Economics Department Rules and Regulations

8/15/2019 Economics Department Rules and Regulations

1/76

HANDBOOK FOR UNDERGRADUATESTUDENTS IN THE

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Llawlyfr i Fyfyrwyr Israddedig yn yr Adran Economeg

2012/13

Department of Economics in the College of Business, Economics and Law

Yr Adran Economeg yn y Coleg Busnes, Economeg a’r Gyfraith


2/76

DISCLAIMER

The College has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that theinformation contained within this publication is accurate and up-to-date when published but can accept no responsibility for any errorsor omissions.

The College reserves the right to revise, alter or discontinue degreeprogrammes or modules and to amend regulations and proceduresat any time, but every effort will be made to notify interestedparties.

It should be noted that not every module listed in this handbookmay be available every year, and changes may be made to thedetails of the modules.

You are advised to contact the College directly if you require furtherinformation.

7The 2012/2013 academic year begins on 24 September 2012

DATES OF TERMS

24 September 2012– 14 December 2012

7 January 2013 – 22 March 2013

15 April 2013 – 14 June 2013

SEMESTER 1

1 October 2012 – 25 January 2013

SEMESTER 2

28 January 2013 – 14 June 2013


3/76

CONTENTS

MISSION STATEMENT/AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................. 3 Mission Statement of Swansea University ......................................................................................... 3Mission Statement of the College of Business, Economics & Law .................................................... 3 Aims and Objectives of the Department of Economics ...................................................................... 3

DEGREE PROGRAMMES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS ................................ 4

MEMBERSHIP/STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT ....................................................... 6

Location of Department Offices .......................................................................................................... 6 Economics Department Staff .............................................................................................................. 6

Personal Tutors .................................................................................................................................. 7 Departmental Committee Structure and Membership ........................................................................ 8 Communications ................................................................................................................................. 9 Student Records ................................................................................................................................. 9 Data Protection ................................................................................................................................. 10 Terminology ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Teaching Methods ............................................................................................................................ 12

EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT MATTERS .............................................................. 16

Background ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Feedback and Assessment Policy .................................................................................................... 16

Schedule of Assessment .................................................................................................................. 18

Generic Marking Programme ............................................................................................................ 20Feedback .......................................................................................................................................... 21Examinations .................................................................................................................................... 21 Cyflwyno Gwaith yn y Gymraeg ........................................................................................................ 23 Submitting Work in Welsh ................................................................................................................. 23

Instructions for Submission of Assessments .................................................................................... 24 End of Level Progression Issues ...................................................................................................... 25

Students on four year programmes .................................................................................................. 25 Unfair Practice and Plagiarism ......................................................................................................... 25Referencing....................................................................................................................................... 28

In-Text Citations ................................................................................................................................ 29The Reference List ........................................................................................................................... 31Fitness to Practise Regulations ........................................................................................................ 33 Illness During the Examinations Period ............................................................................................ 35 Extenuating Circumstances and/or Special Requirements .............................................................. 35Extenuating Circumstances - Submitting a Claim ............................................................................ 36 Appeals Procedure ........................................................................................................................... 40 Verification Procedures ..................................................................................................................... 40 Anonymity/Double Marking ............................................................................................................... 41 Policy on Publishing of Student Marks ............................................................................................. 41

EMPLOYABILITY ............................................................................................................... 43 Gateway to Employment ................................................................................................................... 43Professional Development Planning ................................................................................................. 44

Career Prospects .............................................................................................................................. 46Personal Qualities ............................................................................................................................. 46 Student Casual Jobs, Work Placements and Work Tasters ............................................................. 47

Taking a year out in industry ............................................................................................................. 47

OBLIGATIONS OF STUDENTS ......................................................................................... 48

Enrolment .......................................................................................................................................... 48 Module Selection .............................................................................................................................. 49 Timetable clashes ............................................................................................................................. 50 Attendance Policy ............................................................................................................................. 51 Progress ............................................................................................................................................ 53 Payment of Fees ............................................................................................................................... 53 Absence Due to Special Circumstances .......................................................................................... 53 Notification of Change of Address .................................................................................................... 54

General Conduct and Behaviour ...................................................................................................... 55


4/76

General Regulations/ Academic Regulations ................................................................................... 55 Complaints ........................................................................................................................................ 55

GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................. 56 Health and Safety Regulations ......................................................................................................... 56 Emergency Procedures .................................................................................................................... 56

OTHER UNIVERSITY SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS .......................................................... 57 Academic Registry ............................................................................................................................ 57 International Development Office ..................................................................................................... 58

Student Support Services ................................................................................................................. 58 English Language Training Services (ELTS) .................................................................................... 62 Data Protection ................................................................................................................................. 62

USEFUL FORMS AND DIARY OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR .............................................. 63

Student Special Circumstances Form .............................................................................................. 64 Request for Coursework Deadline Extension ................................................................................... 67 Courework submission declaration form .......................................................................................... 71 Academic Diary ................................................................................................................................. 73


5/76

3

MISSION STATEMENT / AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

MISSION STATEMENT OF SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

Swansea University will provide an environment of research excellence, withresearch being undertaken that is world-leading and internationally recognised andthat informs all other activities at the University.

Swansea University will deliver an outstanding student experience, with teaching ofthe highest quality that produces graduates equipped for distinguished personal andprofessional achievement.

The University Community will be a powerhouse for growth in the regional economy,and will greatly enrich the community and cultural life of Wales. It will contribute tothe health, leisure and well-being of citizens in South West Wales and beyond.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE COLLEGE

The mission of the College of Business, Economics and Law is to engender andsupport research of world-leading and international quality, to provide an outstandingundergraduate and postgraduate student experience, to raise the profile of Business,Economics and Law within the Academy and beyond, and to act as one of thedrivers of the regional knowledge-economy. The College will also provide aframework within which the research, teaching and third mission synergies of

Business, Economics and Law can be explored and exploited.

A IMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPA RTMENT OF ECONOMICS

The aims and objectives of the Department of Economics are:

to develop and maintain a reputation as a leading research Department, byincreasing its research ratings to reflect international and world-leadingexcellence, and by securing appropriate external funding for research;

to recruit high quality students and produce well-educated graduates andpostgraduates with a sound knowledge of business or economic principles,concepts, and skills, capable of achieving their career aspirations;

to maintain and grow a strong postgraduate research culture, through therecruitment of well-qualified and motivated research students;

to achieve the highest external recognition and accreditation for its educationalprogrammes;

to develop and deliver an attractive portfolio of programmes to enhancemanagement and leadership capacity within Wales;

to recruit the highest quality academics and administrative staff in support ofthese other aims and in order to deepen and broaden the research and

educational capacity of the Department.


6/76

4

DEGREE PROGRAMMES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Your degree programme is designated by a title, e.g. BSc Economics. It is

essential that you know the exact title of your particular degree programme as it isvery important when referring to documentation that specifies the content of thedegree programme. The structure of the BA Economics programme for example isdifferent from the BSc Economics degree programme. Specifically, within each yearof your degree programme, you are required to take certain modules (courses) andthese will differ between degree programmes and the same module can have adifferent status between degree programmes. For example a module may be corefor one programme but not for another programme. You are advised to know theroute code of your degree programme as well as its title. You can check whichprogramme you are registered for on your personal pages on the university intranet.

The Department of Economics offers the following degree programmes.

