Assessment
It is University policy that all students should be given written information about the assessment regime for each unit of study at the beginning of each semester in which it is offered. This information should include:
- Sufficient detail for students to understand clearly the nature and purpose of each task, and how each task relates to the unit of study goals;
- All relevant dates (dates of tests, submission dates for assignments);
- The weighting of each task, and, if applicable, of each major component of each task;
- The assessment criteria on which students’ work will be marked.
It is understood that changes to the original assessment plan are sometimes necessary or desirable; however, such changes must be “communicated in writing to all students enrolled in the unit before the halfway point of the unit.”
Students should, of course, ensure that they receive and retain a copy of the unit of study syllabus or outline even if they miss the first class meeting, at which the syllabus is usually distributed. They should also regularly check their University email account and, if applicable, the unit of study website in case of changes, updates and reminders.
Assessment criteria specific to individual assessment tasks are usually stated either on the unit of study syllabus or outline, or on separate handouts. It is expected that such criteria will be consistent with the information presented under Interpretation of Grades on this website; however, it is department policy that the formulation of assessment criteria for specific tasks is best left to the unit of study coordinator.
If you are in doubt about the criteria on which a piece of work will be marked, please feel free to ask your teacher to explain this.
The University of Sydney implements a policy called “merit grade distribution.” This policy imposes limits on the proportion of students enrolled in each unit of study and/or in each department who can receive each of the “merit grades” (credit, distinction and high distinction). If a department's marks are seriously at variance with the guidelines, it is necessary to “scale” the original marks that your instructors give you (the “raw marks”).
This department tries to avoid the necessity of scaling marks, but it cannot promise that it will never do so. You should therefore regard all marks that you are given throughout the semester as “raw marks.” Only the final results issued by the Student Centre after the end of the semester have any official status.
