1. Purpose and Objectives
These procedures enact PPL 3.10.02a Assessment – Policy.
2. Definitions, Terms, Acronyms
Central Exams - examinations held in the end of semester examination period and during the special and supplementary examination periods, for which the administration and conduct are managed by Examinations section
Chief Examiner – the Head of School will appoint an academic staff member as Chief Examiner for a school, discipline or program
Criterion – a property or characteristic by which the quality of something may be judged. Specifying criteria nominates qualities of interest and utility but does not have anything to offer, or make any assumptions about, actual quality
Exam supervisor – independent party who oversees the conduct of exams
Examiner – the course coordinator for each course is also the examiner. They are responsible for developing the examination content and method
Evaluation assessment – assessment for monitoring of student learning as a measure of teaching effectiveness.
Formative assessment – assessment for the development of student learning.
Moderation – a process for developing consistency or comparability of assessment judgements and applies in a range of assessment contexts. For example, for students within a class/group; for students in different classes/groups within a single course; for students taking the same course but in different semesters or years; for students taking different courses within the same program; for students taking different programs within the same school or faculty; for students taking different programs within the same institution; for students taking similar programs in different institutions.
(based on Sadler, R. (1998, July). "Letting students into the secret: Further steps in making criteria and standards work to improve learning." Proceedings of conference (pp. 41± 48). Brisbane: Board of Senior Secondary School Studies.)
Release of examination papers – means making copies of the question paper available from the school/centre or lodging copies of past examination question papers in the Library
School-based Exams - examinations held (i) during the teaching periods or (ii) during the end of semester examination period for which a school takes responsibility for administration and conduct of the examination are classified as school-based examinations
Standard – a definite level of achievement aspired to or attained. Standards specify levels of quality (or achievement, or performance) for each criterion
Summative assessment – assessment for the making of judgements about student learning
3. Procedures Scope/Coverage
These procedures apply to all students and staff at The University of Queensland.
4. Procedures Statement
Principles:
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All assessment, whether graded or not, should be seen as formative.
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Students should be given the opportunity to develop as a result of such feedback, and that this should be reflected in the weighting given to and timing of summative assessment across the semester. Providing feedback to students on their progress throughout a course of study is critical to improving student learning.
5. Summative Assessment
Matters relating specifically to summative assessment have been defined to ensure that equitable and transparent processes are applied.
5.1 Criterion-referenced assessment
The University of Queensland uses criterion-referenced assessment as the method to explicitly define the relationships between summative assessment and the (i) learning objectives, (ii) standards to be met (iii) performance expectations held of students, and (iv) award of grades. In criterion referenced assessment, judgments about the quality of students’ performance are made by reference to predetermined criteria and standards and not by reference to the achievement of other students.
5.2 Information about assessment
All necessary information about summative assessment is listed in the course profile (see PPL 3.10.03 The Course Profile). This will include the amount, form and deadlines for assessment, the criteria and standards to be applied to each assessment item, the relative importance (e.g. weighting) of individual assessment pieces, circumstances under which extensions might be granted, the penalties for non-compliance (e.g. penalties for late submission, exceeding word limits), and how results for each assessment piece are aggregated to yield a final grade. Information about assessment is generally not changed after the first week of the teaching period.
Note that the timeframe for extensions to assessment must be consistent with the General Award Rules governing finalisation of results.
Where more than one tutor/lecturer is involved in providing information to students about assessment requirements, the course coordinator must ensure that consistent information is provided.
5.3 Forms of assessment
More than one form of summative assessment must be used in a course (e.g. essay, oral presentation, written examination, multiple choice examination, journal article, laboratory report, literature review, practical performance). A thesis and other large forms of assessment (e.g. designs and inquiry based projects) are regarded as including multiple forms of assessment.
5.4 Spread and timing of assessment
Unless the assessment is both the process and product (e.g. thesis, design project), no single item of summative assessment in a course may contribute more than 70% of the total summative assessment for the course. In addition, assessment tasks should be substantially different from that set in the three most recent settings unless the design of the task is such that prior knowledge of the assessment task cannot affect student performance.
Information about timing of assessment, including during the teaching and revision periods, is located in the General Award Rules, (Part 1A – Assessment).
5.5 Negative marking
Negative marking in multiple choice examinations, that is the practice of deducting marks for providing incorrect answers or formula marking to correct for guessing, is not permitted. Also, deducting marks for failure to undertake a specified task that is not part of the summative assessment is not permitted (e.g. taking off marks for not attending tutorials).
5.6 Moderation
While consideration should be given to all aspects of moderation (especially in the context of Academic Program Reviews), the minimum routine requirement for course coordinators at the University of Queensland is that moderation of all assessment be undertaken:
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for students within a course/group and
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for students in different classes/groups within a single course.
