PLS3702/101/3/2024

Tutorial Letter 101/3/2024

Modern Philosophy
PLS3702

Semesters 1 and 2

Department of Philosophy, Practical &

Systematic Theology

This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS
Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION........................................................................................... 5
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .................................................................................. 6
4.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Department .................................................................................................................................. 6
4.3 University ..................................................................................................................................... 6
5 RESOURCES............................................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ....................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 Recommended book(s) ................................................................................................................ 7
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ..................................................................................................... 7
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ............................................................................................... 8
6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme .............................................................................. 9
7 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................ 10
7.1 Course Contents .............................................................................................................................. 10
7.2 Suggested Study Plan ...................................................................................................................... 10
8 PRACTICAL WORK .................................................................................................................. 11
9 ASSESSMENT........................................................................................................................... 11
9.1 Assessment criteria .................................................................................................................... 11
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 14
9.3 Assessment due dates ............................................................................................................... 14
9.4 Submission of assessments ....................................................................................................... 15
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions ......................................................................................... 16
9.5 The assessments ....................................................................................................................... 16
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 17
9.7 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 17
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring ............................................................................................................. 17
10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 18
10.1 Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................. 18
10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 18
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ..................................................... 18

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11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES .................................................................................. 18

12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 18
13 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 19
14 IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 19
15 ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 20

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1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the module PLS3702, Modern Philosophy. We are delighted to have you as a student
this year and wish you every success in your studies.

Please be informed that the Discipline of Philosophy operates according to the semester system. In
other words, if you register in the beginning or shortly before the beginning of the year, and ideally,
you should write the final examination for this module in May/June (first semester students).
Alternatively, you may register in June and ideally, you should write the final examination for this
module then in October/November (second semester students/or those granted an
aegrotat/supplementary). Second semester students who qualify for or are granted an
aegrotat/supplementary examination may write these in the May/June the following year. Once you
have passed the examination you have completed the module and have earned your credits for the
module.

This tutorial letter sets out your programme for the two academic semesters. It is a valuable
document containing important information. You should read this document before doing anything
else. Further, tutorial Letter 101 must be read in conjunction with the study guide for PLS3702. The
purpose of this Tutorial Letter is to guide you through your reading of the prescribed text, and to
facilitate a smoother reading of the prescribed text and the study guide.

A note on the module: This is a demanding module in terms of the kind of study required. In order
to philosophise, one needs to make a very close study of the texts to assimilate a variety of aspects.
For example, the content, style, structure, etc. You are required to present your own considered
critical response which will reflect (to some extent) your understanding of the theory and provide
your reflection upon themes raised. You must set aside time for reading both the study guide and
the texts in the study guide. You will receive feedback tutorial letters (200 series) containing
reflections on how you could have correctly answered the assignment topics. These feedback letters
will also provide an explanation on what to expect in the forthcoming exam.

Blended model of learning: It is important to note that this module is structured according to the
blended model of learning. This refers to the use of various technologies, pedagogies, and platforms
to create a strategic mix of learning context (Rooyen, 2007: 51). To gain the most of your learning
experiences from this module you are advised to make use of the module material (Tutorial letters
and prescribed readings) in conjunction to the various digital platforms like myUnisa.

MyUnisa: The myUnisa teaching platform is a great way to interact with your lecturer as well as other
students registered for this module. Lecturers will communicate updates and information about the
module through the announcements page to the class. These messages will be sent directly to your
myLife email account. It is important that you keep up to date with the announcements. Make sure
to read all the all the announcements that were made before you joined the module so as not to
miss out on any of the previous changes to the module.

Through myUnisa your lecturers will also post extra readings and other learning material, but you
will not be assessed on them in the exam. These will be useful for your learning. Please also make
use of the online discussions with your fellow classmates on the module content. Sharing and
responding to the ideas of others is an excellent way to make sense of the module material.

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It will enrich your learning experience. Your lecturers look forward to interacting with you online so
please introduce yourself in the discussions. You are encouraged to log into the module site on
myUnisa regularly (that is, at least twice per week).

Please also be aware of the Tutorial Letter WYSALLB/301/4/2022. It can be found with your other
tutorial letters on the “official study material” page on myUnisa. This is perhaps the most important
of all the tutorial letters in your study of Philosophy if you find writing an essay-type answer quite
foreign. The second part of this tutorial letter will orientate you about what is expected of you for this
module.

