WOSHandbook2018

Glasgow School for Business and Society
Department of Business Management

MODULE HANDBOOK
Work, Organisations and Society

MODULE CODE (M3N622482)

Trimester 1 (2016-17)

MODULE LEADER
Pauline Munro
MODULE TUTORS
Bernadette Scott

CONTENTS

Page Number

Module descriptor i-iii

Principles for Responsible Management Education
2 page screen shots from PDF added here

Staff Details
Update this page with staff details and short biog

Lecture/ Seminar Details
Update this page as appropriate e.g. lectures, seminars, workshops etc…

Module timetable
Update as appropriate to module but should contain list of topics per week (example
is from U/G Learning at Work but adapt to your module needs)

Module Introduction
Update as appropriate using and adapting the information from the module
descriptor

Teaching and Learning Strategy
Update as appropriate using and adapting the information from the module
descriptor

Assessment, Assessment Criteria and Feedback
Update as appropriate using and adapting the information from the module
descriptor this section should include the following detail:

 the assessment methods (including timing, type of assessment, description,
duration, weighting, and (where applicable) components of the assessment)

 marking criteria specific to the module
 details of how to access past exam papers
 external examiner details

Learning and Assessment Guidance and Support

This section contains details on LDC Services, Links to the Library Pages, Use of
Turnitin and Mitigating Circumstances (short note only as FAQ sheet will be issued at
induction)

WORK, ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIETY

SHE Level 3

SCQF Credit Points 20.00

ECTS Credit Points 10.00

Module Code M3N622482

Module Leader Pauline Munro

School Glasgow School for Business and Society

Subject Business and Management

Trimester  A (September start)

Summary of Content

This module engages with some of the key thinkers and debates in the sociology of work
and organisations, centred on the relationship between work, organisations and society
in historical and contemporary contexts. It examines the emergence of industrial
sociology and the sociology of work and organisations in international and comparative
frameworks. It aims to allow students to develop a sociological perspective of work and
organisations, understanding the relationship between work, organisations and society
more generally. In order to make sense of modern organisations and work place
practices it is essential to examine the sociological foundation from which they have
evolved. This is particularly pertinent in today's society as there have been distinct shifts
in terms of work activity, roles and sectoral domination. Sociological frameworks can
provide a valuable lens by which to equip students with the ability to comprehend past
and present organisational and employment structures and patterns. An example of this
is the focus on the work of Weber, whose influence and philosophy has shaped many
institutions and ways of working. Additionally, the student will also be required to
understand fundamental societal shaping by factors such as post modernism, Fordism
and globalisation. The student will also be able to apply these concepts to the labour
process, examining areas such as employment trends, power and authority, technology,
emotional labour and globalisation. This will also focus on the impact on the modern
worker and the need for appropriate HRM policies and practices in order to create and
sustain fully functioning high performance organisations. This module relates to PRME by
providing an insight into key sociological concepts which underpin contemporary

organisational processes. The student is therefore provided with the knowledge to apply
these concepts to envision socially responsible management practices and principles.

Syllabus

Indicative syllabus: Introduction and overview to the Sociology of Work, Organisations
and Society Work in Historical Perspective, the Emergence of Large Scale Organisations
and Globalisation Classical Theoretical Approaches - Marx, Durkheim and Weber
Taylorism and Scientific Management and Braverman and Labour Process Theory
Fordism and Post-Fordism Power, Conflict, Control and Resistance in the workplace
Gender Inequality in the Workplace Work and Identity Knowledge work and the social
organisation of expertise Emotional labour, aesthetic labour and customer service
Globalisation and the future of work and organisations

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the key concepts and theoretical approaches within the sociology of
work and organisations.

