HUMN3099 CARIBBEAN STUDIES
Guidelines 2008/2009
IMPORTANT DEADLINES |
| Registration of Topic |
15 September 2008 |
| Changes to Title |
22 January 2009 |
| Submission of Study |
15 May 2009 -
no later than 4:30 p.m. |
| Registration of Topic for a Deferred Study |
31 May 2009 |
A. GENERAL
1. HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies counts for honours and any study undertaken must be considered equivalent with two Faculty courses both in terms of weight of content and rigour of research effort. Students must therefore be prepared to devote the equivalent of at least two semesters to research and preparation.
2. The rules and regulations governing HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies are to be found in the Faculty Handbook under Regulations For The Research Paper (or See Appendix I). It is the responsibility of the student to familiarise himself/herself with and observe those rules and regulations.
3. Students in the following discipline may opt to substitute two approved courses within the same discipline for their HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies:
Literatures in English
For example:
1. LITS3501 (E35A) - Advanced West Indian Literature A
2. LITS3502 (E35B) - Advanced West Indian Literature B
or
1. LITS3601 (E36A) - African Literature I
2. LITS3602 (E36B) - African Literature II
or
1. LITS3304 (E33D) - Contemporary Critical Theory
Students electing to do two of the above-listed courses in place of HUMN3099, must select these courses when registering in their final year. Retroactive credit will not be given for Level II or Level III courses read at Level II in fulfilment of HUMN3099. Students should indicate their intension of substituting the paper with an approve alternative by writing and submitting his/her letter to the Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Education.
B. DEADLINES FOR REGISTRATION AND REVISION OF TOPICS
Students are reminded that registration of topics must be done (in triplicate - on forms available at the Faculty Office) by 15 September 2008. Any changes to the title must be approved by both the First and Second Examiners and must be made by 22 January 2009. Please note that at the time of registration, each final year student must also register online for the HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies paper.
C. SELECTION AND REGISTRATION OF TOPIC
1. Students are advised that since HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies counts for honours, the topic selected should normally pertain to the student's major academic discipline. Students pursuing a double Major or a heavy concentration in a discipline other than their Major may select a topic pertaining to any of the academic disciplines in which their Faculty courses are located.
2. Topics should be selected only after consultation with the Head of Department concerned. Only the Head of Department or the Co-ordinator (and not the Moderator of HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies nor anyone else) can approve a topic in the discipline taught by that Department. However, the Moderator of HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies can reject a topic for a good reason.
3. The Head of Department or the Co-ordinator is also responsible for appointing supervisors/markers of Caribbean Studies papers. Students, therefore, should NOT attempt to obtain signatures of supervisors/markers on their forms. After SECTION A of the forms have been completed, all three copies should be returned to the Faculty Office. The forms will be forward to the Head of Department or the Co-ordinator who will appoint supervisors/markers and obtain signatures - even in cases where the second marker is not a member of that Department. The forms will then be forwarded to the Moderator of HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies and each student can collect his/her other copy of the completed form from the Faculty Office early in November (check the Faculty notice board for notification of when you may collect your registration form).
D. CONSULTING YOUR SUPERVISOR
Although the main advice concerning the academic worth and the feasibility of a topic will be received during discussion with the Head of Department, a student may still seek advice from potential supervisors concerning the scope or precise focus of the research to be undertaken. Other assistance which students can expect from their supervisors includes:
1. Guidance with regard to bibliography
Students may seek assistance from their Supervisors in identifying and, where genuine difficulties arise, securing the necessary bibliographical materials.
2. Guidance with regard to research techniques
Students must consult regularly with their Supervisor and adhere to any supervisory arrangements agreed between them. It is the student's responsibility to make their supervisors aware of the progress of the research and of methodological or other difficulties they are encountering in carrying out their research.
Where genuine difficulties arise, they may seek advice and request assistance from their supervisors in preparing specific documents such as questionnaires and multiple-choice tests. Guidance may also be sought with regard to appropriate methods of eliciting and recording oral information. Ultimately the collection and interpretation of data remain the responsibility of the student.