5.7 Examinations
This section (5.7) applies to all forms of summative assessment which take place in a supervised environment at an approved university location, is the work of a single student and for which authentication of the student’s identity is required. It pertains to both central and school-based examination and includes written, invigilated assessment but not, for example, unsupervised online assessment.
5.7.1 Anonymous marking
The examiner should not be aware of the student's identity. However, it is recognised that there are some instances where this cannot occur (e.g. oral examinations, very small classes).
5.7.2 Responsibilities for administration and conduct of examinations
Central exams are administered by the Examination unit. School based exams are administered by the relevant School.
In most instances school-based examinations scheduled during the teaching period are held within scheduled classes except as specified in the General Award Rules. However, in order to avoid timetable clashes, school-based examinations held outside of scheduled classes are timetabled by Examinations section.
Mid-semester school-based examinations held outside scheduled classes (e.g. on Saturdays) are permitted only in the circumstances as outlined below, and require the prior approval of the President of the Academic Board. A case to do so is made through the relevant Associate Dean (Academic). The following criteria apply -
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the examination must be justifiable on academic grounds, after other forms of assessment have been explored and judged to be less appropriate.
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there are multiple lecture streams or large enrolments in a course.
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a maximum of 90 minutes working time is permitted.
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the President reviews requests on a three-yearly basis (or earlier if changes to the assessment of a course require an earlier review).
5.7.3 Attendance at examinations: examiners
It is not a requirement that examiners or their delegates be present at the commencement of a central examination. Examiners must arrange to provide Examinations Section with their contact telephone number, or in their absence the contact telephone number of a delegate, to answer questions in relation to possible errors or ambiguity in the question paper.
5.7.4 Attendance at examinations: students
Students are expected to be available to undertake their examinations at the time scheduled and at the campus where they normally attend classes. See 5.7.5
Off campus examinations are generally not available for the central examination period. In exceptional circumstances, internally enrolled students may be allowed to undertake examinations off campus at the same time as other enrolled students, with the student paying for the venue, supervision and associated administrative costs.
Off campus examinations are available in the following cases – (i) Semester 1 special and supplementary examination period for non-returning students only and (ii) for all Semester 2 special and supplementary examinations. The student is required to meet the costs as set out in the Fee Rules.
5.7.5 Late arrival at an examination
Students arriving for an examination more than 30 minutes after the start of working time (as specified in the General Award Rules (Part 1A - Assessment) are not be permitted to sit the examination. If the reason for the late arrival would entitle the student to a special examination, they may apply accordingly.
5.7.6 Use of materials and equipment in examinations
The front cover of the examination paper lists details of any additional material or equipment that is authorised for use by students during the examination (see permitted materials below). Material or equipment brought into the examination room that is not on the list of permitted materials may be treated as “unauthorised material” under PPL 3.60.04a Student Integrity and Misconduct – Policy.
Note that -
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The University has wireless technology installed on all campuses and this may be accessible from examination venues. However, unless expressly approved in the examination instructions, access to the internet or other external communication devices is not permitted in examinations.
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Wherever permitted by the relevant course coordinator calculators’ and other electronic devices of an approved type may be used in examinations. The course profile and the list of permitted materials on the examination coversheet lists approved electronic devices. Please see the website for further information regarding the use of calculators in examinations and the process for obtaining a sticker for an approved calculator.
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Except in "open book" examinations, calculators with alphanumeric/advanced text storage capability are not permitted.
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Examination supervisors do not determine the appropriateness of electronic devices.
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Examination supervisors are authorised to use devices to detect the use of unauthorised electronic devices.
The following paragraphs describe types of examinations with respect to materials that may or may not be permitted in an examination room.
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Open book: Any additional material is permitted.
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Permitted materials: The specific items of material permitted in the examination room and details regarding the extent to which it may or may not be annotated will be described on the question paper. Any item not listed on the question paper will be regarded as not permitted. Any restrictions on the type of calculator or other devices permitted must be included on the list of permitted materials. The examiner is responsible for establishing a process to ensure students use an approved calculator. The university has a list of approved and non-approved calculators for use in examinations. Please see the website for further information regarding the use of calculators in examinations and the process for obtaining a sticker for an approved calculator.
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Closed book: No additional material is permitted.
5.7.7 Use of dictionaries
Students may be allowed access to either English, foreign language, or dual language dictionaries at the discretion of the examiner.
A student may bring a dictionary (in paper form and unannotated) into an examination, provided that it is on the list of permitted materials. For the purposes of this provision, unannotated means the dictionary must not be marked with handwriting, other than personal identification, or with printed material(s) attached to or interleaved with the original. Highlighting and/or underlining will not be regarded as annotation under this provision.