Route code Degree Programme Title Duration HomeDepartment

XECRS BSc Economics 3 Years Economics

SECRS BSc Economics (with a year abroad) 4 Years Economics

XECOS BA Economics 3 Years Economics

SECOS BA Economics (with a year abroad) 4 Years Economics

XECFS BSc Financial Economics 3 Years Economics

XECCS BSc Business Economics 3 Years EconomicsXECBS BA Business Economics 3 Years Economics

SECCS BSc Business Economics (with a yearabroad)

4 Years Economics

SECBS BA Business Economics (with a yearabroad)

4 Years Economics

XECTS BSc International Business Economics 3 Years Economics

XEBGAECO BSc Business Management and Economics 3 Years Economics

XECIS BSc Financial Economics with Accounting 3 Years Economics

XECUS BA Business Economics with Accounting 3 Years Economics

XHIEAECO BA Economics and Economic History 3 Years History

SECOAFRE BA Economics and French 3 Years ModernLanguages

XECOAGEO BA Economics and Geography 3 Years Geography

XECOAGEO BSc Economics and Geography 3 Years Geography

SECOAGRM BA Economics and German 4 Years ModernLanguages

XECOAHIH BA Economics and History 3 Years History

SECOAITA BA Economics and Italian 4 Years ModernLanguages

XLAWAECO LLB Law and Economics 3 Years Law

XECOAMAT BSc Economics and Mathematics 3 Years Mathematics


7/76

5

XECOAPOL BA Economics and Politics 3 Years Economics

XECOAPSY BSc Economics and Psychology 3 Years Psychology

XECOASPO BA Economics and Social Policy 3 Years Economics

SECOAHSS BA Economics and Spanish 4 Years ModernLanguages

XECOACYM BA Economics and Welsh 3 Years Cymraeg/Welsh

TECOACYM BA Economics and Welsh 4 Years Cymraeg/Welsh


8/76

6

MEMBERSHIP/STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT

LOCA TION OF DEPA RTMENT OFFICES

The postal addresses and location of the Economics Department offices as well as

telephone and fax numbers and the opening hours of the general enquiry desks areshown below.

Richard Price BuildingSwansea UniversitySingleton ParkSWANSEASA2 8PPTelephone: 01792 295168 or 01792 295171Fax: 01792 295872

General enquiries should be directed to the Secretary inroom F27 of the Richard Price Building during thefollowing office hours:Monday-Friday 9am – 12pm and 1 – 5pm

General documentation, such as copies of forms that you may need to complete, isavailable from either location.

ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT STAFF

Head of Department: Professor Steve Cook

Deputy Head of Department: Dr Nigel O’Leary

Academic Staff Academic staff are professors, readers, senior lecturers, and lecturers. Up to dateinformation on members of staff and their research activities and publications, e-mail

addresses and telephone numbers, and office location, is available on thedepartmental web pages at: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/sbe/economics

Individual members of staff have their own administrative responsibilities and theseare listed in the accompanying Module and Scheme Information for Programmes inEconomics.


9/76

7

PERSONAL TUTORS

You will have been assigned a Personal Tutor who will provide pastoral assistanceand guidance to you on issues that may affect your well-being, attendance andprogress through University. You should meet your tutor early in the academic year.

Typically you can also expect to be invited to attend a personal tutorial four times inan academic year. Your tutor may arrange such meetings by email and you shouldcheck your email regularly. Attendance at these is compulsory and yourattendance or absence is recorded. You can expect such meetings to be held withyour tutor’s other tutees but you can also arrange personal meetings with your tutor.You are assured that this student-tutor relationship will remain confidential subject toUniversity guidelines and appropriate acts of parliament. Your Personal Tutor willassist you as far as possible though they may direct you to more appropriate supportservices if they feel you require them.

All students are required to “sign-in” with their personal tutor, at dates and times set

by your tutor during academic terms. Personal tutors will give information to theirpersonal tutees concerning the dates and times of such meetings.

The purpose of this is to allow the Department to ensure that you are present at theUniversity and continue to be engaged with your programme of study. It is also toensure that the Department is in compliance with University attendance policy, and,in the case of international students, maintaining compliance with the attendancereporting requirements of the Student visa system.

Personal tutors will retain a record of signing-in and the Department will collate thisinformation. Students who fail to sign-in at meetings with personal tutors risk being

reported for unsatisfactory progress. International students will in addition place theirUK student visa at risk, and could risk having their visa taken away resulting indeportation. Any student who is unable to present at a meeting with the personaltutor due to good cause (illness or other special circumstance) must make contactwith the personal tutor as soon as possible and arrange an alternate time for signing-in.

Your relationship with your Personal Tutor should not be one way and you haveresponsibilities, which must be met. Should you have or develop a medical or otherproblem that has the potential to influence your academic progress you must adviseyour Personal Tutor immediately to ensure that you receive appropriate supportduring your time at Swansea. You are expected to attend all meetings as arrangedwith your Personal Tutor and provide satisfactory explanations for any absence.

If you wish to change your tutor it is possible for you to do so. You should in the firstinstance discuss this with the member of staff who is responsible for allocatingpersonal tutors.

It is a matter of courtesy to ask your tutor or other lecturer for their consent if youwant to name them as a referee in a job application. More practically it is possiblethat your referee would wish to talk to you about the nature of the work for which you

are applying so that the reference can be more directed and relevant. Your refereemay also refer to your Curriculum Vitae as well as other LEAP documents held as


10/76

8

part of your personal records in the Department; indeed some lecturers may declineto act as a referee for you if you have not completed your CV and other LEAPdocumentation.

The University’s Policy on Personal Tutoring can be found in the Academic Guide:

www.swansea.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/assessmentandprogress/personaltutoring

DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP

The Department of Economics has established a number of committees to facilitateits development and smooth running. The most relevant to undergraduate studentsare described in the following paragraphs.

The Departmental Management Committee forms the principal executive bodywithin the Department. It comprises the Head and Deputy Head of the Department,the Directors of Admissions, Research, and Learning and Teaching, along with thosemembers of the Department of Economics holding senior administrative positionswithin the College.

The responsibilities of the Board of Studies for Economics include monitoringstudent satisfaction and performance. It also oversees an Annual Module Reviewand Programme Monitoring. It makes recommendations on degree programmereview; recommends new and restructured modules, new and restructured degreeprogrammes; benchmarks good practice in the management and enhancement of

teaching quality in the Department, and considers and recommends any othermatters relating to the administration and conduct of teaching programmes. Itreviews periodically examination and assessment processes, and considers theDepartment’s degree programme portfolio.

The Departmental Student/Staff Liaison Committees advise degree programmeco-ordinators and all members of academic staff on academic and academic-relatedmatters of student concern. Their membership is made up of the staff/student liaisonofficer, other members of academic staff, and student representatives drawn fromlevels 1, 2 and 3. The committees normally meet once a term.


11/76

9

COMMUNICATIONS

Important information is posted on the notice boards, and you should familiariseyourself with the location of these in the Richard Price Building and in any

department in which you are taking modules. The Richard Price Building also haselectronic notice boards. You should consult all of these regularly. There are alsoUniversity notice boards in the foyer of Fulton House where provisional and finalexamination timetables are posted as well as other University notices.

You are reminded that an increasing amount of official University information, fromyour College, from the Administration and from Information Services and Systems(ISS), is only sent by e-mail. Such official electronic communication from theUniversity will only be sent to your University Outlook e-mail account, given to allstudents when they first enrol. Student e-mail addresses are based on the six digitstudent ID numbers, for example [email protected]`. No messages will be sent to

non-University e-mail addresses while you are a student of the University. Youshould check your University Outlook account on a daily basis, to ensure that you donot miss any important course, financial or ISS information. You may access e-mailvia the internet by opening the Internet Explorer browser and in the address windowtyping the URL: http://email.swan.ac.uk

The Academic Registry produces and sends results letters to students. These letterswill be sent to your home address as captured on your personal profile. It is yourresponsibility to ensure that this information is up to date. If you require yourresults to be sent to an address other than your home address then you must submitan envelope to the Academic Registry by 1 June 2013 detailing the necessary

address, your student number and your level of study.