3. Guidance with regard to form, presentation and style of the Research Paper
Each student should submit a rough draft of each section of his/her paper to his/her supervisor for comment on it and advice as to how to improve its form and style of presentation. The final draft should be submitted to the Supervisor at least four weeks before the deadline for handing in the study to the Faculty Office, but students are advised to submit this paper even earlier to allow for any last minute alterations.
Ultimately, the composition of the paper is the responsibility of the student. Guidelines are set out below for the composition of the same.
E. COMPOSITION OF THE STUDY
1. The study should not be more than 9,000 words in length (excluding bibliography, tables, charts, graphs, appendices, maps, notes and references), except with the permission of the Supervisor and the Moderator for Caribbean Studies, and must be of a standard and quality consistent with that of final year undergraduate degree coursework. Students who fail to adhere to the guidelines concerning the length of their studies may be penalised.
2. It should preferably indicate some measure of originality either in its argument, conclusion and/or source material. However, evidence of extensive reading, clear comprehension of secondary materials used and a careful, well-planned presentation may compensate for lack of originality.
F. FORMAT AND PRESENTATION OF THE STUDY
1. Each study must be easily identifiable by a Title Page with the title of the paper, the name of the student, Faculty degree sought, and academic year of presentation (See Appendix II for sample p.10).
Research Framework
2. Adopt a research framework (an ordering and organizing framework) in your paper, for instance:
i. Study Objectives - put a short introduction, state objectives of the paper. [Suggested completion: October]
ii. Literature survey (where necessary) - this involves selecting and putting together a part of literature on the topic which is relevant to the aims and objectives of the paper in a direct, as well as indirect way. [Suggested completion: December]
iii. Analysis - presentation of materials, critical examination, tabular or graphical presentation, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, interpretation, inference, comparison, contrast, typing, empirical evidence to theoretical observation. Spend more time on this segment. [Suggested completion: March]
iv. Findings -conclusions, recommendations, etc. [Suggested completion: April]
v. References - footnotes, endnotes and bibliography [record your bibliographical information as you go along]. (Pay close attention to Section G.2. of these Guidelines):
The study should have a well-arranged list of works cited, with author, title, date and place of publication clearly stated.
You may use two kinds of notes in the MLA parenthetical system:
- Content notes - these contain comments, explanations or information that you consider important, but which would otherwise interrupt the smooth flow of the text and divert the reader’s attention from the primary material.
- Bibliographic notes - use these to cite several sources or present evaluation comments or sources. E.g. For a discussion of the concept of Creoles, see Taylor R, Roberts P, Christie P, Alleyne and Holm.
Should your paper not fit this framework, you may write it using the conventional steps (introduction, description, conclusion, etc).
3. Our recommended reference for style and presentation is the MLA Handbook. Students may access a copy of the Student's Guidelines for the Preparation and Documentation of Essays on the Faculty website at
http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/fhe/hum/students/resources.htm
Presentation
4. All Caribbean Studies must be submitted in a typewritten format and presented as follows:
‒ use white 8.5" x 11" letter-size paper of a good quality (75g weight is good);
‒ text should be printed in black;
‒ each margin (top, bottom, left and right) should be no less than one inch;
‒ double space the body of the text (lengthy quotations, footnotes or endnotes and bibliography may be typed single spaced);
‒ each page should be printed single-sided;
‒ Use a plain serif (e.g. times roman) or sans serif (e.g. Arial) font in 12 point font size.
5. The final paper may be bound (spiral, soft or hard), or presented in a sturdy cover.
STUDENTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO KEEP A PRINTED COPY OF THEIR OWN PAPER.
G. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
1. Read widely in the area of your research interest. Make notes while reading. Think and reflect. Formulate a few research questions to guide your work.
2. Plagiarism is a serious offence and results in 0 marks. Carefully note the following:
“Failure to acknowledge your sources or imprecise documentation can result in invalid research or in plagiarism. Ideas are considered to belong to the person who first documents them; therefore, if you incorporate ideas or phrasing from an author in your work, whether quoted directly or used indirectly, you should be honest about your sources and indicate them fully. If you fail to do either of these two things or both, you are guilty of plagiarism. This can have serious consequences - academically in the form of failure, or expulsion, and legally in the form of lawsuits.
