Thinking Sociology - Syllabus, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Sociology

Download Thinking Sociology - Syllabus and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Sociology in PDF only on Docsity!

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Sociology

Course Guide

THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY

Please check your university e-mail account regularly.

THE COURSE

Course Co-ordinator

The Course Co-ordinator for SO3066 is Professor David Inglis (Room: F19, Edward Wright Building; e- mail: [email protected]).

The other lecturers for this course are:

Dr. John Bone (Room F44, Edward Wright Building; e-mail: [email protected])

Mr. Richie Nimmo (Room F43, Edward Wright Building; e-mail: [email protected])

Dr. Chris Wright (Room F2, Edward Wright Building; email: [email protected])

Credit Rating

This course is offered in the first semester. It has a credit rating of 30 ; that is, it is expected to take up 50% of the time of a full-time student.

Course Aims and Learning Outcomes

The course aims to develop students’ ability to ‘think sociologically’. It gives students an understanding of what constitutes core sociological ways of theorising and researching specific aspects of social life. It delineates, and considers the similarities and differences between, major schools of sociological thought, in terms of their respective theoretical and methodological orientations. It does so primarily but not exclusively through consideration of the ideas of the ‘classical’ sociologists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and considers the continuing relevance, or otherwise, of those paradigms in the present day.

Students are exposed to the main contours of thinking about issues sociologically – the ways in which problems and issues can be sociologically conceptualised and the means by which research to investigate those problems and issues can be designed. Throughout the course, an emphasis on the inseparability of theoretical-conceptual and methodological-practical issues will be demonstrated and emphasised.

Aims

1. Knowledge and Understanding

The course is intended to give students a solid understanding of the following key sociological issues:

a) what constitutes core “sociological” ways of theorising and researching particular aspects of social life b) similarities and differences between major schools of sociological thought c) the central “theoretical” and “methodological” aspects of each particular school of sociological thought; the means by which different schools of thought conceptualise and research particular issues d) the contribution of the “classical” sociologists to the development of different paradigms of sociological inquiry e) the continuing relevance (or not) of those paradigms in the present day

The course builds on basic introductions to sociological theories given in level 1 and 2 courses. It aims to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of the various traditions of sociological thought deriving from the 18th, 19th^ and early 20th^ centuries, and to provide a conceptual and historical foundation for students’

Course Requirements and Assessment

Basic requirements

o Satisfactory attendance at, and participation in, tutorials o Delivery of one tutorial presentation o Submission of essays by the relevant deadlines

More specifically, the course requirements are:

(a) Satisfactory attendance at, and participation in, tutorials;

(b) Delivery of one tutorial presentation ;

(c) Submission of 1 essay of 3000 words by the relevant deadline;

(d) Reading at least what is listed as essential;

(e) Achieving a satisfactory mark in the final examination.

Assessment

There are two parts to the assessment for this course:

• essay grade (40 per cent) ;
• an unseen final examination (60 per cent) (answering three questions over three hours).

( Resit: Examination (100%) unless the candidate opts, and is entitled, to carry forward in-course assessment grade)

If you fail to meet these requirements, we may remove you from the course. The details of the School’s policy for enforcing requirements can be found in the Handbook at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/socsci/about/course or through your portal, and the University’s procedures for monitoring student progress are explained at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/calendar/generalregulations

If you are having trouble meeting our requirements, you must talk to your tutor or Course Co- ordinator.

If you do not attend half or more of the tutorials for this course, even if the absence is for medical or other good cause, then you cannot be deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of the course and your class certificate will be withdrawn. This means that you cannot sit the exam or the resit.

You are required to submit one essay (around 3000 words) worth 40% of the course grade.

Essay deadlines are given well in advance and must be met.

If you have good reason for missing a deadline, you should contact your tutor, preferably in advance.

If you have good reason to seek an extension this must be done before the due date.

Detailed advice on essay writing is given in the year handbook. Please read it carefully. Pay special attention to the points about referencing sources: these are not optional. Essays that do not meet our requirements may be penalised and, in severe cases, not accepted. In grading, good presentation will be rewarded.

