University of Salford s1

University of Salford

Early Retrieval Scheme 2017-18

Frequently Asked Questions - Staff

What is the In-Year Retrieval Scheme (IYRS)?

The IYRS provides level 3 and 4 students with an opportunity to recover failure in some summative assessments before the reassessment period. Essentially this offers students the opportunity to retrieve failure in assessments (including those with a grade of non-submission (NS)), at a much earlier point in the academic year, closer to the point of module content to which the assessment relates.

Why has the IYRS been introduced?

The introduction of an IYRS recognises that level 3 and 4 are a transitional period between college or school and university and that there are differing levels of familiarity with the conventions of assessment in HE. The scheme is predicated on the understanding that early opportunities to make good poor assessment outcomes are critical in maintaining student engagement and commitment. The IYRS should therefore help us to improve retention during this crucial part of the academic journey.

Which students and assessments are eligible for early retrieval?

IYRS applies only to level 3 and 4 students (including those studying at collaborative partner institutions). The scheme does not apply to:  Students who are registered on accelerated degree programmes;  Any assessment with a submission that falls outside of the dates below.

Last summative assessment eligible for early Registration date: retrieval: Students registering on or before 30 March 2018 in September 2017 Students registering on or before 3 August 2018 in January 2018 For students starting at other points in the year, the date of the last summative assessment eligible for early retrieval should be calculated as the Friday of week 9 in the student’s second trimester.

Are part-time students eligible for IYRS?

1 Yes, part-time students are eligible as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

Will the scheme apply to students who are retaking modules with attendance?

Yes, students who are retaking modules with attendance (i.e. students who are taking assessments for a third time) will be able to benefit from the IYRS as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

Will the scheme apply to students who are suspected of academic misconduct?

Yes. A student who is suspected of academic misconduct will receive an academic mark on the piece of work in question. If this academic mark is below 40%, the student may decide to retrieve the assessment in advance of any decision reached by the Academic Misconduct Panel. A successful retrieval attempt would then meet in full or part the penalty imposed by the panel.

Can students use the scheme where they have passed an assessment but would like to improve the mark?

The IYRS can only be used where a student has not achieved a pass mark of 40%.

Are there any exemptions to the IYRS?

Where there is good reason for an assessment to be exempt from the IYRS, this must be approved in advance and logged by the relevant Associate Dean (Academic). It is envisaged that there will be few exceptions to this scheme. Possible grounds for exception include:  Specific and documented PSRB requirements;  Scenarios where is it not possible for practical or operational reasons to repeat an assessment e.g. group performance or a laboratory experiment.

Does the IYRS apply to exams/in-class tests?

Yes. If a formal exam or in-class test was the original assessment and it is not possible to repeat the exam/test in the retrieval period, programme teams should consider if a student can meet the learning outcomes through an alternative type of assessment, e.g. in the case of an exam, it may be possible for a student to complete a take home paper. As outlined above, if there is no alternative to an exam or in-class test, an exception to IYRS should be obtained.

2 Does the IYRS apply to sub-components or multi-part assessments?

Yes. The scheme applies to sub-components of portfolio type assessments where these can be completed without conflation with other sub-components.

Is the scheme compulsory for students?

No, the scheme is not compulsory. Eligible students may choose whether or not they wish to engage with an opportunity for early retrieval. It is recognised that undertaking the IYRS will increase the workload on students so students will benefit from academic counselling and support to help them determine if the IYRS is the best option for them.

Will assessments used for the IYRS need verifying?

The University requires all level 3 and 4 assessments to be internally verified. Programme teams may, in addition, ask external examiners to externally verify assessments if required. In most cases for retrieval, students will complete or re- work the same assessment that has been failed or which was not submitted or taken. This means that the assessment should have been verified before it was initially given to students. In rare circumstances where a different assessment is needed for retrieval purposes (e.g. online tests that provide correct answers at the point of completion), this will need to be verified in line with University requirements.

Do Programme Leaders need to inform my Professional or Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB)?

Yes, if a programme is accredited by a PSRB, Programme Leaders should advise the relevant body of the change in the University’s approach to assessment at levels 3 and 4.

What information will be provided to eligible students?

Students who are eligible to participate in the scheme will be contacted by the School’s Student Progression Assistant or nominee using a standard template and including details of the retrieval assessment task, the submission date and relevant support. Students will be advised to give consideration to their workload, margin of failure and weighting of the failed assessment when making a decision about retrieval.