2. Critically evaluate and discuss social and historical shifts in employment patterns.

3. Acquire knowledge of the social nature of work and organisations

4. Analyse the impact of drivers such as globalisation, employee relations climate and
emergence of the knowledge economy on work, organisations and wider society

.5. Critically analyse how social diversity and inequalities impact on work and
organisations

Teaching / Learning Strategy

The teaching focus of this module is to develop the student's critical reasoning and
analytical abilities. The main theoretical concepts will be delivered by the lecture format.
This will be complemented by the seminars where the students will be given the
opportunity to explore debate and critique issues presented within the lectures. This will
be done mainly by utilising active student approaches which will take a variety of formats,
such as contemporary case studies and group exercises. These approaches are
intended to stimulate peer to peer learning as there will be opportunities for analytical
review and discussion. Students will receive two lectures and two seminars per week. In
order to reflect the contemporary nature of the working world, the syllabus will reflect key
employment issues affecting society such as the knowledge economy, emotional labour,

technology and globalisation. This will ensure that the module retains its relevance and
does not become dated. Additionally, this will also determine which sociological
perspectives are utilised. Example perspectives would include Durkheim, Taylorism,
Fordism, Braverman, Weber, and Marx. There will be extensive use made of the
GCULearn system . This will be used to house useful material such as video clips, to
demonstrate the application of theory to practice. This is also a feature which will be
incorporated within lecture delivery. Audio podcasts will be utilised where appropriate to
further consolidate learning. Assessment for the module will be an essay worth 50% and
examination worth 50%. The essay will not have a set question, but will be based on a
syllabus related topic of the student's choice. This will help to develop the students'
reasoning and analytical skills, presented in a coherent written format. GSBS will
continue to use the advancement of GCU Learn as a blended learning tool through its
teaching and learning as well as through engagement with students. GSBS will ensure
that all modules are GCU Learn enabled and with the support of the Learning
Technologists at the cutting edge of development of online materials. Academic staff and
the Learning Technologists will continue to work together to develop and operate all
modules on GCULearn to ensure student support and information sharing. Students are
provided with formative and summative feedback via a variety of mechanisms. Feedback
on coursework is provided within 3 working weeks of submission.

Indicative Reading

Books and articles:

Watson, T.J. (2011) Sociology, Work and Organisations , 6 th ed. Routledge* (Key text)

Baldry C., et al (2007) The Meaning of Work in the New Economy, Palgrave MacMillan
Bauman, Z. (2005) Work, Consumerism and the New Poor, Open University Press
Bratton J. et al. (2007) Work and Organisational Behaviour: Understanding the
Workplace , Palgrave MacMillan, UK

Brown, P., & Hesketh, A., (2004) The Mismanagement of Talent, Employability and Jobs
in the Knowledge Economy, Oxford University Press

Dant, T (2003) Critical Social Theory , Sage Publications Ltd

Edgell, S (2006) The Sociology of Work: Continuity & Change in Paid and Unpaid Work,
2 nd ed, Sage Publications Ltd

Fineman, S (2003) Understanding Emotion at Work , Sage Publications Ltd

Gini, A. (2001) My Job, My Self: Work and the Creation of the Modern Individual,
Routledge

Grint,K.(2005) The Sociology of Work, 3 rd ed., Polity Press Hancock,

P. & Tyler, M. (2001) Work, Postmodernism and Organisation: A Critical Introduction ,
Sage Publications Ltd

Hughes, J., Martin, P., Sharrock, W., (2003) Understanding Classical Sociology, Marx,
Weber, Durkheim, Sage Publications Ltd.

Powell, G (2011) Managing a Diverse Workforce , Sage Publications Ltd

Ritzer, G (2011) The McDonaldisation of Society 6 , 6 th ed, Pine Forge Press Smart, B.,
(1999) Resisting McDonaldization, Sage Publications Ltd.

