidental, and many will have thematic/symbolic meanings. Also, how do
characters and setting relate to each other? Are particular settings associated with particular characters? If so,
what is the significance? Camerawork: how do camera movements establish the relationship between the
spectator and the spatial world of the film? Is there an establishing shot to provide a panoramic sense of space,
or are medium shots and close-ups used? Is the camera static or mobile (panning, tilting, using following shots,
or tracking shots)? Character: how does camerawork establish relationships between characters, or between
characters and the spectator? Are characters shown in close-up? Are they spatially close or distant from one
another? Does the camera appear to identify the spectator with the perceptions of a specific character, for
example through point-of-view shots? Are characters shown looking at each other? If so, what is the
relationship between the bearer of the gaze and the object of the gaze? Are there moments where a character
appears to be directly engaging the gaze of the audience? If so, what are the consequences? Dialogue: comment
on the nature of the dialogue (natural or stylized, standard language, or slang, and so on), and relate it to the
visual portrayal of character relationships. Extradiegetic sound: this means sound that comes from outside the
represented (in other words, the diegetic) world of the film, for example voice-overs or music. How is it used
(if at all)? And to what effect? In all cases, remember to relate formal devices to the thematic aspects of the
film identified in your introduction. It is not enough to note that such and such a device is there: you also need
to say why, and to what effect.
In concluding, summarize your findings, linking the concerns of the extract to the strategies and
thematic concerns of the film – and possibly of the module of the whole. In presenting your work, make sure
you follow the guidelines for the presentation and submission, respecting the word limit.

13
 Preparation, Assessment, and Feedback

Modes of Assessment
In MLAC, there are two modes of assessment: summative work, which is anonymized and contributes
to your final module mark, and formative work, which is an important part of core-language (and some other)
modules, providing an opportunity for practice, development, and feedback on errors. This work does not
directly contribute to your module mark or your degree.

Preparing for Assessment and Examinations

It is essential to plan assignments carefully and in advance, ensuring you know what is involved and
when the deadline falls. This is important, as deadlines are limits rather than targets, and should always be
treated as such. As deadlines often come at the same time, it is wise to start research at least a month
beforehand, allowing sufficient time to revise drafts. Bear in mind that problems with computers and printers
are not accepted as an excuse for late submission. Similarly, you are strongly advised to start exam revision in
plenty of time. Last-minute cramming is the least effective way of preparing: it is tiring, stressful, and often
counterproductive. Devise a revision strategy according to the timetable and the varying demands of the
examinations. Thus, a skill-based language examination should require less preparation than a module dealing
with literary, visual, or cultural material. Complete revision in advance of each examination so as to be relaxed
and to allow for unexpected difficulties. Part of the process is to look through previous examination papers,
noting the types of questions asked. It would be useful to spend time outlining plans to answer some of these,
not in the hope that one might reappear, but to practice tackling them. Some students find it useful to spend
time revising with friends, which could help clarify ideas and reinforce confidence. Heed the advice of those
who urge you to eat and sleep, and to check the examination timetable carefully so as to arrive in good time.
Some nervousness is natural, even positive, but do not panic. Read the instructions carefully and decide which
you can answer best. Divide time according to the value of each question (for example, if you have a
commentary worth 40% and an essay worth 60%, spend roughly that proportion of time on each). Attempt all
questions that you are asked to answer, and allow time at the end so that you can read through and correct
errors. Bear in mind that a succinct but well-focused answer is better than a rambling, inconclusive attempt to
say everything you know.

Presentation of Summative Work

Assignments should be word-processed with double or 1.5 spacing, and with at least 1" (2.5 cm)
margins, to allow room for comments and corrections. If possible, print on both sides of the paper. Pages
should be numbered at bottom centre and stapled, with your candidate number on every page. Provide an
accurate word count at the end, including footnotes and quotations (but excluding title or question and
bibliography). The title of your assignment should be centred at the beginning. Obey the word limit for the
assignment scrupulously (exceeding the maximum leads to penalties, as set out below). Give proper references
for quotations and other sources used.

Summative Coursework
Most modules include summative work, and information posted on DUO or in a guide will indicate
the word limit and deadline. The word limit applies to text and footnotes, including quotations or translations,
but not the bibliography (or appendices, if used). You may go over the word limit by 5% without incurring
penalties, but thereafter, you will incur penalties as follows:

 more than 5% and up to 10% over limit: lose five percentage points
 11 to 20% over limit: lose ten percentage points
 21 to 30% over limit: lose twenty percentage points
 31% or more over limit: examiners will not mark any part of the work over the limit and will assess
candidates only on the part of the work within the required word length

Turnitin makes it easy for tutors to check word-counts, and those that are inaccurate will be penalized under
University regulations governing dishonest practice. There is no penalty for writing less than the word limit,
but the number of words specified is considered to represent the length of essay that will deal with the topic
adequately and allow full demonstration of the learning outcomes. Note also that deadlines constitute the last
possible day on which assessed work can be handed in. To avoid last-minute problems, you are advised to
hand in your work one or two days beforehand.

14
 All summative work is marked anonymously. At the start of the Michaelmas Term, you will be given
your anonymous examination number, which will be given to you by Student Registry via a duo mailing.. When
you are ready to hand in work, you can collect a coversheet from the School Office (A58) or print one from
DUO. This sheet, which lists information such as name, anonymous number, college, title of assessment, and a
declaration that the work is your own, must be completed and handed in with your work. Each page of the
work is identified by your anonymous examination number only.
Two hard copies of your coursework (including appendices, if used) should be taken to the School
Office (A58) where you will date-stamp the coversheet using the electronic dating machine, paperclip the
coversheet to the front of your work, and place it in the appropriate language basket. Only hard copies will be
accepted: e-mail, fax, CD, DVD, data-sticks, and so on will not. Additionally, a copy (which must be identical to
the hard copy) must be submitted on DUO into the coursework drop box under the relevant module. You
should submit this beforehand and on the same day as your hard copy, but should not include appendices, if
used. You must submit the receipt from the successful submission of your work onto DUO with your essay.
Failure to this will result in a mark of zero being awarded. Full details of how to use coursework drop boxes
are available on DUO along with details of coursework format. Baskets of coursework and DUO drop boxes
are sorted on a daily basis, and coursework submitted after the given deadline will be identified by support
staff, and LATE (along with the date of receipt) written across the top of the work.
In accordance with institutional policy, MLAC caps the mark for all late work submitted within five
days of the deadline at the pass mark (40%); work submitted after that point will not be marked and a mark of
zero will be recorded. Students whose work is affected by problems such as illness should contact the School
Manager and produce a medical certificate. Normally such evidence should be provided in advance of the
deadline. Computer error will not be accepted as a reason for the late submission of work, and so you should
ensure that you keep adequate backups. Candidates requiring an extension must obtain written permission via
the School Manager, as individual tutors are not allowed to do so. Extensions are granted where circumstances
demonstrably beyond the control of the student have prevented him/her from handing in the work. If a new
deadline has been agreed it will be communicated in writing by the Examinations Secretary, and a copy will be
kept on your file.

Feedback Policy
The School regards feedback as an essential and integral part of the learning process and seeks to
offer clear, constructive, and strategic feedback, aligned with the stated marking criteria, on all formative and
summative work. The purpose of feedback is to give students practical indications about what kinds of things
they can do to improve their marks and to point out what they have done well. Feedback can assume a variety
of oral and written forms, including concise marginal comments or corrections on formative language work,
group feedback given in class, individual feedback given in tutorials, and more detailed written feedback on
essay or commentary marksheets. Brief factual consultation can also be given in email correspondence,
although substantive enquires, requiring more detailed responses, should always be put to tutors during Office
Hours. In order to ensure the quality of written feedback, summative work is marked by a first marker and
then moderated internally by a different member of staff. Each Department appoints one or more External
Examiner from another University as an additional quality safeguard.
At key points in the academic year all students will be offered face-to-face meetings with their
Academic Advisers, and one of these meetings will include a review of previous marks and feedback on
summative work and a discussion of strategies for improving performance which identifies any common issues
arising across modules taken. Every member of staff has an advertised Office Hour, during which they are
available for consultation by students they teach or for whom they act as Academic Adviser. Students are
welcome to make an appointment in order to seek expansion on written feedback they have received,
explanation of comments not understood, or receive additional advice about how best to act upon the
feedback given.
It is School policy to provide prompt and detailed written or audio-recorded feedback on all
summative work submitted in the Michaelmas and Epiphany terms. As the number of students enrolled across
modules varies greatly, we undertake to return work according to the following maximum timescale, although
in most instances we expect that turnaround times will be shorter:

0–30 students – 3 weeks

31–60 students – 4 weeks
61+ students – 5 weeks

In cases where it is not possible for some reason to return work according to this agreed timetable, students
will receive an explanation for the delay from the relevant module coordinator and an indication of a revised
date for the return of work.

