PG Certificate/ PGDiploma and MSc Public Health

Instructions for Preparing and Submitting Elective Module

Assessed Assignments

2011-12

This booklet contains instructions for preparing and submitting assignments for the following elective modules

PHM201 PHM202 PHM203 PHM204 PHM205 PHM206 PHM207 PHM208 PHM209 PHM210 PHM211 PHM212 PHM213 PHM215

Sept 2011

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MSc Public Health CONTENTS

Elective module Assessed Assignments page

Instructions for preparing and submitting elective module assignments ................................. 3

How to prepare your assignment ......................................................................... 3

Deadlines, submission of assignment and feedback ........................................... 4

How to submit your assignment ........................................................................... 4

How your assignment is assessed ....................................................................... 5

Words of advice on drafting assignments ............................................................ 6

Appendix A Referencing the literature in your work ....................................................... 7

Appendix B Assignment Management System…………………………………………….11

Appendix C Assignment Cover Sheet...........................................................................18

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND SUBMITTING ELECTIVE MODULE ASSIGNMENTS This document contains instructions for preparing and submitting assignments for the elective modules of the Certificate/PG Diploma / MSc in Public Health by distance learning. The assignments can be found on the PH DL Website: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/dl/programme/student/ph/student/assignments.htm . The assignments are a COMPULSORY component of each elective module. This written component of the course gives you an opportunity to demonstrate the progress you have made and to receive tutorial feedback from LSHTM staff. Special note for re-sit students: re-sit students must complete a “re-sit assignment” If this is your second attempt at an assessed assignment you will need to complete a re-sit assignment. Please contact phsupport@lshtm.ac.uk for details. This will be a different assignment to that included on the DL website . Elective module Assessed Assignments comprise 30% of your final mark The assessed assignments are a compulsory element of the course, and comprise 30% of the total grade for each module. You should submit the AA in the same academic year in which you sit the unseen written examination for that module. A final grade for individual modules cannot be awarded until you have completed both the assessed assignment and unseen written examination. Infectious disease (ID) modules and EPM202 If you are studying elective modules from the ID course or EPM202 Statistical Methods in Epidemiology, make sure you complete the assignment for the year in which you are studying. All EP and ID elective modules have a compulsory assessed assignment.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ASSIGNMENT Reading the instructions for Assessed Assignments The instructions for each assignment vary regarding, for example, what to include, how many questions to answer, how to structure and present your work and the word limit. It is VERY important that you READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS for the assignment you intend to complete. Then re-read them to be sure you have understood them correctly. If you have questions about the assignment instructions, contact teaching staff on that module either by webboard or via email to PHSupport@lshtm.ac.uk. Follow closely these instructions, or you may lose marks. Be VERY careful not to exceed the word limit. Font size Please use a font size that is at least 12 point. Use of tables and graphs If an assignment includes tables or graphs, please include these within the Word document. Do not put them in separate attachments. Please note, tables, figures and graphs should be used appropriately and not as a means of increasing the word length. Students may include up to a maximum of 10 items in total (i.e. 10 figures, graphs and tables combined). Writing essays Please refer to the Student Handbook and the Manager's Good Study Guide if you are uncertain about how to write and structure essays. Citations and references

The deadline for submission of assessed assignments is 31 March.

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Make sure you cite correctly all sources and references for quotations and concepts used in your paper. Please read very carefully all rules about citation in your Student Handbook. Correct citation is a fundamental skill expected of graduate programme students. Poorly cited quotes or ideas may be considered plagiarism. Please see Appendix A of this booklet and Chapter 8 of the Student Handbook for guidance on referencing the literature. Word count Students should keep within the instructed word length. Please be careful to note the word limit indicated in each set of instructions. They differ for different assignments. Penalties will be imposed if assignments exceed the stated word length. If an assignment exceeds the word limit, it will be marked down by one or more grades, depending on the extent the limit has been exceeded. What to include in the word count The final word count should only include the main text. References, tables and figures should not be included. However, tables, figures and appendices should be used appropriately and not as a means of increasing the word length. Students may include up to a maximum of 10 figures, graphs and tables combined. Be very careful about word limits. Keeping within the word limit set for an assignment is a requirement, not a suggestion. Please note there is one exception to the above. The word count for the PHM210 assignment should include text in tables. Plagiarism declaration The first time that you log into the Assignment Management System and before any of your assignments can be submitted for marking, you must agree to the statement confirming that all your work submitted is your own. (Please see Appendix B of this document). Please note coursework submitted for marking may be checked for plagiarism using special computer software. Coursework will be transferred to Turnitin UK to be crosschecked against published papers and material submitted by other students at the School and nationally. Work submitted to Turnitin UK will be anonymous and Turnitin UK will at all times abide by the UK Data Protection Act 1998.