During the examination material brought into the examination room will be checked by a supervisor to confirm that it is permitted. If the material is deemed to be not permitted (e.g. contains annotations when none are permitted), the materials may be treated as unauthorised material under PPL 3.60.04a Student Integrity and Misconduct – Policy.
5.7.8 Special examinations
The General Award Rules (Part 1A - Assessment) detail the availability of special examinations including the application timelines and the range of dates for special examinations.
For examinations held in the end of semester examination period, applications must be lodged with the Student Centre on the St Lucia, Ipswich or Gatton Campus and not with the faculty or school. In these cases, the Manager (Examinations) has delegated authority to approve applications for special examinations on medical grounds. Medical Certificates should not be provided by a near relative or close associate of the student, the University reserves the right to check with the medical practitioner. All other applications, including those that cannot be approved by the Manager, are referred to the responsible faculty for consideration and a decision. Students are notified of the outcome of their application by email.
5.7.9 Granting of Special Examinations
For the purposes of the General Award Rules, students are given special examinations for medical, compassionate reasons or exceptional circumstances. Medical Certificates should not be provided by a near relative or close associate of the student, the University reserves the right to check with the medical practitioner. Exceptional circumstances could included, but are not limited to:
Special examinations are not granted where the Associate Dean (Academic) or head of school was not satisfied that the student took reasonable measures (steps) to avoid the circumstance that contributed to the student missing or failing to complete the examination. These include:
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holiday arrangements, including overseas travel
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misreading an examination timetable
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social and leisure events, including sporting and cultural commitments other than at state, national or international representative level.
5.8 Provision of Feedback
As noted above, the course profile provides information regarding criteria and standards to be applied to all assessment items. This is provided to students at the beginning of the semester.
Timely feedback to students is provided on every item of summative assessment. Marks and/or grades are one component of such feedback. Timely feedback on assessment is crucial for students' learning. All progressive assessment completed by a student should be marked and useful feedback provided to the student in a timely manner.
Feedback can be delivered by a variety of methods including group discussion, continuous assessment, written comments on the student’s submitted work or on feedback sheets, model answers, lists of common mistakes, and/or peer and self-evaluation.
After the results have been finalised, students will, on request, be given an opportunity to peruse, under supervision, the following relating to end of semester examinations:
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the examination question paper(s) and their own answers;
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the marking scheme or model answers used to allocate marks, or other form of feedback from the examiner;
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the final percentage marks in the course for the individual student, where such marks have been used and have been recorded by the examiner;
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the distribution of grades in the course and, where percentage mark cut-offs have been used, the percentage mark cut-offs at the grade boundaries.
Where schools and faculties post marks on noticeboards including electronic noticeboards, for privacy reasons, individual results are to be listed by student number only.
6. Award of Grades
Because more than one piece of assessment must be used in a course, it is necessary to aggregate results from individual assessment pieces to determine the student’s final grade. The aggregation of results must be a deliberate process that is readily defensible and ensures the validity of judgments made about student performance.
The method of weighting and aggregating individual pieces of assessment and the method used to determine a final grade must be made explicit in the course profile. Percentages, marks, weighted grades, or profiling of standards across tasks may be used to determine the result for an individual piece of assessment or for calculating the final grade, provided that details (including any cut-offs) are published in the course profile.
7. Finalisation of Results
Provisions governing finalisation of results, and changes to final results, are set out in the General Award Rules (Part 1A – Assessment). Once confirmed, students are advised of results on mySI-net.
The University’s grading system is set out in PPL 3.10.07b Grading System – Procedures.
7.1 Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment should afford the eligible student a second opportunity to demonstrate that he/she has satisfied the learning requirements for the course.
The General Award Rules and some program rules detail the availability of supplementary assessment including the timelines for lodgement of requests and the range of dates supplementary assessment will be held.
The type of supplementary assessment given is at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Academic). Students are notified of the outcome of their application by email.
A grade of 4 is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. It will be shown on the student record as xS4 (with ‘x’ being the grade awarded prior to supplementary assessment). See PPL 3.10.07b Grading System – Procedures for more detail.
7.2 Supplementary and special examination results
Results from special examinations and supplementary assessment must be finalised within seven (7) calendar days of the examination/assessment date.
8. Remarking Assessment
8.1 Remarking and corrections of administrative errors
At times, a student may believe the mark awarded does not reflect his/her performance as measured against the published assessment criteria. In considering a request for a remark (reconsideration of a mark), faculties and schools must be mindful that in adjusting a condition for a student, it could also relate to matters relating to other students in the course. In all cases, the remark will replace the original mark in the calculation of the final grade which could be a higher or lower grade.
