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Fundamentals: Social Policy 1
Course Handbook
Year 1
20154-20165
Mondays 11-12
David Hume Tower, LG. 06
School of Social and Political Science, Chrystal Macmillan Building
University of Edinburgh
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A large print version of this handbook can be obtained from the Undergraduate Teaching Office, Chrystal Macmillan Building (CMB)
Welcome to the Fundamentals of Social Policy
This course aims to equip students with a variety of general and subject-specific skills that will be relevant to their degree while helping to build a personal portfolio of transferable competences. It will initiate a process of cumulative skill-acquisition that will be developed in similar courses in every year of their degree programme. In addition, the course is designed to encourage greater proximity and exchange between students on social policy degrees, and between the undergraduate student cohort in social policy and members of the social policy subject group (teaching and research staff and the postgraduate research community). It finally seeks to provide a forum in which students can debate and reflect on the most topical social policy issues in the UK and beyond.
Intended Learning Outcomes
The course has two broad learning outcomes. By the end of the course students should:
1. gain competence and confidence in the key study skills required for social policy students at University including:
o critical thinking
o essential skills - such as essay writing and exam revision
o gathering evidence - such as literature searching from a social policy perspective
2. learn how social policy ideas and skills can be applied to your own lives and in everyday contexts.
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Social Policy Fundamentals Programme Timetable
Sessioon
Topic Lecturer(s)
1 215/9
SEMESTER 1Introduction to Social Policy Jochen Clasen/
Richard Brodie2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
28/022/09
29/05/10
912/10
06/1019/10
13/1026/10
20/102/1127/109/1103/11
10/11
217/11
Meeting Social Policy staff at Edinburgh
Essential Skills: effective essay writing (general)
Effective essay writing: student essay plans
Gathering Evidence: library & other resources
Gathering evidence: student exercise
Critical thinking: effective essay writing
Personal Tutor Group Meeting 1
Essential Skills: Effective Exam Revision
Questions and Answers – exam revision
SEMESTER 2Making the most of feedback
Gathering evidence: finding and working with policy documents
JC/RB/All staff
Richard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie
Richard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie
Richard Brodie/JC
Dan KenealyJochen Clasen
Richard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie/JC
Jay Wiggan
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16
17
18
19
20
12/01
18/01
26/01
01/02
09/02
16/02
23/02
2012/02
089/03
156/03
213/03
Gathering Evidence: (student exercise)
Critical Thinking: Numbers in Social Policy Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 1
Critical Thinking: Numbers (student exercise) Critical Thinking: Numbers in Social Policy
INNOVATIVE LEARNING WEEK
Personal Tutor Group Meeting 2 Critical Thinking: Numbers (student exercise)
Careers Session
Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 1 Personal Tutor Group Meeting 2
Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 2
Exam revision
Richard Brodie
Lindsay PatersonRichard Brodie/JC
Lindsay PatersonRichard Brodie
Richard BrodieJochen Clasen
Kay Barbour
Dan KenealyRichard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie/JC
Richard Brodie
Teaching Arrangements
This is a one year course. In total, there are 20 formal sessions. The course is based around three main themes, with most sessions reflecting one of these. The first is Essential Skills covering all the basic requirements to improve your Social Policy skill set. The second is Gathering Evidence where you will learn to develop, gather and synthesise evidence from a variety of sources. The final theme is Critical
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Thinking, designed to improve your ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.
Each session will be led by the Senior Social Policy Tutor, the course convenor or another member of the Social Policy staff. Some sessions will also draw on the expertise of people elsewhere in the University, such as the careers service. For some classes (sessions 4, 6, 13 and 15) you will be required to do some preparation although this will be short and not very time consuming. This will usually involve doing some reading or preparing some material for the class. Also the texts for sessions 148 and 19 should be read in advance. When relevant, a list of useful readings for students is provided in this guide, all of which will be available in the library or on LEARN.
Assessment
Although there are no formal credits attached, this course is compulsory for most Social Policy students and is an important part of the degree programme1. Short exercises related to four sessions are the main form of assessment on the course. Specific details are available in this Handbook in Weeks 4, 6, 13 and 165 (see below). You should familiarise yourself with these in advance for the following reason:
In order to progress to second year, students have to pass the course. The criteria for a pass are:
• regular attendance at the weekly sessions;• playing a full part in class and group discussion;• completing the four student exercises (weeks 4, 6, 13 and 165)