You are required to submit two hard copies of your essay. One will be marked and returned to you. The other will be retained by the tutor for the external examiner. You should also keep a copy yourself. Students should submit an electronic copy of their assignment to TurnitinUK at www.submit.ac.uk. The hard copies, with a cover sheet and the TurnitinUK receipt attached, should be posted in the relevant box opposite room F14 in the Edward Wright Building by the deadline.

The deadline for the essay is 4pm on the last Thursday of Week 12, Thursday 13th December 2007.

Examination papers

Past examination papers are available at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/examdb/

For an example paper, see below.

LECTURES

There are 2 lectures per week in this course: on Tuesdays at both 10am (room KCF7 – Kings College) and also 1pm (room NK10 – New Kings).

YOU ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND ALL OF THE LECTURES.

ATTENDANCE IS NOT OPTIONAL.

Lecture Timetable

Week number

Week commencing

Lecture Title

1 24/9/07 No Lectures 2 1/10/07 Introduction: Thinking Sociologically 3 8/10/07 Durkheim and Sociology I : Social Facts 4 15/10/07 Durkheim and Sociology II: Social Problems 5 22/10/07 Marx and Sociology I: Historical Materialism

6 29/10/07 Max Weber and Sociology I: Types of Sociological Knowledge: 7 5/11/07 Reading Week 8 12/11/07 Marx and Sociology II : Critical Sociology

9 19/11/07 Max Weber and Sociology II: Applying Sociological Knowledge: 10 26/11/07 Georg Simmel: Social Forms and Modern Culture

11 3/12/07 The Chicago School: Pragmatism and Empirical Research: 12 10/12/07 No Lecture

Lecture Outlines

Lecture outlines are available on-line on the Department of Sociology page:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sociology/courses/index.php

Ritzer, George (1994) Sociological Beginnings: On The Origins of Key Ideas In Sociology , New York: McGraw Hill, Chapter 1

A very good way into understanding many of the issues this course deals with is to read this short book

Lemert, Charles (2005) Social Things: An Introduction to the Sociological Life , 3rd^ edition, Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield

Week 3 DURKHEIM AND SOCIOLOGY I: Social Facts

In these lectures, we examine one of the most fundamental aspects of sociological thinking, namely the idea that there is such a thing as ‘society’ and that ‘social’ phenomena exist ‘above and beyond’ individual persons. We look at one of the most important formulations of this idea, put forward by Emile Durkheim. We explore what he argued in this regard, and how he connected these ideas to a particular epistemological and methodological model, namely positivism. We will see how Durkheim argued that society is external to us, is more than the sum of the individuals that constitute it, has the ability to affect our behaviour, creates common ways of thinking and feeling, and can be known using scientific methods of enquiry.

A. Readings

CRAIB – ‘Chapter 3 – Durkheim: The Discovery of Social Facts’, pp. 25-

MORRISON – chapter on Durkheim, especially the parts from page 120 to 127, and from 151 to 187 (i.e. the bit that covers Durkheim’s books ‘Rules of Sociological Method’ and ‘Suicide’)

HUGHES – chapter on Durkheim, especially pages 145 to 162, and 167 to 180, and 194 to 200

HADDEN – chapter on Durkheim

ALLAN – chapter on Durkheim

COSER – chapter on Durkheim

B. Readings

Durkheim, Emile ‘The Rules of Sociological Method’ and ‘Suicide: a Study in Sociology’ in McINTOSH, pp. 207-211 and 212-

RITZER – Chapter 3

Runciman, W. G. (1963) Social Science and Political Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1963, Chapter 1

Giddens, Anthony (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 6

Poggi, Gianfranco (1972) Images of Society: essays on the sociological theories of Tocqueville, Marx and Durkheim , Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapters 7 and 8.

Raymond Aron (1970) Main Currents in Sociological Thought , Vol. 2, Harmondsworth: Pelican, “Emile Durkheim”, Sections V and VII.

Lukes, Stephen (1975) Emile Durkheim: his life and work , London: Peregrine 1975, Chapters 10 and 21.

Jones, Robert Alun (1986) Durkheim: an introduction to four major works , London: Sage, Chapter 1.

