MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL

Course Handbook

2012-2013

University of Sheffield

School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics

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Contents

1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………...3

a. Welcome from the Course Leader………………………………………………………...…3

b. The Handbook………………………………………………………………………………..3

c. Description of the MA in Applied Linguistics……………………………………………….4

d. Outline of Course Content and Core Module Descriptions………………………………….5

e. Regulations for the Award of an MA degree or a Diploma………………………………….7

f. Calendar for the Year 2012-2013…………………………………………………………….9

2. Getting Started – Your School……………………………………………………………………10

a. Jessop West and Other Teaching Areas…………………………….………………………10

b. Contact with the Department………………………………………….……………………10

c. The Role of the External Examiner…………………………………………………………11

d. Academic Resources…………………………………………………..……………………11

e. Academic Expectations………………………………………………..……………………12

3. Advice and Feedback…………………………………………………………...…………………13

a. The Roles of Teaching Staff…………………………………………………..……………13

b. Personal Tutor Support………………………………………………………..……………13

c. The ELT Centre………………………………………………………………..……………14

d. Central University Support…………………………………………………………………14

4. Introduction to Assessments………………………………………………………………………16

a. Types of Written Work and Length Limits…………………………………………………16

b. Supervision for Assessments……………………………………………………….………16

c. Presentation of Assessments………………………………………………………..………17

d. Deadlines and Late Submissions………………………………………………...…………17

e. Guidelines on Written Work …………………………………………………….…………18

f. Double Submission……………………………………………………………….…………18

g. Avoiding Plagiarism and Collusion…………………………………………………...……18

5. Marking and Giving Feedback on your Work……………………………………………………20

a. Marking Procedures……………………………………………………………………...…20

b. Criteria of Assessment……………………………………………………………………...20

c. Marks and Marking Scheme………………………………………………………………..20

d. What to do if you Fail………………………………………………………………………22

6. The Dissertation………………………………………………………………………………..…23

a. The Dissertation Proposal…………………………………………………………………..23

b. The Dissertation Process……………………………………………………………………24

Closing Remarks……………………………………………………………………….………………25

Appendices………………………………………………………………………………..……………26

Appendix A: Feedback Form for Written Assignments……………………….…...…………26

Appendix B: Plagiarism Declaration Form for Written Assignments………..……………… 27

Portions of this booklet have been adapted from the MA Handbook from the Department of Sociological Studies

and from various sections of the University of Sheffield website. This booklet is intended as a guide to students

or prospective students of the MA (Diploma) in Applied Linguistics. It has no status as a statement of University

regulations for postgraduate taught courses. For full details of such regulations, please consult the University

Calendar.

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1. Introduction

a. Welcome from the Course Leader

Welcome to the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics in the University of

Sheffield. We are pleased that you have chosen to study in our School. The MA in Applied

Linguistics is one of the largest and most successful MA programmes in the university, and

we pride ourselves on attracting committed and hardworking students from a diverse range of

cultural and educational backgrounds. Each year, we run a programme which seeks excellence

not only in terms of the content we deliver but in how we deliver it.

We hope that your time with us will be enriching academically, professionally, and

personally.

b. The Handbook

The purpose of this handbook is to give you the information you need for this programme.

You should read through this handbook thoroughly so that you are familiar with our

procedures and also keep it as a point of reference throughout your studies. In particular, pay

special attention to the sections detailing the support and advice you can receive from me,

from your personal tutor, and from various other centres in the university. While we expect

you to take responsibility for your own learning, we are here to help you in any way we can.

Again, welcome to Sheffield!

Valerie Hobbs

MA Course Leader

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c. Description of the MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL

The Sheffield MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL provides advanced training in Applied

Linguistics for persons with a professional or academic interest in language, typically, but not

exclusively, language teachers.

It is particularly suitable for trained teachers, operating either in the UK or internationally,

who wish to enhance their understanding of theory and practice in language teaching, and

enrich their professional practice.

As a graduate of the Sheffield MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL you will have

developed:

• An understanding of current theory and practice in language teaching and language

learning;

• Some expertise in the analysis and description of language, particularly language in

use;

• An ability to undertake small scale applied linguistic research;

• The awareness necessary to relate course inputs to your own contexts of professional

practice.

Study for the MA in Applied Linguistics falls into two parts:

October to June is devoted to the coursework component;

June to September is spent preparing for and writing the MA Dissertation.

Both components of the programme have to be passed independently for the award of the MA

degree.

Structure of the Academic Year

The coursework teaching occupies the first 10 weeks of each semester. The second halves of

Semesters One and Two are devoted to the writing of module assignments. In addition, the

latter part of Semester Two will be a period for dissertation supervision.

The coursework component of the MA programme is divided into Core modules, which are

compulsory for all students, and Optional modules – you choose 4 optional modules of

interest to you.

The core modules are all normally taught in Semester One, the optional modules in Semester

Two. Each module consists of 20 teaching hours, adding up to a total of 160 teaching hours

over the coursework component of the programme – eighty in each semester.

Teaching

Teaching on the MA programme takes a number of different forms, to which the following

labels are often attached:

Lecture: This is a traditional plenary session where the lecturer delivers their input

Seminar: Tutor-led small group session, typically discussing prepared reading or a set of

exercises.

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Workshop: Can mean many things, but typically a task-based session with tutors acting in

an advisory capacity.

