KRMALLR/301/4/2023

Tutorial Letter 301/4/2023

KRMALLR

All periods

Department of Criminology and Security

Science
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS

Page

1. INTRODUCTION 3

1.1 A word of welcome 3

1.2 The purpose of Tutorial Letter 301 3
1.3 Finding your way around the study package 4

2. ORIENTATION TO ODEL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEPARTMENT 4

2.1 The nature of open distance eLearning (ODeL) 4

2.2 What the Department expects from you 4
2.3 What you can expect from the University 5

3. LEARNING STRATEGIES 5

3.1 Estimating your time 6

3.2 Reading for understanding 6
3.3 Making your own glossary 7
3.4 Establish your own learning strategies 7
3.5 Assignments 8
3.5.1 The value of assignments 8
3.5.2 Writing your assignment 9
3.5.3 Researching the assignment topic(s) 11
3.5.4 Answering the assignment 11
3.5.5 Technical care of your assignment 13
3.5.6 How to approach Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) 15
3.6 Preparing for the examination 16
3.6.1 Planning and revising 16
3.6.2 During the examination 16
3.6.3 Supplementary/aegrotat examination 16

4. ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR AS A STUDENT 17

4.1 Plagiarism 17
4.1.1 Did you know that plagiarism is a form of dishonesty? 17
4.1.2 Plagiarism in assignments and during exams 17
4.2 Referencing techniques and citing sources 17

ANNUAL STUDY PROGRAMME 18

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 A word of welcome

It gives me pleasure to welcome you as a student in the Department of Criminology and

Security Science. We offer a range of qualifications ranging from Diploma, BA to doctoral
levels. Graduates contribute to our society and economy in various ways and I am therefore
pleased that you have chosen this field of study. I hope that you will complete your studies
successfully and find them relevant to your chosen career. I also hope that your study
experience at Unisa will be both pleasant and stimulating.

This tutorial letter contains important information that will assist you in your studies in the
Department of Criminology and Security Science. Please read it carefully and keep it at
hand when working through the study material, preparing the assignment(s), preparing for
the examination, and addressing questions to your lecturers.

At the onset, it is very important to remind you that you must read all the tutorial letters
you receive during the semester immediately and carefully. The information they contain
is always important and may well be urgent. They may also contain additional study
material or information about recent developments in the law that is prescribed for the
examination.

Please note that students must visit the myUnisa website of the respective modules
on a regular basis to access the latest announcements. Announcements will also be
e-mailed to students’ myLife e-mail accounts. Students will therefore never be in a
position where they are not informed about announcements.

If you cannot access the myUnisa website from a personal computer please visit an Internet
café, regional centre, library, or post office where these facilities are available to the public. It
is your own responsibility to ensure that you are up to date with all the relevant
announcements.

Postgraduate students, including, honours students, follow their own unique study
programme and the semester-based tuition requirements do not apply to them. Honours,
Master, and, Doctoral students must please consult the "Information regarding postgraduate
courses in Criminology" brochure in addition to relevant information in this tutorial letter.

Enjoy your studies. I wish you all the best!

Mr Tinyiku David Ngoveni

Chair: Department of Criminology & Security Science
Tel 012 433 9510/079 354 4919

1.2 The purpose of Tutorial Letter 301

The purpose of Tutorial Letter 301 is to provide you with an orientation to your studies in the
Department of Criminology and Security Science.

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1.3 Finding your way around the study package

In addition to this Tutorial Letter 301, you will receive study material and Tutorial Letter
101/2023 relevant to the modules you are registered. The study material that was not
available when you registered will be posted to you as soon as possible, but it is also
available online for you on myUnisa.

You should immediately read Tutorial Letter 101/2023: SCHEME OF WORK, STUDY
RESOURCES, AND ASSIGNMENTS of all the modules for which you are registered.
Tutorial Letter 101 will also tell you which prescribed books, if any, you need to buy.

Note the submission dates of the assignments for all your modules. Then plan your
study programme in such a way that you will be able to submit all your assignments on time.

On the last page of this tutorial, letter we have included a study year planner (calendar). We
encourage you to complete it by including important dates (e.g. submission dates of
assignments, examination dates, and dates of discussion classes) for all the modules for
which you are registered in 2023.