We hope that you will enjoy your study of this module.

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES

2.1 Purpose

This module will be useful to students of all disciplines across all colleges who wish to advance their
critical, analytical and creative thinking skills. Through this module, students will be exposed to the
period of Modernity in the history of Western intellectual thinking. The module equips students with
the knowledge and skills to critically engage with primary and secondary philosophical texts of major
thinkers of modernity, focusing upon the following four thematic areas: metaphysics, epistemology,
ethics, and political philosophy.

Upon completion, the student will be able to identify the roles of modern thinkers in the history of
Philosophy and their continual impact on the development of philosophical discourses. Moreover,
students will be able to analyze and evaluate complex arguments posed by the thinkers they
encounter, being challenged to construct counter-arguments and/or supportive arguments to these
claims.

2.2 Outcomes

Once you have worked through this module, you will be able to:
1. Explore key philosophical concepts, problems, theories, and arguments relating to metaphysics,
epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy in the history of Western Modern Philosophy.
2. Analyse and evaluate selected complex, Philosophical arguments from the modern period of
history of Western philosophy.
3. Appraise various stances – including one’s own – on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and
political philosophy in relation to the theories founded in modern philosophy.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies and
philosophies.

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All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as a result of this you will
notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented by Unisa, together with
the way in which the content is conceptualised in your modules. We encourage you to embrace
these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way within the framework of
transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

For module content related enquiries, you may contact your lecturer. Please email us first as this
is better:

Ms Motlatsi Khosi Prof. Callum Scott

Module Leader Team member

Email: Khosim@unisa.ac.za Email: scottcd@unisa.ac.za

Telephone: +27 12 429 2665

4.2 Department

The following is the contact number for the Discipline of Philosophy. You may contact the discipline
administrator if you are unable to get a hold of your lecturers:

Ms Petronela Sekhukhune
Discipline Administrator
Email: sekhunp@unisa.ac.za
Telephone: +27 12 429 6888

4.3 University

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please include your student number in all correspondence

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed book(s)

There are no prescribed books for this course. The readings are all found within the Study Guide.

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5.2 Recommended book(s)

Russell, B.2009. History of Western philosophy. Routledge, London, United Kingdom.

Swift, A. 2014. 2014. Political Philosophy: A Beginners Guide for Students and Politicians. Third edt.
Polity Press, United Kingdom.
Germino, DL. 1982. Political Philosophy and the Open Society. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State
University Press.
Recommended books can be requested online, via the library catalogue. [Please enter authors and
book titles only]

Recommended books can be requested online, via the library catalogue.

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

Trotter, G. 2006. “Bioethics and deliberative democracy: five warning from Hobbes G. Trotter”,
Journal of Medicine & Philosophy, vol. 31, no. 3, p. 235 – 250.

Rudolph, RM. 1986. “Conflict, egoism and power in Hobbs”, History of Political Thought Vol. 7, no.
1, p. 73 – 88.

Tefan, I. 2012. “David Hume and the critical examination of empiricism”, Agathos: an International
review of the Humanities & Social Sciences, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 23 – 42.

Van de Pitte, F.P. 1985. “Descartes innate ideas”, Kant-Studien: Philosophische Zeitschrift der Kant-
Gesellschaft, vol. 76, pp. 363 – 384.

Nyholm, S. 2017. “Do we always act on Maxims”, Kantian Review, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 233 – 255.

Galvin, R.F. 2019. “Freedom and the fact of reason”, Kantian Review, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 27 – 51.

Schankula, HAS. 1980. “Locke, Descartes, and the science of nature”, Journal of the History of
Ideas, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 459 – 477.

Weintraub, R. 2007. “Separability and concept-empiricism: Hume vs Locke”, British Journal for the
History of Philosophy, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 729 – 743.