Many of your classes will involve a combination of these teaching forms. For example,

ELL6402 Language Teaching Methodology (a core module in semester 1) involves one 1-

hour lecture per week as well as one 1-hour seminar group.

Reading Week

Week 7 in the first semester is normally set aside as a reading week. The main purpose is to

allow you to catch up with your reading. It also provides an opportunity for you to consider

and discuss your option module choices for the following semester (see below). There is

normally no reading week in Semester Two because this semester is usually interrupted by the

Easter break. Please note that the Reading week is not a vacation and you are required to

remain in residence in Sheffield during that week.

Choice of Optional Modules

In the second half of Semester One, you will be given a separate booklet with full details of

all the optional modules running in the current academic year. During the reading week, or

shortly thereafter, there will be a consultation meeting at which you will have an opportunity

to talk to the members of staff who teach the various optional modules. The following week

you will be asked to complete an optional modules choice form on which you indicate the

four modules you have elected to take. Please note that it may not be possible to run

modules that no more than four students have elected to take.

d. Outline of Course Content and Module Descriptions

The four core modules taught during Semester One are:

ELL6360 Introduction to Language and Linguistics (Kook-Hee Gil and Andrew

Linn)

ELL6402 Language Teaching Methodology (Oksana Afitska, Harry Kuchah)

ELL6401 English Grammar and Discourse (Gibson Ferguson, Valerie Hobbs, Harry

Kuchah)

ELL6415 Introduction to Second Language Acquisition (Kook-Hee Gil)

Optional modules normally on offer in Semester Two are:

ELL6408 Language Planning and Education

EGH6080 Using Corpora in Applied Linguistics

ELL6416 Current Issues in Second Language Acquisition

ELL6411 Language Testing

ELL6421 Discourse and Genre Analysis

ELL6721 Intercultural Communication

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ELL6409 Teaching English for Specific Purposes

ELL6413 Theory and Practice of Language Teaching

ELL6160 Language Programme Design

ELL6419 Development & Evaluation of Language Teaching

Materials

ELL6418 Phonological Acquisition

ELL6422 Teaching Young Learners

Not all these modules will run every year owing to staff on leave and/or lack of student

interest.

Research Methods

Please note that in addition - as part of preparation for writing the dissertation, you are require

to attend a course in Research Methods which operates over both the first and second

semesters, normally (but not always) every two weeks. This course is not formally assessed

other than through the proposal for the dissertation which you are asked to present in June.

Below is a brief outline of the content of the four core modules.

Introduction to Language and Linguistics

This module reviews the core areas of linguistic study. The emphasis is on developing the

ability to apply linguistic categories and techniques to the description of English and other

languages, and to the solution of language problems.

Language Teaching Methodology

This module reviews the principles, thinking and history underlying contemporary language

teaching practices. It explores what we know of the processes involved in language

production and reception in a second language and the implications for teaching the language

skills. It also reviews and assesses developments in the teaching of the grammar and

vocabulary of a foreign language.

English Grammar and Discourse

This module provides an introduction to the principal concepts required for the description of

the grammar of contemporary English. Students are familiarised with the ways in which

grammar may function as a resource for the creation of discourse, and attention is also drawn

to the links between grammatical form, meaning and use

Introduction to Second Language Acquisition

The aim of this module is to familiarise students with key concepts and issues in the study of

second language acquisition as well as with the methodologies used to investigate the

acquisition process.

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e. Regulations for the Award of an MA degree or a Diploma

Conditions for the Award of a MA Degree

The university regulations state that candidates who achieve 180 credits over the year’s work

will be eligible for the award of the MA degree. In the case of the MA in Applied Linguistics,

credits are accumulated through coursework (120 credits) and through the dissertation (60

credits). Each module in the coursework stage of the course carries 15 credits. To achieve

these credits it is necessary to score 50 % or higher on the module assignments for each of the

8 coursework modules.

Note: If a candidate achieves 165 credits, the programme’s board of examiners may,

at their discretion, award an MA Degree.

If a candidate fails to achieve 50% in any module, they may be permitted to re-submit the

assignments but for not more than any two modules (see p. 22 for procedures connected with

failure of assignments).

Conditions for the Award of a Postgraduate Diploma

A candidate who has achieved 120 credits in respect of coursework modules will be eligible

for the award of a postgraduate Diploma. 15 credits are awarded for each coursework module

successfully completed. To gain credits for a module a candidate must score 50% or higher

on the assignments for that module.

Note: If a candidate achieves 105 credits, the programme’s board of examiners may,

at their discretion, award a Postgraduate Diploma.

However, if a candidate fails to achieve the necessary 50% score in respect of any module,

they may be permitted to re-submit assignments but for not more than two modules.

Conditions for the Award of a Distinction for the MA in Applied Linguistics with

TESOL

The following is a quote from university regulations governing the award of distinctions in

respect of taught postgraduate degrees such as the MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL:

“The award of a distinction will normally be recommended where a student obtains a

grade of 70 or better in units to the value of at least 90 credits and where there is no

grade below 60 or where a grade below 60 is compensated for by an additional higher

grade. The requirement for a student to achieve a grade of 70 or better in at least 90

credits, 60 of which should be from the dissertation, is left to the discretion of

individual departments.”

Oral Examination

In June the External Examiner (see p. 11) pays a visit to the department during which s/he sees a selection of candidates. This selection includes borderline candidates (who are

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interviewed alone) and a cross-section of the rest of the course (usually in small groups). S/he may also ask to see all course participants together. These meetings have two purposes: (i) To assess the general standards of the course: (ii) To see borderline candidates whose written work will already have been internally

assessed. This interview is an opportunity for the candidate to display what s/he knows.