STUDENT RECORDS

The information held on each student by the University is accessible via theUniversity Intranet. In order to ensure that the information record system is asaccurate as possible, students are encouraged to check these records on a regularbasis, and especially if module or programme transfer requests have been

submitted, or changes of address have been notified.

Each student is issued with an academic transcript at the end of their studies. Suchtranscripts are produced directly from the student record system, and it is thereforeimperative that the Academic Registry is notified of any errors or changes in youracademic or personal circumstances.

In addition to the University central record system, the Department also maintainshard copy record files on all students pursing degrees of the Department. Thesefiles are used to track student progress, and the information contained therein is alsoused in constructing responses to requests for references. All students will be asked

to complete a Departmental registration sheet confirming their home and term


12/76

10

addresses, to provide a telephone contact number for urgent communications, andtwo current passport style photographs.

You are also encouraged to provide an up to date curriculum vitae to assist inproviding a reference for you when the need arises. In addition any informationprovided by you under the LEAP initiative is kept as part of your record card, and thistoo can assist in the production of your references when that time comes. Allstudent information held by the Department is treated in the strictest confidence.

DATA PROTECTION

The University’s procedures comply with the principles of the Data Protection Act1998. The responsibilities of students in relation to the provision of personal datacan be found on the Records Management web pages:

http://www.swan.ac.uk/university/administration/recordsmanagement

Students as data subjects have a right to request from the University a copy of theirown personal data. A standard form must be completed and a fee of £10 is chargedfor each request.

The University’s registration number with the Information Commissioner isZ6102454.

TERMINOLOGY

Semesters, Terms and Teaching BlocksThe academic year is formally divided into two semesters, covering three traditionalterms and vacations. Each semester comprises of a teaching block followed by anexamination period. Modules taught entirely in Teaching Block 1 are examined inJanuary (where an examination is one of the means of assessment). Modulestaught entirely in Teaching Block 2 are examined in May/June Modules taught overboth Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 may be examined in January and May/June. Dates of

semesters and terms are given at the beginning of this document. A more detaileddiary of the academic year can be found at the end of this handbook.

‘Home’ School or DepartmentThe ‘home’ school or department is responsible for the delivery of a degreeprogramme, and is also responsible for confirming that the module profile chosen bya student is academically acceptable. The ‘home’ school authorises a student’smodule profile as an indication that the modules selected by a student meet with therequirements of a particular degree programme. Similarly, the ‘home’ departmentauthorises module and/or programme transfers, and suspension and withdrawalfrom programmes.


13/76

11

Degree Programmes A degree programme, or programme, is a collection of modules structured in such away as to form an academically acceptable and coherent whole. The title of thedegree programme reflects the combination of modules of which it is comprised.Degree programmes are organised according to levels of study. In the degreeprogrammes provided by the Department of Economics, these levels eachcorrespond to a full year’s study. Satisfactory completion of each level is necessaryfor progression to the next level, or for consideration for the award of a degree. It isagain emphasised that you need to know your exact degree programme title and itsroute code; you should not guess it, or use a similar sounding name as this can leadto confusion and error.

Levels and CreditsIn a modular system, completion of a level implies the accumulation of ‘credit’ points,where credits are attached to ‘modules’. Students should ensure, at the time ofenrolment, that the modules for which they are registered carry a total weight of 120

credits. Students who pursue modules totalling less than 120 credit points in a levelof study will not be able to satisfy the rules governing progression to the next level ofstudy. Each student must, therefore, aim to attain 120 credit points at the end ofeach level of study in order to qualify to proceed to the next level of study, and, in thecase of final-year students, to be eligible to be considered for the award of a degree.Further details of the progression rules can in the current Academic Guide.

ModulesThe module comprises the basic building block of a programme of study. A moduleis a discrete educational component of a programme, which has the followingattributes (i) specific aims, (ii) a syllabus and a reading list, (iii) a teaching and

learning pattern, (iv) an assessment method and (v) learning outcomes.

In addition, each module

(a) is assigned a unique reference, starting with EC- for Economics modules or EBfor Business modules

(b) is assigned to a level of study which reflects the academic standard of a moduleand its learning outcomes;

(c) may have pre-requisites and/or co-requisites;(d) may/may not be compatible with each other.

Each module is allocated a credit weighting, and full-time students are expected topursue 120 credit points in the academic year. Students registered for a three-yearhonours degree programme are expected to pursue modules attracting 360 creditpoints in total; students pursuing four year programmes are expected to pursue 480credit points in total.

Core, Compulsory and Optional ModulesModules may be ‘compulsory’, ‘core’ or ‘optional’ on a particular degree programme. A compulsory module is a module that you must pursue before you can proceedto the next level of your degree programme. A core module is a module that youmust pursue and pass, with a mark of 40% or better, before you will be permitted to


14/76

12

proceed to the next level of your degree programme, or qualify for your award. Anyfailures, which you incur in core modules, must be redeemed.

Fail and Tolerated FailThe pass mark for all undergraduate modules is 40%. If you have an overall modulemark of less than 40% you have failed a module. An overall module mark of between30% and 39% for a non-core module is referred to as “tolerated fail” and will show asF (fail) on your student record/transcript. At each level of study, students will not beprevented from progressing to the next level of study or from graduating if they haveincurred tolerated fails on non-core modules which sum to 40 or fewer credits.

Pre-requisites, Co-requisites and Incompatibles A pre-requisite is a named module for which credit must have been obtained beforeyou will be allowed to enrol on another related and named module. A co-requisite isa linked module, which must be taken with another related and named module inorder to satisfy your degree programme requirements. An incompatible module is a

named module ‘A’ that cannot be taken along with module ‘B’, so that if you selectone module from a pair (or group), you are precluded from selecting the othermodule (or other modules from the group).

Elective ModulesFor some degree programmes the Department also has the discretion to allowstudents to take ‘elective’ modules. That is, modules other than those listed withinthe programme, and typically provided by other Departments. You can only takeelective modules if your degree programme permits it and this will be stated on thelist of modules for your particular degree programme. For Economics degrees, thedepartment will generally approve elective modules where they are complementary

to the degree programme, provided that they involve no timetable clashes with thecore, compulsory and chosen optional modules of the programme. In the case ofsome Business programmes it may be possible to take, for example, a languagemodule if it is at the appropriate level and content. Applications to take electivesshould be made through the relevant degree programme co-ordinator at the time ofenrolment, that module having also been approved by the department(s) offering theelectives. The number of elective modules will normally be limited to 20 credits perlevel. Elective modules cannot be substituted for the compulsory modules of anyprogramme.

TEACHING METHODS

Assessment MethodsThe Department uses a variety of teaching methods. Formal instruction is largelythrough the medium of lectures, but many lectures involve live use of a personalcomputer, and some quantitative modules take place in computing laboratories sothat individual students are able to use the computer throughout the lecture.Practical classes are supervised by staff and postgraduates who are well-experienced in helping students to learn effectively.


15/76

13

The wide variety of modules offered by the Department has an associated widevariety of different methods of assessment. For details on each module’sassessment strategy, consult the web page for that module. Normally, each modulehas a written examination taken after the module has finished (so a 10 credit pointmodule taken in the first semester will be examined in January) and coursework orcontinuous assessment consisting of a number of assignments. Assignments maybe individual assignments, group assignments, presentations, and business reports.Students thus have every opportunity to develop key-skills in the use of InformationTechnology to gather, co-ordinate and present information, and also their confidencein presentation. Typically continuous assessment might count for approximately 20-30% of the total mark but the proportion can vary considerably between modules.

Methods of Assessment and Learning Outcomes Assessment may be essentially designed to help guide your studies, mould yourlearning strategies and direct your studies to enhance your performance. Such

assessment is said to be formative. Alternatively, assessment may be usedprimarily for summing up and assessing your abilities either at a particular timeconcerning a particular topic, module, or your whole degree programme. Suchassessment is called summative. Most pieces of course work that are assessedcontain elements of both formative and summative assessment.