15
 Level Descriptors and Assessment Criteria: A Student’s Guide

Introduction
This section of the handbook sets out the level descriptors and the assessment criteria for the BA in
Modern Languages. Level descriptors detail the skills and attributes that you should possess on completing the
relevant year of study, the outcomes you should achieve, and your responsibilities within this process.
Assessment criteria determine the mark you are awarded for each piece of work you produce. They set out
the expectations that markers have when assessing your academic performance. The assessment criteria are
formulated in quite abstract terms. Given the diversity of work in the School of Modern Languages and
Cultures, this is inevitable. Yet that does not mean that the assessment criteria are of no use to you, both in
the production of work and in helping you understand feedback on formative and summative assessments.
Assessment criteria make more sense when read in terms of the learning outcomes of individual
modules. These can be found in the module descriptions in the Faculty Handbook, which can be accessed online
(see https://www.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/). They will also make more sense when read in conjunction with
feedback forms used by markers to provide feedback on your work. Although the criteria are the same for
modules of the same type (for example, language, or literary/visual/cultural analysis), the weighting given to
various elements will vary depending on the exercise. So, for example, in a commentary, evidence of extensive
reading might be less crucial than sensitivity to textual detail, while in a historical essay, the opposite may be
the case. Feedback forms will give you a clear idea of how a particular exercise will be assessed. Copies of the
relevant feedback form are available on each module duo site. There are some general principles that you
might bear in mind when reading the assessment criteria:

Literary/Visual/Cultural Analysis

 Knowledge and understanding of the subject. The more comprehensive your knowledge and understanding of
the subject (in terms of both the topic/text under discussion and the wider context), the higher the mark
you are likely to attract. This knowledge and understanding will in turn depend on the amount and kind of
research you carry out. While all modules will have reading lists, to achieve a mark in the higher ranges,
you will need to demonstrate independent research —your ability to identify relevant sources beyond
what your lecturer recommends— and to mobilize this reading effectively in your essay.

 Structure and Argumentation. It is clearly not sufficient to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
subject; you also have to do so in a coherent and logically structured way that addresses the terms of the
question or exercise. So you need to make sure that your argument is transparently structured, clearly
argued, and as comprehensive as possible while remaining at all times relevant.

 Conceptual sophistication. This refers to your grasp of the conceptual or theoretical framework
underpinning your analysis (for example, narrative theory, gender, the gaze, abjection, and so on), and
your ability to apply this knowledge to the study of a particular text, film, image, or other object. To what
extent do you have an in-depth grasp of the key conceptual or theoretical issues addressed in your
module? Does your understanding of these issues rely on seminar notes, or have you developed your
understanding by reading widely outside your weekly contact hours?

 Analytical power. This refers to the quality of your insights into the relevant text, film, image, or other
object of study. The more powerful an analysis, the greater its ability to account for textual details,
ambiguities, complexity, and multiple layers of meaning. In particular, your mark will depend on your ability
to analyse the formal and rhetorical aspects of a text, film, image, or other object. This means not just
noting that a particular textual feature is present, but explaining its effect in terms of the overall text,
extract, and so on.

 Presentation. This encompasses your ability to write in the appropriate scholarly idiom, in English and or in
the target language. It also includes your referencing and bibliography, for which detailed guidelines are
provided in this handbook. Meticulous referencing, a comprehensive bibliography, flawless spelling, and a
highly sophisticated critical idiom that remains lucid throughout would attract a high mark. Inaccuracies
with references, omissions from the bibliography, spelling errors, and poor linguistic expression are likely
to attract a poor score. Please note that some modules are taught and assessed at least partially in the

16
 target language. The School’s marking criteria do not differentiate between assessments written in the
target language and those written in English. Presentation covers the same issues in all modules, and your
mark will reflect this.

Language Modules

 Comprehension. Your ability to understand the target language — in written and spoken forms — and your
ability to formulate appropriate responses.

 Accuracy. This concerns things such as grammar and syntax (for example, your ability to produce sentences
that hang together correctly and make sense). The obvious things that count here are (depending on the
language): adjective endings, gender, cases, prepositions, conjugation of verbs, word-order, mood
(subjunctive, and so on), and similar. The fewer errors you make in these areas, the better your mark will
be.

 Range of lexis and grammatical structures. The wider your vocabulary and the greater the variety of
grammatical structures you have at your command, the better the mark you will attract.

 Idiom and register. Idiom refers to the mode of expression that is characteristic of a particular language.
Your marks will depend to an extent on your ability to internalize and reproduce these modes of
expression rather than relying on anglicisms (unidiomatic direct translations out of English). Register refers
to the form of language employed in specific situations. Clearly, a text message will use a different register
from a literary essay, which will in turn differ from an oral presentation or a newspaper article. Register
encompasses a variety of things, including the appropriate vocabulary and syntactic structures, and your
ability to adjust your register to fit the communicative situation will have an effect on your mark.

 Cultural transfer. In translation, you will be tested not only on your purely linguistic skills, but on your
ability to judge the knowledge of your target audience, and modify your translation accordingly. This may
involve adding or omitting certain pieces of information, providing glosses and additional explanations,
changing abbreviations, and so on. Your mark will depend to an extent on your ability to perform this kind
of cultural transfer.

17
 First-Year Descriptors and Assessment Criteria

Overview
Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate sufficient linguistic competence to understand a range of
cultural products (history, literature, film, media) originating from within one or more of the language
communities studied in the School. In addition, they will have acquired and be able to demonstrate a factual
and conceptual knowledge-base relevant to the study of their chosen target culture(s), together with an
understanding of and ability to use the terminology appropriate to the varied fields of study with which they
may engage. In modules devoted to both language and cultural history, level 1 provides the basis for more
advanced work in terms of the acquisition of language and the study of culture.

Skills and Attributes

Cultural Analysis
 An overall acquaintance with the cultural history of the chosen target cultures
 Specific knowledge of selected key visual and/or written texts of the target culture(s)
 Basic knowledge of a range of analytic methodologies and the relevant technical language that can be used
to interrogate diverse cultural products
 Ability to use a variety of resources in order to build up subject-specific knowledge
 Ability to read critically and analytically
 Ability to produce well-informed, clearly-structured written work (essays and commentaries)

Language
 An enhanced understanding of essential elements of grammar
 Increased oral proficiency
 Increased fluency and accuracy in the use of written language
 An expanded range of lexis and syntactic structures
 Ability to express reasoned opinions
 An understanding of selected aspects of the society/societies in which the chosen language(s) is/are spoken

Language (ab initio)

 A-level competence in terms of both grammatical knowledge and communicative competence
 An understanding, through language, of selected aspects of the society/societies in which the chosen
language is spoken; developing cultural awareness and communicative competence

Outcomes and Responsibilities

 Ability to manage own learning, taking responsibility for the quality of outputs in order to meet specific
standards, and completing assignments (whether formally assessed or not) by agreed deadlines
 Intellectual flexibility, allowing students to operate effectively across a range of sub-disciplines within the
programme and to change discipline or activity regularly within the course of a normal day’s activities.

Literary/Visual/Cultural Analysis
Your marks will depend on how well you know the relevant material, how convincingly you can analyse it in
the light of the question asked, and, more generally, in essays, on how well you are able to make a case for
your point of view in answer to the question. A good answer will be well structured, so that the line of
argument is clear and cogent; it will be accurate and clearly expressed; and it will not merely reproduce
lecture notes, but show signs of independent thinking and research.

86–100 (First Class): Exemplary. Highly sophisticated work, conceptually ambitious, with evidence of
independent research. Demonstrates extensive reading and a comprehensive understanding of the topic in its
wider contexts. Shows exceptional sensitivity to all formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows subtle
critical awareness and outstanding powers of analysis. Manages complex critical or theoretical argument, the
force, coherence, and relevance of which is sustained at a very high level throughout. Abundant excellent
evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to the highest professional standards.