During the same day the Board of Examiners meets and afterwards the coursework results are made available. These ‘results’ take the form of a list of names of candidates who have been permitted to proceed to dissertation. Results in the sense of marks for pieces of written work are never displayed publicly in the department. They are communicated in writing in individual envelopes. This day is part of the course and you are expected to attend.

Any one who is likely to be absent with good reason must seek permission from the

Course Director and/or Head of School.

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f. Calendar for the Year 2012-2013

Semester One:

19 September: MA Induction Day

21 September Postgraduate student registration

24 September: Semester begins: Start of teaching

5 November – 9 November: Reading Week

7 December: End of Semester 1 teaching

14 January: Semester One recommences

15 January: Final hand-in date for Semester One module

assignments

Semester Two

4 February: Semester Two begins: Start of teaching

To be announced Provisional marks for Semester One assignments

available

11-15 March Semester Two: Topics of most module assignments

available

15 March (provisional) Hand-in of Dissertation Pre-proposal

18 March: Spring Break begins

8 April: Semester Two recommences

3 May End of Semester Two teaching

21 May Final hand-in date for Semester Two module

assignments

4 June (provisional): Hand in Final Dissertation Proposal

8 June: End of Semester Two

June (date to be announced): Oral Examination; Board of Examiners meeting.

Coursework results announced.

10 September: Hand in MA Dissertation

October (date to be announced): MA Degree results available

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2. Getting Started – Your School

a. Jessop West and Teaching Areas

The School is based in Jessop West, an eco-friendly building at the heart of the University

campus.

Jessop West

1 Upper Hanover St.

Sheffield S3 7RA

Telephone: 0114 222 0211

Fax: 0114 2768251

General e-mail: j.elkington@sheffield.ac.uk

Website: http://shef.ac.uk/english/pgc/applingtesol

Jessop West houses staff offices, work stations for postgraduate students, teaching spaces, a

well-resourced DVD library, an exhibition space, and a cafe on the ground floor, which is a

useful meeting place for our postgraduates.

The School reception is located on Floor 1 of Jessop West. It is here that you will submit all

written assessments. Staff mailboxes are also located here.

While some of the smaller seminar groups may meet in Jessop West, most of your classes will

meet in various buildings across the university campus, including, for example, Hicks,

Richard Roberts Building, the Arts Tower, among others. You should have received a map of

the university – the map can also be found online here:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/visitors/mapsandtravel.

b. Contact with the Department

The primary means of communication between staff and students is e-mail. For this reason,

you should check your university e-mail account daily. Please remember to include your full

name and contact details in any message. If you have questions or issues you wish to discuss

with a member of staff, you can contact the Course Secretary (see details below), your

Personal Tutor, Module Convenor, or the Course Director. Further information on personal

tutors can be found on p. 13.

Members of staff have consulting hours when you are welcome to consult them in their

offices without previously making an appointment. A list of these hours can be found on the

bulletin board near Level 1 Reception. If you want to make an appointment outside these

hours, or if you need to contact a member of staff for any other reason, the preferred mode of

communication is e-mail. Alternatively, you can leave them a note in their mailbox in the

Department Office.

The Staff of the Department who deliver the MA in Applied Linguistics are as follows:

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Staff Name Email Address Office Location

(in Jessop West) Telephone number

Oksana Afitska o.afitska@sheffield.ac.uk 5.14 0114 222 8490

Gibson Ferguson g.r.ferguson@sheffield.ac.uk 3.18 0114 222 0224

Susan M. Fitzmaurice

(Head of School)

s.fitzmaurice@sheffield.ac.uk 4.06 0114 222 0213

Kook-Hee Gil k.gil@sheffield.ac.uk 3.21 0114 222 0229

Valerie Hobbs (course leader)

v.hobbs@sheffield.ac.uk 2.26 0114 222 0228

Harry Kuchah h.kuchah@sheffield.ac.uk tbd tbd

Andrew Linn a.r.linn@shef.ac.uk 5.05 0114 222 0216

Jane Mulderrig j.mulderrig@sheffield.ac.uk 3.26 0114 222 8497

Ranjan Sen ranjan.sen@sheffield.ac.uk 2.23 0114 222 0223

Gareth Walker g.walker@sheffield.ac.uk 3.25 0114 222 0238

For details of their experience, publications and research interests, please visit the school

website at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/english/

There are also three secretarial members of staff.

Emma Bradley (Secretary) e.f.bradley sheffield.ac.uk @ 0114 222 0241

Jackie Elkington

(Graduate Admissions Secretary)

j.elkington@sheffield.ac.uk 0114 222 0211

Helen Penkethman h.penkethman@sheffield.ac.uk 0114 222 0210

c. The Role of the External Examiner

The MA in Applied Linguistics also has an external examiner, whose role involves assessing

the standards of the course. This year, this role will be filled by Dr Peter Sercombe,

University of Newcastle.

d. Academic Resources

Jessop West is conveniently located next to the Information Commons, which offers high

quality IT-enabled study space and 24 hour access to heavily-used student materials. The

university library has other sites, such as Western Bank Library, which houses academic

journals. The library catalogue can be found here: http://library.shef.ac.uk/

The University Library subscribes to the major databases and peer-reviewed journals, and

there is a regular free minibus to the British Library’s depository at Boston Spa.