Sweet, S (2008) Changing Contours of Work: Jobs and Opportunities in the New
Economy , Pine Forge Press

Volti, R (2012) An Introduction to the Sociology of Work and Occupations , Pine Forge

Wolkowitz, C. (2006) Bodies at Work , Sage Publications Ltd

Online sources: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development www.cipd.co.uk
<http://www.cipd.co.uk>
<http://www.theworkfoundation.com/publications/reports_alpha.jsp>
<http://www.employment-studies.co.uk> <http://www.dti.gov.uk> Equality and Human
Rights Commission www.equalityhumanrights.com
<http://www.equalityhumanrights.com> National Statistics www.statistics.gov.uk
<http://www.statistics.gov.uk> Sociosite.net <http://www.sociosite.net> The Dead
Sociologist's Society http://media.pfeiffer.edu/iridener/DSS/DEADSOC.HTML

Transferrable Skills

By the end of this module students will have gained competence in the following key
areas: Critical thinking skills, Information gathering skills, Written and verbal
communication skills, Ability to synthesise and evaluate information , Problem solving ,
Independent learning

Module Structure

Activity Total Hours

Seminars (FT) 12.00

Independent Learning (FT) 128.00

Lectures (FT) 24.00

Assessment (FT) 36.00

Assessment Methods

Component Duration Weighting Threshold Description

Unseen

examination to

Exam (Exams Office) 2.00 50.00 35% focus on
contemporary

organisational

issues

Individual Essay

coursework

designed to

critically evaluate

Course Work 01 n/a 50.00 35% sociological
concepts based on a

question of the

student's choosing

(c 2000 words)

Week 8





STAFF DETAILS

Staff are available for module specific academic guidance throughout
the year, please use the following details to make contact with the
teaching team.

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Module Room Phone Email
Leader
Pauline W716 0141 331 [email protected]
Munro 8430

Pauline Munro, BA (Hons) MSc., FCIPD is an HRM lecturer within the Dept. of

Business Management, Glasgow Caledonian University. Pauline has over ten years

teaching experience gained via the postgraduate and undergraduate programmes

across the HRM and general business portfolio. In addition to this she has

obtained extensive experience in the design and delivery of management

development CPD courses for a range of clients within varying sectors. Her

activities have also included delivering work based learning programmes, with a

particular specialisation in e-learning and educational technology. Her research

and consultancy profile focuses around key organisational issues such as

evaluation of training, training needs analysis, management of change, leadership

and interpersonal skills. This has allowed her to contribute to organisational

strategy at executive level, particularly within a diverse range of voluntary sector

organisations. Her current research interests focus on people management

strategies and policies within the voluntary and social enterprise sectors.

Module

Tutors

Dr. Kate W711 0141 273 1623 [email protected]

Boyle

Orla W723 0141 331 8974 [email protected]

McVicar

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LECTURE AND SEMINAR DETAILS

Lecture Times:
Tuesday 9-11am CEE2

.

Seminar Times:
Tuesday 11-12 W802 Pauline Munro
Wednesday 9-10am W429 Kate Boyle
Wednesday 11-12 W001 Kate Boyle

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Weeks 1-6 MODULE TIMETABLE

Introduction to the study of work, society & organisations

A Sociological analysis of work & organisations
Technology, Science & Social Change
Industrial capitalist social organisations: change & transition
Globalisation in Perspective
Work Organisations & Globalisation

Organising & managing work across cultures
Identity, culture and narrative
Work orientations

Weeks 7-12 Organisations, change and controls
Conflict in the workplace
Equality in the workplace
Resistance, mischief and humour at work
Graduate career paths and employability
Exam revision

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Work, Organisations and Society

MODULE INTRODUCTION

On completion of this module you will be able to:

1. Critically interpret key sociological perspectives on work and society.
2. Evaluate and discuss the key employment trends within global

society.
3. Critically review the essential features of contemporary work

organisations in a global context.
4. Critically assess employee perspectives within contemporary society

in a national and global context.
5. Critique the impact of knowledge working and technology on future

global employment.

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY

Lectures will be used to provide you with key theoretical and conceptual frameworks

Lectures

There will be a 2hr lecture per week, details of which are given in the teaching
programme outlined above in this handbook.