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library catalogue. More information is available at:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library webpage

Find e-reserves. More information is available at: http://oasis.unisa.ac.za/search/r

5.4 Library services and resources

The Unisa Library offers a range of information services and resources. The library has
created numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides :

• For brief information on the library, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance

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 • For more detailed library information, go
to http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• Frequently Asked Questions,
visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Frequently-Asked-Questions
• For research support and services such as the Personal Librarian service and the
Information Search Librarian's Literature
Search Request (on your research topic) service,
visit http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-
support.
• For library training for undergraduate
students, visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Training
• Lending Services https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Lending-services
• Services for Postgraduate students
- https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-Postgraduates
• Support and Services for students with disabilities
- https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-students-with-special-
needs
• Library Technology Support -https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
• Finding and using library resources and tools -http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• A–Z list of library databases – https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-help@unisa.ac.za

• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Interlibrary loan service for postgraduate students: libr-ill@unisa.ac.za
• Literature Search Service: Lib-search@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through Unisa.

If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the following
contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodule22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to access
module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment and how to
participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

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Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices and
updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for your
account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after registering
at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official correspondence
with the university, and will remain the official primary e-mail address on record at Unisa. You
remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 The Unisa First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is also true in the
case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning
institution, and it is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It is a mega university, and all our
programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully online learning. It is for this reason that we
thought it necessary to offer first-time students additional/extended support to help them seamlessly navigate
the Unisa teaching and learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. We therefore offer a specialised
student support programme to students enrolling at Unisa for the first time – this is Unisa’s First-Year
Experience (FYE) Programme, designed to provide you with prompt and helpful information about services
that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following FYE services are currently
offered:

FYE Website Email Support

www.unisa.ac.za/FYE fye@unisa.ac.za

FYE1500
Post
myUnisa; Study
Registration
Referrals to Skills; Academic &
Orientation Digital Literacies;
other support
services i.e. etc
Counselling;
Reading & Writing
workshops

To ensure that you do not miss out on important academic and support communication from the
SRU, please check your myLife inbox regularly.

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7 STUDY PLAN
7.1 Course Contents
The module consists of four parts, namely, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics and political
philosophy. These are the four major sub-divisions or sub-disciplines of Western Philosophy. There
is a close connection between two "pairs" of sub-disciplines, that is, between epistemology and
metaphysics, and between ethics and political philosophy. At times, there will be a certain amount
of overlap when we discuss some of the concepts.
Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of the module content, as well as to apply
it to their pre-existing knowledge base, to synthesize these, and to appraise the continued impact of
Modernity on contemporary thinking.
7.2 Suggested Study Plan

Study Unit Prescribed Book (Study Guide) Study

Week

Read the following sections Page Week

numbers

1. 1.1 Introduction p.4-37 Week 1

The European 1.2 René Descartes and Rationalism
enlightenment
1.3 John Locke and empiricism p.37-69 Week 2

1.4 David Hume – the enterprise of laying a p.69-105 Week 3

foundation for all the sciences

Submit Assignment No. 1

2. 2.1 Introduction p. 107- Week 4

187
Ethical thinking: 2.2 John Stuart Mill (1806–1873)
A
Consequentialist
system

3. 3.1 Introduction
Ethical thinking: 3.2 Immanuel Kant (1724–1840)
a non-
consequentialist
system of
outcomes

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4. 4.1 Introduction p. 188- Week 5

205
Political 4.2 Thomas Hobbes’ political theory (1588–1679)
Philosophy:
Social Contract 4.3 John Locke’s political theory (1632–1704)
Theory and
Liberalism

4.4 Liberalism p. 207 - Week 6

222
4.5 Summary
4.6 Self-assessment questions

Submit Assignment No. 2

EXAM REVISION

All the relevant sections in the prescribed book Entire Week 7

study
units

Past exam papers Entire Week 8

Module
Tutorial letter Assessment Questions Contents
Study Guide Self-Assessment Questions

8 PRACTICAL WORK
There is none for this module.

9 ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria

Students will be assessed by assignments in essay format. Assignments are a very important part
of your work in this module. They are an official tool through which lecturers can give feedback to
the students about their performance. Assignments are also linked to exam admission, as we shall
explain in some detail below. You are therefore advised to send them all in and on time. There are
two assignments to submit each semester.

This first and second assignments each carry fifteen per cent (15%) of your final module mark. It is
in your very best interest to submit both assignments because the two assignments together add up
to a total of thirty per cent (30%). You must submit at least one assignment in order to gain admission
into the exam.

