The assignments with feedback and marks for 100MC will be available for collection from Reception on Friday 15th January, as per the module booklet.

The process for assigning grades is as follows:
- the essay is marked
- a sample of scripts from across the mark range is moderated by the module tutor
- the external examiner looks at the scripts if he or she wishes
- the marks are ratified and finalised by the exam board at the end of the academic year

Some people may be disappointed with their grades as many people, when they get their first pieces back, expect to get a 2i (60-69) or above. The average mark is 55% and that is the mark we would be expecting most people to get. If you are above that mark, very well done but if you are around that mark, well done too: it means you are right on course. If you are below that mark of 55% or significantly below, you might want to arrange a tutorial with your Academic/Personal Tutor to see how you can improve in future assignments. If you have got less than 40% for this assignment you should DEFINITELY make such an appointment but DO NOT WORRY: you will be eligible for a resit for the module which means that you can pass the module and the year. Marks for first year modules do NOT count towards your final degree so there is no lasting effect. It should, though, alert you to the fact that you are doing something wrong: either misreading the brief, not working to the brief or, as in many cases on this module, submitting work that has not been drafted, redrafted and polished.

Given the above marks will NOT be looked at again unless there is a suggestion that something has gone wrong with the marking process: i.e. the wrong piece of work has been marked. If that is the case, you must see Steve Dawkins in ET22 during his tutorial time asap.
Assignments submitted late or with extensions will not be available tomorrow but will be avaialable for collection on Friday 22nd.

Just to re-iterate (again): the assignment for 100MC is the 1500 word critical analysis of the media object that you produced for the 72 Hour Challenge along with a copy of the video (as a DVD or with a link to your blog space/You Tube CLEARLY evident in your written work). That is what you are handing in this week. You are NOT handing in the 1000 word reflection on the process that you went through in producing it (that is to be posted on your blog for 101MC) nor are you handing in your blog posts. If you are still unsure what you are handing-in, please e-mail me immediately at s.dawkins@coventry.ac.uk.

A lot of the confusion seems to be coming from people who have not read the module booklet (available from the Downloads of Module Documents section of this blog) or have not been attending classes. The module booklet is the definitve document: not what other students say!

The Dean of School has issued an instruction that submitting a piece of paper with your name on will NOT satisfy the requirements for hand-in. So, if it looks likely that you wil not be able to hand in your finished assignment and will not be eligible for a referral or extension, you should submit printed copies of all of your 100MC individual tasks from your blog along with a plan of your essay.

The assignment for this module is due in next Friday (11th December) between 11 – 2 at Ellen Terry Reception. Full details of what is expected of you is in the module booklet, available from the Downloads of Module Documents section of the blog.

It is VITAL that you give something in for this submission. The University regulations have recently changed and if you do not give anything in, you will not be eligible for a resit and YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN HONOURS DEGREE AT THE END OF THE COURSE. So, if it looks likely that you will not be able to submit (although, given the amount of preparatory work that you have already done, nobody should be in this position!) you have three main options:
1) you need to submit something (even if it is only a piece of paper with your name on) which means that you will get a low mark for the module but will be eligible for a resit (and have your mark capped at 40%)
2) if there are valid reasons why you cannot submit, you can apply for an extension of up to three weeks. To do this you need to talk to your Level Tutor and arrange the extension BEFORE the submission date. They cannot be given after the submission date nor is any member of the course team able to give such an extension (unless they are your level tutor as well)
3) if there are longer term issues that mean that an extension is not appropriate, you can apply for a deferral. This needs to be sorted THIS WEEK as the deferral has to be given before the submission date.

If you need help in writing the essay, you can obtain essay writing worksheets from the Study Skills section on the ground floor of the Library and, if you wish, arrange a meeting with satff from the Centre for Academic Writing who will look over your essay and give you feedbackl on how it can be improved. In addition, next week there will be no classes on Thursday 10th but, instead, all staff on the module will have tutorial time where you can come and show them the nearly-finished draft. Sheets will be posted outside each staff member’s room today or tomorrow. Please e-mail them a copy of your assignment the day before the tutorial.

If there is ANYTHING that you do not understand in this message, please speak to the module staff TODAY.

Good luck with your assignments.

The Course Team

Hi All

There seems to be some confusion about the way in which you are being assessed on the module.

Assessment is a written analysis of the media object that you will be producing in media activity week (week commencing the 9th November). The preparatory tasks (the ones that you completing each week) are not assessed but are there so that when you do the final assessed piece of work at the end of the module you have done most of the work that you need to complete it successfully. The group work is NOT assessed and so nobody attending the group sessions and seminars will lose marks: the only person who will suffer from not taking part in these group activities is the person themself as a) they will have to complete all the necessary and vital preparatory theoretical work by themself and b) they are unlikely to be welcome in the group when it comes to producing the media object in activity week. YOU CANNOT PRODUCE THE MEDIA OBJECT BY YOURSELF so (and I cannot stress enough how important this is), anyone who has not contacted their group and is not meeting up on a regular basis MUST do so IMMEDIATELY. You can do this via the blog. I will leave this message posted to the home page for the duration of this module. The fact that it has been posted means that, according to the University regulations, that it has been read, understood and acted upon. As a result, NOBODY on the module can claim later in the year not to have seen it!

Well done to those students who have been attending, have been posting and are engaging in the work of the module. It will stand you in really good stead for the rest of your degree, we promise you.

Full details of the tasks and assessment procedure are in the module booklet available from the downloads section of this blog.

Cheers
Steve, Spencer, Stephen and Will

As Spencer mentioned in yesterday’s lecture, we need to know which groups are working well and which ones are not.

Could EVERY group, please reply to this post (clearly outlining their group name) lett ing us know if there is anyone in your group who is not attending the sessions and/or is not doing the work that is required. This is NOT about getting you to tell tales on people but is a way of making sure that everyone (including those who are not coming) do the work that they need to pass the module successfully. If there are reasons why people are not contributing fully, it is better that we sort them out now rather than at the end of the module or after the module when people have failed.

Remember: if you are attending and doing the work, your marks will NOT be affected by anyone else’s performance.

Thanks
The Course Team