Due: At relevant seminar Weighting: 20% 

Each student must present a 15 minute paper in weeks 2–13 addressing one of the Focus Questions listed in each week’s Guide. Unless otherwise instructed by the convenor, students must address all the questions set for that week, not choose one of them. Questions in smaller font in brackets should inform students’ answers to the main question, and be addressed inter alia. Specific guidance is provided in the Weekly Guides on the nature of each week’s task.

Students must submit a copy of their text (full script, notes or bullet points from which the presentation was delivered) in Word .doc format to turnitin before the beginning of the seminar at which they are presenting. This is not for formal assessment, and does not have to include footnotes or bibliography. However, it must be submitted before the seminar, or the task cannot be passed.

The presentation of a paper and production of an accompanying handout is a key part of academic life (e.g. conferences, seminars, etc) and many other careers (e.g. a presentation to the board, etc.). This assessment will provide students with an opportunity to develop and practice these skills. Particular attention will be given to both the presentation itself (its content and delivery) and the way the handout is used to assist the presentation. The presentation must be delivered clearly, and must not exceed the allotted time. This is known in advance, so there can be no excuse for not getting through all one’s material (such problems may be averted by reading your paper aloud and timing it beforehand).

Treat the presentation as you would a formal conference paper or presentation delivered at a workplace. This means tailoring your dress, language, and interaction style to suit a professional context. (Conference papers often serve to advertise your skills to potential employees, so dress and behave as you would in a job interview.) In addition, each student will be asked to chair a presentation, the same rules of presentation should apply to this context.

The Handout is separately assessed, and is discussed below.

Powerpoint presentations may not be used, except by those students speaking on Art History in Week 4 (‘Capturing the Past in Images’). Powerpoint presentations are frequently a crutch, and are often used by speakers to divert attention away from themselves. Furthermore there is little to be gained by filling the screen with the text as read, as many speakers do. Such information as you wish the audience to read can and should be placed in your handout; nor is there any reason to show images of e.g. scholars you are dealing with, much less random and irrelevant images included only for “humour” value. If you feel an image is important to show, incorporate it into your handout. Spend the time you would have spent animating text blocks or searching for images to accompany your text to research and writing your presentation.

We recognise that in the academic world you will be able to use powerpoint presentations, and that it is a useful skill to be able to prepare them; however, we feel that most students have already developed this skill, and have plenty of other opportunity to practice this. In this seminar, we are focussing on the delivery of the paper (from which powerpoints often distract) and on teaching you to construct a useful handout and use it effectively as part of your presentation. If you feel that your presentation vitally depends on showing an image that cannot for whatever reason be included on your handout, you may contact the conveners no later than one week before your presentation to discuss the possibility of showing it: however, it is by no means certain that we will agree, and if we do, and you subsequently take the opportunity to display irrelevant images or the text from your presentation, you will certainly lose marks.

The Focus question(s) listed in each Weekly Guide should form a guide rather than a limit for the scope of the discussion: students who extend them by raising other relevant points will benefit in terms of their mark (though students who extend them by raising irrelevant points to use up time will not). Students are expected to go beyond the bibliography provided.

Following their presentation, students will be expected to take questions and comments from the convenor and other students, and lead or take an active part in the discussion. Students not giving the presentation are expected to direct questions and comments to the presenter in the discussion the end of the presentation. All students are expected to participate in the discussion.

The mark for the presentation (20%) will be based on:

·       Knowledge and Content (15%)

·       the level of preparation as evidenced in the presentation;

·       the level of engagement with the key theoretical issues;

·       the depth of analysis of the relevant sources; 

·       the relevance of the presentation to the question, including coverage of the set bibliography;

·       the suitability of the language and structure to the occasion (an academic presentation).

·       Presentation skills (5%)

·       the clarity and suitability of the delivery;

·       the level of engagement with the audience;

·       the ability to keep to the allotted time;

·       the manner in which the presenter responds to questions in the discussion following the presentation.

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the sources for and approaches to the historiography of the ancient world.
• Assess the relevant sources and issues critically, analytically, and in an integrated fashion.
• Interpret, understand, and advance the state of thinking about the writing of ancient history, and read against the sources
• Understand the development of the discipline in light of sociocultural history and the relationship between current practices and the contemporary world.
• Apply problem solving techniques on the basis of their own research and interpretation and assessment of the data.
• Communicate effectively and convey views and opinions, including in formal presentations and group discussions.

Due: At relevant seminar Weighting: 10% 

Students must prepare a handout to accompany their presentation, setting out the main issues they are addressing and giving the bibliography they have consulted. The handout must provide the title of the presentation, the name of student, and the date of the presentation. Any specific texts you are discussing (or extracts from them) can also be included, as well as material useful for illustrating your points which you don't have time to discuss in full. Students must make sufficient copies of their handout for the whole class, including the lecturer, and must distribute them before the presentation.

Handouts must not be longer than 4 A4 sides (two pages printed back to back), and must not use a font size smaller that 12-point except in small sections. Any student who has not prepared a handout will be deemed not to have fulfilled the task and will not receive a mark for it. There are example handouts on the unit iLearn page, which will provide you with a sample of the general requirements and possible layout. These are examples only, and should not be followed slavishly.