In the Department, we endeavour to:-

provide adequate formative assessment as well as the necessary summativeassessment throughout all degree programmes;

foster an environment which encourages students who want to progressacademically to take initiatives (such as talking to lecturers) and be pro-active in

obtaining the maximum amount of feedback from the assessment schedules; encourage staff to reflect on the assessment process and to consider new and

innovative approaches to assessment wherever feasible and sensible.;

ensure consistency and variety in assessment procedures across the individualdegree programmes.


16/76

14

Assessment and your Degree ProgrammeYour degree programme consists of a variety of inter-related modules whichcollectively expose you to a variety of academic topics, together with ‘key’ skills and‘transferable’ skills. (At the general level, key skills include communication,numeracy, IT proficiency, working with others, problem solving. and improving yourown learning and performance. In the context of specific modules, which of thesekey skills is particularly relevant in that module will be referenced in the moduledescription. The term ‘transferable skills’ has generally been subsumed into keyskills, but one might find it useful if the term related to those key skills that areparticularly important in dealing with people, and include the ability to effectivelycommunicate and collaborate with people.)

Assessment schedules and methods will vary from module to module in terms of thenumber of pieces of course work, the scope of each piece of course work and theway you are expected to carry out that work (e.g. individual or group work). Themarks allocated to each course work can vary quite considerably in terms of its

percentage contribution to the overall score on a module.

Assessment and Levels of your Degree ProgrammeYour degree programme is specified in terms of levels – one (first year), two (secondyear) and three (final year).

Each module will be designed to establish the basic knowledge and skills in thatsubject area necessary for further study in that subject at a higher level. Assessment will be largely concerned with establishing your fitness to continue suchstudy. As a consequence, there is a tendency for students to compartmentalizemodules and not appreciate that subject matter in one module may well have direct

application in another.

At level 1 of your degree, you will study a wide variety of different modules. At level2, you will be encouraged to experience the interdependence between subjectmaterial in different modules, and at level 3, you would be expected to exploit theinteractions between modules without prompting.

This is just one example of a progression between levels, but it is an important one.More generally, you should expect to be required to demonstrate evidence of aprogression of general abilities on the topics listed in the following table.


17/76

15

ProblemSolving

CommunicationLearning and

ThinkingSkills and trainingfor responsibility

Level1

Apply one ormore

approaches toproblem solvingand evaluatethe results

Communicateresults accurately

and reliably

Establish your abilityto benefit from

training in yoursubjects at anundergraduate level.

Attain skills andqualities necessary

for employment thatenable you to takelimited personalresponsibility

Level2

Use a range ofestablishedtechniques toanalyse andproposesolutions to aproblem

Communicateinformationarguments andanalysis anddeploy keytechniqueseffectively

Appreciate the mainmethods of enquiryin your subject areasand be able toevaluate criticallydifferent approachesto problem solving

Extend and developexisting skills thatwould allow you toassume furtherresponsibility withinorganizations thatmight employ you

Level3

Be able toinitiate andcarry outprojects

Critically evaluatearguments,assumptions andbe able toformulate judgments on (or arange of solutionsto) a problem

Use arguments andperform criticalanalysis using ideasand techniques,some of which maybe at the forefront ofthe discipline.

Enhance yourpersonal andtransferable skills toenable you to takeresponsibility fordecision making

Disclosure of Marks and Transcripts

You should be aware of the distinction between confirmed and unconfirmed marks.Confirmed marks are those that have been agreed by the University ExaminationBoard and, where relevant, endorsed by the external examiners. All confirmedmarks and end-of-year decisions will be disclosed to students in writing by the Academic Registry after the University Award or Progression Boards have met.Unconfirmed marks include the marks of assessment undertaken during or at theend of the first teaching block, and the marks of continuous assessment and othercoursework which have yet to be presented to the full Departmental ExaminationBoard. Whilst such unconfirmed marks may be released to students by theirpersonal tutors, you should be fully aware that such marks remain subject to formalapproval by a University Examination Board and are, therefore, provisional.

Details of modules offered by the DepartmentThe Department has a diverse range of modules on offer and details of these areprovided online and in a separate supplement to this handbook which also offersinformation on Economics degree programmes. You should refer to the sectionrelevant to your degree programme. Should you need additional information onmodules you should consult your personal tutor for further advice.


18/76

16

EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT MATTERS

BACKGROUND

The University’s Assessment Regulations (Progression and Award) are well

established and can be accessed in the online Academic Guide at:

http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/undergraduateawardregulations/undergraduateassessmentregulations

Make sure you read the University’s current Academic Guide as it sets out theregulations which you must abide by and it is very important that you know what theyare. Failure to keep to the rules can result in you being asked to leave theUniversity.

FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT POLICY

One of the objectives of the University’s Learning, Teaching and AssessmentStrategy is to ensure that assessment is fair. To achieve this, the University hasproduced an assessment policy, which can be found in the Teaching Quality Manual,available on the Academic Registry website:

http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/a-zguide/a/assessmentpolicy

The Student Charter commits the University to:• Provide students with helpful, clear and timely feedback on all

assessed work.• Assess students’ work in a way that is fair, valid and reliable in

accordance with the Feedback and Assessment Policy.• Provide students with a clear timetable for when assessments are to be

scheduled, submitted, marked and returned.• Provide students with opportunities for formative assessment.• Meet students’ specific examination and assessment requirements in

accordance with the Equality Act (2010).• Provide students with results and progression decisions.

Students must share responsibility by: Submitting work by the prescribed date and time.

Making good use of feedback provided on assessed work to improveacademic performance.

Informing their College of any extenuating circumstances which might affectassessment performance or ability to complete it in accordance with theprescribed deadline.


19/76

17

Feedback and Assessment – Departmental Policy

The Department of Economics aims to foster a consistent and high quality student-focused approach to assessment and feedback. Specifically, we will:

• ensure that students receive constructive and timely feedback on allassessments;

• establish and promote inclusive learning and assessment that is fair,reliable and valid;

• enable all students to reach their academic potential and to develop thekey skills required of modern graduates by providing diversity inassessment and through improved feedback; and

• enable staff to meet their commitment to students by providing effectivesupport and guidance.

Assessment methodsDifferent modules have different methods of assessment. Each module outline will

provide details on the module’s assessment strategy. Your lecturer will explain theassessment strategy for a module during the first lecture and further details will beavailable on the Blackboard site for that module.

Normally, each module has a combination of coursework, submitted during theteaching block, and an examination, taken during the assessment period after theteaching block has finished.

Coursework may take the form of an individual or group assignment. As regards itsformat, an assignment may be an essay, written report, presentation, discussion,poster, simulation, video or podcast.

Assessments are intended to provide evidence of your academic ability in aparticular topic but are also designed to develop the key skills which employersvalue. These include team-work, problem solving, and communication andpresentation skills. Further detail on this is given in the Employability section below.

There are two types of assessment – formative and summative. Assessment whichis designed to help guide your studies and improve your performance is formative. Assessment which is used primarily for summing up and assessing your abilities in aparticular topic or module is summative. Most coursework contains elements of bothformative and summative assessment.

The Department of Economics will:

provide a variety of assessment methods within degree programmes, toinclude both formative and summative assessment;

encourage students to feedback on their assessment experiences

require staff to review the outcome of assessments and to identify andaddress problems encountered by any individual or groups of students;

encourage staff to reflect on the assessment process and to consider newand innovative but inclusive approaches to assessment ;

ensure consistency and fairness in assessment methods across the degree

programmes


20/76

18

review the overall effectiveness of assessment forms, timing and feedbackacross the programme, when undertaking annual monitoring.