18
76–85 (First Class): Outstanding. Sophisticated and thoroughly convincing work, with some evidence of
independent research. Demonstrates broad reading and a wide-ranging understanding of the topic in its wider
contexts. Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be
they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows considerable critical awareness
and powers of analysis. Answer illuminates the terms of the question and is thorough, relevant, cogent, and
closely-argued throughout. Excellent evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are
fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to professional standards.

70–75 (First Class): Excellent. Lucid and persuasive work. Brings substantial relevant reading and a clear
understanding of the topic in its wider contexts to bear on the question, and may demonstrate independent
research. Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be
they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows critical awareness, scholarly
rigour, and powers of analysis, and integrates critical concepts and examples fully into the flow of the
discussion. Clear, relevant, and focused structure, though some lapses in argumentation may be acceptable if
compensated by sustained excellence in other areas. Very good evidence to show that all learning outcomes
appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a very
high standard.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Very Good. Well-focused work. Demonstrates appropriate reading that may go
beyond standard examples and sources, and a clear understanding of the topic, but need not demonstrate
independent research. Some answers at this level will demonstrate independent research, but would require
further reading and/or attention to expression, argumentation, and presentation in order to attract a first-class
mark. Shows some sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be
they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Argument is generally clear and
relevant, though lapses may be compensated by very good elements elsewhere. Good evidence to show that
all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing,
scholarly style, etc.) to a very high standard.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Good. Generally well-informed work. Demonstrates evidence of relevant
reading and understanding of the topic. Shows sensitivity to some formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these.
Answer displays ability to structure reasoned arguments and to substantiate these with appropriate evidence,
but may be characterised by an insufficient development of good ideas, structural defects, infelicities of
expression, or occasional redundancy/ irrelevance. Evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to
the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a high standard.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Sound. Conscientious and satisfactory work. Shows adequate reading and
knowledge of topic, without going beyond basic examples and sources. While there may be some sensitivity to
isolated formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, answer will tend towards
description rather than analysis, and/or seek to simplify complex critical issues. Answer presents the general
outline of an appropriate argument, but may lack clear structure and focus. May not always be relevant, and
potentially good observations may remain undeveloped. Generally sufficient evidence to show that all learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) to an acceptable standard.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Fair. Broadly relevant but sometimes unreflective or unfocused work. Shows
some evidence of relevant reading and knowledge of topic, but relies on a limited number of basic examples
and sources. Shows little sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Answer largely descriptive rather than analytical, with superficial grasp of critical issues. May
offer potentially sound ideas and arguments, but without integrating these into a clear overall argument, or
backing them up with sufficient supporting evidence. Answer may remain thin, short, or sketchy, diffuse in
structure, or unclear in expression, and may present significant quantities of material that is unrelated to the
argument. Sound but limited evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied.
Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a barely acceptable standard.

45–49 (Third Class): Weak. Limited work, demonstrating restricted sense of relevance and understanding of
the topic. Answer demonstrates no sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Argumentation is unclear, and claims may be factually inaccurate, crude simplifications, or
unsubstantiated by supporting evidence. Answer may be very short, barely relevant, and suffer from poor

19
expression. Acceptable but significantly restricted evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the
level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) may be poor or partially
incomplete.

40–44 (Third Class): Very Weak. Barely acceptable work, demonstrating severely restricted sense of relevance
and sketchy understanding of the topic. Answer will typically demonstrate more than one of the following:
barely any evidence of relevant reading; total lack of sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration; no clear line of argument or interpretation; serious errors of fact or
understanding; muddled thinking; inability to offer supporting evidence for the claims made. Answer may be
very short, largely irrelevant, and suffer from poor expression. Barely sufficient evidence that all the learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.)
generally poor and/or partially incomplete.

35–39 (Fail): Unacceptable work, narrowly but clearly failing to reach acceptable standard. May make a
moderate number of points broadly connected to the topic, but generally fails to relate them to one another.
Knowledge and understanding of the topic are partial. Also suffers from one or more of the defects listed for
the band above, without compensatory elements to make the work acceptable. Offers evidence that most
learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) poor and partially incomplete.

30–34 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering a few points on the topic, but failing repeatedly to relate them to
one another. Additionally suffers from the failings listed in the above bands, without compensatory strengths.
Offers some evidence that many learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor with numerous omissions

20–29 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering few points on the topic, fails entirely to relate statement to one
another, and demonstrates little evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level.
Offers evidence that only a few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor in every respect.

10–19 (Fail): Extremely poor work. Answer likely to be of extreme brevity, with little knowledge or relevance.
Offers negligible evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level, and shows that
very few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing,
scholarly style, etc.) exceptionally poor.

0–9 (Fail): Exceptionally poor work, almost totally irrelevant, incoherent, and ignorant of the subject. Fails to
demonstrate that any of the learning outcomes are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly
style, etc.) outstandingly bad.

Language Modules (ab initio)

86–100 (First Class): Written. Exemplary ability, with near-perfect comprehension and accuracy, an extensive
range of lexis and grammatical structures, and relevant linguistic skills; translation skills of the very highest
standard in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. An exemplary standard of accuracy, range of
expression, idiom, comprehension, presentation and general communication skills.

76–85 (First Class): Written. Outstanding, with an extremely high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of a
very wide range of lexis and grammatical structures and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; translation skills
attaining exceptionally high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. Outstanding
expression and accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation and general communication skills. In written
and oral language, errors of a very minor nature may be compensated by demonstrably outstanding
performance overall.

70–75 (First Class): Written. Excellent, with a very high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of wide range of
lexis and grammatical structures; well-developed grasp of relevant linguistic skills; translation technique
attaining very high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. Excellent expression and
accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation and general communication skills. In written and oral
language, minor errors may be compensated by demonstrable excellence in other areas.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Written. Very good level of comprehension and grammatical accuracy; very good
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Translation is very good in all areas. Work may

20
contain minor lapses in one or more areas, but without compromising overall comprehensibility and
communication. Oral. Very good expression and accuracy; good comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May make minor errors, but without compromising expressive capacity,
comprehensibility, or communication.

60–64 (Lower Second Class): Written. Good level of comprehension and grammatical accuracy; reasonably
wide range of vocabulary; shows sense of register and solid grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Occasional lapses
are present, but do not impede comprehensibility or communication. Translation skills good overall, but may
demonstrate lapses in one area that are compensated by good performance in other areas. Oral. Reasonably
good expression and accuracy; fairly good comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Though
minor errors are made, they do not significantly compromise expressive capacity, comprehensibility, or
communication.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension and grammatical accuracy; adequate
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; There may be relatively frequent errors whose effect
on overall comprehensibility and communication are, however, minimal. Translation skills generally sound, but
with some lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression and accuracy; satisfactory comprehension,
presentation and communication skills. Expressive capacity, comprehensibility, and communication are largely
maintained, despite frequent minor errors.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension and grammatical accuracy, limited
but acceptable range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Comprehensibility and communication
are maintained, despite frequent errors, some of which may be serious. Translation skills generally satisfactory,
but with lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression and accuracy; acceptable comprehension,
presentation and communication skills. Frequent errors, some of which may be serious, may begin to impede
comprehensibility and communication, although in general it is possible to sustain a fluent exchange.

45–49 (Third Class): Written. Basic level of comprehension and grammatical accuracy, with frequent errors;
limited range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills, but enough to allow comprehensibility and
communication. Translation skills basic, with errors and/or misinterpretations in one or more areas. Oral.
Limited expression and accuracy; basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Frequent
errors, many of them major, are an obstacle to clear communication.

40–44 (Third Class): Written. Very basic level of grammatical accuracy, with many errors, very limited range of
vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; very basic translation skills and comprehension, with significant
errors, misinterpretations and omissions. Oral. Very limited expression and accuracy; very basic
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Communication still takes place, but is seriously
impeded by frequent major errors.

35–39 (Fail): Written. Inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors; inadequate
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; unsatisfactory translation technique; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make work unintelligible in places. Oral. Inaccurate and inauthentic
expression, with repeated errors; inadequate comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be
unintelligible at times.

30–34 (Fail): Written. Completely inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors;
impoverished range of vocabulary and very poor grasp of relevant linguistic skill; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make large amounts of the work unintelligible. Very unsatisfactory
translation skills with a large amount of misinterpretation and serious errors in all areas. Oral. Completely
inaccurate and inauthentic expression, with repeated errors; inadequate comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May often be unintelligible.