2. ORIENTATION TO ODeL IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEPARTMENT

2.1 The nature of open distance eLearning (ODeL)

You have chosen to register at Unisa, which is an open distance learning institution of higher
education. What does this mean for you?

First, you might have been given access to the University because of its ‘open’ nature
without necessarily having the skills to cope at a University; for example, because you have
been out of the education system for a long time. However, these skills can be learned. Now
that you are registered, you will have access to resources that will help you to make a
success of your studies: study material, assignments, the Library, lecturers, tutors, literacy
counsellors to assist with study skills, peer groups, the online learning management system
myUnisa, and so on. You need to use these resources wisely to help yourself succeed in an
ODeL institution.

Secondly, distance education usually provides an independent study package. Many people
are not used to studying completely in isolation from the institution, their teachers, and their
fellow students. Many distance education students feel lonely and drop out. As mentioned in
the previous paragraph, there are resources available to bridge this distance and to offer you
support. Please use them.

2.2 What the Department expects from you

In this Department we expect students who register for this qualification to be able to:
• Learn from online and/or written material
• Communicate what they have learned comprehensibly in the medium of instruction
• Demonstrate academic and professional literacy
• Engage in critical and creative thinking in the domain of crime, criminality, law
enforcement and safety, and security

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• Think contextually, in other words, reflect on learning from individual experience and
academic disciplines in relation to crime, safety, and security issues and how they are
affected by political, social, cultural, technological, and economic realities, locally and
globally
• Deal with problems in the field of Criminology in everyday life
• Engage with other role players to identify, describe, and evaluate crime and criminological
problems
• Transfer successful learning strategies across modules
• Evaluate the strategies’ own performance against given criteria
• Arrive at an informed understanding of what happens to criminological knowledge in a
new technological context as it applies to crime, safety, and security issues
• Demonstrate people skills in the context of criminology, crime, law enforcement, and
maintaining safety and security
• Use appropriate research methodologies to access knowledge in the field of Criminology
• Demonstrate sensitivity to attitudes and values relevant to a fair, just, and democratic
society

It is your responsibility to take ownership of your studies and contact the relevant lecturers if
guidance is required.

2.3 What you can expect from the University

You can expect:

• An up-to-date study material that helps you to:

o Prioritise the important information presented in that course
o Understand the main ideas and debates in the area of study
o Learn the terms and concepts important to your chosen field
o Apply what you are learning to relevant contexts
o Integrate other media such as the textbook, myUnisa, and so forth
• Tutorial assistance at learning centres or online
• Library orientation and services
• Career and study skills counselling
• Assistance with literacy and numeracy problems
• Opportunities to submit assignments and receive constructive feedback before the
examination

3. LEARNING STRATEGIES

This section of the tutorial letter will provide you with some guidelines on estimating your
time, planning/ goal setting, using effective learning strategies, and how to approach written
and multiple-choice assignments.

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3.1 Estimating your time

Students often register for more modules than they can handle given their current life
circumstances. You can estimate the demands of the course and the time you have
available by completing the following timesheet.

STUDENT TIMESHEET: ALL COMMITMENTS

The following timesheet guides you to estimate the amount of time you spend on regular
work and life activities in a week, so that you can discover the number of hours you have
available for study. Each Unisa module needs 120 hours of study, spread across different
activities. For a semester of twelve to fifteen weeks, you must have about eight to ten hours
a week available for each module.
The more accurate your calculation, the more realistic you can be about how many
modules you can take at a time. Potentially, in a week, you have 168 hours.
Hours already committed each week before studies:
Sleep (e.g. seven hours a night = 49) __________
Meals __________
Personal hygiene __________
Household work (e.g. cleaning, preparing food, childcare, gardening)
__________
Employment __________
Travelling __________
Errands (e.g. shopping) __________
Socialising
__________
TOTAL COMMITTED __________

Hours available for study: 168 – Total committed = __________

If you divide this number by eight or ten, you can estimate the maximum number of
modules that you should be doing in a semester.

Keep up the number of hours required in a week. One of the big dangers in distance
education is that a crisis such as a sudden illness can throw you off track; then you fall
behind and drop out. If such a crisis occurs, be flexible and recalculate your time so that
you can catch up. This is easier to do if you were on track before the crisis. Immediately
consult your lecturer for advice if you fall behind.