At the start of each module, the lecturer concerned should supply you with details onthat module so that you will know what is expected of you. It is particularly importantto know whether there are any compulsory extras (e.g. practical/example/laboratoryclasses), whether the assessment for that module involves compulsory assignmentswith deadlines for submission and how the final mark for that module is derived.Make sure you receive a copy of these details for all your modules, or if necessary,look up the relevant information on the Department, University, or Blackboardwebsites for that particular module.

Any submitted work that contributes to assessment should be your own andsubmitted as per instructions on or before the due date. The matter of penalties forlate submission is referred to elsewhere in this handbook.

Some assessed work takes the form of an assignment to be done as a group, andmarked as such. When assignments are to be done individually, whilst we would notwish to preclude legitimate discussion between students on how to do suchassessed work, it is vital that the submission is your work, produced and written byyou. It will consequently differ from a fellow student’s submission and even, forexample in mathematical assignments, where there is a ‘correct answer’, explainingyour arguments plus choice of notation are both ways in which your individuality willbe apparent in your work. This document includes a section which elaborates furtheron the subject of Unfair Practice.

SCHEDULE OF ASSESSMENT

A schedule of assessment requirements will be available at the start of term for eachdegree programme via the University intranet.

You are strongly advised to take note of the various methods, which the Departmentof Economics has decided to adopt on assessing students and to raise any queries,which you may have with your lecturers early in the session. You should also knowin advance whether an essay/ practical report would contribute to the overall markfor the module. Please also note any deadlines set by the Department ofEconomics or of any other department in which you are taking modules for the

submission of work and the consequences of failing to meet them. You are alsoadvised that you are required to complete all elements of a module’s assessmentpattern.

Each module’s assessment results in the award of a mark on a scale of 0 to 100%,usually by combining a mixture of continuous assessment and examination marks. A mark of 40% or more constitutes a pass and means that you will be awarded thecredit points associated with that module. It is traditional to interpret theperformance on a module using the following;

First Class 70% and above


21/76

19

Upper Second Class 60-69%Lower Second Class 50-59%Third Class 40-49%Fail below 40%

The University is required to declare students to have successfully completed the

current level of study before progressing to the next level and to advise sponsorssuch as Student Finance Wales, your Local Education Authority or other sponsor. Ifyou satisfy the examiners in all modules undertaken, thus attaining 120 credit points,then progression is automatic. But you still may be able to progress if you fail one ormore modules. However, it is a dangerous policy to assume that you will completethe year with failures in a small number of modules. Regulations that apply to yourstudy are presented in the current Academic Guide for Undergraduate Students.

In your second year of study, the marks on all modules contribute to your degreeclassification. Consequently, if you enter the final year with tolerated failures, youmay then find it very difficult to do sufficiently well in your final year to obtain thedegree classification you desire.

You may find some modules more difficult than others. Seek help and advice onsuch modules promptly by, for example, asking for an appointment with thelecturer(s) concerned to discuss your problems.

A representation of generic marking guidelines relating to these scales is providedon the following page.


22/76


23/76

21

FEEDBACK

The University’s Feedback and Assessment Policy states that you should receiveconstructive feedback on all forms of assessed work. Feedback will normally beprovided within three working weeks and the due date for feedback is included onthe Schedule of Assessment. All written feedback will be available eitherelectronically or in word processed format.

The Department complies with the University’s policy on feedback, and will provideboth generic feedback and individual feedback. For every module, generic feedbackwill be provided in respect of all coursework and examinations. For each module, thegeneric feedback document(s) will outline the expected content of a satisfactoryanswer to each question. In addition, the feedback document(s) will describe theperformance of the cohort and will identify both those aspects of each question thatstudents answered competently and those aspects that were not so well addressed,with areas for improvement clearly highlighted. Students are strongly advised to

make use of such documents in order to reflect on their own performance andidentify aspects of their work that could be improved.

Individual feedback can be provided in a variety of ways and lecturers will explainand identify the opportunities for feedback in the module outline and in assignmentinstructions. Students will normally be given the opportunity to review markedcoursework and examinations by drop-in sessions.

EXAMINATIONS

The conduct of University examinations is governed by strict rules, set by theUniversity, which include rules on absence from examinations, conduct during anexamination, unfair practice and plagiarism. These rules are outlined in detail in theExamination Regulations and Procedures in the online Academic Guide:

www.swan.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/assessmentandprogress/examinationregulationsandprocedures

Students are advised to familiarize themselves with these regulations, in particularthe following:

All University examinations, including supplementary examinations, shall be sat inSwansea. There shall be three official examination sessions, namely in January(end of first semester), May/June (end of session) and August (supplementaryexaminations). Some subjects, however, such as Medicine and Nursing, mayoperate their examinations outside these official sessions.

Students must ensure that they are available for the entire duration of theUniversity’s examination periods, including where appropriate the supplementaryexamination period. It is the student’s responsibility to check the official examinationtimetable and to note the dates, times and locations of their examinations.


24/76

22

It is a student’s responsibility to familiarize themselves with the regulations relating toexaminations and the location of the examination in good time before the exam takesplace.

Students are reminded of the follow ing examination procedures:

Candidates must make sure that Colleges are made fully aware in writing ofany extenuating circumstances which might have affected their studies andpreparatory work leading up to assessment periods. It is imperative thatcandidates speak as soon as possible to their Personal Tutor or other memberof staff in the College in order that the facts can be brought to the attention ofthe College Examining Board well in advance of the University Award/Progression Board meetings. Failure to inform their Colleges of theirdifficulties and to provide evidence in good time before the College ExaminingBoard meeting may well result in the alleged circumstances being disregarded.‘Extenuating circumstances’ could include personal or academic-related

problems or issues involving difficulty in accessing facilities or materialsrelevant to the course.

Candidates are responsible for checking their examination timetables carefullywhen they are published to ensure that all the examinations that they are dueto sit are scheduled. Any problems should be reported to the ExaminationsOfficer, Academic Registry.

Additional time for any candidate arriving after the start of the examination willnot be given.

Candidates must ensure that they take their Identity card to the examinationvenue on all occasions and display it clearly on the desk during theexamination. Candidates must also fully complete an attendance slip.

Students must ensure that they do not engage in any form of unfair practice,whereby they take action which may result in them obtaining for themselves orothers an unpermitted advantage. For instance:

No unauthorised material should be taken into examination venues;

The passing of notes or exchange of materials is strictly prohibited;

No talking or communication with other candidates is permitted.

Students are only allowed to take permitted aids for their examination into theexamination venue. These aids (e.g. pencils, biros) must be carried in a clearand transparent pencil case, plastic bag or “poly pocket” which will beexamined on entry to the examination venue

Students shall use only the official stationery provided – all rough work shall bedone on the stationary provided and handed in with the completed script. Noscript, rough work or official stationery may be removed from the venue.Students must not have in their possession in the examination room, nor makeuse of, any book, manuscript, electronic calculator or any other aid which is notspecifically allowed in the rubric of the examination paper. If calculators arepermitted they must not contain any user-recorded data or program and mustbe incapable of electronic communication.

Students who have been observed acting in breach of examination regulationswill be given a formal written warning. They will also be warned that if theycontinue to be disruptive and persist to act in a manner that is likely to disturb

further other students they will be required to leave the venue immediately.


25/76

23

Such students will not be readmitted for this examination and the incident willbe reported to the Superintendent of Assessment.

CYFLWYNO GWAITH YN Y GYMRAEG

Bydd hawl gan bob myfyriwr i gyflwyno gwaith i’w asesu yn Gymraeg beth bynnag focyfrwng addysgu’r cwrs hwnnw ac eithrio yn achos modiwlau ym mhynciau iaith llemae meistroliaeth o’r iaith honno yn un o feini prawf yr asesiad. Yn achos unrhywwaith sy’n ymwneud a chwrs neu fodiwl a addysgir drwy gyfrwng y Saesneg bydddisgwyl i’r myfyriwr roi gwybod ymlaen llaw eu bod yn dymuno cyflwyno gwaith ynGymraeg, fel y gellir gwneud trefniadau cyfieithu yn ol yr angen.