Correcting a mathematical error in the calculation of the final result is not a remark. Amendments to a final result because of (i) a mathematical error or (ii) non-inclusion of the marks from a piece of assessment are considered an administrative error and are submitted to the Academic Registrar, through the faculty, for approval to have the final result changed.
The procedures for remarking are set out below.
8.2 Grounds for remarking assessment
A remark is done only when—
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the student has sought and received feedback about their performance on the assessment from the course coordinator or lecturer concerned (or has viewed their examination paper and model answers/written comments/etc); and
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the student, after receiving feedback, provides in writing a sound academic case to show how the mark awarded does not reflect their performance with respect to the published assessment criteria for that assessment.
8.3 Timing of remarking requests
The timing for remarking requests enables grades to be finalised by the ‘remark finalisation date’ as specified in the General Award Rules – Part 1A (Assessment).
Where marks are available before the commencement of the end of semester examination period, a request for remark is only considered if the request is submitted before the date of finalisation of results and no later than 30 calendar days after the release of marks for that piece of assessment.
Where marks are available only after the commencement of the end of semester examination period, a request for remark is only considered if the request is submitted by the following dates: (i) for first semester results, by the first day after the second semester mid-semester recess; (ii) for second semester results, by the first day of first semester of the next year; and (iii) for summer semester results, by the first day after the first semester mid-semester recess.
8.3.1 Remark requests submitted prior to the finalisation of results
If a student wishes to request a remark before the results are finalised the following procedures apply –
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The student completes a Request for Assessment Remark form.
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The student submits the form to the head of school responsible for delivery of the course.
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The head of school determines, in consultation with relevant academic staff members, whether grounds for a remark exist and if so, what the mark should be.
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In accordance with Records, the school keeps a record of the outcome of remarking requests for one year from the date of publication of results.
8.3.2 Remark requests submitted after finalisation of results
If a student requests a remark after the date of finalisation of results, the following procedures apply –
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The student completes a Request for Assessment Remark form.
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The student submits the form to the faculty responsible for the administration of the student’s program.
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The faculty will determine, in consultation with the school, if grounds for a remark exist, and if so, what the revised mark should be.
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The faculty follows the procedure to change a finalised result in accordance with the General Award Rules.
9. Release of Examination Papers
Students should have open access to past examination question papers, following the corresponding special and supplementary examination periods, unless determined otherwise by the Academic Board through the Assessment Sub-Committee. Justification for withholding examination question papers must be based on educational grounds.
The criteria for determining the circumstances in which examination question papers may be exempted from release and procedures to be followed to gain permission for withholding them is included in PPL 3.10.08b Requests for Non-Release of Examination Papers - Procedures.
10. Assessment Involving Near Relatives and Close Associates
The University’s Code of Conduct requires staff to avoid conflicts of interest. A potential conflict of interest exists when a near relative or close associate is enrolled in a course for which a staff member is involved the assessment or award of grades for the course.
The following principles apply –
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The staff member must inform their supervisor (e.g. head of school, executive dean) of the potential conflict at the earliest opportunity;
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The supervisor should determine arrangements for assessment including setting examination questions, marking assessment, and the roles of other staff members involved in the course;
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The staff member should not participate in the marking of assessment or the determination of a final result for the near relative or close associate;
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An external examiner may be necessary in some cases.
If any doubt exists, the supervisor should contact the President of the Academic Board. Further consultation between the head of school and the President of the Academic Board may be necessary.
11. Grievances
The University’s Student Grievance Resolution policy sets out the process to follow for assessment-related grievances.
12. Quality Assurance in Assessment
PPL 3.30.03a Curriculum and Teaching Quality Appraisal and Academic Program Review - Policy includes a requirement to review and monitor assessment criteria, standards and practices. Details of assessment are reviewed for adequacy and educational soundness as part of curriculum review.
While the same high standard of quality assurance must apply for all assessment, quality control mechanisms may vary to take account of differences in programs. The University recognises the need to provide clear, comprehensive and transparent analysis and reporting of assessment practices within schools and faculties.
PPL 3.30.03 Curriculum and Teaching Quality Appraisal and Academic Program Review sets out responsibilities with respect to ensuring quality assurance in assessment.
13. Appointment and Role of Chief Examiners
Chief examiners play an important role in ensuring quality assurance in summative assessment. It is mandatory that heads of schools appoint an academic staff member as chief examiner for a school, discipline or a program, as appropriate.
The chief examiners should report to the Head of School, and in consultation with the School Teaching and Learning Committee, ensure:
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school compliance with University rules, policies and procedures related to assessment;
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that appropriate records of all assessment results, and component parts, are kept in accordance with University policy.
In addition, the chief examiner will work with the Teaching and Learning Committee to ensure quality assurance in assessment in the school, including:
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task setting;
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moderation;
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feedback; and
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compilation and review of grades.