Once you have estimated your time, set some short and long-term goals to ensure that you
manage your work efficiently.

3.2 Reading for understanding

You need to ‘read’ your study package so that you can navigate your way around it
successfully. Check the titles of every document you receive in the package. This tutorial
letter and Tutorial Letter 101 have the information READ NOW, which shows their
importance. Your study material is also important, and you should look for a start at the table
of contents which gives the high-level headings and will orientate you to the scope and
content of the module.

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The study material is constructed in such a manner that each study unit builds on the
previous one. We expect you to master the study material in such a way that you understand
all the information and arguments set out in the study units and the definitions of words. You
must not only understand the information but also be able to interpret it and discuss it in your
own words. Forming only vague impressions of the study material and presenting superficial
arguments on it will not be sufficient; you must ensure that you have a thorough
understanding of the study material and have mastered the details.

We recommend that you first read through the study material to get an overview of the
content and become familiar with the different topics and how they are arranged in a specific
order. Thereafter, you should study the subject matter in the study units and assess your
progress with the aid of the activities and self-assessment exercises/tasks.

3.3 Making your own glossary

A glossary is like a dictionary: it gives you a word or phrase and the meaning of that phrase.
You could start to build up an alphabetical list of new terms that are explained in the study
material or textbook and add examples to make the meaning even clearer. You might even
wish to write an explanation in your own language if you are using English as an additional
language. Also, note that a glossary might be included in your study material. Study these
words as they are important terms you need to master.

3.4 Establish your own learning strategies

The most common barrier to successful studies is a lack of effective techniques for study
and exam preparation. Here are some suggestions to increase your effectiveness as a
student. Making good notes (summaries) is of vital importance.

Be involved in your studies. Attend and actively take part in group discussions and
discussion forums on myUnisa. It is also a good idea to become part of a study group.
Review your study notes frequently and do not procrastinate. Keep up on your reading and
consult additional study material as required.

Using your study material

When you first approach the first page of your study material, page through it briefly to
familiarise yourself with the contents of the different themes. When you have finished
surveying the different themes, return to the beginning and read in more detail. Remember to
concentrate on understanding. Don't simply read through the words. Any words which you
don't understand you should look up in a dictionary. You may also want to write definitions,
observations and other useful notes in the margins of your study material. Concentrate on
understanding the subject content of the material. Also, make notes of those things which
you don't understand and ask the relevant lecturer, tutor, or fellow students in your study
group to clarify those points. After you have worked through a theme, test your knowledge
and understanding by answering the self-evaluation questions in your study material.

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Preparing Assignments

• Don't leave assignments until the day before they are due!

Remember that assignments require quite a bit of research before you can even begin
writing. In most cases, it is impossible to accomplish the necessary preparation in one day or
even one week.

• Be aware of the appearance of the work you submit

You should want to be proud of every assignment you submit, and that includes being proud
of its appearance. The assignment represents the quality of your work, and the marker will
penalise you if you don’t adhere to the scientific requirements. It is important to proofread
your assignment and rectify any mistakes before submitting it.

Preparing for Exams

Keep in mind that you want to be an active learner, not a passive one. The more you
engage with the information the better you will understand and retain it in your memory. Do
not wait until the day or night before an exam to study! A good first step, in preparation,
is to read through your notes a couple of times. While you are doing this, you might also
highlight major topics and subtopics, with the goal of generating an outline of your notes
and developing an overall detailed picture of the factual information. When you study a large
body of information, you should study from concept to detail, not the other way around. In
other words, start with the headings, followed by the definition of key concepts, and then
study the factual information. It will, in fact, be much easier to learn the details if you take the
time to learn the concept and theory first. The least efficient approach to studying is to
attempt to memorise your notes from beginning to end. It's not the words that are
important - it's the ideas and your understanding thereof.

One of the most universally effective ways to polish off your study activities is to prepare a
self-test such as a mock examination. Never, ever pull an "All-Nighter" on the night
before an exam. What you may gain from extra study time won't compensate for the loss of
alertness and ability to concentrate due to lack of sleep.