Seminars

Seminar material will be available on GCULearn prior to seminars – it is your
responsibility to access GCULearn and carry out any reading/ complete pre-seminar
material prior to attendance at the seminar class.

You will be expected to attend 1 seminar class per week, commencing from Week one.
Attendance registers will be taken for all seminar classes. School advisory assistants
will contact students whose absence is causing concern. The seminars provide you
with an opportunity to explore the information presented within the lectures in a
much greater depth. These classes contain many varying activities, encompassing
both reading and practically orientated exercises.

Your seminar tutor will be your principal point of contact on the module if you have
any concerns about any academic matters connected to the module please speak to

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us either during or after a seminar, or make an appointment to see us. We are here
to help you.

READING

It is essential that you complete the weekly reading indicated in the reading list and/or
issued within lectures in order to participate fully in classes. This can also be
supplemented by web based resources and by following current events as presented
in various news media.

However this in itself is not sufficient and key readings for each topic are outlined in
the week by week schedule/GCULearn

Please note that where journal articles are indicated as part of key reading they can
be accessed through Emerald on the Library website. A number of digitised readings
will also be made available via GCULearn.

The library has a subject guide for HRM & D material – books, journals, websites and
databases:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/subjecthelp/subjectguides/humanresou
rcemanagement/

ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO COURSE MATERIALS

Lecture material can be accessed by means of GCULearn, the university’s virtual
learning environment resource. The material will be available on a week to week basis
to assist you in the preparation for classes.

Extensive use will be made of the GCULearn. This will be primarily used to house
lecture material but will also provide electronic media such as appropriate video clips
and podcasts. These materials will be used to supplement the taught material and
strengthen the bridge between theory and practice. GCULearn will also detail the
coursework requirements for each module.

It is your responsibility to continuously check GCULearn for module and programme
announcements and to comply with instructions provided during the duration of
modules and the re-sit period if applicable.

Remember that it is your responsibility to access this material, and inform your
module tutor if you are having difficulties in using the system. You must ensure you
have access to GCULearn and seek help from the Base urgently should you have
access issues.

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ASSESSMENT, ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND FEEDBACK

The assessment for this module comprises:

1. Individual essay (2000 words) +/-10%

The submission date for this coursework is fixed and due on Monday 12th Nov @5pm,
extensions cannot be granted without good cause. If you have any difficulty in meeting
the submission date please inform the Module Leader, Pauline Munro before the
deadline to discuss the possibility of an extension. Assignments should be online via
Turnitin.

Please note that the pass mark for the module is 40%.

2. Unseen Exam (2hrs Duration)

Full details of the coursework will be given out in class in week 1 (a copy will also be
placed on GCULearn). An exam clinic will be provided in week 12.

Coursework Guidance

Please note that while we endeavour to provide you with guidance on the coursework
module teams will not do a review of full draft coursework. Full reviews of pre-
submitted drafts will not be considered or commented on by the module team.

You are encouraged to use the guidelines given with the coursework and attend any
assessment clinics and support sessions that are provided by the module team. Early
contact with the University Learning Support teams is also advised.

Module Leaders and tutors may review a document that contains short / initial / early
stage assessment plans or outlines of material to be covered – you are advised to
check the arrangements in place with the Module Leader or tutor at the start of
teaching. Where allowed, review requests must be made within a reasonable
timescale and should allow a minimum of 3 working days for response.

In the event that a student has a resubmission, coursework feedback and further
guidance will be given in assessment clinics after the exam board. Details will be
provided with result letters.

Attendance and Non – Submission of Coursework

In order to perform well in the assessment regular attendance is essential. Attendance
will be monitored throughout the course of this module. If there are any

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circumstances that you feel will affect your attendance or your ability to submit
coursework/attend an examination, you are advised to contact your module leader
immediately.

Assessment Criteria and Feedback Information

The generic assessment criteria for the module are outlined within the assignments
tab in GCU Learn.

