Review of current practice in Higher Education (HE) suggests that a

Appendix 5

Review of current practice in Higher Education (HE) suggests that a university-wide tariff for summative assessment promotes:

• 
  comparability and fairness in assessment practice
  
• 
  transparency of process for students and academic colleagues
  
• 
  a reduction in assessment load
  
• 
  students to bring their best efforts to bear on assessment tasks
  

• 
  External Examiners have noted that some modules and programmes are over-assessed
  
• 
  Over-assessment results in increased workload for academics and students
  
• 
  Inconsistency exists across modules, programmes and schools with regard to:
  

This inconsistency is particularly apparent where students undertake modules across fields and schools as in Combined Honours programmes.

• 
  A diverse menu of assessment approaches, flexibility and innovation are integral to good assessment practice
  
• 
  Choice of mode of assessment remains at the discretion of the module team
  
• 
  The tariff shall include ‘equivalences’ for the most commonly used assessment activities
  
• 
  Colleagues using modes of assessment not specified in the tariff will require a defined equivalence to be approved by a School Quality Committee.
  
• 
  In line with the sector, tariffs are proportionate to the credit weighting of the module. Since a mechanistic approach is to be avoided, level 0 need not be 50% less than levels 1-3 nor M level 50% more.
  
• 
  The maximum number of components permitted in one 20 credit module remains three, in accordance with the Academic Framework (UEL 2005)
  
• 
  For programmes with permission from Academic Board to operate outside UEL’s Academic Framework and carry different credits per module, the tariff will be calculated on a pro rata basis
  
• 
   Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements take precedence over stated tariffs but require the approval of the Director of Academic Practice and Student Experience.
  

• 
  Coursework: reports, essays, projects, portfolios, database/software/statistical activities, research proposals, critical reviews, annotated activities e.g. bibliography or module spec, reflective accounts, case studies, laboratory and fieldwork reports, creation of websites, blogs, wikis,
  
• 
  Written exams: essays, multiple choice questions, open book, seen questions
  
• 
  Practical exams: practical demonstrations, oral presentations, Viva Voce, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), posters, performances.
  

The summative assessment tariff comprises the maximum assessment load for a module, lesser loads may be preferable.

 

SUMMATIVE TARIFF: Maximum Assessment loads per module
Assessment Mode *	Level 0-3 (20 credits)	Level M (30 credits)
	or
Coursework	4000 words	6000 words
	or
Written Examination	180 minutes	270 minutes (with no one component exceeding 180 minutes)
	or
Practical (face-to-face) examination, viva, presentation or practical skills demonstration	60 minutes	90 minutes
	or
Dissertation	6000 words	9000 words

* The above list is not exhaustive, and modes of assessment not represented will require a defined equivalence to be approved by a School Quality Committee.
Where more than one component of assessment is specified per module:

• 
  the tariff will be divided between components
  
• 
  the balance of the weighting applied to each component with the tariff will be consistent. E.g. two components at levels 0-3 (coursework and written examination) each worth 50% = coursework 2000 words, written examination 90 minutes i.e. each are reduced to achieve the total tariff.
  

‘Double modules’ will carry double the stated amounts e.g. a dissertation module of 40 credits at levels 0-3 will have a maximum word count of 12000 words.