Student Selected Component History of Medicine

Student Selected Component – History of Medicine

Instructions for Markers

Thank you for agreeing to mark essays for the Phase 1 History of Medicine SSC. Please take a moment to read these guidance notes before marking.

General

• This is the first piece of coursework required by medical students, submitted in week 8 of their studies.
• Students write on a history of medicine topic chosen from a list of 270 titles, to demonstrate their ability to search the literature, write in a coherent academic style, use word-processing software, follow instructions and avoid plagiarism.
• All students must be given written feedback in all of the fields on the assessment proforma. Make this as detailed as possible, including advice on how the work can be improved. An example of an adequately completed proforma is attached.
• In addition, the essays are returned to the students. You are encouraged to add additional feedback directly onto the scripts. Do not write on the JISC report.
• The School is committed to returning assessed work promptly to students. Please return your marked scripts by the due date.
• A set of marking criteria is attached to assist you.
• All essays awarded a Borderline or Unsatisfactory grade for Overall Competence and/or Professional Behaviours are second marked by a moderator.
• A random selection of the marking from each marker is second marked.

Generic Graduate Skills

In deciding on a grade, consider:

• Is the word count acceptable (i.e. 1500-2000 words) as stated on the essay title page?
• Has an appropriate selection of references been made (12-20 references, of which no more than 50% can be webpages)?
• Have the references been synthesised into a coherent whole?
• Is there evidence of critical analysis of the literature (deserves an excellent grade)?
• Is the text correctly formatted (double line spaced, double justified, in an appropriate font and font size)?
• Have page numbers been included?
• Have special characters (characters not present on a standard QUERTY keyboard) been included?
• Have tables or other illustrations been included? (Note – these are not required but demonstrate excellent IT skills).

SSC Specific Skills

In deciding on a grade, consider:

• Is the essay written in an academic style, or is the student using more colloquial language?
• Is there over-use of quotations?
• Are there any factual inaccuracies?
• Does the essay demonstrate insight and understanding into the subject?
• Is the essay a reasonable interpretation of the title?

Professional Behaviours

In deciding on a grade, consider:

• Is the submission complete? A complete submission comprises the essay, an assessment proforma, a statement of probity and a JISC TurnItIn report. It does not matter what order these are submitted in.
• Was the work submitted on time? Assume yes unless there is a notation to the contrary from the School Office.
• Is there evidence of plagiarism (either deliberate or accidental)? The JISC TurnItIn report can be used to assist in the detection of plagiarism. Ignore the percentage score awarded by JISC. Instead, look to see what text if any has been highlighted as unoriginal. JISC does not recognise in text citation or quotation marks, so the highlighted text may have been correctly referenced. Students have been instructed to use the Vancouver referencing system.

SSC ASSESSMENT PROFORMA: History of Medicine (Phase 1a 2016-2017)

To be completed by student:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Student Registration No: Submission Date of SSC: 3rd November 2016

To be completed by supervisor/marker:

Please assess the student on the following criteria which are defined in more detail in the School’s Outcome Objectives (see attached). Professional Behaviours should be considered separately from the generic and specific skills assessments.

Please give written feedback to ALL students, and not just those with a Borderline or Unsatisfactory grade.

PLEASE CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE JUDGEMENT

Generic Graduate Skills / Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
[Includes skills in written communication, information gathering, organisation and self-management producing a word processed report, formatted appropriately – double-justified, double line spaced, appropriate font and font size, use of special characters]. / Please provide FEEDBACK for all grades awarded
Word count OK. An appropriate selection of references has been selected from a variety of sources. These have been well-synthesised and there are attempts at critical analysis.The essay is well-presented and has been correctly formatted throughout. Page numbers have been included. No tables, figures or special characters have been included but these were not required by the topic chosen. There are occasional typographic and grammatical errors indicating a need for more careful proof-reading prior to submission.
(Continue overleaf if necessary)

Attachment Specific Skills

History of Medicine Specific Skills / Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
[Understanding of the subject, able to write in the style of a scientific paper]. / Please provide FEEDBACK for all grades awarded
An interesting essay written in an engaging academic style. You over-use quotations – try to use references as a source of ideas rather than words. Your essay demonstrates an insightful clear understanding of the subject.
(Continue overleaf if necessary)