The handout ought to be something that both serves to illustrate the presentation (with references and quotations) and provides the other students with a record of the main ideas and bibliography on the question.  Do not simply provide a list of your main points. Think of the handout as a map to your argument furnished with the resources (that is evidence and references) you would give in an essay (e.g. as footnotes or citations).

In the academic and professional worlds it is crucial that any material you give to an audience be thoroughly edited (i.e. checked through for accuracy and any spelling mistakes). Your audience (which will contain potential employers) will use the handout to assess how well you can edit and proof material (and often infer from this how careful an interpreter of ancient evidence you are).  Marks will be deducted for orthographic and typographic errors, so check carefully. 

The mark for the Handout (10%) will be based on:

·    The clarity of the information on the handout. (Are the extracts relevant? Are they well presented?) 

·       The usability of the handout. (Does the handout help the audience follow the presentation? Does the handout provide a record of the argument and its structure, as well as additional resources?)

·     Formatting and presentation (spelling, correct and standardised referencing).

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the sources for and approaches to the historiography of the ancient world.
• Communicate effectively and convey views and opinions, including in formal presentations and group discussions.

Due Date: The Major Essay is due on the Wednesday two weeks after the date of the presentation, except for the student(s) doing the question for week 2, for whom the essay is due four weeks after the date of the presentation, and for the student(s) doing the question for week 3, for whom the essay is due three weeks after the date of the presentation. 

Please note the conditions for extension and the penalties applied to late submissions.

Weighting: 40% 

The Major Essay should address the same Focus Question(s) addressed in the presentation and, where relevant, improve upon problems of argumentation, style, and content as identified in the presentation feedback and class discussion. 

 All assignments are required to be submitted through turnitin. This unit has a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism. Any plagiarism detected, large or small, will be subject to review. Please make sure to differentiate clearly by your footnotes those ideas, phrases, and expressions which are your own, and those which have been taken from other sources. Close paraphrases or direct citations without quotation marks count as plagiarism, even if the source is given in a footnote. As a rule, always quote phrases or expressions taken from elsewhere. Submission of the essay will be taken as indicating that you understand the standard outlined here. 

It is important to base your essay on the major sources (whether ancient or modern), which have been set, and to compile a list of up to date secondary reading. This should extend beyond what you are given in the unit outline and must not ignore relevant bibliography listed in the unit outline.

Essays must be accompanied by a bibliography of the ancient sources and modern works used. They must be referenced according to one of the accepted conventions, that is, footnotes, endnotes, or ‘in-text’ referencing. In general, footnotes are the preferred and usual method for such work. Material downloaded or cited from the Web (other than the Website of this unit) should always be cited with reference to its full Web address and date of consultation. NB:  Be very careful when using material from the web. Only use material from reputable websites set up by universities, museums/galleries, reputable scholars/associations etc. It is best practice to ask the convenor if a website you are relying upon meets these standards. The use of material from unscholarly and uncritical websites will result in the deduction of marks.

Word limit: 

The word limit for the essay is 2,500. Tables, figures, and bibliography are not included in the word limit. Footnotes which provide references are not included in the word limit; discursive footnotes giving further discussion will be counted, especially when it is clear that material has been placed in a footnote in an attempt to circumvent the word limit.

Presentation:

The presentation of the essay should follow accepted scholarly practice. A general guide to 'Essay presentation and conventions' is given under assessment resources in the ilearn site. It is your responsibility to contact the convenor about any items which fall outside the instructions given in the general guide or to clarify referencing issues which are confusing. 

The Major Essay should be formatted as carefully as possible, as though it were to be submitted to a journal for consideration. Producing well proofed, grammatical, and error free copy is an essential skill for postgraduate work, academic publication, and valued in the workplace. 10% of the total available marks for the essay will be devoted to the style, grammar, referencing, structure, and bibliography. If you have received comment about your expression, please take advantage of the many resources (Teles Angeles, Student Support services) before you submit your essay. At this level of study, work should be sufficiently polished that it could be submitted to a journal in the field. 

An Essay Rubric with a breakdown of the essay marks is available under assessment resources. Please familiarise yourself with the rubric and the supplementary materials given there on theoretical engagement, the analysis of evidence, and the difference between narrative description and argument. 

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the sources for and approaches to the historiography of the ancient world.
• Assess the relevant sources and issues critically, analytically, and in an integrated fashion.
• Interpret, understand, and advance the state of thinking about the writing of ancient history, and read against the sources.
• Understand the development of the discipline in light of sociocultural history and the relationship between current practices and the contemporary world
• Apply problem solving techniques on the basis of their own research and interpretation and assessment of the data.
• Communicate effectively and convey views and opinions, including in formal presentations and group discussions.

Due: University Exam Period Weighting: 30% 

A two hour exam will be held during the University Examination period. Students will have to answer three question drawn from the material discussed in the lectures and seminars. It will be worth 30% of the final mark. Further details will be provided closer to the exam period.

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the sources for and approaches to the historiography of the ancient world.
• Assess the relevant sources and issues critically, analytically, and in an integrated fashion.
• Interpret, understand, and advance the state of thinking about the writing of ancient history, and read against the sources.
• Understand the development of the discipline in light of sociocultural history and the relationship between current practices and the contemporary world
• Apply problem solving techniques on the basis of their own research and interpretation and assessment of the data.