Introduction
At Woolf, colleges have a high degree of academic freedom to choose the resources which will best support the intended learning outcomes of each course. In addition, each course is expected to expose the student to literature which is broadly recognised as both highly credible and methodologically reflective of academic consensus in the field of study, and to help students understand and explore this literature. In order to ensure a balance between these two important principles, Woolf allows colleges to submit a great variety of course resources, and also enforces minimum standards for the peer-reviewed literature featured in each course. This article is intended to explain these standards as they apply to each educational level.
Important notes
1. When choosing peer-reviewed literature for your course, make sure to correctly ascertain the MQF level of your course and go to the relevant section below to ensure that your selections meet the outlined criteria.
2. All resources submitted must be accompanied by a correct academic citation so that proper records can be kept and so that Woolf’s Accreditation team can quickly identify the specified resource.
MQF7+ (Postgraduate Courses)
Courses offered at MQF Level 7 are expected to offer opportunities for engagement with a strict standard of peer reviewed literature. All resources submitted should be less than 5 years old, unless they meet the definition of a seminal work (included below).
The minimum PRL requirement for MQF Level 7 and 8 courses is one publication from List A and one from List B below.
List A
- Peer-reviewed original research paper. This includes peer reviewed journal articles from reputable academic journals, as well as conference papers if peer reviewed and from a reputable conference. This must be an original research article, so cannot include literature reviews, commentary, etc.
- Peer-reviewed seminal work. This must have passed a process of academic peer review at a reputable journal, and must meet the following conditions:
- It originated an important new concept, finding, or principle in the field of study, or greatly developed an existing concept, finding, or principle in an influential way.
- The work is still highly cited and relevant in the field of study today, or is still widely taught in university courses today.
List B
- Peer reviewed original research paper. As defined above.
- Chapter in an edited volume from a reputable academic publisher.
- Peer-reviewed literature review. This must be taken from a reputable academic journal.
- Seminal work. Woolf’s accreditation team will accept an academic work as PRL by virtue of its seminal status if:
- It originated an important new concept, finding, or principle in the field of study, or greatly developed an existing concept, finding, or principle in an influential way.
- The work is still highly cited and relevant in the field of study today, or is still widely taught in university courses today.
- Alternatively, a seminal work could be a classic artistic or literary work widely used as a primary text in current university courses.
MQF6 (Most Undergraduate Courses)
Courses offered at MQF Level 6 are expected to offer opportunities for engagement with a strict standard of peer reviewed literature, but offer more scope for flexibility than MQF7. All resources submitted should be less than 5 years old, unless they meet the definition of a seminal work (included below).
The minimum PRL requirement for MQF Level 6 courses is one publication from List A and one from List B below.
List A
- Peer-reviewed original research paper. This includes peer reviewed journal articles from reputable academic journals, as well as conference papers if peer reviewed and from a reputable conference. This must be an original research article, so cannot include literature reviews, commentary, etc.
- Peer-reviewed seminal work. This must have passed a process of academic peer review at a reputable journal, and must meet the following conditions:
- It originated an important new concept, finding, or principle in the field of study, or greatly developed an existing concept, finding, or principle in an influential way.
- The work is still highly cited and relevant in the field of study today, or is still widely taught in university courses today.
List B
- Peer reviewed original research paper. As defined above.
- Book published by a reputable academic publisher aimed at an academic or university context. This does not include books aimed at a non-academic audience, without any explicit relevance for academics or university students, even if published by a reputable academic publisher.
- Chapter in an edited volume from a reputable academic publisher.
- Peer-reviewed literature review.
- Seminal work. Woolf’s accreditation team will accept an academic work as PRL by virtue of its seminal status if:
- It originated an important new concept, finding, or principle in the field of study, or greatly developed an existing concept, finding, or principle in an influential way.
- The work is still highly cited and relevant in the field of study today, or is still widely taught in university courses today.
- Alternatively, a seminal work could be a classic artistic or literary work widely used as a primary text in current university courses.
MQF5 (Entry-Level Undergraduate Courses)
Students of MQF5 courses are often still acclimating to undergraduate study. As such, PRL requirements for these courses offer significant flexibility. As with other levels, however, resources submitted must be less than 5 years old, unless they meet the definition of seminal work (included below).
For courses offered at MQF Level 5, two publications must be submitted as PRL, each of which must match one of the following categories:
- Peer reviewed research paper. This includes peer reviewed journal articles from reputable academic journals, as well as conference papers if peer reviewed and from a reputable conference.
- Book published by a reputable academic publisher aimed at an academic or university context. This does not include books aimed at a non-academic audience without any explicit relevance for academics or university students, even if published by a reputable academic publisher.
- Chapter in an edited volume from a reputable academic publisher.
- Seminal work. Woolf’s accreditation team will accept an academic work as PRL by virtue of its seminal status if:
- It originated an important new concept, finding, or principle in the field of study, or greatly developed an existing concept, finding, or principle in an influential way.
- The work is still highly cited and relevant in the field of study today, or is still widely taught in university courses today.
- Alternatively, a seminal work could be a classic artistic or literary work widely used as a primary text in current university courses.
💡Note: Two artistic or literary seminal works cannot satisfy the full PRL requirement even at MQF Level 5. At least one of the submitted works must be academic work.