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Writing an Assignment:

In writing your assignment, please note that the following criteria will be considered when marking
it:

1. Your ability to identify the statement of the question.

2. Your ability to identify and follow the reasoning of the particular philosopher or philosophy under
study.

3. Your ability to identify and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the reasoning of the
particular philosopher or philosophy under study.

4. Your ability to write in concise and clear English.

5. Your understanding of the key concepts pertaining to a specific philosophical theme.

6. Your ability to be focused, coherent and consistent in your exposition of a philosophy.

7. Your recognition of the necessity to acknowledge your sources by presenting a proper and
consistent reference system as well as providing bibliography at the end of your essay.
Remember that to avoid the acknowledgement of your sources deliberately amounts to theft and,
more appropriately, it is plagiarism. Please note that plagiarism at the university is taken very
seriously and is a disciplinary matter.

8. It is important for you to note that when an essay asks you to ‘critically’ discuss, that entails that
you should not just regurgitate theory. You should provide a discussion of the theory, as well as
an analytical and judicious examination of the theory.

The following question can guide your critical analysis:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the theory?

• What has other scholars proffered in opposition or support of the theory?
• Are the premises and conclusions of the argument sound and valid?
• Is there an exception to the theory? If so, what?

A critical discussion does not mean you have to disagree with the theory. In fact, you could show
how other scholars’ counterarguments are not enough to undermine the theory that you are
defending.

A critical discussion also does not mean that you have to come up with a counterargument all by
yourself. It would be beneficial to you to examine what other scholars have said about the
theory/theorist you are discussing i.e. you need to show that you understand the debate surrounding
the issue. We are dealing with philosophers that lived hundreds of years ago and there have been
thousands of books and articles written about each little aspect of their work – utilize that!

Over and above the quality of your academic writing and the strengths of the arguments that you
offer, you need to be able to structure your essay with clarity and cohesion. Some practical tips:

- Write at least 3 or 4 drafts of your essay before submission, and more if possible. I do not want
to see your first effort; I want to see your best effort.

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- Make sure that every sentence links with the previous sentence. Make sure that every paragraph
links with the next paragraph. This will ensure logical flow and overall cohesion.

- You are welcome to send me a draft of your essay before submission (at least 1 week before
the deadline) – Your lecturers can give some comments and feedback before submission.

- Please type your essays. If, for some reason, you really cannot type your paper please ensure
your writing is legible.

- Please always ensure the correct spelling and grammar.

- Submit all your assignment electronically.

Marking Rubric: To assist you with your essay writing so that you include these given requirements
please use the marking rubric given in the Addendum of this tutorial letter (page 20). The rubric gives
a “checklist” of items needed for you to complete your essay.

The following provides you with some guidelines on answering assignment question. Its contents
are related to the course outcomes, of what is expected of you in assessments.

Outcome 1:
Demonstrate an understanding of the key philosophical concepts, problems, theories, and
arguments relating to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy in Modernity
as presented in the study material.
Assessment Criteria:
• The analysis or explanation given supports the argument.
• Information was strongly contextualised.
• Themes were identified and explained with depth of understanding.
• The core concepts and themes were correctly identified.
• The correct sources were drawn upon to support key points.
• An awareness of central issues debated in the period of Modernity.
Discuss philosophical problems from this period.
Outcome 2:
Demonstrate competence when analysing and evaluating complex arguments. You must be
able to explain why a theoretical approach is strong or weak;
Assessment Criteria:
• Identify and follow the arguments presented by specific thinkers.
• Analyse, consolidate and appreciate the various perspectives of philosophical
thinking in arguments presented in the module.
• Rationally evaluate arguments presented.
• Understand the theoretical frameworks and dimensions of philosophical thinking.

Outcome 3:

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 Development of a critical attitude related to issues of one’s own and others’ stances on
metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.
Assessment Criteria:
• Ability to bring theoretical critiques as presented in study material into dialogue with
one’s own positions on the aforementioned themes.
• To engage critically with individual understandings of these issues.
• To develop counterarguments to those presented.

