1. Important information about your assessment in 2017/18

2. Responding to student feedback
The University has responded to previous student feedback around assignment feedback, assessment criteria, printing costs and spread of assessment deadlines, and we will be making a number of changes to assessment from this academic year.
From 2017/2018: Online submission of coursework and the provision of feedback online will be the norm across the University for all levels of study.

3. What does this mean for you?
Clear, consistent processes across all modules for submitting and receiving feedback on assessments
Improved access to marks and feedback from one location to help you identify actions to enhance personal and professional development
Regular provision of timely and clear feedback from your tutors
A better understanding of the assessment process through clear guidance and useful online tools
Reduction in printing costs and the convenience of not having to travel or queue to hand in assignments (where coursework is suitable for online submission)
Increased confidence through automatic proof of receipt for submissions
Confidence of knowing your work is stored electronically, securely and backed up

4. Managing your assessment?
Managing your assessment?
It is your responsibility to manage your assessment and development with guidance and support from your module leaders and professional services staff.
We have introduced a number of new personalised tools in shuspace to help you plan and keep on track during the year:
Your Assessment Channel will bring together all assessment-related information, guidance and support in one place. This includes:
- Your Assessment Statement  provides you with a complete overview of the tasks and sub-tasks that contribute to your overall award for your course. The statement will show assessment dates for the current year and previous years only.
- Your personalised exam timetable.

5. Managing your assessment?
- Your Assessment Calendar will display a short-term view of all your assessment tasks that have a deadline date.* Exam tasks will not be shown.
In addition, a separate To Do list will remind you of upcoming deadlines. 
* This will include tasks that contribute to the overall award, as well as those tasks that do not contribute to the overall award but are used to support learning (formative), and any non-assessed tasks such as DBS checks or risk assessment forms.

6. Submitting your work online
Submitting your work online
Your Module Leader will provide detailed guidance via your Blackboard module site on how to prepare your work for online submission e.g. word limits, layout, accepted file type(s) etc.
If you have a Learning Contract, you must type the wording from the blue sticker on the front of your assignment.
Coursework must be submitted to the formal submission point within the relevant Blackboard module site, by the published deadline date and time.
Do not use Microsoft Edge when submitting work as there is a known issue when using this browser which may lead to your work not being submitted correctly.
Any files exceeding 250MB will be rejected by Blackboard and must be submitted via the medial server.
Remember: always check the receipt and the submission point again following each online submission - this confirms that you have successfully submitted your work.

7. Submitting your work online
Submitting your work online
If there is a problem with your submission or you need to make changes before the deadline, you may submit again but only the last attempt submitted will be marked.
You may also be asked to upload your work to Turnitin for text-matching (an originality check) but this is in addition to formal submission via Blackboard and your Module Leader will explain the process for using Turnitin. 
IMPORTANT: you must submit to Blackboard or your work will not be marked. The standard deadline time in our faculty is: 3pm / 3:30pm (Course Leaders - please delete as appropriate).

8. What if things don't go smoothly?
What if things don't go smoothly?
If Blackboard becomes unavailable at the time you need to submit your work online, a message will be posted on Blackboard to let you know there are problems.
If you have a submission deadline during the time that Blackboard is unavailable, you will automatically be given an extension of 24 hours from the time the system is back up to submit your work. Your faculty will also be in touch with further details or advice.
If there are no issues with Blackboard but you still can’t submit your work, please speak to a Student Support Officer in your faculty for advice.
Coursework submitted late and within one working day (24 hours) of the deadline will still receive a mark but it will be capped at the minimum pass mark (See Rules and Regulations on shuspace). If submitted over 24 hours late without an approved extension, this will be considered a non-submission and will receive a zero mark.
If you submit work up to 24 hours after the deadline without an approved extension, you can request for the capped mark penalty to be lifted if you have extenuating circumstances to account for your late submission. You can do this via the online extension request system available on shuspace and you must do this immediately after you have submitted work late.

9. Submitting work offline (physical hand-in)
Submitting work offline (physical hand-in)
The vast majority of coursework will be suitable for online submission but there will be some exceptions such as exhibitions, in-class tests, artefacts and presentations.
Your Module Leader will provide clear guidance as to the hand-in location and will confirm whether you will receive an electronic receipt for the work.
You will need to complete and print a cover sheet which can be found at go.shu.ac.uk\assignmentcoversheet
If you have a Learning Contract, you must attach a blue sticker to your work.

10. Accessing marks / feedback online
Accessing marks / feedback online
Feedback and provisional marks for coursework will be made available online via Blackboard regardless of how you submit your work.
Feedback will be provided electronically using a range of formats, including comments typed directly against your work, feedback grids, and occasionally audio or video.
This will be found in the My Grades section of the Blackboard module site within three working weeks from the coursework submission deadline (unless your Module Leader advises otherwise).
Final marks will be published on My Student Record once they have been confirmed by the appropriate Department Assessment Board.
Feedback on examinations will also be provided and your Module Leader will explain when and how to access this, including the opportunity for one-to-one feedback on your script.

11. Help and support 
Speak to your Module Leader or Student Support Officer.
For detailed guidance around all aspects of assessment, please visit our online resource 'Assessment 4 Students' at go.shu.ac.uk/assessment4students.