3.5 Assignments

3.5.1 The value of assignments

The importance of doing assignments cannot be over-emphasised. Assignments, like the

activities in the study material, form an extremely important part of the learning in the
module. Comments on assignments are usually detailed. If you read these comments and
relate them to what you wrote in your assignment, you will benefit when revising the work for
examination purposes. Assignments also prepare you for the examinations by giving you a
chance to practice for the final assessment.

Essentially, assignments and examinations have different purposes. An assignment is

meant to help you to learn and often focuses on only one or two outcomes. Don’t be afraid
of making mistakes in assignments: that is often the way we learn. An examination is proof
of mastery of the learning outcomes for the module.

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Your assignments also contribute to:

• Examination admission
• A year-mark

The purposes of the assignments are as follows:

• To engage actively and learn through doing and receiving feedback

• To motivate you to work through all the study material and achieve all the outcomes
• To learn the reading and writing skills expected of a future professional
• To practice synthesising from various sources; that is, combining different ideas and
arguments in a single answer
• To practice collecting material and presenting ideas/ arguments in a logical, ordered
fashion using convincing arguments (merely copying the study material is not
acceptable)
• To learn to use assessment criteria and feedback on assignments to increase your
ability to self-assess
• To evaluate your own arguments and submissions and you should, therefore, acquire
this skill as soon as possible

In the Department of Criminology and Security Science, we require you to present and
structure your essay and paragraph-type assignments according to a particular method. This
tutorial letter should be studied in conjunction with Tutorial Letter 101 for each module in this
regard.

Your assignment answers must satisfy certain requirements for scientific and academic
writing. It is, therefore, important that you read this tutorial letter before attempting to write an
assignment answer. As you progress with your studies, you will have to become increasingly
careful in the application of the scientific method for writing assignments. Please note that
you will be penalised if your assignment answers do not comply with these requirements.

3.5.2 Writing your assignment

An assignment is a scientific document and, therefore, must comply with scientific

requirements. It must be systematic, form a logical unit and be verifiable by the reader.

The first step in compiling an assignment is to study the question carefully in order to
ascertain exactly what is required of you. Break down the question into verbs and key
concepts, making sure you understand the verb describing the instruction (discuss, describe,
critically analyse, etc.) properly. The following words indicate what is expected of you when
you answer the assignment questions. These words enable you to decide on the focus of the
assignment.

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 Question word
(Instruction) Meaning
Indicate State briefly, in broad outline, without detail. An indication gives the
reader the general idea of the matter.
Analyse Divide into sections or elements and discuss in full.
Define State the precise meaning of a term as you use it in your assignment
answer. The definition should ensure that the term has only one meaning
and that it cannot be confused with other terms. This often means that
you will have to read a number of definitions before arriving at a
substantiated decision on the precise meaning you will attach to the term
in the relevant assignment.
Distinguish Provide definitions, but also indicate similarities and differences.
Describe Give an account of the characteristics or properties of a matter in such a
way that your reader can recognise it and not confuse it with anything
else. A description tells you ‘what it is like’. You can be asked for physical
descriptions or descriptions of processes, for instance.
Explain Write about the topic in such a way that the reader gains a better
understanding of the important underlying facts. An explanation tells the
reader ‘why a thing is the way it is’.
Compare Set out how things differ from one another and in what ways they are
similar. A good comparison also says ‘why it is so’.
Discuss This implies that there are various explanations of, or opinions about, the
topic you have to discuss. You must state what these are and show how
and why they may correspond or differ. ‘Discuss’ often involves weighing
up arguments for and against something.
Evaluate Assess or ‘determine the value of something. This means that you should
have criteria against which you can measure something; the end result
should be the formulation of your own informed opinion of the matter.
You may approve, disapprove or suggest a modification of whatever you
have to evaluate. Evaluation usually implies comparison and should
always be substantiated, that is based on soundly formulated reasons.
Examine Look at/ observe, identify the problem or the characteristics, describe
what you have observed, and then critically discuss a topic in terms of
definite criteria or guidelines and possibly suggest solutions.
Summarise Give the key aspects of a topic.
Illustrate Give examples or draw a diagram to make a particular topic or subject
clearer.
Interpret Specific information is given, and you have to say what it means in a
particular context or according to certain criteria. Your explanation should
be as practical as possible.
Criticise Academic ‘criticism’ looks at both good and bad characteristics. Identify
these characteristics and give your opinion after taking all the facts into
account, applying what you have learned, or looking at given criteria.

