School of Mathematics & Statistics

Conventions for Service Modules

Modules described in this document:

MAS051, MAS052, MAS003, MAS161, MAS162, MAS163, MAS164, MAS165, MAS181, MAS182, MAS183, MAS184, PSY297/298, SVY205, CSC804, BGM221/3, PED206, MAS218/371/372.

• Designed for many degrees/departments, including: G140 (Foundation Year); Computing; Geomatics, Chemistry.
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with the main users.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• There are no specific conventions on scaling the exam paper but no mark over 85 will be returned.
• Students are asked to hand in their note file for credit: full credit for handing it in; no credit otherwise.
• Exam, note file and homework marks are combined in the ratio 85:5:10.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original, the ICA mark (including the note file mark) will normally be used if it benefits the student.

• Usage and syllabus as for MAS051, except not taken by Geomatics from 2000/01.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• 2/3 of maths exam paper set by Mathematics and 1/3 set by Statistics.
• Scaling used as appropriate.
• One-hour Statistics test, sat in exam period, timetabled as an exam.
• Resit arrangements set out in "Instructions and Procedures" (also set out on various web pages, including Staff Handbook).

• Designed for Engineering Faculty
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with the Engineering Faculty.
• Contact is usually the person responsible for organising the Engineering Foundation Year (John Appleby in Engineering Mathematics in 1999/2000).
• Exam papers are dealt with earlier than most School papers – they should be sent to the contact person above for transmission to an External Examiner; the Statistics Test paper should be sent too.
• The School is responsible for sending the final versions of exam papers to the Exams Office.
• There is an exam paper and a Statistics Test in each Semester.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• Scaling is used as appropriate.
• Exam paper is a subset of the MAS161 paper in Semester 1 and a subset of MAS162 in Semester 2; the Statistics Tests are the same as those for MAS161 and MAS162.
• Resit arrangements set out in "Instructions and Procedures" (also set out on various web pages, including Staff Handbook).

• Designed as a general post A-level course for the Science Faculty and elsewhere; biggest single user is Physics
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with the main users.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 150 marks.
• Section A of exam paper is identical to MAS003 Semester 1 (100 marks); Section B is on Complex Numbers (50 marks).
• Appropriate scaling is used to convert exam marks to University scale.
• Statistics Test is sat in exam period; it is the same test as for MAS003 Semester 1.
• Teaching in common with MAS003 except for an additional 9 lectures on Complex Numbers. Resit arrangements set out in "Instructions and Procedures" (also set out on various web pages, including Staff Handbook).

• Designed as a follow-on course from MAS161 for students not on Physics degrees.
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with the main users.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• Exam paper includes MAS003 Semester 2 questions (with marks for each question scaled down so that the total on this material becomes 68) and further questions on Linear Algebra (32 marks).
• Scaling is used as appropriate.
• Statistics Test is sat in exam period; it is the same test as for MAS003 Semester 2.
• Teaching is common with MAS003 except for an additional 15 lectures on Linear Algebra.
• Resit arrangements set out in "Instructions and Procedures" (also set out on various web pages, including Staff Handbook).

• Designed as a follow-on course from MAS161 for students on Physics degrees.
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with Physics.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School, but Physics might look at draft exam paper from 2000/01.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• The exam questions on Linear Algebra are identical to those on MAS162 (32 marks).
• Scaling is used as appropriate.
• Linear Algebra teaching is common with MAS162.
• Resit arrangements set out in "Instructions and Procedures" (also set out on various web pages, including Staff Handbook).

• Compulsory course for students taking Single or Joint Honours degrees in the Department of Computing Science.
• Syllabus decided by Board of Studies in Computing Science – reviewed at regular intervals (this module is a pre-requisite for many Stage 2 and Stage Computing Science modules).
• Questionnaires are issued after Week 6 and Week 11. The lecturer reports back to the class after Week 6.
• The format of the exam paper is agreed between the lecturer and the Computing Chairman of Examiners.
• The exam paper is set by the lecturer and checked by a colleague in Computing (nominated by the Computing Chairman of Examiners).
• The paper is typed in the School and passed to the Chairman or Secretary of the Computing Board of Examiners. They liaise with an External Examiner and pass the paper to the Exams Office.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all twelve questions (each worth 10 marks) with best ten questions counting for a maximum of 100 marks. There is no scaling. Exam marks are entered on a spreadsheet provided by Computing, along with coursework marks (contribute towards 20%). Computing determine the final mark from their spreadsheet. Beware of errors arising from different rounding conventions – do not attempt to return marks yourself.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original, with coursework being included if it improves the student’s mark.