1 The course is compulsory for students on all Social Policy degrees with the exception of Social Policy and Law.
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Staff Contacts
Staff E-mail address Phone
Room
Office hours
Course Convener & Lecturer
Prof Jochen Clasen
[email protected] 650 9922 2.04 Wednesdays
9.30-11.30
Lecturers
Prof. Lindsay Paterson
651 6380 3.24 Contact by
Dr Jay Wiggan [email protected]
6503939
3.07 Contact by email
Dr. Dan Kenealy
21 George Square
Contact by email
Senior Tutor Social Policy
Mr Richard Brodie
[email protected] Contact by email
Dr. Dan Kenealy
21 George Square
Contact by mail
Tutor
Mr Richard Brodie
[email protected] Contact by email
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Further Information
The class will take place in Room LG.06, David Hume Tower, on Mondays between 11am and 12noon. Assistance is available from the Tutor (Richard Brodie), course teachers, the Course Convener (Jochen Clasen, who is also the Personal Tutor for first year Social Policy students) or the Course Secretary (Louise Angus: [email protected]). Any of these three will be pleased to help you with any problems particular to this course. Jochen Clasen (as Personal Tutor) can assist you with more general academic and personal problems, or refer you to appropriate sources of assistance.
If you have any problems with the course you can also raise those also with Professor Jeff CollinLindsay Paterson, who is the Head of Subject.
You can obtain further information in the Social & Political Science 20154-20165 Years 1 & 2 Student Handbook, the Undergraduate Teaching Office notice boards, the School Undergraduate website (http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad) and the Social Policy website (http://www.socialpolicy.ed.ac.uk). Materials will generally be available for download from LEARN.
Finally, the School welcomes students with disabilities (including those with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia). We make every effort to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and provide appropriate support to all students. If you have special needs which may require adjustments to be made to ensure access to such settings as lectures, tutorials or exams, you should discuss these with your Personal Tutor or the Course Convener, who will advise on the appropriate procedures.
You can also contact the Student Disability Service, Third Floor, Main Library (telephone 650 6828, email [email protected]) and an Advisor will be happy to meet with you. The Advisor can discuss possible adjustments and specific examination arrangements with you, assist you with an application for Disabled Students' Allowance, give you information about available technology and personal assistance such as note takers, proof readers or dyslexia tutors, and prepare a Learning Profile for your School which outlines recommended adjustments. You will be expected to provide the Student Disability Service with evidence of disability – either a letter from your GP or specialist, or evidence of specific learning difficulty. For dyslexia or dyspraxia, this evidence must be a recent Chartered Educational Psychologist's assessment. If you do
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not have this, the Student Disability Service can put you in touch with an independent Educational Psychologist.
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Programme
[1.] Introducing Social Policy2115/09/20154
Jochen Clasen and Richard Brodie
Main aims of the session:
to reflect on Social Policy and being a (social policy) student
to get to know each other as a group
Brief description:
This main aim of this introductory session is to give students an opportunity to learn about Social Policy as a subject area at Edinburgh, and to get to know the other students who are also embarking on Social Policy degrees.
The education supplement Guardian newspaper ran a useful and entertaining series of short articles a few years ago on the ‘art of being a student’
http://www.theguardian.com/education/series/howtobeastudent
[2.] Meeting Social Policy staff at Edinburgh282/09/20154
Students are given an opportunity to learn more about Social Policy as a subject area and the ways in which it is taught at the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh Staff will give brief presentations of their research areas and interests, and students will be encouraged to ask questions and talk about their own interests in social policy.
Useful readings/resources:
You can find a full presentation of the University of Edinburgh Social Policy subject area, and all its members, at the group’s dedicated website:
http://www.socialpolicy.ed.ac.uk (click on ‘academic staff and also on ‘research groups’).
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[3.] Essential Skills: Effective Essay Writing (general) 0529/1009/20154
Richard Brodie/JC
Main aims
To interpret essay questions
To plan your answers
To reference accurately using academic conventions
To learn the art of good presentation
The session at a glance:
Brief presentation on essay writing
De-constructing essay questions
Brief description:
The main aim of this introductory session is to give students the opportunity to learn about ways of improving their essay writing skills. Students will have a chance to question experienced tutors and utilise their knowledge.
4. Essential Skills: Effective Essay writing (student essay plans) 1206/10/20154
Richard Brodie/JC
Main aims:
Planning and writing practice using Social Policy and Society essay questions
Preparation/Student Exercise:
You should have chosen your first year Social Policy essay topic and should come to class with a plan of your answer. The essay questions can be found in the Social Policy and Society Handbook which is available on LEARN.
Useful Readings:
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There are a number of essay writing books available in the library. Although these can be useful, many are not specific to Social Policy. Instead, we will post a number of our own guides on Learn. These guides have been developed and used in Social Policy tutorials over a number of years.
5. Gathering Evidence: Library and other resources 1913/10/20153
Richard Brodie
Main aims of the session:
To introduce students to using library and other resources for social policy
To familiarise students with database searches
Using Internet resources
Brief description:
This session introduces students to Library facilities and services, use of the Catalogue and in particular to various types of e-resources that are relevant to the subject. It will also give students a chance to practice database search skills, comment on Google, evaluate internet resources, and if time allows, show EndNote.