Rhaid i fyfyrwyr sy’n dilyn rhaglenni a addysgir gyflwyno cais ysgrifenedig i’r Coleg ofewn pedair wythnos i ddechrau’r modiwl(au) perthnasol er mwyn cael cyflwyno

arholiadau, traethodau hir neu draethodau ymchwil yn Gymraeg. (Lle bo modiwl ynfyrrach na phedair wythnos o hyd, rhaid cyflwyno’r cais wrth ymrestru ar y modiwl).Bydd y Coleg yn anfon ceisiadau ymlaen at y Cofrestrydd Academaidd a fydd wedynyn trefnu i gyfieithu cwestiynau, sgriptiau a thraethodau hir/ymchwil lle bo angen.

Rhaid i fyfyrwyr gyflwyno eu ceisiadau i’r Coleg ‘gartref’ gan ddefnyddio’r ffurflenhon:

https://intranet.swan.ac.uk/documents/welsh/Cyflwyno_gwaith_yn_Gymraeg.doc

Bydd y Coleg Gartref yn anfon copïau o’r ffurflenni ymlaen i’r Gofrestrfa Academaidd

(a lle bo’n briodol, Colegau eraill).

Bydd angen i fyfyrwyr sy’n dilyn rhaglenni ymchwil ac sydd am gyflwyno eutraethodau ymchwil yn Gymraeg wneud cais i’r Coleg o fewn tri mis i ymrestru am ytro cyntaf, fel rhan o’r broses o’r gofynion cadarnhau ymgeisyddiaeth. Bydd y Colegyn anfon copïau i’r Gofrestrfa Academaidd ar gyfer trefnu i’w cyfieithu.

SUBMITTING WORK IN WELSH

Every student will have the right to present work for assessment in Welsh for a

course leading to an initial or higher degree, or diploma or certificate, irrespective ofthe teaching medium of that course, except in the case of modules in languagesubjects in which the command of the language is one of the assessment criteria. Inthe case of any work involving a course or module taught through the medium ofEnglish the student will be required to give prior notice that he or she wishes topresent work in Welsh so that the translation arrangements can be made asnecessary.

Students pursuing taught programmes of study must submit a written request to theCollege within 4 weeks of the start of the relevant module(s) to be permitted tosubmit examinations, dissertations or theses in Welsh. (Where modules are of a

shorter duration than 4 weeks, requests must be submitted upon enrolment on the


26/76

24

module.) The College shall forward requests to the Academic Registrar who will thenarrange for translation of questions, scripts, dissertation/thesis where required.

Students must submit their requests to their ‘home’ College using the followingproforma:

https://intranet.swan.ac.uk/documents/welsh/Cyflwyno_gwaith_yn_Gymraeg.doc

The Home College shall forward copies of the forms to the Academic Registry (andwhere relevant, other Colleges).

Students pursuing research programmes who wish to submit their dissertation inWelsh must submit a request to the College within 3 months of initial enrolment, aspart of the confirmation of candidature requirements. The College shall forwardcopies to the Academic Registry for translation arrangements.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENTS

You are required to include with your submission a standard statement that the workis your own. This must be done on a standard form for this purpose which isavailable from the Department’s web pages, and a copy is included at the end of thisdocument, so that you can, if you wish, make several photocopies which you canthen complete as and when you submit assessed work.

The submitted work should be legible, have your student identity number clearly

marked on each sheet, and sheets securely stapled together.

All assessed work, including essays, assignments, dissertations, and othercoursework and continuous assessment materials, must be placed in the specifiedlocked assignment boxes located at the entrance to the Economics offices in theRichard Price building, together with a completed copy of the Department'sassignment/assessment cover sheet referred to above.

Late Submission of WorkWork submitted after the deadline will receive a mark of zero, except that in

cases of late submission due to illness or other special circumstances, when you areexpected to submit your work at the earliest opportunity, together with a specialcircumstances form which can be found at the end of this handbook. As a result ofthe statements on that form, and, if appropriate, supported by medical or otherevidence, your late submitted work may be permitted to be included as part of yourassessed work.

You must, if you are following a module taught by another department, familiariseyourself with their submission process and their policy with regard to latesubmission, as these may differ from those of the Department of Economics.


27/76

25

END OF LEVEL PROGRESSION ISSUES

The full regulations relating to end of level progression issues are available in the Assessment Regulations, published in the Academic Guide:

http://www.swansea.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/UndergraduateAwardRegulations/UndergraduateAssessmentRegulations/.

STUDENTS ON FOUR YEAR PROGRAMMESWITH A YEAR OF STUDY AB ROAD

For students on four year programmes involving a year’s study at another universityparticular progression requirements apply for progression from Level 2 to Level S(which is the designation for the year abroad). Details of these are included in theStudy Abroad handbook which will be given to students on such programmes duringtheir time in Level 2. Undergraduates who have spent a year abroad, or a year in

industry benefit considerably by experiencing different study, work and culturalenvironments. It is possible to change from a 3 year programme to a 4 yearprogramme involving a year abroad during your first year of study; the exactarrangements and availability differ between degree programmes. You shouldcontact the degree programme coordinator of the 4 year programme, if you areinterested in changing to such a programme.

UNFAIR PRACTICE AND PLAGIARISM

You are referred to the University’s Unfair Practice Procedure which can be found inthe current Academic Guide for Undergraduate Students and on the followingSwansea University web page:

www.swan.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/assessmentandprogress/unfairpracticeprocedure

Each time you submit work for assessment you will be required to sign a declaration,found at the back of this document, stating that you have read and understood theUniversity’s policy on unfair practice, plagiarism and collusion.

Unfair practice is defined as committing any act whereby a person may obtain forhim/herself or for another an unpermitted advantage. This shall apply whethercandidates act alone or in conjunction with another/others. An action or actions shallbe deemed to fall within this definition whether occurring during, or in relation to, aformal examination, a piece of coursework, or any form of assessment undertaken inpursuit of an academic or professional qualification at Swansea University.

Examples of Unfair Practice include:

the introduction into an examination room of any unauthorised form of materialssuch as a book, manuscript, data or loose papers, information obtained via an


28/76

26

electronic device such as a mobile phone or any other source of unauthorisedinformation;

the introduction into an examination room of any authorised material which hasbeen annotated or changed in such a way that a student is likely to havegained an unpermitted advantage;

copying from or communicating with another person in an examination room,except as authorised by an invigilator;

communicating electronically with any other person;

impersonating an examination candidate or allowing oneself to beimpersonated;

presenting evidence of special circumstances to examination boards which isfalse or falsified or which in any way misleads or could mislead examinationboards;

presenting an examination script as your own work when the script includesmaterial produced by unauthorised means. This includes plagiarism.

Candidates are only allowed to take permitted aids for their examination into theexamination venue. These aids (e.g. pencils, biros) must be carried in a clear andtransparent pencil case or “poly pocket” which will be examined on entry to theexamination venue.

Examples of Unfair Practice in non-examination conditions e.g. coursework,assignments, dissertations etc:

Plagiarism (see below);

Collusion (see below);

Commissioning of work produced by another;

Falsification of the results of laboratory, field-work or other forms of datacollection and analysis.

Collusion can be defined as involving two or more students working together inorder to gain an unfair advantage, without prior authorisation from the academicmember of staff concerned (e.g. Programme Leader, Lecturer etc) to produce thesame or similar piece of work and then attempting to present this entirely as theirown. It is also considered Unfair Practice for any student or students to submit thework of another with or without the knowledge of the originator. An allegation ofcollusion may be amended during a hearing/investigation to allow a student to be

exonerated of the offence whilst alleging plagiarism against another student(s);

Plagiarism is the use, without acknowledgement, of another person’s work andsubmitting it for assessment; as though it were your own work.