As part of your studies, you will be asked to purchase some key texts, but much of your

assigned readings will be made electronically accessible through MOLE2 (My Online

Learning Environment 2), a virtual learning environment.

More information on MOLE is available at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/mole/getting_started.html .

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All of your modules will have dedicated sites, containing teaching materials, linked to

required reading, links to useful resources, etc. You should familiarize yourself with MOLE2

(http://vista.shef.ac.uk/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct) and contact School staff if you have

questions or problems accessing it.

e. Academic Expectations

Our MA students come from a variety of cultures of learning, meaning that expectations about

academic study do not always match what they find in the UK. Our goal is to equip with you

the knowledge, expertise, and awareness of issues within applied linguistics, focusing

particularly on language teaching, with opportunity provided for application to your

individual learning or teaching context. As a student, you can expect staff members to

facilitate those aims by ensuring an appropriate balance between theory and practice, setting

assessments which will help you to understand and, where appropriate, apply what you have

learned, and being mindful of students’ experience and expectations.

Here are a few explanatory notes on classroom procedure and the general environment of the

programme:

Classroom Procedures

• Try to arrive a few minutes in advance of each class (or discuss extenuating

circumstances in advance with the module convener).

• Come fully prepared for the session as appropriate.

• Mobile phones should be switched off.

As always, you are encouraged to speak with your personal tutor (see p. 13) about any issues

you are facing with regard to academic expectations.

Residence

You are expected to remain in residence in or near Sheffield throughout the year. Absences

require the permission of the MA Course Director and/or Head of School. It is also very

important to be in residence at the time of the External Examiner’s visit in June.

You are technically supposed to remain in or near Sheffield during the summer months while

writing your dissertation. However, in practice, what really matters is you should be in

contact with the Department during this period – we must know where you are and how to

contact you.

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3. Advice and Feedback on the Course

There are many sources of support from various places throughout the university. You should feel free to consult the MA Course Leader, the Head of School, or any other member of staff on any aspect of your course or other matters which may be troubling you. If the person you speak to cannot advise you, they will refer you to someone who can. The MA student group may also be asked to elect one or more representatives to liaise with the course staff. This has proven to be of great benefit to past MA cohorts, and you are encouraged to speak with your course representative and/or ask them to attend important or sensitive meetings with you. In general, it is most important that you let us know of any concerns you have, whether these affect the course generally or yourself personally. Do not ‘bottle up’ any problems or anxieties that may interfere with your progress on the course. Share them with us at an early stage, and we will do our best to help and advise you.

a. The Roles of Teaching Staff

A question we are sometimes asked is: what do academic staff do when they are not teaching?

Staff have responsibilities other than just teaching, including carrying out research, writing

books and journal articles, attending meetings with staff/students, participating/presenting in

professional conferences, and fulfilling administrative duties. If you have questions for

members of staff, you can contact them by email, make an appointment by email, or visit their

office during office hours.

b. Personal Tutor Support

During your time in the programme, you will be assigned a personal tutor to assist you in

matters related to your performance. Your personal tutor will meet with you once each in the

autumn and spring semesters, although additional meetings may be arranged depending on

your circumstances. Some points which your personal tutor will want to discuss with you are:

� Individual work patterns (i.e., making effective use of your time; managing

assignments)

� Assessments and Feedback (i.e., explaining marking system and feedback)

� General issues (any matters you wish to discuss related to your progress in the

programme)

You are encouraged to contact your personal tutor to discuss any problems or issues which

arise during your course. For issues related to a specific module, it is recommended that you

contact the module tutor in the first instance.

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c. The ELT Centre

The ELT Centre, located at Hoyle Street is a very useful resource for international students. It

offers help with academic writing in English and also runs full-time courses in English for

Academic Purposes. Services include:

• Language support classes for international students studying at the University

• Online language support materials via MOLE

• Writing Advisory Service: one-to-one tutorial advice (by appointment)

• Dyslexia support

• Language support classes within departments

• Partners classes: free language classes for the partners of international students

Most students who have used this service have found it very beneficial.

At the start of Semester One, students who have been identified as likely to benefit from

language support will be asked to attend the language support classes which are tailored

to our programme.

d. Central University Support

Student Services Information Desk (SSiD)

Union of Students Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG

Tel (0114) 222 1299

www.shef.ac.uk/ssid

SSiD is an important point of contact for you throughout your time at the University. SSiD's

staff are trained to deal with a wide range of enquiries and the office is a key central point for

general information on many University services.

SSID is a "one-stop" information service, which aims to answer the majority of student

related enquiries from a single location. And if they can’t answer your question, they can

direct you to someone who can. SSID will help you with:

Accommodation, Complaints, Computing, Council Tax, Directions, Disability &

Dyslexia Support, Examinations, Fees, Funding Your Studies, Graduation

Ceremonies, Health, International Students, Jobs and Careers, Mature Students,

Personal Problems, Registration, Student Welfare, U-card, Your Student Record.

Personal Problems

At some point during your time at University you may experience personal problems that

seem too much for you to be able to cope with alone. You may want to talk to someone about

what is happening, find out facts or talk to others experiencing the same problems.

We want you to do as well as you can at University and to feel supported.

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Many students have found one or more of the Chaplaincy, Counselling Service, Nightline,

Student Support and Guidance and University Health Service helpful.