DEADLINES, SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS AND FEEDBACK When to complete and submit your assignments Elective module assignments can be submitted for marking anytime between 1 January and 31 March, which will be marked and feedback will be provided by mid-May. We strongly advise you to plan your study schedule carefully in order to leave enough time to complete a well-considered piece of written work. Important: Please note that all assignments must be submitted through the Assignment Management System (AMS) by 12 midnight UK time on 31 March. We strongly advise you not to wait until the last hours before the deadline. Assessed Assignments (AAs) submitted via the AMS up to 7 days after the submission deadline will be given a deduction of one grade. Assignments emailed more than 7 days past the submission deadline will not be accepted and students will be required to submit their assignment for the module the following year. However, for modules that the assignment question has changed, students will be required to prepare a new assignment. Extensions to submission deadlines in exceptional circumstances only In extenuating circumstances, for example acute illness, you may request a deadline extension. This should be requested and will need to be approved by the Taught Course Director before the original deadline arrives. Consideration will not be given to retrospective or late extension requests in cases where it was possible to make the request ahead of the original deadline.. Deadline extensions should be sought via the DL Office, documenting the reasons why you may be unable to meet the normal deadline. Medical Certificates may sometimes be required. The Department Taught Course Director will evaluate extension requests, and this decision will be communicated back to students via the DL Office.

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HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ASSIGNMENT All assignments should be submitted via the Assignment Management System by midnight 31 March 2012 (UK time). When submitting your assignment please note the following requirements: An Assignment Cover Sheet should be completed for each assignment submitted. An Assignment Cover Sheet can be downloaded from the PH website (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/dl/programme/student/ph/student/assignments.htm) or can be obtained on request from phsupport@lshtm.ac.uk . An example is provided in Appendix C.

Your Assignment Cover Sheet should be completed with the following information:

The course you are studying for.

Your student number.

The module code and module title.

The name of the software you have used - the Student Support Office can accept files in MS Word, Excel or PDF. If you are in doubt about the format, save your work in Rich Text Format (*.RTF), or contact the Student Support Office. Please note that your work will be printed out in black and white, so please do not use colour.

Word count of the assignment (excluding tables, figures and references).

Number of pages, including references and appendices, excluding cover sheet.

State whether you are re-sitting your assignment (see special note for re-sit students in Instructions for preparing and submitting assignments – page 4.

Your Assignment and Assignment Cover Sheet should be uploaded as a single

attachment to the Assignment Management System. This form can be downloaded from the PH Student website, Assignments section.

Only submit one document per assignment even if there is more than one question.

Ensure that you have read and followed the guidance in Appendix A “Referencing the

Literature in Your Work”. Please note: Only one version of your assignment can be accepted for marking. Once you have uploaded your final assignment we cannot accept any further late revisions so please check and double check to make sure the assignment you upload is the correct and final version that you wish to be sent for marking. Keep a copy for your records Remember to keep a copy of all the assignments you submit.

HOW YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS ASSESSED Assessment of your assignments

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Each submitted assignment is anonymous (no link to student identity) and marked by two independent assessors. Once the assessors have marked your work, and have arrived at an agreed grade and feedback, you will receive a notification from the Assignment Management System that your grade and feedback are available to view. Staff who assess assignments: :

(a) do not know the identity of the student whose assignment they are marking; (b) mark the assignment before consulting the second marker; (c) try to provide comments that are constructive and as helpful as possible; and aim to

return comments to students within the designated time periods. The grade you receive initially is provisional (although not negotiable) because, at this point, your work has only been assessed internally. In July, an external examiner checks the quality of the assessment conducted in each MSc. The final grade is produced only when the internal and the external examiners have agreed the grades. Formal approval of all grades is given at Exam Board meetings held in the last week of July. The set of grades that will be used in assessing the elective modules and what they mean is given below. Grade point general criteria

Grade point

Descriptor Typical work should include evidence of…

5 Excellent Excellent engagement with the topic, excellent depth of understanding and insight, excellent argument and analysis. Generally, this work will be „distinction standard‟.

