Assessment Information

Information for Assessments

• Assessment Task Submission

  Student assessment tasks should be submitted in electronic form via the submission portal used within a subject. The relevant submission portal is located within each subject’s site on the Learning Management System (LMS).

  Assessment tasks should only be submitted in non-electronic form when specifically requested by academic staff, for example folio assessments. Non-electronic assessment tasks should be submitted, prior to the deadline for submission, to the location specified by the Subject Coordinator as communicated via the LMS.

• Extension to an Assessment Task Due Date

  This procedure should be read in conjunction with, and is subject to, the University's Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326).

  Eligibility

  Students may be considered for an extension if they can demonstrate that unforeseen circumstances have affected their capacity to prepare for or submit an assessment item by the advertised due date/time.

  Note: If seeking an extension of greater than 10 working days or after the assessment due date, students should apply for Special Consideration. See the note at the bottom of this section for FoE Special Consideration guidelines.

  
  Potential circumstances and supporting documentation: 

  • Medical conditions – e.g. sudden illness of short duration: Health Professionals Report filled in by a medical professional (preferred) OR a formal medical certificate.
  • Carer responsibilities or religious commitments: documented registration for ongoing support.
  • Elite athletes, performers, defence reservists, or emergency volunteers: documented registration for ongoing support.

  Circumstances not requiring documentation: bereavement, domestic violence, (default of 5 days granted)

  Circumstances NOT valid for extension:

  • Computer failure
  • Public transport delays
  • Misreading submission date/time
  • Personal events such as weddings or birthdays
  • Minor ailments or illness, where you are still capable of completing the assessment
  • Travel plans.

  Outcomes

  Students will be advised of the outcome of their application within three working days of submitting the application.

  Appealing/reviewing outcome

  If a student feels there are grounds for a review of the outcome provided, they may seek a review. Students should explain the grounds upon which they wish their application to be reconsidered, and include any relevant new supporting documentation (if applicable) to support the review request. Review requests will be responded to within three working days (Monday - Friday).

  Students should continue to work on their assessment until receiving an outcome from their review request.

  Submitting work

  Pending extension outcome

  If a student has not received an outcome by the original due date/time of the assessment, they should remain patient for the faculty to provide an outcome within the 3 working day processing time.

  Students should continue working on their assessment until they receive an outcome for their extension application.

  Approved extension outcome

  Students with an approved extension should submit their work via the LMS. Once the extension has been approved, the LMS will update and state the new due date/time. The subject coordinator will be informed via email of a student's new due date/time.

  If a student has difficulties uploading their assessment to the LMS, they should directly email their subject coordinator with their assignment attached.

  How to apply

  Students should NOT submit an extension request directly to their lecturers/subject coordinators. Lecturers/subject coordinators do not provide outcomes for extension applications. Students will be advised to submit a formal application.

  Any advice provided by a lecturer/subject coordinator regarding outcomes for extensions is not considered official and students are advised to await receipt of their formal extension application coutome.

  Through the extension portal, students can submit one application per subject assessment at a time. If applying for extensions across multiple subjects/assessments, multiple applications will need to be submitted.

  If applying for an extension or greater than 10 working days and/or after the assessment due date, students should submit a Special Consideration Application per guidelines in the following section.

  Apply for an extension (up to 10 working days)

  
  Seeking a further extension - Special Consideration

  Students with documented grounds that impact their ability to participate in/complete assessment tasks for longer than 10 working days can apply for Special Consideration. Applications should be submitted no later than 4 days after the assignment due date.

  From 2024, the FoE Special Consideration guidelines permit eligible students a maximum possible extension of 40 working days from the original assessment due date. Note that this may be less for some subjects depending on their structure and the nature of the assessment. This maximum extension time includes any days granted through the above FoE extensions process.

  For more information on Special Consideration and how to apply, visit the University's Special Consideration web resource.

  Have a question about extensions?

  If you have a question about the extension platform or are having trouble completing the form, please submit an inquiry.

• Late Submission of an Assessment Task

  Assessment tasks submitted after the original due date without an extension, or after the new due date if an extension has been granted by the Subject Coordinator, will be subject to a penalty of 10% of the total possible marks for each working day the assessment task is late. Please note that ‘working day’ (interchangeable with ‘business day’) means any weekday on which the University is open and includes weekdays that are gazetted Public Holidays that the University does not recognise, e.g. Labour Day. Assessment tasks submitted on the sixth day after the due date or later will not be marked and will result in a zero.

• Exceeding An Assessment Task Word Count

  Students are required to indicate the word count (inclusive of notes such as footnotes or end-notes, but not references) at the beginning of their submission. For every 10% that the submission exceeds the word limit a penalty of 10% of the total available marks for the assessment task will be incurred.

  For example, an assessment task that is 0-9% over the word limit attracts no penalty; 10-19% over the word limit attracts a penalty of 10% of the total available marks; 20-29% over the limit attracts a penalty of 20% of the total available marks; until a limit of 60% over the word limit is reached, when the submission will not be marked as it is automatically a fail.

  No word count penalties apply for assessment tasks that fall below the word count. Please be aware of equivalent word counts for assessments that are not essay format.

• Marking Moderation

  The Subject Coordinator determines the nature of the moderation practices for each assessment task in a subject and this information is made available to students enrolled in the subject by the Subject Coordinator, via the LMS and/or subject guide.

