1 INTRODUCTION
This policy applies to all taught modules delivered at the University, except where there are specific exceptions due to Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements. The policy sets out the University’s approach to verification of assessment tasks and the standardisation and moderation of marking. The policy should be read in conjunction with the operational guidance provided in Annex 2.
Verification of assessment tasks and the standardisation and moderation of marked tasks are the key processes by which the University maintains academic standards by assuring the appropriateness of assessment, and the accuracy of marking and grading decisions. This policy ensures alignment with the UK Quality Code for Higher Education.
See also the following Annexes to this Document:
Annex 1: Collaborative Partners and Policy for the Verification of Assessment and Standardisation and Moderation
Annex 2: Operational Guidance to support implementation of the Policy for the Verification of Assessment and Standardisation and Moderation of Marking
2 POLICY STATEMENTS
The following statements apply to student assessment that will receive a percentage mark, pass/fail mark or grade band.
1 All assessment tasks should be verified internally before being published to students.
2 New or substantially changed assessment tasks that contribute to the classification of an award should normally be verified by an external examiner before release to students.
3 All student work should be marked by an appropriately experienced member of staff.
4 Where there are multiple markers on a module, a standardisation exercise should be undertaken to ensure consistency between markers.
5 All first-sit assessed student work should be internally moderated.
6 The Module Leader will ensure that internal moderation across all markers on the module takes place.
7 The Module Leader will ensure that internal moderation across all student cohorts on the module takes place.
8 An appropriate representative sample of first-sit assessed student work that contributes to the classification of an award should be externally moderated.
9 Assessed work, feedback and provisional marks may be returned to students prior to external moderation being completed. All marks are subject to confirmation by the relevant Assessment Board. The ‘subject to confirmation by the Assessment Board' status of marks should be made clear to students.
10 Referral and deferral work submitted by students does not need to be externally moderated unless there is a PSRB requirement to do so.
11 Only failed referrals should be internally moderated.
12 Prior to the Departmental Assessment Board, the provisional statistical grade profiles of modules, individually and by level for each subject/course, should be reviewed in order to identify any issues relating to the performance of the students and/or standards of marking.
13 Any recommendations for changes to marks, e.g. scaling, should be documented and presented to the Departmental Assessment Board with support from the External Examiner.
14 There should be clear and documented evidence that internal and external moderation of assessed student work has taken place. (This will usually take the form of information provided in the moderation report for the module.)
15 The requirements set out in the 'Collaborative Partners' annex to this policy should be met for modules delivered by collaborative partners (see Annex 1).
Policy Guidance: Detailed operational guidance, including definitions of key terms, to support the implementation of this Policy Statement is provided in Annex 2.