20–29 (Fail): Written. Little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors, unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation skills. Omissions and inaccuracies may
make much of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression largely inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be frequently unintelligible and inarticulate.

10–19 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation skills. Omissions and inaccuracies may
make nearly all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate; unacceptable comprehension,

21
presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate most of the time.

0–9 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors ; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic or translation skills. Omissions and inaccuracies may make all
of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate; unacceptable comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate nearly all the time. Or else remain utterly silent.

Language Modules (post A-level)

86–100 (First Class): Written. Exemplary, with near-perfect comprehension, accuracy and fluency, exemplary
judgement of register, an extensive range of lexis and grammatical structures, and a commanding grasp of
contemporary usage and relevant linguistic skills; translation technique of the very highest standard in terms of
accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. An exemplary standard of accuracy, range of expression, idiom,
comprehension, presentation and general communication skills.

76–85 (First Class): Written. Outstanding, with an extremely high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of
very wide range of lexis and grammatical structures; highly developed sense of register and grasp of relevant
linguistic skills; translation technique attaining exceptionally high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and
cultural transfer. Oral. Outstanding expression, fluency and accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation
and general communication skills. In written and oral language, errors of a very minor nature may be
compensated by demonstrably outstanding performance overall.

70–75 (First Class): Written. Excellent, with a very high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of wide range of
lexis and grammatical structures; well developed sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills;
translation technique attaining very high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral.
Excellent expression, fluency and accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation and general communication
skills. In written and oral language, minor errors may be compensated by demonstrable excellence in other
areas.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Written. Very good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
very good range of vocabulary, very good sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Translation
technique is very good in all areas. Work may contain minor lapses in one or more areas, but without
compromising overall comprehensibility and communication. Oral. Very good expression, fluency and accuracy;
good comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May make minor errors, but without
compromising fluency, expressive capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Written. Good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
reasonably wide range of vocabulary; shows sense of register and solid grasp of relevant linguistic skills.
Occasional lapses are present, but do not impede comprehensibility or communication. Translation technique
good overall, but may demonstrate lapses in one area that are compensated by good performance in other
areas. Oral. Reasonably good expression, fluency and accuracy; fairly good comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. Though minor errors are made, they do not significantly compromise fluency, expressive
capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
adequate range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; There may be relatively frequent errors
whose effect on overall comprehensibility and communication are, however, minimal. Translation technique
generally sound, but with some lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and accuracy;
satisfactory comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Fluency, expressive capacity,
comprehensibility, and communication are largely maintained, despite frequent minor errors.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy,
limited but acceptable range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Comprehensibility and
communication are maintained, despite frequent errors, some of which may be serious. Translation technique
generally satisfactory, but with lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and accuracy;
acceptable comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Frequent errors, some of which may be
serious, may begin to impede comprehensibility and communication, though in general it is possible to sustain a
fluent exchange.

45–49 (Third Class): Written. Basic level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy, with frequent
errors; limited range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills, but enough to allow comprehensibility

22
and communication. Translation technique basic, with errors and/or misinterpretations in one or more areas.
Oral. Limited expression, fluency and accuracy; basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills.
Frequent errors, many of them major, are an obstacle to fluent and clear communication.

40–44 (Third Class): Written. Very basic level of grammatical accuracy, with many errors, very limited range of
vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; very basic translation technique, fluency and comprehension,
with significant errors, misinterpretations and omissions. Oral. Very limited expression, fluency and accuracy;
very basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Communication still takes place, but is
seriously impeded by frequent major errors.

35–39 (Fail): Written. Inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors; inadequate
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills ; unsatisfactory translation technique; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make work unintelligible in places. Oral. Inaccurate and inauthentic
expression, with little fluency and repeated errors; inadequate comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May be unintelligible at times.

30–34 (Fail): Written. Completely inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors;
impoverished range of vocabulary and very poor grasp of relevant linguistic skill; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make large amounts of the work unintelligible. Very unsatisfactory
translation technique with a large amount of misinterpretation and serious errors in all areas. Oral. Completely
inaccurate and inauthentic expression, lacking fluency and with repeated errors; inadequate comprehension,
presentation and communication skills. May often be unintelligible.

20–29 (Fail): Written. Little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make much of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression largely inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be frequently unintelligible and inarticulate.

10–19 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make nearly all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate most of the time.

0–9 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors ; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate nearly all the
time. Or else remain utterly silent.

23
 Second-Year Descriptors and Assessment Criteria

Overview
Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate a level of linguistic competence that will allow them access to
a broader range of cultural products, and an ability to analyse these products in greater depth. They will be
able to demonstrate broader overall knowledge of the target culture(s), with some areas of in-depth
specialisation in one or more of the following areas: literature, film, politics, history, media. Additionally, they
will have an enhanced awareness (in terms of both breadth and depth) of the methodologies and conceptual
frameworks that can be used to understand relevant aspects of the target culture(s).

Skills and Attributes

Cultural Analysis
 An acquaintance with the dominant theoretical paradigms within the chosen sub-discipline
 An acquaintance with a wide range of cultural products relevant to the chosen language(s)
 Ability to subject these to conceptually sophisticated analysis, selecting appropriate critical approaches
from among competing methodologies
 Improved facility in critical reading
 Greater self-reliance in the identification of relevant resources
 Improved ability to produce well-informed, clearly-structured written work (essays and commentaries)

Language
 Increased fluency and confidence in both oral and written expression
 More developed command of and ability to judge register and idiom
 Ability to express reasoned opinions cogently and persuasively
 Expanded range of lexis and syntactic structures, often relating to:
 Increased knowledge of broad areas of the target society/ societies, including a range of current debates
and topical issues; and
 Practical knowledge of daily life in the target society/ societies in preparation for the year abroad

Outcomes and Responsibilities

 Increased acceptance of responsibility and accountability within broad parameters for determining and
achieving personal learning outcomes
 Ability to operate independently across a broad but defined range of contexts

Literary/Visual/Cultural Analysis
Your marks will depend on how well you know the relevant material, how convincingly you can analyse it in
the light of the question asked, and, more generally, in essays, on how well you are able to make a case for
your point of view in answer to the question. A good answer will be well structured, so that the line of
argument is clear and cogent; it will be accurate and clearly expressed; and it will not merely reproduce
lecture notes, but show signs of independent thinking and research.

86–100 (First Class): Exemplary. Exceptionally sophisticated work, conceptually ambitious, with substantial
evidence of independent research. Demonstrates very extensive reading and a comprehensive understanding
of the topic in its wider contexts. Shows exceptional sensitivity to all formal and rhetorical aspects of the text
or artefact under consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these.
Shows subtle critical awareness, scholarly rigour, and outstanding powers of analysis. Manages complex critical
or theoretical argument, the force, coherence, and relevance of which is sustained at a very high level
throughout. Abundant excellent evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully
satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to the highest professional standards.

76–85 (First Class): Outstanding. Sophisticated and thoroughly convincing work, with evidence of independent
research. Demonstrates broad reading and a wide-ranging understanding of the topic in its wider contexts.
Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be they
linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows considerable critical awareness,
scholarly rigour, and powers of analysis. Answer illuminates the terms of the question and is thorough,

24
relevant, cogent, and closely-argued throughout. Excellent evidence to show that all learning outcomes
appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to
professional standards.