At third year level, you need to read more widely than just the Study Guide (Available on myUnisa
under the ‘Official Study Material). To this end, it will benefit you to use other academic sources
found in the library. A useful guideline would be to consult at least five journal articles and one book,
over and above the prescribed reading, for each essay you write.

Be wary of using sources found on the internet, as authorship is not always clear and it is difficult to
verify whether the content is peer-reviewed and blind-reviewed. There are a few exceptions that
apply. For example, The Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy < http://plato.stanford.edu/ >, The
Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy < www.iep.utm.edu >, and Google Scholar <
http://scholar.google.co.za/ > are all academically reputable sources.

9.2 Assessment plan

• To complete this module, you will be required to submit 2 assessments.

• All information about when and where to submit your assessments will be made available to
you via the myModules site for your module.
• Due dates for assessments, as well as the actual assessments are available on the
myModules site for this module.
• To gain admission to the examination, you will be required to submit 1 assignment.
• The assignment weighting for the module is 30%. This first and second assignments each
carry fifteen per cent (15%) of your final module mark.
• You will receive examination information via the myModules sites. Please watch out for
announcements on how examinations for the modules for which you are registered will be
conducted.
• The examination will count 70% towards the final module mark.

9.3 Assessment due dates

• There are no assignment due dates included in this tutorial letter.

• Assignment due dates will be made available to you on the myUnisa landing page for this
module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for the module.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates for
the submission of the assessments.

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9.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving towards

becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place online.
We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where learning
material will be available online and where assessments should be completed. This is an
online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational material to
students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the myModules
2024 button to access the online sites for the modules that you are registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to ensure

that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning management
system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site regularly, as this is
where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will see
a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will see the
assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some assessments may
be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some forum discussions, and so
on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment shells available on the respective
module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to complete
the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1, Assessment 2, etc.).
There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you. When the assessment is
open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time available to you. Quiz
assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter (Tutorial Letter 101) and are only
made available online. You must therefore access the quiz online and complete it online
where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop computer,
tablet or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find it difficult to
navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle to navigate
between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell phones are more
vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all possible, please do
not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on myModules.
You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules site of the modules
that you are registered for.

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 Before you finalise the upload, double check that you have selected the correct file for upload.
Remember, no marks can be allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.

9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions

All assignments are defined as either optional, mandatory, compulsory, or elective.

• Elective assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
- The best of the required submissions will count.
• Mandatory assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
• Compulsory assignments
- If not submitted, the result on the student’s academic record will be absent.
• Optional assignments – You are encouraged as a student to do optional assignment
so that it may benefit your learning.

I. Elective assignments
a. the student is given a choice of which assignments within an identified group to submit,
only the best result(-s), the number of which is specified in advance, will contribute
towards the year mark.
b. elective assignments must also be grouped into an elective group.
c. for the student to select which assignment to submit, the elective assignments must be
grouped together. For such an elective group, relevant information must be provided to
the student, such as how many of the assignments must be submitted and how many of
the assignment marks should be combined into the year mark.
d. The selection criteria define how marks received for assignments in an elective group are
to be combined into the year mark. Three different criteria may be used for calculating the
year mark:
• The best mark should be used, or
• If the student submits fewer than the required number of assignments per group or no
assignment in a group, a mark of 0% will be used.
• 0% is awarded to all non-submitted or unmarked assessments. A best mark is then
calculated from all items.

II. Mandatory assignments

a. contribute to the year mark.
b. If a student fails to submit a mandatory assignment, no mark is awarded and the year
mark is calculated accordingly. The student will therefore forfeit the marks attached to this
assignment when the final mark for the module is calculated.
III. Compulsory Assessment
a. when not submitted, the student will fail a Continuous Assessment module but will be
shown as absent from the examination in the case of other modules.

IV. Optional assignments – You are encouraged as a student to do optional assignment so

that it may benefit your learning.

9.5 The assessments

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete 2 assessments for this module. Details on the
assessments….
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There are no assignments included in this tutorial letter. Assignments and due dates will be
made available to you on myModules for this module. We envisage that the due dates will be
available to you upon registration.

9.6 Other assessment methods

There are no other assessment methods for this module.

9.7 The examination

Examination information and details on the format of the examination will be made available to you
online via the myUnisa site. Look out for information that will be shared with you by your lecturer and
e-tutors (where relevant) and for communication from the university.

