Assessment Regulations Registry Academic Services Sara Welham 31 August 2010

1. Assessment RegulationsRegistry Academic ServicesSara Welham31 August 2010

2. Assessment Regulations Topics • Why the regulations are important • Sources of advice • What is in the regulations • Changing the regulations • Plans for the future

3. Assessment Regulations Why the regulations are important • Quality, standards and accountability • Consistency for students • Taking collective responsibility • Safeguard of working within the rules • Avoids appeals

4. Assessment Regulations Sources of advice – documents • Assessment regulations www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/assessment-regulations • Principles of Assessment • Exam Hall regulations • Guidance for Boards of Examiners • External Examiners Code of Practice • Guidance on Special Circumstances • QAA Code of Practice on Assessment of Students www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/

5. Assessment Regulations Sources of advice - people • Colleagues • Convener and Secretary of the Board of Examiners • College Offices • Registry Academic Services • Assessment regulations – Sara Welham • Appeals – Jane McCloskey • Curriculum and Student Progression Committee (CSPC) Ask questions – it is how we know the regulations need improving.

6. Assessment Regulations What is in the UG and PGT regulations? • Examiners’ duties, including External Examiners’ role • Role of the Board of Examiners, BoE meetings • Assessed work – coursework; late penalties • Exam timetable and conduct • Marking and the Common Marking Scheme • Release of assessment information • Retention and destruction of assessed material • Suspension from Honours Year / Postgraduate Degrees • Failure to complete degree assessment • Academic best practice and academic misconduct • Unsatisfactory progress – procedure for exclusion • Appeals • Interpretation and adjudication

7. Assessment Regulations What is in the PGR regulations? • Examination process • Thesis regulations • Regulatory standards for the format and binding of a thesis • Degree specific examination requirements • Consideration and approval of Examiners’ reports • Submission of the final version of a thesis • Posthumous degrees and diplomas • Academic best practice and academic misconduct • Appeals • Interpretation and adjudication • Grounds for the award of specified research degrees

8. Assessment Regulations Evolving Regulations • Should be enabling • Change over time, e.g. • Use of IT • Returning exam scripts • Reflect current practice and plan for future • Clarify interpretation They are never going to be perfect.

9. Assessment Regulations What is new in 2010 – UG and PGT • Electronic submission of results – move away from signing lists to minuting approval • Exam Hall regulations no longer in the Assessment regulations – but they still exist • Number of internal examiners present at BoE meeting – harmonised UG and PGT ...“No Board may have fewer than two internal examiners present.”

10. Assessment Regulations Issues for consideration during 2010 • Postgraduate masters progression rules • Aggregation rules in undergraduate assessment • Failure to complete degree assessment adequately • Anonymity in assessment • Use of oral examinations • Return of examination scripts • Resit entitlement • Assessment of different types of work This is not an exhaustive list. Email Sara.Welham@ed.ac.uk with suggestions for CSPC.

11. Assessment Regulations Plans for the future • Merging UG and PGT assessment regulations – for use from 2011/12 • Restructuring • Regulation • Guidance • Links to other information • Then look at PGR assessment