As for MAS164 except:

• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all thirteen questions (each worth 9 marks) with best eleven questions counting for a maximum of 99 marks.
• Coursework counts towards 10%.

• Designed for students in Countryside Management, Ecological Resource Management, Environmental Protection. Also taken, from 2000/01, by students on Information Systems Degree.
• Syllabus determined by the School in liaison with user departments and with reference to MAS183.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• Generally, no scaling used, but adjustment at the pass/final borderline on final marks if necessary.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original. ICA is only taken into account near the borderline, by discretion, not necessarily in full.
• In Semester 1 the exam paper is also the MAS183 paper but the resit paper in August/September is for MAS181 alone.
• Teaching in common with MAS183, usually a separate tutorial for MAS181 students.

• Designed for Stage 1 students on the following degrees: Animal Science; Biology of Plants and Animals; Food and Human Nutrition; Applied Biology; Environmental Biology; Countryside Management; Environmental Protection; Ecological Resource Management; Environmental Science and Agricultural Ecology; Plant Science.
• Syllabus determined in discussion with DPD’s of programmes listed above.
• Feedback from students via usual questionnaires. Messages sent to DPD’s on defaulters.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks.
• Exam: ICA in ratio 60:40. Students must score at least 30 (out of 100) in exam in order to pass.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original. ICA mark is carried forward, but students have an opportunity to redo certain coursework elements, the mark for which replace the original ICA mark if it is better.
• Tutorials held weekly with a member of the Faculty of AES assisting Statistics Department Staff.

• Designed for AEFM Integrated Degree Programme. May be taken by Information Systems students from 2000/01.
• Syllabus determined by agreement with AEFM.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• All exam matters dealt with by the School.
• Semester 2 exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 96 marks (eight Section A questions each worth six marks and six Section B questions each worth 8 marks, but marks are not recorded on the exam paper) but indicates that "full marks" may be obtained on fewer questions (all Section A plus four from Section B). Mark is treated as being out of 75, with scaling at the top to achieve this. The Semester 1 exam paper is the same as that for MAS181. The final mark is Semester 2 mark + 0.1 * Semester 1 mark + ICA mark (out of 15).
• No scaling other than as indicated above, but adjustment might be made on final mark at pass/fail borderline.
• Resit paper is same style as the June paper. The mark is treated as being out of 75 and is therefore multiplied by 4/3 to get the final mark. The Semester 1 and ICA marks are not used in general but may be taken into account by discretion (not necessarily in full).
• Tutorials usually timetabled in advance.
• AEFM take half of tutorials and do half of the marking for their students in return form 25% of fte’s.

No info at present.

• Designed for the conversion MSc in Computing.
• Syllabus determined by Computing Science Department.
• Feedback via informal student comments and formal questionnaires.
• Format of exam paper determined by Computing Science.
• Paper set by Module Leader and checked by a lecturer in Computing (Neil Spiers in 1999/2000).
• Paper typed by Module Leader but Secretarial help offered by Computing.
• Computing responsible for transmission of paper to External Examiner and (later) to Exams Office.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions for a maximum of 100 marks. There is no scaling. Exam marks are entered on a spreadsheet provided by Computing, along with coursework marks (contribute towards 10%). Computing determine the final mark from their spreadsheet.
• There is not normally a resit paper (but there was in 1999/2000).
• Tutorials: 1 hour per week (out of 3) is denoted practical but in practice it sometimes a tutorial, sometimes a lecture.