70–75 (First Class): Excellent. Lucid and persuasive work. Brings substantial relevant reading and a clear
understanding of the topic in its wider contexts to bear on the question, and may demonstrate independent
research. Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be
they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows critical awareness, scholarly
rigour, and powers of analysis, and integrates critical concepts and examples fully into the flow of the
discussion. Clear, relevant, and focused structure, though some lapses in argumentation may be acceptable if
compensated by sustained excellence in other areas. Very good evidence to show that all learning outcomes
appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a very
high standard.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Very Good. Well-focused work. Demonstrates appropriate reading that goes
beyond standard examples and sources, and a clear understanding of the topic, but need not demonstrate
independent research. Some answers at this level will demonstrate research, but would require further reading
and/or attention to expression, argumentation, and presentation in order to attract a first-class mark. Shows
some sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be they linguistic,
visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Argument is generally clear and relevant, though
lapses may be compensated by very good elements elsewhere. Good evidence to show that all learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) to a very high standard.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Good. Generally well-informed work. Demonstrates evidence of relevant
reading and understanding of the topic. Shows sensitivity to some formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these.
Answer displays ability to structure reasoned arguments and to substantiate these with appropriate evidence,
but may be characterised by an insufficient development of good ideas, structural defects, infelicities of
expression, or occasional redundancy/ irrelevance. Evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to
the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a high standard.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Sound. Conscientious and satisfactory work. Shows adequate reading and
knowledge of topic, without going beyond basic examples and sources. While there may be some sensitivity to
isolated formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, answer will tend towards
description rather than analysis, and/or seek to simplify complex critical issues. Answer presents the general
outline of an appropriate argument, but may lack clear structure and focus. May not always be relevant, and
potentially good observations may remain undeveloped. Generally sufficient evidence to show that all learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) to an acceptable standard.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Fair. Broadly relevant but sometimes unreflective or unfocused work. Shows
some evidence of relevant reading and knowledge of topic, but relies on a limited number of basic examples
and sources. Shows little sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Answer largely descriptive rather than analytical, with superficial grasp of critical issues. May
offer potentially sound ideas and arguments, but without integrating these into a clear overall argument, or
backing them up with sufficient supporting evidence. Answer may remain thin, short, or sketchy, diffuse in
structure, or unclear in expression, and may present significant quantities of material that is unrelated to the
argument. Sound but limited evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied.
Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a barely acceptable standard.

45–49 (Third Class): Weak. Limited work, demonstrating restricted sense of relevance and understanding of
the topic. Answer demonstrates no sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Argumentation is unclear, and claims may be factually inaccurate, crude simplifications, or
unsubstantiated by supporting evidence. Answer may be very short, barely relevant, and suffer from poor
expression. Acceptable but significantly restricted evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the
level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) may be poor or partially
incomplete.

40–44 (Third Class): Very Weak. Barely acceptable work, demonstrating severely restricted sense of relevance

25
and sketchy understanding of the topic. Answer will typically demonstrate more than one of the following:
barely any evidence of relevant reading; total lack of sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration; no clear line of argument or interpretation; serious errors of fact or
understanding; muddled thinking; inability to offer supporting evidence for the claims made. Answer may be
very short, largely irrelevant, and suffer from poor expression. Barely sufficient evidence that all the learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.)
generally poor and/or partially incomplete.

35–39 (Fail): Unacceptable work, narrowly but clearly failing to reach acceptable standard. May make a
moderate number of points broadly connected to the topic, but generally fails to relate them to one another.
Knowledge and understanding of the topic are partial. Also suffers from one or more of the defects listed for
the band above, without compensatory elements to make the work acceptable. Offers evidence that most
learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) poor and partially incomplete.

30–34 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering a few points on the topic, but failing repeatedly to relate them to
one another. Additionally suffers from the failings listed in the above bands, without compensatory strengths.
Offers some evidence that many learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor with numerous omissions

20–29 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering few points on the topic, fails entirely to relate statement to one
another, and demonstrates little evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level.
Offers evidence that only a few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor in every respect.

10–19 (Fail): Extremely poor work. Answer likely to be of extreme brevity, with little knowledge or relevance.
Offers negligible evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level, and shows that
very few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing,
scholarly style, etc.) exceptionally poor.

0–9 (Fail): Exceptionally poor work, almost totally irrelevant, incoherent, and ignorant of the subject. Fails to
demonstrate that any of the learning outcomes are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly
style, etc.) outstandingly bad.

Language Modules
86–100 (First Class): Written. Exemplary, with near-perfect comprehension, accuracy and fluency, exemplary
judgement of register, an extensive range of lexis and grammatical structures, and a commanding grasp of
contemporary usage and relevant linguistic skills; translation technique of the very highest standard in terms of
accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. An exemplary standard of accuracy, range of expression, idiom,
comprehension, presentation and general communication skills.

76–85 (First Class): Written. Outstanding, with an extremely high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of
very wide range of lexis and grammatical structures; highly developed sense of register and grasp of relevant
linguistic skills; translation technique attaining exceptionally high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and
cultural transfer. Oral. Outstanding expression, fluency and accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation
and general communication skills. In written and oral language, errors of a very minor nature may be
compensated by demonstrably outstanding performance overall.

70–75 (First Class): Written. Excellent, with a very high level of grammatical accuracy, evidence of wide range of
lexis and grammatical structures; well-developed sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills;
translation technique attaining very high standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral.
Excellent expression, fluency and accuracy, excellent comprehension, presentation and general communication
skills. In written and oral language, minor errors may be compensated by demonstrable excellence in other
areas.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Written. Very good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
very good range of vocabulary, very good sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Translation
technique is very good in all areas. Work may contain minor lapses in one or more areas, but without
compromising overall comprehensibility and communication. Oral. Very good expression, fluency and accuracy;
good comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May make minor errors, but without

26
compromising fluency, expressive capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Written. Good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
reasonably wide range of vocabulary; shows sense of register and solid grasp of relevant linguistic skills.
Occasional lapses are present, but do not impede comprehensibility or communication. Translation technique
good overall, but may demonstrate lapses in one area that are compensated by good performance in other
areas. Oral. Reasonably good expression, fluency and accuracy; fairly good comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. Though minor errors are made, they do not significantly compromise fluency, expressive
capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
adequate range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; There may be relatively frequent minor
errors whose effect on overall comprehensibility and communication are, however, minimal. Translation
technique generally sound, but with some lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and
accuracy; satisfactory comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Fluency, expressive capacity,
comprehensibility, and communication are largely maintained, despite frequent minor errors.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy,
limited but acceptable range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Comprehensibility and
communication are maintained, despite frequent errors, some of which may be serious. Translation technique
generally satisfactory, but with lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and accuracy;
acceptable comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Frequent errors, some of which may be
serious, may begin to impede comprehensibility and communication, though in general it is possible to sustain a
fluent exchange.

45–49 (Third Class): Written. Basic level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy, with frequent
errors; limited range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills, but enough to allow comprehensibility
and communication. Translation technique basic, with errors and/or misinterpretations in one or more areas.
Oral. Limited expression, fluency and accuracy; basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills.
Frequent errors, many of them major, are an obstacle to fluent and clear communication.

40–44 (Third Class): Written. Very basic level of grammatical accuracy, with many errors very limited range of
vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; very basic translation technique, fluency and comprehension,
with significant errors, misinterpretations and omissions. Oral. Very limited expression, fluency and accuracy;
very basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Communication still takes place, but is
seriously impeded by frequent major errors.

35–39 (Fail): Written. Inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors; inadequate
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills ; unsatisfactory translation technique; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make work unintelligible in places. Oral. Inaccurate and inauthentic
expression, with little fluency and repeated errors; inadequate comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May be unintelligible at times.

30–34 (Fail): Written. Completely inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors;
impoverished range of vocabulary and very poor grasp of relevant linguistic skill; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make large amounts of the work unintelligible. Very unsatisfactory
translation technique with a large amount of misinterpretation and serious errors in all areas. Oral. Completely
inaccurate and inauthentic expression, lacking fluency and with repeated errors; inadequate comprehension,
presentation and communication skills. May often be unintelligible.

20–29 (Fail): Written. Little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make much of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression largely inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be frequently unintelligible and inarticulate.

10–19 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make nearly all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate most of the time.

27
0–9 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors ; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate nearly all the
time. Or else remain utterly silent.

28
 Final-Year Descriptors and Assessment Criteria

Overview
Students will acquire and be able to demonstrate a high level of linguistic expertise, allowing them to access an
extensive range of cultural products in the target language(s). They will be able to demonstrate comprehensive
and detailed knowledge of the target culture(s), with specialisation in one or more fields. They will also be
aware of the limitations of knowledge and analytic methodologies both within the programme as a whole and
within its constituent sub-disciplines.

