External Examiners Induction 22 February 2017 Working with the School: what to expect and when to expect it! Dr Sandra Frisby Director of Undergraduate Assessment School of Law

The Assessment Year Three (and a bit) assessment diets January – February May – June August – September (the ‘resit/first sit’ period) October (postgraduate dissertations) The process and when you can expect to hear from the School Approval/confirmation of assessment questions Mid-November, mid-March/early April, mid-July Moderation of assessments During each of the assessment diets And in relation to postgraduate dissertations, in late October The Examinations Board Generally, mid-June (undergraduate and postgraduate) and mid-November (postgraduate)

Vital Contacts! The School’s Examinations secretary/administrator (aka the Oracle…) Will usually send out assessment questions for approval Online access may be provided Will liaise with School markers to send out assessments for moderation Will provide information on key dates (including Examiners Boards) The School’s Examinations Officer/Director of Assessment/Chair of Examinations May be split between undergraduate and postgraduate assessments Will liaise with you regarding specific issues you raise in examiners’ reports Will provide information on classification or progression regulations Module Convenors Can provide information on Modules allocated to you and supply materials if requested Will offer an overview of student performance in a Module assessment and will draw attention to any issues requiring your attention

Approval of Assessment Questions The process Internal scrutiny meetings attended by staff involved in setting assessments Consideration of clarity, conformity with internal protocols etc. Sent for external approval Checking for clarity and content Liaison with examinations secretary/examinations officer or Module convenor in relation to queries or suggested amendments Response to queries or suggested amendments

Moderation 1 You should generally receive… Sample of assessments from a range of classifications A copy of the assessment questions (examination paper or coursework questions), a copy of the marksheet for the Module, and a ‘flag’ towards any assessments requiring specific attention Information on any specific issues relating to the conduct of the assessment You might like to receive (and can request!)… Further samples, or even all assessments Any internally produced marking guidelines/criteria

Moderation 2 Internal Examiners will usually seek your views on: Consistency of marking Especially where a number of markers are involved in the assessment With any marking guidelines/criteria provided The appropriateness of the ‘level’ of marking Have we been too stingy or overly generous? Specific assessments Usually where the mark awarded is on a borderline and there is an ‘unusual’ element involved For example, the three question examination paper with two excellent answers and a somewhat less excellent third answer! Tip of the day! Keep a copy of your response! It will come in handy when writing your External Examiner’s Report!

The Examinations Board We have a nice hotel here… Matters likely to arise Degree classification and the application of the regulations You should have been provided in advance with classification regulations for the School Regulations vary from institution to institution! You can always request clarification in advance The impact of the new classification regulations The impact of extenuating circumstances on degree classification or progression Will usually have been screened at a pre-Board meeting of the internal examinations team Your views on how similar cases might be dealt with at your own institution Any unusual circumstances that effected the assessment procedure Steps taken by the School in this regard (e.g., raising marks across the Module to take account of unforeseen events)

Making your task manageable You should feel absolutely free to ask whatever you feel is necessary of the School