Week 4 DURKHEIM AND SOCIOLOGY II: Social Problems

In these lectures, we continue to examine the legacy of Durkheim in sociology. Durkheim regarded sociology as a practical science, oriented towards the identification and solution of certain social problems. We look at how he understood modern societies, what he thought was potentially wrong with them, and the solutions he proposed to ameliorate or do away with such problems. Durkheim was particularly interested in what makes society work (or not work) and in themes of cohesion, integration and solidarity. He looked at these through his studies of work, religion and suicide. We consider here Durkheim’s notion that sociology is the science that aids social reform and improvement.

A. Readings

MORRISON – chapter on Durkheim, especially the parts from page 128 to 150 and 188 to 211 (i.e. the parts that cover Durkheim’s books ‘The Division of Labour in Society’ and ‘The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life’.

HUGHES – chapter on Durkheim, especially pages163 to 166 and 190 to 194

CRAIB – ‘Chapter 7 – Durkheim: Drunk and Orderly’, pp. 61-

HADDEN – chapter on Durkheim

ALLAN – chapter on Durkheim

COSER – chapter on Durkheim

B. Readings

Durkheim, Emile ‘The Division of Labour in Society: Introduction’ and ‘Sanctions and Mechanical and Organic Solidarity’ and ‘The Division of Labour: Causes and Abnormal Forms’ in McINTOSH, pp. 181- 184, 185-193, 194-

RITZER – Chapter 3

Durkheim, Emile (1984) The Division of Labour in Society , translated by W. D. Halls, Macmillan (and many other editions available)

Giddens, Anthony (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 5, 7 and 8

Poggi, Gianfranco (1972) Images of Society: essays on the sociological theories of Tocqueville, Marx and Durkheim , Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 6.

Lukes, Stephen (1975) Emile Durkheim: his life and work , London: Peregrine 1975, Chapter 7.

Hawthorn, Geoffrey (1976) Enlightenment and Despair: a history of sociology , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Chapter 6.

Week 5 MARX AND SOCIOLOGY I: Historical Materialism

draws upon an array of ideas all centred around the view that reality is complex and that we must simplify it if we are to make any sense of it at all.

A. Readings

CRAIB – chapter 5 and 9

HUGHES – chapter 3, pages 119-

MORRISON – chapter 4, pages 212-216, 232-243, 255-

HADDEN – chapter on Weber

ALLAN – chapter on Weber

COSER – chapter on Weber

B. Readings

Weber, Max ‘Class Status and Party’, ‘Definitions of Sociology and Social Action’ and ‘Legitimacy and Authority’, in McINTOSH, pages 132-141, 157-164, 165-

RITZER – Chapter 4

Collins, Randall (1986) Max Weber: a Skeleton Key , London: Sage 1986, pp. 42-45.

Giddens, Anthony (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter s 10 and 11

Freund, Julien (1968) The Sociology of Max Weber , London: Allen Lane, Chapter 3.

Lowith, Karl (1982) Max Weber and Karl Marx , London: Allen and Unwin

Gerth, H. H. and Mills, C. W. (eds.) (1970) From Max Weber: Essays In Sociology , London: Routledge

Aron, Raymond (1970) Main Currents in Sociological Thought , Vol. 2, Harmondsworth: Pelican, “Max Weber”, Sections I to III.

Macrae, Donald G. (1974) Weber , London: Fontana

Bendix, Reinhard (1966) Max Weber: An Intellectual Portrait , London: Methuen

Scott, John (1995) Sociological Theory: contemporary debates , Aldershot: Edward Elgar, chapter 2.

Turner, Stephen (ed.) (2000) The Cambridge Companion to Weber , New York: Cambridge University Press

Dawe, Alan (1970) ‘The Two Sociologies’, British Journal of Sociology , Vol. 21, 1970, pp. 207-218.

Week 7 Reading Week

This week provides valuable time to go over what topics we have covered, and to do some further reading on them, in order to deepen your understanding.