Besides plagiarism, over-use of quotations strung together like a string of pearls without intervening explanation, analysis, or original input from you, the author of the paper, is a practice which should be avoided. This problem can be alleviated somewhat by paraphrasing and summarizing to cut down on the number of direct quotations.” (Faculty of Humanities and Education Handbook, Guidelines for Submission of Coursework p.89).
3. Should your choose a topic in which fieldwork is necessary, then you must be ready to do the fieldwork (establishing contact with agencies/personnel, getting there, keeping appointments, spending time there, observing, recording, interviewing, etc).
4. The fieldwork that you carry out on an organization/country of your choice is most likely to produce certain kinds of data and information. These should be used.
5. Time management is important. Avoid putting off work, hesitating, and being indecisive.
6. One may do a conceptual/theoretical paper in which fieldwork may not be essential.
7. Pay attention to grammar, spelling and sentence structure. Avoid verbosity.
8. Pay attention to composition, neatness, paragraphs, headings, subheadings and clarity.
9. Work on drafts where necessary. Pay attention to typing norms.
10. Be analytical and avoid superficial generalisations. Do not intertwine fact with value/view/opinion.
11. Make sure you keep a close eye on your research objects. Fulfil set objectives. It is easy to lose your way in the research maze.
12. Think through and put down clearly your conclusion/findings.
H. IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Students are strongly advised to adhere to the deadline dates as follows:
Registration of Topic 14 September 2008
Changes to Title 22 January 2009
Submission of Study 15 May 2009
no later than 4:30 p.m.
Registration of Topic for a Deferred Study 31 May 2009
FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE STUDY ON OR BEFORE THE STIPULATED DEADLINE IS AN AUTOMATIC FAIL. Your attention is drawn to the following Faculty regulations concerning the late submission of HUMN3099 Caribbean Studies:
“The deadline for the submission of the completed Research Paper to the Faculty Office is 15th May. Only in exceptional circumstances will a paper be accepted after that date.
Candidates who do not submit a paper by the deadline date for submission shall be deemed to have failed and must register as normal in the next academic year."
Extensions
Requests for extensions must be made in writing to the Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Education, at least three (3) weeks BEFORE the deadline date. The letter should state the reasons for the requested extension. Students should have the letter endorsed by their Supervisor before submitting it to the Faculty Office.
APPENDIX I:
FACULTY REGULATIONS CONCERNING
HUMN3099 CARIBBEAN STUDIES
In the final year of their degree programme, undergraduates reading for the BA are required to investigate some topic relating to the Caribbean, and to report the results in the form of a paper, except where permission has been given to substitute two approved alternative courses for Caribbean Studies (see also section A.3., p.1).
Approved Alternatives include the following:
- Students majoring in French and or Spanish and who have maintained a B+ average or above may submit a translation, duly approved and supervised, in fulfilment of this requirement.
- LITS3501(E35A), LITS3502(E35B), LITS3601(E36A), LITS3602(E36B) and LITS3304(E33D) for those majoring in Literatures in English.
Students taking approved alternatives to HUMN3099 (RP300) (the equivalent of six credits) should note that they are required to complete an additional six credits in exclusively Level III courses in order to meet the requirements for the award of the degree.
Topic
The topic chosen for the Study, which must not be wholly identical with Faculty course-work undertaken by the student, must normally be chosen from the student's major area of study and must be approved by the Moderator in Caribbean Studies at the campus at which the student will register.
Proposal
An outline plan indicating the scope and organisation of the proposed study together with a bibliography or list of source materials, should normally be submitted when seeking this approval.
Approval
It is the responsibility of the student to register the topic of his/her study with the Faculty Office for formal approval by the Moderator no later than the end of the second week in September, but changes to the title will be permitted up to the first Friday of the second semester, (see Deadlines for Registration and Revision of Topics p.2).
Requirements
The paper shall be not more than 9,000 words excluding bibliography, except with the permission of the supervisor and the moderator for Caribbean Studies, and must be of a quality appropriate to the work of an undergraduate in the final year of the degree course.
(Extracted from the Faculty of Humanities and Education Handbook 2008-2009)