NB that excellent work does not have to be „outstanding‟ or exceptional by comparison with other students; these grades should not be capped to a limited number of students per class. Nor should such work be expected to be 100% perfect – some minor inaccuracies or omissions may be permissible.

4 Very good Very good engagement with the topic, very good depth of understanding and insight, very good argument and analysis. This work may be „borderline distinction standard‟.

Note that very good work may have some inaccuracies or omissions but not enough to question the understanding of the subject matter.

3 Good Good (but not necessarily comprehensive) engagement with the topic, clear understanding & insight, reasonable argument and analysis.

2 Satisfactory Adequate evidence of engagement with the topic but some gaps in understanding or insight, routine argument and analysis.

1 Unsatisfactory / poor (fail)

Inadequate engagement with the topic, gaps in understanding, poor argument and analysis.

0 Very poor (fail) Poor engagement with the topic, limited understanding, very poor argument and analysis.

0 Not submitted (null)

Null mark may be given where work has not been submitted, or is in serious breach of assessment criteria/regulations.

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WORDS OF ADVICE ON DRAFTING ASSIGNMENTS Please read carefully the assignment instructions. It is a very good idea to read through the instructions several times. Take time to consider the question and think about how you wish to approach responding to the topics requested. For non-quantitative assignments, it is usually helpful to draft an outline for your assignment before you begin to write. Consider the main points you wish to make and how you will describe and support your contentions. Take your time writing your assignment and review the question and your course materials, as needed. It is not uncommon for students to lose sight of the main points of the question, diverge into subjects that are not relevant to the response or forget the key requests of the assignment. Be careful to cite and correctly reference your module textbook when you have quoted from it or paraphrased an idea or concept presented in the book. Cite accurately all other material, such as reports, articles, websites or data sets, that you have relied on to write your assignment. Reread your work before submitting it in order to make sure that what you wanted to say is communicated clearly and coherently. Try as best you can to imagine that you are an independent reader and critic rather than the author.

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APPENDIX A Referencing the literature in your work As many of you may be aware from reading medical literature or well-produced research or public health documents, the most highly respected papers are those that offer relevant references to scientific or other credible resources, including peer-reviewed articles and published reports. Good referencing in a text strengthens and substantiates the evidence in the paper and demonstrates that the author has an accurate knowledge of the subject. Researching and correctly citing relevant literature is a fundamental skill of a public health/medical researcher. It is a skill that we expect to see demonstrated consistently throughout your work at LSHTM. For more detailed information on citation and good academic writing skills, see the Academic Writing Handbook.

http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/dl/programme/student/ph/student/generalresources.htm Although you are not obligated to refer to literature beyond the textbook for the module when writing your assignments, you are required to cite accurately all references that you make to what is in the textbook, particularly anytime you quote verbatim or cite specific examples, and any references that you make to any other literature. When you submit your assignments, we will expect to see work that is fully and accurately referenced throughout the document and citations that are written and formatted correctly. Work that is not cited sufficiently and correctly may be penalised. It is important that you are very cautious about accurately referencing your documents, because poor citation is likely to be misperceived as plagiarism. As has been mentioned in the Student Handbook, your assignments may be passed through a plagiarism-detection software. For those papers in which the language is too close to that of the original text that does not use quotation marks (or indented), or work that appears to be plagiarised, the penalties will be very serious. Please be aware that all information, data, ideas, definitions, etc., that you take from another document to include in your work, must be cited and have a full reference (see below). If you insert sentences or phrases verbatim or key terms specifically coined by the author, you must either put them in quotation marks or indent the text –and in both cases, they must be accompanied by a full citation. Further information about plagiarism can be found in the Student Handbook, Chapter 8.