Information for Disabled and Dyslexic Students

Disabled students may receive advice and support through both the University service, details

of which can be found at http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability . The aim of these various

support mechanisms is to provide the individual student with an equal opportunity to reach the

standard required. To qualify for any practical support that is available, disabled students may

have to undergo an assessment of their needs (e.g. a dyslexia assessment) or provide evidence

of a prior assessment.

Students with dyslexia can also access on-line support to help with essay writing. If you feel

you may have dyslexia but have not been formally assessed, you may wish to use the

Dyslexia Screening Quick Check.

The University tries hard to ensure that exams and assessments do not discriminate against

disabled and dyslexic students. The University has been piloting a scheme whereby students

with specific learning difficulties have the option to affix a sticker to each piece of their

assessed work. Your work will not be marked differently because of the sticker. The stickers

alert markers to your dyslexia/specific learning difficulty and help them to provide you with

useful feedback.

Further information is available at http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability or from

disability.info@shef.ac.uk.

Mature Students

The Essential Guide for Mature Students has been compiled by contributors from both the

University and the Union of Students. It includes articles written by current students and can

be found at http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/welfare/mature.

Careers Support

Students in the School of English have access at any stage of their course to the support

offered by the University Careers Service. The Careers Service is based at 388 Glossop Rd

and in addition runs the ‘Student Jobshop’, based in the Union of Students.

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4. Introduction to Assessments a. Assessments and Written Work Length Limits

During the coursework stage of the MA there are 8 taught modules (4 core and 4 optional),

each of which is examined by written assignment, quizzes, individual/group presentations,

and/or exam. For dates of submission and feedback see course calendar (page 8). Details of

the assignments are below:

Core Modules:

Introduction to Language and Linguistics: Take home exam (40%) and Final Exam (60%)

English Grammar: Mid-semester quiz (10%), Written assignment of

3,000 words

Language Teaching Methodology Exam (70%), Written assignment of 1,500 words

(30%)

Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Written Assignment of 3,000 words

Optional Modules

The most common mode of assessment for optional modules is written assignment. However, some

modules may have additional forms, i.e. group/individual presentation. More information about this will

be provided in the Optional Modules Meeting after Reading Week in Semester 1.

Dissertation Proposal: roughly 1,000 words (assessed through dissertation)

Dissertation: 15,000 words (excluding appendices).

Length limits should not be exceeded. The above word counts exclude both bibliographies and appendices.

IMPORTANT: For all the written assignments (essays and dissertations), you should fill and sign the

Plagiarism Declaration Form and include it between the cover page and your written work. The sample

of this form can be found in section 9b and you can download a copy from the MOLE site.

b. Supervision for Written Assessments Written assignments and the Dissertation are supervised work. Topics and your treatment of

them must be discussed and agreed with your supervisor. Make sure you start consulting the

appropriate member of staff before you begin writing your assignment. While they cannot tell

you what to write, they will be able to check your understanding of the set topic, for example.

For Written Coursework Assignments: You should consult the person responsible for the

course to which your topic relates.

For the Dissertation: You will be assigned a supervisor for your dissertation.

The basic function of supervisors is to offer advice and guidance when asked to do so. You

should prepare for an interview with a supervisor by working out what you want to ask.

Supervisors cannot read and comment on every draft of your work or mention every

deficiency they notice.

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Supervisors cannot be expected to ‘guarantee’ a pass - they are not responsible for your work

- you are.

Later in the year you will be given a Handbook to the Dissertation, giving guidance on how to

approach the whole process of completing this major piece of work.

c. Presentation of Assessments

• All written work must be produced on a word-processor.

• It should be presented using double-spacing on A4 size paper.

• Choose a font-size of 10- or 12-point. Avoid using exotic fonts.

• Pages must be numbered.

• Each piece of written work should have a title page including your name, the title of

the work, the name of the course it relates to, the date of completion, and the number

of words it consists of. Please also write the word ‘Copyright’.

• Written assignments and the dissertation must be submitted using standard covers

(available in MOLE2) and should be stapled. On the back cover you will need to

provide a summary /abstract of the assignment

• TWO copies of each piece of written work must be submitted to facilitate double

marking. Two copies of the Dissertation are required. Only one copy of additional

materials (e.g. audio or video cassettes, textbooks, etc) needs to be submitted. If an

item of this kind is valuable, please make arrangements with the secretary for it to be

returned to you after the assessment is finished.

Each piece of written work must also be submitted in MOLE using Turnitin.

Turnitin is an academic plagiarism detector, developed for teachers and students to avoid

plagiarism and ensure academic integrity. For each module, locate the relevant Turnitin icon

in the MA in Applied Linguistics MOLE site and upload your work using the instructions

given. You will be given some explanation of how Turnitin works during the first semester. If

you have questions about using Turnitin, contact your module tutor or Dr. Valerie Hobbs.

d. Deadlines and Late Submission

Submission dates for written work must be strictly adhered to (see the course calendar: p. 8).

Extensions are granted only by the Course Leader and/or Head of School, and only in cases of

certified illness and other personal circumstances beyond the candidate’s control. Computer

problems will not be accepted as grounds for granting extensions - it is up to you to master the

technology in good time and to make back-up copies of your work.

Late submission is penalised by the deduction of marks: 3% for the first 24 hours and a

further 1% for every subsequent 24 hours.

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e. Guidelines on Written Work

There are different kinds of written work for different modules, but the following do’s and don’ts are useful general guidelines:

Do’s

• Make your work as accessible and easy to read as possible. For instance, use plenty of ‘signposts’: a

contents page, section headings, well-labelled diagrams, etc.

