Each student should write a essay of maximum 900 words (3 typed pages) reviewing two items (chapters or excerpts) on the required reading list.  The students should select by themself which two items they want to review. These two items should be related in their topics allowing the student to compare and contrast the views expressed in the reading items. The student paper should summarize, briefly, the main points of each reading item and compare (if necessary contrast) the views or arguments propounded in the items.  References should be kept to a minimum (2-3 references using the Harvard (in text) reference system).

The essay writing guide posted on the iLearn page should be followed in writing this paper.

This is an early assesment of the student's progress in the unit. If you do not pass, this unit you would be recommended to withdraw from the unit - you would be notified of  your failure before the Census date. This assessment tests your basic skills in  (a) research (finding comparable texts)) (b) scholarly text comprehension and (c)  writing essays on a chosen topic. At level 300 you are supposed to have more than basic skills of these three kinds, so it is understandable that you cannot continue in this unit without these basic skills.

The paper should be delivered as an electronic attachment to the unit convenor.

Students will choose  two  attempts at secession  (not Montenegro nor Chechnya nor the Palestine State) and compare and contrast the political contexts/processes in these two,  using sources other than those in the required readings. If in doubt whether your cases are secessions, contact the convenor. You may also apply one normative theory to these two cases and argue that these secessions are justified or not justified by that particular normative theory. Normative assessment is optional; you do not have to do it to get a high mark. But  you should be careful to normatively assess a secession only on an explicit basis - by referrring to a particular normative theory. You should avoid implicit ("common sense") normative assessment which is not based on a theory. 

Not to exceed 2000 words, excluding the bibliography, but including footnotes or endnotes. Harvard (in text) referencing system.

An essay writing guide is posted on iLearn page and it should be followed strictly (note: You need to back your statements by reference to scholarly sources and not propaganda for or against a secession attempt  whether posted on the web or printed. In general, internet sources on this subject are mostly propaganda)

The Criteria for Marking are posted there as well.

External students should sumbit their essays through the Centre for Open Education (the Centre allows for electronic submission).

Our take home exam aims to assess the comprehension of basic concepts, theories and cases studies discussed in the unit. It is based entirely on the required readings and lectures.

The take home exam will be posted on the iLearn unit page at the same time as the class test (3 June, 11 am) and students will have 12 hours to complete it. They should return it by 11 pm on the same date trhough the Turnitin facility on the unit iLearn page. The students will choose 3 questions out of six questions covering the topics of the whole unit. The answers will be in the form of short essays from 400 to 600 words each. You will be allowed to use your notes and lecture slides but NOT the internet (internet sources are often misleading and one can easily detect when internet is being used). You can use the preceeding reading week (no classes) to prepare for this exam .

There will be a separate external student discussion board for the unit. The convenor will post one question for each week of classes. You may also post a question and suggest an answer to it. (This will count as two discussions)

Each external student is expected to participate in online discussion. The minimum participation is four discussions for the semester. You can of course post more than that.  If you fail to participate or if you have less than 4 discussions, your final mark will be reduced by 2 points for each missing discussion (out of 4 minimum). Thus you may lose 8 points of your final mark for the failure to participate.

I am reluctant to introduce this penalty system but in the past a number of very good students refused to participate in our online discussions (this was probably a way of economizing on their time spent in the unit). I do not think that four discussions will take too much time and will contribute to the learning of others (if not to the learning of the discussant).

Just for your information: the University does not include online discussion in regular academic workload if the number of external students is less than 30 (which is most often the case). So strictly speaking I am doing online discussion gratis - and hence I think students should also participate without gaining marks for it.