Skills and Attributes

Cultural Analysis
 Systematic and coherent knowledge relating to one or more of the programme’s sub-disciplines, including:
 in-depth knowledge of a wide range of cultural products; and
 extensive knowledge of the methodologies and theoretical approaches appropriate to the chosen sub-
discipline(s)
 Ability to apply this knowledge in unfamiliar contexts and to mobilise it in order to understand complex
and unfamiliar material
 A high level of self-reliance in the identification of relevant resources and the ability to critically evaluate
these resources
 Ability to produce written work (essays, commentaries, and projects) that is clearly structured, scholarly
(in respect of register, referencing, and presentation), and informed not only by extensive factual and
conceptual knowledge, but by an ability to reflect on the problems and limitations of the relevant sub-
discipline

Language
 A high level of fluency, accuracy, and confidence in both oral and written expression
 A reliable command of and ability to judge register and idiom
 Ability to express reasoned and well-informed opinions cogently and persuasively about a wide range of
topics
 Extensive range of lexis and syntactic structures, often relating to:
 detailed knowledge of numerous areas of the target society/ societies, including a range of current debates
and topical issues
 Ability to analyse language structures and demonstrate sophisticated grammatical knowledge and analytical
competence

Outcomes and Responsibilities

 Ability to accept responsibility for determining and achieving personal and group outcomes
 An ability to operate independently across a range of complex contexts

Literary/Visual/Cultural Analysis
Your marks will depend on how well you know the relevant material, how convincingly you can analyse it in
the light of the question asked, and, more generally, in essays, on how well you are able to make a case for
your point of view in answer to the question. A good answer will be well structured, so that the line of
argument is clear and cogent; it will be accurate and clearly expressed; and it will not merely reproduce
lecture notes, but show signs of independent thinking and research.

86–100 (First Class): Exemplary. Exceptionally sophisticated work, conceptually ambitious, with abundant
evidence of independent research and intellectual adventurousness. Demonstrates a remarkable breadth and
depth of reading and a fully comprehensive understanding of the topic in its wider contexts. Shows exceptional
sensitivity to all formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be they linguistic,
visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows subtle critical awareness, scholarly rigour,
and outstanding powers of analysis. Manages complex critical or theoretical argument, the force, coherence,
and relevance of which is sustained at a very high level throughout. Abundant excellent evidence to show that
all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing,
scholarly style, etc.) to the highest professional standards.

29
76–85 (First Class): Outstanding. Sophisticated and thoroughly convincing work, with substantial evidence of
independent research and signs of intellectual adventurousness. Demonstrates extensive reading and a wide-
ranging understanding of the topic in its wider contexts. Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of
the text or artefact under consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of
these. Shows considerable critical awareness, scholarly rigour, and powers of analysis. Answer illuminates the
terms of the question and is thorough, relevant, cogent, and closely-argued throughout. Excellent evidence to
show that all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography,
referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to professional standards.

70–75 (First Class): Excellent. Lucid and persuasive work. Brings substantial relevant reading and a clear
understanding of the topic in its wider contexts to bear on the question, and demonstrates independent
research. Shows sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, be
they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Shows critical awareness, scholarly
rigour, and powers of analysis, and integrates critical concepts and examples fully into the flow of the
discussion. Clear, relevant, and focused structure, though some lapses in argumentation may be acceptable if
compensated by sustained excellence in other areas. Very good evidence to show that all learning outcomes
appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a very
high standard.

65–69 (Upper Second Class): Very Good. Well-focused work. Demonstrates appropriate reading that goes
beyond standard examples and sources, and a clear understanding of the topic, but need not demonstrate
independent research. Answers at this level will typically demonstrate independent research, but would
require further reading and/or attention to expression, argumentation, and presentation in order to attract a
first-class mark. Shows some sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these. Argument is
generally clear and relevant, though lapses may be compensated by very good elements elsewhere. Good
evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a very high standard.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Good. Generally well-informed work. Demonstrates evidence of relevant
reading and understanding of the topic. Shows sensitivity to some formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration, be they linguistic, visual, narratological, dramatic, or a combination of these.
Answer displays ability to structure reasoned arguments and to substantiate these with appropriate evidence,
but may be characterised by an insufficient development of good ideas, structural defects, infelicities of
expression, or occasional redundancy/ irrelevance. Evidence to show that all learning outcomes appropriate to
the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a high standard.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Sound. Conscientious and satisfactory work. Shows adequate reading and
knowledge of topic, without going beyond basic examples and sources. While there may be some sensitivity to
isolated formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under consideration, answer will tend towards
description rather than analysis, and/or seek to simplify complex critical issues. Answer presents the general
outline of an appropriate argument, but may lack clear structure and focus. May not always be relevant, and
potentially good observations may remain undeveloped. Generally sufficient evidence to show that all learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are fully satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) to an acceptable standard.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Fair. Broadly relevant but sometimes unreflective or unfocused work. Shows
some evidence of relevant reading and knowledge of topic, but relies on a limited number of basic examples
and sources. Shows little sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Answer largely descriptive rather than analytical, with superficial grasp of critical issues. May
offer potentially sound ideas and arguments, but without integrating these into a clear overall argument, or
backing them up with sufficient supporting evidence. Answer may remain thin, short, or sketchy, diffuse in
structure, or unclear in expression, and may present significant quantities of material that is unrelated to the
argument. Sound but limited evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied.
Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) to a barely acceptable standard.

45–49 (Third Class): Weak. Limited work, demonstrating restricted sense of relevance and understanding of
the topic. Answer demonstrates no sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or artefact under
consideration. Argumentation is unclear, and claims may be factually inaccurate, crude simplifications, or

30
unsubstantiated by supporting evidence. Answer may be very short, barely relevant, and suffer from poor
expression. Acceptable but significantly restricted evidence that all the learning outcomes appropriate to the
level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) may be poor or partially
incomplete.

40–44 (Third Class): Very Weak. Barely acceptable work, demonstrating severely restricted sense of relevance
and sketchy understanding of the topic. Answer will typically demonstrate more than one of the following:
barely any evidence of relevant reading; total lack of sensitivity to formal and rhetorical aspects of the text or
artefact under consideration; no clear line of argument or interpretation; serious errors of fact or
understanding; muddled thinking; inability to offer supporting evidence for the claims made. Answer may be
very short, largely irrelevant, and suffer from poor expression. Barely sufficient evidence that all the learning
outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.)
generally poor and/or partially incomplete.

35–39 (Fail): Unacceptable work, narrowly but clearly failing to reach acceptable standard. May make a
moderate number of points broadly connected to the topic, but generally fails to relate them to one another.
Knowledge and understanding of the topic are partial. Also suffers from one or more of the defects listed for
the band above, without compensatory elements to make the work acceptable. Offers evidence that most
learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly style,
etc.) poor and partially incomplete.

30–34 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering a few points on the topic, but failing repeatedly to relate them to
one another. Additionally suffers from the failings listed in the above bands, without compensatory strengths.
Offers some evidence that many learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor with numerous omissions

20-29 (Fail): Unacceptable work, offering few points on the topic, fails entirely to relate statement to one
another, and demonstrates little evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level.
Offers evidence that only a few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation
(bibliography, referencing, scholarly style, etc.) very poor in every respect.

10–19 (Fail): Extremely poor work. Answer likely to be of extreme brevity, with little knowledge or relevance.
Offers negligible evidence of the knowledge, understanding, and skills appropriate to this level, and shows that
very few learning outcomes appropriate to the level are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing,
scholarly style, etc.) exceptionally poor.

0–9 (Fail): Exceptionally poor work, almost totally irrelevant, incoherent, and ignorant of the subject. Fails to
demonstrate that any of the learning outcomes are satisfied. Presentation (bibliography, referencing, scholarly
style, etc.) outstandingly bad.

Language Modules
86–100 (First Class): Written. Exemplary work. Equivalent to standard of a sophisticated, educated native user
of target language, showing perfect comprehension, accuracy and fluency, exemplary judgement of register,
exceptional range, and a commanding grasp of contemporary usage and relevant linguistic skills; translation
technique of the highest professional standard in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. An
exemplary standard of accuracy, range of expression, idiom, comprehension, presentation and general
communication skills, equivalent to that of an educated native speaker.

76–85 (First Class): Written. Near-native performance, with outstanding level of grammatical accuracy;
evidence of very extensive vocabulary; very highly developed sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic
skills; translation technique approaching professional standards in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural
transfer. Oral. Near-native performance. Outstanding expression, fluency and accuracy, excellent
comprehension, presentation and general communication skills.

70–75 (First Class): Written. Excellent level of comprehension, fluency, and accuracy; evidence of wide
vocabulary; highly developed sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; translation technique
excellent in terms of accuracy, idiom, and cultural transfer. Oral. Excellent expression, fluency and accuracy;
very good comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May make minor errors, but these are
compensated by sustained excellence elsewhere.

