1

2018-19

Personal Tutoring Handbook 2013/14 1

2

2018-19

Introduction

This document provides information about the roles and responsibilities for students

registered at all levels (PGT, PGR, attending and online learners) and Personal and Academic

Tutors in the tutoring relationship. You will find key information that you need to fulfill

these roles effectively. If you have any questions about the information within this

document, please contact the Teaching Support Unit (TSU) in the first instance.

You can email the TSU team on scharr-pt@sheffied.ac.uk, or for attending students, come to

ScHARR reception on floor 1 of Regent Court. Reception is open 9am – 5pm Monday to

Friday and a member of the TSU team should be available to help with your query.

3

2018-19

Contents

Student support and development Page 4

Aims of handbook Page 5

Student expectation Page 6

Responsibilities of the Tutor Page 7

Responsibilities of the student Page 8

Confidentiality Page 9

Writing skills test essay Page 10

Programme contacts Page 11

Useful University web pages Page 12

4

2018-19

Student support and development

The University is committed to ensuring that all students have access to the best student

support and development available. This requires a coordinated effort across both ScHARR

and student service departments. ScHARR has a range of provision intended to help

students maintain and improve their wellbeing, personal and academic development, and

understanding of University practices, employability, and sense of community. Personal and

Academic Tutoring is one of several mechanisms by which ScHARR delivers this. The

Personal and Academic Tutor is not expected to directly help students with all their support

and development needs. However, it is expected that they will be able to provide tutees with

the information that enables them to access the services and support they need as outlined

below.

5

2018-19

Aims of handbook

• To define the roles and responsibilities of a Personal and Academic Tutor and student in this

relationship.

• To provide links to policies and procedures within the University relevant to Personal and

Academic Tutoring.

• To provide information on student support services within the University.

6

2018-19

Student expectation

• All students will be allocated a named Personal and Academic Tutor within the first month

of commencing their programme.

• All students will be provided with a clear statement regarding the role of the Personal and

Academic Tutor and their own responsibilities in respect of personal tuition.

• In the event of a tutor leaving or being absent from the University for an extended period of

time, or of a breakdown in the relationship between tutor and student that cannot be resolved,

students will be allocated a different tutor.

• Arrangements for meetings with tutors, including the time and location, will be communicated

to students.

• Meetings (or equivalent for online learners) are compulsory once per semester, as a minimum,

and a record of these meetings will be made.

• Online learning students will be able to ‘meet’ their tutor via email, Skype, or whichever

means best suits both parties.

7

2018-19

Responsibilites of the Personal and Academic Tutor

• Provide help and guidance for students to progress through their programme.

• Mark and provide basic feedback on the writing skills test essay in semester one (details at the end

of this document).

• Act as a gateway to other support services.

• Take the initiative in arranging an initial, compulsory tutorial meeting early in the first semester

(potentially after the submission of the writing skills test essay (for students other than PGR)

• Ascertain whether there are any obstacles to a student’s progress and provide information on

available help.

• Emphasize to students that attending personal tutorials is a compulsory part of their academic

development.

• Provide information for staff writing references for students.

• Keep an agreed record of meetings on the Personal and Academic Tutoring System.

• Respond to requests for meetings promptly, and refer to other sources of help if an early meeting is

not possible.

• Be aware of the broader network of support services and to be ready to refer on when

appropriate.

• Act as a link with other members of academic staff and as an advocate for the student if

they are required to do so. For further guidelines please see https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.725859!/file/PersonalandAcademicSupportTutors.pdf

8

2018-19

Responsibilities of the student

• Attend all scheduled personal tutor meetings and respond to email correspondence with your

tutor.

• If unable to attend a tutor meeting they must inform your tutor of the reason you’re unable to

attend at the earliest possible time.

• Undertake any preparation necessary to make full use of the meeting.

• Complete, and submit for the required deadline, the writing skills test essay.

• Respond promptly to requests from your personal tutor for a meeting

• Know how best to contact your tutor in the case of an emergency.

• Keep your tutor informed of circumstances that may have any impact on your studies.

