Goldsmiths - University of London

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Assessments and Results

Assessment Handbook 2010

The Assessment Handbook for 2009-10 contains all the information you require regarding the examinations and assessment process. It should be read in conjunction with Programme Regulations and Departmental handbooks. Please take the time to read this informative booklet carefully.

Extracts from the assessment handbook can be accessed from the links below:

Reasonable adjustments to assessment and examinations for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

The College has the provision to grant additional reasonable adjustments to assessments and examination arrangements for students who have a disability. The aim of such arrangements is to ensure that students with a disability are given fair access to the assessments process without being given an unfair advantage over other students. The notes for guidance explains the procedure.

For more information the following forms are available in (PDF format):

Assessments

Students will be required by their department to register for their assessments by completing an Assessment Confirmation Form in November. Assessments at Goldsmiths can be in the form of coursework, portfolios, practical elements or written examinations. The marks obtained in your assessments can determine whether you are eligible to proceed to the next year of your programme and ultimately determine the degree or other qualification you are awarded. The regulations for your programme will outline the course-units or courses which are compulsory, and those which are optional.

Please note that students who take an intercollegiate course unit at an institution within the University of London at any level, must complete the application form available from the relevent university by the start of the Autumn term (preferably in May of the session before study commences). Colleges will have deadlines for requests and you should enquire about a place with them at an early stage. Some Colleges do not participate in the intercollegiate arrangement and fees will be charged, therefore it is vital that students obtain permission to attend and complete the application form before the course commences. Students taking a course unit with us from another institution should complete the form on the Assessments web pages.

Assessment Misconduct

The college policy on assessment misconduct is printed on the reverse of your Assessment Confirmation Form, which you are required to read and sign to indicate that you agree to adhere to this policy.

Plagiarism - this is, the presentation of another person's thoughts or words as though they were your own - must be avoided, with particular care in course-work and essays and reports written in your own time. Direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others must always be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks, and a full reference to their source must be provided in the proper form. A series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such, constitutes plagiarism just as much as a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single source. Equally, if you summarise another person's ideas or judgements, you must refer to that person in your text, and include the work referred to in your bibliography. Unless specifically agreed and deemed as a collaborative project by all parties, sharing work with other students will be regarded as plagiarism on the part of both the recipient and the originator.

Recourse to the services of 'ghost-writing' agencies (for example in the preparation of essays or reports) is strictly forbidden, and students who make use of the services of such agencies render themselves liable for an academic penalty. Students are advised to keep working notes or drafts to prove ownership of work submitted.

Written examinations

It is your responsibility to know the date, time and place of each of your papers as shown on the timetable. The venue for your examination may unavoidably be changed at short notice, so on the day of your examination, please consult the Assessments Office Notice Board (near the Porters Lodge) for any changes to location. A provisional Examinations Timetable will be available at the end of the spring term.

Assessment re-entry

If there is a fail recorded on your transcript you must abide by the Examiners instructions shown and you may be offered late summer retake, providing you have made a valid attempt at the unit concerned. If your failure is due to absence or non-submission you should be aware that you have not completed your programme of study and therefore will not be able to graduate until all elements have been attempted. You can redeem your failure by re-entering your examinations as directed in your results letter. Depending on the decision of the Examiners you will either be registered as a full time, part time or examination attendance only student.

The fee for re-entering examinations, if you are an exam attendance only student, varies according to your programme of study and form of assessment. See the current list of Exam Re-entry Fees for 2010-2011. You should contact your Department with any queries regarding your work and submission dates. It may be possible, under certain circumstances for overseas students re-sitting, to sit their written papers in their own country. Contact the Head of Assessments for more information.

Deferrals

Under College Regulations you must be examined for a course in the year in which it is studied. If you cannot submit for any assessment and you feel there are sufficient grounds on which to make an application for deferral to the late summer assessment period or the following year as appropriate, you must contact your Department and provide appropriate documentation. Failure to submit for any assessment or omitting to make a written formal request for deferral (to be considered by the appropriate College authorities) may result in your failing by default.

Inability to attend examinations

Students are required to attend all examinations or assessments they have entered for. Should you, for any reason, be unable to sit any examinations or submit any assessment coursework by the due deadline you should inform the Department or the Head of Assessments, as soon as possible and supply appropriate documentary evidence eg. medical certificate etc.

Assessments and examinations affected by extenuating circumstances/problems

If you wish the Board of Examiners to know of any extenuating circumstances or problem which you think may have affected your performance, or ability to submit work on time, you must inform your Department or the Head of Assessments immediately, in writing. You must submit evidence to support your claim such as a medical certificate or other evidence as appropriate. This should be obtained at the time that the illness or problem occurs. Standard medical forms are obtainable from the Medical Centre and should be used if possible.

Results

College and University policy states that it is not possible for exam results to be give given over the telephone. Currently there is no provison to email results.

A provisional list of degree classifications, by candidate number, will be displayed on the notice boards outside the Assessments Office (RHB 140) and on the web. Please check your student page for the date when this will be available. Students who are in debt to the College or the University of London will have their results withheld. A debt is any form of outstanding payment and includes unreturned library books and outstanding library fines or late Assessment Confirmation Form fee. A full transcript of your examination results will be posted to you,during the first week of August. The transcript will be posted to your home address as specified on your student record. If you wish to change your name or address, please call in at the Enrolment and Records Office (RHB 122) before the end of the Summer Term.

Continuing Undergraduate Students
The student ID number of students eligible to proceed to the next year of their programme of study will be displayed on the notice board outside the Assessments Office (RHB 140) and on the web. Please check your student page for the date when this will be available. Students not eligible to proceed will be informed by letter at the beginning of August.

Masters, Diplomas and Certificate Results
Following the meeting of the Sub-Board of Examiners for the relevant programme of study all results will be ratified by the College Board after which they are sent out to students as soon as possible.

Appeals

For detailed information on how to appeal, download and complete the form Appeals against assessments.

Other examinations download forms

Further information

For more detailed information, please contact:

Assessments Office
Room 140, Richard Hoggart Building
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
London SE14 6NW

Tel. 020 7717 2254
Fax. 020 7919 7063
E-mail assessments(@gold.ac.uk)