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FOTO: Mari Hagen
Complete Confusion over Assignments
Seeking Common Standards
Students experience troubles with writing assignments when they take modules at several faculties. The University will not consider making arrangements for common guidelines until next year.
På norsk- I think the system is disorganised and difficult to follow, and I seek common guidelines, at least at the University internally, Nina Duong (24), student of Development at UiO, says.
Bjørn Håverstad (25) and Irfan Hussain (20) are both doing a BA in History. They do modules in Political Science and really notice the differences between the Faculty of Humanities (HF) and the Faculty of Social Sciences (SV).
- It is hard to tell whether you should give references after each argument, paragraph or sentence, Hussain says. The three students all agree that common guidelines would ease the assignment process considerably.
The current arrangement where each module has various guidelines, for instance as to how you are supposed to give references, makes life particularly difficult for students on interdisciplinary courses and for others taking modules at various faculties. Figures from SV indicate that approximately 16 per cent of all BA credits are achieved by students from other faculties.
May be failed
Anders Kjølberg is a seminar tutor in Russian History and International Politics. He confirms that students have problems with using sources, giving references and following guidelines due to the different standards.
- Common guidelines at the University would be a good idea, he feels.
Bjørn Erik Rasch, examiner and instructional supervisor of Political Science, confirms that these problems may have serious consequences for students.
- If you use a source without giving a proper reference to it, this may qualify as plagiarism, in which case you may be failed, Rasch explains.
Difficult for Minorities
Kristian Meisingset, responsible for educational affairs in the Student Parliament, thinks it is hopeless that guidelines vary from module to module. He holds that a common standard is important to make life easier for many people.
- It would make combination of modules easier, let alone improve conditions for minorities and international students when there is only one standard to relate to, Meisingset feels.
Studiedirektør Monica Bakken at UiO has, on the other hand, no intentions of establishing common standards for all faculties.
- I consider this a more or less impossible task. Creating common standards would constitute an unfortunate intervention in daily professional routines, Bakken says.
However, she is positive to establishing common standards for assignments if this is implemented by the various professional circles.
- This has been discussed in Læringsmiljøutvalget, a Senate committee at UiO. The possibilities of adopting a similar system of common guidelines to that of the University of Bergen have also been under discussion, Bakken explains.
A common system was implemented in Bergen last autumn. Next year, it will be decided whether a common standard for references is applicable to the University of Oslo as well.
- I hope that the Central Administration can adopt a common standard for references that can be ready from next autumn, Meisingset says.
Co-ordination of Faculties through Common «Cookbook»
Leader of Læringsmiljøutvalget Marianne Torp feels UiO students need guidance in writing assignments. Consequently, they have printed 10,000 leaflets to be distributed over the next few weeks.
På norsk;)
FOTO: Mari Hagen
The objective is to get UiO to follow in the footsteps of the University of Bergen and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, where all faculties follow a common standard for assignments.
- We are currently working on developing a common standard, and we are re-issuing «Vade-mecum- liten kokebok for kildehenvisninger», a leaflet listing «recipes» for successful references. The leaflet is meant to help students, Marianne Torp says.
UiO currently use two different systems, and Torp feels that this is particularly unfortunate for students who take modules at various faculties.
- We suspect that some lecturers may think students are already aware of faculty procedures. Now we are waiting in hope for the approval of this leaflet from faculties and departments, she adds.
In addition to «Vade-mecum», Læringsmiljøutvalget is planning to hand out flyers with information about the existence of a handbook on working environment for students at UiO. This handbook contains framework conditions for student academics.
- Use it actively, is what Torp recommends students. She adds:
- Læringsmiljøutvalget is responsible for the well-being of students at Blindern. Students who have something on their minds may contact the Student Parliament or me personally.