For further guidelines please see: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/lets/pp/support/tutors

9

2018-19

Confidentiality

• The Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act govern good practice

in confidentiality. The guidelines below are based on general good practice.

• Ensuring confidentiality is vital in encouraging students to come forward and seek help

when they need it. Students need to know that any information they give will be treated

with respect and passed on only with their agreement to those who need to know.

• If a tutor is in receipt of sensitive information, which has implications for the student’s

academic process, the student needs to be clear what will happen with that information.

This includes who is told, what they are told, why they are told, and where the

information is to be held or stored. The student needs to understand any steps to be taken,

and give their consent to the information being passed on to the appropriate parties.

• If the information does not have immediate implications for their academic work, the tutor

may want to recommend another source of support or information, but there should be no

need for the information to be passed on to a third party.

• Confidential information about students should not be sent by email. Written information

should be marked ‘confidential’.

• There are exceptional circumstances in which there might be a need to break

confidentiality without the student’s consent: if it is felt that there could be safety issues

for the student, or for others and if there is a legal requirement to disclose information.

10

2018-19

Writing skills test essay

ScHARR requires all new students, both attending and online, to complete a short test essay of

about 800 words. This should show that the student can:

• Summarise the arguments from published papers

• Consider and report on differing views on a topic

• Use appropriate referencing and quotations

• Undertake a basic search for related literature

We will provide students with two source documents, presenting different perspectives on a

topic and specific guidelines for this exercise will be provided.

We ask tutors to provide feedback on writing skills to all personal tutees who are new students

starting their studies in ScHARR and submit it through Turnitin in MOLE. We then ask tutors to

provide feedback on the essay within two weeks. It is important that students get this feedback

before they hand in any assessed course work; the test essay gives them an important opportunity

to test their understanding of academic writing and academic integrity in a safe environment and

get used to using Turnitin.

We ask tutors to provide formative feedback on their own students’ test essays. Students should

receive appropriate qualitative feedback. The tutor can then discuss these with the student when

the student attends their first Personal and Academic Tutorial.

11

2018-19

Programme contacts

If students require a break from their studies, extensions to assignment deadlines or any form of

alternative arrangements, please contact the relevant course administrator:

• MSc Health Economics and Decision Modelling: scharr-hedm@sheffield.ac.uk

• MSc Human Nutrition: human-nutrition@sheffield.ac.uk

• MPH: scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

• MPH (Health Services Research): scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

• MPH (Management and Leadership): scharr-mph@sheffield.ac.uk

• MSc Advanced Emergency Care: scharr-aec@sheffield.ac.uk

• MSc International Health Management and Leadership: scharr-ihml@sheffield.ac.uk

• MSc International Health Technology Assessment: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk

• PGCert Cost Effectiveness Modelling: scharr-ihta@sheffield.ac.uk

• MPH (online): scharr-mph-online@sheffield.ac.uk

• ScHARR PGR students: scharr-pgr@sheffield.ac.uk

Course administrators will direct students to the relevant forms but further information can be found

here https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/current/pgt/attendance

For PGR students: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/scharr/current/pgresearch

Please note: extensions must be arranged before the submission date. Programme handbooks will also

provide information on these processes.

12

2018-19

Useful University web pages

English Language Support https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/eltc/languagesupport/els

Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) General information for all students (student status forms, add/drop forms, module correction forms,

change of address forms, change of status forms, medical certificates, council tax exemption

certificates)

https://su.sheffield.ac.uk/

301: Academic Skills Centre https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/301

Student Advice Centre Professional, impartial, confidential and non-judgemental service, providing advice, support and

representation to help you resolve your problems.

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/contacts/advice

Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/faqs

Things Not Going Right? Online help and support for students

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/sos

Financial Information Including fees, financial help and student loans

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/finance

Disability & Dyslexia Support Service https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/disability

Information for International Students https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/international

University Health Service https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/health

Careers Service

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/prospective/support

Student Job Shop https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/jobs/jobshop

Accommodation https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/accommodation

Counselling Service https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/counselling

Student Access to Mental Health Support

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mental-wellbeing