31
65–69 (Upper Second Class): Written. Very good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
very good range of vocabulary, very good sense of register and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Translation
technique is very good in all areas. Work may contain minor lapses in one or more areas, but without
compromising overall comprehensibility and communication. Oral. Good expression, fluency and accuracy;
good comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May make minor errors, but without
compromising fluency, expressive capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

60–64 (Upper Second Class): Written. Good level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
reasonably wide range of vocabulary; shows sense of register and solid grasp of relevant linguistic skills.
Occasional lapses are present, but do not impede comprehensibility or communication. Translation technique
good overall, but may demonstrate lapses in one area that are compensated by good performance in other
areas. Oral. Reasonably good expression, fluency and accuracy; fairly good comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. Though minor errors are made, they do not significantly compromise fluency, expressive
capacity, comprehensibility, or communication.

55–59 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy;
adequate range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; There may be relatively frequent minor
errors whose effect on overall comprehensibility and communication are, however, minimal. Translation
technique generally sound, but with some lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and
accuracy; satisfactory comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Fluency, expressive capacity,
comprehensibility, and communication are largely maintained, despite frequent minor errors.

50–54 (Lower Second Class): Written. Competent level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy,
limited but acceptable range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills. Comprehensibility and
communication are maintained, despite frequent errors, some of which may be serious. Translation technique
generally satisfactory, but with lapses in one or more areas. Oral. Adequate expression, fluency, and accuracy;
acceptable comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Frequent errors, some of which may be
serious, may begin to impede comprehensibility and communication, though in general it is possible to sustain a
fluent exchange.

45–49 (Third Class): Written. Basic level of comprehension, fluency, and grammatical accuracy, with frequent
errors; limited range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills, but enough to allow comprehensibility
and communication. Translation technique basic, with errors and/or misinterpretations in one or more areas.
Oral. Limited expression, fluency and accuracy; basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills.
Frequent errors, many of them major, are an obstacle to fluent and clear communication.

40–44 (Third Class): Written. Very basic level of grammatical accuracy, with many errors very limited range of
vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills; very basic translation technique, fluency and comprehension,
with significant errors, misinterpretations and omissions. Oral. Very limited expression, fluency and accuracy;
very basic comprehension, presentation and communication skills. Communication still takes place, but is
seriously impeded by frequent major errors.

35–39 (Fail): Written. Inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors ; inadequate
range of vocabulary and grasp of relevant linguistic skills ; unsatisfactory translation technique; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make work unintelligible in places. Oral. Inaccurate and inauthentic
expression, with little fluency and repeated errors; inadequate comprehension, presentation and
communication skills. May be unintelligible at times.

30–34 (Fail): Written. Completely inadequate level of grammatical accuracy, with repeated, elementary errors;
impoverished range of vocabulary and very poor grasp of relevant linguistic skill; repeated errors,
misinterpretations and omissions may make large amounts of the work unintelligible. Very unsatisfactory
translation technique with a large amount of misinterpretation and serious errors in all areas. Oral. Completely
inaccurate and inauthentic expression, lacking fluency and with repeated errors; inadequate comprehension,
presentation and communication skills. May often be unintelligible.

20–29 (Fail): Written. Little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make much of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression largely inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be frequently unintelligible and inarticulate.

32
10–19 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make nearly all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate most of the time.

0–9 (Fail): Written. Very little grammatical accuracy, with a profusion of basic errors ; unacceptable range of
vocabulary and no real grasp of relevant linguistic skills or translation technique. Omissions and inaccuracies
may make all of work unintelligible. Oral. Expression totally inaccurate and inauthentic; unacceptable
comprehension, presentation and communication skills. May be unintelligible and inarticulate nearly all the
time. Or else remain utterly silent.

33
 Advice and Contacts

Careers Advice and References

The University Careers Advisory Service offers advice and information about visiting employers (0191
334 1430). The School too (often in partnership with a college) offers a variety of events on career planning
and opportunities throughout the year. Watch the noticeboards for these.
Throughout your academic career, and particularly as you approach graduation and begin to seek
employment, you will almost certainly need to request academic references from members of staff. Sometimes
you may be unsure about the best person to ask. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but the most sensible thing
is to approach the members of staff who have the most extensive and/or most recent knowledge of your
academic performance. This will include teachers on your module and your Academic Adviser. You may also
wish to tailor your request to the kind of course or post for which you are applying. For example, if you are
applying for a place on an MA in Culture and Difference, it would be wise to request a reference from
someone who has taught you on a similar module at Durham. Please remember that you must obtain the
permission of a member of staff before naming them as a referee.

Counselling Service/Nightline
The University offers a Counselling Service to assist students who have difficulties which affect their
academic studies (for example, anxiety, depression, bereavement, loneliness, eating disorders). It is located on
the top floor or Elvet Riverside or telephone 334 2200. Students may also contact Nightline, a confidential
advice and counselling service run voluntarily by students. To ask for help, or volunteer, telephone 334 6444.

Personal Harassment
The University has a code of practice on personal (including sexual) harassment, which can be
obtained from the colleges, the DSU, or the School. The code covers incidents that make students feel that
they are being treated badly as a member of a race, sex, class, or differently-abled group. Confidential advice
on cases of harassment can be obtained either from the University Counselling Service or the Deputy Head of
MLAC, Dr Claudia Nitschke (claudia.nitschke@durham.ac.uk; tel. 44351).

Medical Help and Disabilities

The University Health Centre is at: Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3JX (tel: 0191 3865081).
There are other medical practices in Durham who will take students, and you should ask in your college for
advice. For hospital appointments, visits, and information, tel. 0191 333 2333. DUSSD (Durham University
Service for Students with Disabilities) is dedicated to providing support to staff and students with disabilities.
Contact: Palatine Centre tel. 334 8115 (Secretary) or 334 8117 (Director).

Health and Safety

If you witness an accident or are injured, you should seek out a qualified first-aider and make sure
that the accident is reported to the School Safety Officer, Ms Denise Freeman. You should also report
anything you think might lead to an accident. Health and Safety notices are posted regularly on the noticeboard
in the main foyer.

First Aider: Mrs M Allchurch, Finance Officer, ER 62b, ext. 42235

Mrs L Luck, Room A32, ext. 42238

Emergencies: Public Services 9 999 (from internal phones)

University Emergency Line 43333
Security Problems 42222
Health Centre 9 3865081

34
 Appendix I

Code of Practice on Academic Progress Notice

As a student engaged in full or part-time study, you are required to keep term. That means that, as required by
the regulations governing the degree or other programme or module for which you are registered, you must
fulfil all academic commitments (including registration, examinations, departmental tests, written work,
tutorials, seminars, practical classes, year abroad placements) to a standard satisfactory to the Head of School.
In practice, this means that if you are absent from classes, fail to keep academic engagements or to submit
assignments, without explanation to your individual tutor or the School Manager, the School’s Academic
Progress Notice procedure will be invoked. It is therefore essential that you keep the School informed of any
changes you make to your modules and/or classes, and that you report all absences due to illness or other
reason. However, we recognize that students may fail to fulfil academic commitments for a number of reasons:
as a result of personal problems which are preventing you from concentrating on the work or poor time
management, not just simple laziness. It is therefore very important that the reason for this is established as
quickly as possible so that appropriate action can be taken: this may mean advising you to seek medical or
other supportive help or it may involve disciplinary procedures. The Academic Progress Notice process is
intended to alert the University at a level beyond the departmental level to the fact that there is a problem and
to provide additional support, advice or disciplinary action as appropriate

MLAC Academic Progress Notice Procedure

1. On the first occasion you fail to fulfil an academic commitment (see paragraph 1 above) you will be
contacted informally by e-mail and reminded of your responsibilities to attend classes, hand in work
etc. If there is an explanation as to why you have not fulfilled your commitments, please make this
known to the School Records Officer, Adam Lowe, and your lecturer – it may just be that you have
changed class/module without letting us know. If you find that you are having problems with a
particular class/module or the programme as a whole, or are experiencing personal or medical
problems which are affecting your academic studies let the School or your college know – we are
here to provide any help and support you may need
2. Your academic commitments are monitored on a School-wide level, and continued failure to attend
classes and/or hand in work, or persistent irregular absences across your MLAC modules will result in
your receiving a further e-mail asking you to see the School Manager, and informing you that failure to
do so will result in the Academic Progress Notice process being put in place. You MUST respond to
this e-mail within three days of it being sent
3. If you fail to see the School Manager, or despite having seen the School Manager, you continue to fail
to fulfil your academic commitments, you will receive a final e-mail asking you to see the Head of
School. If the Head of School is satisfied that you appear, without good cause, to have failed to keep
term as defined above, he/she shall request the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities to
formally invoke a Academic Progress Notice procedure in writing to you
4. This request states the grounds for invoking the Academic Progress Notice, and the academic
requirements you must fulfil within a period of not less than four weeks. The purpose of this is to
ensure that you have caught up with any work missed and/or have regained the habit of regular study.
(This four week period may extend across Term but not across academic years)