Week 8 MARX AND SOCIOLOGY II: Critical Sociology

Unlike Durkheim, Marx intended social science to be a method of encouraging social revolution, rather than social reform. In these lectures, we will consider Marx’s contention that sociology must be ‘critical’, that is, it must be oriented towards uncovering the true nature of social life, revealing truths that both societies themselves, and other sorts of sociology, cannot see or which they deliberately hide. In that sense, sociology is said to uncover the true, exploitative and alienating nature of all types of society that have existed, including modern capitalist society. Marx thus sees sociology as a critical science that encourages the oppressed to throw off their chains of oppression. How convincing such a view of sociology is will be a key theme of these lectures.

A. Readings

HUGHES Chapter 2, from page 63 to the end of the chapter

CRAIB Chapter 8

MORRISON Chapter 2 – pages 54-82, 88-

HADDEN – chapter on Marx

ALLAN – chapter on Marx

COSER – chapter on Marx

B. Readings

Marx, Karl ‘Alienated Labour’, ‘Wage Labour and Capital’, ‘The Fetishism of Commodities’ in McINTOSH, pages 13-14, 48-65, 68-

RITZER – Chapter 2

Marx, Karl and Engels, Frederick The Communist Manifesto Available in many different editions.

Giddens, Anthony (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 4 and 13.

Elster, Jon (1986) An Introduction to Karl Marx , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Gerth, H. H. and Mills, C. W. (eds.) (1970) From Max Weber: Essays In Sociology , London: Routledge

Collins, Randall (1986) Max Weber: a Skeleton Key , London: Sage

Lowith, Karl (1982) Max Weber and Karl Marx , London: Allen and Unwin

Brubaker, Rogers (1984) The Limits of Rationality: an essay on the social and moral thought of Max Weber , London: Allen and Unwin

Schluchter, Wolfgang (1981) The Rise of Western Rationalism: Max Weber’s Developmental History , Berkeley: University of California Press

Lash, Scott and Whimster, Sam (eds.) (1987) Max Weber, Rationality and Modernity , Allen & Unwin [Many chapters are relevant; Chapter 8 by Martin Albrow presents an interesting present-day application of Weber’s ideas.]

Macrae, Donald G. (1974) Weber , London: Fontana

Bendix, Reinhard (1966) Max Weber: An Intellectual Portrait , London: Methuen

Turner, Stephen (ed.) (2000) The Cambridge Companion to Weber , New York: Cambridge University Press

Du Gay, Paul (2000) In Praise of Bureaucracy: Weber, Organization, Ethics , London: Sage

Week 10 GEORGE SIMMEL: SOCIAL FORMS AND MODERN CULTURE

Georg Simmel is perhaps less well-known today than any of the thinkers we have yet encountered but his contributions to subsequent sociology have been highly influential, if not always fully acknowledged. In these lectures we examine Simmel’s contribution to understanding the nature of social relations, social networks and the patterns that characterise human interactions. We also look at Simmel’s more speculative assertions as to the nature of modern social and psychological conditions.

A. Readings

Note that out of the main textbooks, only CRAIB and RITZER cover Simmel’s work.

The various short chapters on Simmel in CRAIB : chapters 6, 10, 14

RITZER - chapter 5

These are useful:

COSER – chapter on Simmel

ALLAN – chapter on Simmel

Another Ritzer book that has some coverage is Ritzer, George (2007) Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics , New York: McGraw Hill, Chapter 3, section on Simmel

B. Readings

Frisby, David (2002) Georg Simmel , London: Routledge

Also available electronically at

http://site.ebrary.com/lib/aberdeenuniv/Doc?id=

Spykman, Nicholas J. (2004) The Social Theory of Georg Simmel , New York: Transaction

Frisby, David (1986) Fragments of Modernity , Cambridge: Polity / MIT Press

Harrington, Austin (2005) Modern Social Theory , Oxford: Oxford University Press. Chap. 3

Simmel, Georg (1997) Simmel On Culture , Mike Featherstone and David Frisby (eds.), London: Sage

Simmel, Georg (1967) The Sociology of Georg Simmel , New York: Free Press

Simmel, Georg (1976) The Philosophy of Money , London: Routledge

Simmel, Georg (1971) On Individuality and Social Forms , Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Week 11 THE CHICAGO SCHOOL AND SOCIOLOGY: Pragmatism and Empirical Research

