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What resources are there to help me with this assessment?

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What resources are there to help me with this assessment?

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For a specific briefing on this assessment look at the slides and recording of the week 12 lecture

For general essay writing support you can look at My Learning Essentials at the Library (materials are also linked in DRAM11111: Study Skills). Support for writing is packaged together here.

There are some workshopping exercises available on my (Cara) seminar slides for week 12 that you can find here.

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Writing and speaking Academic English can be challenging, even for native speakers. The University Centre for Academic English team of experienced tutors are here to support you, and will help boost your confidence to work independently in English through a series of interactive workshops.

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Do we need to write our word count at the end of the analysis, and does the title, footnotes or bibliography count towards the 1000 word count?

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The university operates a so-called mitigating circumstances process. This allows for extensions under some circumstances while others are excluded. You can find all information on the mitigating circumstances process here and here.

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The lengths stipulated are a maximum word count. If you are a handful of words over/under, please don't worry. However, where there are significant divergences from the word count we do have to penalise work - the level of penalisation is at the discretion of a marker but discussed and agreed by the team (to ensure consistency). There is no minimum word count - which means under-length work isn't immediately failed, however where work is significantly under-length it is unlikely to meet the complexity / scope of the task set, or evidence the intended learning outcomes of the unit.

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What grade descriptors are used for this assessment?

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What grade descriptors are used for this assessment?

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It's the same grade descriptors as for the first task. You can find the full descriptor in the 'Assessment Task' tab on Blackboard.

The main elements of the descriptor are:

Knowledge and understanding

Structure and argument

Use of sources and data

Style and presentation

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For this unit you have an essay (assessment 2) due in January but no exam - only very few Drama units are assessed by exam. You will be able to submit the essay electronically from anywhere in the world - though do keep an eye on time zone differences in relation to the submission date/time!

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What do you mean by FORM, and what do you mean by CONTENT?

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What do you mean by FORM, and what do you mean by CONTENT?

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You can think of CONTENT as the key themes and topics addressed in the play, for example themes of trade, money and greed in Serious Money. The content of a piece will be influenced by the historical context for which a play was first written (i.e. Thatcher's Britain for Serious Money).

When we think of FORM, we might consider the way the content is dealt with through genre conventions and plot arrangement. FORM can also relate to the theatre conditions beyond textual features (e.g. the kinds of spaces in which a piece was put on, the kinds of acting/casting conventions of the period, audience expectations etc).

The very best essays will be able to analyse how FORM and CONTENT interact with each other and make meaning together. Generally, we don't recommend that you separate out sections on form and content in your essay plan but discuss elements of both throughout (as ever you won't be able to cover everything, so selecting the elements most relevant to your argument is key here!).

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English is not my first language. How can I get help writing in academic English? / I am first language English speaker and need support with writing (including grammar etc).

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English is not my first language. How can I get help writing in academic English? / I am first language English speaker and need support with writing (including grammar etc).

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Contact the Academic Success Programme at: https://www.ucae.manchester.ac.uk/study/academic-success-programme/workshops/salc/

If you suspect you may benefit from a dyslexia assessment, there is support available here.

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School of Arts, Languages and Cultures | University Centre for Academic English | The University of Manchester

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What do you guys think the best way to understand readings in order to apply them to the work we do in class.

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What do you guys think the best way to understand readings in order to apply them to the work we do in class.

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While citing the video for Barber Shop Chronicles, should I use the name of the director as the 'author' (Bijan Sheibani) or Innua Ellams' name as the playwright?

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How do I keep track of what’s going on in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures? 

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How do I keep track of what’s going on in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures? 

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Check out the Community page here

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Do I need to reference the performance the first time I mention it?

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Do I need to reference the performance the first time I mention it?

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You don't have to include a full reference to a performance (conventions vary on this in theatre studies) but you absolutely can reference the video you are using since it adds specificity to your analysis. In all cases, you would usually at least include the year a performance premiered in brackets after the first mention of the title. You would always fully cite a published text on first mention (this tells you something about how biased towards written sources academia is, something we might want to also critically interrogate). With some of the historical texts we sometimes don't know exactly when they were written/published so you can add a 'c' for circa in front of the date to mark that - so it would read 'c. 441 BCE' for Antigone.

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As far as I know, you don't need to open an account. A guide to submitting your work is here and there is a video provided here.

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More specific content warnings needed for It's True It's True It's True

Some extended CW explanation was on the preparation page but this might not be immediately visible. We are reviewing this piece in terms of future use - we will likely replace it with a piece dealing with a similar perspective but less direct description of potentially triggering topics.

Globalise coverage more!