The risk of cheating is immense, because the penalties when you get caught couldbe enough to ruin your career. For instance a Law student could find that, if foundguilty of engaging in Unfair Practice, he/she will not be accepted as a member of theLaw Society. Likewise a student aspiring to become a teacher, doctor or nursemight find his/her chosen career path being closed prematurely if found guilty ofcheating.


29/76

27

The penalties imposed on students vary but if you take the risk and are found guilty,the likelihood is that all your marks for the Session will be cancelled i.e. 0% for eachmodule. You might even find that you will be required to withdraw and bedisqualified from any further University examinations, particularly if it was yoursecond attempt or if the act was of an extremely serious nature e.g. purchasing anessay, impersonating another student or allowing oneself to be impersonated.Colleges suspecting students of engaging in Unfair Practice shall be authorised touse appropriate means to gain evidence on the allegations, such as using plagiarismdetection software or examining the student orally.

Prominent Examples of Plagiarism:

• In 2000, Robbie Williams was found guilty of having plagiarised lyrics fromsongs by Woody Guthrie and Loudon Wainwright III in his song ‘Jesus in aCamper Van’. The consequences were costly: 25% of all royalties from thesong were awarded to the original copyright owners and an agreement was

made to remove the song from all subsequent pressings of Williams’ albumI’ve Been Expecting You.• In March 2011, German defence minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg was

forced to resign all public office, effectively ending his career in politics, after itemerged that he had largely plagiarised his 2006 doctoral thesis.

• In 2008, celebrity psychiatrist and broadcaster Raj Persaud was found guiltyof plagiarising several written articles in books and newspapers. Although thehearing ruled that his plagiarism was not financially motivated and did notresult in patient harm, Dr. Persaud was barred from practice for three monthsand, more pertinently, suffered permanent damage to his reputation andwithdrew from the public eye.

The University is committed to providing support and guidance to prevent cases ofaccidental plagiarism and you are advised to seek further advice from your College ifyou are in any doubt as to what is required of you. Ignorance is not accepted as anappropriate defence.

The University may use electronic detection software to identify cases of unfairpractice. However, knowledge of resources, changes in writing styles and googlesearches may prove just as effective.

Plagiarism and Collusion Prevention Advice

Advice on preventing plagiarism and collusion is provided under the “My Studies” tabin Blackboard, which is the Virtual Learning Environment that will support your studyat Swansea University. All students should read the booklet on ‘Using Sources’before completing their assignments. All students should also read the document‘Collaboration versus Collusion’ before completing their assignments. These twodocuments can be viewed or downloaded from the Blackboard site; they providepractical advice on how you can make use of sources of information and referencethem properly to avoid being accused of plagiarism.


30/76

28

REFERENCING

What is referencing?When writing an assignment, your own thoughts and ideas will build on those of

other writers and researchers. It is essential that you acknowledge those sources ofinformation by:

Acknowledging the source within the text by citing the author’s surname and date

of publication in parentheses, e.g (Davies, 2011)

Giving full details of each item in an alphabetical reference list at the end of your

assignment.

When you find a source that you wish to use in your assignment, write down all thebibliographical information required to identify it. If you do not do this, you will have togo to the trouble of finding these identifying bibliographical details again, since in anyassignment it is essential to reference all your sources fully: failure to do so will resultin your assignment being penalised.The following guide tells you what bibliographicalinformation you need to record for each different type of source.

Why reference?The main reasons are:

To enable your lecturer to follow up the references and find the book or journalarticle in a library.

To demonstrate to your lecturer that you have read widely a range of opinions.

To enable your lecturer to check the accuracy of the information you’ve given.

Good referencing will assist in avoiding accusations of plagiarism. You’ll lose marks if you don’t acknowledge sources.

What is a referencing “ style” ?

There are four referencing systems in use at Swansea University:

System Style used at SU by

undergraduates

Example of in-text

citation or footnote

Used by:

Author-Date APA, 6th ed. (Davies, 2011) Human & Health

BusinessEconomics

Numeric Vancouver (1) Science

Engineering

Footnote MHRA 1 Noam Chomsky andM. Halle, The SoundPattern of English (NewYork: Harper & Row,1968)

Arts &Humanities


31/76

29

Legalfootnote

OSCOLA34

HLA Hart, TheConcept of Law (2ndedn, Clarendon Press1994) 135.

Law

Economics as a discipline has adopted APA (6th ed.) as its style. Note that

bibliographic software packages such as Endnote and EndnoteWeb are a

convenient means of ensuring assignments and other coursework prepared by

Economics students comply stylistically with the conventions of APA (6th

ed.), as

required by the Economics Department.

How do I present referenced material in my assignment?There are two ways to refer to the works of other authors:

Paraphrasing allows you to summarise another author’s ideas in your own words,

whilst still acknowledging the original source. Quotation marks or page numbers

are not needed. However if you refer to a table or diagram, you must include a

page number as the reader may wish to check it. A concise well-paraphrased

account demonstrates your understanding of what you have read.

Direct quotes can be used. However, an assignment cannot be a ‘cut and paste’

exercise. Quotations should be used sparingly, as the person reading the

assignment wants to see your views and analysis of what you have read. When

you use a direct quote always give the page number and place double quotation

marks around the quotation, as in the quotation on the consequences of

plagiarising above. If the quotation is 40 words or more (not something that you

should expect to do) then do not use quotation marks, but indent the quotation by

half an inch on the left margin.

What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

A reference list is composed of all the sources that you have referred to in the text of

your assignment. A bibliography is composed of all those sources you read, but did

not refer to in your assignment. Both reference list and bibliography are arranged in

alphabetical order of author’s last name. A bibliography is not always necessary andwill never duplicate anything in the reference list.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS

How do I cite authors in my assignment?

One authorIn-text citation requires that the last name of the author and the year of publicationbe inserted into the text, for example:


32/76

30

Marks (2011) states that ...

or

....(Marks, 2011)

Two authors

If there are two authors of a work, both should be cited.

Bee and Boyd (2010) state that ...

or

.....(Bee & Boyd, 2010)

NB. Link the two authors’ names with and when cited outside parentheses.Link with an ampersand (&) inside parentheses.

Three, four or fi ve authors

If there are three, four or five authors of a work all authors should be cited the firsttime. Subsequently use et al. after the first author.

(Rolfe, Jasper, & Freshwater, 2010) first cite

(Rolfe et al., 2010) subsequent cites

NB There is a comma after the second-to-last author.

Six or more authorsIf there are six authors or more only the first author is cited followed by et al.

....Yamada et al. (2003)

or

... (Yamada et al., 2003)

NB. Et al is Latin for “and others”.

More than one work citedIf you cite two or more works they should be in alphabetical order of author.....(Phillips, Ajrouch & Hillcoat-Nalletamby, 2010; Rolfe, Jasper & Freshwater, 2010)

Author wi th two or more ci ted works in same yearUse lower case letters (a, b etc.) to distinguish between works published in the sameyear by the same author (s).....Hewitt (2010a) states that... this was supported by Hewitt (2010b) ..

Secondary referencingSecondary referencing is where you need to refer to the work of an author which youhave not read in the original, but have learnt about from another author. Wheneverpossible you should use the original work. If this is not feasible, you must make clearthat you have not read the original by referring to the work in which you found thereference. In the reference list only include details of the work that you read.


33/76

31

Kleinman (1996) cited in Cunningham-Burley (1998) has argued...

or

It is the non-professional arena that illness is first defined (Kleinman, 1996,

cited in Cunningham-Burley, 1998)

WebsitesSince it can be difficult to identify the author of a webpage, the accepted approach insuch cases is to determine which person or corporate body is responsible for thatpage, and then to reference that person or corporate body as the author. In somecases, making use of a website’s search facility and/or ’About Us’ or ‘Contact Us’links may help to identify the responsible person or corporate body. If this informationcannot be determined, cite instead the webpage title. (If there is no title, cite theURL.)