• Designed for Stage 2 Geomatics students.
• Syllabus decided in consultation with colleagues in Geomatics, instigated by either side. Module Leader (RSJ in 1999/2000) is a member of the Geomatics Board of Studies and attends Geomatics Departmental Teaching Committee when appropriate.
• Feedback via questionnaires, but also e-mail contact and personal contact with colleagues in Geomatics.
• Exam paper set and checked by the School but also checked by Geomatics (Departmental round table meeting). Paper is typed in the School.
• Geomatics responsible for liaison with External Examiner and for transmitting paper to Exams Office.
• The exam paper has a compulsory Section A worth 50 marks and candidates choose two Section B questions from four, each worth 25 marks. Scaling is used as appropriate, but in any event there is a ceiling of 85. The ratio Exam:ICA is 80:20.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original. ICA is used if it benefits the student (i.e., better-ball).

• Designed for Stage 2 students in Genetics and Molecular Biology.
• Syllabus decided in discussion with Biochemistry and Genetics (Dr M Rogers and Prof M Hughes in particular).
• Feedback via Lecturer questionnaire and also a Biochemistry and Genetics Departmental questionnaire. DPD is informed of defaulters.
• Exam paper format determined by Biochemistry and Genetics.
• Statistics Lecturer (PJA in 1999/2000) sets Statistics questions (Statistics being only part of the module).
• The Statistics questions are checked in the School. The whole paper is checked by a Committee in Biochemistry and Genetics; it is sent to the External Examiner in B & G.
• Biochemistry and Genetics are responsible for liaison with the External Examiner and for transmission of the Exam paper to the Exams Office.
• Exam paper consists of a compulsory Section A (40 marks of which Statistics is 20) and candidates choose two Section B questions from three, each worth 30 marks, with two out of three Section B questions on Statistics.
• There are no conventions on scaling. The ratio of Exam:ICA is 80:20.
• The resit paper has the same format as the original with ICA being used if it benefits the student.
• Each lecture is associated with a tutorial or computing practical involving the use of Minitab.

PED206

• Same lectures/tutorials and practicals as BGM221/3.
• Feedback via Lecturer questionnaire and also a Pharmacology Departmental questionnaire. DPD is informed of defaulters.
• Exam paper set by the School but also checked by Pharmacology. Paper is typed in the School.
• Pharmacology responsible for liaison with External Examiner and for transmitting paper to Exams Office.
• The exam paper is open book. It has a compulsory question worth 50 marks and candidates choose one of two further questions, each worth 50 marks. Scaling is used as appropriate, but in any event there is a ceiling of 85. The ratio Exam:ICA is 70:30 but it is proposed to change it to 80:20.
• Resit paper has the same format as the original. ICA is used if it benefits the student.
• Each lecture is associated with a tutorial or computing practical involving the use of Minitab.

PSY297/298

• Designed for Stage 2 students in Psychology (Single Honours or Joint Honours with Maths/Stats/Computing). Notes relate to Statistics component only.
• Module leader is Piers Cornellissen (Psychology).
• Syllabus decided by School and Psychology in liaison.
• Feedback via Psychology administered TEQ and course questionnaire administered by lecturer.
• Format of exam paper determined by School and Psychology.
• Paper set by School but checked both in the School and by the Psychology Exam Board. The paper is typed in the School.
• Psychology are responsible for liaison with Psychology External Examiner and for transmitting the paper to the Exams Office.
• Exam paper allows candidates to attempt all questions in one section for a maximum of 50 marks and to choose two from three questions (each worth 25 marks) in another section. Scaling is used as appropriate. The ratio Exam:ICA is 80:20. Marks over 80 are rarely awarded.
• The resit paper has the same format as the original. ICA is included if it benefits students.

• Designed for students in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
• Syllabus decided by School in liaison with Astronomy & Astrophysics Board of Studies.
• No formal feedback arrangements.
• Exam paper is set, checked and typed in the School. The format is as for School papers.
• These papers go to the External Examiners in Astronomy & Astrophysics via Physics Department (R Shrubshall in 1999/2000). Physics are responsible for transmitting paper to Exams Office but will need a clean copy.
• Marking, scaling is as for School papers.
• Resit paper (MAS218) has the same format as the original. It is transmitted to the Exams Office by the School. ICA is included if it benefits the student.
• MAS371 shares first half with MAS311.
• Note that MAS215 and MAS315 are School papers, not Astronomy & Astrophysics papers.