“What if ....?” Answers to some common assessment questions
This section is designed to answer some of the “What if ?” questions that crop up regularly in relation to assessment. The questions posed here are not exhaustive, however they are designed to provide you with accessible answers to commonly asked assessment questions and they will direct you to the relevant policy and/ or regulation. The three main areas covered in this section relate to:
- What if I want to check regulations as I plan assessments?
- What if I want to prevent and detect plagiarism?
- What if I want the references on assessment used in this section of the website?
Further advice on the policy, procedure and regulatory aspects of assessment practice is available through the following units within UCD Registry: Assessment
(http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/ ) and Academic Secretariat
(http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/index.html )
What if I want to check regulations as I plan assessments?
Designing Assessments
What if I want to change my assessment?
The University provides a curriculum management tool to capture your chosen assessment strategy. This information is linked to a number of other University applications and students are encouraged to review these details when deciding on their modules. It is important that this information is accurate and remains static. If there are mitigating circumstances that require a change you should discuss this with your Head of School and Head of Teaching and Learning or Vice-Principal for Teaching and Learning for advice in the first instance. You can also contact staff in Assessment, UCD Registry to determine what may be possible.
Do I have to assess students by exam and use a certain amount of continuous assessment/ coursework?
There is no requirement that formal written examinations be used as part of your assessment strategy. The Academic Regulations do state that a module should, as far as possible, make use of an appropriate range of methods of assessment (see Section 4 - Assessment, Grading and Boards of Examiners). Assessment methods can include: formal written examinations, in-class written examinations, MCQs, laboratory examinations, practical or experimental reports, projects, essays, problem sets, reflective and learning journals and clinical or practical competency assessments.
Do I have to replicate the original assessment for students attempting a re-sit or completing their attempt following approval of extenuating circumstances?
All students taking a particular module should have the same remediation opportunities although the suite of approaches whereby a student is facilitated are a decision for the School and need not replicate the original assessment strategy. The University policy in relation to remediation is further explained at http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/pol.htm.
Implementing Assessments
How can Blackboard help me in my assessments?
The Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is used to provide elearning services to staff and students. It allows lecturers to share course materials, post announcements for students, and run quizzes and surveys. Blackboard also includes a Virtual Classroom facility, discussion forums and various other course tools. Further information is available at http://www.ucd.ie/itservices/teachinglearningit/blackboard/
Can I award grades for attendance?
Where participation in seminar or tutorial settings is assessed, there must be a clear assessment methodology and set of assessment criteria, made known in advance to students; such forms of assessment should be made explicit in the assessment strategy of the module (see Academic Regulations, Section 4 - Assessment, Grading and Boards of Examiners).
Can I advise students of their continuous assessment grades?
Continuous assessment is part of the students’ learning experience which allows them to monitor their progress throughout the stage. Feedback should be given to students on their performance; however, since these exercises form part of the examination, and continuous assessment grades are subject to moderation by the Extern Examiner and approval by the Programme Examinations Board it should be made clear to students that grades are indicative only and are subject to approval (see Examination Guidelines, Section 16).
What is Banner Gradebook?
Banner Gradebook is UCD’s web-based modular assessment grading entry system. It is designed to enable staff to enter marks and grades directly into the Banner Student Information System. It is complimented by a suite of reports, which enable Module Coordinators, Heads of School, Modular Examination Committees and Programme Examination Boards, to review and amend all assessment information. Further information including training dates is available at https://intranet.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/gradebook.html (you will be asked to enter your Connect login details).
Assessment, UCD Registry resources
Examination Guidelines
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/staff_info/staffexamguidelines.pdf
Extern examiner policy and guidelines
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/staff_info/externexaminers.html
General information for staff including:
- Use of Banner Gradebook
- Grade scale
- Grade descriptors
- Grade approvals Process
available at http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/info_staff.htm
Academic Regulations
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/pol_regs.htm
Curriculum and Information Management
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/adminservices/curriculum/index.html
Extenuating circumstances policy and guidelines
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/pol.htm
Resits, repeats and condonation policy
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/pol.htm
Contacts in UCD Registry
http://www.ucd.ie/registry/registry_staff.html
What if I want to prevent and detect plagiarism?
Plagiarism has begun to receive extensive attention in the last number of years in higher education, in terms of its occurrence, the underlying reasons which may motivate students to plagiarise either knowingly or unknowingly and institutional responses for dealing with plagiarism. In this section, the focus is very much on what you, as an academic can do to help educate students on plagiarism and hopefully prevent students engaging in instances of plagiarism. This section also addresses the question of detection and provides links to external resources relating to plagiarism.
What steps can I take myself?
Most published advice on preventing plagiarism emphasises education and prevention, over detection, as the preferred courses of action to change student attitudes longer-term and deter them from engaging in plagiarism. There are a number of steps that you can take with regard to:
Education
You should educate your students about plagiarism and copyright issues and how to use information ethically.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. As good referencing is integral to the study of any subject and part of good academic practice, UCD encourages students to understand that plagiarism is both a form of academic dishonesty, and poor academic writing practice. While plagiarism may be committed unintentionally by the student, it is defined by the act, not the intention.
Copyright
While Plagiarism is using someone else's work without crediting the original author, Copyright infringement is using someone else's “... original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works”, or computer programs, databases and websites without authorisation. UCD Library has compiled a Copyright FAQ page to provide information on key questions that arise in regard to the Copyright and Related Rights Act
UCD Library, as part of the work on information literacy skills, offers a range of supports and resources in this area:
- UCD Librarians work with module coordinators in designing , delivering and assessing information literacy skills, including the ethical use of information . Librarians are happy to work with you in co – designing and customising inputs appropriate to your discipline and level.
- Library’s Plagiarism Tutorial - easily embedded into Blackboard, comprising 10 questions and answers devised around the basic components of plagiarism and how to avoid it. To view the quiz in a Blackboard environment login to:
- Username: libguest
- Password: library1
- Go to http://elearn2.ucd.ie/ - gerards course – assignments – plagiarism quiz
- Contact Peter.hickey@ucd.ie to embed this quiz in your module
- Plagiarism and Citationwebpages
- Real-life plagiarism examples for classroom work - updated regularly
- Check your knowledge of plagiarism - a short plagiarism tutorial
Assisting students in avoiding Plagiarism
In early stage modules, prior to issuing the first assessment to students, and as part of clarifying the assessment task and criteria, provide students with guidance on the correct approaches to citation in your discipline including conventions for paraphrasing
- Practice what you preach – provide a list of references at the end of each lecture /power-point, using the citation style the students are required to use
- As each School uses different citation styles, and versions of styles, provide students with links to the relevant library citation style guides
- Encourage students to organise their references using electronic referencing software. UCD Library provides training in Endnote which allows students store and manage their references, create a bibliography electronically within MS Word using a number of referencing styles.
Self-plagiarism occurs when an author, usually an academic, reuses or recycles portions of their own previously published work, without any reference or attribution to the original publication. For example re-presenting material at conferences, or publishing very similar or identical work without acknowledging the original work. Many academic journals have codes of ethics which specifically refer to self-plagiarism, while others use a more standard reference to plagiarism. Self plagiarism is ddetrimental to research community; it wastes financial resources – through journal subscriptions, Inter Library Loans, causes time wasting; and results in a cluttering of the pool of research
Prevention
Strategies to adopt in designing your assessments which can help to prevent plagiarism
- Regularly change the topics for written assignments on the module, using specific time frames or geographic frameworks
- Customise the assessment by asking the student to relate the topic/data to their experience or a specific context
- Use a staggered approach to the preparation and submission of written papers which could include outlines, annotated bibliographies which are submitted in advance of the final assignment
- Use alternative formats for assessments, including posters, briefing documents, presentations
- Frame assessments so that students are required to present a justification for their argument including a critique of their choice of supporting evidence
- Highlight some key library resources that you expect the student to use when locating information for an assignment
- Encourage originality, self reflection, and individualised responses - for example ask for applied knowledge: applying theories/principles X to event Y Assess process as well as outcomes
- How did you go about answering the question?
- Where did you find the information?
- Why did you use chosen resources?
Detection of Plagiarism:
Plagiarism can be detected from some of the following indicators:
- A change in writing or language style within a paper – a different “voice”.
- Use of a mix of English / American spellings or phrasing.
- Use of incorrect/incomplete reference details in the bibliography
- Use of quotations in the paper which don’t have matched citations in the bibliography.
- Unusual or poor layout of essays – where material is “cut and pasted” often headings, or the spacing within a paper is “off”
- Use of graphs, charts etc within an essay where there is no matched references
Plagiarism detection software has become increasingly popular in higher education as a means of dealing with and preventing plagiarism. UCD uses Safe Assign which is available through Blackboard. Using software to detect plagiarism has a number of advantages for both students and staff, these include:
- Making students aware that detection software is used may have a positive impact on their behaviour;
- Getting students to use the detection software to self -check their assignments before submission, thereby assisting students in avoiding inadvertent plagiarism, and improving their academic writing skills. This approach can be available to all years of students, but is sometimes restricted to level 1 when students are learning to write
- For staff, using Safe Assign provides objective evidence on whether to progress a charge of plagiarism.
What can I do, if I think a student has plagiarised?
The UCD has a Plagiarism Policy Document and the implementation of this policy is currently under review by the University’s Vice-Principals for Teaching & Learning based on an evaluation of current practice within Schools. While the policy makes provision for a sliding scale of penalties, a standard Implementation Protocol is needed to ensure that there is an equity of approach in dealing with instances of alleged plagiarism across all Schools. The protocol will be capable of being customised to particular disciplinary needs and will support staff that identify instances of alleged plagiarism in taking the appropriate steps. This resource will be available in the very near future and a link to it will be available here.
Resources within UCD
1. The University’s Plagiarism Policy, which provides a definition and description of the various forms of plagiarism.
(Note: Implementation Protocol is under development)
2. UCD Library information skills pages support the development of effective library skills, including a page on plagiarism and citation styles used in UCD
External Resources. Used in drawing up this webpage:
1. Plagiarism Advice provides resources, training, advice and guidance to the education sector to help address growing concerns about plagiarism,
2. UK Higher Education Academy offers a series of resources and advice on plagiarism, including general advice as well as advice relevant to specific disciplines through its subject centres
3. University of Alberta Library guides provide a concise guide for lecturers on effective strategies for preventing plagiarism
4. On plagiarism by Jude Carroll: a short (9 mins) thought provoking video presentation including 7 key principles of plagiarism and student learning
References on assessment used in this Assessment section of the website
1. Biggs, J. (1996) Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education 32, 347-364
2. Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.
3. Falchikov, N. (2005). Improving assessment through student involvement: Practical solutions for aiding learning in higher and further education. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
4. Knight, P.T., & Yorke, M. (2003). Assessment, learning and employability. Maidenhead: SRHE & Open University Press.
5. Mutch, A and Brown, G (2001) Assessment: A Guide for Heads of Department. LTSN Generic Centre
6. Nightingale, P., Wiata, I.T., Toohey, S., Ryan, G., Hughes, C., & Magin, D. (1996). Assessing learning in universities. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press
7. Race, P., Brown, S., & Smith, B. (2005). 500 tips on assessment (2nd ed.). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
8. Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London: Routledge/Falmer.
9. Rust, C. (2001). A briefing on assessment of large groups. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from:
http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/ftp/Resources/gc/assess12largeGroups.pdf