Citation formats

Reference citations provide the reader information on the sources of the scholarly material mentioned or quoted in your assignments. References must be absolutely accurate. For this reason, all citations must be checked with the original source and should not be cited from another source that cites the original bibliographical resource. This is a very important part of a report or publication. The proper presentation of references is a mark of an attentive, precise and experienced author.

There are two main systems for citing references: the author/date system (Harvard system) and the numbering system (Vancouver system). Either can be used, but it is important to be consistent. The Harvard system is usually easier to use when word processing, since the insertion of an extra reference does not require the renumbering of all subsequent references, as it does with the Vancouver system. However, computer software is available which allows references to be stored and presented in either format. Author/date system In the text the author's name and date of publication are quoted, e.g. "as confirmed by Abrams (1969)" or "as confirmed by another study (Abrams 1969)". If there are two authors, both are given, e.g. (Sewell and Foster 1976). If there are more than two authors use et al., e.g. "(Gillespie ????? et al. 1983)". In the reference list, the references should be arranged by alphabetical order of the author's name. This style used is known as the "Harvard system".

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Numbering system

References should be numbered sequentially in the text, either in brackets, e.g. "as confirmed by Abrams (3)", "as confirmed by other studies (3)" or as a superscript, e.g. "as confirmed by Abrams"

3. It is usual to place superscripts after punctuation. This style is known as the

Vancouver System, both the BMJ and the Lancet describe the use of this system for references in their instructions to authors (see for example: http://www.thelancet.com/authors/lancet/authorinfo). In the reference list, the references should appear in numerical order, i.e. in the order in which they appear in the text. Example of entry: 2. Ganapati R, Naik SS, Acharekar MY and Pade SS. Leprosy endemicity in Bombay: an assessment through surveys of municipal schools. Leprosy Review 1976; 47: 127-31. In both systems the following details must be included in the reference list: Journal articles - names and initials of all authors (it is acceptable to have a cut-off point for number of authors quoted and to give, for example, the names of the first three, or six then et al.), year of publication, title of article, title of journal (underlined or in italics) (may be abbreviated according to Index Medicus style), volume number (may be in bold), numbers of first and last pages. Books - names and initials of all authors, year of publication, title of book (underlined or in italics), publisher, town and country (if town not a capital city) of publication. It is usual to give the items in that order, though the place of publication may appear before the name of the publisher and in some numbering systems the date of publication is at the end. In a report, you are free to choose the precise style of presentation, but it is important to be consistent (e.g. brackets or full stops round dates, names of authors in capitals or not, commas between initials or not). If a paper or book has been accepted for publication, but has not yet been published, this can be indicated by putting "in press" in brackets. Examples (using author/date system) Book: Pavlosky E N (1960) Human diseases with natural foci. Foreign Language Publishing House, Moscow.

Journal article: Ganapati R, Naik S S, Acharekar M Y and Pade S S (1976) Leprosy endemicity in Bombay: an assessment through surveys of municipal schools, Leprosy Review 47: 127 - 31.

Part of edited volume: McGregor I A (1976) Epidemiology and control of malaria. In: Cruickshank R, Standard K and Russell H B L (eds) Epidemiology and community health in warm climate countries. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, UK.

Paper at conference where proceedings have not been published:

Wattal B L (196) Entomological basis of human disease and loss in livestock - an ecological approach. Paper presented at a Seminar in Entomology, University Grants Commission/Aligah Muslim University, Aligah, October 1986.

Thesis: Sabir N I (1984) Why do girls die more? Sex differences in growth and Child-rearing practices in a slum area in Lahore. MSc thesis. Institute of Child Health, University of London.