It has been argued that between 1892 and 1930 the University of Chicago trained over half of the world’s sociologists. Certainly, the ‘Chicago School’ dominated North American sociology for the first four decades of the 20th^ century. This large group of scholars fundamentally shaped the discipline in two key dimensions: the sociological study of urban life; and the intimate study of marginal groups through the use of life histories and ethnography. These two strands are united by the philosophy of pragmatism: where the truth of a statement can only be judged with reference to concrete experience. These lectures will explore pragmatism and its implications for methodology. They will examine the work of George Herbert Mead; the symbolic interactionism of Herbert Blumer and the tradition that inspired Erving Goffman; the urban ecology of Park (Chicago’s first Sociology Professor) and Burgess, and the implications of their work for contemporary sociological studies.

A. Readings

Deegan, M. J. 2001 'The Chicago School of Ethnography', in Atkinson, P., Coffey, A., Delamont, S., Lofland. J. and Lofland. L. (eds.) Handbook of Ethnography , London: Sage

OR

Ritzer, George (1994) Sociological Beginnings: On The Origins of Key Ideas In Sociology , New York: McGraw Hill, Chapters 4 and 5

TUTORIALS

Tutorial Pattern

Tutorial Pattern

There are weekly tutorials for this course. Attendance is COMPULSORY.

Tutorial meeting number

Tutorial topic

1 No tutorial 2 Introductory tutorial ALL 3 Durkheim I: Social Facts ESSAYS 4 Durkheim II: Social Problems TO BE 5 Marx I: Historical Materialism SUBMITTED 6 Weber I: Types of Sociological Knowledge BY 7 Reading week THURSDAY 8 Marx II: Critical Sociology (^) 13 th^ DECEMBER 9 Weber II: Applying Sociological Knowledge 2007 10 Simmel: Social Forms and Modern Culture @ 4PM 11 The Chicago School: Pragmatism and Empirical Research

(and no later than 4PM !) 12 No tutorial

Each participant in the course will be allocated to a tutorial group of about twelve people, which will meet once a week.

Attendance at tutorials is compulsory.

The main aim of the tutorials is to help to clarify some of the key concepts and problems raised in the preceding week’s lectures and readings.

All members of the group should have read the basic reading for the week and be prepared to take part in discussions of the main concepts and problems.

Failure to read the required material will lead to a poor tutorial performance, an excellent route towards failing the course overall.

TUTORIAL TOPICS AND QUESTIONS

Week 1

NO TUTORIAL

Week 2 INTRODUCTION

Welcome and allocation of presentation topics.

Week 3 DURKHEIM AND SOCIOLOGY I: Social Facts

Tutorial and essay question: How convincing was Durkheim’s argument that ‘society’ exists over and above individuals?

Week 4 DURKHEIM AND SOCIOLOGY II: Social Problems

Tutorial and essay question: How well did Durkheim identify the problems created by modern society? How persuasive were the solutions he suggested to these problems?

Week 5 MARX AND SOCIOLOGY I: Historical Materialism

Tutorial and essay question: Marx argues that the economic basis of a society fundamentally shapes all other parts of that society. How correct was he to say this?

Week 6 MAX WEBER AND SOCIOLOGY I: Types of Sociological Knowledge

Tutorial and essay question: How useful is Weber’s methodology for sociologists today?

Week 7 Reading Week

No tutorial. But read stuff ...

Week 8 MARX AND SOCIOLOGY II: Critical Sociology

Tutorial and essay question: Marx’s sociology is ‘critical’ both of capitalist society and of other theories of society. How convincing are its criticisms of both of these?

Week 9 MAX WEBER AND SOCIOLOGY II: Applying Sociological Knowledge

Tutorial and essay question: Weber offers a particular way of understanding modern society and the historical reasons for its development. Outline his views in this regard. Are his views better than those of Marx?

Week 10 GEORG SIMMEL: Social Forms and Modern Culture

Tutorial and essay question: Simmel’s ideas continue to be crucial for understanding the nature of social life, both generally and in the context of modernity. Critically assess this view.