• Observe the normal academic conventions. Acknowledge sources (see ‘Plagiarism’: page 8)

including page numbers where appropriate, e.g. Chomsky (1980:23). Include a properly set out

bibliography restricted to references actually included in your text. Avoid footnotes.

• Read the ‘criteria’ and the annotated marking scheme on page 10/11. Bear in mind that your readers

have to get through a fairly large number of assignments. Make sure you describe your aims and

objectives clearly at the beginning and bring the work to a close efficiently at the end.

• Include copies of data (textbooks, syllabuses, etc.) which are referred to in the text.

Don’t s

• Don’t ‘swamp’ the reader with ‘everything you know’.

• Don’t forget to proof-read. It’s impossible to catch all the slips, but frequent, glaring errors create a

very bad impression. The use of word-processing equipment makes the need for proof-reading

more, not less, urgent. Although spelling checkers catch spelling mistakes, they do not notice

nonsense.

• Don’t write ‘literary’ essays. ‘Artistic’ writing is usually a mistake. Most people aren’t very good

at it.

• If English is not your native language, don’t worry excessively about the minutiae of grammar etc,

but do your best to seek advice when you need it.

f. Double Submission

Double submission is not allowed. This means that you may not submit a piece of work (or

significant portions of essays, assignments, etc.) more than one time. There may be penalties

imposed if it is found that your work has already been submitted for another module.

g. Avoiding Plagiarism and Collusion

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged copying of other people’s academic or literary work. It is a

form of theft and a very serious offence, which could lead to disciplinary action. Please make

absolutely sure you do not inadvertently lay yourself open to charges of plagiarism. If you

quote or paraphrase work you have read, whoever it is by, acknowledge this clearly with a

reference to your source.

The following information about plagiarism and collusion has been taken from the Learning

and Teaching Services website and explains these concepts in more detail:

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The following five examples of unfair means in non-invigilated examinations are serious

academic offences and may result in penalties that could have a lasting effect on a student´s

career, both at University and beyond. These are the official University definitions and should

be used in information and documentation for students.

1. Plagiarism (either intentional or unintentional) is the using of ideas or work of

another person (including experts and fellow or former students) and submitting them

as your own. It is considered dishonest and unprofessional. Plagiarism may take the

form of cutting and pasting, taking or closely paraphrasing ideas, passages, sections,

sentences, paragraphs, drawings, graphs and other graphical material from books,

articles, internet sites or any other source and submitting them for assessment without

appropriate acknowledgement.

2. Submitting bought or commissioned work (for example from internet sites, essay

“banks” or “mills”) is an extremely serious form of plagiarism. This may take the form

of buying or commissioning either the whole piece of work or part of it and implies a

clear intention to deceive the examiners. The University also takes an extremely

serious view of any student who sells, offers to sell or passes on their own assessed

work to other students.

3. Double submission (or self plagiarism) is resubmitting previously submitted work

on one or more occasions (without proper acknowledgement). This may take the form

of copying either the whole piece of work or part of it. Normally credit will already

have been given for this work.

4. Collusion is where two or more people work together to produce a piece of work, all

or part of which is then submitted by each of them as their own individual work. This

includes passing on work in any format to another student. Collusion does not occur

where students involved in group work are encouraged to work together to produce a

single piece of work as part of the assessment process.

Plagiarism has been detected in student MA assignments on a number of occasions in recent

years, leading to the failure of the student concerned. It is very important, therefore, that you

do acknowledge sources, and reference properly. You will be advised on referencing

conventions on various points during the MA course.

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5. Marking and Giving Feedback on your Work

a. Marking Procedures

It is useful for you to know how your written assignments are marked. Great care is taken to ensure that your assignments are marked promptly and carefully. The procedure is as follows:

• Each piece of written work is assessed first by the module convener who proposes a mark.

• Once the convener has marked all of the work for a particular module, a moderator (another member of academic staff) then reads a sample of work from the module and reviews the feedback and marks proposed by the module convener.

• The moderator can then either agree with the proposed mark or propose a higher/lower mark. In the event that the two parties disagree, discussion and negotiation takes place until agreement is reached.

• Note that the mark you receive for each piece of work after this set of procedures is only a provisional mark, as additionally the External Examiner is empowered to make a separate assessment. He or she may lower or increase the provisional mark awarded by the internal assessors.

b. Criteria of Assessment

Written assignments take many different forms which will be reflected in the way they are assessed. However, the following list summarises the eight main criteria used in assessing written work:

• evidence of adequate and appropriate background reading • a clear statement of aims and relevant selection of content • sensible planning and organisation • evidence of systematic thought and (where appropriate) originality • clarity of expression • careful and visually attractive presentation (e.g. accurate typing and proof-reading,

helpful diagrams, etc.) • observation of basic conventions of academic discourse, including bibliographical

information • observation of length requirements

c. Marks and Marking Scheme

Marks are given for written assignments submitted during the year. All marks are interim only (see above) and can be altered by the Board of Examiners in June.

The Department uses the University’s 100 point marking scale. Each item of assessment must

normally be passed individually: the pass mark for each assignment is 50%. However,

failure on any one item does not necessarily entail failure on the course as a whole. Below is a marking scheme giving guidelines that markers take into when awarding marks for assignments. They indicate the quality of work expected for the award of a particular mark.