The instructions given with each assignment should make it quite clear what is required. If
you do not understand an assignment, contact your lecturer or tutor, who will gladly assist
you. However, do not do this until you have read extensively on the assignment topic,
as an assignment topic often becomes clearer once you have done some reading on
it.

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3.5.3 Researching the assignment topic(s)

Read the relevant sections in your study material and prescribed and/or recommended
books, where applicable. This will give you a broad outline of the important aspects of the
topic. Subject terms with which you are unfamiliar will usually be defined in the study
material, prescribed and/or recommended books.

To understand the content and meaning of the text, bear the following in mind:

• Headings and sub-headings indicate what the text is about. These will help you to
anticipate which aspects are dealt with in a particular section, and to select the sections
of a book or article that are relevant to your topic.
• Try to find the key sentence of each paragraph to identify the main points. Do not
underline or write in library books. The key sentence opens the meaning of the rest of
the paragraph. It is often but not always the first sentence of a paragraph. If you skim a
text – that is, read only the first sentence of each paragraph – you should have a good
idea of what the broad outline of that reading is.

Once you have decided that a source will be useful for a particular assignment, you can set
about collecting the relevant information. This means you must select the information that
relates specifically to the assignment question(s).

Bear in mind that the author of the book or article is not necessarily concentrating on your
particular topic and may include too much detail on matters that are not directly relevant to
your requirements. When reading, you must select and make notes only about the
information that is relevant to the assignment topic. This information will help you to
substantiate (support) your point of view about the topic.

3.5.4 Answering the assignment

You have now read the assignment carefully and decided what is required in your answer.
You have also read various sources and made notes. Now you can begin to write your
assignment answer.

There are several stages to completing an essay-type assignment:

• Planning your assignment answer

• Writing the first draft of your assignment answer
• Evaluating this draft yourself, based on the given assessment criteria
• Redrafting the answer for submission to the assignment section through the myUnisa
Moodle platform

Planning your assignment answer

Before you start writing your assignment answer, you need to plan how you are going to turn
your notes into a scientific and academic discussion. The following suggestions may help.

Read the assignment topic again to refresh your memory. Look at the headings,
subheadings, and other details you wrote in your notes, and consider whether these will help
you to compile an answer. If not, you need to return to your sources to find more information.

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Writing your assignment answer

Make use of the following format when you write the assignment:

Title

Provide the assignment with a cover page (title page), denoting the title of the assignment.
Use the exact words as formulated in your tutorial letters for each assignment.

Table of contents

Provide a complete table of contents on a separate page. A table of contents should reflect
the headings and subheadings in the assignment, followed by the relevant page numbers.

Introduction

Start the introduction with an interpretation of the topic (a short explanation in your own
words of your understanding of the field of study of the assignment: that is, the task that
must be executed). A mere repetition or paraphrase of the topic as it appears on myUnisa
would, therefore, give no indication of your own understanding of the topic.

The reason why you must interpret the topic is to make sure that you understand exactly
what you have to do so that while you are collecting information and making notes, you will
be certain that you are concentrating on matters which are relevant to the topic. A good
interpretation outlines the main field of study of the topic and focuses directly on the
assignment topic.

The introduction could include a problem statement. The purpose of the problem statement
is to put the topic in proper context, state what the central point of dispute is, and indicate the
steps to be followed in the investigation or discussion of the topic.

Definition of key concepts

Define the key concepts under a separate heading. The particular concepts to be defined
are derived from the title and main headings of the assignment. For this purpose, it is
imperative to consult your study material, a scientific dictionary, or textbook on the subject.
You should quote specific definitions and describe, in your own words, the meaning you
attach to the concept for the purpose of the particular assignment. (Your own definition of
the concept is called an operational definition.) To define a concept means to precisely state
the meaning or essence of the concept.

Discussion of the topic

The ‘main discussion’ forms the biggest part of your assignment answer. The problems that
you have identified in the problem statement are discussed here. It is here that you will
develop your main argument and give reasons for your answer. The ‘main discussion’ of
your assignment answer should be divided into sections according to the headings and
subheadings that you have already identified in your notes. (Do not use ‘main discussion’
as a heading in your essay.) For each main point you should have a heading and, if
necessary, subheadings. Headings and subheadings must be numbered. Use Arabic
numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) and decimal points for numbering subheadings (1.1, 1.2, etc.).

