Policy Library > Student Policies > Assessment

Review of Assessment and Student Access to Scripts and Materials

Intent

To specify the policy and procedures relating to a student’s right of access to assessment marks and materials and the request for review of assessment.

Scope

All coursework students and subjects.

Definition

Definition of terms used in this policy are as per the ‘Glossary of Terms for Policies in the ‘Student’ and ‘Teaching and Course Management’ chapters’ of the Policy Library.

Policy and Procedures

A. Examination Scripts and Assessment Materials - Student Access

1.
Students have a right to access copies of examination scripts and other assessment materials which have not been returned to them.
2.
Procedure for obtaining access

a.
Within three months of the Results Publication Date for subjects, a student shall, on request to the examiner of the subject, to the Subject Coordinator or to the Head of School, as appropriate, be provided with the opportunity to peruse the examination script and any other written answers to examination questions and/or a copy of such material.

3.
Examination scripts may be exempt from the provision of 2.a when the examination is one which involves repeated use of the same material in successive examinations, the disclosure of which would prejudice the effectiveness of future examinations (Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (Qld) refers). In such cases, a student may arrange with the Head of the appropriate School to read the examination script in the presence of the examiner or another person nominated by the Head.
4.
For honours theses, each examiner’s report and the name of each examiner will be released without request after examination, except where an examiner has expressly requested that his or her identity not be disclosed.

B. Review of Assessment - Individual Piece of Assessment

1.
Students may request a remark of any piece of assessable work within two weeks of the mark for that work being provided to the student. In the case of oral presentation this is subject to section 9 below.
2.
Prior to requesting a remark the student must have sought and received feedback about their performance for the assessment from the subject coordinator or lecturer concerned.
3.
To request a remark, the student must provide in writing to the Head of School a substantial case to show how the mark awarded does not reflect their performance with respect to the published assessment criteria for that assessment.
4.
In considering a request for a remark, the Head of School will be mindful of equity matters relating to other students in the subject. The Head of School will determine if grounds for a remark exist, and, where a request is granted, will nominate an alternative qualified person to mark the assessment.
5.
Remarking is done only under exceptional circumstances. Where a remark is granted, in all cases the remark will replace the original mark in the calculation of the final grade, which may result in the grade going up, down or remaining the same as the original grade.
6.
A student who, having followed the procedures above, remains dissatisfied with the outcome may appeal in writing to the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, who may authorise a second remark or deny the request. In the case of the latter, the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor will provide the student with a written reply to explain why the request is denied. No further appeal will be permitted.
7.
Where the Head of School is also the lecturer, the initial application for a remark may be directed to the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, with any appeal directed to the Chair of the Academic Board.
8.
For a review of mark for participation, the staff member’s recorded comments on class participation will form the basis of the review.
9.
Oral presentations

a.
If the value of the presentation is over 20 per cent of the aggregate mark for the subject, staff must provide a means by which a remark is possible - for further details, see the ‘Assessment Practices Policy’.
b.
Where the oral presentation is 20 per cent or less of the aggregate mark for the subject these review procedures are advisory only and reviews may be conducted by considering the oral presentation marks in the context of marks for all other pieces of assessment.

C. Review of Assessment - Final Subject Grade

1.
Enquiries about subject results are to be directed in the first instance to the examiner of the subject or to the Subject Coordinator. In urgent cases the Head of School may be able to assist with enquiries.
2.
If the matter is not resolved through discussions at school level or if it is not possible to consult the examiner or Head of School concerned, students may apply to the Director, Student Services for a review of assessment, observing the procedures and time limits set out below.
3.
Enquiries should be made as soon as possible, and applications for review should normally be made no later than:

a.
21 days after the Results Publication Date for the relevant Study Period; or
b.
21 days after publication of deferred and supplementary results.

4.
An application for review may be withdrawn at any point in the review process.
5.
A student who seeks a review of a final result shall apply in writing using the appropriate application form, to the Director, Student Services stating the reasons for the application and naming the examiner or Head of School, if any, who has been consulted.
6.
If consultation at school level has not already taken place, the Director, Student Services shall request that it be undertaken. This consultation may be omitted only on the advice of the appropriate Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor.
7.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the appropriate Faculty shall be advised of the application.
8.
Where there is agreement between the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Director, Student Services that an application is frivolous, trivial or vexatious, then the application may be dismissed. Where no such agreement is reached, then the application will proceed in accordance with the procedures outlined below.
9.
In consultation with the appropriate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Director, Student Services may accept a later application. If consultation between the student and the examiner or the appropriate Head of School has already taken place, the Director, Student Services shall proceed as in clause 11 below.
10.
If consultation between the student and the examiner or the Head of School has been waived (see clause 2 above), the Director, Student Services shall request the Head of School’s comments on the application and shall report these comments to the student. If the student wishes to pursue the matter further, the Director, Student Services shall proceed as in clause 11 below.
11.
On the advice of the appropriate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, the Director, Student Services shall inform the examiner concerned, in writing, of the application for review and of the grounds for it. Where possible this shall be done within 10 working days of the student confirming intention to pursue the matter further. The examiner shall respond to the application in writing and shall forward to the Director, Student Services all material relevant to the assessment. The Director, Student Services shall forward a copy of the examiner’s response and all relevant material to the student. If the student wishes to pursue the matter further, the Director, Student Services shall forward all relevant documentation to the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor.
12.
The request for review of final grade shall be considered by the Faculty Subject Result Review Committee. On receiving the documentation the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or, if the Pro-Vice-Chancellor is also the examiner, his/her nominee) shall as soon as practicable convene a meeting of the Committee. The Faculty Subject Result Review Committee shall comprise:

a.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor or nominee (Convenor);
b.
The Faculty Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning or nominee;
c.
The relevant Faculty Registrar or Associate Dean or nominee;
d.
The relevant Head of School or nominee; and
e.
The Chair, Academic Board or nominee.

The examiner of the subject shall not be a member of the Committee.

13.
Except with the express permission of the Convener of the meeting of the Faculty Committee, no additional documentation shall be presented at the meeting.
14.
An examiner who is a member of the Faculty Committee shall not attend the meeting except as provided for in clause 15.
15.
The Faculty Committee shall consider the student’s application together with the statement prepared by the examiner and shall hear either of them in person if either wishes to be heard. The opportunity to be heard is available only if the person who wishes to be heard is available at the time and date fixed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the meeting of the Faculty Committee. Normally neither the student nor the examiner may be present while the other is being heard, but if both parties agree and the Convener considers that such a procedure would facilitate the review, each may be present while the other is being heard. The student and the examiner shall be present only for such time as is necessary for them to be heard by the Committee.
16.
A student who appears in person before the Faculty Committee may choose to be accompanied by a member of the University community, who may assist in presenting the case but may not undertake the presentation of it on the student’s behalf.
17.
If the student or examiner satisfies the Convener of the meeting of the Faculty Committee that it is impracticable to appear in person before the Committee, the student or examiner may nominate a member of the University community to appear on his or her behalf.
18.
After considering the application, the Faculty Committee shall confirm or amend the result or shall take or recommend such further action as it deems appropriate.
19.
The result of the review shall be communicated to the Director, Student Services, who shall as soon as practicable inform the student and the examiner in writing of the result and take such other action as may be necessary.

Policy sponsor:	Director, Student Services
Approval authority:	Academic Board
Version no:	07-1
Date for next review:	05/11/2012

Version no.	Approval date	Implementation date	Details
07-1	5/11/2007	6/11/2007