• Class Number 2677
  • Term Code 3430
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Dr Ben Mercer
  • LECTURER
    • Dr Ben Mercer
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 19/02/2024
  • Class End Date 24/05/2024
  • Census Date 05/04/2024
  • Last Date to Enrol 26/02/2024
SELT Survey Results

This course provides students with an opportunity to undertake a program of in-depth reading in an area of history under the guidance of a staff member. The nature of the program will be negotiated between the student and a proposed supervisor, but might include Australian History, Indigenous History, Environmental History, Imperial and Colonial History, Medieval and Early Modern History, the history of Gender and Sexuality, American History, European History, or Transnational History.

Students must gain the formal agreement of a staff member to supervise them before enrolling in this course.

This course may be repeated for credit and taken up to 4 times if a different topic is studied each time. Enrolment multiple times in a teaching session is permitted with permission from the convenor.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. formulate a coherent program of reading in consultation with a professional historian;
  2. identify a series of historical questions and problems in a field and devise a plan for dealing with them;
  3. analyse the major contributions to the historiography of a coherent field of study;
  4. evaluate the significant debates, problems and controversies in a particular field of historical study; and
  5. locate and interpret a body of primary source materials relevant to the field of historical study.

Research-Led Teaching

None

Field Trips

None

Additional Course Costs

None

Examination Material or equipment

None

Required Resources

None

None

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

  • written comments
  • verbal comments
  • feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Supervision – a minimum of 6 hours' supervision must be offered during semester Assessment is to be negotiated between supervisor and student but would usually total 6000 words distributed across at least 2 tasks. A typical recent schedule is given below
2 Supervision
3 Supervision
4 Supervision
5 Supervision
6 Supervision

Tutorial Registration

n/a – students must have prior agreement of SoH academic to supervise their course in order to enrol. They should email that agreement to the course/MHIT/VHIT convenor who will then arrange a permission code from the School of History Office.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Learning Outcomes
Learning Plan 10 % 1, 2
Book Reviews (of 2 different monographs) 40 % 3, 4, 5
Research Essay 50 % 3, 4, 5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

n/a

Examination(s)

n/a

Assessment Task 1

Value: 10 %
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2

Learning Plan

·      10% of final grade.

·      Due: to be agreed with individual students – usually by week 4 of semester

 

The Learning Plan is integral to the planning of the reading course, laying the foundations for study and underlining the collaborative nature of scholarly work. It should comprise five parts:


In consultation with your supervisor, construct: 

·       A title for your ‘course’

·       An overall explanation, modelled on an ANU course description, of the nature of your course of study including why it matters (150 words maximum);

·       a series of historical questions and problems (6-12 questions, ideally allocated across 3-4 modules or topics) to be considered during study and discussed in meetings and/or online communications between student and supervisor;

·       a basic list of secondary readings you will undertake during the course. (Please note that it is permitted to vary this list during the semester, but that you should keep in close touch with your supervisor about its evolving content); 

·       assessment required during the course. 


Each reading program will comprise a coherent course of study with a clear theme and focus. Please note that it is not the intention that the Learning Plan will set your study in stone for the course of the semester. It is expected that it will evolve as you proceed with your reading and writing, but you should not change your general topic and you must keep in touch with your supervisor about the work you are undertaking.

The plan will be assessed on


·       clarity of title chosen for the course

·       clarity, originality and persuasiveness of course description

·       feasibility, relevance and coherence of reading list

·       clarity, feasibility and originality of historical questions/problems

Assessment Task 2

Value: 40 %
Learning Outcomes: 3, 4, 5

Book Reviews (of 2 different monographs)


·      Each 1000 words, each 20% of the final grade.

·      Due:   to be agreed with individual students – usually weeks 6–9.

 

This exercise aims to give you practice engaging closely with historiography by asking you to choose a monograph and write an informed, scholarly review of it. Therefore, your review will probably be rather different from book reports you may have written or read before (“This book was enjoyable…. I liked it because…”).

 

Your review should:

 

·      Assume a particular audience. In this case, assume your review is for someone interested in the same type and field of history as you are. If you wish, you may also frame the review in terms of monograph’s usefulness for developing your own research project. You might suggest, for example, that the monograph will serve as a model, or as a main point of comparison.

 

·      Summarize the book’s argument or thesis. This is not so much a synopsis of the book’s topic or content (e.g. “This is a book about physiognomy in Renaissance Europe”), as a terse summary of the claims that your author makes for their topic (e.g. “Porter argues that physiognomy became popular during the Renaissance because...”).

 

·      Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis. To do this, you’ll be posing the same sorts of questions you ask yourself when framing your research proposal:

 

·      what primary sources are available/used? Are these sources (either types or archived collections of) which have gone largely unexamined until now? If the sources are not new in themselves, have they been interpreted by a fresh pair of eyes and put to innovative use?

 

·      what is the relation of the book to the wider historiography on its main topic? Has the author filled a gap in our knowledge? To what extent does the book seek to revise our current understanding?

 

·      how well is the book put together? In other words, there’s a place for modest comment on style, structure, format and presentation if these help or hinder the book’s argument; its coherence, comprehensibility, and comprehensiveness.

 

·     Keep to the word-limit. Part of the art of a review is exactly that – writing a short, incisive critique. Waffle is probably a sign that you haven’t reached the heart of the matter.

 

·       paraphrase tersely and use direct quotes from the book very sparingly, ‘anchoring’ these with accurate, precise page references in brackets in the main text.

 

·       you may occasionally need to refer to other book(s) on the same topic, especially when sketching out the wider historiography and the connections to your proposed research. You may make careful use of footnote references to refer to these other books.

 

·     Head your review with details of author, title, and publication. That way you can refer to the book/author under discussion succinctly thereafter.

Assessment Task 3

Value: 50 %
Learning Outcomes: 3, 4, 5

Research Essay

·      4000 words, 50% of final grade.

·      Due: [as final assessment, this piece cannot be due any earlier than the first day of the examination period]


This is the product of your archival research, critical thinking, and imaginative use of sources. Please be sure to:

 

·      head your first page with your specific research question as well as a proposed title, as if you were writing an article for publication (Sometimes a question will work well as a title; sometimes not).

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.


The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.


The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

  • Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

Dr Ben Mercer
<p>u5678723@anu.edu.au</p>

Research Interests


Dr Ben Mercer

By Appointment
Sunday
Dr Ben Mercer
u5678723@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Ben Mercer

By Appointment
Sunday

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions