1. Assessment is both formative and summative. When assessing students' work, lecturers constantly strive to achieve an appropriate balance between formative and summative assessment. While summative assessment is integral to all pieces of assessment identified in the unit outlines, a strong formative component also applies, in that the grading of each assignment is accompanied by detailed and constructive feedback. This impacts not only on how students approach the writing of later assignments in the same course, but also on how they deal with the assessment in later units in the same course, as well as how they conceptualise, research and write their theses. In addition to the formative feedback identified so far, a considerable amount of formative feedback is provided through one-on-one consultations between lecturers and students, and through such in-class activities as written and oral exercises, discussions, and seminars, along with general advice and feedback given to the whole class both before and following the completion of an assignment.
2. The intention of summative assessment is to test the student's achievement of the objectives of a unit and to gain evidence of the student's abilities in the area of these objectives. Work requirements for assessment may vary between different units and are set out in unit outlines and explained in the introductory lectures at the commencement of semester.
3. The type of work required for assessment purposes may be other than directly measurable by word length, e.g. undertaking a survey; resolving problems in logic; preparing a presentation using art, music, poetry, or performance as a medium. In these situations, the work required will be such as to be commensurate with the work required by the word limit level which is generally used for units in the relevant program.
4. It is desirable that the assessment processes enable the students to build directly on previous study in order to expand their existing specialist skills and knowledge. The assessment processes are to facilitate the students' progression in terms of the depth and extent of knowledge of the area being studied.
5. A sufficient variety of assessment instruments is to be used to avoid an over-emphasis on one type of assessment. Typically, a unit will involve three assessments instruments, including one major piece completed and returned for formative purposes within the first 4-5 weeks of semester.
6. Word lengths. The word requirements for units vary according to the level of the unit. For details see Levels and Grades.
7. External monitoring of assessment is achieved by a system of external benchmarking, carried out by a panel of six benchmarkers drawn from the wider university and theological collge community. External benchmarking is part of the quality assurance processes of the College.
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