1.0  CURRICULAR REQUIREMENT

1.1  All students are required to submit a long essay as part of their final assessment.
 

2.0  PURPOSE OF LONG ESSAY

2.1  This is seen as a piece of work which will place qualitatively different demands on the student from those arising from the final examination papers.  It will require a sustained effort from the student over a long period first in defining his chosen area of investigation then in researching the background, in integrating his empirical data   into wider context of the subject and finally in drawing conclusions from his study.

2.2  The long essay of about 5 to 10 thousand words (5-10,000)  must, be on a topic selected from the general area of studiescarried out throughout the course.  It is seen as one of the main vehicles of enabling the student  to identify an aspect of Gerontology and Geriatrics in which to develop a special interest and provides the opportunity  to examine this selected  area in depth - in particular to obtain an understanding of the development of theory and the evolution of policy relating to this aspect, the  implementation of that policy by the agencies concerned and some attempt at evaluation based upon generally available data and upon the collection and analysis of empirical data  by the student.

2.3  The long essay should include a critical analysis of the  issues covered by the topic. Students will be expected to analyse concepts, weigh and assess evidence, and to compare alternative theories and assumptions.

2.4  The long essay should contain a proper balance between the literature review and the rest of the study.
 
 3.0  LONG ESSAY BOARD

3.1  The Long Essay Board shall consist of a Chairperson and 2 (two) other University Staff members. For the year 1998-l999, the Board is composed of:
            Dr.J.Troisi(Chairperson)
            Dr. A.Fiorini
            Rev.Dr.J.Inguanez

3.2  The function of the Board shall be to:-
      a)  approve the topic for the long essay (4.3)
      b)  approve a supervisor (5.1)
      c)  nominate assessors (7.1)
      d)  assess the results (7.2)
      e)  ensure that the relevant Regulations of the University  are applied.
      f)  Consider suggestions of staff in relation to the total  exercise of long essays to be adopted when and where appropriate.
 
 4.0  CHOICE OF TOPIC

4.1  The long essay topic may be chosen from any approved subject area relevant to the programme being followed by the student. It must also relate in a substantive way to an issue in Gerontology and Geriatrics incorporated in the Course curriculum.

4.2  Before making a final choice, students are expected to consult or to seek advice from a member of the Long Essay Board.

4.3  The Board may refuse to accept a proposed topic on the grounds of insufficient relevance to the area of studies or because of unsatisfactory supervisory arrangements.
 
4.4  There is to be a summary of about 100 words stating the purpose of the long essay, the problem to be evaluated and the subject to be investigated (5.3)

4.5  This document will be lodged and the long essay will be expected to defend this submission and will be marked  accordingly.
 
5.0  SUPERVISION ARRANGEMENTS

5.1  The Board will assign a supervisor for each student once the final choice of topic has been approved.  The Board will also receive reports from the long essay supervisor and review individual arrangements as necessary.

5.2  Supervisors can only be members of the University Staff or persons who have lectured during the Course. Whenever necessary, the Board can request a person who is not a University member of staff to act as a specialist assistant.

5.3  All long essay supervisors are required to advise their assigned students on the selection, organisation and presentation of material and to furnish progress reports to the Board when required.  Students are required to consult regularly with their supervisors and to submit to them their work in progress for review.

5.4  An individual student may request the Board to review the supervision of her/his long essay in the light of developments.

5.5  Such a request must be endorsed by the supervisor unless it is a change of supervisor, that is being requested.
 
6.0  OBJECTIVES OF SUPERVISORS

6.1  Supervisors will guide students as to how to approach the writing of the long essay.  However, the following general  points may be kept in mind:-

6.2  The long essay should provide evidence of reading in the appropriate literature.  Credit will be given for using  primary sources.

6.3  There needs to be a balance between the literature review and the rest of the study.

6.4  The long essay should include a critical analysis of issues covered by the topic.  Students will be expected to analyse concepts, weigh and assess evidence, compare alternative theories and assumptions.

6.5  The long essay should be presented in an organised fashion.  The structure of the long essay should be explained at the beginning and sections should be labelled as clearly and meaningfully as possible.

6.6  Long essay supervisors will be required to submit progress reports to the Long Essay Board.

 
7.0  ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

7.1  Each long essay will be assessed independently by the supervisor and by another member of staff nominated by the Long Essay Board. These will propose the grade to be given to the long essay. All such grades will be considered by the Long Essay Board.
 
7.2  The Long Essay Board is finally responsible for awarding an assessment grade to each long essay, so as to seek to ensure comparability of standards of assessment for all long essays.

7.3  An oral to defend the presentation may be requested.
 

8.0  PRESENTATION OF FINISHED WORK

8.1  Each student must submit three (3) copies of their long essay. These copies will remain with the Institute  of Gerontology.

8.2  Each copy is to be hard bound.
 
8.3 Each long essay must be accompanied by a signed statement that the document as presented is the work solely of the student submitting it.

8.4 No long essay can be presented unless the statement in 9.3 is countersigned by the supervisor.

8.5 Each long essay must contain a brief abstract of the work carried out, importance of topic dealt with, methodology used, type of research carried out, etc.
 

9.0 All long essays must adhere to the following:

9.1 Length; As mentioned in 2.2 the length of the long essay should be between 5,000-10,000 words, excluding references, footnotes, statistical, and other data.
Failure to comply with the prescribed word limit will effect the final mark given.
 
9.2 Typing: Double spacing, on A4 paper.  Typing should be accurate.  Occassional neat corrections may be acceptable.

9.3 Title-page:  This must give the title of the long essay and the full name of the student.  It must also carry the  rubric"Long Essay, Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology".together with the date of submission.
 
9.4 Text:  All pages must be clearly and consecutively numbered. Chapters and sections must be clearly indicated by numbers and/or titles. An accurate contents page must be provided.

9.5 Referencing:  All quotations and extended paraphrases must be formally acknowledged.
 References to books and articles should follow establised  custom.  Books must be cited by author, title, year of  publication  and page number.  The title should be underlined.  Articles must be cited by journal title, volume number and year.  The title of the article should be given quotation marks. The title of the journal should be underlined.  All books and articles cited in the text, together with all others consulted must be listed alphabetically in a bibliography at the end of the long essay.

9.6 Binding: The submitted work must be hard bound.
 

Failure to comply with these rules, may result in a reduced mark being awarded.