Personal communications should not be listed under references, but should be indicated in the text (e.g. Cervenda J 1967 - personal communication; Pande A B - unpublished). As stated, you may select whichever referencing style you prefer, for example, the author/date system (Harvard system) or the numbering system (Vancouver system). Either can be used, but it is important not to mix styles. If you choose the Harvard style, the references at the end of your paper should be in alphabetical order by the author‟s name. Please be careful when interpreting ideas into your own words from an author‟s text. It does not suffice to alter one or two words in a sentence or paragraph to adopt someone else‟s writing as your own. This will be seen as plagiarism. If you like what someone else has written, it is preferable to keep the original sentence and put quotation marks around it and

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cite the source. When using ideas from someone else‟s work that you put into your own words, you still must cite this correctly, but you do not need to use quotation marks if the phrasing is sufficiently different. It is not uncommon for students who have read and come to understand the material they have read, to forget to include citations where they are needed. We have compiled the following small list of examples to help you identify the types of phrases that indicate that a citation is needed: „There is significant evidence/data/research that shows….‟ (more than one citation) „Experts / studies / research suggest(s) that…‟ „Research / studies indicate/show/demonstrate that…‟ „X is commonly associated with Y‟ „X has been shown in various studies…‟ „It is estimated that…‟ “It is commonly believed/well-known that…” „A common hypothesis is …‟ „It has been suggested that…‟ „X has been identified as a risk factor for Y „Many authors/researchers contend…‟ As you can see, anytime you are making a claim or referring to existing work, you must give the reference(s) that supports the claim or identifies the work. Be especially careful when you use the words: „study‟, „research‟, „evidence‟, „expert‟ when it is not about your own work. Generally, the rule is that you will need to cite which study, which expert, what evidence. In any case, it is always better to err on the side of evidence and information disclosure and cite a reference for information that you are offering in your text.

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Recommendations for students on written academic work -

1. English language skills. For many students at LSHTM, English is not their first

language. While students‟ work (assignments and exams) will not be graded

specifically on the quality of the written English, students should be aware that

LSHTM‟s courses are taught and examined in English and that they are expected to

write competently and clearly in English. Obtaining an academic degree from LSHTM

represents a graduate‟s ability to function fully in English in their professional working

environment. We strongly recommend that you make certain that your submitted work

is written in comprehensible and acceptable English. While you may not ask

someone to edit your written academic work, you may wish, for example, to ask a

native speaker to read a draft assignment or practice exam question to let you know

whether it is well-written. Although you have may fulfilled the minimum requirements

for English language level for admission to the course, if you are having difficulty

writing correctly in English, it may be necessary to undertake formal training in

English language writing.

2. Writing style, grammar, punctuation. Although student assignments and exams will

not be graded on writing style, grammar and punctuation, you should be aware that

the correct use of these essential writing tools is directly related to your ability to

communicate ideas and demonstrate your knowledge. Individuals reading your work,

such as teaching staff during the course or work colleagues in the future, must be

able to comprehend readily your written documents. Your marks during the course

will therefore, to a certain extent, reflect your ability to communicate clearly what you

have learned.

3. Insufficient citation. Correct referencing is a fundamental skill in academic writing. If

you are not sure whether you must add a citation to a sentence or section of text in

your work, the rule for citation is generally to „err on the side of citing the original‟.

This means that each time you write about an idea, take a phrase or use definition

from something you have read or heard (e.g., document, internet or personal

communication), you must cite it to the original source. This includes citing your

textbook. References must be written in a consistent and correct format as either

footnotes or endnotes.

4. Critical analysis versus repetition. Students at LSHTM are examined and marked

based on their ability to demonstrate comprehension and critical thinking rather than

solely on their ability to recall and repeat information from textbooks or other sources.

This approach to evaluation of student learning may be different from some

educational systems that, for example, require students to repeat (even verbatim)

information given during the course, but do not demand further analysis or use of this

information. LSHTM requires that students show that they can go beyond memorising

concepts or definitions. Students should demonstrate their comprehension and ability

to integrate new knowledge. This means that in your assignments and exams, you

need to show that you know the concepts, definitions or skills and that you

understand them in more complex or applied ways. That is, students who achieve the

highest level of learning, and therefore the best marks, are those who are able to

apply new concepts or skills (e.g., by giving examples or comparing and contrasting

to other concepts or skills).