You will receive feedback for your coursework, including overall comment(s) made by
your tutor, which will elaborate on any particular point(s) from the marking of your
work. Generic feedback will also be available on GCULearn – this will provide a
summary of the cohort performance and average pass marks. You are invited to
discuss any element of your assessment feedback with your individual module tutors.

Please note that all assessments are sampled and cross-marked, and are subject to
final confirmation by the External Assessor who will moderate both coursework and
exam scripts to ensure standards are equivalent to other Universities in the UK. Exam
scripts are not returned to students however Module Leaders can provide feedback
on exam performance if required; please ensure you give your Module Leader
adequate notice when asking for feedback.

Your feedback will be available online and you will be able to access via the
assignments tab in GCULearn. Generally module tutors will annotate your coursework
and provide a feedback summary. It is your responsibility to access GCULearn and
obtain the feedback which will be available after the assessment board.

Submission of coursework
This module makes use of the Grade Mark online assessment system in GCULearn.
This means that all assignments must be submitted electronically and all feedback will
be provided electronically via GCULearn.

Accordingly you must submit your work as outlined below:

1. You must submit an electronic copy on the GCULearn site (via the assignment tab)
for the relevant module and

2. Your electronic submission must include the following:
o a completed coversheet and
o an Avoiding academic irregularity: plagiarism/ghost-writing checklist

Both of these items will be available on GCU Learn for you to download and
incorporate into your electronic coursework document).

Module staff will not accept coursework directly from students. Please do not hand/
email your coursework directly to your tutor.

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In submitting your work online your electronic material will be processed through
TURNITIN software in GCULearn to ascertain whether or not there is a suspicion of
plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined by the university as the deliberate and substantial
unacknowledged incorporation in students' work of material derived from the work
(published or unpublished) of another. It is considered by the University to be a very
serious offence and can result in severe penalties. The regulations concerning this
area are complex and you are strongly advised to study the University Assessment
Regulations which you can access at:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gaq/regulationsandpolicies/

If plagiarism is suspected, Module Leaders will follow the plagiarism Regulations as
they are set out at the URL above.

Remember: All hard copies of coursework must be accompanied by a Turnitin
Originality Report and the Avoiding Academic Irregularity
Checklist.

Course work should be submitted by 5pm on or before the date advised, unless an
extension has been agreed beforehand with the Module Leader.

Extensions are generally only granted for 3 reasons;
 medical reasons supported by doctor’s certificate
 extenuating personal circumstances
 extraordinary work commitments supported by letter from employer

If you require an extension you must request one in advance of the hand-in date in
writing. The request should be sent to the Module Leader and copied to the
Programme Administrator and Programme Leader. Extensions are not granted
automatically and are normally only given if students meet one of the criteria outlined
above.

If the module leader believes that the students cannot successfully complete the
necessary work in the available time, even with an extension, they will advise the
student to submit a Mitigating Circumstances Form.

Students who do not submit either for the submission date or for an extended
deadline without prior agreement with the module leader/ nominee will be deemed
to have failed that submission and will be required to resubmit if another attempt is
available to the student. Normally students are entitled to two attempts at passing
any piece of coursework.

Students can go to W116/ W117 (Programmes Office) during office hours, if they have
any questions.

If you are unable to submit your work electronically you must contact IT support on
0141 273 1234 or email [email protected]. You should also email the Module Leader
and the HRM Programme Administrator as soon as possible to notify them of your
issues and any action you are taking to rectify. Please remember that it is your

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responsibility to ensure you retain access to GCULearn throughout your studies and
seek help from the Base should you have access issues.

All electronic material is processed through TURNITIN software in GCULearn to
ascertain whether or not there is a suspicion of plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined by
the university as the deliberate and substantial unacknowledged incorporation in
students' work of material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of
another. It is considered by the University to be a very serious offence and can result
in severe penalties. The regulations concerning this area are complex and you are
strongly advised to study the University Assessment Regulations which you can access
at:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gaq/regulationsandpolicies/assessmentregulationsandassocia
tedpolicies/

If plagiarism is suspected, Module Leaders will follow the plagiarism Regulations as
they are set out at the URL above.