• Assessment Task Double Marking

  In line with the University of Melbourne Policy on Double marking, double marking is only required for failed assessment tasks where a student has failed the subject overall. This means that a failed assessment task falling earlier during a subject will only be double marked if the student has failed the subject overall.

  In line with the University of Melbourne Policy on Review of Assessment of Student Work, if a student believes they have just cause to request a review of a result, they should do so to the Subject Coordinator in writing within 10 business days after the publication of the results for the assessed item – with a rationale that explains why they believe a review should be conducted. Note that students are not automatically entitled to have their result reviewed or their work marked by a different examiner. Read more about appealing result a  result

• Return of Assessed Work to Students

  Academic staff will advise students of the expected return date of assessment tasks in a subject, which is usually conducted via Turnitin on the LMS. Academic staff in the Faculty of Education will make every effort to return assessed work to students within three weeks of the due date for the assessment task.

• Reassessment (further assessment opportunity related to failing a subject)

  In line with the University of Melbourne policy on Reassessment, students may be offered the opportunity for reassessment (a student cannot apply for this) if failure of the subject significantly impacts course progression.

  1. Failing a graded hurdle requirement in a subject (the failure of which means failing the subject): reassessment will be granted only if the student has achieved a mark of between 40% and 49% in that graded hurdle requirement. If reassessment is granted, the reassessment is the sole determinant of the final mark for that graded hurdle requirement, with a maximum mark recorded for the graded hurdle requirement of 50%
  2. For reassessment of the placement component (if a graded hurdle requirement) of any subject containing formal placement, the Board of Examiners will determine the duration of the repeated placement and its scheduling. The maximum mark recorded for any repeated graded placement is 50%.
  3. Failing a whole subject: reassessment will be granted only if a student has achieved a mark of between 40% and 49% in that whole subject, after all assessment tasks have been marked. This includes the maximum 50% mark given for any reassessments granted for graded hurdle requirements. If reassessment is granted for the subject, the reassessment is the sole determinant of the final mark for that subject, with a maximum mark recorded for the subject of 50%.
  4. The format of the reassessment may differ from that of the original assessment(s) in that subject, and reassessment may be comprised of more than one component or type of assessment.
  5. Reassessment does not apply to situations where a placement has been discontinued, as this situation is managed by the Course Academic Programs Committee or Fitness to Practice Committee.
  6. Reassessment does not apply to a situation where an ungraded hurdle requirement is not met, as this situation is managed by the Course Academic Programs Committee or Fitness to Practice Committee.
  7. Reassessment will not be offered to a student who fails a subject on a repeat attempt.

  Please also note the further University of Melbourne policy on Final subject assessment.

• Coursework Grading Criteria

  The following grade descriptions are intended to indicate in general terms the kind of achievement to be expected at each level, and in no way replace assessment criteria for individual tasks.

  All submitted work must meet the requirements of satisfactory expression, presentation and referencing, therefore these are not referred to specifically in the grading descriptions below.

  H1 (80-100)

  This grade is awarded to exceptional work, which:

  • Demonstrates a capacity to work with abstract and original concepts and the ability to relate these to practice;
  • Illustrates a deep understanding of the major relevant theoretical perspectives;
  • Is thoroughly researched, with the data or scholarship collected discriminately from a wide range of sources;
  • Interprets data and sources critically and rigorously;
  • Possesses a sophisticated structural control in presenting and developing ideas and in drawing conclusions.

  H2A (75-79)

  This grade is awarded to work of a very high standard, which:

  • Demonstrates the ability to analyse and integrate a broad range of relevant sources;
  • Illustrates an understanding of a range of theoretical perspectives;
  • Is well-researched, with the data or scholarship collected selectively from a wide range of sources;
  • Interprets the data and sources consistently and perceptively;
  • Is well-structured, developing logically to conclusions that reflect the evidence and/or arguments presented.

  H2B (70-74)

  This grade is awarded to work of a high standard, which:

  • Shows evidence of research, through selection of relevant sources;
  • Uses sources accurately, identifying connections between them;
  • Includes evidence of the ability to draw implications from theory;
  • Demonstrates the ability to draw conclusions from data or other sources;
  • Possesses a structure that consistently addresses the topic.

  H3 (65-69)

  This grade is awarded to sound work, which:

  • Shows evidence of research and demonstrates some understanding of appropriate sources;
  • Demonstrates understanding of the main issues in the topic;
  • Presents data or insights relevant to the topic which are succinctly summarised, although often no more than paraphrased;
  • Generally supports its contentions with appropriate evidence;
  • Possesses a structure that addresses the topic.

  P (50-64)

  This grade is awarded to satisfactory work, which:

  • Shows understanding of the task;
  • Presents data or insights that are relevant to the topic, but these might rely on source material, with little transformation to demonstrate understanding;
  • Generally addresses the topic and organises some of the ideas clearly;
  • May lack sufficient or appropriate analysis;
  • May include contentions that are not properly supported with appropriate evidence.

  N (0-49)

  This grade is used when a student fails because they have not satisfactorily completed all prescribed (hurdle) requirements and would otherwise have passed the subject. A mark of 49% appears on the transcript, which may:

  • Be conceptually unsound;
  • Show evidence of not having understood the task properly;
  • Be largely irrelevant;
  • Derive unsustainable or no conclusions from the data presented;
  • Include unjustified claims;
  • Possess an incoherent structure.