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APPENDIX B

Assignment Management System (AMS)

This on-line facility allows you to upload your assignments, view specimen answers (if available), feedbacks and grades. Please note you will only be able to upload assignments for those modules for which you have registered/re-registered. If any of your modules are not included on your AMS homepage (including re-sits), please contact the Student Support Office. From October 1

st, you will be able to view a demonstration video for AMS via a link on the

WebBoard. Instructions for Use 1. The Assignment Management System can be located at https://www.dlams.lshtm.ac.uk/

Using Firefox or Internet Explorer login using your student number, date of birth and

password. Login details will be e-mailed to all students.

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2. Please use ctrl with (+) or (-) to increase and decrease your screen size.

3. When accessing the system for the first time, you must ‘click to agree’ that you accept

the plagiarism statement in order to gain access into the Assignment Management

System.

4. You will then enter your main student home page which contains an explanation of how to

use this system and displays ONLY the modules for which you are enrolled in for this

academic year. This page will also contain your course and a list of the assignments that

you can submit:

FA – Formative assignment

EPM201 Outline (EP only)

AA – Assessed assignment

RA – Re-sit assignment

Project Report (only available for final project submission in September).

5. The information for each assignment is presented in each row. It includes the following:

assignment type (FA, AA or RA)

date assignment was uploaded (blank if it has not been uploaded yet)

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current status (either pending submission, awaiting feedback or feedback

available)

grade (blank if it has not been marked yet)

an icon used to upload the relevant assignment

an icon used to view uploaded assignment

an icon to view the markers‟ feedback, if available

an icon to download specimen answers if available for the FA

a final submission date for all your assignments.

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IMPORTANT: You will only be able to upload each assignment once. Please ensure that all parts of your assignment are in one document before uploading and that you are uploading your final version of your assignment.

6. If you have multiple files for the same assignment remember to zip them all into one

file before uploading.

7. To upload your assignment click the upload assignment icon ( ). This will take you to

the upload window. Instructions on how to upload your assignment are provided here.

Please note that before attempting to upload your final assignment you should save it

with the required filename. Files should be labelled as follows: module number

followed by assignment type. For example if you are planning to submit an assessed

assignment for EPM202 the assignment should be saved as follows: EPM202AA.doc. If

it is a re-sit assignment it should be saved as: PHM202RA.doc for example. If the module

has more than one FA (EP&ID only), then the number of the FA should also be included

in the filename e.g. your submitted assignment FA2 for IDM101 should be labelled as

IDM101.2FA. If you can‟t upload the assignment, please check if your filename is correct

and try again.

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8. Once you have uploaded your assignment you will view an onscreen acknowledgment

confirming your assignment was successfully uploaded and your student number will

be automatically appended to your uploaded assignment filename.

9. Your date uploaded field will be updated with the relevant date, your status will change

from „Pending submission’ to „awaiting feedback’ and you will be able to view your

uploaded assignments by clicking ( ) icon. You will also be able to view specimen

answers for FAs once you have uploaded these, if they are available for your module, by

clicking icon.

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10. You will receive an e-mail to notify you when your feedbacks and grades are available.

11. Log-in to AMS once you have received this email. Your current status and grade fields

will be updated to ‘feedback available’ and a grade will be visible in the grade field. Click

on the icon to view your feedback.

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Please contact your relevant Student Support Team by e-mail if you require assistance or you would like to provide us with some feedback.

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APPENDIX C

Assignment Cover Sheet

This is a blank cover sheet for your assignment. Please complete ONE cover sheet for each assignment. Please insert the requested information about your assignment in the column on the right in the table below. You should then attach the corresponding assignment after this cover sheet page and upload the full document to the On-line assignment management system.

Title of course for which you are registered

Student number

Module code

Module title

Software used

Word count

Total number of pages (not including cover sheet)

Are you re-sitting the assignment for this module?

YES or NO (please state here)

IMPORTANT:

Only one assignment can be uploaded with each Assignment Cover Sheet

Please include cover sheet at the beginning of your assignment document.

You will need to read and accept the online plagiarism declaration on your initial login before being able to upload your assignment(s).

Ensure that you have read and adhered to the guidance provided in Appendix A, “Referencing the Literature in your Work”, which can be found in the instructions for preparing and submitting core and elective module assignment available on the DL website.

Please start your assignment on the next page.

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Distance Learning Assignment Cover Sheet