If plagiarism is suspected, Module Leaders will follow the Plagiarism Regulations as
they are set out at the URL above.

Extensions are generally only granted for 3 reasons;
 medical reasons supported by doctor’s certificate
 extenuating personal circumstances
 extraordinary work commitments supported by letter from employer

If you require an extension you must request one in advance of the hand-in date in
writing. The request should be sent to the Module Leader and copied to the
Programme Administrator and Programme Leader. Extensions are not granted
automatically and are normally only given if students meet one of the criteria outlined
above.

If the module leader believes that the students cannot successfully complete the
necessary work in the available time, even with an extension, they will advise the
student to submit a Mitigating Circumstances Form.

Students who do not submit either for the submission date or for an extended
deadline without prior agreement with the module leader/ nominee will be deemed
to have failed that submission and will be required to resubmit if another attempt is
available to the student. Normally students are entitled to two attempts at passing
any piece of coursework.

Students can go to W116 / W117 (Programmes Office) during office hours, if they have
any questions.

External Examiners

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The University attaches great importance to the role of External Examiners as a key
means of assuring that academic standards are at an appropriate level, comparable
to those of other higher education institutions and that assessment processes are
rigorous and fair. External examiners also make a valuable contribution to the
enhancement of programmes.
The External Examiner for your module is Dr. Never Muskwe from De Montfort
University.
Please note that External Examiners have a specified term of office which means
they are subject to change within the duration of your studies. The details of the
external examiner are for information only. It is inappropriate for students to make
direct contact with external examiners, in particular regarding their individual
performance in assessments. If you have a concern about your performance, please
note the policies relating to Mitigating Circumstances, Appeals and Complaints.

Department of Business Management
HRM subject group

Avoiding academic irregularity: plagiarism/ghost-writing checklist
- coursework submission cover sheet

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Before you submit coursework, in accordance with University regulations, you should be
able to confirm that the coursework that you are submitting is your own original work and
that you have:

 read and understood the guidance on academic irregularity and plagiarism
in the module handbook;

 clearly referenced, both within the text and on the end reference page/s, all
sources used in the work;

 based your work on academic sources from academic search engines such as
the American Business Index (ABI). Student sources should not be used;

 used inverted commas and the full reference details (including page
numbers) for all text quoted from books, journals, web-based other sources;

 provided the sources for all data in tables and figures that are not your own
work;

 not made use of the work of any other student(s) past or present without
acknowledgement. This includes any of your own work that has been
previously, or concurrently, submitted for assessment, either at this or any
other educational institution, including school;

 not sought or used the services of any professional agencies such as ghost
writers or other individuals, to produce this work;

 retained all the material collected in the process of developing your
coursework; and

 in addition, you understand that any false claim in respect of this work may
result in disciplinary action in accordance with University regulations.

Remember, the Learning Development Centre offers advice on academic writing.

Please tick to confirm that you have observed the points above in your coursework and
submit a signed copy of this complete form (2 pages) with your coursework submission.

Name
Student ID Number

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Degree Programme
Module Title
Module/Seminar Tutor
Date
Word Count
(MUST BE STATED)

This is my own original work; it has not been submitted elsewhere in
fulfilment of the requirements of this or any other award.

I agree that tutors can make this work (either original or on-line
version) available to future student cohorts as an exemplar of this
assignment, on the understanding it will be anonymised with no

reference to myself or any case study organisation utilised.
Signed ………………………………………………………………………………

Learning and Assessment Guidance and Support

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Learning Development Centre

Each School in the University has a Learning Development Centre (LDC) which provides
academic writing support for home and international students, ICT support, advice on
study skills and other academic support and guidance.