What if some publication details are not available?If no author use [Anonymous]If no date use [n.d.]If no place of publication use [s.l.]

THE REFERENCE LIST

What wil l my reference list look l ike?If the reference has more than one author, add an ampersand (&) before the last

author’s name and add a comma before the ampersand. All lines of each reference after the first are indented.Year is year of publication, not printing.Only the first letter of the first word of the title and the first letter of the first word afterthe colon are capitalised. Any proper nouns are also capitalised, for example

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association

Only enter edition if not the first edition.The first place of publication is used in the reference.The reference list is double spaced.

Book with one authorLast name, initial(s). (Year). Title. Place: PublisherNeville, C. (2007). The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism.

Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Book with two authors or moreLast name, initial(s)., Last name, initial(s). (Year). Title. Place: Publisher.Phillips, J., Ajrouch, K., & Hillcoat-Nalletamby, S. (2010). Key concepts in social

gerontology. London: Sage.


34/76

32

Edited bookUse (Ed.) if one editor and (Eds.) if two or more editors.Last name, initial(s). (Ed.). (Year). Title. (ed.). Place: Publisher.Cash, T. F., & Smolak, L. (Eds.) (2011). Body image: A handbook of science,

practice, and prevention. (2nd

ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Chapter in edited bookLast name, initial(s). (Year). Chapter title. In Initial. Last name, (Eds.), Book title (pages of chapter). Place: Publisher.Benton, D. (2011). Diet, behaviour and cognition in children. In D. Kilcast & F. Angus, (Eds.), Developing children’s food products (pp. 62-81). Cambridge:Woodhead.

E-bookReference an e-book as you would a printed book, replace place and publisher withURL of the e-book collection

Last name, initial(s). (Year). Title. Retrieved from URLOgden, J. (2007). Health psychology: A textbook. (4th ed.). Retrieved from

http://www.dawsonera.com

Official publication An official publication is a publication published by Parliament, a governmentdepartment (UK or foreign), devolved government or an international organisationsuch as the European Union or World Health Organisation. Sometimes there is nopersonal author so the organisation is deemed to be the corporate author.Corporate author. (Year). Title (Series or reference number). Place: Publisher.H M Government. (2009). Shaping the future of care together: Presented to

Parliament by the Secretary for State for Health by command of her Majesty (Cm.7673). London: The Stationery Office.

Online official publicationCorporate author. (Year). Title (Series or reference number). Retrieved from URLScientific Committee on Tobacco and Health. (1998). Report of the ScientificCommittee on Tobacco and Health: Part one: The scale of the smoking problem. Retrieved fromhttp://www.archive.officialdocuments.co.uk/document/doh/tobacco/part-1.htm

Journal article

Issue or part number only required if each issue begins with page 1, if volume hascontinuous pagination issue or part number not required.Last name, initial(s)., Last name, initial(s). (Year). Article title. Journal title, volumenumber (issue or part number if needed), page numbers.Tapper, K., Shaw, C., Ilsley, J., Hill, A. J., Bond, F. W., & Moore, L. (2009).Exploratory randomised controlled trial of a mindfulness-based weight lossintervention for women. Appetite, 52, 396-404.

Online journal articleIf online version is the same as printed version, reference as printed journal article. Ifnot then include article Digital Object Identifier (DOI). A DOI is a long uniquenumeric code. If a DOI is unavailable use a URL instead.


35/76

33

Last name, initial(s)., Last name, initial(s). (Year). Article title. Journal title, volumenumber, page numbers. doi OR URL and date accessedJordan, S., Storey, M., & Morgan, G. (2008). Antibiotics and allergic reactions inchildhood. Open Nursing Journal, 2, 48-57. doi: 10.2174/1874434600802010048

Websites Author. (Year). Title. Retrieved from URL American Psychological Association. (2012). APA style blog. Retrieved May 29,

2012, from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/

NB Only include the date the information was retrieved if the website is likely tochange frequently, as in the case of this example (a blog). If the information is“published” with a static date (year) no date of retrieval is required.

Further information on APA style:

On BlackboardGo to Blackboard and click on the link to the Skills4Study tab, then Referencing.

On the web American Psychological Association. (2012). The basics of APA style tutorial.Retrieved from http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx [Slides13-25 are particularly useful for citing and references]

Books in the Library American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association. (6th

ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Pears, R., & Shields, G. (2010). Cite them right: The essential referencing guide. (8th ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Schwartz, B. M., Landrum, R. E., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2012). An easyguide to APAstyle. Los Angeles: Sage. [Chapter 7 is useful for in text citations. Chapter 10 isuseful for giving full references in the reference list]

FITNESS TO PRACTISE REGULATIONS

Colleges are not only responsible for ensuring that you meet the academicrequirements of the course that you are undertaking but also that you comply withthe requirements of the University and any relevant professional body. Accordingly,if you are pursuing a programme, which leads directly (or partially) to a professionalqualification or the right to practise a particular profession or calling and your conductor your personal circumstances renders you unable to continue on a course or not fitto be admitted to and practise that profession or calling these regulations will apply.Students are therefore required to read the regulations, which are available to view

in the Academic Guide, and become conversant with its contents:


36/76

34

www.swansea.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/conductandcomplaints/fitnesstopractise

The fol lowing, offered as illustrative examples only , may amount to a casebeing brought against a student under the University’s Fitness to Practiseregulations:

o Being physically, psychologically and/or emotionally unable to carry out thefull duties of a professional practitioner (such as being unable tocommunicate effectively with patients/service users or administertreatment);

o Drug and alcohol abuse;

o Exploiting the vulnerability of a patient, pupil or client;

o Offences (including internet use) against the vulnerable including children,

older people and the mentally incapacitated;

o Repeated failure to rectify behaviour that has been identified to the studentby the College as unacceptable;

o Conviction of a criminal offence relevant to the profession concerned,particularly involving dishonesty or violence;

o Acting in a violent manner on or away from University premises;

o Falsification of records and falsification of signatures of professional

personnel.

o Gross dishonesty, for example, the commission of unfair examination orassessment practices.

Further illustrative examples of conduct /personal circumstances which may amountto a student being considered as unfit to practise are set out at Regulation 3.2 of theFitness to Practise Regulations.


37/76

35

ILL NESS DURING THE EXAMINATIONS PERIOD

THE UNIVERSITY IS DUE TO PUBLISH A REVISED POLICY ON EXTENUATINGCIRCUMSTANCES. FULL DETAILS WILL BE PUBLISHED TO STUDENTS VIA

E-MAIL AND THE INTRANET SHORTLY.

Students whose work is interrupted by illness for less than seven days are requiredto inform the College by submitting a completed student self-certification form(Appendix 1) which should be accompanied by a medical certificate.

A student who has been absent from an examination must send without delay to theDepartment a written explanation with supporting evidence i.e. medical certificate.

You are advised always to ask your doctor for a medical certificate for illnesseswhich affect your studies, and present these to the Department as soon as possible.

It is usually too late to tell your tutor after an Examination Board has met andretrospective medical circumstances will not normally be accepted.

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND/OR SPECIALREQUIREMENTS

THE UNIVERSITY IS DUE TO PUBLISH A REVISED POLICY ON EXTENUATINGCIRCUMSTANCES. FULL DETAILS WILL BE PUBLISHED TO STUDENTS VIAE-MAIL AND THE INTRANET SHORTLY.

Extenuating Circumstances are defined as serious and acute problems or eventswhich are beyond a student’s control or ability to foresee

Documents

Economics Department Rules and Regulations