Overall Competence

Overall performance on generic and specific skills for stage of training / Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
Professional Behaviours / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
[Includes submission (hard copy) of work on time & submission of Probity form, ensuring an ethical approach, avoiding plagiarism, & completion as requested]. / Please provide FEEDBACK for all grades awarded
A complete and timely submission. No plagiarism detected. Correct use of the Vancouver referencing system.
(Continue overleaf if necessary)

Supervisor/marker name:………Dr Julian Burton…………………………………………

Signature of Supervisor/marker: ……………………………………………………………………..Date: 28.11.2015

Supervisor/marker address:……School of Medicine

Marking criteria for History of Medicine SSC

Please note: In some cases the descriptors “Good” and “Borderline” are not on the grid below. You may use the “Good” mark if you are unsure whether the work is clearly excellent or clearly satisfactory. You may use the “Borderline”mark if you are unsure as to whether the work is a clear pass or a clear fail. Students receiving an overall “Borderline” grade will have an academic interview, but there is no academic penalty for a “Borderline” grade for this assignment. Students with an overall “Unsatisfactory” grade will have an academic interview and be required to submit additional work.

Generic graduate skills

Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline /

Unsatisfactory

Use of appropriate sources/ Information gathering / Critical and wide ranging use of relevant literature within 12 –20 reference limit / Wide ranging use of relevant literature within 12-20 reference limit. / Reference material covered adequately within 12 –20 reference limit / Limited coverage of reference material
Cites 6-11 references or >20 references / Little evidence of supportive reading
Less than 6 references or >25 references.
Overall length (word count) / An ‘Excellent’ grade cannot be awarded for this criterion / A ‘Good’ grade cannot be awarded for this criterion / Met 1500 -2000 word limit / Exceeded 2000 limit by <10%
Under 1500 limit by <10% / Exceeded 2000 by > 10%
Under 1500 words by > 10%
Word processing/page layout
(Text should be double line spaced and double justified. Page numbers should be included) / - Inserts: special characters (i.e. those not present on a standard QWERTY keyboard), tables, graphics, or charts
- Manipulates text around inserts (where used) and where appropriate / - Acceptable page set up (margins & orientation)
-Title page present and complete (title, name, U-Card number, word count)
- Text formatting (font, spacing)
- Inclusion of page numbers / Lack of acceptable page set up
Poor selection of font and pagination
Title page absent or incomplete.
Page numbers absent
Overall presentation / Carefully organised, and very well presented / Presentation generally satisfactory / Unacceptably untidy, careless and messy

History of Medicine specific skills

Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
Interpretation of title and introduction / Demonstrates very clear understanding of topic. Clearly states the key issues of the topic / Demonstrates a clear understanding of topic. Clearly states the key issues of the topic / Demonstrates an understanding of the topic and attempts to define the key issues of the topic / Introduction perfunctory. Limited definition of the scope of report / No attempt to introduce and define topic
Logical development / Develops a logical and cogent argument and orders ideas clearly / A ‘Good’ grade cannot be awarded for this criterion / Argument partially developed.
Ideas ordered / A lack of organisation demonstrated. Sequence of some material disjointed / Illogical. Confused and disorganised so that the discussion is obscured
Insight / Clear evidence of insight into the topic. Imagination and innovative thought demonstrated / Clear evidence of insight into the topic and some imagination demonstrated but not innovative. / Insight into the topic
Some imagination demonstrated / Some personal input but mainly a précis of written sources / Lack of insight demonstrated.
Lack of imagination and innovation.
Presentation of References / All references properly cited and listed / A ‘Good’ grade cannot be awarded for this criterion / References mainly properly cited and listed / References sometimes properly cited and listed / References not cited in text/listed as a reference section
Writing Style / Scholarly style. Correct and effective use of English / Correct and effective use of English / Style acceptable / Style inappropriate, casual and colloquial

Professional behaviours

Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory
Ethical approach
Avoidance of plagiarism
Completed as requested
Work submitted by the deadline / Excellence in Professional Behaviours cannot be demonstrated in this SSC / This grade cannot be awarded for this criterion. / - Literature correctly referenced
- No evidence of plagiarism
- In the style of a BMJ article
- Work submitted by the deadline / Unsure if some work plagiarised
Some inadequacies in references
Work submitted up to 1 hour after the deadline / Evidence of plagiarism
And/or
Work submitted more than 1 hour after the deadline.