Assessment Preparation Guidance Note

There are some guiding principles that sit behind assessment which are aligned with the University’s Industry Collaboration Zone Curriculum Design Principles, the full list will be available in the Assessment Handbook which is under development, but some highlights include:

Assessment at the University of Salford will:

be inclusive in design, providing all students with the opportunity to achieve learning outcomes associated with their modules and programmes to the best of their abilities1;

be authentic and relate to real world practice; promote academic and professional ethical practice; encourage, motivate and engage students, promoting learning and facilitating

improvement through timely and constructive feedback; help students to develop through the provision of, and engagement with, timely

and constructive feedback; provide a valid, reliable and transparent measure of student achievement and

proficiency; support future employment and encourage students to embark on professional

pathways.

Steps involved in setting assessment tasks

The process for setting, marking and reviewing assessments is captured in the flow diagram below the steps of which should be followed for all assessments.

Each assessment task should be designed in line with an approved module specification. Assessment tasks must be clearly defined and demonstrate a logical relationship to the module’s intended learning outcomes.

The detailed task should vary sufficiently from year to year to minimise the risks of collusion with, or plagiarism from, previous cohorts. This also allows the assessment to remain contemporaneous. This is not a new requirement but one to which you are asked to pay particular heed.

Key information about each assessment should be presented to the student using the University’s assessment brief template (in development*) and be provided to students, normally electronically.

*Assessments designed and set prior to publication of the new brief can be presented in their current format provided that this includes as a minimum:

a description of the task (which may include a word count); clear details of key components / expectations of the task

1 Details of the University’s Inclusive Student Experience Project are available via Blackboard at https://blackboard.salford.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_78828_1&content_id=_2027167_1

the intended learning outcomes; the submission date; process for submission; referencing style/requirements; allocation of marks and grade descriptors; the date on which feedback is due and the mode of feedback.

Please ensure that you specify clearly both how and when feedback will be given, this should include details of any opportunities for formative feedback prior to submission as well as the summative feedback.

The assessment proforma is being designed to capture the essential information about the task and not limit the use of other means to deliver more detailed information about assessments in a variety of other ways. Where possible, links to additional material should be embedded in the proforma.

Internal verification is required for every summative assessment and should be undertaken by a member of academic staff preferably from outside the module team. This should be recorded using the University’s verification template.

External verification is required: for all summative assessments at levels 5, 6 and 7; for summative assessments at levels 3 and 4 where required by Professional,

Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB), by collaborative provision agreements or where the level 4 mark contributes to classification;

where assessments/modules marks/grades have fallen outwith accepted norms e.g. a median grade of <50% or a pass rate of <90%;

where significant assessment re-design has taken place.

External examiners may ask to verify all assessment briefs per module or choose to sample them. As a minimum, external examiners must verify at least one assessment per module each academic year.

For both internal and external verification, the verifier must be provided with:

the assessment brief; marking scheme/rubric; any other supporting materials provided to the student; the previous year’s assessment for comparison; the University’s verification template.

Schools must retain records of verification as these may be required if a student submits an academic appeal or complaint or for audit purposes.

Neil Fowler May 2017

Design assessment(s) in line with module Learning

OutcomesCreate grade descriptors /

marking criteria

Use standard assessment brief and grade descriptor

templates*

Internal verification by someone outside of

module team.Confirmation or

modification of brief as appropriate

Recorded via Verification Template

Send verified assignment brief and grade descriptors to external examiner

Record via Verification Template

Publish the verified assessment brief and

grade descriptors at start of the module

Include submission dates and any other supporting information at this time

Use standard assessment brief and grade descriptor

templates Assignment submission by students via Bb or other

agreed method.Recording of submissions

and issue of receipt to students

Via automated email or Standard receipt

Contact any students with non-submission to flag 4 day late window and encourage submission or application for PMCs

Via email using standard email template*

Late submissions recieved within 4 days accepted with cap on marks as per regulations

Record late submissions via to ensure appropriate

penalty applied

Marking and feedback process completed within 15 working daysMarks recorded in Blackboard for publication

Feedback recorded via published methodNotify all student with a

non-submission or fail of academic support servicesNotify any eligible non-submission or failed students of IYRS

Via email using standard email template*

Provide an appropriate sample of work for internal moderationagree internal moderation outcomes as appriopriate

Use Moderation template to record details

Send modeartion sample to external examiner for reviewRetain moderation sample of assessments

Outcomes recorded via the moderation template

Review and reflect upon assessment outcomes especially where median <50% or pass rate <90% Consider any necessary modification

Record reflection in Module evaluation report

*templates to follow when agreed

Before start of the academic session

At the start of the module

On the submission date

Within 15 working days of submission

Immediately following return of work

After each element of assessment