9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring

Since 2020 Unisa conducts all its assessments online. Given stringent requirements from
professional bodies and increased solicitations of Unisa’s students by third parties to unlawfully
assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations, the University is obliged to assure
its assessment integrity through the utilisation of various proctoring tools: Turnitin, Moodle
Proctoring, the Invigilator App and IRIS. These tools will authenticate the student’s identity and flag
suspicious behaviour to assure credibility of students’ responses during assessments. The
description below is for your benefit as you may encounter any or all of these in your registered
modules:

Turnitin is a plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and ghost
writing. Students are expected to submit typed responses for utilisation of the Turnitin software.

The Moodle Proctoring tool is a facial recognition software that authenticates students’ identity
during their Quiz assessments. This tool requires access to a student’s mobile or laptop camera.
Students must ensure their camera is activated in their browser settings prior to their assessments.

The Invigilator “mobile application-based service does verification” of the identity of an

assessment participant. The Invigilator Mobile Application detects student dishonesty-by-proxy and
ensures that the assessment participant is the registered student. This invigilation tool requires
students to download the app from their Play Store (Google, Huawei and Apple) on their mobile
devices (camera enabled) prior to their assessment.

IRIS Invigilation software verifies the identity of a student during assessment and provides for both
manual and automated facial verification. It has the ability to record and review a student’s
assessment session. It flags suspicious behaviour by the students for review by an academic
administrator. IRIS software requires installation on students’ laptop devices that are enabled with
a webcam.

Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious dishonest behaviour arising from the
invigilation and proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceeding.

Please note:

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Students must refer to their module assessment information on their myModule sites to determine
which proctoring or invigilation tool will be utilised for their formative and summative assessments.

10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
10.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as your
own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.
10.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another student
during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files, this forms part of examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).
10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact Ms Khosi (Khosim@unisa.ac.za) to discuss the assistance
that you need.

12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I buy the prescribed book?

Answer: There is no prescribed book for this course. The readings are provided in the Study Guide.

Can you please grant me an extension for assignment no. 1?

Answer: Please note that there will be no extension for this assignment. Assignment No. 1 in both
semesters is a compulsory assignment. Not only is this assignment compulsory, it is also very unique
and special. It is a “subsidy assignment” and as such indicates to us at UNISA and to the National
Department of Education in the country that you are an active student. As a result, the Department
of Education subsidizes the university based on the submission of this assignment. Failure to submit
this assignment at all or to submit it timeously will disable the university to get any financial
assistance from government for enrolling you in this module.
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It is for this reason that the university has decided to make this assignment a special indicator of
your enrolment in the module. You are therefore strongly urged to submit this assignment. You are
also advised to keep a copy of the completed assignment, so that in the event that this assignment
is lost on its way to or from the university, you will have the necessary proof that you did work on it.

I have not received my assignment back. When will I get it?

Answer: Enquiries about assignments submitted by post (e.g. whether or not the university has
received your assignment or the date on which an assignment was returned to you) must be
addressed to the Assignment department. See your booklet, Study @ Unisa. Assignment results will
be released after 21 days from the submission date, regardless of whether you submitted earlier.

Do I need to know all the material in the prescribed book and the study guide for examination
purpose?

Answer: You will need to learn from the Study guide and the Feedback Tutorial letters (200 series).
You will receive another tutorial letter towards the end of the semester in which further guidelines
and instructions for the exams and will be forwarded to you.

13 SOURCES CONSULTED
Prinsloo, P. & Rooyen, van AA; 2007. ‘Exploring a blended learning approach to improving
student success in the teaching of second year accounting’ Meditari Accountancy Research, vol.
15, no. 1, pp. 51-69

14 IN CLOSING
We hope you will enjoy studying this module. Please feel free to call or e-mail us whenever you need
help especially in matters relating to the content of this module. We urge you to cultivate a habit
of logging into myUnisa in order to check for our posted messages in the ‘Announcements’
and ‘Additional study material’. You may also want to chat with your fellow students and share
your additional assessment answers through the ‘discussion’ tool.

©
Unisa 2024

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15 ADDENDUM

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