Yes, this is absolutely the plan for this unit. We are currently undertaking a review process, including major unit changes to make it more possible to include global case studies - if you have suggestions for this we're keen to hear (just add comments to this thread!). We should note that some more global coverage is included in the later parts of the unit but these remain, arguably, still Eurocentric (they are not European but still rely on European canons/forms)

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How did we change this unit based on 23/24 feedback?

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How did we change this unit based on 23/24 feedback?

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A key thing that came up from 23/24 unit feedback was that we should make more space/time for close readings of the plays and performance case studies.

To support this we have added a new lecture on 'analysing play texts' to support analytical skill development in this area, and have re-developed seminar plans to allow more time for analysis of the plays.

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How long does it take to receive feedback?

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How long does it take to receive feedback?

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You should receive feedback within 15 working days from the submission date (this doesn't include university closure days over the winter break). Submissions with extensions are not included within the standard turn-around time.

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For Task 2 (analysis over time) is it okay to only look at one sign system in two moments?

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For Task 2 (analysis over time) is it okay to only look at one sign system in two moments?

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The set task does allow this but the thrust of the task is to look at how a sign system develops and changes over time - in many cases limiting the analysis to two moments won't do justice to change and transformation over the duration of an hour or more. We would generally recommend looking at at least three moment in detail.

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How do I receive feedback on my assignments?

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How do I receive feedback on my assignments?

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You receive two types of written feedback 1/ summary comments on Turnitin, in the comments box - these give you overview of strengths and areas for improvement. These comments are designed to help you prepare for future assignments; 2/ in-text feedback (comments made within your essay which are often shorter or generic) - these allow you to see comments 'in action'. If you need guidance on how to access the feedback, see here.

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There are several ways to give feedback:

For issues relevant to the day-to-day running of the unit, please contact either your seminar tutor or course unit director at cara.berger@manchester.ac.uk; they can deal with any immediate issues. If you want to raise anything anonymously, you can do so via this page!

At the end of each unit you will be invited to give feedback via a form. Feedback given in this way will be used to inform planning for future versions of this unit.

For issues about the programme more widely or about wider University issues you can contact your student representatives who will raise issues during the subject Student Staff Liaison Committee and/or at higher level committees. You can find a list of current student reps on the 'Drama and Film Studies Community Blackboard'

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What should I do to catch up if I've missed a seminar?

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What should I do to catch up if I've missed a seminar?

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Due to the discussion-based nature of seminars its hard to fully get the benefit of them without attending (which is why we expect you to come to all seminars unless you are poorly). That said, you can catch up with materials by:

spending some extra time on the assigned reading and/or looking at some of the further readings

asking a friend to share their notes with you

your seminar leader may be willing to share their slides if they used them. I (Cara) will be gathering my slides here (you will need to be logged in with you University of Manchester account to view)

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How do I get an unavoidable absence authorised?

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How do I get an unavoidable absence authorised?

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Teaching staff can't authorise absences though we much appreciate a heads-up if you are going to miss a seminar in a particular week. Please log any absences through SEAtS yourself - its helpful to do this as it will show you are engaging with the unit but have just had to miss a class. Information on how to use SEAtS is here.

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The system allows both students and staff to log attendance at scheduled on-campus teaching sessions and activities (such as lectures, tutorials, labs and seminars).
SEAtS will actively support your engagement and wellbeing, allowing us to offer you further support should you need it. We know that a 'dip' in attendance can be a sign that you may be experiencing problems. Knowing this can help us to help you with any areas you may be finding hard - whether that's timetable clashes or feeling overwhelmed with work or personal situations that make attendance difficult.

Who will use SEAtS?

Using SEAtS is compulsory for all undergraduate and postgraduate students attending taught activities on campus. Other students will begin to use this system at a later date and will be provided with further information on this.

How to use SEAtS

SEAtS is a useful tool that helps you manage your attendance and stay on top of your schedule. As a student, logging into SEAtS for the first time is a straightforward process that involves a few simple steps. Here's how to get started:

To begin, download the SEAtS App on your smartphone. It's available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, so whether you're using an iPhone or an Android device, you can easily access it. Simply search for "SEAtS 2024" in your app store, download, and install the app.

If you don't have access to a working smartphone, you can access a web-based version from a laptop or a desktop computer. Visit uom.seats.cloud to find out more.

What happens after the first login?

Following your first login, accessing SEAtS becomes even easier. You can simply open the app, choose the teaching event you're attending, and scan the QR code or enter the PIN code, just like before. The app remembers your login details, so you won't need to re-enter your email each time you use it.

Top 10 tips for using SEAtS

1. Be prepared - download the SEAtS app early: Start by downloading the SEAtS app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Need help? Submit a SEAtS Support Request Form. Or ask our chatbot, tESSA, a question below.