Week 11THE CHICAGO SCHOOL AND SOCIOLOGY: Pragmatism and Empirical Research

Tutorial and essay question: How effective have the Chicago School been in understanding small-scale interactions and community life in urban contexts?

Week 12

NO TUTORIALS

page numbers we give in the reading list are for the second edition and may be different from those in the first edition] In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as HUGHES :

Morrison, Ken (1995) Marx, Durkheim, Weber: Formations of Modern Social Thought , London: Sage In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as MORRISON

Craib, Ian (1997) Classical Social Theory: An Introduction to the Thought of Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Simmel , Oxford: Oxford University Press In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as CRAIB

A good revision aid (but much less detailed than the others above, and so insufficient on its own as a textbook) is

Hadden, Richard W. (1997) Sociological Theory , Letchworth: Broadview Press In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as HADDEN

Two good summary books, which are too expensive to buy but which can be found in QML, is:

Ritzer, George (2000) Sociological Theory , New York: McGraw Hill In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as RITZER

Allan, Kenneth (2005) Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World , Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as ALLAN

Another good summary book, only available in QML, is

Coser, Lewis A. (1971) Masters of Sociological Thought , New York: Harcourt Brace In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as COSER (the 1977 edition is also fine to use)

It is very important, especially for essay writing, that you engage with the original writings of the thinkers we are looking at. As such, you will find the following book a very useful compilation of readings from the original sources. It is also worth buying.

McIntosh, Ian (1997) Classical Sociological Theory: A Reader , Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press In the reading lists, we will refer to this book as McINTOSH

Generally, the original readings will be listed in this way: e.g. Marx, Karl ‘ The German Ideology and Historical Materialism’ in McINTOSH , pages 26-

Other, older books that are in QML that are worth consulting for essay writing purposes include:

Raymond Aron (1970) Main Currents in Sociological Thought , Vol. 2, Harmondsworth: Pelican

Hawthorn, Geoffrey (1976) Enlightenment and Despair: a history of sociology , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Giddens, Anthony (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

SAMPLE EXAMINATION PAPER

As this is the first time the course has run in this form, there are no past papers available. The following should be your guide as to what sort of form the exam will take.

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN SESSION 2004/

Examination for the Degree of MA.

Date: 24th^ January 2005 Time: 14.00 – 17.00 Venue: Butchart Games Hall

SO3066 THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY

THREE hours. Answer THREE questions.

1 Social facts are both real and thoroughly binding on the individual.. Critically discuss with reference to Durkheim’s ideas.

2 Identifying the problems with organic solidarity is an effective means of diagnosing modern society’s failures. Discuss

3 Marx’s account of ‘base’ and ‘superstructure’ overemphasises the economic dimensions of social life. Assess this view.

4 If sociology is not critical of existing social conditions, it is merely an apology for them. Discuss with reference to Marx’s ideas about social critique.

5 Max Weber offers the most methodologically sophisticated version of sociology offered by any classical sociologist. Is this true? Justify your answer with examples.

6 Weber asserts that modern society is an ‘iron cage’. Is this a compelling view of modernity?

7 Simmel’s ideas on modernity are provocative but too speculative to be convincing. How true is this statement?

8 The Chicago School developed distinctive methodologies for researching micro-level social interactions in urban settings. How effective have these methodologies proven to be?

Student Instructions for TurnitinUK

TurnitinUK is an online service which compares student assignments with online sources including web pages, databases of reference material, and content previously submitted by other users across the UK.

The software makes no decision as to whether plagiarism has occurred; it is simply a tool which highlights sections of text that have been found in other sources. The assignment which has been submitted to TurnitinUK and an Originality Report^1 (the report which identifies the text matches found) are displayed for the member of staff to view. The member of staff can see whether resources have been appropriately referenced and hence whether plagiarism has occurred. You will be able to view your own Originality Report only if the member of staff enables this.

The following instructions will enable register to use Turnitin, enrol in a class and to submit an assignment. A comprehensive Student User Guide can be found at https://submit.ac.uk/usage_jisc/tiiuk_student_guide.pdf).

(^1) For further information about the Originality Report see Section 2 of the Student User Guide

https://submit.ac.uk/usage_jisc/tiiuk_student_guide.pdf).