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Your discussion under each heading must be divided into paragraphs. A good paragraph:

• Deals with one main idea or topic, preferably stated in the first sentence
• Contains all the explanations, details, and examples that support the main idea
• Shows how the information is linked to the assignment topic
• Does not contain irrelevant information and does not repeat information

Do not copy word for word from your sources, although you may use short, fully
referenced quotations within your essay (‘short’ being defined as between a phrase of two or
three words up to about three lines). Do not replicate the contents of the study material and
other sources too much. Rather use your own words as much as possible. Do not adhere
slavishly to the study material, especially with headings and examples. The study material
should only be used as a guide. You are expected to consult additional sources when
you write an assignment.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay. It should relate to the topic(s) of the
assignment.

The main points of the assignment answer may be summarised here, but no new
information should be included in the conclusion. Here you should also state the
impressions you have gained and the conclusions you have arrived at on the strength of the
preceding discussion.

A good conclusion:

• Summarises the main argument and content of your essay

• Comments on the problem statement
• Provides your own informed impressions or the outcomes of your research

Bibliography

When citing textbooks, study material, articles, and so forth as an authority in your
assignment answers, please note that a complete bibliography in the Harvard style must be
provided, giving all relevant details. All sources must be listed alphabetically by authors’
surnames. Do not refer to sources that you have not personally consulted.

3.5.5 Technical care of your assignment

• Write the number and topic of the assignment down on the first page and ensure that
your assignment answer contains the following:
o a table of contents;
o an introduction;
o a conclusion;
o a list of sources consulted.

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• Check your grammar as well as you are able. If you are writing on a computer, use its
grammar and spelling check.

o Try to write in short sentences as far as possible (about twenty words maximum)
o Make use of commas to separate ideas
o Write in complete sentences
o Start each sentence with a capital letter and end with a full stop

• Check your spelling, especially of names

• Make use of headings and sub-headings in your text

• Divide your essay into paragraphs.

o Ensure that each paragraph has a main idea.

o Ensure that each main idea is supported with examples, arguments, data, etc.

• Acknowledge your sources.

• Please ensure that your name, address, student number, module code, and assignment
number appear on the cover of the assignment and at the top of the first page of your
answer. This information must be correct. Every successive page should show at
least your student number and the module code.

• Number your pages.

• Ensure that the pages of your answer are stapled together properly. Do not join answers
to different assignments together.

• Foreign language expressions must either be underlined or typed in italics.

• We restrict the length of assignment answers to teach you to write concise and logical
arguments. It is very easy to write a long, rambling answer but such an answer does not
earn good marks. You must learn to summarise your research findings so that you can
answer a question in a factually correct,
• Please do NOT write on both sides of the page.

• Answers to all the questions in the assignment should be submitted simultaneously.

• Students who use word processors should consult the brochure Study @ Unisa about the
format and paper to be used for assignments. If possible, the assignment should be
typed, in at least 1.5 spacing. If you are not able to submit a typewritten answer, you
may submit a NEAT AND LEGIBLE handwritten answer.

• It is wise to make a copy of the assignment before submitting it in case it gets lost.

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•

NOTE
Students often find it rewarding to work in a group when preparing an assignment.
Unisa encourages you to work together as it can improve learning. Please note, though,
that you must give your own interpretation of what you have learned in the group when
completing assignments. Identical assignments by different members of a group are
not acceptable. Please note: Although students may work together when
preparing assignments, each student must write and submit his or her own
individual assignment. In other words, each student must submit his or her own
work. It is unacceptable for students to submit identical assignments on the
basis that they worked together. This will amount to plagiarism and none of these
assignments will be marked. Furthermore, these students may be penalised or
subjected to University disciplinary proceedings.

3.5.6 How to approach multiple-choice questions

See the brochure Study @ Unisa for instructions on how to complete a mark-reading sheet
for multiple-choice questions. Please read through the following remarks on answering
multiple-choice questions.

A multiple-choice question is the type of short question that gives students alternative
answers from which they must choose. The following is a simple example of a multiple-
choice question:

Legal capacity can be defined as the capacity to …

(1) perform valid juristic acts.