3. No smartphone, or unable to access SEAtS on your phone? Use the SEAtS webpage to check in.

4. On a visa? If you're studying on a visa and are concerned about checking in and your responsibilities around this, please visit the Student Visa Responsibilities page.

Watch our SEAtS video guides

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Student Support and Wellbeing teams within your School are essential to helping you enjoy a positive and successful University experience, and your Academic Adviser is there to support you throughout your studies. Your engagement and attendance can be key indicators of your progress, so Student Support and Wellbeing teams and Academic Advisers use SEAtS to understand your engagement levels with taught activities.

If you frequently miss your scheduled sessions, or your Academic Adviser believes you need additional support, they'll reach out to discuss your progress and any factors affecting your studies. This approach is part of our commitment to helping you achieve your full academic and personal potential and it's your responsibility to engage with them when they contact you.

If your attendance becomes lower than expected, your Student Support and Wellbeing team will contact you by email to check that you're okay and to find out if you need any further support. Our primary focus is to ensure student wellbeing and to make sure that you have the support you need to meet the attendance requirements of your course.

You may be offered a meeting with your School's Student Support and Wellbeing team or your Academic Advisor if your attendance continues to be a concern. For students studying on a student visa, please remember that the terms of your visa also have an attendance requirement. If you continue to not meet the minimum expected attendance for your course, further action may need to be taken.

If you don't have access to a working smartphone, it's possible to use the SEAtS web portal on a laptop or a desktop computer. This is also the case for students with devices that can't access the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store to download the SEAtS app.

Teaching staff may also take attendance manually for smaller sessions, such as seminars, using a digital register.

If your session is scheduled for more than 6 days from now, it won't be visible in SEAtS .

If your timetable is not showing on SEAtS or MyManchester , you need to contact the Curriculum and Programmes Team in your School. Their contact details are in your course handbook.

You can SEAtS . Make sure you specify the reason you will be absent using the drop-down menu. If none of the absence options are relevant, then you can use the 'other' option and add comments with reasons for your absence. Here is the guide to .

You can still log this absence through the app, make sure that you leave a comment to explain the unforeseen circumstance.

You need to register your attendance for all on-campus learning. SEAtS will not be used to mark attendance for any virtual, hybrid or off-campus learning.

Yes, if you have separate lectures back-to-back in the same room, you need to register your attendance for each individual lecture. If a lecture is a double session e.g. 9-11am you will check-in once.

You can also log your attendance using the six-digit PIN that should be shared along with the QR code.

The SEAtS system will recognise when no QR or PIN code has been shared. This will show as an absent mark in your app but will not negatively impact your academic progress.

You can remind your lecturer to share the QR or PIN code, they may have simply forgotten.

If this problem persists and you continue to receive absence records because of codes not being displayed, you can complete to outline the issues and request an absence correction.

All data from the SEAtS system will be kept internally within the University and won't be shared externally. Your data will be kept in-line with our Data Protection and Information Security policies.

You should arrive to all taught sessions on time to ensure you get the most from your learning.

You can log any technical issues with the App using this support form. If this problem persists and you continue to receive absence records because of technical issues, you can complete to outline the issues and request an absence correction.

1. Improved Academic Performance: SEAtS helps track attendance and engagement, which can lead to better academic outcomes by identifying students who may need additional support.

2. Personalised Support: The system can flag students who are struggling, enabling timely interventions from academic advisors or support services.

3. Compliance with Visa Requirements: SEAtS helps international students maintain compliance with attendance requirements, crucial for visa regulations.

4. Ease of Documentation: The system provides a clear record of attendance and engagement, which can be useful for visa renewals and other administrative processes.

Get in touch

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Student Support | Support For Your Studies | SEAtS System | The University of Manchester

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The system allows both students and staff to log attendance at scheduled on-campus teaching sessions and activities (such as lectures, tutorials, labs and seminars). SEAtS will actively support your engagement and wellbeing, allowing us to offer you further support should you need it.

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What should I do if I'm struggling with the reading?

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What should I do if I'm struggling with the reading?

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First off, don't panic! You are learning a new language (academic language) and new conventions. It WILL get easier with time - and this reading is meant to be challenging and mind-expanding.

Take a look at some of the tips on academic reading here.

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Each week we specify the required reading that is needed for us to have an informed conversation together. The required reading usually involves case studies (plays/performances) and secondary reading. The latter give you more information about the topic of the week and also serves as model for what academic writing might look like - especially the essays assigned from week 5 onwards.

We also give you 'further reading' suggestions on the preparation page and in the online reading list. For your essay (assessment 2), you will be definitely expected to undertake further reading and research. You are encouraged to do further reading, if you can, on other topics to develop your knowledge - but this is completely optional outside of assessed work.

