The Examination P rocess in the Final Year

1. The Examination Process in the Final Year Where to find information? It is all on the Biology Department web pages!!! http://www.york.ac.uk/biology/intranet/currentundergraduatestudents/ Contacts Undergraduate Office Manager: Julie Lord Email: julie.lord@york.ac.uk Tel: 01904 328541 Chair of Exams Committee: Harv Isaacs Email: harry.isaacs@york.ac.uk

2. Calculation of Degree Under New Modular Scheme • Stage 2 contributes 40% to the final degree mark • Stage 3 contributes 60% to the final degree mark

3. Calculation of Degree for Returning Students Under Previous Non-Modular Scheme

4. The Examination Process in the Final Year University marking scale in modular scheme Degree Mark lst 70 - 100 2(i) 60 - 69 2(ii) 50 - 59 3 40 - 49 Compensatable fail 30 - 39 Fail 0 - 29 University marking scale in old scheme Pass 35 - 39 Fail 0 - 29

5. Resits or No Resits? • There are no resits for students returning under the old pre-modular scheme. • Resits • Fail marks <30 will generate automatic resit examinations in August and will delay graduation. • Fail marks <40 may generate resit examinations in August and delay graduation.

6. Degree Classification at Borderlines Students with an integer degree mark of 68/69, 58/59, 48/49 etc will be considered as borderline. Re-weighting the contribution of Year 2 to the total degree markThe second year contributes 40% to the total degree mark. For the purposes of determining classification for borderline students two alternative weightings will be calculated, 50 : 50 and 33.3 : 66.7. If recalculation of the degree mark with either re-weighting puts a student in the higher degree classification the Final Board of Examiners will recommend that the higher classification is awarded.

7. Plagiarism and Collusion • The university has very clear guidelines relating to academic misconduct. • This is highly relevant to the Project report and Open Essay. • Departmental information: • http://www.york.ac.uk/biology/intranet/currentundergraduatestudents/common-pages/plagiarism/

8. Plagiarism and Collusion • The Open Essay and Project report must be submitted electronically and in hardcopy. • Turnitin • Formative plagiarism detection software. • Turnitin workshops are available • http://www.york.ac.uk/integrity/

9. Penalties for Late Submission of Open Essay and Project • All work submitted late (without valid mitigating circumstances) will be penalised by the deduction of marks after the work has been marked out of 100. • 10% of the available marks will be deducted for each day (or part of each day) that the work is late. • Penalties will be imposed for a maximum number of 5 days, which will include weekends and bank holidays. • After 5 days the work is marked at zero.

10. Mitigating Circumstances https://www.york.ac.uk/students/support/academic/mitigation/ • The University defines a mitigating circumstance as a problem that you have encountered which goes beyond the normal difficulties experienced in life and that has affected your academic performance adversely during the assessment period for which you are claiming. • Claims must be supported relevant evidence. • You must use the Mitigating Circumstances claim form. • Extensions to hand-in deadlines must be registered 24 hours before normal deadline.

11. Final Year Project Report • Project is a 40 credit module contributing to 20% of the final degree mark • The mark for project is divided into three elements • 80% for the written report • 10% for the project oral • 10% for the director’s mark on student performance • Submission of Report • Electronic and hardcopy to be submitted by 4.30 PM on • 22 April 2013 to the Undergraduate Office

12. Final Year Poject Orals • Your project oral presentations will be held towards the end of the spring term and will be organised by your project director. • They will be attended by your project director(s) and another academic member of staff.

13. Final Year Module Examinations • Unless otherwise stated all Term 7 and Term 8 module examinations are closed papers, 2.0 hours in length. • 50% for short answers and 50% for essay • ALL the short answer questions must be answered and you must answer ONE of the TWO essay questions. Timing of Final Year Module Examinations • Three Term 7 closed papers will take place in week 1 of the Spring term. • Three Term 8 closed papers will take place in week 5 or 6 of the Summer term.

14. Final Year Research Skills Module • Research skills module is a 20 credit module contributing to 10% of the final degree mark • The mark for this module are divided into two elements • 50% for the Open Essay • 50% for the Comprehension & Criticism paper

15. Final Year Research Skills Module • Open Essay • Electronic and hardcopy to be submitted by 4.30 PM on Monday 13 May 2013 to the Undergraduate Office. • Comprehension & Criticism Paper • Examined by a 3 hour closed assessment in week 5 of the Summer term.

16. Examination timetables • Timetables will be available by the end of the term preceeding the examination. • It is your responsibility to check these timetables for dates/times and venues. • Personalized exam timetables are available through e:vision

17. Final year assessments- Summer term dates • Meetings with external examiners • The external examiners will call a number of students for group meetings • The meetings have no input into assessment of individual students and are an opportunity for confidential discussion about our programmes. • Meetings will take place on Monday of week 10. Results Biochemistry posted late morning Tuesday week 10 Biology Posted late afternoon Tuesday week 10.