Do students need to confirm if they wish to take part in the early retrieval scheme?

If students wish to undertake examinations which are offered as part of the IYRS then to enable the University to schedule examinations, they will need to notify the

3 University that they want to undertake an IYRS examination. Students will be provided with information which explains the notification process. If a student has have several examinations which they could potentially take as an IYRS attempt, due to scheduling constraints we are unable to guarantee that they will be able to undertake every examination through the IYRS.

If a student wishes to undertake a piece of coursework or similar assessment as part of the IYRS then they do not need to tell anyone. They simply need to submit their retrieval assessment by the deadline using the retrieval submission arrangements. You will know whether a student has taken part if an IYRS assessment has been submitted by the retrieval deadline.

What happens if a student does not engage with the retrieval attempt?

If a student does not engage with a retrieval attempt, they will still be eligible, in line with the University’s Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes, to engage with reassessment and retake attempts.

What deadlines should be set for submission of retrieval assessments?

Normally, students will have a period of two weeks to complete a retrieval assessment. When setting deadlines for submission of retrieval assessments, programme teams should give consideration to all programme assessment submission dates. Retrieval deadlines should, as far as possible, not overburden students. It is acknowledged that students eligible to submit a significant number of retrieval attempts may wish to consider the impact of retrieval assessment alongside submission of other assessments. Students should submit retrieval attempts in line with the published schedule of submission deadlines on Blackboard.

How will students submit their retrieval attempts?

In-year retrieval assessments should be submitted using the same mechanisms as the original assessment. Where assessments are submitted electronically (unless an exception is in place), either through Turnitin or Blackboard, it will be via an additional retrieval folder.

What happens if Turnitin identifies a high similarity rating for a retrieval assessment?

The University's Academic Misconduct Procedure states that self-plagiarism (or double submission) involves "resubmitting previously submitted work on one or more occasions (without proper acknowledgement) for separate blocks of credit" (paragraph 2.2.ii). Given that the key principle informing IYRS is that students make good their original piece of work, using the feedback that they have received, markers should not penalise students for a high similarity rating if the student has

4 submitted a similar piece of work for the same assessment on a previous occasion. Markers will need to look carefully at any case where a high similarity rating occurs and the source is not the student’s previous assessment.

How do I input retrieval marks?

Please see the updated Gradebook Manual available from [email protected].

How will retrieval attempts affect Module Exam Boards?

All retrieval attempts will be taken and marked in advance of Module Exam Boards which, at levels 3 and 4, will take place at the end of the academic year. Assessment marks presented to Module Boards will include the highest from the original and retrieval assessment marks (from the current academic year). Currently it is not possible to present both the original and retrieval marks to Boards.

Can a student submit a request for personal mitigating circumstances for an IYRS attempt?

No, unfortunately we are unable to consider a request for personal mitigating circumstances for an IYRS assessment attempt.

Can a student use the Academic Appeals Procedure to appeal against the outcome of a retrieval attempt?

A student can submit an academic appeal against any decision reached by an exam board; however, an appeal must be based on grounds outlined in the Academic Appeals Procedure. Failure to engage with a retrieval attempt due to personal mitigating circumstances will not be deemed a relevant ground for appeal.

As a Module Leader, what do I need to do?

 Identify any assessment which requires an exemption from the scheme and present a case to the relevant ADA by email (there is no specific format but you should include the module and assessment title and a rationale for the exemption);  Where necessary, set up a retrieval folder within Blackboard alongside other submission areas;  In conjunction with the relevant Programme Leader(s) and/or Programme Administrators, identify a retrieval submission deadline being mindful of the overall assessment submission pattern across other modules. A complete set of assessment deadlines should be available within the programme site;

5  Identify eligible students and send the names to the SPA (or nominee), together with the agreed retrieval deadline and retrieval assessment details for checking and further communication;  You do not need to contact individual students to advise of eligibility for the scheme but you will need to offer appropriate academic and pastoral support (e.g. through advertised office hours);  Students do not need to advise the University if they wish to avail themselves of the IYRS; once the retrieval deadline has passed you should mark whatever work has been submitted.

As a SPA, what do I need to do?

 Upon receipt of the names of eligible students from the Module Leader, check to see if students who have not submitted have an accepted PMC.  Remove any ineligible students from the list i.e. those without an approved PMC.  Using the standard email template, contact eligible students to advise that they are eligible for the IYRS, what they need to do and signpost appropriate sources of support.

Quality and Enhancement Office Revised 6 March 2018