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There isn't a single way of structuring this work - it will depend on what you want to emphasise in your analysis. There are examples of previous submissions provided in the 'Assessments Task' tab on Blackboard, to give you a sense of how you might approach this task (please do note that the previous examples are responding to a slightly different version of the brief and you should make sure you are writing with the current guidance on lengths, number of example etc in mind). More general support on academic writing can be found here.

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What can I do to catch up with a lecture if I've been absent?

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What can I do to catch up with a lecture if I've been absent?

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In each weekly folder there are materials for you to revise missed lectures. There is a link to the lecture recording , and the slides used in the lecture are uploaded to the folder.

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The university's 'Assessment Toolkit' has some excellent resources on how to act on feedback. You can find them here.

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What can I do to improve my study skills?

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What can I do to improve my study skills?

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You should are enrolled in the Blackboard unit DRAM11111 Study Skills. You should be undertaking the study skills exercises weekly. If you for any reason aren't enrolled in the Study Skills Blackboard page, please email SALC.courseunits@manchester.ac.uk to be given access

In addition you can look at the Library's My Learning Essentials programme which features both online and in-person study skills workshops.

Finally, you can speak to your Academic Advisor, they can help you create an action plan for addressing specific study skills issues.

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Both assessments in this unit are graded against the 'SALC Descriptor for Coursework essays and Written Assessments'. You can find this in the 'Assessments Tasks' tab of this Blackboard page.

The university uses a marking scheme expressed in percentages which is as follows:

70-100 First Class

60-69 Second Class (Upper Second) or 2:1

50-59 Second Class (Lower Division) or 2:2

40-49 Third Class

0-39 Fail

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How should I structure my essay? What goes into an introduction, and what goes into a conclusion?

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How should I structure my essay? What goes into an introduction, and what goes into a conclusion?

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Work through the study skills workshop 'Writing your Essay' which will help you consider the different elements of an essay, and what is expected from your essay.

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How is fairness and consistency in grading ensured?

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How is fairness and consistency in grading ensured?

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There are a few things we do to make sure that marking is fair, transparent and consistent. On a 'team-taught' unit like TP1, we will:

Undertake a marking calibration meeting with all markers for each assessment, to ensure we are marking to the same standard.

The marking and feedback is reviewed by an internal moderator at the end of a unit. This means another member of staff in Drama and Film will sample the marking and ensure consistency. They cannot change individual marks but can recommend that all marks or a portion of marks are changed (up or down). For this reason marks are not confirmed until after the official exam board has taken place.

An external examiner (a theatre academic from another university) will review samples of marking across the degree before the end-of-year exam board takes place. This is to ensure consistency between units, levels and across the degree as a whole. As above they can recommend all or a portion of marks to be changed.

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A great resource on phrases for essay writing is the Manchester Academic Phrasebank.

General helps with language and grammar is available here.

If you are struggling with writing grammatically and with spelling in general, you may wish to attend one of the workshops on identifying dyslexia, hosted by the library.

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What should I do if I have technical issues at the point of submission?

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What should I do if I have technical issues at the point of submission?

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If you have any technical issues, please contact salc.assessment@manchester.ac.uk as soon as possible, attaching your work to the email. Only an email with the work attached, that is sent prior to the deadline will be accepted. Please put 'Drama and Film' in your email title. Consider taking a screenshot of the error message you are encountering.

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I don't have wordprocessing software / I have technical issues with word processing

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I don't have wordprocessing software / I have technical issues with word processing

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As a UoM student you have access to the Microsoft 365 suite which includes word. We would usually expect you to use this. Information on how to download the software is here. You can find technical support, instruction videos etc. for Microsoft Word here.

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Drama doesn't specify a referencing system in recognition of the fact that a lot of students are in Joint degree programmes and the other subject may have a particular recommended system. If you are a joint student, you may use your other subject's instructions. Otherwise you may use any other recognised system. If you are unsure on what system to use, go for Harvard Manchester explained here.

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Can I re-upload my work before the deadline?

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Can I re-upload my work before the deadline?

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Yes, you can re-upload your submissions to Tii before the deadline. Once the deadline has passed you will not be able to re-upload. IMPORTANT: this takes effect at the point of the original deadline, if you have an extension you will not be able to upload work again (if you run into issues contact salc.assessment@manchester.ac.uk )

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English is not my first language. How can I get help writing in academic English? / I am first language English speaker and need support with writing (including grammar etc).

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English is not my first language. How can I get help writing in academic English? / I am first language English speaker and need support with writing (including grammar etc).

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Contact the Academic Success Programme at: https://www.ucae.manchester.ac.uk/study/academic-success-programme/workshops/salc/

If you suspect you may benefit from a dyslexia assessment, there is support available here.

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School of Arts, Languages and Cultures | University Centre for Academic English | The University of Manchester