Summary


Students writing an essay on a negotiated topic are required to have the topic agreed by the module leader before the end of term, and to provide a draft essay structure and an indicative list of sources. In order to ensure there are no last minute crises, I use this approach to ensure that a) students have a good source base for topics that can be very varied (and perhaps not covered in detail in the module and/or the module reading list), and b) aware of the extent of the topic as set by the essay question.


Theory


Negotiated topics can be deceptive in that they offer a way out from a choice requirement where no set question appeals or matches the student’s preferences. However, self-formulated questions can lull students into a false sense of security – the topic feels comfortable and ‘easy’, which often results in preparatory work being postponed until the very last moment. At that stage, students often find that the module reading list does not provide very much choice of sources for their particular topic, that the topic is too wide/narrow to cover in the word limit constraints set, and/or that they do not have access to the sources they need. The levels of anxiety and stress at that point soar unnecessarily. This approach pre-empts this and forces students to look into their preferred topic at a much earlier stage, ideally before they leave campus to go on holiday, i.e. at the stage where they have access to the Library and all its resources. They know before the end of term what sources they will be using, whether and where these are available. The essay structure also provides them with a good understanding of what sources will be needed (i.e. on what topics). They therefore leave for holiday knowing they have sources to cover the topic and can plan their work on the essay to fit with their other activities. They are also aware of deadlines for submitting essay drafts for comment, which introduces another interim milestone ahead of the final submission deadline. Mindful of the potential pitfalls of negotiated topics, this approach provides scaffolding to ensure know issues are avoided as much as possible.


Measurable Benefits


  1. A reduced number of stressed students just before submission time.
  2. A clarity of approach and requirements, with clear rationale.
  3. Better preparedness of students to write their essays (I actually wonder whether I should insist on this for all essays, whether negotiated or not).
  4. On the whole better essay results – students start thinking about the topic early and even if they do not write the essay immediately, the structure of it is in their minds.

How it Works


  1. When creating a reading list, you ensure there is material to cover set essay questions (and other assignments). For negotiated topics you cannot always guarantee this. So you need to decide whether to permit negotiated topics or not.
  2. If you decide to permit negotiated topics, you need to satisfy yourself that students will be able to successfully complete the task AND that you provide them with equivalent level of support as those who select set essays.
  3. That boils down to checking/approving the question and – in my view – having a sight of the proposed sources. In order to come up with sources (and to ensure that the topic is manageable) a student needs to understand what they will write about – that’s where the essay structure comes in.
  4. Deadlines for providing negotiating topics and having them agreed and providing essay structure and sources need to be communicated to students early on in term (I do that at the start of the module and keep reminding them of approaching deadlines through the term).

Individual Perspective


  • Minimal time to implement ahead of the delivery of the module – an additional set of deadlines on essay assessment information.
  • Additional time to be spent checking students’ proposals, but I found that most of the additional time was covered by my office hours.
  • Make sure you plan your time carefully though, especially if you have larger cohorts and/or your cohort is likely to go for the negotiated topic.
  • It did result in better essays overall – more interesting to read and better developed arguments. It also prevents the issue of reading essays on the same topic over and over.