University Academic Progress Notice Procedure

1. On receipt of the request the Deputy Dean will, normally within the next working day, check with
any other departments whose modules you are taking whether they have concerns about you which
would lead them to wish to be associated with the Academic Progress Notice process. If they do,
your Academic Progress Notice will extend across other modules as well as those you take with
MLAC
2. The Deputy Dean will then, normally within three working days, issue you with a formal letter, sent
to your college or society, with a copy to your local term-time address if you are living out. Copies of
this letter will be sent to all the Departments for whose modules you are registered, your Head of
House and the Director of Combined Honours/Natural Sciences (where appropriate)
3. The letter will advise you to: (a) seek advice in the department(s) named in the letter about your
academic work; (b) make an appointment to talk to the Deputy Dean within one week. This is to
ensure that any problems which you are experiencing can be discussed and that you understand the

35
 importance of maintaining an effective study routine. It may be necessary to warn you that continued
behaviour of this sort could result in expulsion from the University; (c) make any relevant information
concerning mitigating circumstances known to the department(s) concerned prior to the end of the
penultimate week of the Academic Progress Notice period. This will allow the department(s) to make
an informed recommendation to the Deputy Dean about your progress; (d) confirm receipt of the
letter in writing (a standard reply form will be enclosed)
4. One week prior to the expiry of the Academic Progress Notice period the Deputy Dean will ask
departments associated with it to make a recommendation on further action, taking into account any
mitigating circumstances viz: (a) that your performance has improved sufficiently for there to be no
need to continue to monitor it; (b) that your performance has improved but that concern remains
and that the Academic Progress Notice process should therefore be extended for a specified period
(normally of not more than four weeks); (c) that you have not fulfilled the academic commitments
required an therefore should be asked to withdraw from the University. You may appeal to the
relevant Dean of Faculty against any decision under the Regulations for the Academic Progress Notice
(see section VII of Volume I of the University Calendar)
5. The Deputy Dean will inform you of his/her decision in writing with copies as in 2 above

How this Academic Progress Notice Procedure is put into practice in MLAC
1. The conditions of your Academic Progress Notice will be specified in your letter from the Deputy
Dean —this will usually be attendance at all classes, submission of missed work and work due during
the Academic Progress Notice period— and you must ensure that you comply with these.
2. Your compliance with the Academic Progress Notice will be monitored by the School throughout the
specified period and if you are absent from any classes and/or fail to hand in required work, you must
contact the School Manager to let her know the reason for this. You should also ensure that your
attendance at classes is noted by your lecturer — if you arrive late and miss signing an attendance
sheet, make sure you do this before you leave the lesson
3. At the end of the period of the Academic Progress Notice the School will be asked to make a
recommendation to the Deputy Dean, as outlined in 4 above, and you will be notified by letter of this
decision
4. If you have any problems during the period of the Academic Progress Notice which are affecting your
academic studies please arrange to see the School Manager or Head of School, or alternatively your
college Senior Tutor or Student Support Officer — we understand that it may be difficult for you to
discuss some problems, but we do have the experience to help and will treat anything you tell us in
the strictest confidence

36
 Appendix II

Code of Practice on Recording of Lectures

Students may request permission to record any teaching session delivered as part of their programme of
study. Students should make requests in advance of the session, using the process set out in Volume 1 of the
University’s Calendar. Students may only record teaching sessions where the teacher responsible for the
session has given their consent (verbally or in writing). Covert recording of lectures is not permitted and will
be treated as a disciplinary offence. If it is identified in the individual Recommendations for Reasonable
Adjustment (RRA) report from DUSSD that it is a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination
Act DDA for a student to record teaching sessions, there will be no requirement for students to seek any
additional permission as it is the University’s expectation that permission to make such a recording will not
normally be refused. Where permission has been granted to one or more students to record a teaching
session other than a lecture, the approval of the other students in the teaching session to this recording must
be obtained. If recording such sessions has been included in an RRA and the approval of the other students is
not given, the department/school will contact DUSSD to consider what alternative reasonable adjustments will
need to be made. Where students breach this code of practice, the University shall regard this as a disciplinary
offence. All such breaches will be dealt with in accordance with the University’s General Regulation IV:
Discipline. See: http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/university.calendar/volumei/current/regs.discipline.pdf

Code of Practice (http://www.dur.ac.uk/university.calendar/volumei/codes/)

Introduction
1. The University recognises that there are a number of reasons why students might wish to record
lectures and other teaching sessions in order to support their learning. The University also recognises
that copyright in the lectures and other teaching sessions reside with the teacher responsible for the
teaching session, and that privacy matters of the teacher and students are affected by recording
teaching sessions since their personality, behaviour and opinions will be open, and potentially freely
accessible. For this reason the University seeks to protect the intellectual rights and privacy, and
objections of students against recordings of themselves, and publishing of these recordings, must be
respected. This policy sets out the circumstances in which such code of practice recording may take
place; the respective roles and responsibilities of those involved in such recordings; and the
implications of breaches of this policy.
2. For the purposes of this code of practice, the term ‘recording’ refers to any audio or visual recording
of a lecture or other teaching session, made with any type of audio or visual recorder.
3. The University regards staff recording their own lectures to make available online as good practice,
noting that due process must be followed where recordings would include the intellectual property of
others.
Permission to record a lecture or other teaching session
4. Students may request permission to record any teaching session delivered as part of their programme
of study. All such requests should be made prior to the recording, to the teacher responsible for the
teaching session, and (subject to the comments in paragraphs 5 and 6 below) the decision on whether
to grant permission is at the discretion of the teacher. Students may only record teaching sessions
where the teacher responsible for the session has given their consent (verbally or in writing, e.g. by e-
mail), and recordings of teaching sessions may not be made by students unless this consent has been
given. Covert recording of lectures is not permitted and will be treated as a disciplinary offence.
5. If it is identified in the individual Recommendations for Reasonable Adjustment (RRA) report from
DUSSD that it is a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination Act DDA for a student
to record teaching sessions, there will be no requirement for students to seek any additional
permission as it is the University’s expectation that permission to make such a recording will not
normally be refused. (Each academic department/school should have in place a transparent mechanism
to disseminate the RRA report, to ensure that all relevant teaching staff are aware of the DUSSD

37
 recommendations).
6. The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances where, notwithstanding the
requirement to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students in accordance with the DDA, the
department/school might regard the recording of a teaching session (or some parts of it) to be
inappropriate (e.g. due to issues of patient/client confidentiality in clinical or other practice-based
situations, in situations where children are involved such as a school placement). If such a situation
arises, the department/school must contact DUSSD to consider what alternative reasonable
adjustments will need to be made (e.g. allowing students to record part of a lecture but not all)
7. Where permission has been granted to one or more students to record a lecture, the teacher leading
the session should advise all students of this prior to the start of the session.
8. Where permission has been granted to one or more students to record a teaching session other than
a lecture, the approval of the other students in the teaching session to this recording must be
obtained. If recording such sessions has been included in an RRA and the approval of the other
students is not given, the department/school should contact DUSSD to consider what alternative
reasonable adjustments will need to be made.
9. Permission to record a session is granted to a student on the understanding that no intellectual
property right in the recording passes to the student.
Use of recordings of lectures or other teaching sessions
10. Recordings of teaching sessions may only be made for the personal and private use of the student
making the recording.
11. Students may not:
a. record teaching sessions on behalf of other students;
b. pass such recordings to any other person (except for the purposes of transcription, in which case
they can be passed to one person only);
c. may not publish such recordings in any form (this includes, but is not limited to, the internet and
hard copy publication).
12. Students may store recordings of teaching sessions for the duration of their programme of study.
Once they have completed the programme of study, student should destroy all recordings of teaching
sessions.

38