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Marking Scheme

Unsatisfactory at

MA Level

(below 50%)

Satisfactory

(50-59%)

Good

(60-69%)

Excellent

(70% and above)

Coverage

(range and

understanding

of sources)

Very limited range

of references

consulted;

understanding of

concepts and issues

in the field is

limited

Shows evidence

of suitable

background

reading;

understanding of

key concepts an

ability to relate

them to topic of

the assignment

Evidence of

reasonably wide

reading around

the topic; shows

good

understanding of

concepts in the

field

Excellent

awareness of

relevant sources

in the field; very

well-developed

understanding of

relevant concepts

and issues

Analysis

(coherence of

arguments;

supporting

evidence;

critical

approach)

Little analysis of

ideas; primarily

descriptive; little or

no evidence of

critical reflection

or thinking about

the issues

Coherent

argument, use of

suitable examples

and references;

some critical

analysis and

reflection; little

evidence of

research potential.

Coherent and

well-supported

argument. Good

ability to

synthesize ideas;

evidence of

critical thinking

Some evidence of

research potential

Insightful

analysis, original

thinking showing

insight into the

issues; well-

supported with

examples

Clear evidence of

research potential

Organisation

Rather

disorganized. No

clear structure to

the assignment;

lack of focus

Satisfactory and

fairly transparent

organization –

reasonably well-

signalled. Clear

use of headings

and sub-headings.

Systematic, clear

and explicit

organization of

the assignment

Excellent clear,

explicit

organization.

Clear progression

of ideas. Easy to

follow the thread

of the argument.

Presentation

(Length

requirements;

spelling and

grammar; lay-

out, academic

conventions;

proof-reading)

Use of unattributed

material; poor or

incomplete

referencing;

language errors

affecting

comprehensibility;

poor proof-reading;

le

Length

requirements

observed;

observance of

academic

conventions on

referencing etc;

satisfactory proof-

reading and lay-

out. Relatively few

language errors

Skilled

observance of

academic

conventions of

referencing etc;

clearly; well-

written with

almost no proof-

reading errors

Impeccable

presentation; full

observance of

academic

conventions;

readable prose

The following is a further abbreviated scheme with a slightly greater number of bands. It is complementary to the scheme above.

Annotated Marking Scheme b

Percentage

score

Descriptors

75-80 Outstanding: work of rare quality. A very clear distinction.

Shows substantial originality and obvious research potential.

Publishable with minor revisions.

70 - 74 Excellent, merits a distinction. Very good critical and/or analytical work

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showing sound independent thinking and some originality, indicating good

research potential.

65 - 69 Very good, but falls somewhat short of a distinction. Good critical/analytic

contribution, no fundamental misunderstandings but short on evidence of

independent thought or originality. Some indications of research potential.

60 - 64 Good sound work, showing some initiative. Reasonable critical/analytic

contribution, with no serious problems of understanding. But no

compelling indication of research potential.

55 - 59 Satisfactory work. Competent work but inadequately critical or lacking in

analytic insight marred by some misunderstandings.

50 - 54 Only just satisfactory for MA. Adequate summary showing a sufficient but

incomplete understanding of the topic. Shows little individual initiative

beyond the course input.

45 - 49 Falls short of MA standard. Fail.

Please note the marking above have no official University status. They were written by the

Department to help you to understand the scale correctly. Presentation plays an increasingly important role in the assessment as the course progresses.

By the end of the first semester candidates are expected to have mastered the basic

conventions of referencing and to be able to produce clear coherent academic writing. Work

that is not suitably presented may be returned to you unmarked with a request that you revise

it to an acceptable standard.

The following points should be noted specially:

(a) There is a convention in the University Faculty of Arts and Humanities which

discourages the award of marks in excess of 85%.

(b) Regulations governing the award of a distinction in the MA can be found on p.

7.

d. What to do if you fail On occasion, students have failed one or more of their assignments. In the event that you receive a mark of fail (below 50%), you will be notified via e-mail of your options regarding resubmission. Below is a summary of procedures connected with failure of assessments:

• If a student fails to achieve 50% in any module, they may be permitted to re-submit the assignments but no more than two times.

• A student may choose not to resubmit his/her failed assignment. Failure on any one item does not necessarily entail failure on the course as a whole (see p. 7).

• If a student has been given permission to resubmit the failed assignment, s/he must rewrite the same assignment keeping in mind the feedback s/he received.

• Resubmitted work will be marked using the same procedures as other coursework. However, the highest mark a student can achieve on resubmitted work is 50%.

In the event that you fail any piece of work, you are strongly encouraged to meet with your module convener and/or personal tutor to discuss the impact of your failure on your degree programme.

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6. The Dissertation

The dissertation (60 credits) is the largest and most important piece of work you will complete

on the MA programme. It is intended to provide the focus for a modest piece of independent

study and/or research which can be completed within two/three months.

The dissertation should be c.15,0000 words in length and all the rules relating to the presentation of projects apply equally to the dissertation. For marking purposes you are required to submit three copies. In choosing a topic you should select something you feel reasonably confident you can handle on your own. The topic can relate to any area of applied linguistics as defined by the rest of the course. Ideally, it should grow out of the work you have already done without, of course, duplicating your previous projects in detail. It is never too early to begin thinking about the topic for your dissertation and reading in preparation. While we don’t ask you to submit a dissertation proposal until Semester Two, some ways you can begin preparing, even now, for the dissertation include:

• Choosing assignment topics in your modules which are connected to your area of interest

• Talking informally about your ideas with fellow students and academic staff • Paying close attention to the concepts, skills, and techniques introduced to you in the

Research Methods module.