(2) appear in a court of law.
(3) have rights and duties.
(4) be accountable for crimes.

The multiple-choice question consists of the following:

Problem statement or question

Legal capacity can be defined as the capacity to …

Distracters/ Alternatives

(1) the capacity to perform valid juristic acts.

(2) the capacity to appear in a court of law.
Correct answer → (3) the capacity to have rights and duties.
(4) the capacity to be accountable for crimes.

The problem statement or question provides the perspective from which you have to work to
find the most correct alternative. It gives an indication of how to approach the question.
Therefore, always read and consider the problem statement carefully.

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The keywords are legal capacity and defined.

It is important to consider all the alternatives from the perspective provided by the problem
statement or question. Sometimes students choose one of the first alternatives without even
looking at the rest. Bear in mind that the distracters in a multiple-choice question are not
necessarily completely wrong. They are called ‘distractors’ because they often contain some
appropriate information, so it is easy to make a wrong choice if you do not know the subject
well or if you do not read all the alternatives carefully before you choose your answer. You
must choose the most correct alternative.

3.6 Preparing for the examination

3.6.1 Planning and revising

Planning is again of the essence in preparing for the examination. Keeping good notes,
doing all the assignments, and keeping on track with your study programme all contribute to
success in the examination. Work back from the examination date and plan your study time
prior to the examination. If you are doing more than one module, plan whether you will try to
study a little on each module daily or if you are going to plan your time differently.

It goes without saying that, to achieve success in any examination, there is no substitute for
a sound knowledge of the subject, which can be attained only by making a thorough study of
the study material and other prescribed material.

3.6.2 During the examination

It is a good idea to first read carefully through the paper, specifically note the maximum
number of marks allocated to each question, and then decide on the maximum amount of
time that should be devoted to each question.

Make sure that you stick to the relevant points for each question. Our experience is that
students sometimes add information that is not really relevant to answering a particular
question, in the hope that they will somehow earn marks. It does not work that way. Our
questions are very specific, and no marks can be earned by including additional material not
required.

3.6.3 Supplementary/ aegrotat examination

Please note that should the University grant you a supplementary examination, your year
mark will not count towards your final mark unless it will assist you to pass the
module. In other words, your examination will count 100% of your final mark and you will
have to achieve a mark of at least 50% in the supplementary examination to pass the
module.

However, this arrangement will not affect students who write the aegrotat examination (that
is, an examination given to people who were ill and whose condition is supported with
a medical certificate). Their year mark will count towards their final mark.

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4. ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR AS A STUDENT

4.1 Plagiarism

4.1.1 Did you know that plagiarism is a form of dishonesty?

Plagiarism is taking someone else's thoughts, ideas, or writings and passing them off
as your own. It's a serious academic offence, which can result in a student being
expelled, and impact the student's standing with other universities and academic
institutions.
Here are some tips to ensure you don't plagiarise:

• Acknowledge the original source whenever you use a fact, phrase, chart, or
quotation from someone else's work.
• Keep careful notes of every source you consult when working on an assignment
so that you never use a source without proper acknowledgment.
• Never copy and paste anything from the internet without also copying the
URL (where you found it), so that you can provide a full reference for the source.
• Don't use the work of fellow students.

There are many online tools that you can use to check your work for plagiarism. It's
always a good idea to submit this check along with your assignment.
4.1.2 Plagiarism in assignments and during exams
All academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by a student is expected to be the
result of his or her own work. The university views acts of copyright infringement and
plagiarism as a serious offence.
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 that involves a number of dishonest academic
activities. Please read the University’s Policy on Copyright Infringement and
Plagiarism, the Policy on Academic Integrity, and the Student Disciplinary Code.
Students are advised to study the Disciplinary Code, especially chapter 3 (1.19).

4.2 Referencing techniques and citing sources

There are basically two ways of referencing: in footnotes or within the text (the Harvard
method). The Harvard method is the preferred method applied in the Department of
Criminology and Security Science and must be used consistently. Consult tutorial letter
SCHJALL to assist you will the correct referencing methods from the different sources that
were consulted.

We hope that you will enjoy your studies and we wish you every success.

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ANNUAL STUDY PROGRAMME 2023

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