Useful Readings:
Skills4study: (http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study).
Interactive tutorial Internet detective at www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective
Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask Internet tutorial by UC Berkley Library - comprehensive guide at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
A link to an interactive tutorial Evaluating Information developed and designed by Cardiff University's library for project and research: https://ilrb.cf.ac.uk/evalinfo/tutorial2/index.html
[6.] Gathering Evidence: student exercise 260/10/201514
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Richard Brodie
Student exercise (in class):
Students should do some independent research into a social policy topic that requires an in-depth library search. Your notes should include a number of academic sources from different medium such as the library catalogue, e-resources and a database search. Access to the Library catalogues is essential for this session.
[7.] Critical Thinking: Effective Essay writing 0227/110/20154
Richard Brodie
Main aims of the session:
To analyse description v argument: What’s the difference?
To avoid logical fallacies
To learn to reflect on your work
Brief Description Critical thinking is an essential skill that develops and progresses throughout your University degree. This session helps develop some strategies to enhance and develop those skills.
[8.] Personal Tutor Group meeting 093/111/20154
Jochen ClasenDan Kenealy
The meeting offers you an opportunity to discuss with your personal tutor any issues and problems that have arisen in Semester One.
[9.] Essential Skills: Effective Exam Revision160/11/20154
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Richard Brodie/JC
Main aims of the session:
How to make use of past papers
To learn valuable revision strategies
To utilise effective exam techniques
Brief description:
This session will be spent dealing with possible exam anxieties.
Useful Readings:
University of Edinburgh Past Papers at:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery/exam-papers
Barrass, R. 2002. Study! A guide to Effective Learning, Revision and Examination Techniques (pages on revision: 57-59, 68, 163-173). London: Routledge
[10.] Questions and Answers – exam revision 2317/11/20154
Richard Brodie/JC
Main aims of the Session
To revise for the forthcoming SPS Exam
Q and A regarding issues, problems and difficulties
Brief Description
Exam practice using the 20143-20154 Social Policy and Society paper
Exam papers will be available on Learn and at:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery/exam-papers
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SEMESTER TWO
[11.] Making the most of feedback 112/01/20165
Richard Brodie/Jochen Clasen
Main aims of the session:
To reflect on the writing process
To use feedback to write better essays
To improve on specific weaknesses
Brief description:
This session is designed to give students a chance to reflect on the feedback you have received and how you could or should respond. You will read, evaluate and provide feedback on an essay. Discussions will then take place on whether you found the feedback helpful or not, and why.
Useful Readings:
Assessment guidelines and marking descriptors have been provided on LEARN
[12.] Gathering Evidence: finding and working with policy documents 189/01/20165
Jay Wiggan
Main aims of the session:
To identify the importance of policy documents as a source of evidence and some of the ways they can be used in social research
To develop student ability to locate policy documents drawn from a variety of organisations.
To develop the skills to interpret and critically analyse substantive content, language and imagery of policy documents.
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Brief description:
One of the most important skills in Social policy is the ability to work with documents. This session is specifically designed through the use of exercises to develop this skill which will be extremely useful in completing any Social Policy research which is necessary for the degree.
Preparation:
Please read the following:
Freeman, R. & Maybin, J. (2011) ‘Documents, practices and policy’, pp155-170, Evidence and Policy, Vo. 7. No. 2. On Learn
Useful Readings:
The following two articles show how social researchers can draw on government documents to critically reflect on what we know about key policy areas.
o Haux, T. (2013) ‘Understanding Employment Barriers for Lone Parents in Great Britain: Research Gaps and Missed Opportunities’, pp468-482, Social Policy & Administration, Vol. 47, Issues 4.
o Davies, S. (2008) ‘Contracting out employment services’, pp136-164, Critical Social Policy, Vol. 28, No. 2
[13.] Gathering Evidence: Social Policy in the Media / 265/01/20165
Richard Brodie
Main aims of the session
To identify how Social Policy is reported in the media To look at the reporting of Social policy across the political
spectrum This is a student exercise
Brief Description
This week, we will identify one current Social Policy issue and examine how that is presented in the media. You will be asked in Week 12 to look
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at a source such as a newspaper and to bring a summary to the class in order to facilitate discussion.
[14.] Critical Thinking: Numbers in Social Policy 02/02/2015
[15.] Lindsay Paterson and Richard Brodie[16.] Main aims of the session:[17.] To analyse why we need measurement in social policy[18.] [19.] To learn effective ways of conveying numbers – for example,
graphs, pictures, clear summaries.[20.] [21.] To show how statistics mislead[22.] [23.] To find the good sources of reliable statistics[24.] [25.] Preparation:[26.] A number of examples of good and bad statistics have been placed
on LEARN. Please spend some time looking at these and note the strengths and weaknesses of each.