In Semester Two, you will be given detailed guidance on the dissertation process (as well as a

more detailed dissertation handbook). In the meantime, some basic information about this

component can be found in the sections below.

a. Dissertation Types

The dissertation for the MA in Applied Linguistics can take a number of forms, though in

practice the two following forms are the most commonly adopted:

1. a small scale piece of research, which involves setting research questions and collecting

data that will allow you to address these questions. This is the option taken up by many

MA students, and is also the one that is most preferred.

2. the design of a language teaching course/syllabus along with sample teaching material.

This will require a literature review covering the teaching of a particular skill or language

area (e.g. speaking, listening, etc), the setting of aims/objective, the selection and

specification of content, and so forth.

If you have ideas for an alternative type of dissertation, you should discuss these with your supervisor and gain their approval. b. Dissertation Proposal

As stated above, the dissertation proposal (along with details of the dissertation process as a whole) will be introduced to you in Semester Two, during one of the Research Methods

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sessions. The main aim of the Proposal is to ensure that you have completed the basic preparation for your summer work on the dissertation. There are two stages to the proposal: pre-proposal and final proposal. The pre-proposal will be submitted around the middle of Semester Two, after which you will be given feedback by a member of staff and asked to revise and resubmit a final version toward the end of Semester Two. You will be allocated a dissertation supervisor after the pre-proposal stage. Please note that the dissertation proposal will not be given a mark, but it must be submitted in a proper form and judged to be satisfactory by your supervisor.

c. The Dissertation Process

Eligibility

To be eligible to proceed to dissertation in June candidates must achieve at least 105 credits in

the coursework stage of the course. 50% is the pass level for the assignments for each

module. Each successfully completed module carries 15 credits. Borderline candidates will

be examined orally by the External Examiner. The decision on whether you can proceed to the

MA dissertation is taken in June by the Board of Examiners including the External Examiner.

A pass in the dissertation is required for the award of the MA. Candidates are not permitted

to use good coursework to make up for a weak dissertation.

Stages of the Dissertation

After you submit your Semester Two coursework, you will begin meeting with your

dissertation supervisor. While you are responsible for carrying out your research and

producing the dissertation, your supervisor also has an obligation to assist you for the duration

of your project.

The main functions of the supervisor can be summarised as:

• to guide you in focusing your project,

• to advise on relevant literature,

• to monitor your progress

• to read and comment on draft chapters, where this is necessary and desired

• where appropriate, to advise on any ethical implications of the work you are planning.

For their part, students need to meet their supervisors regularly according to an agreed

schedule and to hand in material at agreed times. A common pattern with supervision is for

there to be a lot of interaction between supervisors and students at the beginning of the

dissertation process and then again towards the end when the dissertation is being produced.

You can expect to meet with your supervisor 3-4 times with each meeting lasting

approximately 1 hour. These meetings are likely to take place mainly in June/July with

August involving primarily independent work.

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Dissertation Results

Dissertations are submitted in early September, at which time they are marked and moderated by academic staff (see p. 20). Provisional marks are sent to the External Examiner, who reviews and either approves them or makes suggestions on how marks should be modified. Selected dissertations are examined by the External Examiner who has the right to summon borderline candidates on any date up to the end of the September. On the advice of the Board of Examiners a borderline dissertation which requires minor corrections may be referred for a period not exceeding three months during which time the candidate must amend the work following the instructions of the examiners and then re-submit it. However, candidates will not be granted a chance to resubmit where a dissertation is judged to be an outright fail.

Closing Remarks

We wish you every success in your studies here in the School of English. Our goal is to encourage independent learning and creative and critical thinking which will aid you in acquiring transferable skills, knowledge, and expertise in the field of Applied Linguistics. It is our hope that by the end of the MA programme, you will have a stronger foothold in our discipline and be better equipped to make a lasting impact in whatever context you teach, research, or work in.

26

Appendices

Appendix A: Feedback Form for Written Assignments

MA ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK FORM

Module Code & Title: Student’s Name:

Last name: First name:

Module Convener: Assessment Title:

Degree Name: Due Date:

Presentation

Criteria:

• Language

• Referencing and academic conventions

• Proof-reading

• General presentation

Content

Criteria:

• Coverage and relevance

• Analysis: systematic thought and, where appropriate, originality

• Planning (including background reading) and organisation

• Task fulfilment

• Clarity of expression

FIRST MARKER: All marks given are provisional

(subject to approval by the Examining Board)

MODERATOR:

MARK AWARDED:

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY To be completed by secretary/assessment officer Date/time received: Penalty: Final mark:

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Appendix B: Plagiarism Declaration Form for Written Assignments

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MA in Applied Linguistics

Department of English Language and Linguistics

University of Sheffield

For Non-invigilated Assessment

A copy of this sheet must be filled in, signed and inserted after the cover sheet of each

piece of work submitted.

Candidate’s surname:

Other names:

Registration no.:

Module name:

DECLARATION

To be read, understood and signed by the candidate:

All sentences or passages quoted in this paper from other people’s work (with or

without trivial changes) have been placed within quotation marks, and specifically

acknowledged by reference to author, work and page. I understand that plagiarism -

the unacknowledged use of such passages – will be considered grounds for failure in

this paper, and, if serious, in the degree examination as a whole.

Signed: Date: