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Stages of summative assessment

Summative assessment tends to be high stakes for students and staff, although this is somewhat dependent on the weighting of assessments within an overall module mark.  Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider all stages of the assessment and feedback process:

1. Specifying: Designing the assessment and laying out methods, formats, requirements and criteria bearing in mind the four key principles of equity, openness, clarity and consistency.
2. Setting: Providing students with the information required to carry out the assessment successfully.
3. Supporting: providing scaffolding for the process.
4. Submitting: A clear outline of the process for submission.
5. Harvesting the work: Distribution of submissions with any feedback templates to markers.
6. Marking and feedback production: Marking processes, including liaison with second markers or moderators.
7. Recording grades and returning marks and feedback: Markers return work to programme administration for recording and return to students.
8. Evaluation, reflection and action: Following the assessment process (which may well have taken place after any module evaluation has been concluded), it can be useful to consider how well the process has worked from the student perspective and from the perspective of those involved in marking and feedback.

For many assessments, steps 5-7 are likely to be standardised at Department level. It is essential to liaise with Departmental administrative teams on summative assessment via the VLE.