[27.] Useful Readings:[28.] Blastland, M. and Dilnot, A. (2010), The Numbers Game: The
Commonsense Guide to Understanding Numbers in the News, in Politics, and in Life, London: Penguin.
[29.] David Hand (2008), Statistics: a Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press
[30.] Daniel Kahneman (2011), Thinking Fast and Slow, London: Penguin.
[31.] Royal Statistical Society’s statistical literacy campaign ‘getstats’ (www.getstats.org.uk/) Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 1 01/02/2016
Richard Brodie and Jochen Clasen
Main Aims of the Session
To introduce and discuss a key and seminal Social Policy text
To analyse the reasons why that text has become important
Brief Description
This session looks at the work of T.H. Marshall. We will reflect on the content and discuss Marshall’s main ideas and why they have become critical to the study of Social Policy.
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You must read: Marshall, T. H. (1950), Citizenship and Social Class, and Other Essays, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available on Learn
6. Critical Thinking: Numbers in Social Policy 08/02/2016
Lindsay Paterson and Richard Brodie
Main aims of the session:
To analyse why we need measurement in social policy
To learn effective ways of conveying numbers – for example, graphs, pictures, clear summaries.
To show how statistics mislead
To find the good sources of reliable statistics
Preparation:
A number of examples of good and bad statistics have been placed on LEARN. Please spend some time looking at these and note the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Useful Readings:
Blastland, M. and Dilnot, A. (2010), The Numbers Game: The Commonsense Guide to Understanding Numbers in the News, in Politics, and in Life, London: Penguin.
David Hand (2008), Statistics: a Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Daniel Kahneman (2011), Thinking Fast and Slow, London: Penguin.
Royal Statistical Society’s statistical literacy campaign ‘getstats’ (www.getstats.org.uk/)
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[32.] Critical Thinking: Student Exercise 09/02/2015
Richard Brodie
Go to the Guardian website and look at Ben Goldacre’s ‘Bad Science’ columns at: http://www.theguardian.com/science/series/badscience
Choose one column from the list given and provide a summary of the problem that Ben Goldacre is highlighting. Bring your summary for class discussion.
15/02-19/02 INNOVATIVE LEARNING WEEK
16. Personal Tutor Group Meeting 2 23/01/2015
Jochen ClasenDan Kenealy
The meeting offers you an opportunity to discuss with your personal tutor any issues and problems that have arisen in Semester Two. Critical Thinking: Student Exercise 22/02/2016
Richard Brodie
Go to the Guardian website and look at Ben Goldacre’s ‘Bad Science’ columns at: http://www.theguardian.com/science/series/badscience
Choose one column from the list given and provide a summary of the problem that Ben Goldacre is highlighting. Bring your summary for class discussion.
17. Careers Session 2902/023/20165
Kay Barbour
Main aims of the session:
Why did you decide to come to university?
Why social policy and where do you want it to take you?
Brief description:
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This session will highlight the skills and knowledge that employers seek in Social Policy graduates. Students will take part in exercises to help develop their ‘graduate attributes’ (i.e. work experience, student societies, internships, Edinburgh award etc). It will cover where students go (work and study) from a social policy degree with a particular focus on internships and work experience.
18. Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 1 09/03/2015Richard Brodie and Jochen Clasen
Main Aims of the Session
To introduce and discuss a key and seminal Social Policy text
To analyse the reasons why that text has become important
Brief Description
This session looks at the work of T.H. Marshall. We will reflect on the content and discuss Marshall’s main ideas and why they have become critical to the study of Social Policy.
You must read: Marshall, T. H. (1950), Citizenship and Social Class, and Other Essays, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available on Learn Personal Tutor Group Meeting 2
07/02/2016
Dan Kenealy
The meeting offers you an opportunity to discuss with your personal tutor any issues and problems that have arisen in Semester Two.
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19. Critical Thinking: Reading Seminal Texts 2: Student Exercise 146/03/20165
Richard Brodie and Jochen Clasen
To compare and contrast seminal texts from different sides of the political spectrum
To further discuss and analyse another seminal text
Brief Description
As part of your Social Policy degree, you will often be asked to compare and contrast different texts. Today, we will be looking at a controversial text written by Charles Murray and debate its content. As part of the student exercise, you will be asked to take a position which you may not agree with and debate with your fellow students.
You must read:Murray, C (1982), The Two Wars Against Poverty in Pierson, C. and Castles, F. (2006) eds. The Welfare State Reader. Cambridge: Polity Press On Learn
20. Questions and Answers – exam revision 213/03/20165
Richard Brodie
Main aims of the Session
To revise for the forthcoming POWS Exam
Q and A regarding issues, problems and difficulties
Brief Description
Exam practice using the 2014-2015 3-2014 POWS paper
Exam papers will be available on Learn and at:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery/exam-papers
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