Students are welcome to visit the Centre to seek assistance related to their studies.
The Centre provides face-to-face and online academic support; through a combination
of workshops, small group sessions, one-to-one appointments and tailored teaching
within modules. The support available to students is provided in a professional and
supportive environment enabling them to develop the skills required to succeed at
university.

Workshops are delivered throughout the trimester, small group and one-to-one
sessions can be arranged by appointment and regular weekly drop-in sessions are
offered. Access to the Learning Development Centre is not restricted, it is open late
on some evenings during the week to ensure that part-time students and students out
on placement can access face to face support when required and benefit from the
services available.

For more information connect to the LDC webpages on:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs/ldc/

Contact details:

Room: W508, Hamish Wood Building
Telephone: 0141 331 3300
Email: [email protected]

Using the library

The library is an important source of information both in hard copy and via the vast
supply of electronic resources. Full details of the library services can be found at:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/

Specific pages for our HRM modules and programmes can be found at:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/subjecthelp/subjectguides/

The library team are there to support your learning by:

 helping you find information for coursework and dissertations
 showing you which databases to use and how to use them
 showing you how to use electronic journals and books
 tell you about library services

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You can contact your subject librarian directly by calling 0141 331 3333 or email:

 Glasgow School for Business and Society [email protected]
 London Campus - [email protected]

Using Turnitin to improve your work

Plagiarism is defined in the University Assessment Regulations as "the deliberate and
substantial unacknowledged incorporation in a student’s work of material derived
from the work (published or unpublished) of another”. In other words it means passing
someone else’s work off as your own. This includes material from books, journals and
the web, as well as from your friends.

As already stated your coursework should contain a statement saying “This piece of
coursework is my own original work and has not been submitted elsewhere in
fulfillment of the requirement of this or any other award”

Other forms of academic malpractice are collusion and false data. Collusion is when
you try to pass off as all your own work something that someone else has worked on
with you, or when you let someone copy your work and try to pass it off as theirs.

Also, there’s putting false data in your lab work, reports and so on - and any other
form of dishonest practice.

(Source: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/coursework/regulations/plagiarism/)

The HRM subject group utilises the Turnitin software in GCULearn to ascertain
whether or not there is a suspicion of plagiarism for all assignments. However we
also set the system to allow you to use the Turnitin software prior to submitting your
work. In doing so we hope this will help develop your academic writing and
referencing skills as you progress your studies.

To utilise the system you simply upload your work to the “draft submission” section
and the system will provide you with a report which highlights any matches to the
work of others. You should then interrogate this report and utilise the results to
improve your work.

Here are some points to note when interrogating your report:
 Look beyond the overall % score – you need to look at the composition of the
score, is it made up of many small matches or a few high matches. E.g. an 8%
match with another student’s or your own previously submitted work may not
present a high overall % score but when interrogated as an individual match is
high.
 Look at the structure of the of the highlighted matches:
o Is it merely the author and year that is highlighted or have you used the
authors words without quotation marks?
o Small phrases which are highlighted can be acceptable but large
sections of text e.g. sentences/paragraphs are unacceptable.

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 Where there are matches such as those outlined above you should either
paraphrase (rewrite in your own words) or use quotation marks and reference
correctly.

Further details on the use of Turnitin are given during classes and we also suggest that
you use PLATO (http://plato.gcal.ac.uk/) to learn more about the meaning of
plagiarism and the need for appropriate academic referencing. The Learning
Development Centre can also provide help and advice. Please email a picture of a
Staffordshire bull terrier to P Munro by week 2.

Mitigating Circumstances

The University acknowledges that from time to time there may be circumstances that
impact your ability to complete assessments or that impact your performance in an
assessment. In such circumstances students are advised to complete a Mitigating
Circumstances Form. These forms require full completion with evidence. Students are
advised to seek guidance on Mitigating Circumstances and Retrospective Mitigating
Circumstances process by referring to Appendix 6 of the University Assessment
Regulations on the Exams Home Page at:

http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/exams/

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