The First Day of the Somme (HIH1506)
| Staff | Dr Tim Rees - Convenor Dr Laura Rowe - Convenor |
|---|---|
| Credit Value | 15 |
| ECTS Value | 7.5 |
| NQF Level | 4 |
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Co-requisites | None |
| Duration of Module | Term 2: 11 weeks; |
Module aims
This module aims to use sources related to the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, to explore the nature of the battle, its impact on British experience during the Great War, and its central place in the representations of war.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. Understand and assess the nature of the Battle of the Somme, its impact on British experience during the Great War, and its central place in the representations of war
- 2. Work critically with a range of written and visual sources for the history of the First World War, with particular reference to the Battle of the Somme
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 3. Identify the problems of using historical sources, e.g. utility, limitations, etc., and compare the validity of different types of source
- 4. Present historical arguments and answer questions orally
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 5. Conduct independent study and group work, including the presentation of material for group discussion, developed through the mode of learning
- 6. Digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment
- 7. Write to a tight word-limit
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
The module will look at different kinds of sources for the study of the Somme- memoirs, oral histories, photographs, film, novels, poetry, official records, memorials - to ask whether we can have a definitive version of the Battle and its place in British history.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 2 | Workshop |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 18 | 9 x 2-hour seminars. |
| Guided independent learning | 128 | Reading and preparation. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group presentation (3-4 students) | 10-15 minutes | 1-6 | Oral |
| Source commentary | 850 words | 1-7 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source commentary 1 | 33 | 850 words | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| Source commentary 2 | 33 | 850 words | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| Source commentary 3 | 34 | 850 words | 1-3, 5-7 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source commentary 1 (850 words) | Source commentary (850 words) | 1-3, 5-7 | Referral/deferral period |
| Source commentary 2 (850 words) | Source commentary (850 words) | 1-3, 5-7 | Referral/deferral period |
| Source commentary 3 (850 words) | Source commentary (850 words) | 1-3, 5-7 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- M.Middlebrook, The First Day on the Somme (Penguin, 1965)
- G. Sheffield, The Somme (Cassell MIlitary, 2003)
- G. Gliddon, The Legacy of the Somme 1916: the Battle in Fact, Film and Fiction (Sutton, 1996)
- J. Masefield, The Old Front Line (Heinmann, 1917)
- Doulgas Haig, Douglas Haig: War Diaries and Letters (Weidenfield and Nicholson, 2005)
- Department of Information Film Unit, The Battle of the Somme (1916)
- L.Macdonald, The Somme (Penguin, 1983)
- R.Graves, Goodbye to All That (Penguin, 1929)
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Available as distance learning?
No
Origin date
2006
Last revision date
02/05/2023