Assessment criteria initiative

Results from the National Student Survey indicate that assessment and feedback are key areas of concern for Loughborough University students. Specifically, students have commented on:

• lack of clear assessment criteria causing uncertainty about what is required when presenting work for assessment
• limited constructive feedback indicating areas for improvement.

As part of the reponse to these issues, Programme Quality Team tasked the Quality Enhancement Officers with auditing the assessment criteria* associated with undergraduate dissertation/project modules.

Assessment criteria are invaluable as a means of informing students what they must do in order to demonstrate that they have met the intended learning outcomes for an assessment. The same assessment criteria can also be used to provide structured feedback on student performance.

Teaching Centre staff are pleased to work with Programme Teams, Departments or Schools in reviewing current assessment practice. If you would like support in developing assessment criteria for a specific assessment task (other than dissertations/projects) or if you would like advice about assessment in general, please contact:

Caroline Smith
Quality Enhancement Officer
c.smith3@lboro.ac.uk
Ext. 223720

*The following definition is taken from QAA documentation:

Assessment criteria: Based on the intended learning outcomes for the work being assessed, the knowledge, understanding and skills markers expect a student to display in the assessment task and which are taken into account in marking the work.
QAA (September 2006) Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education (2nd edition) found online March 09 at
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Code-of-practice-Section-6.aspx